The question bounced around her mind as Amelia found herself once more alone on the astronomy tower. After the episode with Dumbledore earlier and Lunas rather forward innuendo, which she had left unaswered, she had made it a point to disappear into the castle. Of course the map she pilfered off a pair of redhaired boys who were looking at it and then away for the slightest moment helped with it detailing every passageway. "What do I want to do with my life?" she muttered fiddling absently with a bracelet around her wrist, one she had disillusioned to all eyes but her own. Unseeing eyes reflected in the dull platinum, she would have to clean it soon, recalling what Fawkes had asked her. She had to admit the bird was much too smart it seemed and it caused a spark of fear in her heart to clench as she shut the bond of her current thoughts. "It doesn't matter what I want. Duty to the House and Family before Duty to Self. Damn you mum for engraving that so thickly into me,."

To actually hear the words escape her lips was frightening all on its own. She had always been so self assured of her wants, needs and desires but with the death of her mother just before the school year started it felt like she didn't know anything anymore. Her entire world began in the arms of her mother and her understanding shaped from the guidance spent many a night in front of the fireplace curled up with the confident and loving woman. Now without her she felt like the world didn't make sense. She couldn't hide away from the world, she had duties to attend to as Lady Nightshade and Lady Evans as well as her mandatory education to complete. Even leaving the political ramifications aside there was face to be kept for the Nightshade line and that meant many things she was not happy about being forced to do. A bitter hollow chuckle escaped her throat as her head dropped and her forehead rested on her knees. What and why prompted Fawkes to ask her such a question? She had been content to not think about the inevitable misery that was her fate after her education for three more years. "If I even survive this tournament whole" she said with an empty self degrading smile hidden by her knees.

'Are you ok hatchling?' The flurry of whooshing flames heralded Fawkes arrival as she projected her thoughts to the girl. When she had been shut out of Amelias thoughts she grew concerned since she had long been used to being able to access her bondeds thoughts freely, she blamed her complacency on Dumbledore being an open book and misvaluing her intelligence, and flashed to where the link told her the young witch was. Instead of the strong witch she had seen that morning before breakfast she saw something that made her heart clench within her breast feathers; she didn't find the strong witch but the very image of a lost child. Fire red eyes showed a well of concern as she awaited a response from the girl, any response at all, but got none instead. Not a peep, not a muscle twitch- nada.

"Why?"

The response took far too much longer than she expected but it was something at least. 'I don't understand hatchling. Why what?' The question was returned with carefully measured words but Fawkes tone was soft and laced with concern. What had she said or done that had seemingly upset the girl? She couldn't recall doing anything except having a handful of conversations with Amelia after the revealing episode of Dumbledores outburst that only furthered her disgust of the man. How a once pure person could twist and gnarl to something so sinister like he did was beyond her. How he hid the darkness was infuriating since never before a magical being been able to hide taint of the spirit from a Light creature like her own kind and he managed it!

"Why did you ask me the question? Why did you have to remind me my life is not my own to live after my education is completed?"

Fawkes was struck by the pointedness of the questions. She was doubly struck by the bitter tone the questions were asked in. It took her a moment to realize she had unintentionally hit a nerve with the question. 'I didn't mean to hatchling. Upsetting you was the farthest..' she hesitated for a moment finding it hard to pick the right words. From the spot beside Amelia she pecked gently at the girls knees to try and draw her to raise her gaze but it didn't work.

"I am expected to shoulder the mantle of two bloodlines, possibly three if I give those two Potter brats a shot, and that means loveless marriages to continue them. Means spreading my legs and popping out kids to teach the magics to. Thats not counting gathering as many of the Knight bloodlines and bringing the family home." Amelias eyes closed as her shoulders sagged against the stone. "Before any of that even happens I have to deal this idiot dark lord that wants the Potter bloodine dead. Unfortunately that means I have to get involved due to a barmy prophecy where I kill him or he kills me. Which means everything I do can just be fucking useless in the end and an exercise in futility." Resignation and something old replaced the bitterness in her voice as she said the last bit. A very slight tilt of her head exposed the dark ocean blue eye to meet the phoenixes own gaze, pure unrestrained mental fatigue meeting warm concern.

Fawkes was at a lack for words finding Amelias words disturbing coming from one so young like herself. Someone like Dumbledore she could see him saying something like that given his age but hearing it from her, someone barely out of her shell in phoenix years, was damn near blasphemy talking about her single potential death like this so resignedly. 'I truly did not mean to upset you or bring up unpleasant thoughts.' The thought was met with a soft trill of apology as she rubbed her head against the witches leg. Even with her connection to Amelias thoughts blocked she knew there was something else bugging her bonded, something far deeper and more troubling to the girl. 'You know your secrets are safe with me right? This bond is as much about the well being of you as it is about me' she thought brushing a wing against the girls arm.

