JK & SM own it.
Sulpicia hadn't felt this at peace in a very long time. Once the excitement of meeting the Cullen's had calmed down, everyone had settled in Newts large garden and shared their stories. She'd heard much of the fabled Vegetarian vampires over the centuries and seen more in her visions, but other than a short afternoon in the company of the rest of the Volturi guard in the late 1700's she'd not spent any time with Carlisle or his amazing offspring. She was glad now that her visions had steered her in this direction those many years ago when Aro had secreted her away from the temple in Delphi.
Taron remained the strong and silent sentinel, always within sight of Sulpicia, never wavering even with all of the new vampires around them. Sulpicia felt a strong sense of gratitude to the former guardsman, he had proven to be a loyal protector and was on his way to becoming a dear friend to her. Now that they were away from Volterra, Jane and Alec's true personalities were becoming more apparent. Sulpicia shook her head amused as Jane stealthily flicked her wand towards the large one, Emmett she believed tripping him as he raced after the young Renesme and Newts three kneazles.
The vampires chuckled as he careened through the thick bushes like an octopus on roller skates, with his little band of followers.
"Jane," Sulpicia admonished with a shake of her head.
Jane glanced back in reproach, but failed to hide her smirk from everyone assembled which resulted in Jasper tipping off his bench in laughter.
"Oh ho! This is priceless, the ice princess is a sneaky little trickster!" he chortled.
Jane cocked her head to the side and looked at him dead pan, seeing how far she could push the sinister Volturi guard thing, not taking into account Jaspers empathic ability catching onto her feelings of mischief. "Yeah, that won't work on me...empath," he stated with a wide grin from the ground.
The afternoon had continued in much the same fashion and by the evening all assembled had a better idea and a greater level of trust for the new vampires. Bella however was still wary and set in her wish for them to be hidden somewhere else.
Sulpicia eased her mind as she slipped into a vision, Edward watched enraptured as she seemed to view the events over the shoulders of those within. And then she spoke, a flick of her wand and the same whispy scenes played out for everyone to see, just as they had when she told her story.
The dark smokey shape flew through the air around the castle of Volterra, it seemed both human and...not holding no substance, yet appearing to hold a human form. It passed through the great doors, and continued through the reception area, the elevator and the grand corridor. The large golden doors of the throne room flew open as if hit by a gust of wind, the vampires within turning abruptly to see who had come. Looks of shock and concern coat their faces when only the dark smoke passes through.
Aro stands frozen upon the dais, directing guard members in their search for Sulpicia, while Marcus and Caius sit looking bored in their seats. The dark shaped disappears in front of the raised dais and in its place a cloaked human appears. His skin as pale as any vampire and his face more animalistic then human looking. His bone like fingers long and dagger like in front of him.
"Who is this insolent human that dares enter our residence?" Caius booms angrily.
"Silence, vampire," The robed man states waving a long bone like stick at him.
Caius fumes at him and drops into a crouch.
The robed man points the stick to the left of Caius and a flame shoots from the tip, igniting the wooden throne that he had been sat in moments before, to the shock gasps and growls of the vampires that surround him.
"State your purpose human," Aro interjects before the room erupts into chaos.
"War is coming, vampire and only those who align themselves with the strongest allies will survive, I propose an alliance," the robed man states with a sneer across his snake like face.
"What makes you think that we would want an alliance with you?" Caius sneered angrily.
"A mutual enemy," the robed man stated.
"Oh, who might that be?" Aro questioned, itching to lay his hands on the human.
"The Cullen's," he stated almost spitting the words as if they tasted rotten.
Aro looked taken aback, while Marcus continued to appear wholly uninterested. Caius however was practically apoplectic, the Cullen's had been a thorn in their side for a long time, he never had believed the news of their demise that came via Demetri and Felix' scouting trip, but this human knowing of them was the icing on an ugly cake.
"What do you know of the Cullen's, how can we be sure this isn't some ruse?" Caius growled.
"Where they are at this time is protected, oh I know how to get there, but to break those protections will require some effort..." the robed man started.
The image faded leaving the Cullen's shocked at what they had seen. Esme was the first to gain her wits.
"The dark lord has gone to the Volturi?!" she stated questioningly.
"Yes, there is no preventing this from happening, the vision while not real time, is perhaps a few hours shy of happening, things are escalating," Sulpicia stated sadly.
