Disclaimer – I don't own them, wish I did at times but hey a girl can dream. Anything you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowlings, anything you don't is mine.

Author's note - I would love any feedback I can get, so PLEASE review or email me at web_chick_18@hotmail.com. Thanks. =) Okay, as you read know this…I don't have a boyfriend and I haven't ever had a serious relationship with a guy, normally with my stories (the ones that are original) the guys get ripped to shreds because I haven't had all that great of experiences with the males of the species…Beyond that there is some stuff that I might have to explain better later…if so let me know so I know. Hope you like this.

Chapter 9

Morning came too soon for Kalila, as much as she wanted to hide from the sun shining through the windows, she knew that she could not. It was Halloween and she had agreed to help with decorations. Sighing she got up, showered and dressed in jeans and a light weight sweater, leaving her hair to cascade down to the bottom of her back, to dry. As she finished she heard Cian open the door for someone, so she hurried to slip on a pair of heeled clogs. Walking into the living room she found Cian and Remus talking softly, they noticed her entrance though.

"You're up early, after last night I would have thought you would sleep longer. Breakfast is at least a few hours away."

"I promised Dumbledore that I would help put up the Great Hall's decorations. He wants me to put up some illusions around the castle. Not sure what he wants though, the simpler the illusion the less draining so maybe it will be pumpkins and such."

"Be careful Kalila, don't over tax yourself just for decorations."

"I will. Speaking of being up early, why are the two of you up so early? I don't think either of you was drafted to decorate."

"shrug I couldn't sleep, my mind doesn't understand that I can sleep in on weekends. As for decorating, perhaps I'll join you and see if my help is needed. What about you Cian?"

"I am going back to bed, otherwise I might bite some poor first year tonight for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"laughs You're cranky Cian."

"sarcastic So glad you've noticed, now would you mind leaving so I can go back to the wonderful dreams that were tormenting me."

"As the cranky one wishes."

The Great Hall was a mess when Kalila and Remus walked in. House Elves, Professors and a handful of Seventh years were working at a frantic pace to decorate the Great Hall before Breakfast. Dumbledore soon spotted them and put them to work decorating, Remus carving and levitating pumpkins and Kalila creating shadow creatures upon the walls that looked as if they would throw off their shadow cloaks and walk off the walls at any moment. By the time Breakfast rolled around Kalila was ready to drop from exhaustion and the only thing stopping her was the fact that students had begun to ender the Great Hall for Breakfast. As she sank into her seat at the high table Kalila was surrounded by concerned faces: Cian, Remus, Severus, Herimone, Dumbledore and Madams Pomfrey and Black.

"Kalila! I though you said that you would be careful! That you would do something easy! Why are you so drained, shadow creatures have never had this effect before."

"I don't know Cian, I thought I would be fine creating shadow creatures. I guess I forgot that this wasn't the Isles and that the elemental flows here are different and ummm…slightly harder to grasp."

"I would think that something of that nature would always be foremost in your thoughts."

"I know, I know. You forget that I've been spoiled by living in Ireland, which is pretty close to the Isles, magically."

"So?"

"Oh never mind! I'll be fine after some food and sleep anyway."

"You had better be or else I may just have to go visit Annie and drag her here. You are not the only one who can teach."

"If you even try Cian don't be surprised if you find yourself someplace where magic doesn't work and no one looks to closely at the canine forms about them. Someplace cold as well."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Wouldn't I? Now may I eat my breakfast?"

Casting worried looks between themselves they left Kalila alone with her breakfast.

"Headmaster is there naught we can do to help her? Order her to the hospital wing?"

"That won't work Poppy, she'll just ignore it. sigh I don't know what to do, I had no idea that something that seems so simple could drain her to that extent."

"She didn't either. There is nothing we can do to prevent her from exhausting herself like this. Elemental magic is hard no matter where you are; it's just easier in the place where you learn. Because most people here have no idea how to use the elemental or wandless magic the "elemental flows" are harder to control. Magical flows are all somewhat hard to control, more so if you are unfamiliar with them or they haven't been used in some time."

