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Disclaimer – JK Rowling and various publishers own the world of Harry Potter.

Book 3: Dark Moon

Chapter 36

The Two Hundred Eggs Challenge

First of September came. Xsi and Cassie were on the train for the first time without Harry. He had not returned home. They were both wondering how to lay in the news to his closest friends but nothing came to mind.

Ron and Hermione had obviously noted his absence but attributed it to the fact they might have missed each other on the platform. They then saw Cassie gesturing them to come join them.

They came in a compartment occupied by only one individual who seemed to be asleep. His clothing was rather strange set of shabby wizard clothing. He looked ill and exhausted though quite young his light brown hair was flecked with grey.

"Who's this?" – Ron asked as they entered.

"Oh," – Xsi exclaimed. "Don't mind him."

"He's a teacher." – Cassie added.

"How do you know that?" – Ron asked.

"Well…" – Xsi started explaining.

"It is written on his trunk." – Cassie interrupted and showed the suitcase's label that read: Professor R.J. Lupin. "As we said don't mind him."

"I wonder what he'd be teaching." – Ron said.

"That's obvious, isn't it?" – Hermione whispered. "The only subject for which we have no teacher is only one – Defense against the Dark Arts."

"It is obvious only to you." – Ron replied.

"And to those with common sense…"

"Are you two done?" – Cassie interrupted. "You're like an old married couple."

"Funny," – Hermione exclaimed nettled at this remark.

"Where is Harry?" – Ron finally asked the question that has been burning him.

"Ah…" – Cassie turned pink. Her throat had suddenly become very dry.

"Well…ah…huh…" – Xsi also did not seem to fancy to answer the question.

"Well?" – Hermione looked at both of them wondering what the problem is.

"Ah," – Cassie bit a lip then took a deep breath and said. "He's run away."

"He's what?" – Ron and Hermione looked at her with disbelief.

"Harry ran away. He's not yet returned and even Dad can't find him."

"Ah…" – Ron was at a loss of words.

Hermione was having the same problem though she regained her composure quickly. "What do you mean you can't find him?"

"Ah, yeah," – Ron joined her. "He has the trace."

"We know, Ron." – Xsi said slightly irritated.

"Despite the trace, Dad can't find him and neither can the ministry."

"But that's impossible!" – Ron exclaimed. "The trace is active until he turns seventeen. He can't simply remove it."

"The trace is still active, Ron but despite it Harry can't be found. What part of that escaped you?"

"How?"

"Well, Dad believes," – Xsi said. "He believes Harry is in a place that is actually blocking the trace."

"What?" – Ron exclaimed stunned. "No, you're mistaken. It is not possible. Nothing can block the trace."

"Nothing, you mean, that we know of." – Cassie corrected him with a tiny smile.

"Anyway," – Xsi lightened the mood. "He's gone somewhere."

"Why did he run in the first place?" – Hermione asked.

"Oh," – Cassie replied. "Well, let's say he and Dad had a fall out."

"Yeah," – Xsi added. "Dad grounded Harry and he took it badly. He was stuck in his room for over a week. Dad had placed a charm around his window and some other exits so he wouldn't get any ideas."

"But," – Cassie continued. "He found a way around it. He managed to break the charm, use Moandor's rope to escape then took the Knight bus and ended up somewhere in Wick, and from there the trail goes cold."

"Wick?" – Hermione exclaimed confused.

"What the devil would he be doing there?" – Ron said.

"Well that's the million Galleon question, Ron." – Cassie replied. "No one has a clue."

"You should have seen Dad giving stern looks at Fudge for his inability to locate Harry." – Xsi said suddenly amused by the memory.

"Fudge?" – Ron looked up.

"Yeah, he really did not know where to hide. Dad was quite unforgiving."

"Any who, he is gone." – Cassie concluded. "Anyone hear about Black?"

"Who hasn't?" – Ron said. "No one has managed to escape Azkaban before."

"And then there is Hogsmeade." – Xsi changed the subject.

"I'm looking forward to that." – Hermione said cheerfully. "It is as I read the only settlement void of Muggles."

"Yeah, I think it is." – Ron said in a offhand kind of way. "But that's why anyone and by anyone I mean would go. I want to go inside Honey Dukes."

"What's that?" – Hermione asked.

"It is a sweet's shop." – Ron replied dreamily. "They have everything – Pepper Imps that can make you smoke at the mouth, and great Chocó balls full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and…"

"Yes, yes," – Hermione pressed on eagerly. "It isn't just that. According to Sites of Historical Sorcery it is also the place where the Goblin's rebellion took place in 1612, and the Shrieking Shack is probably the most haunted house in Britain…"

"…and sherbet balls that make you levitate just a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them." – Ron had continued his dreaming out loud interrupting Hermione's history lesson.

The door to the compartment opened. Draco and his fellow gorillas – Crabbe and Goyle entered.

"Oi, the Solmyrs and Weasel."

Crabbe and Goyle smiled trollishly.

