From Pelton's Journal

            Even though Christmas is approaching, I hate winter.  The cold weather has barely been tolerable and shows no sign of getting better on the contrary it seems to get worse.  Dumbledore seems to be getting disparate to teach me as fast as possible.  He seems to be getting more and more stressed, and I fear something big is bothering him.  After last year and the return of Voldemort, he seems to always be on the edge, and I have noticed that he has taken more secret trips and just as many secret meetings.  I have noticed also that lately Umbridge and him have become even more hostile towards each other.  This has created a teacher that has become harder and harder to please, but I think I know now why he wants to teach me.  I think he is teaching me these lessons so that I might be able to become a personal sword arm that he will be able to depend on in the coming conflict.  With this in mind I did not feel bad to inform him of the lessons that Harry Potter now is commencing in the school.  Fortunately, he stopped me from telling him since in his words "it is best I don't know so that I will not feel obligated to stop it," this made me think that he really wants the students prepared.  This scares be above all other realities since that means this might not be a quick war.

            Rom has become even more independent and often hunts far into the night.  I am afraid that she means to fight that Wyvern alone.  Boy, will she be in for a shock.  I have begun to teach her all that I can of wizardry and hope that she will be able to embrace it as another means of furthering her personal battle because I have a feeling that Dumbledore and I will need her later.  Lacy and I have also become closer, and we often sit talking in the Great Hall and the Common Room.  I am finding it harder to spend much time away from her wanting to be around her more often then any other, but it is great having such a good friend.

            Also lately I have been more often helping Muggle Studies classes with showing them how motors work, engines, and computers.  Lol, I find pure blood faces funny when they see the stuff muggles came up with that rival everything wizards can do.  The best was when I showed them a lightening rod pull a bolt of lightening from the sky on a cloudless day.  They had never realized that lightening could appear without clouds.  Even better was when the rod and the wire showed having nothing magical and also able to store and reuse that electricity.

            Anyways, I have to go Dumbledore is taking me out for another lesson.

            The forest seemed bursting with activity at a much later time then normal.  Chilling wind swept leafless branches in his path trying to lead him away from the beaten path.  Temporarily blinded from Dumbledore's erect outline, Pelton struggled to follow as fast as possible.  This was made even more difficult since Dumbledore seemed determined to keep a fast pace that made it all but impossible to keep up with the headmaster.

            Finally coming to a clearing, Dumbledore stopped and faced the approaching Pelton.  Chilled to the bone, Pelton stopped to listen to Dumbledore's lecture.  "Long ago even before the Egyptians appeared around the Nile, mages and wizards were one I the same.  Both used elemental magic that needed neither wands nor staves.  Instead, they used magic inherit to all living being.  Since few had the strength to control such raw power, rulers started civilizations by using Mage Magic, as it is called now, to quell and frighten commoners into submission.  Hammurabi, Abraham, and the Scorpion King all were talented users yet used it for extremely different reasons.  Into this polarization of power a man named Theseus stepped forth.  Muggles record that he started the republican form of government in Athens, but in the wizarding world he is remembered as the "Father of Wizardry."  Following the defeat of Minos's Minotaur, Theseus tried and succeeded in storing the mage potential of the Minotaur into a sword and shield.  With these, he easily conquered Athens and presented the knowledge of "potential storage" to the masses to guard the Athenians from corrupt mage kings.  Even though not everyone could use this type of magic, storage allowed for more diverse magic users that guarded the interests of the common muggle.

            Since that time mages have been ridiculed, hated, and even hunted for their power, but a few still are able to retain their beliefs as well as their power.  These few actively hunt those who misuse the power and teach select students so that they are able to control the teaching of such destructive magic."  After stating this, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes dulled and seemed to see something in the past that Pelton decided he did not want to know.  Bowing his head, Dumbledore muttered, "'power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.'  Pelton, I can't stress how serious your task is ahead.  IF!  You ever used this for evil you would be hunted and immediately executed."

            "Is there a way for me to accomplish the task ahead without mage magic?"  Pelton shakingly inquired.  With increasing dread, he watched as Dumbledore slowly shook his head.  Slowly swallowing, Pelton straightened to full height and answered, "I will do whatever you need.  Count me in."

            At the mock salute Pelton launched, Dumbledore smiled, and his eyes returned to their normal twinkle.  To Pelton's wonder and delight, Dumbledore snapped his fingers creating a ball of flames in his hand.  "The essence of all magic is mage magic, but most humans are unable to channel it since human bodies are the weakest type of animal shell," looking at his fireball, Dumbledore chuckled and the ball disappeared into his hand.  "House Elves, Phoenix, Dragons, Pixies, and all other magic creatures use magic as we use wands.  Instead of channeling that energy into inanimate objects, they use themselves as wands creating such pure magic that most humans could not even fathom.  This is why Voldemort is frightened of me.  He knows that mage magic is the only counter to his sorcery and wizardry combination.  Now sit and clear your mind.  Good, try to think of yourself a wand or one of your electric wires."

            Trying to clear his mind, Pelton's mind instead began to run through memories of all the years of his life.  Thinking of his years as a typical new kid at a Georgia school and the difficulty adjusting to its unusual way towards outsiders especially "northerners."  Then his mind floated next to his first kiss, he could still feel her lips, and he saw the tons of girls that he had liked throughout the rest of his life.  He saw Rommel's birth and later transformation.  To his utter surprise, though, the last was that of a teary face of Lacy, as she seemed to be walking through the forest.  Grasping at that memory and trying to contemplate when this particular memory occurred since he could not remember seeing her walk through any forest.  Why would he think of her at this particular moment when he needed to clear his mind?  Trying to stop the flood, he at last opened his eyes so that he would not succumb to the torrent.  "Why am I unable to clear my mind Professor?"

