NOTE:  This is the second part of my series.  It is vital to understand Reign; this information will only be obtained by reading the books in chronological order.  But I will try to do my best to explain things if you sneaky ones lay a fast one on me and skip right to this book.  Please read this story, it's here to be read, to be enjoyed, and to be reviewed.  Without reviews I think my stories are worthless.  That may just be me, but why else would we put stories online if we didn't want to hear what others think?  It doesn't take any time at all. Tell me you like it, tell me why.  Tell me you hate it, but tell me why.  Please help me become a better writer! 

Disclaimer:  Once again, as with all fanfiction stories, this one is from my imagination, using some characters that do not belong to me.  They belong to the master, J. K. Rowling.  How did we ever live without her?

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Lunai-sä

Book the Second: The Return

CHAPTER ONE

PAINFUL REMINDERS

They were so graceful.  They danced.  They soared.  Like a majestic eagle or a peaceful dove.  Like the soft wind teasing the leaves of the trees.  Like the gentle waves rolling in the calm ocean.  Like a petal floating in the autumn air.  Like a beautiful song flowing through open ears.  Like an angel flying in Heaven.

He was staring.  He couldn't help it.  Her hands were unbelievable.  They moved so elegantly through the stiff and frigid air.  They reminded him of Her hands.  That was why he was staring.  There had been others, but this one was extraordinarily similar.  Similar to Her.  He was staring.  Mesmerized by their movements--their dance.  And then they stopped.  Stopped dancing.  And he stopped staring.

Now she was talking to him.  He seemed oddly familiar too.  He reminded him of someone.  Was history repeating itself?  What of this cruel joke that was being played out?  She wasn't just talking--she was flirting.  She laughed.  The sound echoed through the room--or maybe just his ears.  It was a joyous sound and a poisoned one at the same time.  She even sounded like Her.  The noise rang in his ears like deep church bells--a ringing that never really left even though the initial sound was lost. 

She hit him playfully.  With those hands.  He was staring again.  Her smile was brilliant.  It shined bright even in the dark atmosphere that surrounded her.  She had laugh lines that looked just like Hers.  Everything was a blur but her; she was in focus, and she was radiating.  It was a re-occurring dream.  Only it was real.  Or was it?  Was he still dreaming?  Dreaming of Her?  No, this was not a dream, though it seemed as such.  Everything was nothing to him.  Everything but her.  His quill fell from his fingers, spraying ink everywhere; but he was lost, and still he stared.

Her eyes were just as green as Hers were--just as luminous.  They laughed when she did.  Her hair fell gracefully across her face just as Hers had done.  It was soft and smooth.  The shadows from the harsh candlelight shone on her face.  A face that reminded him of Hers.  With hands that reminded him of Hers.

He stared.  Frozen.  She was looking back at him.  Staring.  Her head was tilted; she was confused.  Why was he staring at her?  She could see no emotions in his eyes.  They looked empty.  At least on the surface.  She stared--no longer laughing, or flirting, or moving her hands.  It was just them.  Staring.

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            "Caelan?  Hey, snap out of it."  Stanton Raigo stood next to her.  He snapped his fingers in front of her face and when she didn't recover, he poked her in the side.  "Are you all right?"

            "Yeah, yeah.  I'm fine."  She took a quick glance at the man in the front of the classroom.  The man who had been staring at her.  He had looked away.  He was cleaning up the wasted ink.  She leaned over and whispered into Stanton's ear.  "That's the fifth time this week that I've caught Professor Snape staring at me."  The boy straightened up and smiled at her.  His dimples were so attractive.  As were his eyes, and his hair, and his lips...

It came from out of nowhere.  Or at least it seemed to have come out of nowhere.  It was only a small wad of paper that flew across the room and landed in her cauldron; but it was the velocity of the object that caused her potion to explode after impact.  The front of her robes were soaked.  Small holes started to form in them.  Her potion was not yet complete and was therefore eating her clothing.  It singed the spots it touched, digging through the layers, seeping down onto her skin. 