"Just thoughts Fawkes." Amelia brushed the concern aside and let one hand drop to idly run her fingers through the phoenixes feathers. "Nothing that can be done about anyway. Not unless you can do something about those who are passed through the veil" she said. The soft trill told her no. "Then don't worry about it. The dead rest, their worries are not earthly concerns anymore." Her eye closed again and silence fell upon them.

Left to their own thoughts neither would notice the hours pass until the hour bell rang nine times and the stars shone brightly above.


Janette and Amelias room several hours later


In their shared room Janette looked worriedly at the messy bed her sister slept in and felt worry sink into her bones. Three in the morning and it was still empty. Amelia was often gone at all odd hours and could disappear for days on end & not worry her normally considering the white haired witches penchant for studying new magic alongside overzealously straining her body by working it too hard. What made that worry sink into her bones was that she knew the reason that Amelia was not there now was because it was something NOT the usual reason at all. She didn't know what it was but she knew it had to do with whatever Fawkes had said to Amelia that spooked her badly earlier. Even if Amelia denied it and said she never had such an expression on her face she knew better. She saw the micro-second of unbridled misery, resignation and hopelessness before she covered it up before people noticed or so the white haired witch would hope not notice. Every minute that passed her anxiety and worry grew to the point she was getting ready to go to the headmistress & form a search party.

"Don't bother. I'm right here."

Janette blinked her eyes clear and noted that Amelia was indeed there, brushing ash off her clothes but there. "You alright sis? I thought I sa-"

Amelia raised a hand to silence Janette and shook her head cutting off the questioning statement. "Im fine, promise. Just...had to clear my mind of things and so did Fawkes" she said with a weak smile. It wasn't very convincing but it was partly the truth. Hours of straight thought would do that. Shrugging out of her clothes down to her bra and panties she climbed into her bed letting her eyes close. Her limbs were too heavy, her mind far too tired and her spirit weary from the day before that she nearly missed the soft flesh pressed into her front. One tired eye opened and saw Janette cuddled up to her front nearly naked save for her lingerie. She was too tired to argue and instead snuggled the blonde hiding her face in her throat. She didn't want to think, didn't want to dream and if Janette wanted to distract her she would take it greedily as much as the other selflessly offered.

"Go to bed" Janette whispered softly and embraced Amelia tightly to her form. She could feel the tenseness in her sisters muscles, a thought that made her frown deeply. The smile hadn't convinced her she was ok and thjs just added to it. Whatever was plaguing the younger witches mind earlier obviously still was and if it was possible Fawkes almost had a guilty look if phoenixes could muster one with their physiology. Once she was absolutely certain Amelia was completely asleep she motioned Fawkes over. "Get Luna and bring her in here. I know shes still up worrying about Amelia too."

Bird and girl returned in two minutes as Fawkes took perch on the windowsill watching her sleeping bondeds form be cradled like a broken toy being protected by the other toys in the toy box. The poor girl had the weight of the world on her shoulders and it wasn't fair but maybe with soft hands like those two, a small mental smile graced her image seeing Amelia snuggle fiercely between the two blondes and wrap an arm protectively around their waists so they couldn't leave her sleeping grasp, it wouldn't be so hard for her to handle. 'I know you two girls will do it anyways but.. I need your help. She bears the worlds weight on her shoulders and she'll need people to help her sta-

"Stay centered/Stay true to her own without collasping into a mold and losing herself" Janette and Luna said softly at the same time finishing the thought for the phoenix.

"You don't even have to ask us. Family looks out for each other" Luna said quietly and pressed her form flush with Amelias back. The tenseness in the older witches muscles made her rather unhappy but it was easing little by little it seemed.

Fawkes nodded head once and felt a warmth fill her chest at the protectiveness these two girls showed for her bonded. It was then she decided that these three would be her clutch. Given her kind being so rare finding a mate would incredibly hard to do if not flat out impossible so finding a replacement for children was second best and fate was kind enough to deliver it to her in the form of these three girls even if she never outright called them her own out of respect & only used the title within the confines of her mind. Tucking her head under her wing she settled on the idea that sleep was a good idea. 'Goodnight my children.'

Luna and Janette looked over at once shocked. They could only guess the thought was meant to be private but accidentally came out on the broadcast. While Janette was blinking her shock away Luna almost immediately let the shock pass and smiled softly in understanding. She would always love her mother but to deprive another woman of the chance to be a mother type figure was cruel no matter if said woman was a scary intelligent magical creature. "Goodnight mum, we love you too" she said in a gentle tone and made a motion she would explain later to Janette with her eyes.

Fawkes froze momentarily hearing the reply but felt that warmth in her chest flutter. It was small and insignificant in the greater scale of reality but to her it meant so much & she knew Luna understood that. 'Sleep well my clutch. Keep the bad dreams from your sister, she needs a reprieve from her worries.' Even if it was just a private indulgence she was glad at least Luna would consent to being treated as her daughter.