"Then why don't witches and wizards have problems like Kalila is having, more often?"

"Because your wands tie the magical flows together, together the flows are and easy to handle and there is no strain if you are in an unfamiliar place and trying to use magic. As time goes Kalila will be able to do more with less strain here. It will depend, though on how much she does, the more she does the faster it will become easier."

"Cian, I am curious what about her time as an Auror, surely she was at a disadvantage if this was happening then as well."

"She was posted in Ireland, a land that is, at least magical flow wise, extraordinarily close to the Isles. She also tended to use her wand unless forced by a situation not to. This is really the first time she had been truly drained since she left the Isles for the Ministry."

"Is there anything to be done for her Cian?"

"Don't expect too much of her for a while Headmaster. More than likely she will be more pleasant after food and a nice nap. She should almost be back to normal by tomorrow morning. In the mean time I suggest we finish our breakfasts and enjoy Kalila's creations, she has always been good at creating things."

"That is a good suggestion and one I second."

Kalila was oblivious to the worried glances she was getting from her fellow staff members, instead the majority of her concentration was focused on staying awake long enough to finish her breakfast and get to bed. As breakfast came to a close and the students emptied out of the Great Hall Kalila found that she had greatly over estimated how much strength she had, she had though she could get back to her rooms but now she was finding that she could barely stand.

"Kalila!"

"Ummm…help…didn't…think…I was…this…drained…"

"Remus, Severus, Dumbledore, someone help! Kalila can barely stand, she is beyond drained…Dang it Kalila you should know better!"

"Sorry…forgot…"

Just as Kalila would have collapsed Remus caught her and lifted her into his arms. When she looked down, upon her face she saw she was unconscious and he was struck by the innocence in her face, it touched something deep inside him.

"Where should I take her Cian, the hospital wing or to her rooms?"

"The hospital wind surely, as she is in need of medical attention."

"No, her rooms. While you get her settled I'll get her Aunts."

"And how will they be able to help if I, a trained Mediwitch cannot?"

"It's not that you cannot help, just that they can help her better. I had no idea she was this far-gone, she's always managed before. Naomi and Annie have both gone through this before and so have a perspective that we do not. Remus get her settled, I'll be back soon."

"Be…careful…Cian…the Isles…have…become…dangerous…"

With a nod of his head Cian was gone, a tiny pop sound marking his disappearance. Stunned staff members paid little attention to Remus as he carried Kalila out of the Great Hall and towards her rooms. Only when he reached her door did Remus realize that he didn't know how to get in. He need not have worried; the Phoenix guarding her door opened the door as soon as it saw Kalila limp in Remus' arms, with a squawk of concern. Once inside Remus was faced with another dilemma, how to find her bedroom. Dumbledore rescued him then, with his knowledge of all the rooms in Hogworts. Entering Kalila's bedroom was like entering a room in an exotic land. The walls were a midnight blue with sky blue trim that flowed upward to form the background for the clouds pained upon the ceiling in silver. Painted in gold upon the walls were suns, moons and stars. There was a window seat flanked on either side by floor to ceiling picture windows, reaching from a half foot to either side of the window seat to a half-foot from the connecting walls. The windows themselves had long drapes of Forest green, while the window seat's cushion was gold with midnight blue and silver throw pillows scattered upon it. Set into the wall across from the windows and next to the door was a fireplace, to one side of which sat an oversized green chair and small cherry wood table. Against the wall to the right of the door was a large cherry wood four-post bed, the canopy was green as well as the curtains; flanking it on either side were two more cherry wood tables, matching the one by the fireplace, holding books and odds and ends. (Note- just thought it sounded like a cool room as it floated in my head and I wanted a major contrast to her living room, which is stark and white.) As Remus moved from the door towards the bed he noticed on other thing, scattered over the stone floor were area rugs in the colors of the room: midnight blue, sky blue, gold, silver and forest green. Remus had set Kalila down and was just covering her up when Cian returned, two middle age ladies in tow.

