What another chapter? Well yeah thats what it is, maybe a little short but it is helping to set up for whats coming guys so I hope you all enjoy this little tidbit and it stes you hungry readers for now. As always everyone

Read,Review,Enjoy \(^.^)/


Chapter 70:Stirring Of Something New


The sun had yet to rise but Harry was wide-awake and as his watch would soon come to an end he let his mind wander back…

~ "Harry…" Itzel called to him warmly embracing him as he barreled into her, "You're so big now…and handsome." She teased pulling back to look at him, he smiled warmly. There was a time after the war was over and the full truth of Jess' death came to light that Itzel was hesitant to speak with him…he understood of course but after sometime she was no longer angry at least towards him for something he had no control of and he was grateful to still be able to call her family.

"Harry Potter…" Isis said the name with distaste causing not only her sister but close friends to glance over to her.

"He's a brother to her." Summer stated matter of factly watching her older sister closely but Isis wasn't fazed at all.

"Some brother…"

"I can say the same about you."

Isis chuckled, "At least you know why I did what I did…can he say the same?" She looked the wizard over. "This boy abandoned my daughter when she needed him most. They all did… even you, sister."~

Shaking his head of the memory Harry turned to find Aden with a smile on his face with Daphne beside him, "You ok there Potter? You spaced out there."

"Fine." He replied to the Templar stretching the tiredness from his body.

"If I were you I'd find some time to rest… from the sound of it we're being watched…theres no telling when the next attack might be."

"Lets just hope it won't be a repeat of last time" Daphne teased causing the wizard to blush a bright red.

"Right…well I'll see you two later." He mock saluted them bye and headed to the cabin he claimed for himself and Ginny. When he entered he found her up at the small table looking over a letter she had recently received, a fire was going strong and he was glad for the warmth, winter had finally come and it came with a vengeance everyone all over the country was feeling.

"You need rest love." He smiled tiredly.

"I know but sometimes I can't help myself waiting up…its been months." She sighed looking up at him. "From Hermione's last letter they're hard press in making progress."

"And Skye?" Harry asked tentively.

"I promised I wouldn't say…so I won't." He sighed at this in acceptance.

Ginny studying her boyfriend as he stripped himself of his outerwear before moving to sit by the fire, not moving from her seat continued to study him knowing what was weighing on his mind. Both siiting quietly pondering of the last few months…It was Harry who broke the silence first speaking quietly. "She's right you know…" He started. "About everything…what we did…rather what we didn't…I didn't."

She didn't say anything instead moving to sit closer, within arms reach but not close enough to touch him. Once settled she continued to listen, "I guess the irony of it all. Jenna was right when she said that I fell into the world we fought for in our school years. I never even asked Skye what she wanted to do when the war was over or if she would stay…I told her I wanted answers but when Voldemort finally died…I don't think I had cared as much as I said I did…I was just happy it was finally over." He spoke softly turning back to the fire. "I just assumed she would stay…and then she told me what happened down there in the chamber…and I did nothing but tell her to do what was best for herself…I didn't even offer to help."

"Did you ever think to apologize?"

He blinked surprised more at the realization that he never did…it never crossed his mind to and the guilt he felt had him sag in his seat. "I had so many chances to…"

"But didn't…" At Ginny's voice Harry turned his gaze to her listening, "You and almost everyone else forgot…She was hurting just as much as we were...In fact she still is, and everything that happened here…why didn't you step in when the others wouldn't. I understand the reasons of everyone else…but you and Hermione know her…more then anybody else here and not once until she began to make a difference did you or her say something."

Harry nodded knowing she's right there was no denying it…and why should he? "She has every right to feel the way she does."

"When the time comes you need to apologize for being a shite friend. Everyone seems to forget…" He wanted to asked what…but the look he received told him he should know by now…

x-x-x

"I did warn the effects they'd have on our group." Jayce hummed leaning back in her seat.

"We need to show we're a united front with people from all walks of life." Reyna sighed tired of the argument.

