Authors Notes: Hey guys. I found a little inspiration and decided to try and continue this story. A previous reviewer suggested I work on the POV's and I realized it could get confusing. I decided to lessen the POV's in this chapter to just two instead of the several I had been doing. Let me know if you prefer this. Hopefully Chapter 9 comes to me easier than chapter 8. As always reviews, both positive and negative are welcome.

DISCLAIMER; I wish I was as innovative as JK Rowling and this wonderful world belonged to me, but alas...earwax.


"Avalon"

He stood on a cliff somewhere, overlooking a city. He could smell the fire as it engulfed the city below. Someone laughed beside him. He could not look away from the orange glow. He could hear all of the voices now. They cried out in terror getting louder as the blaze intensified. Then his mother was there, she looked the part of an angel. She was dressed in a flowing white dress and her hair cascaded around her beautifully. She spoke to the person beside him, she looked to be pleading with them. Someone grabbed his hand, the fire roared higher around them, as if excited by their union. He was both content and horrified. They stood there un-burnt bathed in its glow as his mother looked on with a pained expression. He could see the unshed tears in her eyes. She nodded to him in defeat before stepping off the cliff and plunging into the hell below. He wanted to move, to leap after her, but the hand only squeezed tighter.

"Avalon".

There was that word again, an echo in his head. Faint and beautiful, almost reassuringly, he thought. The screams were all he heard before light erupted all around him.

Connor sat up in his bed, happy to be free of that particular nightmare. It was not the first one of its kind, he had been afflicted by nightmares since he begun using magic in the summer. It seemed that he had traded in his blackouts for nightmares. They were always different but they were also always apocalyptic. His mother starred and died often in these dreams. He could never stop her death and he was always joined by a shadowy figure just out of the edge of his periphery.

Connor was brought back from his musings by the appearance of both Donnie Thomas and Jackson Bales. They stood at the edge of his bed both looking unsure of themselves.

"What's going on guys?", said Connor sleepily.

Jackson eyed him warily, "You talk in your sleep. You kept saying the word Avalon over and over. We tried to wake you, but your wolf growled at us before turning into that."

He pointed to what Connor presumed to be Ares in hawk form perched on the windowsill. He shrugged, "He gets protective."

"What is that thing? I've taken six years of Care of Magical Creatures and haven't heard of one that can change forms like that." Said Donnie curiously.

Connor slid out of bed and stretched a bit, his head was a bit foggy from all of the events of yesterday. "The goblin that trained me called it a changeling, im not sure if its the correct term or not. He claims one probably had not been seen in centuries."

"Where did you find this one then?" Queried Jackson.

Connor shuffled past them headed towards the bathroom talking as he went, "I found it in Dumbledore's vault as an egg. It hatched and poof, you have Ares. I will meet you guys downstairs so you can lead me to breakfast. I am starving!" And with that he entered the bathroom leaving the two boys with several questions.

"Did he say he was trained by goblins? He's having us on again I think." Said Donnie as they walked down the stairs.

"Seven years of the finest magical training the UK can offer and that surprises you?"


Connor splashed his face with water and watched it drain down the stone basin. The dreams always took a toll on his psyche. He needed to speak to his mother to know if she was okay. If anything, he would have to visit the owlry and send her a letter. He had already known that he would not be able to simply call his mother and at the time he thought himself more dependent of her. He had never been away from his mother other than hours at a time before. Their life before had been a constant grind but one they shared together. Yet, here he stood already missing her warmth and guidance. Just as a bird needed to leave the nest eventually so had he. This was just as much about proving himself as a man to his mother. A good man. He did not know if his mother actually knew those existed. He would prove it to her and himself. If anything he would have to visit the owlry and send her a letter

With renewed conviction he stepped away from the sink and re entered the dormitory. Today was a Saturday which meant they did not have classes yet so he dressed casually. It was already starting to get cold as well at Hogwarts so he found himself slipping on a pair loose blue jeans and a charcoal grey hooded sweatshirt. He ran a hand through his curly hair which was now around shoulder length. He would have to find someone to cut before it got to be too annoying.

