Pomona staggers into Minerva's office the night before Halloween, "Minerva, you asked to see me?"
Minerva looks up from her paperwork, "Yes Pomona, I'm concerned that you haven't been available in the school for your evening duties over the last week. Is everything all right?"
"No!" Taking a deep breath Pomona tries again, "No, Professor Danann decided that I was going to learn Celtic Magic at 7pm every night. It's awful, she just grabs me and drags me into the mist and that's it."
"I see, and this explains your absence all night?"
Pomona nods, "She's been fetching me at, at… early in the morning and dumping me in my quarters. I can't keep doing this."
Minerva frowns, and casts the timekeeping spell, "It's only 9:30 now, did she skip today?"
Pomona shakes her head, and yawns, "No, I'm so tired that all I wanted was my, um, bed, and I saw it right there. Then there was you note and I, um, did I."
"I see, I will adjust the schedule for the next couple of days to give you time off. However, I do expect the staff to come and see me before this sort of thing becomes a problem."
Pomona yawns again, "I know, and I… I… have no idea what I was saying."
Minerva shakes her head and, in a gentle tone of voice, says, "Go on, get to bed and we'll talk about this in the morning once you've had more sleep."
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
Kate walks out of the mist into the Hogwarts Infirmary alone for the first time since she passed her trial. Not that she's been idle since she last spoke to Madam Pomphrey, now the proud owner of a wand made from the bark that fell from her body at the end, as well as a couple of her hairs. There she waits patiently for Madam Pomphrey to notice her.
Poppy closes the Infirmary log after she finishes the last of the day's entries for what supplies where used, what injuries were treated, and probable causes of those injuries. As she looks up and sees a looming shadow in the middle of the darkened room, she stumbles back in surprise, knocking over her chair.
"I'm sorry for frightening you Madam Pomphrey, I thought it better to come after curfew after needing to leave so suddenly before. I have much better control over my own magic now. I also have a wand."
Poppy gathers her wits, and her wand, as she stands up. A casual wave brings the light levels up enough for her to see Kate standing there, "Mrs Kincaid…"
Kate interrupts her, "I'm a Danann now. Please don't use the name of my husband."
Poppy raises an eyebrow, "Very well, Mrs Danann, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I would still like you to teach me. I… can not speak of my past, as while Mrs Greengrass has helped remove the emotions of the event, it is still troubling to remember. I was able to get the logbook that my husband filled in during my time under his gentle care, as well as a copy of my hospital notes and the news articles from when my daughter was rescued." Poppy notes that Kate looks very vulnerable as she continues, "I hope that once you've read them, you will understand why I wish to learn how to heal, and how to protect as well."
Poppy is a little dumfounded as a thick plastic folder is pulled out of the mist and floated over to her desk.
While Poppy is reading through material that makes some of the thing Death Eaters did look tame, Kate spins around and hisses, "Can you hear that?"
Poppy looks up, "Hear what?"
"Something just went past saying 'rip…tear…kill' Now it's saying it's so hungry."
Poppy sounds confused, "It hissed?"
"No, it was words, it could be one of Brigid's gifts. It wants to kill something, we need to make sure it doesn't get a student."
Poppy curses as she hurries after Kate into the school, barely taking the time to send a patronus messenger to the Headmaster and Deputy. Panting, she catches up with Kate as she's looking at a message painted in blood while the caretakers cat hangs from a nail.
The chamber of secrets has been reopened.
Enemies of the heir beware.
Less than a minute later, Mr Danann and his dorm mates round the corner at a run, wielding a variety of weapons and shield.
It doesn't take long before Minerva arrives with many of the staff and students, and Filch the Caretaker. Draco Malfoy looks at the weapons that the Hufflepuffs are wielding, and quickly swallows whatever jibe he was about to make.
"Mrs Norris!" Filch's eyes go wide, and then he spots Harry's spear and rounds on him, "You did this, you killed my cat."
Poppy flicks a calming charm on the distraught man, "Mr Filch, Mr Danann had nothing to do with this. Myself and Mrs Danann arrived before they did. If you will give me a moment I will see what the cause of death was."
While Poppy is casting diagnostic spells, Lockhart cheerfully buts in, "It was definitely a curse that killed her – probably the Transmogrifian Torture – I've seen it many times."
Minerva stares at Lockhart, "Mr Lockhart, will you please shut up and let Madam Pomphrey work. Now does anyone know anything about the Chamber of Secrets and the Heir? Now, I will need you all to hand over those… I better not see those weapons out in the school again or there will be detentions. Am I clear?"
The Hufflepuffs all nod in sync, "Yes Professor McGonagall."
Kate steps forward towards the Hufflepuffs, "Harry, Marianne, what are you doing out of your dorms after curfew?"
Harry and Marianne just swallow and start to stammer when Susan looks over Marianne's shoulder, "We were on our way back from the Halloween feast when Harry heard something saying it wanted to kill."
"Well, that means it's probably one of Brigid's gifts then, as I heard it too. What are you waiting for, it's past your bedtime, now scram."
Harry and Marianne both disappear into the mist, followed by the other Hufflepuffs.