"Dumbledore needs to know," Carlisle offered pulling his wand from his coat and casting a patronus, a fiery looking Phoenix spread its wings before him, "Tell Albus to come immediately," he stated sending the bird through Newts floo.
Moments later there was a burst of flame from the fireplace and Dumbledore strode into the large courtyard of Newts garden. "You have news? Ah who do we have here?" he asked peeking over his half moon glasses at the new vampires.
"Albus please meet Rufus Scrimgeour's agents from within the Volturi, Jane and Alec, Sulpicia the Oracle of Delphi and her guard Taron," Carlisle said by way of introduction.
"Are you really? A pleasure to meet you dear," Dumbledore said greeting them all keenly. "So the news?"
"Sulpicia had a vision, the dark lord has gone to the Volturi, any time line that you were working to with the Order needs to be moved up, war will soon be upon us," Carlisle stated.
"That is news I hoped not to hear," Dumbledore replied sadly, "Harry is not nearly ready to face him, I'm not being unkind, he is but a boy, but without the destruction of the remaining Horcrux's it will be impossible to defeat him."
"Then we will work harder to get him ready," Edward offered in response, we'll resume our hunt for those that remain, Bella and Charlie perhaps as the more experienced in our family you can take up instruction on more aggressive magic, he needs to learn to fight, and to protect himself better."
"We can do that, but the rest of the children..." Bella started. "We need a contingency to keep them safe."
"Leave it with us," Alice stated, "I have more time working in Albus' office, I'll get my head together with Jazzy we'll figure something out."
"We all will, and we'll increase patrols, the whole family not just the guys, we'll double up," Rose stated leaving no room for disagreement.
"Newt, we'll need you and Tina to be on standby to take Ness, this will be the safest place for her when the war comes," Bella asked.
"No need to ask Bells, we'll do everything within our power to protect her," Newt replied hugging Bella tightly.
"Thank you, that takes a huge weight off my mind," Bella stated emotionally.
"We're family; there is no need to ask." Tina offered grasping Bella's hand.
"I'll pick your brain later Newt, I have an idea but want to get your opinion first," Jasper said cryptically.
Sulpicia, Jane, Alec and Taron watched as the family rallied, they had never seen anything like it, so used to seeing Aro bellow orders and the guard just do it, "We want to help," Alec interrupted the numerous conversations going on.
So much had happened in the last few hours, the Cullen's had all but forgotten they were there. They were still wary of trusting them, yet when the war came, they would need all the help they could get.
"If I may..." Albus started. "I'll call the Order, we'll meet up and join forces, understandably the Cullen's are a little wary, but the members of the Order are quite capable of protecting themselves if you prove to be untrustworthy, in fact I'm sure Moody and Remus will shoot first and ask questions later should you step out of line. However if your motives are sincere then we welcome you," Albus stated.
Edward wanted to object, having been on the wrong end of Jane's little power when she was with the Volturi, but he trusted Albus, so staid his hand...this time.
Talk eventually turned from the dark and worrisome events that had bought them together and soon settled into discussion of Sulpicia, her time in Delphi and of course her visions.
"So when you were in Delphi was it really like it was in the 300 film, were the priests just a bunch of dirty old sex pests?" Emmett asked.
"Emmett!" Esme gasped, while Rose slapped the back of his head, the sound reverberating about the garden.
"What? It's a legitimate question, seems to me those oracle girls got a raw end of it with that bunch of perves," Emmett defended.
"There are better ways of asking though Em," Bella said tactfully, while shaking her head.
Sulpicia wasn't sure what to say to that, Jane and Alec however were a mess trying to disguise their laughter. Poor Taron didn't know where to look.
"Um, I don't know how to answer that," Sulpicia stated looking at the Cullen's worriedly.
"It's better if you just ignore him, he just bellows the first thing that enters his head, has absolutely no filter," Rose stated kindly.
"Ok, that I can do," Sulpicia said with a timid smile.
"Can't say we weren't thinking it though," Jasper thought to Edward who nodded subtly.
"Could you tell us of the original vision, the one about the Golden eyed vampire?" Bella asked.
"Oh yes, it was that vision that lead to Aro taking me from the temple, I knew what he was the first time that I saw him, he dressed like a Roman Noble, but had the eyes of a demon." Sulpicia offered.
"Personality of one too," Jane interjected. "Sorry carry on."