"I know but…Bek and his Lackeys are personally keeping us from our goals. Jonas doesn't have the same mentality they do but keeping them with us is why we're stuck here." Before the demigod could reply the entrance to the bar swung open and in walked a group of shaken residents in need of a drink or two. The Bartender Ivan quickly served them and the other patrons quickly went back to what they were doing. Jayce however looked them over, noting the scratches still bleeding and quickly forming bruises.

"Who do you think they ran into?" Reyna asked voice low but didn't look back not wanting to make their curiousity obvious.

"It wasn't Jenna's men that's for sure." Jayce grumbled motioning for her to lean in a little, "I need you to talk about anything while I listen." Reyna nodded talking about random trivial things, while Jayce tuned in to the small group at the bar.

"You ok there Jason? Traveling outside the city isn't what it was before."

"I know…Hell I heard the stories the guard tell especially when they're on night watch." Ivan set aside the glass he was cleaning to fill up Jason's cup, who in turn took a big swig to help calm his nerves no doubt. "There's something out there Ivan…we were just trying to catch something for trade…Goliath told me we shouldn't have gone out that far but with the white coats and raiders…" He paused taking another drink. "I was just thinking of the payout to help out-"

"We should have listened the first time." One of Jason's companions snorted, "If we had maybe we wouldn't have run into those things!"

"W-We don't know that…they were relentless though." Jason stuttered, heart beginning to race at the memory. "Dark ones…it…Micheal's right…we should have left when we had the chance..."

Jayce caught Reyna's gaze then lifting her cup giving a subtle nod, both finishing their drink and heading out to investigate them selves what this group encountered.

X~X~X

Entering her room Hermione was greeted with a newly familiar sight the large bird pirched firmly on the stand she had gotten for times like this. She smiled kindly at the bird moving to scratch the top of her head, giving the bird a small treat and taking the scrolled partchment in one of it's claws. "I didn't think I see you so soon." The bird shivered in delight from the scratching enjoying the treat her mistress gave.

However she wasn't able to read the message because a knock came at her door followed by Leo's voice, "Hermione, Jayce wants all of us to meet at Marie's."

"I'll be there in a minute."

"It's kind of urgent…" a pause, "I'm not supposed to go back with out you."

With a sigh the witch stretched her neck, before smiling at the now familiar bird, "Would you like to join me in our 'war meeting' ?" she giggled when the bird gave her slight nod before allowing her to climb up on her shoulder.

It wasn't long before she met a patiently waiting Leo in the hall, after warding her room they left to meet the others. The demigod walked beside her comfortably wondering at the bird, "Beautiful, I don't think I've ever seen this species of bird before."

"Believe me I hadn't either not until S-"

"I wont tell them." He smiled kindly, "It's your business...so what did you name him?"

"Her name is Noctis."

"Beautiful" Leo awed scratching at the bird's head. "So…what do you think the meeting's about? We haven't made much progress since coming here and we've been here a few months"

Noctis took this moment for flight and Hermione smiled watching after her before answering, "I don't know but I'm sure its important…Reyna wasn't lying when she said this place was basically like the old west, considering how the war is going though it is a refuge compared to some of the other places we passed through."

Leo nodded his brow furrowing in thought and Hermione quirked a brow in silent question, he sighed but motioned her to continue walking. "I always wondered what it would have been like if our worlds had crossed…never thought this…what we're living through…just thought things would be different."

"Our worlds lived seperatley for ages to force them back together after all this time…things were bound to clash."

"Still war…haven't we all had enough of it?"

"That's something we can all agree on." They walked the rest of the way with idle chatter holding off on serious topics for another time. As they neared the building Hermione heard the caw of her winged messenger and she smile knowing that she was near by before entering the home of one Marie Creighton.

The smell of herbs and the heavy blanket of magic of Marie's home made her feel like she was back at Hogwarts in a sense. "I see Jayce's message wasn't the only one you received." The older witch greeted a knowing smile on her face.

Before she could reply Jonas greeted them warmly calling them over to where the others were gathered. "Is everyone here?"

Marie snorted with a huff and Hermione knew her answer. "C'mon then lets see what the others are risking contacting us out side the boundries."

