N/A: Ready for the chapter that screws with Cannon?

JediChild: Thank you, and may your preferred form of fantastical magic powers be with you as well. :)

Picatsso: Thank you :) Fiction can be difficult, but starting with a fan fiction is a good place to start. I would love to take a look at your story if you decide to post it online.

Avatar in the Wizarding World

Chapter

3 Self-important

Hermione's thumb softly stroked Ron's. He didn't look at her; he didn't want to look at her. He knew if he did, he'd beg her to stay. She's of course say no, and he'd feel like a lame ass. So he kept his mouth shut and looked up at the moon. It was almost completely eclipsed by tree leaves and the roofs of the surrounding buildings. Ron too a deep breathe in and turned to face her.

He managed a brief peek before glancing at his feet. He noted that it was time to buy new shoes. His were caked with mud, "Are you ready to see them again?" He mumbled. It took a while just to get a lead on where Hermione's parents might be. Even with the Witch's smarts, magic, and her knowledge of the muggle world it had been one hell of a struggle. But Hermione wasn't the type to give up. It's what he liked about her.

"I am." She smiled, it was a bittersweet sort of smile. He could see it out of the corner of his eye. She was about to take off on an adventure, and for the first time, it wouldn't be with Ron or Harry. It would be Hermione's own. He almost asked to come along. But that would end in some long winded lecture about school and studying and passing his last year. He didn't want the last thing she told him to be about schoolwork.

The Weasley shifted uncomfortably, as a cool midnight breeze made goose bumps rise on his skin, "Are you cold?" He removed his scarf, and handed it to her. Her brunette hair glistened in the moonlight. He swallowed. She looked so beautiful, he wished he could beg her to stay with him, and later, the two of them could go off on the adventure for her parents. Just the two of them. He liked that idea.

"Thanks. I'll return it when I get back." She took the threadbare scarf and wrapped it around her neck. It was just a yellow and red Gryffindor scarf with frayed edges and a stain from a spilled butterbeer, but it seemed like much more. A parting gift? A promise? "I'll miss you, Ron."

"Yeah. I'll miss you too." The sound of the Knight bus's screeching wheels could be heard from almost a block a way. No! It couldn't! He didn't have enough time to say the things he needed to say to her, to convince her to stay, he need to…needed to…to… She hugged him. His body melted around hers holding her hair in one hand while the other rested gently on the small of her back. "

I love you, Hermione." Ron's voice quivered. It was the first time he said out loud.

She kissed him, her hands cupping his face, "I know you do, and I love you too." His heart beat quicker. He held her tighter to him, burying his face in her shoulder. They stood there for a moment, tangled up into each other's arms, while the Knight bus grew closer.

"I wish you didn't have to go." It was selfish. He knew that, but that didn't change how he felt. She leaned her head against his.

"You understand why I have too, right?"

"I'd be an idiot not to understand." She laughed. The screeching came closer, Hermione gave Ron as wistful look as she raised her wand up in the air, signaling the bus.

"Goodbye Ron." She whispered as the Knight Bus pulled up beside her.

"Goodbye Hermione." He picked up her luggage and handed it to Stan Shunpike, the conductor. "You'll be back soon, won't you? I mean once you find your mum and dad, you come back?"

She sighed and placed her hands on his temples, "you're an idiot after all. I will be back. I will return your scarf, I will make sure you and Harry pass your N.E.W.T.'s, and I will be around so much you'll want me to leave."

"That's will never happen." he stroked her cheek before cupping it, kissing hard and forcefully. "I love you," he said again.

"I love you, too" Hermione leaned in for another kiss but a bell rang out. "Hey, hey, hey, I get it that you all are love birds, but we got a schedule to keep." Stan's rattled a bell again. Hermione's ears reddened. They said their goodbyes again, and with a peck on the cheek, Hermione was gone.

Harry lay awake in his bed as the clock struck one. Ridgel's feathers softly ruffled as the bird took off outside. The snores of various members of the Weasley family could be herd, some way louder then others. There was a thud from the room next to his. Harry sat up. Ron must have returned.

"How was it?" Harry asked with a knock on Ron's open door.

Ron flopped on to his bed with a sigh. "How do you think it was Harry?" the red head grunted, "It sucked. A lot. Part of me knows it isn't forever, but it certainly feels like it is." Ron kicked off his shoes and stared at the cobwebbed ceiling. "I wonder my family will think about Hermione leaving."

Harry cleared some clothing of a desk chair and took a seat, "I know she told Ginny she was leaving but no one else."

"Hermione isn't good at saying goodbye. Well not since goodbye meant a chance of a death eater killing someone before you see them again." A clock in the room ticked. Seconds turned into a minute, and one minute turn into five.

Harry leaned into the back of his chair, "You think your mom will care Hermione left with out a word?"