"Ares", he called as a way of summoning his friend who flew over to his shoulder before shifting to his tiny lizard and entering his shirt. He had at first been apprehensive about his familiar using this method, but soon grew comfortable with it.

The common room was buzzing with activity as everyone was awakening. It was a cozy atmosphere with comfortable looking couches and chairs situated around the room. Students of all ages and demographics milled about, obviously still excited to be back at Hogwarts if the already large chatter was any hint. A large fire kept the room at a decent and he could feel the magic radiating from it. No doubt some sort of charm to keep it ablaze at all times. They didn't exactly have central heating and air at Hogwarts. He spotted Jackson lounging on one of the couches and he waved him over when their eyes met. Connor made it across the common room in a few long strides to meet Jackson who had stood to meet him. Rose Weasley arrived a second before he did and proceeded to lay into him.

"That's it! No more!". It was strange how intimidating this little girl seemed to be at the moment.

Jasper seemed unaffected by the tirade, obviously this was not the first confrontation between the two. Apparently Rose was the moral compass for her classmates if this exchange was any indicator.

"You cant go around dealing potions and drugs. I am Head Girl now, I will not allow it!", Rose obviously did not partake like some of her cousins.

Jasper spoke calmly, "Bugger off Rose! Don't you know anything about economics. Supply and demand!" He gestured around the room. "They demand and I happen to have a supply."

"And if you make a mistake and someone gets hurt? Then what Jas?" Said Rose crossing her arms.

"No one is getting hurt Rose. Besides, if they didn't get them from me, they would just find someone else. I'd like to think that I am the safest alternative."

Connor noticed that during this exchange none of the other students seemed to be paying them any attention. The two must quarrel often, maybe he could extract himself from the two and find his way on his own. After his encounter with Albus Potter the night before he had decided to find more acquaintances outside of this Potter-Weasley circle. Jackson was awesome and Donnie seemed nice enough but they too were involved with the two families. He noticed a group of students moving towards the portrait in the wall they had entered and quickly followed behind them eager to get away.

The castle was old, thousands of years if what he had read was true. There was magic everywhere, it hummed in his ear faintly, just in the background. He felt alive here, a deep connection to this place that he had never experienced before. He wondered if everyone felt like this when they first came to the school or if it was because of his deep magical connection. He took it all in as they descended the many moving staircases. He could find no pattern to the movement yet but the students he was following navigated it easy enough. Connor could not wait to do some exploring and even take Professor Hagrid up on his offer from yesterday. He needed to know more about Dumbledore, things they didn't tell you in the books.

Things began to look familiar as they stepped off the staircase and Connor disembarked from the group intent on finding his own way now. Connor had never been in a castle before this so he found himself examining the structure. It was built out of some sort of smooth stone that he thought might have been marble. Hundreds of paintings adorned the walls and Connor could see the great oak doors he had entered last night. Four overtly large hourglasses sat off to one corner and walked closer to examine them. They all corresponded to a house it seemed as they all housed colored sands, red, blue, green, and yellow. The blue hourglass already had more sand at the bottom than any of the others. He idly wondered what that meant when someone cleared their throat behind him.

Connor whipped around to see the Headmistress herself regarding him. This was the first time he had seen the woman up close. Her hair was grey but her green eyes were sharp, almost like a cats. He wondered if she knew how intimidating of a figure she cut as she stood there watching him. Connor did not know what the proper greeting was for someone of her authority. He decided to go with a bow because that was what one did to someone of immense authority in the movies.

"Headmistress. Mam." He said before releasing his bow.

She nodded her head back at him and her face showed something akin to amusement. She beckoned him over with a wave. "Walk with me Mr. Walker, I hear the grounds are delightful this time of morning."

