Chapter 4- The Trials

A/N: Thank you for the reveiws. This chapter will contain the trials for the inheritance ritual to complete. I don't know Latin so I welcome any suggestions for spells especially elemental spells.

As soon as the magic from the portkey as faded, Hermoine found herself in the middle of a forest. Her first impulse of mind was to panic. She was somewhere unknown and seperated from the rest. But soon her logical section of her mind overtook the mind. She first checked her belongings. Her wand is still with her. Good. She can now defend herself. Slowly and cautiously she began checking out the surroundings. She tried to analyse where she exactly was. Judging from the damp atmosphere and the cold she must still be somewhere in the British Isles. She now began to think what her next step should be. Appartion is dangerous. She was at an unknow location . She has never tried to apparate and she does not know if the forest has anti-apparation wards. Slowly to make sure, she began casting charms to to find out any wards are there. To her displeasure there are many wards that she cannot pinpoint at any specific ward. So she decided to walk until no wards are there and try to communicate with others. She slowly walked towards the north. After walking for 10 minutes she heard rustling in the leaves on the ground. Some might think that she was nothing but a bookworm. But she had training with the Harry Potter. One thing she learned to do was to be aware of the surroundings.

She stopped and peered through the darkness to see if there is anyone or anything there.She debated whether to cast a lighting charm. SHe can see the other thing but she can also give away her position. After some time thinking of all the training with Harry and Moody's Constant Vigilance she cast Lumos and immediately she froze seeing what was staring at her.

It was a Lethifold

--

At another location Luna woke up wit scent of grass in her nostrils. Her vision was foggy but was now clearing. She immediately sat up and examined her suttoundings. It seems to be grassland with small trees and tall bushes. She has no idea where she was. not that she doesn't like to be in unknown situations but this situation is slighly disconcerting. She brought her occulmency to full power to control her emotions. Occulmency is the reason why she always has the dreamy look. That is why she has control over her emotions when people insulted her.

She slowly started to spread her magic around her to sense anything unfriendly. Years of training with her father allowed her senses to heighten because of their quests to uncover things. She delt nothing. She was surrounded by nothing. This confused her. Normally anywhere no matter muggle or magical world, something always is present. But now feeling nothing is disturbing her.

There is only one explanation. Something is blocking her senses. She was now more alert. Her training with Harry has improved her. Slowly she started moving toward a small hill almost 2 miles from her place.

When she reached the foot of the hill, she suddenly felt something foreboding. Drawing her wand she cast the revealing spell on the surroundings. She felt distinct crack as the spell took effect. Her senses suddenly went to full alert as she heard a hiss. Turning around slowly she saw what would frighten most people. A Manticore.

Being a Ravenclaw she knows what a Manticore is. She knows what its weaknesses and strenghts. But she now lacked the dare and the will and the courage to fight. Suddenly as though she felt someone was pouring courage into her she felt ready to take on the beast.

Confringo.

The spell hit its mark but being a jinx it has no effect on the creature. Luna suddenly felt stupid. She was not fighting a human. This is a beast. She recalled what her father taught her. "To fight someone or something think like it."

Determined to fight now she now whipped her wand and cast arune that allows her more strenfht, speed and senses.

The manticore jumped at her, determined to bite her. Luna dove to her right, narrowly missing the lion head's jaws. The manticore was not done yet, the snake head then lunged forward to bite her. But due to her now incresed strenght and speed Luna jumped and rolled to her left.

Impedimenta. Reducto.

Both spells missed her mark. The manticore was angry. It raised its claws and attacked Luna slashing her robe. Luckyly the claws did not touch the skin, orelse the poison might have entered her blood stream.

Luna saw some ruins ahead and ran towards it. The manticore also follwed. It would have easily gained over any himan, but because of the enhancment rune Luna was as agile as a fox.

Still the manticore was fast. Turning around she cast Reducto it. This time it hit its mark. The manticore staggered slightly. This gave Luna enough time to enter the ruins. She ran toward a room which was the only one intact. She hastily opened the door and slipped inside. She then closed the door and cast the strongest locking cahrm she knows on the door.

She looked around. The room was moderately big. There was a small altar in the farther end of the room. She walked over there slowly and with awareness. When she reached it she saw a small white egg. Somehow she felt drawn to it, as if in a trance. She slowly reached for the egg and pulled it out of the altar. Suddenly she flt magic drawn into the egg. It felt tiring but at the same time exiting.

