Hello Peoples! Sorry I haven't posted for a while. I just trying to get Reluctance finished (See my other pen name water_nymph) Then I'll be able to concentrate on this, and then I'll post some new stuff. I know this is dragging on now... but it will get more interesting. I promise.

Oh, and I am looking for a beta reader. I really need one. Pleez, if you like being a strict critic and getting sneak peeks, you'll love this job. E-MAIL ME!

We're doing poetry in English. I was writing, and thought:

Damn, why the hell is all my stuff so damn depressing! Well, them I wrote a cinquain.

I write
I spin a tale.
Then I will ask myself
Why's it all so damn depressing?
Oh well...

Well, that's my writing motto know. You all like it anyway, huh?

Sorry bout the long note.... Here goes the next part....


"Minerva? It's Sirius."

"Did you find them?"

"Yeah, but not where we expected. Harry was at the tree, Ron at James' and Lily's graves."

"That is weird."

"Yeah. Well, Harry's back in side, and Ron's on his way back to the castle. We're going to go get some sleep. If you need us, we'll be at my place."

She laughed despite herself. "You'll both be at your place? Sirius, I think the reminiscing really got to yo-"

"Shut up, Minnie. My house is just closer."

"Sure..."

*click*

(A/N- Yes, they can use the phone... I think they're smart enough for that!)

Arabella slid her arm around his waist. "Come on, I'm tired. Let's go get some sleep."

Sirius put his arm around her shoulder. "Yes, let's..."

And with a pop they disapparated.

**************************************************************************************

"I want to get out of this bed."

"Albus, you need rest. We'll take you back to Hogwarts, but you need to rest for a week."

"Gus, there's not time for me to lie in bed for a week."

"Well you should have thought of that before you did what you did." Dumbledore began to protest, but the doctor held his hand up. "I respect you Albus. You are my former Headmaster, and a dear friend, but frankly, you are the most stubborn man I have ever met, and I have a feeling Harry's no different. But what you did was not very smart. It was not the best thing you could have done right now. Voldemort is coming back. He killed Hermione Granger. You are one of the most powerful wizards there are-"

"Gus, one of... one of. You know Harry is becoming more and more powerful each day. And Lily is just as powerful, if not more than me with the use of her druid powers. You know that."

"Yes, harry is growing strong. But he needs to know how to master the powers. We can help him and Ron with normal magic... but with the druid magic... only you can."

"Gus, I am not here to be judged, I tried-"

"You are a great man, Albus, but sometimes a little too great. You can help Ron and Harry this week, as long as you do it from bed. And I am going to go with you to the castle to make sure you follow doctor's orders."

"Fine, you win. Can you please get Arabella? I need to speak with her."

"Her and Sirius went back to his place to get some sleep."

The old man cocked an eyebrow. "Didn't they..."

"A long time ago..." Gus chuckled.

The old man laughed. "Can we leave then?"

"In a minute. I'll go get my stuff and Minerva."

He exited the hospital room.

"Minnie, he wants to leave."

"Is that a good idea? Now?"

"We can do no more for him here. He'll most likely be better off at the castle. Provided he stays in bed, that is."

"You know just as well as I do that is going to be very difficult. I'll go get my stuff, then we'll leave."

She nodded as he walked down the hall, and entered Dumbledore's hospital room.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked, smiling at her old friend.

"Yes. I'm very ready."

"Albus, about what you did,-"

"Minerva, I don-"

"I know, but listen. I can't tell you it wasn't your fault that the Potters were killed, you're just as stubborn as Harry and won't listen. And I can't tell you not to try it ever again, because I know you will. But think before you do. And now's not the time. Harry needs you, we all need you, more than before."

A tear ran down her cheek. "Promise me you won't do it yet."

"I promise." Came the reluctant answer.

********************************************************************************

"Ron, where have you been?" Ginny asked, jumping up to greet her brother. "You look totally exhausted. And Where's Harry?"

"We were at the hospital with Dumbledore. I have no idea where Harry is, he stormed off on us."

"Is Dumbledore all right?"

"Yeah, he fine, I think. Look Ginny, I'm really tired, can I just go up to bed?"

Ginny saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired, I wan-"

"There is something wrong. You think I can't tell?"

He sighed. "Look Gin, I don't really want to talk right now, so could you please just leave me alone. Please?"

"Um, yeah, okay, go take a nap."

She watched as her older brother ascended the stairs and entered the dormitory. But still she was worried. She thought for a moment, and then decided to go up and see what was happening.

The dormitory door was ajar. She watched her brother pace back and forth across the room, shakibng his head, and munbling to himself. She couldn't quite catch the words.

