CHAPTER 49: A BODY MADE OUT OF SWORDS

(Dumbledore POV)

It had been already quite a stressful day for the faculty of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, including the Headmaster, and now another complication has presented itself.

The situation was something which the Headmaster knew would arise. After what happened, he had expected the Minister to pay a visit, although he arrived hours earlier than Dumbledore expected. Still, he had managed to prepare for it before it came about despite that fact...

Dumbledore could not help but feel fortunate that the Minister of Magic, Ronald Dreamweaver, happened to hold him in great respect and high regard. Had that not been the case, he was sure that he would have already been sacked from his position as Hogwarts Headmaster. Having his own daughter kidnapped was not exactly something which any father would take lightly, and indeed Dreamweaver was rather infuriated about it, although the Headmaster was not sure whether he was worrying more for his daughter's sake or for his own, since the conversation with the Minister seemed to suggest both.

The fact that the Minister's daughter was already going to Hogwarts had been kept as discreet as possible, and the teachers were the only ones supposed to know about it. But then again, with Voldemort having spies in the Ministry, if he found out about it, it was not really surprising.

Using his years of experience dealing with people, as well as the natural charismatic power of his voice (which had nothing to do with magic), the Hogwarts Headmaster, along with the faculty, managed to convince the Minister of their points, and thus avoided conflict with the man.

Still, while Dumbledore managed to twist the facts (meaning he told the truth, but manipulated his wordings to show it in a less negative light), there was one issue, without any direct relevance to the recent events, which was raised... the Defense Against the Dark Arts position...

The teachers had been telling the students that their present teacher in said subject was busy, The truth, however, was that nobody had applied for the position. In fact, even Dumbledore, with all his connections, had been unable to convince any of his close friends and acquaintances to teach it, undoubtedly afraid of dying at the end of the school year. The subject was believed to have been cursed, and in fact, while there was no evidence of the claim, magical or not, Hogwarts has been unable to keep any teacher for said subject for more than a year, and most of them actually ended up dead, ever since Dumbledore refused to give the position to Lord Voldemort when he applied for it.

And for this matter, the Minister of Magic, upon the apparent suggestion of the Head Auror, Richard Parker, recommended someone willing to teach the subject, and the Hogwarts staff, automatically agreed.

Yes, although it was not exactly as planned, the meeting with Dreamweaver went rather well. Everything was settled...

"I suggest that you do not make things harder for yourself...and hand it over..." said Crouch, in a curt yet also smug fashion.

Or not...

What went on next was something which even Dumbledore had not anticipated...

When the Minister and his company arrived at Hogwarts, the teachers had told them about the events which happened, but only in summary. Knowing full well that some of the information were sensitive, the Headmaster decided that it would be best leave out certain details of the incidents...

And yet, Dreamweaver was aware of those exact bits of information which Dumbledore had opted to refrain from telling them about. To make matters worse, the Headmaster's prediction of what would happen if such details were to be known, turned out to be correct. The Hogwarts Headmaster was sure who it was who gave the information to the Minister. There was no doubt about it. It was the Bartemius Crouch Sr., Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

If Voldemort had spies inside the Ministry, he also had them at Hogwarts (And they were not limited to the twenty students that had recently returned to the school). However, that does not mean that the Dark Lord is the only one who had them. And the speed at which the information managed to reach the ears of the Minister is proof of that. Crouch definitely had his own eyes and ears within the walls of the castle. And if Dumbledore was not mistaken, it was likely that one of them...

Was the man's son, Barty Crouch Jr.

Dumbledore knew. He was aware that Ilyasveil had allies in the Ministry, which probably included the young, talented, Dark Wizard Catcher Rufus Scrimgeour, as well as his boss, the Head of the Auror Office, Richard Parker, who happened to be an long-time trusted friend of the Minister of Magic, and overall, having such connections can be quite advantageous, one of which was putting pressure on the media. Even though the details Hogwarts Express Incident had definitely spread throughout the Wizarding Community, the press had not published anything about it, which means that the Ministry was probably using its influence to keep them quiet. Yes, the events were shocking,. However, without the media's sensationalism, it died down eventually, faster than if it had been in the news. While many in the Wizarding Community knows about it, it was probably now treated more as a rumor than as a fact.

And based from their reactions, especially Scrimgeour, the silver-haired girl was probably not just an ally, but a friend, not to mention the fact that Ilyasveil and Severus Snape were actually really close to the Auror's sister Evelyn. Dumbledore knew of what happened to the girl on the first day of classes, and the aftermath that resulted from it. While the Headmaster was not aware of all the details, he knew that Ilyasveil was responsible for the considerable change of the resident Hogwarts spirit of chaos, Peeves the poltergeist. While said spectre still continued to wreak havoc, he now avoided attacking first years, as well as the Ravenclaws, in the same way that he avoided pranking Slytherins for fear of the Bloody Baron. The only disturbing fact was that if Peeves was afraid of the Baron, he was actually far more terrified of the silver-haired female, and up to present, would flee, screaming in panic, whenever their paths crossed.

