Nothing more was said on the matter. Harry was speechless. Lulu turned away from the group and started walking again. The rest followed, stunned. Harry couldn't understand how Sirius never told him, not once, no one told Harry that his godfather was a Guardian. No one told him.
Ginny caught up to the Arch Mage. "Who was Kathryn?" she asked.
Lulu looked at her for a moment. "My mother."
"Was…was your mother a White Mage?"
"Yes."
"Er…when…when did she…"
"She died when I was six."
"Oh. Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear it."
There was no comment from Lulu, who walked on. "Did that Breyar know her?"
"Lord Breyar never personally knew her."
"How does he know she'd be disappointed?"
"My mother was the High Arch Mage of the White Mages. She's a legend."
"So they…"
"Think I betrayed my own blood, yes."
Ginny fell back and shrugged at Harry, who wrapped an arm around her and kissed the side of her head.
"We will camp in that grove. Your home lies a day away," Lulu said. "I would prefer to travel in sunlight when in your company. Besides, Breyar might return. If he does I will need to challenge him and I'd prefer it to be tonight rather than tomorrow." She said all this without turning around. She altered course, said something to Finbarr in the strange language and the otter sprang away and went ahead to the grove of trees she had indicated. It took them twenty minutes to reach the trees and by that stage Finbarr had thoroughly scouted out the area.
"Settle here for the night. You may light a fire. Keep your voices low though. I don't want to attract more attention than necessary." Lulu stood and stared straight up through a small gap in the treetops.
Harry looked around. They were in a small clearing completely surrounded by trees. It looked strangely safe. There were logs ringing an area and a small patch on the ground that told him fires had been lit there many times before. Hermione took out her wand and conjured a magical blue flame that instantly spread heat through the little enclosure. They all sat down, a little nervous because Lulu showed no sign of relaxing. She stood at the edge of the small opening they had come through and peered outwards.
"Blimey I'm hungry," Ron complained.
"You might want to keep your stomach empty," George said. "Do you remember how much Mum cooked for Bill's wedding? And that was just a small family affair. With all these other guests coming along she's going to go crazy."
Lulu turned. "Would you like some food?" she asked, her amber eyes flickering strangely in the firelight. They had turned grey because of the blue flames.
Ron looked uneasy. "Er…well…"
"If you do, tell me. If you don't, that's fine. Is anyone else hungry or thirsty?" Lulu asked.
Fred snapped his head up, as though coming back to reality. "Er what? Oh food, yeah, sure, why not?"
No sooner had he said it than a plate of various fingerfoods appeared and another tray with a couple of jugs of different drinks and glasses enough for each of them. They all said their thanks and filled their plates and glasses. Harry quite enjoyed the feeling of being out camping with a bunch of friends he trusted and his girl at his side. Lulu eventually came to join them but she didn't touch the food or the drinks. She sat beside Fred with Finbarr in her lap, stroking the Treasure Otter's broad sleek head and muttering strange phrases to him. Harry was quite sure he'd never heard the language before.
"What are you saying to him?" Fred asked, after taking a sip of pumpkin juice. Lulu looked up.
"I'm just talking," she said.
"What language is that?" George asked.
"The Ancient Language," Ginny replied casually. Everyone stared at her. How would she know? Ginny seemed to realize her mistake. "Well, I mean I heard other people talking about it."
"I have never spoken this language in front of other students, especially not in Hogwarts," Lulu said, with a frown on her face. She was studying Ginny intently. Harry looked between them. Ginny's eyes were strangely blank and Lulu was concentrating. Harry understood. Lulu was using Occumelency on Ginny. But it worked for about ten seconds before Ginny blinked. Lulu narrowed her eyes. "Who taught you Occumelency?"
Ginny shrugged. "I have no idea. I didn't even know what I was doing."
Lulu studied her calculatingly. "How long have you known?"
"I guess I just knew."
"Allow me in."
"Yes."
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, Fred, Katie, Parvarti, George and Finbarr all watched again and Ginny and Lulu locked eyesight and didn't move. This continued for about twenty seconds and then Ginny blinked again. She looked exhausted. Lulu again narrowed her eyes.