"I heard your dad had gotten his hands on some gold this summer," – Draco began with his oily voice. "Did your mother died out of shock?"

Ron had gone all red and stood up briskly.

"Don't you have a meeting with a shampoo in a bathroom, sleazy?" – Cassie snapped.

Draco went paler than usual and his anger also turned his ears red. The insolence of the Solmyr was not going to be tolerated this year.

"It is best you leave, Malfoy." – Xsi said.

"Really, slob Solmyr?" – Malfoy's sneer returned. "You and …?"

"And a teacher!" – Hermione added pointing at the still asleep Lupin.

Malfoy's sneer vanished on the spot and was replaced by an apprehensive look. He did not to start anything under the nose of a teacher even one that looked so shabby.

"Another time, Granger," – He sneered and left.

"That'd be the day." – She answered back.

"C'mon!" – Draco said resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.

Harry woke up. It was the first of September. It was the day he was supposed to return to Hogwarts and while some part of him wanted to he was not really that eager. He had spent about a week already in Vampire Valley. He had learnt a lot about the old races and their 'problems'.

Sandro's stronghold however was full of secret passages that he had explored every day for they led to interesting places. Of course, none even compared to the one he found on his second day here – the vision circles. Every day after exploring a bit he would return there. They were intoxicating and Harry absorbed them with uncontrollable hunger. It was a window so far in the past that no record held intact other than Sandro himself and Pete.

They were formidable hosts. They tended to his every need and desire. They did not tell him when to go to bed or when to get up. He was absolutely free here. It was a freedom he was not used to and he enjoyed it immensely. He was free at the castle too but between Saptienna and Thant, his sisters and Moandor he was not really truly free.

He was getting almost every day at the hours he saw fit. He was eating breakfast in the observatory room as the view was simply beautiful. He would then go outside though within the defensive perimeter of the stronghold and just walk for hours under the crowns of the old trees, crossing the two creeks (or more to the point torrents) that was quite a challenge (and most of the time he would get very, very wet), then he would climb to each highest point of the four surrounding peaks (called Wolverine, Death Glide, Blood Baron and Zoom). By dark he would return to the stronghold to have dinner with Sandro and talk more about the past days.

But today was September first, the day he supposed to be at nine and three quarters platform at King's Cross departing for Hogwarts. His indecision to leave this marvelous place however stood in the way.

Harry stood near his window and suddenly realized that even he could be there right now he had not bought any of the new books or ingredients for the year. He had missed that part entirely but had to correct it. He could not go to school without these things.

"Am I disturbing you, young prince?"

Harry heard Pete's voice. He looked at the reflection in the window and shook head.

"Do you need anything?"

Harry shook head again.

"Very well," – Pete said and turned to leave.

"Wait," – Harry said turning around. "Ah, Pete…"

"Yes, master Solmyr?"

"I need…ah…to buy provisions for school." – Harry said thoughtfully. "I should have been at Diagon Alley doing that but…"

"Perfectly understandable,"

"I should be right now in the train to Hogwarts but…" – Harry lowered his gaze to his watch and just realized the train had gone already, and his sisters were on it without him. "It has already left…hum…five minutes ago."

"It happens, master Solmyr," – Pete moved to him and placed his arm on his shoulder. "I shall inform Master Sandro that you and I need to make a trip. Come to the reading room in ten minutes."

"Thanks,"

Pete left the room and went to speak with Sandro while Harry continued observing the forest. There was still something in this place he needed to do… Or maybe Sandrile did. Harry was aware enough to know that somehow he and the great seer Sandrile were linked together and that his knowledge had brought him thus far.

Ten minutes later, Harry came into the reading room seeing Pete in his traveling coat alongside Master Sandro in his.

"You're not coming with us, are you?" – The question came out on its own. Harry did not really mean it to sound the way it did.

Sandro smiled and hooded himself. "Yes, I am."

"You could be recognized!"

"That's what I've been saying." – Pete interjected.

"I haven't been seen for the past one hundred years." – Sandro said to reassure both of them. "No one will recognize me unless we run into old friends…"

"I've said that too…"

"Shall we then, Master Sandro?" – Harry said opening the door.

"Pete, you go first, young Solmyr, will be between us."

"Of course, Master,"

The train continued further north and the rain that had started on King's Cross Station had stayed with them all this time. The windows were now solid grey, shimmering grey that gradually darkened until lanterns flickered and illuminated the corridors and over the luggage racks. Professor Lupin kept sleeping though not tackled by the noises of either the train or the hammering rain.

"We must be getting closer," – Ron said and leaned forward to beam through the black window.

His words had hardly left him when the train started to slow its pace.

"Supper," – Ron exclaimed happily. "I can't wait to get to the feast. I'm starving…"

"But," – Hermione exclaimed too looking her watch. "We can't be there yet."

"Such a pessimist." – Xsi observed.

"Either way, we can't be there yet." – Hermione said firmly.

"Then why are we stopping?" – Ron asked.