"Yeah," Ron replied, not really paying attention to his best friend. "You think she'll meet someone new while searching for her parents? Someone that will sweep her off her feet? Some wanker that is all intelligent and fighting for house elves rights?"

He let out a long sigh. "Hermione just wants her parents, then she come back to us, come back to you." The floor creaked; someone was up and stirring, probably Mrs. Weasley or Ginny checking on Teddy. Harry removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "I am going back to be, Ron. Night."

Ron grunted a response before rolling over in his bed. Without Hermione, it was going to be a long year at Hogwarts.

There was a soft dripping noise as water trickled off of the ceiling glow stones making its way to the moist floor. The smell of mold was abundant. Mai wondered how she missed it during the day. She was probably too focused on Azula to notice anything else. Once again, she focused on the dangerous fire bender before her.

"How did you know I'd show?" Mai crossed her arms, glaring at her former friend.

"You're predictable." Azula laughed her eyes currently sharp. Her mind was normal, for now. "You've always been. I bet Ty Lee is currently somewhere in here. She is the one that took out the guards." The little pink acrobat dropped from the ceiling where Azula's cage once swung when she herd her name. She glanced in Azula's direction before her eyes darted to Mai.

"Hello Azula." She mumbled, grasping Mai's sleeve.

Mai's eyes narrowed as she examined Azula, "I won't loose him you know." Zuko was her boyfriend, her love, the only person she could be herself with.

"If you were so sure of that, you wouldn't have released me. You wouldn't need too." She ran her fingers down her hair, dirt and grim had invaded her pretty raven locks. She would need to bathe soon. "I suppose neither of you thought to bring me a hair brush or soap." Mai and Ty Lee just exchanged glances. "Fine I will make do with greasy hair."

Mai kicked herself mentally. There was no going back now, she already freed Azula, why deny she wanted information from her. There was no way in hell she would give up Zuko. And if Azula could help her keep him, then she'd use that to her advantage. "What can you tell me?"

"Well next time you intend to interrogate someone, why not keep them locked up till you get the information out of them?" she pulled back her hair into a bun and tied it with a strand of fabric that she ripped of her sleeve.

"I have to keep him!" Mai shouted, "You have to tell me how to keep him!" Her voice rang through out the cave. It sounded ragged and on edge, like she was the one on the line balancing between sanity and madness instead of Azula.

"Oh, alright, I suppose I can tell you." Azula took a seat on a rock near the lake and the other two girls followed suit. The three of them, Ty Lee, Azula, and Mai had spent so much time together. But this, understandably, was different. This was the darkness, sickness, and more twisted nature that Azula had buried deep down during their friendship. Azula's eyes flashed, feeding off of Mai's hatred and Ty Lee's fear. She was free, in both the metaphoric and literal sense.

"Zuko is a king now, so bound and determined to bring peace to the world; he wants to right the wrongs that our nation has done." She smirked, "It's a load of crap, but my dear Zuzu has always been a dreamer. But unlike his beacon of light, you, Mai, take shelter in the darkness. You reveal in the discomfort and pain of others. You may deny it now; you might not even realize is now, but just like me, you're filled with darkness. And once my brother sees this, he will drop you in a jail cell so fast that you won't even have time to blink."

"Zuko love's Mai!" Ty Lee cried, "He'd never do that!"

"You wouldn't understand, Ty Lee." Azula said, fixing her gaze on the pink one, "Love and hate escape you. You're naïve to these things. To you, love is when you're with one guy longer then three weeks. And besides," her eyes slithered over to Mai, "He already left you behind once for the greater good, what's to stop him from doing it again."

"I'm not like you, Azula!" Mai hissed, standing up, "And I will never be! Come on, Ty Lee, we are out of here! This was a waste of time."

Azula let out a humor less laugh, "Oh Mai, you've already set me free, proving you will do what ever it takes to get what you want. It's only a matter of time." And with that, Azula stood up, brushed her outfit free of dirt and walked away from the two girls. Soon her figure disappeared from sight. Chills washed over the two girls as the weight of what they done settled with them. Azula's spell had worn off on, and with it, the realization of their crime. Had they really just unleashed Azula upon the world? Just for Mai's security in her relationship? How would they explain this to everyone?

"She-she has such a way of manipulating people," Ty Lee muttered. She gripped the end of her braid, twisting it between her thumb and forefinger, "She really got into our heads this time."

"You know we can't tell anyone." Mai whispered, "They'd never understand. We were friends with her for so long; it was almost like we forgot she was a criminal."

"Almost…" Ty Lee squeaked. "Lets… Let's just forget this ever happened… We never came back here. She escaped on her own."

"Y-yeah." And with that, the two girls returned to the Fire nation palace.

Harry's scar pulsed with electricity, or least that's what it felt like as pain rippled down the thunderbolt shape. It burned so much that his forehead almost went numb. Harry sat up in bed and grasped his forehead, placing his head between his knees, he grit his teeth together. Working through his pain he whispered, "Voldemort is dead. Voldemort is dead. My scar isn't hurting because Voldemort is dead." He chanted the phrase over and over before his scar cooled down. Sleepily, he rolled over and fell back into dreamland. The moment had become nothing more then a hazy segment between dreams.