Yes, the silver-haired girl had influential supporters inside the Ministry, one of whom was close to the Minister himself, and this was probably the reason why, despite certain string of events, particularly the Hogwarts Express incident, that she remained untouched. However...

If she had people supporting her, there would also be those against her, and it is not limited to the ones who support Lord Voldemort. And one such person was the Head Magical Law Enforcer, Barty Crouch.

While the man's stand was without a doubt, against the Dark Lord, he was also without a doubt, not on Emiya's side. According to Alastor Moody, on the 31st of August, the night of the train incident, Crouch had actually ambushed, tried to capture for interrogation, the silver-haired female and her companions, but failed (Moody was actually in total agreement with the course of action taken by the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, viewing the girl as a threat). Had it not been for the fact that the Minister had given out a direct order that her case was to be handled by the Auror Office, particularly placing it in the hands of Rufus Scrimgeour, and that they alone had authority, events could have taken a rather unpleasant turn. Crouch backed down at the time, but the man was not the type to give up so easily...

And now he had made his move, and an extremely clever one at that. He had probably been biding his time, waiting for a slip-up, an opening, or anything between the lines that he can take advantage, and now he had found one.

It was actually despicable, and quite underhanded, in Dumbledore's opinion, to use a person's action of bravery and heroism, as a means to cripple or incriminate them. But Crouch was such a man, shrewd and calculating, who would make use of any chance that presents itself, as long as he did not get into trouble for it, to push forward his own goals.

It probably did not matter to Crouch, whether the Caliburn, the sword which was used by Ilyasveil to take out the giant was real or not (Although Dumbledore also did not give it much thought, he also suspected that it was the real thing.). All that mattered to the Ministry official was that it was an opportunity he could utilize. With a bit of patience, information gathering, reasoning, and word manipulation, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement managed to manipulate things to come up with a set up, in which his target was cornered. Having successfully gotten the Minister interested, the silver-haired girl was now in a tight spot, just like Crouch wanted.

If the girl were to agree, and willingly surrender her sword, whether it was truly Caliburn or not, the Ministry would have an ancient relic in their midst, one which could be preserved and studied, and might somehow prove useful in their efforts against Lord Voldemort.

But more importantly, if the girl were to refuse, as Crouch was hoping she would do, then it would bring about even worse consequences. First, she would lose favour in the eyes of the Minister, and the Ministry as a whole. In effect, the ones who were supporting her, and speaking highly of her to Dreamweaver (Which included the Head Auror Richard Parker, who Dumbledore knew was someone Crouch disliked, both professionally and personally, as a rival in politics, and as someone who had a different view of things.), will also lose their credibility. Once that happens, Crouch would be free to abuse the power of his position, and will undoubtedly have the girl (And judging from Crouch's ambitious nature, as well as her friends. And the man will probably attempt to include his political adversaries Scrimgeour and Parker to the list as well) taken in for questioning, and if things go right, have her chucked into Azkaban.

Whatever the case, whichever one of the two courses of action the girl decides to take, she still ends up the loser.

Realizing this, Dumbledore decided that it was time for him to step in, before the situation gets out of hand, and help the girl who he had chosen as his successor. He would use his debating and convincing skills, which he had acquired through the years, to help get Ilyasveil out of the tight situation she was in. Before the Headmaster could say a word, however...

"I'm sorry," began the silver-haired female. "But what you are asking for is impossible..."

-BREAK-

(Crouch Sr. POV)

For someone whose true patience was as short as Bartemius Crouch's, waiting games were among the most difficult of endeavours. He wanted to act immediately, to make his move as soon as possible, but with the current situation, it was unlikely to bear any fruit. Therefore, he waited... and waited... and waited... and waited...

And it finally paid off...

The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement could not have been more pleased. Being patient does have its advantages, and now he had the girl right where he wants her.

It had not been easy task, gathering the silver-haired female. Even his spies had not been able to find any fault in her or her actions. Overall, the girl, as far as the reports of his son of his other agent was concerned, was a typical model student. True, she had created quite an impact on her first night at Hogwarts during the Sorting Hat event. Yes, that bit of information was useful, as Crouch discovered that the girl was an expert Occlumens, but aside from that... nothing, nothing at all. Neither the girl, nor her companions, were doing anything that could merit a Ministry inquiry. Although they do play pranks on teachers occasionally, like the scandal of the Deputy Headmistress being an old maid, the silver-haired female and her group had not been doing anything illegal, as well nothing unique or special. Yes, Ilyasveil was quite the prodigy student, but she has never been caught using a spell that could be considered as Dark Magic, not even once. Such an opportunity never presented itself. It was a shame that his son was in Gryffindor, for it meant that he had no way of monitoring their activities inside the Common Room. Still, Crouch lengthened his patience. He was certain that the girl would do something that would catch attention eventually...