The train was going slower and slower. Cassie being closer to the door peaked into the corridors. There were many other heads protruding from the other compartments doing the same as her.

The train stopped with a sudden jolt and Cassie felt falling backwards into her compartment and onto someone that happened to be Ron. The lights then flickered out of existence and total darkness replaced it.

"That's my foot, Xsi." – Hermione groaned.

"Sorry, it was not intentional." – Xsi apologized pulling herself up. "But there is an idiot driving this thing."

The air in the compartment had abruptly become colder. The windows had gotten frost too.

"What's going on?" – Ron asked. "Why is it this col…ouch." Ron groaned in pain as someone had stamped on his foot. Another shadow had come to their place.

"Oh, sorry,"

Ron quickly recognized Longbottom's voice.

"Neville, is that you?" – Cassie asked.

"Yes, I'm so sorry, Ron." – He apologized. "The lights went out. I must have entered into the wrong compartment."

"It is alright, Neville."

"Ouch." – Xsi exclaimed. "Who are you?"

"Xsi?"

"Ginny?"

"Yeah, sorry,"

"What are you doing here?" – Ron asked.

"I was looking for you and…" – She too screeched in pain. The door had opened again and someone had tripped at the door and fallen over her.

"Oh, sorry," – It was Alamar.

"Alamar, where the heck were you?" – Ron asked.

"Ah, front of the train," – He replied. "Sorry, Ginny, didn't mean to."

"Quiet!"

Everyone turned into the direction of the voice. It was Professor Lupin. He was awake and holding his wand out. A small light was coming out of it. His face was still pale but his eyes expressed vigilant alert.

"Stay where you are," – He said with a hoarse voice. "I'm going to see what's out…"

He was moving to the door but did not manage to finish his sentence as the door opened slowly.

Standing in the door and towering to the ceiling was a cloaked figure. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. There was something dangling out of the raggedy cloak as Alamar noticed though he wished he didn't. It made his stomach contract. It was a glistening, grayish, slimy looking hand. It was there only for a moment as though the creature had sensed it was noticed.

And then whatever lied beneath the hood took a deep, rattling breath as though it was trying to suck not only the air but something else from the surroundings.

Cassie and Xsi were frozen stiff when the creature came in but when it breathed they started shaking uncontrollably. They were soon on the ground in wriggling, agonizing pain. Hermione and the others wanted to help but the effect this creature produced prevented from moving even a toe.

"No one is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks." – Lupin said but the creature did not move.

He then muttered something under breath and a large blinding light came out of his wand repulsing the creature. The coldness retreated and a moment later, the lights flickered into life again.

Cassie and Xsi stopped wriggling but were otherwise unresponsive. Hermione picked herself up and touched their necks and almost fainted seeing there is no pulse.

"Hermione?" – Alamar came to her aid. Seeing her face however he asked. "What's wrong?"

"No pulse…" – Hermione breathed out.

Alamar let her sit and then went for the Solmyr sisters' throats. Hermione was right there was no pulse. He feared the worst knowing full well what effect these creatures had on Necromancers.

"They will be alright." – Professor Lupin said.

"I wouldn't bet my supper on that." – Alamar exclaimed a bit more belligerently than he intended. He then quickly realized his error. "Professor."

Lupin bent down and touched their necks and quickly became paler. He had rarely seen anyone with no pulse after a brief encounter with these creatures. He conjured flames in his hands and placed them around the girls. Then he rummaged through his case and took a large slab of chocolate.

He distributed it among the others and turned his attention to the still stilled girls. He conjured a small bowl of water and applied it on their foreheads.

"Keep applying it," – Lupin turned to Alamar. "I'll go to the front to get the train moving again." And he left.

The train got moving again. Professor Lupin had sent a message to the school regarding the two girls. He then returned to the compartment but there was still no change to their condition.

"What were those things?" – A boy asked. It was Justin Finn-Flechly. He had come to look for Ginny and Neville. They had shared a compartment together.

"A Dementor," – Lupin replied. "One of the Dementors guarding Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. They had heard of these things but never seen one so close (well seen one period).

"Eat your chocolate." – Lupin said. "It will help."

"Thanks," – Neville said eating his part. "It was horrible though…"

"No shit, Einstein." – Alamar replied.

"It felt so cold."

"I felt like I would never be…" – Ginny trailed off.

"Never be…what?" – Neville asked.

"It is the effect of the Dementors." – Lupin explained. "They feed on happy thoughts…"

"On all positive energy, actually," – Alamar interrupted. Everyone looked at him stunned. "Until they leave you with nothing but your worst experiences…what?"

"Guess?" – Ron exclaimed.

"I read, Ron." – Alamar shrugged.

The talks interrupted until the train stopped at the Hogsmeade station. There was a scramble to get out. But Alamar stayed behind. He did not want to leave Cassie and Xsi alone.

Professor Lupin appeared with Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Darkstone!" – She greeted and bent down to check on the girls. "We have to take them to the infirmary."