Lucius Malfoy sneered at his unbearable living conditions. The once ornate walls of his home were covered with filth and grime. Between Death Eater and The Ministry of Magic his prized art collection, valuable china, and other expensive items had been broken, burned, and otherwise completely destroyed. He made a mental note to find a new house elf. He certainly wasn't going to clean he mansion himself that was unthinkable! Even before the Dark Lord fell, Lucius felt his power slipping. It was a tragic thing when a pure blooded wizard was looked down upon as a common person. Lucius was not common; he was a pure blooded, driven, intelligent man. And he deserved to be treated as such.

The sounds and smells of his wife cooking made him feel ill at ease. Narcissa was a lady of luxury, it was pathetic that she could adapt to common life so fast."Breakfast!" She chirped. Draco passed his father in the hallway with only a small glance before he reached the kitchen for runny eggs and a glass of pumpkin juice. It was strange how the Malfoy family adapted so quickly to losing their wealth. It was more then strange, it was disgusting. Of course they weren't really poor, they had family wealth to fall back on, not just what Lucius pulled in at work and as a Death Eater. But to the world they must appear penniless. If the Malfoys seemed helpless The Ministry would not expect them to be up to anything. But living like they were nothing was hard. Soon the family would be restored to their rightful place. There were major powers before The Dark Lord appeared and there were major powers now that Voldemort was gone. Lucius would do then just survive. He would thrive.

"How do you like your eggs, love?" Narcissa smiled at her husband. "I think it's my best job yet." The eggs were watery at best, and Lucius was pretty sure chewing on the rubber sole of his shoe would taste better, but he kept his mouth shut. Instead he watched with a small twitch as Narcissa casted a spell to clean and put away the chipped and scratched plates.

"Now why are you doing the dishes? We will acquire another house elf. Just wait till then."

"It's just a simple cleaning spell, why live in squalor till we get help?" Narcissa flicked her wand wrist and the table finished cleared itself and sponges and mops began to clean the house. Lucius grimaced.

"Mail's here." Draco Scooted away from the table just as an owl landed on it. "I am going to go finish packing."

"Finally." The head Malfoy said, picking up the letter the owl left behind. He had been waiting for sometime for a letter from the Slazar Slytherin Supporters. The SSS would lead him to greatness. With a smile he glanced down at the letter. The black envelope gleamed as elegant sliver writing gleamed on it.

Do not read till you are alone

"I am going to my office." Lucius obeyed the letter, existing the kitchen. Once he was in the safety of his study her took a seat in a black leather arm chair and glanced down at the letter again.

Open with the Proof of Purity

Lucius reached under his shirt and pulled out a necklace. A sliver charm on it depicted a snake with a dagger slipping out of its throat. All the members of his pure blooded clan received one once they proved their loyalty to the cause. He picked up the snakes body and used its dagger as a letter opener. If some one attempted to open the envelope without the SSS charm, it would burst into flames and they'd develop a nasty case of bleeding boils.

Lucius tucked his necklace back under his shirt and pulled the letter out of its envelope. It was a fold piece of smooth, black paper with silver trim. There emerald S's resided in the center of the opening fold. He unfolded it and glanced down at the message.

Lucius,

With the Dark Lord Voldemort's defeat I have decided that the plans Mordred and Morgana Le Fay put in place should be taken up again. If you recall your history, the plan made during the time of Merlin. It was Morgana developed the elemental cabinet with the use of Ancient Dark Magic. However, when her key was released and she was murdered, there was no hope for her plans. Her husband assembled the plans into a book, and gave it to their son-in-law, Salazar Slytherin. From there the book was passed down from pure blood to pure blood. It was considered just an heirloom till 1921 with the arrival of Azulon. However due to his sudden absence in 1964 and the success of Voldemort, the plan was abandoned again. With the end of the Second Wizard War, we have been left to pick up where many others failed. With you and me behind the plan this time, we shall rule.

Abraxas

When he was done, Lucius pulled out his wand and with an elegant flip of the wrist he torched the letter. As its ash's peppered the floor Lucius leaned back in his chair. Soon, everything would be as he needed it to be. His father would make sure of it. To celebrate, he pulled out a cigar spun in unicorn hair and lit it up.

N/A: Wow another chapter already? Even with stitches under my armpits I am driven to write. Or stupid enough too try...

Um... anyways, I wanted to note a few things.

According to J. K. Salazar Slytherin was born and raised in the same period that the Arthurian legends were around, there for I thought why not use that. Morgana or sometimes know as Morgan was supposedly the half sister of Arthur. In other legends Arthur had a brother, Mordred, instead of a sister and in some they were a married couple. So I used played around with the story in this fic.