Connor fell into step immediately and reassessed everything he knew about this woman. It wasn't much, he knew she was highly regarded in the wizarding world. A transfiguration master, one of the few in the world. She was a scholar and had been teaching for almost half a had fought in the Battle of Hogwarts some 20 odd years ago and to have survived was no small feat. She also knew Dumbledore, and had worked and learned under him for decades. The great oak doors opened and they stepped into the morning air. The grounds were indeed beautiful and the air was crisp and light. He followed beside the woman as they made their way towards the lake, unsure of what to say.

"You feel it too don't you?" She said softly from beside him.

Connor was unsure of her meaning,"I don't understand what you mean mam?"

"Hogwarts. Her magic. As the Headmistress I am keyed in to the wards here, it helps me to keep an eye on things on here. I can detect all of the magical signatures the moment they step foot on the isle. In all of my years of being Headmistress, I have never felt one as strong or lively as yours."

Connor did not know how to react to this, it was strange to be an anomaly after all.

McGonagall broke the silence for him, "I was worried you might not acclimate to Hogwarts because of the high magic volume. It is usually the first year muggle-born students who struggle with this. You are doing well?"

"Yes mam. I was told that I adapt to magic well for some reason." Connor answered truthfully.

McGonagall seemed pleased with this. "I would expect no less of the lineage of Albus Dumbledore. Your face does bore a certain resemblance to him, especially your eyes." She paused before adding, "I saw your MT results by the way, very impressive.

"Thank you Professor."

McGonagall nodded and kept silent until they came upon the shore of the Black Lake. She took her pointed hat from her head and stared across the lake, Connor stood just behind her off to the side watching her. She was about 5'9 if he had to guess, and he easily towered over her.

"What do you plan to accomplish here Mr. Walker? I understand that you received a makeshift course on magic from the goblins, hardly six years worth of magical theory. I also have it on good opinion that you are an extremely quick study in matters of the wand. You have great potential that is of no doubt, but it will be hard to capitalize on that before graduation." She said without looking at him. "Not to mention I have already received a complaint about you assaulting another young heir in Mr. Malfoy."

This woman was counting him out already? Connor squeezed his hands as his anger began to rise. Who did this woman think she was? Was she saying that he had only been allowed to come because of Dumbledore. He was still not fond of anything the man had done for him outside of the monetary gain. Curwyth had told him that it was important he graduate from Hogwarts. That it would be dangerous for him and his mother politically if he did not succeed here. Connor did not understand the politics involved with being a lord or why everyone cared so much. He would show them all if he had to.

"I want.." He paused, " I need to learn how to control my abilities so I can graduate and take care of mother."

McGonagall had turned to look at him now. "And your father?"

"It's just me and her you see. It always has been, I don't know him or who he is. Seems to be a common thing with the men in my family. I was told that it would be in my best interest to graduate and assume the lordship. My mother is a strong woman, but she has her eccentricities. Politics do not suit her and I understand it to even be dangerous sometimes." He said honestly. "I just want to do right by her Professor."

"Then it seems as if I will have no other choice than to instruct you personally." Said the woman matter of factly.

Connor could not register what she said, "Wait, what?"

" I do not intend to repeat myself Mr. Walker, a fact you will do well to remember going forward. You will attend remedial classes during the day until I feel you are able to join your seventh year classmates. You will report to me every night after dinner and I will instruct you in all that I know. I will not tolerate failure or lackadaisical work am I understood?" It was not a suggestion, but a command. "Also physical violence is not tolerated here at Hogwarts. I understand you are a teenage boy prone to bouts of idiocy, but do try and conduct yourself as a gentleman or i'll have to expel you."

"Yes mam?", Connor was at a loss for words.

Professor McGonagall simply nodded to him before producing a piece of parchment from her robes,"I expect you not to be tardy and to get acquainted with the school library today. Madame Pince will be expecting you, good day Mr. Walker." And with that she was walking away from him back towards the confines of the school. Connor watched her go before remembering the piece of paper she had given him.

I hereby grant Connor Walker(7th Year) access to the restricted area. - Minerva McGonagall. Headmistress

Connor ran a hand through his hair attempting to process the previous conversation before sighing. "How troublesome."