Lupin bent down and took Cassie while Professor McGonagall got hold of Xsi, and with Alamar at their heels they proceeded outside.

"Mr. Darkstone," – Professor McGonagall said. "You go on. We will take care of them."

"I want to stay with them." – Alamar replied.

"No, go on."

"Is everthin' alright, here?" – A familiar voice said. Alamar saw the gigantic figure of Hagrid.

"We need these two at the infirmary on the double. Hagrid, take them. I shall escort the first years."

Hagrid took in his hands the two girls and moved quickly to the castle. Professor McGonagall on other hand headed with the first years to the lake.

Far away, in Southern Germany, inside a dark forest three people appeared out of thin air. It was Sandro, Pete and Harry. They headed out of the forest to the nearby village huddled at the foot of the Alps.

"Are we there?" – Harry asked.

"Almost," – Sandro replied.

"Prepare to be amazed, young Harry." – Pete added.

They got out on a winded road leading to the village. Harry wondered what was there to be amazed of. They walked for ten minutes and still nothing amazing until they reached the gates though those were not the usual type. It was actually rather strange. Harry's eyes could not see any gates but his mind was. It was so as he was not able to proceed forward. Something was standing in his way – an invisible barrier.

"It is the 'Elysium' charm." – Pete informed noticing Harry's confusion. "Some wizardry villages still have the old incantations protecting them. The gates are enchanted to respond only to a specific password."

"Which is?"

"It varies depending on who is the village's guardian. Rarely even the villagers know who it is. It serves to best protect them."

"The guardian of the village is the only one that knows it." – Sandro interjected.

"Then how do the villagers know what it is?" – Harry asked perplexed. "If one goes out how does he get back?"

"The guardian tells the password every new year."

"But if no one knows who he is then how do they know it is the password?"

"This is the clever bit." – Pete answered. "The guardian is the secret keeper. He sends out an enchanted scroll. Everyone reads it and then they forget."

"They forget? But then what is the point?"

"No," – Sandro smiled. "They read it and know it but they can never speak it aloud to anyone outside of the village."

"Oh great! And how are we supposed to get in?"

"Well, ironically, the guardian keeps one password for the villagers and one master password just in case. That password was used by the first village guardian and as such is regarded as sacred. And we happen to know the first guardian."

"Who is it?"

"Me!" – Pete replied.

Harry looked up stunned at Pete.

"Give me your hands!" – Pete said then after having them muttered something. The mental and invisible barriers vanished on the spot. "Now, we can go in."

The village as Harry noticed was your ordinary mountain village. There was nothing special about it, small houses with small lanes as streets mingling with large backyards. The chimneys streamed with almost white vapor.

"Where are we going?" – Harry asked while absorbing everything around him.

"To a side of the village, the muggles have never seen."

"There are muggles in here?" – Harry's eyes widened with shock.

"Yes, half of the village is." – Pete replied.

"But then how…"

"I told you how."

"But they don't know…I mean about the wizards?"

"When did they ever know?" – Pete looked at him amused.

They reached a very old shop that sold flowers. It had a few tables on the back where they served tea and coffee. Harry still could not see that wizard side Pete was speaking of. The three entered and sat on the tables. The owner of the shop appeared covered in roots and leaves as he had been working chopping and dressing flowers.

"Chamomile!" – Pete ordered.

The owner bowed and disappeared to get the desired beverage. He returned with a tray with three old cups with the chamomile simmering. He placed them before each and then returned to his work.

Harry was getting even more confused. He did not understand anything. If there was something magical about this place he certainly could not pick it up.

"Harry!" – Pete called taking him off his thoughts. "Drink your tea."

Harry's features displayed his confusion even more especially when seeing Pete and Sandro sipping from their cups. He followed their lead. The tea was indeed delicious and highly aromatic but he had to drink it slowly as it was boiling hot.

In a matter of a second, the sight around him shifted. He was still sitting on a table with Pete and Sandro but the flower shop was gone. It was replaced by an old fashioned coffee shop.

They were on a cobbled street much like the one on Diagon Alley but the buildings around were totally unfamiliar and very old, older than those on Diagon Alley. There were figures in robes walking all around them – wizards.

Harry was in awe of the sight. He had not even sensed when they had arrived and speaking of which his mind tried to find a logical answer as to how it happened. Was it the tea or the fact they started drinking it or was it something else – but what.

"It is part of the old incantations." – Pete responded to Harry's unasked question.

"How did we get here?"

"The two sides are linked." – Sandro said. "The link is activated by…"

"The tea?"

"No," – Sandro smiled. "The vapor of the chamomile…"

"WHAT?"

"Yes,"

"But…" – Harry exclaimed. "Anyone could get in that way."

"No, you have to be of wizard blood otherwise it won't work."

"But wouldn't the muggles find particularly strange if people vanished on the spot while drinking their tea?"

"As far as they are concerned no one has vanished."

"What? What do you mean – no one?"

"Well, they still do see the people drinking it – like an after image, an illusion."