"We will mum. We protect our own" Janette said returning her gaze to Amelias sleeping face, her features finally and fully relaxed. She leaned down and kissed the younger witches temple before whispering a soft sleep spell that would ensure the younger girl would get a proper amount of rest but also ensure her sleep was dreamless to keep her woes away whatever it was that had been bothering her.

Fawkes more contently shifted her head under her wing hearing that. Perhaps the idiot Dumbledore did have a purpose after all. 'I know girls but your sister is stubborn. The flock sticks and flies together. I can already tell she will always need you two no matter what the future throws at you three. '

Luna nodded her head slightly and pressed a kiss into the soft flesh of Amelias neck content to feel the tense muscles drop. Perhaps she could coax out what had made the older witch so tense tomorrow with careful gentle prodding. They had several days to the Yule break still so most areas of the school would be deserted. A quiet room away from people, soft music to give the atmosphere a softness and perhaps she could convince her father to get her a bottle of non-alcoholic wine their house elves would often serve her glasses of at major celebrations with other Houses heirs in attendance. Yes, that would be a fine idea. With that firmly cemented in mind she closed her eyes to let Morpheus take her for now.


Potter family quarters


James Potter was pacing in front of the fireplace with a frown marring his features. Edver since Albus had been dragged away by Aurors he had conflicted about the millions of thoughts racing through his mind. 'Alexandria going missing wasn't our fault. He sabotaged the spell sending her who knows where hoping that she would die!' This thought completed another circuit as the dying fire cast shadows about his long face. For a moment he caught sight of his reflection in the silver flames and grimaced. His untamed black hair was streaked with a more than healthy coloring of greys and whites, something easily attributed to spending so long hoping and praying his oldest child was alive out there somewhere. Worry lines marred his face and instead of a dashing mearly fifty who could pass as mid forties he looked like a wizard approaching eighty. He felt it too in his bones.

"Come to bed love. You'll think yourself into an early grave at this rate." Lily looked at her husband in concern as sne clutched her robe with worry written in her own eyes. She could make a certain guess just what was eating at her husband and she admittedly was just as distraught. Every day after they had activated the spell that was supposed to whisk Amelia to the safety of Sirus' estate in the country side and their daughter never did they had always assumed they had messed it up in their haste. They had assumed their rush cost them their daughter forever. But now they knew better. Their Alexandria was alive, their baby girl was alive. 'But she wants nothing to do with you or your husband. You both blindly listened to that fool Dumbledore and just as blindly believed him a paragon of Light' the dark part of her mind snarled.

"We were absolute fools. We trusted him so blindly." There was a hollow bitterness to the laughter that escaped James' lips as he said it that made him feel a hundred times older than he already felt. "We..." He slapped himself to banish the thought. "There has to be a way to fix this Lils'."

Lily shivered and closed her eyes at the bitter and hollow words that escaped her husbands lips. James was always so light of spirit, heart and humor so hearing something decidely hollow escape him was chilling. "Maybe we can ask Michael to relay a message. Remember how he said he talked to Alexandria and Luna before the ball? She never said yes or no to his request about speaking with him more but to take it under advisement, presumably with Luna, before rendering a decision. Our previous blind follow will surely be held against us but maybe if we put a message together carefully trying to explain..." she trailed trying to sound hopeful of the matter.

James said nothing and briefly turned his gaze to Lily. Not for the first time he was struck by how much she, like him, aged so much in fifteen years. Yes she was still beautiful. Yes she was still every bit as physically desirable. But the thing that most wouldn't notice, or if the they didn't point it out those around them out of respect, were the small things. The streaks of grey in her vibrant red hair, the worry lines on her face though far less than his, the way there was almost always a tiredness in her gaze and when they were in close company- mainly by themselves or in the company of Remus and Sirius- her smile would often be replaced with a serious almost muscle memory scowl or grimace. "Perhaps." His eyes closed as he heard her take steps to come closer before he felt her arms wrap around him. "She has your violent temper." It was a weak joke but at least an attempt to lighten the depressingly heavy mood.

"And your lack of tact" Lily responded rolling her eyes. "Come back to bed, please." She leaned up and kissed James' cheek softly. "We can compose the message when we have some sleep under our belts. If nothing else the very least we can hope for her to be at least cordial to us if worst comes to worst."

"Lets not hope it comes to that." James lead Lily back to their bed and laid down holding her close to him. Even as she fell in a slightly less fitful sleep he remained awake. If Alexandria truly had Lilys violent temper in its entirety and his socially inept lack of tect at that age he didn't feel as hopeful as his wife tried to make herself sound. On the contrary, he was already expecting their actions after the First Task of the tournament to cement Alexandrias opinion of them and possibly not only to tell her brother to fuck off but tell she told them to fuck off too & never bother her ever again.