"No you're right, there never was anything good in him, he thrived on his games and power plays, drawing them out for years at a time. Lulling those that he targeted into a false sense of security before striking them down to meet his agenda. I had no control of when a vision would come, and no way of preventing him from reading them if he was there, Occlumency can only hide so much, thankfully, we were able to disguise our true natures behind a wall of pain. His biggest shortcoming is believing his gift infallible. Hiding anything we didn't want known behind the memory of the pain of change forced him to skip over it. Eventually I trained myself to be able to hide my visions in that way, forcing him to believe that there was just nothing for me to see," Sulpicia stated.
"The vision Sully," Alec stated.
"Sorry, I digress, the vision came during the summer pilgrimage, the temple was full of people humans and other for the final feast, each vying for a personal vision. Myself and the other maidens had spent much of the day surrounded by them and the priests and we were preparing to retire for the evening when I saw him stood by the inner columns that surrounded the statue of Python. It was his eyes that triggered the vision, as I slipped into a trance I felt his hand, cold and hard slip around the skin of my wrist." Sulpicia shuddered.
The Cullen's were entranced by the story.
"The one that will knock the rulers from their thrones is coming. A new age with the old world embracing the new, shall rise under the banner of the guardian of the shield. The child borne of blood and stone shall bring promise and the golden eyed warrior shall be its protector and the saviour of its kind. War will unite them the daughter of the swan and the son of the masen shall bring peace to a race ruled by blood."
The Cullen's watched the smokey images awestruck, the vision was similar to that from Cassandra Trelawney, there was no disputing they told of the same events and there was no denying Bella and Edwards involvement.
"At first Aro searched the world for this mythical golden eyed warrior, his first inclination to force him to join the ranks of the Volturi, centuries passed and no word of such a being was heard. Then one evening, late 1707 Carlisle Cullen walked into the castle, a reasonably young vampire with golden eyes, yet such a peaceful demeanour, that Aro was thrown. He'd had ideas that this golden eyed warrior would be some kind of savage, yet Carlisle was anything but." Sulpicia stated.
"We knew of the prophecy, of course many of the guard did, and we knew that the appearance of Carlisle was the beginning, but we couldn't say anything, Aro had put a ban on discussing it, especially in Carlisle's presence, Aro had eyes everywhere, which was proved with the number of deaths during Carlisle's stay. It didn't matter whether you were gifted or not, he protected that prophecy with extreme prejudice," Jane continued. "Alec and I had been with the guard for nearly 900 years by then, and we'd been recruited by Rufus in the last century, the things Aro had the guard doing to preserve the secret were horrendous, with the arrival of Carlisle we had to be much more careful, we rarely killed another vampire, often using our gifts to freeze everyone and then magically removing them from the area. "
"The vampires that we saved have proven to be most useful over the years, creating a wide network for us to follow all that is going on around the world." Alec chimed in. "In fact many of them have become friends and allies to you Carlisle, under our encouragement to seek you out."
"Why me?" Carlisle asked.
"Until Edward and eventually Bella came along, you were believed to be the focus of the prophecy, though when you hear it now, it's obvious that it's Edward and Bella, although your family are greatly involved. The threat that you possess just in your refusal to drink as traditional vampires is a great mechanism to lead a resistance." Alec finished.
"Hear that? Daddy C...Freedom Fighter," Emmett chortled.
Rose rolled her eyes at her husband, "Can you take anything seriously?"
"Is that a rhetorical question?" Emmett retorted flinching away from the slap to the back of his head.
"Rose do you always have to hit me?!" he whined.
"Yes!" she replied.
"We need to rally everyone, put the word out, the time is coming and sides need to be taken and lines drawn," Alec stated his strategic mind worked similarly to Jaspers, who until then had watched silently taking note of all the information.
"He's right, we faked our deaths to ensure our friends safety, that was before we knew of the prophecies, now we need to step out of the shadows a little and prepare to fight," Jasper agreed.
"If I may..." Dumbledore interrupted, "Remain hidden, you all are marked, allow the Order to do the leg work finding your allies."
"Thank you Albus," Bella stated looking to Alice, "Ali?"
Alice slipped into a short trance before looking back at Bella and nodding, "Stay away from Amun, he's under Aro's thumb, he'll betray us if it means the safety of Kebi, Benjamin and Tia left them to travel alone."
"Make a list and I'll get with Remus and Moody," Charlie offered, "Your friends will know me, even if I'm not meant to know of them."
"Dad are you sure?" Bella asked.