"Are you saying that we are still drinking the tea on the table and we are here at the same time?"

"Yes, more or less."

"Ah…" – Harry got even more confused.

"It takes some time to get used to it." – Pete said.

"But what if a muggle comes to talk to one of them?"

"Then they shall respond."

"How if they are only after images… Say it is someone they know…how…"

"Harry, Harry, you are forgetting. This is wizard territory." – Sandro said amused. "We can conjure almost anything. The after image is not your usual illusion. It is a kind of…how should I put it…"

"A part of the host stays behind…" – Pete explained. "A part of you is still sitting there and if you focus enough you can see yourself sitting there…"

"But that's impossible." – Harry stuttered.

"No, just highly improbable…"

"Alright, let's say it is the way you say it is then why Diagon Alley doesn't have this kind of protection?"

"Well, this type of protection is Dark Magic. And you know full well how the rest of the wizard world sees these things."

"Right," – Harry agreed. It was indeed an impossibly complicated protection and extremely confusing. He could barely wrap his mind around it.

"Now, shall we go?" – Sandro stood up. "We have things to buy."

First they visited a book shop with the odd name The Cove. There Harry saw a steel cage that held about a hundred books of the Monster Book for Monsters. The owner came hurriedly towards him.

"Hello," – Harry greeted.

"Hogwarts?"

"Yes,"

"Out of the way." – The owner said and moved towards the cage.

Harry took one look at the books and remembered the crazy gift of Hagrid's. He wrote him it would come in hand.

"Ah, sorry, I already got that one." – He told the owner before he ventures in.

Great relief came on his face. "Oh, thank you. I'm never supplying with these ever again. I'm bitten so many times that I would care to admit. Horrid books…all they do, is eating each other."

"They need to be stroked and calm down." – Harry replied with a smile. "Let me show you."

Harry grabbed the closest book and stroke on the side and the book calmed at once.

"Ha," – The owner exclaimed. "Well, then, what else would you need?"

"Ah, let's see." – Harry rummaged in his bag and looked at the list of books for this year. "I need the Unfogging of the Future by Cassandra Valblatski."

"Ah, you are starting Divination. It is a bit of dreary subject really. I think they ought to stop it but anyway…here we go."

"Alright," – Harry checked that in the list. "Also I require Intermediate Transfiguration and Standard Book of Spells, Grade three, and Runes."

"Right away,"

Harry caught sight of another book protruding from the shelves. On its cover, there was a picture of a large black dog the size of a bear with gleaming eyes.

"Oh, ah I would not read that if I were you." – The owner said noticing what Harry was watching. "If you read it you are going to see everywhere omens. It could really scare anyone to the next reincarnation."

"Ah?" – Then Harry noticed the title of that book – 'What to do when you know the worst is coming'. "I agree. Oh, and I need one more book, ah…Advanced Manual of Mortel's Incantations."

The owner's look depicted utter shock. No one over the years has ever sought that particular book. Truth be said he had only one copy of it, so rare it was. He went to the back of the shop and brought back a very dusty box and in it was the book Harry sought.

Its cover was rough and mucky but with big silver letters – Ayne Mortel's Manual of Advanced Incantations.

The owner handed to Harry who put in his bag then remembered that he had no gold. Pete moved to the counter when the owner asked and just showed him his ring. The owner was at the moment bowing to the ground, his gaze lowered. It seemed being in Pete's and Sandro's company was beneficial.

They then went to the Apothecary for Harry to replenish his supplies for potions and some other ingredients that surprised the owner of the shop for they had no place in third grade Potion classes.

Their next stop was the Model's shop. Harry had to get new clothes. He had grown out of his over the course of the summer. With the new robes in hand they proceeded out and headed back to the tables. On the way, they stopped before another shop that had gathered some crowd.

Harry moved in closer for it held a domain he was very fond of – Quidditch. On a display case was a broom. On the plaque it read: Firebolt. It was a very beautiful item and Harry had a sudden urge to buy it but then he remembered he had never lost a game with his Nimbus 2000 not to mention the possible cost of the Firebolt. Still it was a beautiful dream to have the fastest broom in the world.

"It could be better." – Pete said.

"Huh?" – Harry looked at him. "What could?"

"The broom, I meant." – Pete replied.

"That broom is the fastest. How much better it has to be?"

"Pete's got a point." – Sandro agreed. "They don't make them as they used to."

"Interested in brooms?" – The owner of the shop appeared from behind the shelves.

"No, just looking,"

"I couldn't help but overhear." – The owner said. "I couldn't agree more with you."

"And how did they make them back in the days?" – Harry asked.

"They were made much like the wands are." – Sandro replied. "They were made of the magic trees with powerful cores – holly, elder, willow and …"

"And vine," – The owner added. "You know your subject well. I'm Johan Willow."

"Willow?" – Pete exclaimed. "You wouldn't be connected to Sebastian Willow, would you?"

"He was my great grandfather. Why?"