The first thing Amelia noticed when she woke up was that she couldn't move. At all. She remembered falling asleep after snuggling into Janette but who was pressed into her back? They were female from the feeling of breasts pressed into her back so that narrowed it down some. Turning her head with difficulty she caught long strands of blonde hair coming over shoulder. 'When did Luna crawl into my bed?' she wondered spotting the pixie and crumple horned snorkack print pajamas on the sleeping girl.

'Your sisters were worried about you after we returned. Janette joined you first like I'm sure you remember. After you were asleep she asked me to Lbrin Luna to you two citing her worry of our absence after yesterdays events.' Fawkes lifted her head hearing the faint echo of Amelias waking thought in her head.

"Ok... But why did you call them my sisters? Yes Janette technically is but Luna is not." The sleepy confusion as Amelia extracted herself from the two girls sleeping forms, a fairly difficult task without waking them she noted as the snuggled together to make up for her lost body heat, as she turned to her familar and wiped at her eyes. If it was possible she swore Fawke almost gave off a sheepish energy and looked anywhere but at her directly. "Fawkes... Fess up."

'I may have accidentally broadcast a thought I meant to keep private to myself.'

"Thats not telling me anything." Amelia gave the phonenix a half awake pout-scowl, she could be quite juvenile in the morning before she had her first cup of coffee, as she she went a out picking out an outfit for the day, black tight jeans witb a royal purple blouse and a size too big but comfy lined jacket to combat the chill in air. "I expect the full answer when I come back from my shower. Or I'll think of ways to make you uncomfortable until you fess up." Leaving the phoenix to stew she entered the bathroom and stripped off her lingerie. "Damn it all, I forgot to grab clean lingerie" she growled softly upset at her own fault. Wrapping her jacket around her form she quickly grapped a fresh bra and panty set before running back into the bathroom unintentionally and unknownly flashing Luna a view of her ass & naughty bits.


In another part of Hogwarts Michael Potter lay on one of the Ravenclaw common room couches meticulously working his way through foreign countries famous families. After the ball he spent far too much time trying to trace where he had heard the name Nightshade before. It was European, that he knew for certainty, but what part was the problem. His eyes widened slightly as he came across a mention in passing related to a french family that went back to the founding of magical France. "Together with the aide of the Delacour, De LaCroux and Nightshade families, among many other prominent bloodlines that thrive in this day and age,.magical France saw an interconnection between not only wizard witches and magical creatures but other magical communities around the globe" he read to himself silently. So it wasn't precisely what he was looking for but it was a clue to just what caste his sister landed in. He had come to the same conclusion as his parents, that his sister had been blood adopted and therefore untrackable under her birth name, and felt a need to understand precisely understand even in part what conditions she had grown up in.

"Hitting the books already Pot Head?"

Michael ignored the jab from one of his friends and continued reading even as he responded. "Its not homework related Zayne. Its personal stuff" he said turning to the appendix page. "Nightshade, Nightshade, Nightshade..." His eyes caught sight of a single page number and turned to it devouring what little information was there.

The girl scoffed and put her hands on her hips glaring lightly at Michael. Zanya Krane, or as Michael often called her Zayne just to annoy her, was fairly attractive for a girl sorted into a house of mostly plain jane bookworms that was Ravenclaw. Nearly 5'5 she was taller than most of the girls bar a few exceptions, she was certain being short or shortish was a female Ravenclaw requirement, and having a chest that put her on the bustier side of the student population at Hogwarts she knew she drew a lot of eyes. 'I mean the only one who doesn't give a second glance is this dolt' she thought. A small part of her was upset about it because even though she would deny it to everyone, even herself but that only worked for so long, she did have a tiny crush on the male Potter heir who had been her bestfriend all her life. "Personal how Pot Head? Trying to impress a foreign witch? Or perhaps one of those burly Durmstrang boys? That Krum guy has been eyeing you up" she said tapping her foot as she angled her head to seek the title of the book stealing Michaels attention. 'Europes Noble Families? Why would he be reading something like that? And whats that Nightshade girl got to do with it?'

Michael leveled a cold look at his friend from over the rim of his reading glasses. He didn't know whaf side of the bed she woke up on to be in this mood but he was not in the mood. Between waiting for Alex- Amelia, he corrected himself, to give him an answer about possibly speaking again and the subtle things he had been picking up on he was in no mood to deal with Zanyas snark. "Neither" he said with a sharp cutting tone. Returning his gaze to section he had abandoned his mind whirled at the possibilities. Perhaps getting Amelias attention to consider giving their parents a chance just became a thousand times much harder than he originally thought it might be if the blurb about the Nightshade bloodline was right.