Which she did...

"I'm sorry," said Emiya. "But what you are asking for is impossible..."

Crouch could hardly contain his glee, as he saw the displeased expression on Dreamweaver's face. Taking initiative, the Head Magical Law Enforcer began the next step of his strategy.

Ever since the silver-haired female and her friends entered the Hospital Wing, Crouch had been trying to penetrate their minds through Legilimency, but for some reason he was unable to do. The girl and her companions were undoubtedly accomplished Occlumens, especially to reject a mind scan from someone like himself. Not that it mattered. Whether or not he can get information out of them through discreet Legilimency was no longer relevant. For soon enough, he will be able to do so, with the Ministry's permission, without restraint...

"Are you defying the order of the Ministry, Ms. Emiya?" he inquired in a curt voice. Yes, this was what he had been waiting for.

"No, I'm not," said the silver-haired, her tone seemingly sincere and apologetic. "To be honest, I would only have been too happy to comply. Caliburn does belong to England. However, like I said, it's just not possible."

At these words, Crouch could hardly contain a frown, as the face of the Minister had switched from being stern to one of sympathy and curiosity. Still...

"And what do you mean by that Ms. Emiya?" said Crouch. "What do you mean it is impossible? Would you care to elaborate?"

He still had the advantage. He had expected the girl to try something like this, to beat around the bush with a psychological tactic, but he knew it was useless. No matter what kind of excuse the girl tries to use, it would not suffice. The main point was that she had the sword but she refuses to return it. The moment she implied that she would not return the sword, she had spelled her defeat.

Yes, whether it was real or not, it was already a generally accepted fact, a fact accepted by the Dreamweaver himself, that the sword in her possession was indeed Caliburn, the sword wielded by King Arthur, the man who Merlin favoured. Even if she did manage to temporarily convince the Minister, give things a little more time, and Crouch would be able to manipulate things enough to show things in a negative light, and turn the Minister against her. All he needed was a little bit more patience. Yes, indeed, his plan was a succe...

"?!"

Suddenly, without warning, a golden light engulfed the Hospital Wing...

Crouch, thinking that it might be some kind of trap or harmful spell, pulled out his wand and pointed it in the direction of the silver-haired female, ready to fire a curse at her if anything untoward happened. But then...

What in the name of Merlin?! gasped the grey-haired man in his thoughts, as he unconsciously lowered his wand, as the light mostly dissipated, revealing a...

At that moment, Bartemius Crouch Sr., the shrewd and ambitious Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, had completely forgotten, even for just a moment, about his plans and scheming, at the sight that greeted his eyes, just as a female voice spoke...

"This is Caliburn," she began, as she held the weapon in her hands, "The Sword of Promised Victory..."

-BREAK-

(Severus POV)

To say that the people in the Hospital Wing were shocked would be an understatement. No, the sight that greeted their eyes was actually so majestic, that it left them speechless.

Except for the Minister and his companions, the rest of the room's current occupants had already seen it. Yet even they could not help but gasp in awe along with everyone else in the Hospital Wing, at the silver-haired female, and the radiant weapon in her hands. Even Dumbledore himself, while keeping his face calm and impassive had his eyes slightly widened behind his half-moon spectacles, in mild amazement...

Severus watched, as the silver-haired girl now walked towards the center of the room, and placed the golden sword on a table, before the girl took a few steps backward.

Soon, the other people in the room began recovering themselves...

"Merlin's beard," gasped the Minister of Magic in a barely audible whisper, as he approached the table, to get a closer look at the weapon. "So this is the sword that was created by the great Merlin himself..."

And it was indeed a magnificent sword. When Emiya had used it against the giant, the ones who had seen it had been at a distance. But now, upon a closer inspection, it appeared even more majestic...

Dreamweaver now slowly placed his hands around the hilt of the weapon, trembling, hesitating, as if he saw it as something of extreme value, not in a monetary sense, but in a magical sense.

Indeed, the sword was quite the artefact. Just one glance at it told anyone just how much magical power was imbued upon it. But more importantly, aside from the feeling of power that came from the sword... there was just something about it, something about it, that cannot be explained even in magical terms, that made it unique and special...

Clang...

"Ow, it's heavy," muttered Dreamweaver, as he almost lost fell, the swords tip slightly impaling the floor, the Minister using it to maintain its balance.