            Winking at Pelton, he began to circle him "memory flooding is normal when you first start mage magic.  In fact, I would have been surprised if you had been able to do anything your first time.  I also would assume that you saw things that you fail to remember."  Smiling and failing to wait for a confirmation, Dumbledore continued with "these flashes are of either the future or even the present of those who will be associated with you.  Mind their images because you might find them useful."  Dumbledore seemed to be keeping something unsaid.

            Before his open mouth could form the question he badly wanted to ask, a familiar voice called out "Professor Dumbledore?  Where are you?"  Quickly standing up and looking to Dumbledore for an excuse to be out in the woods, Pelton was dismayed to find that he was also thunderstruck.  He had just decided on his story when Lacy walked around the bend in the trail.  Surprisingly, she was dressed in the same color robes that Pelton had seen her in earlier.  "Headmaster excuse me but Professor McGonagall asked me to find you.  She says that Fawke needs to talk to you.  I know it sounds confusing but she said you would understand."  Trying to become one with the bushes, Pelton failed in his attempt to hide from Lacy's wondering gaze.  She looked extraordinary in her new blue on black robes though it seemed at odds with her blond highlighted, sandy hair that fell randomly half way down her back.  When her hazel eyes finally found him, she started stuttering with an inquiry "Peeeltoon?  Whaaat are yoouu doooing here?"

            Trying not to snicker at Lacy's expression, Pelton began to explain that Dumbledore had been teaching him unarmed combat.  "Pelton asked me if I had ever ran into Martial Arts so I offered to teach him the little I had learned of Karate."  Turning away to hide his surprise, Pelton contemplated how often Dumbledore showed his incredible knowledge of muggle cultures and customs.  Lacy seemed to believe this lie and stepped aside to allow Dumbledore to pass.  Starting to follow, Pelton realized that she was waiting for him.  Oddly feeling extremely nerves and apprehensive, Pelton walked over to her. 

            Walking next to each other, they soon lost sight of Dumbledore.  Wondering what she could want to tell him, Pelton stole furtive looks at Lacy.  She walked with graceful measured steps.  Lacy seemed very interested in her feet and refused to meet his glances.  Under the brilliant sky, the forest's dark trees caused shadows to cast odd colors over Lacy's lantern lit face and body.  Looking her face over openingly this time, Pelton noticed she had rims around her eyes were he realized she must have been crying.  Mulling over what Dumbledore had said, a revelation swept upon Pelton to which made him sigh heavily.  "Lacy, why were you crying?"  He finally asked in a quiet voice.

            Lacy seemed taken aback by the question.  "I can't believe that you knew I was crying, but even more so I can't believe you would ask such an obvious question.  Ack, do NOT give me that blank look of yours.  All this times we have sat talking in the Great Hall and the Common Room you never thought I would find out did you?  Well, did you?  (Sobbing) I have seen your girl friend.  I wish you would have told me about her in the first place and saved me the trouble of thinking about something more between us.  You should have told me."

            Now completely and utterly dumbfounded, Pelton racked his memory for whom Lacy could have possibly mistaken as his girl friend.  Failing in his endeavor he finally inquired, "what are you talking about?  I don't have a girl friend in fact I have told you that before!"

            "Then who was that gorgeous oriental girl that you had your arm around last night?  Huh, I don't that you would have just put your arm around any girl.  (Innocently looking at Pelton) then again I could have seen someone else.  I am not sure anymore I am so confused.  You tell me that you have never had a girl friend and yet I thought I have seen you with a girl."  She started crying openingly before Pelton that made him extremely uneasy.  Putting an arm around her and holding her tight he tried to remember the day before and whom he had been with at the time.

            Suddenly the word "oriental" popped again into his mind, and he started laughing heartily before he realized that it might be an enormously bad idea.  Lacy began trying to break his grip around her.  Loosing his grip, he refused to let her go though.  "Listen, the girl you saw me with is not what you think in fact there is something about her you do not know."  Thinking quickly, Pelton decided that he would have to show her for her ever to believe him.

            Almost dragging Lacy up to the tower and up to his attic, the walked in silence that seemed to grow deeper and deeper.  Helping Lacy into the attic, Pelton called out for Rommel to show herself.  Rom appeared from the roof and was dressed in barrowed robes that meant that she had just been hunting.  Approaching Rom, he came within a few feet of her and whispered "show her your true form, please Rom.  I hardly could hope for her to believe me any other way."  Hauntingly Rommel climbed back up the latter and stripped on the roof.  With a snort of distain towards the obviously jealous Lacy, Rom's arms began to stretch, and her body lengthened while ridges formed on her spine and head.  Failing in his attempt to fight his giggle fit when he looked at Lacy's face, Pelton knew that he had finally won his argument with her.  "You see Lacy?  Rom is not a girl friend but more like my daughter or sister.  And Rommel if you show any more disgust towards Lacy here, I will have to beat you up," this led to Rom bellowing a quick quaffed and returning to human form.

            After throwing on the robe again, Rommel walked up to Lacy and offered her a handshake.  "Excuse me for my hostility to you.  I had a hard time with you forcing Pelton to prove himself."  Smiling back, Lacy shook Rom's hand.  For the next several hours Rom and Lacy became instant best friends that made Pelton very uneasy.  Now instead of having to deal with them independently he had to deal with them in league.

            Pelton realized with a smile that he would one day rue his part in creating that friendship.