Albus Dumbledore was gazing blindly at the rotting plank above his head. His ring finger scorched, dead looking. A single tear was running from his eye towards the safety of his beard. Inaudible whisper escaped his lips.

"Ariana."

"Her death was a tragic accident." Said a young looking man, who chose that moment to step into the ruin of the Gaunt house. The old wizard twitched at the sound, but was unable to move anymore. The man looked down at him with his pitch black eyes. The only color in them were the cobalt-blue irises. "Right, well, we need to get you back to Hogwarts, Professor." He said grasping the old man's hand and pulled him over his back in fireman's hold and walked outside. There stood his mate, a beautiful woman with fiery red hair and sky-blue eyes. "Could you open a gate for us sweetheart?" He asked the girl and she did. A stone archway rose from the ground covered in runes, the headmaster has never seen. The air shivered inside and when the trio stepped through, they were at the gates of Hogwarts.

"Loki! You didn't take off the ring." The redhead chided the man apparently named Loki. She moved to take it off.

"Don't it's cursed!" Dumbledore tried, but it was too late. The woman took off the ring and twisted it between her fingers. At least the stone was already cracked and the curse was triggered by the professor.

"I will find Snape. Will you be a dear and take him to his office?"

"Sure love." He said and was rewarded with a quick peck on the lips. Then she was gone from the spot.

"A charming young lady, I must say."

"Too bad you don't swing that way is it professor?" the man asked then he too vanished and reappeared in the Headmaster's office startling Fawkes. He deposited the old man into his armchair and walked to the phoenix. He obviously has never seen a phoenix, but the scars on his left arm told tales of many other beasts. "You are fascinating Fawkes." He said and the phoenix tilted his head in curiosity. The man held out a hand. "I would love to study a tear if I may?" The bird tilted his head even more and a glistening drop has fallen onto a black index finger and disappeared. The healthy skin color came back as soon as the tear vanished and his irises flashed. "Yes, very interesting indeed." He murmured to himself. He started to walk up and down th length of the office, the eyes of the headmaster trailing him above his half-moon glasses. Not much later Severus Snape busted into the office.

"Headmaster I have heard what happened." He said and whipped out his wand at the man.

"I am not one of your many problems Severus." He said calmly.

"I told him that already." Came the woman's voice from the doorway. She was leaning on the frame watching the potion master's ministrations.

"This young couple here helped me come back to the castle Severus." Dumbledore said, at which Snape snapped at him.

"Don't talk!" He walked to the man uncorking a golden potion. "Drink." He commanded, while his hand was on the bottom of the headmaster's ring finger. "There is not much time left for you. One and a year, two at best. If the curse would have been allowed to spread further, you would be dead by the end of the school year. You were a fool to touch that ring."

"Not a fool, just too helpful." Loki said, stopping his pacing. "I would've made the same mistake and I have centuries upon both of you together.

"Centuries, you said?" Albus asked curiously.

"Yes. May I see the Deathstick, Professor?" The headmaster was surprised and disbelieving to hear such a request. The man held out his hand for the wand. "I don't have to ask. I am just being polite."

"Deathstick? The Deathstick?" Severus asked and the next moment he was gone.

"He will have to walk up from the dungeons again."

"Thanks Alice." The man smiled at his mate. "Your wand, Professor. Please."

"Here." Said the man lifting his wand which jumped to Loki's hand. He examined it closely.

"Don't worry about him, headmaster. He really is harmless. Sometimes an idiot, but he is a lovable one." The centuries old man just shot his tongue out at the redhead. "See?"

"I just don't understand what does he need the wand for?" Asked Albus perplexed.

"He is studying."

"Ah. I see." He said. "Not that I am not grateful for the help, but who are you two? I am proud to say I know everyone who is of extraordinary prowess. Which you both seem to possess. Not only that, but doing soundless and wandless magic, I have to say that I am impressed, although worried about the long life of you two." Alice shrugged.

"Yeah, well, we are not of this world." She said. Loki's right arm split in two and he put the wand inside.

"Your arm if you please, professor." He said. Dumbledore held out his cursed hand. Loki looked at it and he frowned. "Sadly, Severus is right. I have to administer muggle medicine. Crude, but in your case, effective." He said in a sad voice. "I will have to cut off your hand, I am afraid Albus. This will sting a little." He said and a blade emerged on his right between his middle and ring-finger. He swung it and the hand fell to the floor. The blade retreated and the Elder Wand slipped into his hand. "Flagrante." He said effectively cutting off the bleeding. Next came a needle that he pushed straight into the old man's bone at the wound. Dumbledore winced in pain, nit giving anything about his discomfort away, other than that. "That should kill off anything that remained of the curse. You should be free from it if I calculated and did the medicine right."

"Which he always does." Said Alice.

"Now, you should burn that hand and make a new one, I trust you know how." He said stepping away, twisting the Deathstick in his hands. We shall take our leave now, be sure that you are not keeping anything from the boy or his little group. He will live through it. Don't worry."

"We have to talk to Molly don't forget that." His mate reminded him.

"I don't want to be shouted at." He said in a miserable voice, at which Dumbledore chuckled. He knew very well, how scary Molly Weasley could be. At that moment Snape slammed the door open and the Elder Wand clattered on the floor. The couple was nowhere to be seen.

"Who were they?" The potion master asked.

"More importantly, how do they know about Fawkes?"

So, as everyone who followed me can see, I am back at it again. Smaller chapters while the epilogue is going, but longer when we have to say goodbye for the OC couple. This is a Dramione and (what could you expect from me?) Harry-Ginny fic. I need a beta reader and I am open to suggestions as to the pairing of Ron and others who are not defined yet (basically other than Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ginny). I hope you enjoy this and remember, every review counts :3