"You're just now getting here? I guess I was quicker than I thought."

"Inflate your ego later Cian, now tell me what is wrong with my niece and why you wanted us both here."

"She is somewhere beyond drained, she created a hall full of shadow illusions a few hours ago, but even with some problems with the magical flows she should not be like this. She has never been like this, not even after the trails. It is as if something has or is draining her. I was hoping you would know what is wrong Naomi and be able to help her; and I was hoping that you Annie would be able to assist Naomi and take over Kalila's classes for the time being."

Cian why do you want me teaching? The only person I have ever taught anything to is Kalila. And anyways how would I even know what to teach?"

"Because you will treat the students the same way Kalila does, as individuals, not as mindless robots or masses just here to absorb what they can before being thrust out into the world. As for what you would teach that isn't a worry, Kalila just got her lesson plans done for each student and at the moment I believe she has assigned a project that should take a few classes to complete so all you would have to do is supervise and help where you can. I hope though that she will be able to teach on the morrow."

"She won't be, she wasn't able to pull herself out of the flows completely and they're draining her. But I don't understand how she could get stuck like this."

"…something…is wrong…in the…Isles…the wards…they…fell…"

Speaking exhausted Kalila again and she lapsed back into an unconscious state, oblivious to the worried and desperate looks upon the faces of those who surrounded her.

"Cian what does she mean the wards fell, how can she tell at this distance? And what would that have to do with her current condition?"

"Remus, the wards upon the Isles were put up by the First Queen, after the magical war. Each Queen after had added something to them, making them her own, insuring that they would be alerted to the slightest change in them. When Fae died the energy her death created fed back into the wards repairing and strengthening them; people have said that the wards are the past Queens watching over the Isles and protecting their people and in a way it is true. If one of the wards fell while Kalila was wrestling with the magical flows it would trap her with the magical backlash. If it fell after she was already tired the backlash would have drained her the moment she reached out to fix it. The wards have been up so long it is almost as if they are thinking entities; as a hatchling bird would take food from its parent, the wards take the magical energies of the Queens to remain intact."

"Cian that is all good in theory, but we would know if one of the wards had fallen, the Queens are not the only ones to invest power in the wards."

"growl Four years ago Kalila put a great deal of power into creating a new set of wards. She never bothered to mention them to the Sisterhood and Brotherhood or council because she didn't wasn't ANYONE messing with them. I knew and the Hell Hounds knew because it was we who showed her the technique for one of the wards. She put up a set of four different; interlacing wards that fluctuated so you never knew which of the four was up at any one time. If one of the four dropped only she would feel it and since she was the only one to invest power in them she would be the only one to suffer the magical backlash of it falling. The shock of just one would be horrendous; the shock would be far greater if all four were to fall."

Just as Cian finished there was a loud crack and another canine form appeared in the room, though smaller in stature the new arrival was just as impressive. With a whitish, goldish coat and flame patterns in a dark cinnamon color the unknown Hell Hound made quite an impression on those in the room.

"Lord Cian, the shifting wards have all dropped, all four of them Sir. The elders want to know what you wish us to do."

"sighYou're sure Isolda that all four fell?" At her nod he continued. "Is it known why they fell? They were fine before I left."

"weary sigh They Dark Lord attacked, aiming right at them and pounded until they fell. If Kalila hadn't put them up the Isles would likely be fight a long and bloody battle right now."

"Tell the elders to do what they can about throwing up another ward or two and to inform the Ruling Priest and Priestess and the council, but tell them that Kalila's out for now, till we can figure out how to help her."

"All right, and Cian, Mother says to be careful. The Dark Lord attacked with no warning and as soon as the wards fell he retreated."

"Let me know if anything else happens. Tell Mother that I will be as careful as I can be, and Sis, be careful yourself."

A nod and a crack later she was gone. Having answered one question, but leaving many more behind unanswered.

"Well now that we know what's wrong, we just have to figure out how to help Kalila."