Poppy sighs as she finishes her diagnostics, "Good news, the cat is only petrified rather than dead. I'll take her back to the infirmary with me, Kate, you're taller than I am. Would you please remove the cat from the wall?"
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
Dobby looks up from the work he's been doing with a group of brownies. Standing in the entrance to their small Grove is a resplendent woman with iridescent wings flaring behind her.
"Queenie Fairy, what can Dobby be doing for you?"
Titania smiles at the house elf, "I would like to know why you have remained here, when I know that you have been told how to travel the mist."
Dobby bows, "Dobby is a bad house elf, Dobby tried to go through the mist, but the mist kept bringing Dobby back here."
Titania smiles, "So, you are here because this is where you want to be. Then, welcome to the Spring Court, this will be your home for as long as you wish it."
Dobby nods vigorously, "Dobby does not miss ironing his hands. Though Dobby still needs to warn the Great Harry Potter that there is danger at Hogwarts."
Titania crouches down, "I don't know of a Harry Potter, but I have heard of Hogwarts."
"The Great Harry Potter is hiding as a Danann, Dobby had to sneak to the book of names to find The Great Harry Potter's home."
Titania smiles, "I know the person you speak of, and I will ensure that he gets the warning."
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
Albus growls in frustration as he visits the same building for the 3rd time to erase the knowledge of magic from everyone working there. He, along with all the other obliviators, stops dead as the lights go dark. A moment later he shivers as the level of magic in the building starts to rise uncontrollably. Desperately, he flares his own magic, only to find it feels like a candle flame trying to outshine the sun. Around him the other obliviators start to crumple to their knees.
As suddenly as it arrived, the oppressive magic leaves. Moments later the lights in the building come back on and they proceed to… to… Albus clutches his head as he tries to remember what they were doing here. He knows it's vitally important, but every time he thinks he's grasped the memory it slides away from him like ice cream on a plate.
"Good evening, this is Tom Dean reporting live from the Lobby of NBC News. As you can see we have some guests, not 5 minutes ago our management petitioned the known goddesses for protection from the amnesia epidemic that has ravaged this station twice before today." The news caster walks towards Albus as he tries to remember why being here is a bad idea, "Good evening sir, would you be able to state your name for the camera?"
Confused, Albus responds, "Albus Dumbledore."
"Mr Dumbledore, you seem to be a little confused. Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?" When Albus doesn't respond immediately, Tom prompts him, "Where were you born?"
"Godric's Hollow."
"I've never heard of that place, where is it?"
"Just over the border into Wales."
"I see, and how long ago was that?"
"1881."
"You are looking remarkably good for someone over 100 years old, what's your secret?"
"Magic, it extends our life beyond that of muggles."
"I see, and what sort of magic do you do?"
"We use wands."
Tom nods as if he understood that, "Where did you go to school?"
"Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry."
"What do you do for a living Mr Dumbledore?"
"I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the chief warlock of the Wizengamot, and the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW."
"They sound like important positions. What's the ICW?"
"It's the International Convocation of Wizards."
"I see, well there's still a few other people I need to interview, so if you follow the nice gentleman here, he'll lead you out of the building."
Albus nods before he follows the nice man in the black, tailored, suit. As he leaves the building, the confusion he's feeling fades and he remembers what they were there for. As he spins around to look back at the door, his hands go slack as he realises what he's just been saying.
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
Poppy slumps down at her desk once they get back to the infirmary, a flick of her wrist transfigures the waste basket into a cat sized infirmary bed.
"Can you put the cat on the bed there please Kate?" Once she's done that, Poppy looks at Kate seriously, "Mrs Danann, are you aware of the fact that for me to legally teach you as a healer, you will need to swear yourself to me as an apprentice until such time as I determine that you are ready to be a journeyman."
Kate shakes her head, "I wasn't, no. What would that entail?"
"Typically, an apprenticeship would last for around 7 years. During which time you would be oath bound to complete all the tasks that I give you, no matter how minor. Not unquestioningly, but outright refusal would be limited to things that go against your own self preservation. Equally, I would be oath bound to teach you everything that you need to know to become a journeyman in my craft, as well as provide you with food and housing."
Kate nods, "I understand, and I would like to accept. However, I will need to discuss this with Brigid before I can accept this."
Poppy narrows her eyes, "Why would you need to discuss this with a historical figure?"
"They were the ones that gave me a chance at a new life, and they also brought me back when I forgot that I passed the trial. I am one of their chosen, and part of that is to answer their prayers when they are unable to. I also have much to learn about using weapons to defend other people, as I am supposed to value my own life."
"I will need to discuss your apprenticeship with them in that case, as I do not want there to be a conflict in your oaths to this Brigid and your oaths to me as an apprentice, and later as a healer."
Kate nods, "I understand, I will ask Harry to speak to you, with The Morrigan, in the morning."
Poppy blinks rapidly, "I'm sorry, what does Mr Danann have to do with this?"
"Harry is Brigid, mostly. He is also underage, so it's only right that his mother is present for the conversation."
"I see…"
Kate nods, "I will see you in the morning then."
As Kate disappears into the mist, Poppy opens the bottom drawer of her desk and pulls out a bottle of fire whiskey.