Harry's Requiem
Chapter 9: Arrival of the Redmoon
When the raven arrived at Dragon academy he found the person his package was for atop a fearsome mount ordering the packing of her dungeons. Kaitou looked up and saw the raven circling towards her at an even keel. Ravens were rare as messengers due they borrowed some of their masters magic to carry their letters nearly as fast as a phoenix. He landed on her shoulder and carefully handed her the package. Her claws severed the string and paper with ease though when she opened the box her heart skipped a beat. Within black velvet lay a platinum necklace with a beautifully crystal pendant in the shape of a potions bottle. Inside the bottle was a shining gold potion. "Liquid luck" She mumbled before looking to the letter holding the box with her tail. Breaking the seal she purred at the scent of the man. This was how a male should smell herbs, old parchment, sandalwood and something unique to Severus. She turned her eyes to the letter and began to read.
Dearest Kaitou,
Thank you for the gift. In my particular line of work it could very well save my life. You have shown me my life is precious to you. So my gift is of the same type. There are numerous protection and warning charms imbued into your necklace. To protect you from any would would try to due you harm. Your life is also precious to me. Yours, Severus
Her eyes lit up and she removed the necklace from its resting place. Transferring the bird carefully to a nearby stump she placed it about her throat noting it was a bit loose on her until it abruptly re-sized its self to fit her like a well loved choke-collar. She loved it when she shook her head the crystal rang sweetly unbreakable no doubt. She pulled her wand and began casting the charms and spells rang as some of her students watched. Until she held a crystal rose in her hand black as night that faded to purple unto a haunting blue at the tips. She kissed the flower and gave it instructions before summoning a small piece of parchment and scribbling a small note and tying the thing to the raven. She looked at the raven. "Will you accept a small bit of my magic to speed you safely home?" The raven nodded and she placed a finger on his beak and watched his eyes light up. Shortly later the little black streak was gone.
The Clan of the war-wolf was finished packing and was now only tending their mounts to pass the time until the others finished. Clans Wolverine and Hawkthorne also finished packing and tended their carriages while waiting. Finally Clan Unicorn was done and after one last dinner at Dragon Academy they departed. The journey would take them over a week with the gate to complete. They as the only mounted unit on the ground traveled at a moderate pace. The rest were mounted on brooms including the teachers. "Alpha." Her 5 year beta called as he looked over his year. "Its nearly dark and the younger years are signaling to land with the carriages." You see only 4th years and above had mounts the rest rode in the several Carriages the Clan had. Her personal carriage was also among them. "Signal the others it time to stop for the night."
The carriages set down and the riders got off their mounts removed their tack and groomed and fed them before seeing to their own needs. The songs that night made the surroundings echo with joy and laughter. Tomorrow they would reach the gate and then it would take them across the ocean and a few days ride from Hogwarts. They slept that night with Clan War-wolf on guard and left early the next day while the clan slept in their carriages. Their mounts followed easily without being led. By lunch the War-wolves were back in saddle and easily caught up to the caravan. They stopped at the gate site and looked at the stone arch that would carry them across the ocean.
Harry and Draco were at the breakfast table when a white fire-bird carried a globe into the hall and dropped it before the head table. The woman who stood there was Headmistress Snow. "Hogwarts, You have been chosen by ancient methods to be our next hosting school. We will require quarters and room in your great hall. We come to foster peace and learning. Our classes wont mesh with yours unless our students ask to sit in on a certain class. We are coming to you by the morrow. See you under the Bloodmoon." The smoke sworls and spins and poofs into sparkles that drifted everywhere. Albus was silently pissed since they had made the announcement in the great hall he couldn't deny them entry into the castle unless he wanted a lot of questions asked. If they had sent him the message in private he could have said he never received the message and the bylaws wouldn't be in effect. He could feel Hogwarts changing to welcome the new students to its halls. He couldn't feel exactly what was happening but he knew it was now out of his hands... For the moment.
The entire school looked upon the wrapped body of their potions master and let out noises of remorse, the old man had died three days after gating to Scotland in his sleep. He had spoken to each of the Clan heads and the Headmistress before passing on. They lit the sacred fire and watched his body turn to ash. Then they gathered it all up into a special urn and sent it to his final resting place next to his wife who had passed away some turns before. They turned and once again headed for Hogwarts the Clans would hold their celebrations of his life there. "Alpha." She turned her head, to look at the man who addressed her. "Yes Herd Stallion?" The formality was grave but there. "We no longer have a potions master. We will need another." He stated. "Hogwarts has a resident master that we can learn from while we begin the Search." he nodded and returned to his broom. They were but a few hours from Hogwarts the presence of the War-wolf Clans mounts scared off most creatures those that were not frightened were either fought and destroyed or left them in peace. Kaitou collected lots of ingredients for Severus.
The centaurs they offered respect and fresh berries from Japan. The herd was pleased and they gained the right of passage and hunt within centaur lands. They offered fresh kills to the elders of the clan of Centaurs and were thanked before moving on. Kaitou looked at the sky and snorted. It was damn near Sun-high and her Clan was forced to be awake for the when they arrived at Hogwarts. But she was excited to see Severus and her kits again. Hermione had been using her globes a lot to get regular instruction on her etiquette and manner of dress. The Duarti looked again to the sky and Headmistress Snow came up beside her. "I know this is highly irregular but something had felt off since we arrived, can you sense it?" Kaitou nodded. "its making my tail bristle and bothers me yet what ever it is, its not ready for war yet." Snow nodded solemnly. "Darkness grows on this land. And we must be ready to meet it." Kaitou nodded and softly growled.
Hogwarts was abuzz with the information that a new school was coming. And just as they sat down to lunch. Horns blared and drums pounded, Bloodmoon had arrived. Harry was up out of the hall and half way down the corridor before Draco caught up with him. "There here!" Hermione squealed from the doorway. She was going to miss lunch and go read by the lake when she heard the horns. Hundreds and hundreds of brooms filled the sky as did flying carriages. "Look Harry, Pegasus!" Most of the clans landed in formations and the carriages too landed further out. The teachers appeared and Aribella Snow landed her griffin before them. Before she spoke a sound of rumbling thunder drifted across the grounds, louder and louder it became until.. Suddenly seemingly hundreds upon hundreds of unicorns spilled from the forest with mounted riders. Some carrying a banner with a vicious looking wolf upon it. The massive mounted force lined into a strict near military formation. A cloaked rider on a black unicorn rode up and stood at the head of the formation and all was silent before Headmistress Snow began to speak. "Headmaster Dumbledore. It is Sun-high on the promised day. Here we stand before you."