Hermione did love her husband, of this she was sure. The only problem was that she didn't know if she was in love with her husband. She was seated in an oak woven chair next to the conjured infirmary bed that her husband now lay on. She had shed many a tear in the past twenty four hours over his prone form as he fought death from his deadly wound. That creature, which was all she could think to call it, had shaken her to the very core. Hermione was considered a war hero, a shining example of what muggles and magic could be together. A role model all young witches aspired to be, and Merlin knew how much time she spent making sure her children understood the values of higher education. And after getting past her childhood anxiety and embracing herself, she knew that she was beautiful woman in her own right.

But for all of her achievements, Hermione was deeply flawed woman. Her intellect and propriety, which she had always adhered to, disappeared around him. Draco Malfoy. He was who she thought he was, and that was everything Ron was not. Where Ron was fire, Draco was ice. When they were younger, Ron had smothered her with his warmth. It had been infectious then, but Hermione now realized that Ron was just the safe choice. She knew what she was getting into when she married him, and honestly she knew that she was settling. That was because of Harry, her brother in all but blood. She loved him like a brother now, but once upon a time her heart had longed for him, her first love. There was memory, or a dream, of this she wasn't sure. It was during the war when they were searching for Horcruxes and Ron had abandoned them. That part of the story usually got skipped over in most retelling's these days.

His heart had been heavy and the Horcrux had probably made him more than a little emotional than usual. The loss of Ron had hit him harder than it had Hermione. Her heart broke for him as she watched carry the weight of the world and she cried, and so did he. Harry had poured out his soul to her, his fear of dying, his fear of losing everyone he loved. He had never asked for the cruel fate that had been thrust upon him. He longed to love and be loved unconditionally by those he called family. Ron was the closest thing he had to a brother, his very first friend, and he had left Harry in his time of greatest need. He of course, like the good soul he was, comforted her though he was the one who needed comforting. And she gave all of herself to him the only way she knew how, the way she always knew she would. Hermione was a smart girl after all; she had done her reading early. The day he saved her from that troll she knew. At least that's what she chose to believe in her daydreams.

For a while she had been content with Ron, happy even. Life was good after the war and the children had done nothing but bolster her feelings for her husband. Ron was amazing with the children and he was obviously the favored parent in the household. They loved him because he always made time for them despite his busy job. This was something he took from his father who was known as a hard worker, but Ron could not remember a night he didn't see his father. She loved him for that. She loved that he was supportive and proud of her work. She had expected him to be jealous or petty as he had been as a child, but he genuinely believed in her. The Battle of Hogwarts probably affected him the most after Harry. Losing Fred had been world changing for him. She on the other hand knew that she had been too hard on her children when it came to academics. She believed that they would see her reasoning when they were older and successful, they would thank her then. Of course gentle Hugo and Rose especially did not agree with their mother.

She truly did love him, of that she was sure. But she was bored. Ron was a good husband and a good father, but he lacked the passion she now desired. He didn't challenge her like Draco did. Draco said things to her no one else dared to. They had been pushed together on a case when Hermione had just ascended to Head of the DMLE. At this time Harry and Draco had already reconciled their differences and become neutral allies though Ron did not like this. She had learned a lot about Draco during this time. He wasn't the same boy he was when she punched him in the face all those years ago. He had apologized for calling her a mud-blood and asked her to get to know him better. He spoke of his wife and son plenty and seemed to have matured into a good man. They became friends and as the case went on we grew closer. She suspected now that this had been Draco's plan all along. To ensnare her, he was the drug that she could not get enough of.