CRASH

The door suudenly oppened. The manticore has come inside.

Luna quikly put the egg inside her robes and started casting all the curses, hexes and jinxes she knows at it.

Somehow only few spells hit the target but did not do lasting damage to it. Luna then became bold and dived head on coming to point blank rane and fired a Reductor curse putting all her strenght into it. It hit the mark on one of its legs. But this was not enough to deter the beast.

Luna was now desperate. Even her occulmency did not help her. She felt helpless. She was close to dying. Her only regret was not able to help Harry. The man who showed her compassion and loyalty when no one else had. She has to live. She needs to help Harry.

Then it happened. With these thoughts, the magic inside her stirred. The egg she was holding in her robes cracked. A small blue dragon has come out. It ttok one look at Luna and looked at the manticore assessing the situation. It then started to transfer it's power to Luna. In the process it also formed the bonds of magic and familiar bond, fusing their cores together and their knowledge.

Luna felt the power transfer. She now knew what to do. Lifting her hand, she drew the full power of the air elemental. Focusing on the target she let the compressed air hit the beast. It was like she knew what she was doing. It was as if she was a natural at this.

The manticore did not have the time to dodge it. It was hit and was sent flying through the air, into the forest before hitting a tree with a sharp crack. It stood up shakily and turned and ran away.

Luna watched the whole process. She saw the beast running away. She now felt the adrenaline leaving her and the exhaustion took her toll. She passed out.

--

Hermoine froze at the spot. A lethifold is like a Dementor. but they are very rare and probably more dangerous than dementors. it was not because they are more powerful, but because there are not many people who fought them, because they are so rare. Also there are not many people who survived. Thinking hard Hermoine remembered what little she read about them. lethifolds are creatures of darkness. They hate light. So a patronus could work against it.

'Expecto Patronum'

The silver otter erupted from the tip of the wand and it slammed directly into the lethifold. the spell did not do any any physical or noticable damage on it. This scared Hermoine. She started to panic. She was not the type like Harry who can face any situation unknown. She always prided in knowing things. Being left unknown left her afraid. She does not know how to deal with the unkown. She now ran to her left hiding behind the tree.

Impedimenta. Stupefy. Petrificous Totalus. Reducto.

Hermoine started firing barrage after barrage of all the spells she knew at it.

But the Lethifold was managing to dodge the spells. Even if the spels hit they were able to throw it off. It took one good leap and landed in front of the human and hit her hard in the stomach.

Hermoine flew through the air and hit a tree. She felt her left hand crack on the impact. It was pain. It took all her will power not to cry out loud. She is still dazed from the hit. She slowly stood up. Shaking her head she saw the creature closing in on her. She must not die.She needs to help Harry . She needs to help her best friend . He was an unofficial brother to her. He needs her. She could not let her die. She has to survive.

You have courage my child. You have loyalty. You are worthy.

These words came from nowhere. Hermoine suddenly felt some thing matallic in her hands. It was heavy. Looking down she was shocked to see the Sword of Gryffindor in her hands.

Hermoine felt her courage returning. She looked up and saw Fawkes. Fawkes looke at her trilled to her filling her with courage and dissapearing with a flash of fire.

When this was transpiring, the Lethifold collected its magic and threw a apike made of ice at her. Instinctively she raised her sword at the spike and with one stoke of forward slash cut the spike before it hit her.

The Lethifold had not finished with her yet. It move forward toward her fast and hit her with a burst of magic forcing her down. It then held out its knobly hands and started strangling her.

Hermoine was now struggling to push the Lethifold off her. She then swung the sword and slashed the creature drawing an ice cold liquid from the wounds.

Hermoine was now desperate. She concentrated all her magic to repel the beast. But somehow she called upon something else.

A red stone like egg came zooming over to her. Impulsively she held out her hand and caught the egg.

The effct was immediate. The egg started to crack as soon as she caught it. A small red dragon has come out of it. The dragon took one look at the lethifold and then stared into the eyes of the person responsible for making it hatch. Immediately Harmoine felt a msgic recoil as the bonds of a familiar is formed.

The lethifold was clearly not please. It started to move towards the human. She was a pest that has to be killed. That is what his master has ordered.

Hermoine felt the creature approching her. It was now or never. Holding her sword she forced all her magic into it. the sword suddenly started glowing and was in fire. Hermoine did not notice this. She was too busy looking at the wraight like creature before her .