"If you had known of the Order you would have been inducted straight away. You have extraordinary talent, Ginny. I know you don't think so but I can recognize the signs. You could still become a Mage, perhaps even an Arch Mage."
Ginny's eyes glittered. "Can you teach me?" she asked.
Lulu shook her head. "I can but I won't."
"Why not?"
"Because I would have to seek permission from your parents and they won't want you taking that path. Your mother and mine were very good friends. Molly knows what kind of training a Mage has to undergo. She'd never agree."
Nor would I, Harry thought to himself. He didn't much like the idea of Ginny turning into Lulu. He liked Lulu and thought she was awesome but she always had this black, haunted feeling, like she had been through so much pain she didn't know any other way of life. Harry couldn't bear it if Ginny turned out like that.
"I understand but then again, it was my choosing to be as I am," Lulu said to him, making him jump. She gave a small noise of amusement. "You cannot employ Occumelency against me."
"You chose to be as you are?" Harry asked.
"My pain and my memories makes me the person I am. You saw Breyar. Do you think all Mages are so distant and serious?" Lulu asked. "It's my way of life."
"Now our family is getting interesting," Fred laughed. "We've got half a werewolf for a brother who married a woman whose only half-human herself, a dragonkeeper for another brother, an estranged brother, a set of twins who are probably the biggest troublemakers Hogwarts has ever seen, a brother whose best friends are the smartest witch in Hogwarts and the most famous young wizard possibly of all time. Next we're gonna have a sister who can outstrip the rest of us in every magical aspect? Sounds like the Weasley family."
Everyone cracked up laughing. Harry was still uneasy about the prospect of Ginny becoming a Mage but he had seen the burning desire in her eyes and knew, if she was allowed, she would undertake the training.
Fred and George conjured up two big tents. All the girls were to go in one tent and all the guys in the other. They said their goodnights, kissed their girls and then slipped into beds. However Harry noticed Fred was not in their tent.
At around four in the morning Harry stirred again. He quietly got up, ignoring the snoring from Neville and Ron and stepped over George to get outside. He halted just in the doorway of the tent. He could hear voices outside, Lulu's, then Ginny's, then Fred's.
"…not easy being a Guardian."
"But if she's going to be a Mage she needs a Guardian right? I think I'd be a good fit."
"I don't doubt it Fred but remember you have your store to run during the Holidays and being a Guardian means travelling everywhere with your Mage and that could take you to the other side of the world."
"And I would go with her. She's my sister after all."
"I wouldn't mind having Fred as my Guardian."
"Yes, Ginny, I understand and I know that he would make a good Guardian, but you must understand the enormity of the task. Finbarr is the only one of my Guardians who I still have. My mother was my Guardian and she died when I was six and started training to be an Arch Mage. Sirius was a Guardian even from Azkaban and then when he broke free he tended to his Guardianship duties whilst also tending to his godfather duties to Harry. Finbarr stays by my side, night and day because he is an animal but also because he is a Guardian."
"I don't understand, how can a pet be a Guardian?"
"Finbarr was never my pet. He chose to be selected for Guardianship and he chose me for his ward."
Harry peered around the edge of the tent. Ginny and Fred were sitting across from each other and Lulu was sitting in between them. Finbarr was nowhere to be found. He looked across at the girl's tent and found Hermione sitting in the entrance, staring at her fingers clearly listening in on the conversation too. She looked up and saw Harry, giving him a feeble smile and then returning to staring at her fingers.
"We must put this conversation on hold," Lulu said. "The others are starting to wake. Finbarr has been gone too long for my liking and I want to find him."
Harry knew this was his cue and he stepped out from the tent, stretched and scratching the back of his head as if he had just woke up. He smiled at Ginny, who grinned back. Hermione also emerged and just behind her Katie. Fred looked like he wanted to continue the discussion but Ginny was happy to let things slide for the moment. Lulu rose gracefully and then froze. Her head snapped around to the left. Harry heard it too, faint barking.
"Stay here," Lulu snapped before taking a step and turning into her wolf. It was the first time Harry had seen her transform. He only had time to register she'd changed before she vanished.
"Do you think Finbarr's okay?" Ginny asked fearfully.
"I'm sure he'd be alright. He's her Guardian after all," Katie said. "I thought they were supposed to guide and protect their charges."