"But still," began a curt voice, as its owner , Crouch, stared at the silver-haired girl, his eyes narrowing in scrutiny. "How can we be sure that it's the real one? For all we know, the girl might have conjured a fake..."

Upon hearing this, Severus found it hard to control his fury, but before he could open his mouth in response, someone else beat him to it (fortunately enough)...

"It's not a fake," squeaked a voice suddenly. It was the Head of Ravenclaw House, Filius Flitwick, who was now touching the dull part of the blade with his hands. "And even if it isn't Caliburn, this is undoubtedly an excellent blade... rare, one of a kind..."

Everyone in the room turned their eyes downward to look at the short Charms teacher, who had a look of immense ecstasy on his face, as he continued to inspect the golden sword...

"If I'm not mistaken, you are half-goblin... am I correct?" inquired the Minister.

Flitwick merely nodded, then began to speak his insights on the weapon for all to hear, although it seemed more like he was talking to himself...

Severus now remembered. The Charms professor was indeed half-goblin. And goblins were known for having a keen eye for metal and craftsmanship, able to create items, the quality of which cannot be copied or reproduced by magic...

"I have never seen anything like it," muttered the short wizard. "It is indeed a magnificent sword, and I must admit it far surpasses any goblin made ones I have laid my eyes on in my life... an alloy which seems to be far superior even to our metal... Geminio..."

Nothing happened. Even though the Charms teacher tried to replicate the sword, nothing was created, not even an inferior copy. Soon, he tried using a variety different spells on the blade, with much the same effect: nothing happened...

"Even if this isn't the Sword of Promised Victory," said Flitwick, as he looked up to face the Minister, looking straight into the taller man's eyes. "I doubt there are any swords, magical or not, in existence that can match it. It is impervious to magic, of that I have no doubt of. Even the Sword of Gryffindor would pale in comparison to this blade. I must admit, whoever created or forged this sword, Merlin or not, puts all the best blacksmiths and sword makers in the world to shame..."

At these words, low gasps can be heard, as they looked at the sword with wonder...

"Very well then, Miss Emiya," said a curt voice, as he took a step forward. "The Ministry thanks you for your cooperation... We will now be taking the sword with us."

At these words, Severus could hear grumbles of outrage from the Rose and Alice, who were standing beside him. And even the teachers seemed unhappy, although they remained silent. Rufus and his boss were the same, although Evelyn's brother actually failed to hide his emotions: he was staring at Crouch with a dark look on his face.

The Minister, with difficulty, now carried the sword with both hands, and was about to hand it over to his grey-haired subordinate when...

"IT'S GONE!" shouted the two men in shock, for the blade had disappeared into nothingness, like mist that vanished into the sunshine. All eyes in the room immediately turned in the direction of the silver-haired female...

Severus was hardly able to control a smirk from forming on his lips at their reaction. He knew of Ilya's Tracing ability, and it seemed like she had chosen that particular moment to make the sword vanish. The action itself would not bring about good results, but the raven-haired young man trusted his girlfriend, and was sure that she knew what she was doing...

Dreamweaver and Crouch were staring suspiciously at Ilya, and the latter opened his mouth to speak, undoubtedly to accuse her of one crime or another, but then...

The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as well as the rest of the people in the room, froze, for the silver hair had collapsed to the floor with a soft thud, panting...

"ILYA!" shouted Severus, Rose and Alice together, as they rushed forward to support their silver-haired companion...

Dreamweaver had been wearing a mixed look of anger, shock, sympathy and curiosity on his face, but the 'anger' aspect vanished the moment the silver-haired girl spoke again...

"I... ha...I'm really sorry, Minister, but I'm... ha... at my limit," began Ilya, who was still breathing heavily. "I cannot maintain the sword any longer..."

-BREAK-

(Rufus POV)

"...but Minister, the sword," began a grey-haired man with a curt voice, but the person he was talking to cut him off...

"The sword stays with the girl, and that's final," stated Dreamweaver, as they walked through the Atrium in the Ministry of Magic...

"But she is a foreigner...and that sword..."

"Is rightfully hers," replied the blonde-haired man, once again cutting off his subordinate, irritation in his tone. "That sword is probably a heirloom, and it is likely to have been with her family for ages. Caliburn or not, she is the only one who can wield it." The Minister sounded disappointed, but was staying firm with his decision.

"But Minister, for all we know, it could all have been an act," said Crouch, his voice monotonous, but there was a pleading note in it. He was undoubtedly referring to the silver-haired girl's collapse. "She was definitely ly..."

"She wasn't lying, nor was her fall an act," said another stern voice, belonging to Richard Parker. "I know it was a bit underhanded of me, but I had been reading the girl through Legilimency. She was telling the truth."