"He was the finest broom maker in the world." – Pete replied. "Not commercially, Harry, but he could make custom broom like no other."

"I don't suppose you still do?" – Sandro asked.

"Well," – Johan said. "From to time to time when a customer asks but not really. Everyone is now on the commercial."

"Waste of effort."

"True."

"What can you make of a Nimbus 2000?" – Pete inquired.

"Not much, the wood they are using can't be altered much."

"Very true,"

"But I could make it slightly better."

"I have no need for that." – Harry said. "My Nimbus 2000 and the new robes is everything."

"Everything – bold words, young man."

"He's right you know." – Pete nodded.

"Really?" – Harry smiled. "Care for a challenge?"

"Are you challenging me?" – Pete demanded.

"I'm."

"Ha, interesting," – Sandro smiled. "Alright, old rules…"

"Old rules?" – Harry looked at him.

"Yes," – Sandro replied. "The first to the egg…"

"What?"

"I will explain. Mr. Willow, care to prepare the set?"

"Of course,"

Hagrid brought Cassie and Xsi in the infirmary and Madam Pomfrey got out of her office.

"What happened?"

"Dementors…"

"Oh, dear," – She went pale when she examined the girls. She had heard rarely of such cases but it was not unseen. "Call for Professor Snape."

Hagrid left while she made the girls comfortable then went for a bowl of ice cold water and applied it on their foreheads. Professor Snape entered promptly.

"Ah, Severus," – She said.

Snape reached the beds. He frowned at once.

"They need a potion. It is the…"

"Yes, yes, I know." – Snape cut her off. He headed out to get the necessary ingredients. The good thing about the potion was it did not take long to brew.

He returned shortly after with all he needed. Madam Pomfrey had already prepared the cauldron and Snape got to work.

"How long?"

"A little over an hour…"

"Alright, we still have a chance." – He whispered.

The potion was ready in under an hour. It fumed in brownish vapors and smelled very badly but it was the only thing to bring the two out. He sipped it in two large goblets.

"They have to drink it so hold them." – Snape said and versed the first goblet into Cassie's throat.

Her body wriggled and she coughed hard trying to expulse the disgusting liquid but with the combined efforts of Snape and Pomfrey, the potion was absorbed.

"Good," – Snape sighed relieved. "Now, the other one…"

The same procedure was applied to Xsi. She also tried to spit it out but the two held their ground until it was done.

"Excellent," – Madam Pomfrey exclaimed.

"They have taken it well." – Snape observed. "In an hour or two they should come around if they do not call me at once. I have to return to the feast."

"Of course,"

The Great Hall was full and the sea of black hats only waited for the end of the Sorting Ceremony. The last of the chosen ones were placed in their new houses when Snape ventured in. He quickly found his way to his seat but not before passing to inform the headmaster of the situation with the Solmyrs.

Professor Dumbledore stood up and all the chatter subdued.

"Welcome back for another year at Hogwarts," – He greeted. "I have a few things to say to you before we dug into the delicious dishes prepared for us. One of the things is very serious and it would be best to get it out first."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "As you may have noticed after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently going to play host to the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic's business."

Dumbledore paused letting the first shock sink in then continued. "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave the school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises or even invisibility cloaks." – He added blandly. "It is not in their nature to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them any reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, our new Head Boy and Girl, to make certain that no student runs afoul of the Dementors."

Percy looked pompously around the Gryffindor table as he was the new Head Boy. Dumbledore let the silence of his speech settled down while looking seriously at them.

"On a happier note," – Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Join me in welcoming our new teachers…Professor Remus Lupin, who is going to be the new Defense against the Dark Art's teacher…" Dumbledore paused and let the applauses take over when Lupin stood up and waved meekly. "And Professor Kettleburn is retiring so to enjoy more time his remaining limbs. He will be replaced in the subject of Care for Magical Creatures by no other than our own Rubeus Hagrid who has agreed to take on the position in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

"We should have known?" – Ron said to Hermione while cheering with the rest of the Gryffindors. "Who else would send us a biting book?"

"Well, I think this covers it." – Dumbledore said at last. "Now, dig in."

Delicious feast appeared on the tables and in the next half hour only the sound of clattering forks and knives could be heard. Everyone was rather hungry. The adventure with the Dementors in the train was soon forgotten.

When the last tart was eaten and the last pumpkin juice drank, Professor Dumbledore gave the word for everyone to go to bed. Alamar used the time to dash to the infirmary to see how Cassie and Xsi were doing. Ron and Hermione joined him.

Madam Pomfrey was still waiting for the girls to regain consciousness when the three entered.

"Shouldn't be in your dormitories?" – She asked.

"We came to see how they are doing." – Alamar replied.

"They will be fine." – Madam Pomfrey said.

"They look so peaceful." – Ron said sitting on Cassie's side.

"Hopefully, alive," – Alamar added moving to Xsi's bed.

"Don't you hate when someone starts a sentence with that word?" – Xsi whispered groggily.