She screamed.  "Hayden!  You bastard!"  Laughing could be heard.  The Slytherins.  Who else would be so immature?  She threw off her robes.  Or at least what was left of them. 

            "Sorry, Decatur.  That was meant for Raigo's face," said Darius Hayden from across the room.  Caelan was about to protest, but Stanton retorted first.

            "Yeah well it's a shame your Quidditch game isn't any better than your aim."  Now the laughing came from the Gryffindors.  Darius and two of his brutes jumped from their seats and advanced on Raigo.  Caelan rolled up her sleeves; she had wanted to do him in for the longest time.  Arrows were shot from both directions and death threats were exchanged with eyes.  They were ready for battle.  Unfortunately a dark figure glided over and came to a halt between the opposing sides.

            "What is going on here?" asked a menacing voice.  The familiar sound chilled the girl's bones.  She tried to explain what had happened, but he cut her off.  "Whatever it is, it is not important.  Nothing is that important that it needs to lead to the disruption of this learning environment."  He turned toward the Slytherins.  "Get back to your potions."  Then he turned on Caelan and Stanton.  "You two do the same.  And Miss Decatur?"  He raised an eyebrow at her as she lazily raised her head to his.  "Clean up this mess."  She clenched her fists.  The Slytherin Quidditch captain walked by with an evil grin on his disgustingly pale face.

            "Yes, look at the mess you made, Decatur.  Clean it up."

            "I'll clean it up with your face," she replied.  He laughed at her weak comeback.  "Then again," she continued, "I don't think anything could help dissolve that hideous mask you're wearing."  The laughing stopped.  Hayden advanced on her again with his teeth gritted and veins pulsating in his neck.

            "You better watch what you say to me, Mudblood."  He had pushed the wrong button.  Caelan's eyes grew wide, as did those of others around her.  A great gasp spread through the room.  There was a moment of silence-a very tense moment of silence, but it didn't last long.  And then...she punched Hayden square in the jaw, drawing blood.  Now everyone from the Slytherin side of the room was on their feet, as was every Gryffindor.  Stanton grabbed Caelan's arms from preventing her from doing even more damage, but it was Professor Snape who had to stop Hayden from trying to kill her.

            "ENOUGH!" he spat as he pushed Caelan and Darius away from each other.  "I will not tolerate this sort of behavior in my class!"  The room went silent.  Caelan wriggled away from Stanton's grasp.  Darius used his hand to wipe away the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.  "Miss Decatur, apologize this instant."  Caelan sprang to life.

            "What?  But, I, he--" she stuttered, pointing an accusing finger at her rival, "he provoked me."

            "He was not the one who resorted to violence.  Apologize.  Now."  His eyes penetrated deep into Caelan's.  She would not give in to his control.  She sat back down.  Snape, in a fit of rage, took hold of her arm and lifted her clear out of her seat and onto the stone floor.  He didn't let go when he whispered menacingly into her ear; in fact, he squeezed even tighter.  "If I have to ask you again--" He didn't finish.  He didn't need to.  The threat was obvious.  The girl looked at Hayden and mumbled "Sorry".  She ripped her arm from the teacher's grasp and sat back down.  The boy was smiling.  Snape glared at him and pushed him back into his seat.  He stomped back to his desk, mumbling, "I'm sick and tired of putting up with you insolent jocks".  Before he sat down he said, "There will be no more disturbances in this classroom ever again.  Is that clear?"  His focus was on Caelan.  Everyone nodded their heads.  A few whispered, "Yes, Professor", but the girl remained motionless.  She just stared. 

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NOTE: Pronunciation: Caelan (Kee-lin)-I know how annoying it was for me to read Hermione and not know how in the heck to pronounce her name, so I thought I'd help you out.  PLEASE REVIEW!