The was a sudden crash as her brother kicked the garbage can over.

"Dammit!!" he yelled, then sat down on the bed, burrying his head in his hands.

"Ron!" said Ginny, entering the room and sitting down beside hi. She put an arm across his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know... I don't know..."

"Of coourse you do. What's up? Tell me."

"No... I mean I don't know what to do anymore... Hermoine... she used to be the one who would think... and we don't have her back yet, but we will... Harry will bring her back..."

"Ron, you're talking nonsense, stop it."

He took a deep breath. "Harry is- wait, I don't think I should be telling you this..."

"Why not?"

"Me, Harry, McGonagall, Gus, Arabella, and Sirius are the only ones who know..."

"Tell me Ron... I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"Harry and hermione are druids.... They inheirited it form Lily... Dumbledore's one too, but everyone thought he doesn't have ant powers, but he does, lots... and then Hermione died... and Harry found a way to bring her back to life... or someone else... he didn't know, Lily, or Herm... but then Dumbledore brought back Lily and tried to do the like spark charm... That's why he collapsed..."

"Life Spark Charm?"

"Exchange his life for Lily's, but she didn't want to... so he nearly killed him self for nothing... and now he says he has to train us... but I don't know... Ginny I don't know..."

"What Ron?"

"They want us to kill Voldemort... Train us... but Hermione was always good at that... not me... I don't know if I can... if I can learn. I'm no druid... I'm scared... for the first time in my life, I am truly terrified..."

"Okay, listen to me... Ron, you can do it, with or without Hermione. I will help. And as for being Scared... well it's better than being naïve... we'll get through this..."

He nodded, and pulled the covers up over him, like a child. She sat there with him, until he fell into a fitful sleep.

********************************************************************************

"Are we ready to g-" Gus stopped in his tracks when he entered the hospital. Albus and Minerva were staring at each other, blue twinkling eyes met dark peircing ones. One tear slowly trickled down Minerva's cheek.

"Say it again..."

"I promise."

She finally broke her stare, satisfied.

"Let's go."

She waved her wand to take down the apparition shield for the fraction of a second it would take to get in, and they all disapparated.

********************************************************************************

"Professor Snape?" Ginny said, stepping reluctantly into the dark office.

"Yes?" came the icy reply. He didn't even bother to look up.

"Has Proffesor McGonagall returned yet? I really need to talk to her."

"No she hasn't."

"Do you know when she'll be back?"

"No I do not." She could tell he was already loosing patience. Wqhy was he such a mean bastard?

"Well, would you do me a favor?"

"I do not owe you a favor, Miss Weasley, so kindly exit my office before I have to give you a detention..." His voice was becoming more and more vindictive.

She answered back "Why are you in such a bad mood all the time?" and immediately wished she didn't.

"Get out!!" he yelled. "Get out now, Miss Weasley!"

"Severus! What is this? I return and you're yelling at one of my best students? What is the meaning of this?"

"I just came to see when you'd be back, I really need to talk to you."

"Is it of utter importance, Ginny?"

"Yes, it's about Ron."

The Deputy Headmistress's expression softened. "Go to my office. I will be there shortly."

Ginny nodded and left the room.

"Severus, I do not app-"

"Minerva, do not lecture me." He glared at her. "I expect the Headmaster is fine?"

"Yes. You are relieved of your duties as deputy Headmaster. And believe me, you will not get the job again... I don't care why you were yelling at her, I know there was no good reason. Good day Severus."

She left him sitting at his desk and scowling.

********************************************************************************

"Cailleach Bheur" Harry whispered, entering the Den.

He lit the fire and taking a glance at the huge cauldron in the corner, streched out on the couch, muttering, "soon, Hermione, soon..."

********************************************************************************

Minerva sat down at her desk and faced her student.

"Now, Ginny, what about your brother?"

"Well, he came in this afternoon and was acting quite strange."

"Where is he now?"

"In bed, he fell asleep after I talked to him. He was, well, very upset."

"Just wait a sec, Ginny."

She pulled a phone from her desk drawer and dialed a number. (I know, electronics don't work in Hogwarts, but maybe it's a magic phone..."

********************************************************************************

***RING*** ***RING*** ***RING***

"Sirius... Sirius... Sirius!!!"

"Wha?" he asked sleepily, looking up at Arabella.

"Your phone's ringing." She said, yawning, and lying back down beside him. "I'm not getting it."

"Dammit." Said Sirius, reaching over to the bedside table and picking up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Sirius?"

"Dammit, Minerva, we were fast asleep!"