"I can't help thinking Breyar is right. A little fluffball like that really isn't going to do a lot when it comes to a fight. I mean, he can't even do magic," Fred said bitterly.
There was a growl behind him and they all turned to see Finbarr coming back into the grove, growling at Fred for his comment. Fred instantly bit his words. The Treasure Otter wasn't exactly the smallest fluffball in the world and he looked quite dangerous. The others came out of the tents together and all stopped when they saw Finbarr glaring at Fred. Ginny was watching Finbarr strangely.
"What?" Harry asked her.
"Didn't Lulu go find Finbarr?" she asked slowly.
"Yeah," Harry said.
Hermione backed away from Finbarr rapidly. "This isn't the Treasure Otter," she said. "His markings are all wrong."
The Otter swung his head towards her and placed a paw forwards. Everyone drew their wands together but before a single spell could be cast something flew through the trees and crashed into the side of the Impostor Otter. It was the real Finbarr Galedeep and he didn't look too impressed at being imitated. A massive fight between the pair ensued. The real Finbarr was much bigger than the fake. Suddenly another person came running through the trees, waving her hands.
"Stop! Stop fighting you idiot!" she yelled at the otters but it was hard to tell which otter she was yelling at.
A Blue Mountain Wolf appeared, bleeding from the shoulder. She stopped when she saw the two otters, locked in combat. With a snap, Lulu was back to her normal self.
"Galedeep, Omentielvo!" she snapped.
Finbarr sprang back from his opponent, allowing the other to rise. Lulu grabbed him around the middle and heaved him off the ground. She turned and deposited the aggressive Treasure Otter in Neville's hands. It was a mark of just how much Neville had changed. Normally he would have been terrified but instead he held onto the Otter firmly. Lulu turned to the other witch and bowed. The other witch made the same gesture in return, holding the collar of her otter's neck.
"Milady Arch Mage," the other said.
"Mage Shelinda," Lulu replied. "Forgive the confusion."
"Confusion? Really Milady, you must know when two Treasure Otters cross paths, especially these two, they are bound to get into scraps," Shelinda laughed. She was soft spoken and had soft wispy brown hair. She was wearing strange green robes with white sleeves and pink and yellow oriental flowers all over it. "Are these the wards?"
"No, they are my charges," Lulu answered. "Mage Shelinda, meet Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Parvarti Patil and Katie Bell. Everyone, this is a very gifted White Mage, Shelinda. This is her Treasure Otter, Ifrit Ronso. Traditionally Ronso and Galedeep Otters don't really get along. It's a very old and ancient strife created about six generations before these two were born. They uphold it though," Lulu explained.
Shelinda bowed to them and they all bowed formally in return. "Are you heading to the Temple any time soon, Lady High Arch Mage?" she asked Lulu, who shook her head.
"I have some work to do first."
Shelinda stared keenly at Lulu, then said something in the ancient language. Lulu inclined her head somewhat and replied with a single word in the same language. Shelinda drew her breath and then bowed again. She said something to Lulu, wide-eyed, looking at the Arch Mage with great respect and fear. Lulu replied cordially, a final bow from the pair of them and then Shelinda was on her way.
"What did you say?" Ron demanded.
"I told her of my mission," Lulu said.
"Oh are we a mission are we?" Luna asked.
"No. My impending mission. One I will be attending to almost as soon as I deliver you safely to the Burrow," Lulu said. She turned and the tents vanished and the fire extinguished.
"You know my Dad says you're the Empress of all Arch Mages and Mages," Luna commented.
"Your Dad wouldn't be far off," Lulu replied without concern. "I am the Arch Mage of the Black Mages and my mother was the Arch Mage for White Mages. I am trying to become the Highest Arch Mage. The Exalted One. I am trying to end dispute between both sides of Mages. But I am by no means an Empress."
Luna didn't look perturbed in the least, as ever.
"Come. We have lingered longer than I would have liked. We will reach the burrow in the evening today. We have a long walk ahead of us."
"You know only Ron and Ginny, oh and Luna and Neville, have to walk," George grumbled as they turned out of the groves and continued across the fields.
"For security reasons I ask that you all remain here."
"I know," George hastily reassured her. "I was just stating fact."
"Noted."