"Ay," – Cassie replied with a feeble voice.

"We were so worried." – Hermione said.

"But we are happy you're alright." – Ron added.

"What happened?" – Xsi asked trying to sit up.

"Oi, carefully," – Alamar said but helped her up.

"Well, a Dementor entered our compartment and you two started shaking and wriggling. Professor Lupin then told them that no one is harboring Sirius Black under the cloaks…" – Alamar started explaining.

"But they did not listen." – Ron added.

"Yeah, and then he muttered something and out of his wand came a bright light repulsing the Dementor."

"He then conjured portable flames and placed them around you but you weren't….ah…"

"Weren't what?" – Cassie asked.

"You had no pulse." – Hermione replied. "You were not moving either. We feared the worst."

"Yeah, and then Professor McGonagall came with Professor Lupin." – Alamar continued. "Then Hagrid brought you here and Madam Pomfrey brought you back to life."

"With Professor Snape's assistance." – Madam Pomfrey added. "Now, eat this chocolate and then rest. Tomorrow I'll release you."

The girls ate the chocolate and warmth spread through their bodies.

"Snape, huh?" – Xsi said when Madam Pomfrey moved away.

"I'll never hear the end of it." – Cassie noted.

"What did it feel like?" – Ron asked.

"You really don't want to know the answer to that, Tyr." – Xsi answered.

"Thanks guys, for being here." – Cassie said.

"Sure, no problem," – Ron said.

"Has Harry come?" – Xsi inquired.

"No, he's not here yet." – Alamar replied.

"I wonder where he is."

"Whatever the reason, he will come." – Hermione said with hope in her voice.

"I hope so."

"Alright then," – Alamar stood up. "Glad you are ok. See you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, Pluto, Athena, Tyr."

"Good night, Loki, Trivia."

Harry was overjoyed to be once more in his Scarlet Darts' robes. Last year with Alamar's insane idea and Thant's generous help, Gryffindor team's robes were merged with those of the Blackshire Spears. The robes were silver fused with scarlet lines that reflected the light like nothing else. Dressed in this wonder and the Nimbus 200 in hand Harry felt invincible.

Out in the street Johan was setting the last touches of the challenge. The street was already full of people curious to the event. Pete was there too dressed in Quidditch robes – blue and gold and attracting most of the attention. Of course that was until Harry stepped to the street. All attention then turned to him. The challenge looked now differently blue and gold against silver and red.

Sandro and Pete were dully surprised of the outfit of young Harry. It was a very unusual combination though one thing was for certain Gryffindor always presented the world with the best Quidditch players.

Johan was on the Firebolt. He was going to be something like judge. Pete was on his custom made broom and Harry with the Nimbus 2000 (or Nimbus on a Nimbus – get it ).

"Challengers, step forward!" – Johan called.

Pete and Harry approached. They shook hands though Pete was smiling widely. From his point of view, Harry had already lost. His custom made broom was unmatched in both speed and maneuverability (not even the Firebolt was a dent).

The challenge is to get 200 eggs. Each egg however has the properties of a bludger and a snitch which makes catching them rather challenging. So in a sky full of four hundred eggs or in a rain of small balls, the challengers have to pursue, dodge and catch two hundred in order to win. A basket with the player's colors is placed behind each player where they have to deposit the caught eggs.

Victory is declared only when the player catches all two hundred. The real trick is near the end where only twenty balls remain. One of these disappears from the game leaving only nineteen behind meaning that one player is going to come short. If the player can catch all two hundred before that moment he is declared Absolute victor. If he catches his score at the time of the nineteen he is declared Master victor. And the absolute trill of the game is that there is no limit to how far the player has to go in order to catch the eggs (they can go to another continent if the balls ran there).

Spells are allowed to be used on the player and his broom but if a player casts a spell on the opponent or uses it to catch eggs with it he forfeits all eggs he has caught so far.

In the past, Master victors have been regarded as game masters and Absolute victors were regarded as speed seekers. The challenge of two hundred eggs has greatly influenced the game known today as Quidditch.

Harry and Pete shook hands and mounted their brooms. They took off and alongside them Johan. The eggs were released and they hovered around the judge like a dark cloud. Johan took out of his pocket a bronze whistle, put it to his lips and blew. The sound of the whistle resembled much that of a train whistle. At the moment it happened, the egg mass become like a cloud of angry wasps hitting the players with speed and ferocity.

Pete and Harry's first job was to dodge then they split pursuing their targets. Pete caught his first two just a minute later speeding to deposit them in his basket. Harry on the other hand was a bit preoccupied dodging the angry mass. For some reason he had thought this would be easy but he soon found out that it might look that way but in reality it is rather complicated.

Pete deposited another twelve before Harry managed to catch even his first. This game was a curious mix of being a chaser, seeker and beater. In the next ten minutes Pete's advantage grew with another twelve eggs while Harry had managed to catch only four.