Draco was honest about his attraction from the beginning. Apparently he and his wife were at some sort of agreement about his extramarital affairs. Something placed in his marital contract to her by his father Lucius, sweetened by the large sum of gold for the Lord Greengrass she was sure. He broke down her walls, asking her questions that made her blush. Things Ron would never say or dare do in the confines of their bedroom. He preyed on her weakness, the excitement she yearned for. He toyed with her on a crowded lift in the ministry and it scared her how much she had enjoyed it. It had escalated from there all the way to afternoon tryst in their respective offices. The scandal it would cause if people found out would destroy her reputation and probably do nothing to Draco. He was a pure-blood lord, still practically untouchable by old laws even Harry could not change. Ron would be devastated she thought, his life torn asunder by his wife's infidelity. She wondered how Harry would react if he knew, though she suspected he was suspicious of her already. He was like Dumbledore in that way now

Said man entered the room, his wife approaching from behind him. Ginny had been perfect for Harry after the war. She had given him space and then helped pick up the pieces of his life. Originally she had been against the two, but then she saw how Harry looked at her. He didn't look at anyone else like he looked at Ginny Weasley. Now she was the Lady Potter, helping her husband from behind the scenes and being the dutiful wife she was raised to be. Ginny was a lot like her mother in that way. She had at first had her own career with the Harpies before retiring shortly before giving birth to James. Two children later and Ginny had settled into her role nicely, content to see Harry at the top. They were comfortable after all, and only Lily showed any signs of the fatigue of being famous because of her parents.

"Any changes Hermione?" Asked Harry from the other side of the bed as he looked on stoically.

"Padme said that the wound was healing, but slowly no matter what manner of spell she tried. She believes that the blade was enchanted and reckons if the blade had been an inch to right, Ron would be dead. She had many questions but I would not tell her more than that and she set off to do some research. She's brilliant so it won't take her long to put it together." Said Hermione.

Harry only nodded, "Can we trust her? We did not speak much after the Yule ball in fourth year. "

Hermione ran a hand through her hair causing it to tumble over face. "I think so. I'd recommend bringing her into the order. She is one of the top combat healers in the world, and the only one I know personally. I hardly think she spends much time fussing over the Yule ball. By any means she is the only one keeping him alive right now. "

Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Ginny smiling reassuringly. "He will be okay Hermione, my brother is a fighter."

Ginny took a seat on the bed beside her brother taking his hand inside of her own. She gestured to the documents strewn about all over the bed. "And all of this?" she said to her sister in law.

"Harry's told you everything then?", she said looking over to Harry who nodded his head in the affirmative. Hermione swallowed before speaking again. I dug up everything I could find on this alchemist character, Valkyrie, and Morgan Le Fay. It required me to dig very deep and it was all I could do keep myself from pulling my hair out."

She swallowed again, easing into her teacher mode. "There is no written history on anything to do with that alchemist character. He doesn't appear in any footnotes about nay of the people he mentioned when you met him seventeen years ago. I brought us to this safe house in the muggle world so I could access the internet without magical interference as well. As you well know there isn't a lot of written history about Nicolas Flamel. Much of what we know about him both muggle and magical is hearsay."

Harry nodded at this, "Nicolas was extremely careful about his work so I don't doubt it. He wrote down everything though. In the book of Merlin, but who knows where it is now."

Hermione thought on this while continuing, "So I shifted gears and focused on the other two. " She searched through several documents before finding one and handing it to Ginny who read it out loud.

"Valkyries are deities in Norse Mythology. Said to be the bringers of dead warriors to the afterlife. That doesn't make sense thought does it?

Hermione produced a large tome with an indexed page that she opened up to, "That is the muggle version, this is a copy of a book on known magical theory and history I received from the Library in Alexandria. It says here that they believe Valkyries did exist during the Dark Ages. They were thought to be a race of faery that were all females and trained to kill wizards and witches. This was obviously around the time that Merlin came and united both muggles and magic folk against the demon folk."

"She definitely wasn't human with that speed and strength. She was wearing armor and was moving like a ninja. You are telling me that there could possibly be more. Why have I never heard of the faery folk or demons?" Said Harry as he begun to pace.

"Because this is the earliest recording of magic history that we have and even its unclear at best. None of its proven, we only know of a few stories of Merlin. We only know he exist because of the founders but he still remains an enigma." Said Hermione tiredly. She had obviously been thinking the same things.

"I heard some of the stories as a child from the Bill. This was during the dark times when Faery and Demons roamed the world. Then Merlin came and taught witches and wizards to use magic through wands and united the muggle kingdoms to banish the darkness. He chose his four apprentices who would go on to become the founders before leaving the world of men for good. But who knows if that's the truth or not?" Said Ginny unsurely from the bed.