"And why should I believe you, Parker?" inquired the Magical Law Enforcement Head mockingly. "I know you're not that kind of person. And besides, if I cannot read her mind, I doubt you would have been able to.

"I scanned her with Legilimency the moment she fell on the floor," replied the Head Dark Wizard Catcher automatically. "Just like what I teach young Aurors, I never miss a chance to strike at a moment of weakness... don't tell me that my supposed superior at the task, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, overlooked such a good and obvious opportunity? You still lack experience, Crouch..."

A certain brown-haired Auror could not help but smirk, He knew full well that his boss Richard was too noble to do such a thing, yet the statements were enough to make the normally calm Barty Crouch turn red with fury. The grey-haired man had definitely overlooked and missed the chance, and now Richard Parker was rubbing it in his face.

"Why you..."

"Enough, you two," cut in the Minister in a firm voiced, not pleased with his trusted officials arguing with each other.

It was actually a rare, jewel-like moment, seeing Crouch lose his composure. While it was a normal occurrence for Parker and Crouch to be of differing opinions, Scrimgeour had never seen them lose to their emotions. They were professionals after all, and while they engage in argument, as far as Scrimgeour remembered, neither one had ever raised their voice before, and dealt with things calmly...

Until now, that is...

In truth Rufus had been worried. He knew that the grey-haired man had been after the silver-haired female as much as he had been going after Voldemort. And an opportunity to do just that had presented itself.

The moment Ilya and her companions entered the Hospital Wing, Scrimgeour actually used Legilimency on her, not to penetrate her mind, but to send her an unspoken warning. And thankfully enough, she noticed, and actually shot a Legilimency probe back at him, which Rufus understood as a wordless 'I know, thank you for the warning.' Just to make sure, Rufus did the same on the other three, and while they did not react, he was unable to penetrate their minds, and that had put him a bit more at ease...

But only a bit. Upon listening to the man's conversations with the Minister a little while before, Rufus had become aware of his plans, and even Occlumency would not be able to do anything against it...

Still, in the end, there had been nothing to worry about. While the Sword of Promised Victory somehow shocked and amazed Scrimgeour, he was actually more concerned about the meeting's outcome than the artefact. And indeed, he was impressed... much more impressed with his friend than with her sword...

Ilya was indeed quite the character. It should have come as no surprise after all. She was actually skilled enough in psychological warfare to fool and manipulate Lord Voldemort. She claimed that it was just luck, that it was just a fluke, and Rufus, while she knew of the girl's talents, initially thought so as well...

Now, however, he was sure that it was not simple luck that got them out of the tight spot during the Hogwarts Express Incident. Yes, luck may have also been a factor, but Ilya's conversational manipulation and skill was definitely not a fluke. She was really, really good at it...

Still, Rufus could not help but think about it. He knew this wasn't the end of it. Crouch was certainly not the kind of person to give up, as well as not the forgiving kind. The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was bound to try something again. Still...

It wouldn't hurt to enjoy the show for the time being...

The young Dark Wizard Catcher could not help but smile with satisfaction, as he watched the argument between his mentor and Crouch (Which the latter, having lost control of his emotions, was losing), that resumed the moment the Minister was out of earshot...

-BREAK-

(Ilya POV)

"So it was all just an act, then?" inquired a black-haired female who went by name Alice.

"Yes," replied the silver-haired girl. "While it is true that maintaining Caliburn can be rather exhausting for me, it was not really to a point that it would make me collapse..." And in a way it was the truth. Maintaining such a powerful relic in existence was difficult.

As of the moment, despite her research, Ilya had not yet found a way to effectively combine her Tracing with what she had learned about Transfiguration. For some reason, even though both types of magic dealt with creating or modifying something using or with the aid of magical energy, they did not seem to be compatible with each other. Yes, Ilya had been a bit successful when it comes to ordinary swords, and items made out of regular materials, yet she had been unable to do the same for those with unique compositions, including Alice's blades, which were made out of goblin metal.

Still, on one note, it might actually be for the best. After all, it was not exactly a good idea to have Noble Phantasms in a semi-permanent state, as there was always the chance that someone might take interest in them, like what just recently happened...

"Are you sure you're alright?" inquired a male voice.

"Yes, Sev, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," replied the silver-haired girl to her boyfriend. "What I think you should be worried about... is that..." Ilya pointed at Rose and Alice, who were in charge of the grills and barbecue...

"Hey!"

"Hmmm?"

Ilya watched with amusement, as the raven-haired young man decided to focus his attention on that matter. For during the first time they had a barbecue picnic... it had been a disaster. Alice at the time, getting impatient, used a spell to strengthen the flames... and ended up turning their meal into coal...

