A/N: This really has no effect on the course of the story, but I have slightly altered the wands that the Guardians and Elyon own. I changed them because I have learned a lot about wand woods and cores. For those who would like to see the changes, please visit my profile.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or W.i.t.c.h. Just thought I'd remind you.

Chapter Nine

North Tower

Quidditch season started almost right away, and since Gryffindor needed a new chaser after Katie Bell had graduated last year, Harry put a sign up sheet for tryouts in the common room.

Will and Ginny agreed to be chasers again, Ron was kept as Keeper and Peter Keene, a tall sixth year, and Cody Larson, a small but surprisingly strong third year, came back to be beaters.

The tryouts for their team were held the second Saturday of term on a breezy and pleasantly sunny day. Unfortunately, the good weather didn't seem to help the applicants.

None of them, not even Elyon, came close to Harry's requirement of making seven out of ten shots past Ron.

A burly fourth year boy had to be dragged off the field forty-five minutes in by Madame Hooch when he accused Ron of enchanting the Quaffle so it missed on purpose and tired to knock him off his broom. Ron watched from the ground as the boy was lead away, and Ginny elbowed him in the ribs when he let out a dirty insult.

Finally, the team's salvation came from Dennis Creevey, now a fourth year, who scored eight out of ten goals. He was instantly added to the team, ending the long record Gryffindor had of only having female chasers. Dennis let out a great whoop shouted up to Colin, who was in the stands, beaming and snapping away with his camera.

The team took a few laps around the pitch for practice, Will enjoying her used Nimbus 2000, which she'd finally caved in a bought from a Quidditch catalogue last week. Definitely better than that old Nimbus 1000 she'd been stuck with last year.

After tryouts, the team parted ways, with Will and Harry heading back to the common room together to finish their Charms homework.


"Did you guys see Kingsley today?" Ron whispered at dinner.

"What would Kingsley be doing here?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"I dunno, but I saw him leave Flitwick's office. Do we know anymore else who looks remotely like him?"

"Hermione's right Ron. Kingsley's an Auror right? Wouldn't he have a billion other things to do besides visit Professor Flitwick?" Will suggested a bit meekly, considering she didn't know Kingsley that well.

"He was here I tell you." Ron insisted firmly.

Nobody said a word about it through the rest of dinner, but the subject came up again as Harry, Ron and Hermione headed off to bed together (Will had gone off with Irma, Hay Lin, Cornelia, Elyon and Taranee).

Hermione stopped abruptly on the fourth floor landing, causing Harry and Ron to trip backwards upon colliding into her back.

"What the hell did you do that for 'Mione?" Ron barked, regaining his balance.

"I saw him!"

"What?"

Hermione turned wide brown eyes on them. "I saw Kingsley, only for a second, but I saw him! He went behind the portrait of Morgan Le Faye that leads to the dungeons!"

Ron's demeanor changed instantly. "HA! I told you!" He charged up to the portrait and tugged at it hard, but nothing happened. "It's locked! That proves someone went in there!"

"All right, you saw him." Harry said calmly. "But what would he be doing here?"

Hermione bit her lip and shook her head.

Ron shrugged. "No bloody clue."


Cornelia and Taranee had gone to bed, saying they didn't want to risk expulsion, while Will just said she was tired.

It was true Irma, Elyon and Hay Lin could very well get caught sneaking around the school at half past ten, but they'd never done it before and they were excited to be back in the castle.

They went to the Charms classroom to see what kind of books were in the stack that Professor Flitwick stood on, they snuck into the staff room, simply because they'd never been in there before, they visited Flich's office and rearranged his files, and they stargazed at the astronomy tower.

At quarter to midnight, after almost running into Professor Vector, they decided to return to their common rooms. To get to the passage that would take Irma and Hay Lin to the fourth floor, they had to pass North Tower.

Upon passing under the trapdoor that lead up to the Divination classroom, each girl felt something odd.

"Wait a minute." Hay Lin said, tugging on Irma and Elyon's robes. "Let's stand under the door."

So they stood right under the trapdoor, and the odd feelings came again, only stronger.

Elyon stood tall and straight, Irma began to smile, and Hay Lin set to raiding her pockets.

Before long, Elyon grabbed her friends and yanked them away, and the feelings stopped.

"What happened?" Irma asked, her smile gone.

"I have no idea. I felt so weird though, proud and powerful." Elyon answered, staring up at the door. "What were you going through your pockets for Hay Lin?"

"Markers. I felt the urge to draw, to create." Hay Lin replied, stuffing the pack of gum she had pulled out of a pocket in her robe back inside it.

"And I felt giddy, almost euphoric." Irma said.

All three girls stared up at the trapdoor. "What's up there?" They wondered in unison.

A sudden crash made them all jump, turning to the sound.

"What was that?" Hay Lin squeaked.

"PEEVES!" A voice roared, causing them to jump again.

"It's Filch!" Elyon hissed. "Hay Lin, turn yourself and Irma invisible and get to your dorm!"

"What about you?"

"I have a few tricks of my own." Elyon replied with a tiny smirk. "Now go!"

Hay Lin and Irma vanished, and Elyon turned and sprinted in the direction of Gryffindor tower.

"My goodness, what're you doing out?" The Fat Lady asked when Elyon skidded to a halt in front of her.

"Ashwinder! Ashwinder!" Elyon panted. "Please let me in!"

The portrait swung open and Elyon scrambled inside, nearly slamming it shut behind herself.

There were six people in the common room. Will and Harry, cuddling on a couch with an open book on their laps, Colin, cleaning his camera, a first year asleep on the floor and two third years playing chess.

"Have fun?" Will asked, smiling brightly as Harry played with her hair.

Elyon collapsed into a chair with a sigh. "You could say that."


The next morning at breakfast, Professor Dumbledore made an announcement that some items had been stolen from Filch's office and requested their return.

Will groaned and rubbed a hand over her face while Elyon tried to look passive.

That afternoon, Elyon, Irma and Hay Lin decided to go back to North Tower. They hadn't gotten twenty feet near it when Hay Lin asked, "Did you guys do Professor Sinistra's paper on Neptune?"

"I haven't." Irma said.

"Neither have I." Elyon answered. "Let's go to the library."

So the three went off to the library, North Tower completely forgotten.

End Chapter Nine