Hermione pondered on all of that before Harry spoke again. "And how does his Goddess fit into all of this? When we first met he said we were all of her children."

"Some call her Morgan Le Fay or Morgana, and others called her a demon. She was a powerful enchantress and to some Faery queen. They say she was Merlin's lover and the reason he left the world behind. I remember her from some of the tales of King Arthur I read as a child. No one is really sure if she existed or not though."

Harry let that information sink in before speaking, "She was real, I heard Nicolas mention her name once or twice. And those spells you spoke of, the rituals and summoning, those are real too. Nicolas claimed that those were some of the oldest and darkest pieces of magic. To accomplish them required sacrifices of the human nature. I'd be willing to bet that Merlin wrote of them in his book too."

"And this boy, the heir of Dumbledore. How does he fit into the puzzle?", pondered Ginny aloud.

Hermione had been trying to connect this as well," We know that somehow he is the product of whatever that man did to Aurora Walker seventeen years ago. I don't think it's a coincidence that they have shown up and all of this is happening. "

"We need to speak with her, she could be the key to everything. I have a feeling that something bad is coming our way fast." Said Harry as he stopped pacing.

"You can't Harry, you are running for Minister of Magic, you can't be off gallivanting with the end of the election less than a year away. It's not the runaway we thought it was going to be, if Davies wins he will push that pure-blood propaganda back down our throats and create even more chaos." Said Ginny from our spot on the bed.

"She is right Harry, i'll go speak with her. I've seen your pensieve memory twice now so I can handle it." Said Hermione.

Harry thought on it for a while before nodding. He trusted no one like he did the people in this room. "And the Order?"

Ginny spoke up,"I spoke with Luna and asked her to begin speaking with former members and those loyal to our cause."

Harry checked his watch, "We should be going Gin...Hermione will you be alright?"

Hermione simply nodded her head. She would wait here until she knew her husband was okay and not a moment sooner. The guilt was too much to bear otherwise. She gestured to the books and documents strewn across the room. "I have plenty of research to take care of. I will floo you if anything changes here."

Harry patted his friends shoulder awkwardly and Ginny kissed his cheek before exiting the room and leaving the house. Padme would return soon for a fresh check of vitals/ Hermione set herself to work, determined to not wallow in her guilt by working through there current mystery.


Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury, England

The flames flickered into existence out of nowhere and the man knelt down in front of them. This was how they had desecrated his mothers resting place. He was inside the ruined monastery kneeling before a fire fashioned from blood and bone. A tourist attraction, how he had enjoyed killing them all. More would follow of course, muggles never did know when to quit.

"Everything is as you desire my Queen, your plan is going smoothly. Ron Weasley lays wounded and his wife mourns him. Harry Potter is gathering his band of spies and they will begin to look for me, but it will be I who confronts them. They are too naive of course. They think me a dark wizard the likes of Tom Riddle. They see the world through a black and white lens. I live to serve only you my queen."

The fire crackled ominously taking on a dark hue.

"My brothers and sisters have begun to stir, no doubt they sense that you have returned. I have summoned a few of my contemporaries already using the book. I do admit I did not expect for Harry to dispatch of her so easily. The rest will be causing the aurors quite a few headaches in the upcoming months." He swallowed before speaking again.

"I do not know if the boy will be ready in time though my queen. I believe that we may be able to accomplish our goals without using him so early. He is strong certainly, I am sure of that, but he may be too soft for what lies ahead of -"

The fire roared with shocking intensity causing the man to fall back.

"Of course my queen. I did not mean to question your judgement. I will test him myself and assure that he is prepared for his destiny." He spoke with reverence.

The flames crackled again before vanishing completely leaving only trickles of moonlight that trickled through the several openings in the roof of the once majestic structure.

The man waved his hand and the makeshift altar he had raised disappeared into nothing. He did not want to anger his queen more than he already had. He had much to set in motion.