Reaching his basket and putting the eggs in made harry realize that he has to change his game plan. It was obvious Pete had more experience not to mention his broom made his look like a total joke. Even the advantage of his robes was not helping in increasing his success odds. So Harry did the unthinkable. He took out his wand and cast a spell – Divus Celeris. The spell belonged to the house of High Light Magic. Usually Harry would not be able to cast this but he had Sandrile on his side.

Immediately he felt lighter. The wind reduced its resistance to him when he accelerated and he was flying definitely faster. This equaled the odds. Harry managed to catch up with the score – forty six to forty five in favor of Pete. Of course, Pete had noticed the sudden change and increased his efforts to catch more eggs.

Harry however was the youngest seeker of Gryffindor for a reason. Not only Pete could not increase his lead but Harry managed to overtake him. The score became sixty seven to sixty one.

The problem for both players began when the eggs split in every direction making catching them even more difficult. The score at that time was eighty four to seventy nine in favor of Harry.

Pete decided it is time to cast spell. He used the stretcher spell. His arms now could reach farther and catching the eggs became easier. He reduced the difference in the score by three. And it was then when he realized what exactly Harry wore. The Blackshire spears' attire had one incredible feature. In time it bonds with its wearer much like a wand bonds with its wizard. Harry's maneuverability and speed increased exponentially and so did the score – one hundred and sixty to ninety.

The spell Harry had cast wore off at that moment but it did not matter. The bond with the attire was all the advantage Harry needed. The irony of the attire is that it also bonds with the broom and in these moments one can witness something very rare. The broom's speed and maneuverability exceeds its original parameters. If the broom is made of quality wood it can sustain the new parameters without breaking or wearing off.

Pete also cast Divus Celeris as he saw no other choice but difference was uncatchable. Pete managed to make his score one hundred and forty two when Harry caught his two hundredth egg.

"The challenge is complete." – Johan announced. "Victory goes to Harry Potter, speed seeker."

Harry landed and waited for Pete. He realized that his attire had changed the outcome of the game. It was close to cheating but Pete admitted his defeat nevertheless. Harry's flying skills were what altered the parameters of the challenge. It was his skills that the attire bonded to. The irony is that the attire bonds only to those of iron will and determination and incredible skill. The even bigger irony is that these attires are within the regulations of the Quidditch Federation.

"Fair victory, young Harry."

"Astonishing!" – Sandro exclaimed.

"Slightly unfair advantage though," – Pete remarked. "The Blackshire Spears' attire…"

"Yes," – Sandro nodded with a radiant smile. "You never wondered why they are undefeated for so long. Each player of the Spears had incredible skill and added to that came the attire and it made them unbeatable."

"But is it still within the regulations?" – Pete asked.

"Well, the funny part is it is still within the regulations." – Johan replied. "Any team with that attire and skill would be unbeatable."

Harry had a brilliant thought. If he could make the other attires bond with his teammates they will crush all resistance with overwhelming results.

"But you had an unfair advantage too, Pete." – Sandro reminded. "Your broom is custom made and it is way faster even than the Firebolt."

"True," – Pete admitted.

"Will it work every time?" – Harry inquired.

"As long as you do not change your broom – oh, yes." – Johan replied.

"So if I use another broom it all…what…reset?"

"Yes, until it bonds with you and your broom again and then wow."

"Johan," – Sandro called but then turned to Harry. "How many people are on your team?"

"Gryffindor?"

"Yes,"

"Well, one keeper, the chasers, the beaters and me the seeker."

"And reserves?"

"One for each position,"

"Alright so this comes to fourteen players, right?"

"Yes," – Harry confirmed though still not understanding Sandro's intention.

"Johan,"

"Yes,"

"I would like you to make fourteen customs. Pete, why don't you get the profiles?"

"Right away," – Pete mounted his broom and disappeared.

"Fourteen customs, means what?" – Harry inquired.

"It means fourteen custom made brooms."

"Ah…" – Harry was at a loss of words. "I can't accept this…"

"Well, it is a good thing you don't have a choice." – Sandro replied with a smile.

"Ah, I do."

"Oh, no, you don't."

"But?"

"Young Harry it is a gift and saying no is a great offense."

"This is such a mean tactic – the 'under the belt one'."

"Yes, indeed." – Sandro replied proudly and with a broad smile.

"When will they be ready?"

"Johan?"

"Oh, with the parameters, I think before the season starts." – Johan replied.

"They will need time to bond so make it a month before." – Sandro said.

"Agreeable." – Johan nodded.

"Very well, young Harry, by October first, your team will have the best brooms in the world." – Sandro said.

"And with skill, will and determination, your team can take on even the world champions." – Johan added.

"Ah, well, let's not get ahead of ourselves." – Harry remarked.

"Of course," – Johan nodded. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Potter."

"Pete will arrange for the payment, Johan." – Sandro said.

They bid goodbye and left. Sandro escorted Harry back to the stronghold in Vampire Valley. Pete returned by nightfall. He had completed the task he had been given. Harry prepared his trunk for tomorrow he was going back to school.

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