"Sorry Sirius, but I need the stones. Now."

"Why?" He sighed.

"Well, I want to monitor the boys. They're getting a little-"

His parental instinct kicked in. "What? Is harry okay?"

"Haary's fine. But I'm talking with Ginny, and she said Ron't really upset, so I want to keep watching them."

"How soon do you need them?"

"How soon can you get them here?"

"If we can apparate, fifteen minutes."

"You can apparate to outside the gates, and I'll send a carriage down for you. I don't want the shields down anymore."

"Fine, see you in a while."

***click***

********************************************************************************

McGonagall hung up the phone.

"Stones?" asked Ginny, puzzled.

"watching stones. They monitor emotions, and that way we can watch both Harry and Ron, and see how they're doing. Proffesor Dumbledore was concerned, it was his idea."

"Is he alright? Proffesor Dumbledore?"

"Yes, he's fine."

"Well, Rron, was trying to ell me something, but it was hard to uderstand him. At first he said he really shouldn't tell me, but he tried to anyway."

"How much do you know, Ginny?"

Ginny explained to her what Ron had said.

"Very well, since you know that much, I see no reason in telling you the rest." She told the story to Ginny, in detail.

"I want to help."

"I don't know Ginny, there's already so many people dragged into this, and it's so dangerous..."

"I can't know about this, and not do anything."

"I was afraid you'd say that. Very well, you can help, in little ways. Watch Harry and Ron for me, please? I can't have my eyes glues to the stones all day, and we need to know what triggers any little breakdowns or reactions. You can also help them practice with their training. Just be there for support, Ginny. Losing Hermione was very hard, for both of them. We will try to bring her back... but chances are something could go wrong. Just keep an eye out, okay?"

Ginny nodded.

"Okay, can you go down to Hagrid, tell him I need a carriage sent down to the gates, and will you go with it? Meet Sirius and Arabella?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, dear."

Ginny smiled and left the room, think on what she had just heard.

********************************************************************************

"What did she want?" asked Arabella, as Sirius fell back onto the bed, beside her.

"She wants the stones. Now." He sighed. "All I wanted was some sleep!" he whined.

"Hey, having one of the most famous wizards as a godson, you have deal. It's a full time job."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"I'll go make coffee. Get dressed."

She pulled back on her robe and went to the kitchen to make the coffee. (Fresh tasted so much better than conjured!)

She returned to bedroom ten minutes later to the sound of Sirius' snoring.

"Oh, you're fuckin' kidding me. Sirius!"

No answer.

She sighed and pulled out her wand.

"Electronus Zap!"

Sirius jumped four feet in the air and landed back on the bed painfully.

"What was that for?"

"You fell back asleep. Come on." She threw him a robe,and after he was dress a cup of coffee. They disapparated with a pop.

********************************************************************************

"Hey Hagrid!"

Hagrid looked up from the sweater he was knitting. "'ello Ginny. How're you?"

"Good. Professor McGonagall sent me. She needs a carriage sent down to the gates, and wants me to go with it."

"Sure thing!" She followed him to the huge shed. He wheeled out a carriage, and opened the door for her.

"'ere you go, madam."

She giggled. "Thanks Hagrid!" The carriage was the same as the ones that took all the students up to the castle on the first day. It moved magically. Ginny sat back and watched the trees pass.

********************************************************************************

"Damn, it's cold out here."

"Yeah, and your coffee is horrible..."

"Hey!"

"Well it's true!"

"Well see about that..." Arabella shoved him playfully, sending him sprawled on the ground, coffee mug flying.

"Hey, that wasn't fair!" He grabbed her ankle, pulling her down into the pile of leaves with him.

"That's an illegal move."

"Is it now?"

Sirius pulled her into a kiss. She giggled. "Now, that move isn't."

"That's good to hear."

There was a noise, and they sat up. The carriage was there.

Ginny jumped out. She looked at them curiously for a moment, then greeted them.

"Hey Sirius. And you must be Arabella."

Arabella nodded and pulled a leaf out of her hair, standing up. "Yes. A Weasley, right?"

"Yes, Ron's brother."

"Nice to meet you."

They climbed into the carriage, and there was silence.

"Sirius?" whispered Arabella. "How much does she know?"

"No idea."

But Ginny heard.

"I know what's happening, Arabella. I'm going to help."

She smiled. "That's good to know..."

********************************************************************************

Okay, so this part was bad. Next part we start training, and maybe bring back Hermi (or that might be the next chapter) anyway, it's still all good!

Pleez,
And e-mail me pleez! ( I'll e-mail you the next chapter)

Water_nymph@swimmail.com

~Danie