It was four o'clock in the afternoon. After bidding the Minister good day (As well as after convincing, with difficulty, the concerned school nurse, Madam Pomfrey, that she was perfectly fine.), they left the Hospital Wing. Now, Ilya and her companions were currently resting under the shade of a tree near the lake... (At the spot where Ilya had placed defensive spells, which included Privacy Wards.).

Having had a stressful day, the silver-haired girl thought it best to cease their training for the time being, utilizing the time to relax instead.

It was a close call. Bartemius Crouch, just as Scrimgeour had warned them, was indeed a formidable and crafty person, as well as somewhat dishonourable. The man was prepared to use any and all means necessary to push on with his goals. Yes, he was quite the cunning person, and it had not been easy to thwart his plans.

Yes, Ilya knew it was probably the best course of action. To tell them the honest truth: well, partially at least. By Projecting the golden sword, she shocked them into awe. Then, by adding a bit of drama to the mix, she had averted a disaster. The silver-haired girl successfully convinced the Minister, and managed to remain on his good side.

And for that matter Ilya actually had to give credit to her Head of House, Professor Flitwick. It was actually unexpected, yet the silver-haired girl could not help but feel grateful for his earlier comments. Thanks to his insights on the sword, any claims that she was deceiving them (all of which were coming from Crouch) were rendered invalid. The Charms Professor was half-goblin, and therefore was an expert in blades...

And this fact was actually something new to Ilya. Goblins. The Ravenclaw Head of House was actually not a full human, yet she had not noticed. She had not given much thought as to why the Professor was rather short, focusing mainly on learning magic from him. The mixing of races. Yes, these were things that she needed to do more research on. For the Charms teacher definitely had a keen eye for swords and weaponry. Still...

At the moment, while Ilya did give the shrewd Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement a bit of thought, as well as the half-goblin Charms instructor, her mind was actually more focused...

...on Reina Dreamweaver, the Minister's daughter...

At first she did not know much about the man, and was simply thankful for his assistance, which she managed to get due to the fact that she was a friend of Rufus Scrimgeour, who in turn was a trusted subordinate of the Head Auror Richard Parker, who in turn was a close and trusted friend of Ronald Dreamweaver, the Minister of Magic.

But now that she met the man, Ilya could not help but dislike him.

Yes, Dreamweaver was quite the actor, quite the politician. While he may act a bit incompetent, acting a bit cheerful, and apparently relying on his subordinates to do the talking (a role which Crouch was only too happy to do), he was not someone to be taken lightly. To many, as Ilya guessed, he might appear like someone who was easy to manipulate and turn into a puppet, but the silver-haired female knew that it was just a facade.

And the man was strict with his daughter. No, strict would not suffice as a description... the Minister was probably cruel to her daughter. Judging from the young blonde girl's reaction, she was probably treated and trained harshly, and it brought back some painful memories for Ilya...

Her grandfather...

Sakura's grandfather...

Yes, the head of the Einzbern family, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, made Ilya's life a living hell. She was treated as nothing but a tool, forced to go through the harshest and most dangerous experiments, to prepare her for the Holy Grail War. In fact, these experiments had started even when she was still in the womb of her mother... and as a result of this, Ilya's lifespan had been limited. Had it not been for Shirou's sacrifice, she would have been dead already. (Ilya was actually originally a vessel for the Holy Grail, the sacrifice upon which the cursed thing could manifest itself, although that particular aspect was no longer applicable to her. She was now human, and she no longer had a connection to the Grail, although since the Grail was destroyed, it did not really matter.). To turn her into a master that was assured of winning the Grail War, that was the goal of her despicable grandfather...

The Matou family (originally known as Makiri) head was the same, and based from what Ilya found out, the old magus was just as cruel, or even worse than her own grandfather. Sakura Matou was, at first, was someone who Ilya disliked, probably due to the fact that she happened to be a Holy Grail just like herself. Eventually though, as time passed, the two became as close sisters.

And the Matou method of training was even worse. Zouken Matou had implanted the remains of the Holy Grail in the 4th war into Sakura, Rin's biological sister, to turn her into an ideal Master and vessel... in the form of... worms. Yes, her life had been just about as horrible as Ilya's. In fact, from the silver-haired girl's point of view, she might have had it even worse than her. Sakura was abused, raped, corrupted, and the worms that were implanted on her caused her to constantly feel intense carnal desire, worms that would eventually destroy her mind.

In fact, Ilya's grandfather might actually have been the kinder of the two cruel bastards, although it was far more likely that they simply differed in method. At least Acht did not have her abused in the same manner as Sakura, and in fact her limited life span might actually have been a blessing in disguise... Ilya would not have long to suffer. Sakura, on the other hand... it was obvious that Zouken planned to use her as a puppet, and probably planned to keep her for as long as possible, and if her mind breaks down, then so much the better, for it would have made manipulating her easier...