The lethifold momentarily lost its resolve. Fire was one of the things they hate. The girl before it was holding a weapon of flame. Maybe it was not a good idea to anger this human.

While the lethifold paused for a while Hermoine took the chance and with one swift movement cut off its right hand. The creature stumbled back. But Hermoine did not stop. She now has the knowledge of the founder unlocked. Gryffindor's power was now hers to command. She took out her wand pointed her wand and spoke the words of one of the most powerfull fire spells.

Elementus inflammare globus.

These are the words that are the doom for any creature that is not fire. The huge globe of fire and magma erupted from her wand and engulfed the dark creature. Its screams were heard by all the creatures of the forest who cheered . The creature of darkness is gone from the forest.

After the globe of fire dissapeared. Hermoine sunk to the ground. She slowly began to control her breathing. She then saw the little dragon watching her. Then it slowly started to come towards her. Unable to understand, she just held out her hand. To her shock on the right hand forearm a tatoo of a red gryffin was etched.

Do not be shocked my master. It is nothing but the mark of the Gryffindor chosen you as worthy follower.

Hermoine quickly swung her head to see who was talking. No one was there except for the dragon. Could it be it was the dragon who was talking to her.

Yes my lady. I am now your familiar.As you can see I am an fire elemental dragon.I also serve the purpose of a familiar just like the Pheonix you know. You can understand and talk to me because of your mind link to me.

She now has a familiar. She was contemplating things. She looked down to her right hand and saw the Sword of Gryffindor in her hands. But how is this possible. She remembered Harry telling her that as he pulled it out, He has to give it to her.

As if understanding her looks. Yes, that would normally be correct. But due to your unfortunate encounter you were forced to order the sword. As its current keeper, the Pheonix had to bring it to your care.

What is your name. I don't mean to be rude but why am I here?

I have no name my lady. You can give me one if you want me to. This place used to be the castle of Gryffindor once used to stand. But a dark lord destroyed it and placed that wraight to deter any heir to come here. Needless to say many were killed.

Oh. So this used to be the castle. now what am I supposed to do.

You now have the Sword. You now have to summon the five Swordsof the Gryffindor Orden.

Thinking quickly she called out to the 5 other swords. They came to her. They were beautiful. They were almost the same as the sword she holds except dor the names on it. Acsessing the founder knoledge she opened her personal dimension storage rune and banished them into it.

Now what do I do.

My lady. You must return to your Leige Lord. You now need to summon the rest of the Gryffindor Orden.

OK. Now how about your name. What would you like to be named.

It is up to you my lady. But the previous heir called me Godric.

Your previous heir?

Yes. I reincarnate every time.

So be it godric. Now how do I get out of here.

I am a Familiar, meaning I can do what a pheonix or any other familiar can do.

Ok then. If you can hurry, i have a brother who needs to be hugged to death when I returned.

As you cammand my lady.

With a flash of red flames they both dissapeared into the night.

--

Luna woke up to some small soft wet thing on her face. Opening her eyes, she saw the same small dragon licking her face to make her get up.

Are you awake now.

Yes I think so. Wait how are you talking to me. Where am I?

You are at the remains of the Castle of Ravenclaw. I am now your familiar. My previous one called me Rowena. You can give me a different name if you want.

Oh. Rowena is a beautiful name. It should do . Now can you tell me whats going on and why I am here.

rowena did not bother to explain. She just fed all the knowledge directly into Luna's Brain.

Wow. That's a lot of info Row.

Row?

Yes Rowena is a long name. Now I just have to summon the Twin daggers of Ravenclaw and the 5 Ravenclaw Orden weapons is it.

Yes that would be the case.

Luna summoned her daggers first. They were beautifull. They had a saphire embedded into the hilts. She also summoned the other weapons and after examining them banished them into the dimensional storage space.

I have a question. Why are all the weapons similar? Shouldn't they be a bit different?

The weapons change thair size according to the person thay hold. So don't worry. It will fit all of them perfectly.

Ok now that is over do you mind getting me out of here.

Sure my lady.

With a flash of light they were gone.

--

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I was busy with exams. So it took little time more. So This was my first time writing a fight scene. I also have problem with naming spells. So any help will be appreciated. Please R&R.

Next chapter Neville's trial and Draco Malfoy's rescue.