With a nod Hermione walked over to meet the others, already the tension was thick with Bek and his lackys glaring at the others who were glaring back. "It started the moment they realized they had to share the area…" Jonas whispered to Hermione, "Bek only came because he knew you were coming to."

"Has Jayce given any reason why we were called?"

"Only that you were all gathered here." Marie answered the older witch stood by a large mirror carved in a language Hermione's memory vaguely recalls seeing but can't remember where. Marie muttered under her breath and the carvings glowed before the center of the mirror changed from showing their reflections to showing Jayce in thought. Reyna not that far off behind inspecting the area.

"They're here." Marie broke the Vajirian's thoughts and Jayce cleared her throat to gather herself. "Thank you Marie…I'd like you to stay too what Reyna and I found….it affects New Orleans…maybe even the rest of the country."

"What did you find?" Leo asked the question everyone wanted to.

"We're not sure." They saw Jayce turn to motion the demigod with her and Reyna walked over dragging a body. They all cringed upon seeing the creature laid out before them and none knew what to say, really though though they were all thinking the same thing, What is it?

"Jayce and I were in one of the Bars, a group that came back from scavenging came a little while after we did. They lost some of their group so we listened in when Ivan asked them what had happened…what they said sounded suspicious and a little like the Asylum's handy work but then there was a mention of dark ones or something…anyway Jayce and I took it as a lead asked a few of the scanvengers about the area Jason and it crew went to and decided it was best to check it out ourselves."

"And this is what you found I take it." Marie hummed inspecting the creature as best she could from where she stood.

"Well it was alive when we found it." Jayce shrugged. "From scouting the area…we think theres more but, we're not sure what these things are or where they come from."

"Isn't your race all knowing" Bek began but was efficiently cut off. "My people are ancient, my blood line is ancient…technically I'm ten times your senior but I'm not old enough to know everything there is to know. I've never seen or heard of anything like these things. It could be a result of the Asylum experiments-"

"They're not." All eyes turned to Hermione, who in turned walked closer to the Mirror inspecting much like Marie. "Asylum experiments are all branded and tattooed."

"Skyler told I take it." Bek scoffed.

"She did." Hermione answered sharply. "Both brand and tattoo will always be on their left forearm no matter the form."

"I can see from here that thing doesn't have either of that." Marie agreed. "But if you bring it in maybe I can help a little more."

x-x-x

"Your smithing is impressive." Jade commented inspecting a mended breastplate.

"I had one hell of a teacher...Some of his teachings stuck more then others." There was a pause as Jade watched Skyler sharpen the axe one of her brethren had brought to be fixed. "He could be a dick sometimes though."

Both chuckled as the vajirian stopped to check the edge, satisfied with her work before fully turning to Jade, "I could use a walk."

"More then that, time for you to quench your thirst." Jade noticed the shameful look in galaxy eyes but said nothing instead waiting for her charge to clean up so they could head out. Having first learned of Skyler's thirst for blood when after two weeks she had become agitated and feral in nature.

It wasn't until Skyler had held herself back from attacking one of their warriors was it revealed that the Vajirian drank blood. The walk through the village was quick and they headed into forest. The crunch of dead leaves and twigs was the only sound for a while aside from the wild life neither wolf nor vajiri said a word that is until Jade commented, "You can't keep doing that to yourself."

"I'm retraining my body."

"You almost went feral."

"It doesn't come without its risks." Jade stopped then grabbing Skyler by the front of her shirt, "Not at the risk of my people..we have children it was stupid of you not to say anything sooner." Skye glared for a moment wanting to argue but knew Jade was in fact right, she knew it but her pride could be a bitch sometimes…with a sigh she bit back any comment or remark and instead nodded in agreement… "I..I know."

With a slight shove Jade let her go and continued walking, "You're like an untrained pup. Unknowing of what you hold within."

"I'd rather not have to deal with my beast."

With a pause the wolf turned to look at her, "First you should learn to deal with your bloodlust before you can deal with the rest of yourself."


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