Not that it mattered anymore. The two damned magi were already dead. It had been difficult dealing with them, especially Zouken, for the worms he had implanted into Sakura were actually part of him. But in the end they managed to destroy him without hurting her. The despicable heads of the Einzbern and Matou families were disposed of and sent to their graves... Rin and Ilya made sure of that...

And now the silver-haired girl met a young blonde who reminded her so much of Sakura. Ilya was not sure of what kind of, or the extent of the abuse, but from based from her reactions, whatever she had gone through, was undoubtedly a nightmarish experience...

Yes, Ilya was grateful, truly grateful, to Ronald Dreamweaver, the Minister of Magic. The man's influence was one of the main reasons why she had managed to avoid getting into trouble. However, he will only ever remain an ally in Ilya's eyes, never a friend. For even though it was just for a brief moment, Ilya had gotten a glimpse of how the Minister treated her daughter, something which she detested...

The young silver-haired magus was deep in thought, trying to think of ways to help Reina Dreamweaver, the girl who reminded her so much of her dearly departed friend and family...

?! thought the silver-haired girl, as she was brought out of her reverie...

"Is something wrong Ilya?" inquired Rose, seeing her friend stand up suddenly, with a look of surprise on her face...

"No, it's nothing," replied the silver-haired female.

She was lying...

The silver-haired girl glanced around to try and pinpoint what it was that caused her discomfort...

I must be imagining things, thought Ilya to herself, as she shook her head.

For she had felt something. It was impossible, farfetched, and far from reality, magic or not. Yet for a brief moment, Ilya had been sure that she had sensed a very familiar presence.

-BREAK-

(Dumbledore POV)

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Enter." said a voice from inside the office, and the visitor, with difficulty due to his short stature, opened the door and entered...

"Ah, Filius," greeted Dumbledore, as the man entered his office. "Have a seat..."

The Charm Professor took his seat, then with a flick of his, increased the length of its legs so that he would be face to face with the Headmaster...

"Lemon drop, Filius? Cockroach Cluster?" offered the silver-bearded old man.

"I think I'll pass, Albus," squeaked Flitwick. "You know I'm not fond of sweet things. And as I think I, as well as many others have told you several times already, you should drop that habit of yours. Too much sugar at your age is not good for your health..."

"True," replied Dumbledore, sighing, as he levitated the jar of snacks he had offered his colleague back to its place. "But for some reason I just can't get enough of them... after all, like some people say, old habits die hard or never a t all. Anyway, Filius, what brings you to my office at such a late hour? It is already ten in the evening, and as I think you know, lack of sleep is not good for the health of someone of my age..."

"Sorry about that," replied the Head of Ravenclaw. "But there is an important matter I would like to discuss with you..."

"And that would be?" inquired the Headmaster.

"It's about one of the students in my House," replied the short teacher. "Ms. Emiya."

Silence reigned in the room for a moment, as the Headmaster's eyes narrowed slightly. He had rarely heard his old friend Filius talk in such a serious tone.

"That girl," began the Charms Teacher, without the squeaky note in his voice. "She is... special..."

"Indeed she is," replied the Headmaster, nodding. "She is quite gifted for her age, and talented with magic. If I remember correctly, according to the records she submitted, she had been studying magic on her own, yet she had managed to surpass her fellow students, who already had four years of magical education."

"No, you don't understand," stated Flitwick, who sounded rather shaken, much to Dumbledore's surprise. "Did you not notice it, Albus?"

At these words, the silver-bearded old man now looked at his colleague in the eye, and noticed the awe and amazement that was there...

"I still do not understand, Filius," inquired the Headmaster.. "What is it that I did not notice?"

"That girl," began the Charms Professor, and his voice was trembling slightly. "She is no ordinary witch. To be honest with you, the moment I first saw her, I had already sensed something, yet I had not given it much attention, thinking that it was just my imagination. But now, I'm sure of it. I cannot possibly be mistaken..."

"What do you mean?" asked the Headmaster, his curiosity rising.

"That sword she wields, Albus..."

"You mean Caliburn? You think it's the real one?"

"No, that's not it!" cried Flitwick, almost shouting in exasperation. "Yes, I'm sure it was real, but that's not the point!"

Another moment of silence passed, as Dumbledore observed his friend and colleague, who was acting strangely, far less composed than usual.

"Would you care to enlighten me, Filius?" inquired Dumbledore in a calm voice. "I must confess, I honestly don't know what you are trying to say..."

The Charms teacher took a deep breath, apparently to regain himself, before speaking...