"I'm sure, you don't think I wouldn't have noticed the increase in vampire activity in Forks after Ness was born, seriously guys its my job to know, I never said anything, because there were no deaths, I'm sure credit for that would go to Carlisle." Charlie stated.
"We don't allow killing in our territory," Edward confirmed.
"Good, then I'll consider the Cullen name my cloak of protection, I'll need one of those wrist cuff things you boys wear," Charlie finished.
Edward pulled his own from his wrist, handing it to Charlie, it would have the added benefit of smelling of him.
"Charlie, don't send Remus alone, his werewolf scent will force our friends to attack first, its ingrained in our nature, I know that Remus is capable of defending himself, but he shouldn't have to against allies." Edward suggested.
"Maybe he shouldn't go?" Bella asked.
"No, they need to meet him, but perhaps send Dora too, she's a calm mind, she'll be able to talk them round." Edward continued.
"It's a shame we don't have more of the cuffs..." Alice started.
"Goodness! For clever people we're not the brightest," Esme stated.
"Ma?" Emmett questioned.
"Esme?" the others followed.
"We can use a spell to duplicate them a controlled version of the Gemino charm," Esme stated.
"They usually disappear after a while though Esme," Bella stated.
"Not if we add a secondary spell to make the duplication permanent," Esme responded.
"Permanens Cantantem?" Bella asked.
Esme nodded in reply seeing that Bella had caught on. "Exactly."
"If we put a Protean charm on them we can use them to communicate, the kids did it with some fake Galeons the other year," Edward offered.
"Did they really?" Dumbledore asked, "What a genius idea... Hermione no doubt."
Edward nodded to confirm Dumbledore's supposition. Bella turned to Charlie we was already removing Edwards cuff, so that it could be duplicated, "Soon as you're done I'll get with Remus and Moody and go find your friends," Charlie stated, "I'll need the list Carlisle."
Carlisle had been so intent on listening that it took him a second to realise Charlie had spoken to him, "Of course, I'll have it for your momentarily, Alice anyone else we should avoid?" he asked.
"Just Amun and the Romanians, they have their own agenda with the Volturi and while they would help us, eventually they would turn against us for themselves," Alice replied.
"If we may, perhaps we could come with you Chief Swan, we'll be able to confirm to the vampires that you're not some crazy human courting death," Jane offered.
"Jane dear, perhaps first we should lose the Volturi garb, if you and Alec turn up dressed like the guard on a mission, they'll run," Sulpicia stated.
"Oh! We didn't even think to offer a change of clothes," Tina worried over her guests. "Come, I'm sure I can finagle something for all of you from the closet, even you big guy," she stated smirking at Taron who raised an eyebrow in silent question.
"Thank you, while comfortable these robes do not fit anywhere outside of Volterra," Sulpicia stated.
The four vampires followed Tina into the cottage the three women giggling at the discomfort of Alec and Taron as they raided the immense closet that Tina had lead them to.
In the garden Bella and Esme had duplicated Edwards cuff and had created a dozen more, each altered with a different color for identification and with the added Protean charm on the crest, they had also charmed their own crests to ensure that the whole family would be able to receive and send messages via the cuffs. Once finished, Edward replaced his own cuff back on his wrist and handed Charlie a new one having ensured as much of his scent was imbedded within the leather band. Charlie then placed two more into a bag and sealed it to give to Remus and Moody. Moments later Jane and Alec returned, dressed in Jeans and sweaters and resembling the teenagers they would've been had they remained human. Edward handed them each a cuff, Bella had charmed the one Jane had to appear more feminine, the blonde vampire smiled appreciatively while wrapping the leather band around her wrist.
"When we've met, where do we send them?" Charlie asked.
The Cullen's were at a loss, they wanted to keep Newts place a secret, so that Ness would remain safe. Dumbledore came up with the answer.
"If I may suggest..." he started, "My brother Aberforth runs the Hogs Head Inn, in Hogsmeade, he'll be able to hide them there until the time comes, there are many secrets hidden there, a few more will do no harm."
"Thank you Albus," Carlisle spoke.
"We all have the same goal Carlisle, Aberforth has always kept a safe house for the Order, I'll go to him when I leave here and prepare him for what is to come." Dumbledore replied.
Charlie nodded to say that he had heard, and then turned to Jane and Alec to see if they were ready to collect Remus, Moody and Tonks. The two vampires nodded their assent and with that, Charlie, Jane and Alec disappeared having grabbed the fishing guide that Charlie had turned into a portkey.