"Ms. Emiya," began Flitwick, trying to keep his voice under control. "She is unique. When I first saw her use magic I already had my suspicions, and now it has been confirmed. In truth, I do not know how it was even possible, but then again, magic does make so many impossible things possible..."

The short man took another deep breath before he continued, as Dumbledore listened with interest...

"To be honest with you, I still do not understand everything. Like you, I am still mostly in the dark when it comes to that girl... But there is one thing that I am sure of, Albus... Ms. Emiya, she emits a strange aura, a strange vibe which I somehow recognize. I do not know how , but I'm sure of it... I'm half-goblin, Albus... I can tell from her presence..."

The Charms Professor once again paused, to recompose himself, before continuing to speak...

" The Caliburn she showed us, it was probably the real thing...but there is more to it than that Albus... It was as if the sword was part of her... no, it was as if she herself was the sword... I know it might sound as crazy as Xenophilus Lovegood managing to prove the existence of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks...but I had actually felt the presence of different kinds of metal and blades coming from her..."

At these words, the Headmaster's blue eyes, instead of narrowing further, slightly widened in wonder...

"It's almost as if..." muttered Flitwick in an almost-whisper...

"... her body is made out of swords..."

-BREAK-

(Ilya POV)

It was eleven o'clock in the evening. A silver-haired girl was currently standing inside a vacant room near the dungeons. It was a large, unused classroom. Old, ruined and unused chairs and tables were piled on one corner, leaving the rest of the room an empty space...

The silver-haired female had snuck out of Ravenclaw Tower for a night time stroll, alone. Yes, it was risky. Ilya had decided to walk around without using a Disillusionment Charm on herself, or the Invisibility Cloak she got from the Marauders, but somehow, she felt that it was necessary. Using her improved version of the Marauder's Map, Ilya managed to avoid meeting the caretaker, Peeves (The poltergeist may be terrified of Ilya and will definitely not bother her, but his screams of terror would probably attract too much attention.), the school ghosts, or any of the teachers, and succeeded in finding a secluded spot...

True, she had promised Sev that she would tell him whenever she was planning to go out at night, but this time she opted not to... for this time, it was something that she had to settle by herself...

"I know you're there," said Ilya loudly . If anyone had seen or heard her, they might have thought of two things: either she was crazy for talking to herself, or else she was talking to some invisible entity.

"Show yourselves!"

After a few moments, as if in response, two semi-transparent beings, ghosts, materialized in front of her...

One of them was Bedivere, the spirit who the silver-haired female and her companions had just talked to earlier that day...

And the other one...

Was a blonde-haired female, wearing blue clothes behind a silver armour, and had a cold and stern look on her face. Her green eyes, which were somewhat similar, yet had a deeper, darker hue compared to Ilya's own emerald pair, noticeable despite the fact that she had a pearly-white glow, were slightly narrowed. At first glance, for someone who did not know her personally, judging from her clothes and the way she carried herself, it was possible to make the mistake of thinking she was a young boy...

Ilya could not help but feel her heart beat faster, as a storm of emotions started swirling inside her, caused by the sight that greeted her. She knew who had been following her... she had already seen who it was by looking at the map, and yet...

Saber, thought the silver-haired girl to herself, with a mixture of joy and sadness, barely managing to hold back the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes...


AUTHOR'S NOTES

Alright, another chapter out. Once again I've been reading the reviews and I must say I'm glad that even though Snape is not exactly a popular character, there are people who find reading my work enjoyable...

Now, as for the comment that I got Caliburn and Excalibur mixed up, no that is not the case. The conversations as well as the descriptions I've used in the chapters, with Ilya calling it the "Sword of Promised Victory," was deliberate. Yes, I know. In the Nasuverse, Caliburn is the sword that was pulled out from the stone while Excalibur was given to Arturia by the Lady of the Lake, and it was indirectly stated that the King of Knights was much more fond of her first sword than of the second...

The two swords, have different abilities. Excalibur's ability is a powerful, ranged, anti-fortress laser-like beam of light, while Caliburn's strongest attack is effective in melee, and if stabbed into the enemy, the light would destroy the target from within...

However, as of the moment, the only ones who know about this are Ilya, and at least a couple of others, though I think you'll be able to guess who they are. The people in the Wizarding World of HP universe do not know about it at all. As for how they viewed the legend of King Arthur, specifically the part of the legend involving the swords, well it is already implied, although I might indirectly reveal it in the succeeding chapters. Remember that there are many variations of the story regarding Excalibur, Caliburn, and the sword in the stone. In fact, generally, Caliburn and Excalibur refer to the same sword, the one given by the Lady of the lake whereas the sword pulled out of the stone and anvil is a nameless blade...

Anyway, that's all I'll be saying for now, since it might make things less exciting if I reveal too much.

And like always, I hope you enjoy this chapter...

Later then, people...