"A small amount of her power was always fed to the wards, when they were attacked they would have drained all the power they could from Kalila in order to try to stay up, one probably still is. She had one ward that was made to collapse right before the point of destruction and then stay down until she poured enough magic back into it for it to set it back up. That is probably what trapped her in the flows, she might have been trying to get it back up, and it is still probably draining her. The rest is more than likely the shock from the backlash of three wards being destroyed one after the other. Is there anything you can do Naomi if that is what is going on?"

"Not unless we sever her link with the ward and even then all that can be done is treat her for the shock of the wards being destroyed and exhaustion."

"What happens if we sever the link?"

"Further shock, possibly to the point of death. Cian if I knew a way to help her I wouldn't hesitate, but with her nothing as it should be, no one in our history has ever had the power or ability to create a set of wards like she did, normally it take a group of those who are the most powerful to create one standard ward and she created a set of four shifting wards alone."

Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light within the room, once the stars and spots had faded from everyone's vision they found Kalila's eyes open.
"Cian, the shifting set of four fell, I lost the collapsible one as well."

"Kalila what is going on? A moment ago you were unconscious and on death's front step, and now you are seemingly fine."

"Mother happened, either that or I was dreaming. All I really remember is getting yelled at for being so stupid as to get stuck in the flows for the sake of one ward. Next thing I know the tie binding me to the ward in gone and I am waking up. Still tired though and rather drained."

"Well thank heavens you're back with us Kalila, we've been rather worried."

"Auntie Annie, Aunt Naomi? Why are you here?"

"I brought them after you collapsed totally drained after breakfast. Your best friend collapsing for no known reason had been know to cause some panic."

"I'm sorry Cian, I started feeling drained as breakfast went on. It wasn't until I stood that I realized it was the wards draining me and not exhaustion from decorating. The wards themselves didn't fall until Remus was bring my here."

"If those wards go back up and I mean IF, you need to share the burden with someone else and you won't be able to link yourself to the wards. Also if you ever put me through this hell again, I will hunt you down and kill you myself."

"If this ever happens again I'll likely be dead. I was given another chance, but you only get to cheat death so many times. Now can I get some real rest? I really don't have enough energy for this, especially since the council has begun calling."

"swearing I though they would believe Isolda, but I guess that would be asking too much."

"Don't blame them Cian, your kind aren't seen enough for people to always know them as Hell Hounds and not mistake them for pranksters. It's safe to leave Kalila so I'll go and yell at them. You coming Annie?"

"No, I think I will stay with Kalila for a bit, she won't be up to doing much for a while."

"Very well then."

And them Naomi was gone leaving behind two slightly disgruntled Hogworts staff members.

"I wish they wouldn't do that, it makes all of the wards upon Hogworts seem like hog wash."

"Not hog wash, just ineffective against us. We travel just a bit differently than wizards and witches, your apperation and dissapperation wards don't work against up because of that. While I am here I'll try to figure something out to prevent my kind form appearing the way we do, or at least to warn you when we do."

"Excuse me but who are you?"

"I'm Annie, Kalila's aunt, and now the question would be who are you?"

Before Remus could reply Dumbledore stepped in front of him and faced Annie.

"I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster here at Hogworts. Your help with the wards would be greatly appreciated. If I did not know that the people of the Isles preferred to avoid the wizarding world at almost any cost I would have to be far more worried about this than I am. But perhaps we should leave Kalila to get some rest, despite her seeming recovery I doubt she is up to listening to us acquaint ourselves. Are you coming Remus?"

"In a moment or two Albus."

"Very well, how about a tour of Hogworts Annie? There is quite a lot of history here…voice fading to nothing"

Remus' eyes didn't leave Kalila's face as Albus and Annie left. As his gaze locked with hers he could only hope that the eyes were truly the windows to the soul for he could not, yet, express what he felt in words. Sighing softly Kalila held out her hand and smile when Remus took it. She made to speak but he laid a finger upon her lips afraid that speech would banish the feelings that held them both. Understanding Kalila gave his hand a squeeze, her eyes pleading with him to stay, a wish she reaffirmed by tugging down to sit upon the bed next to her. They remained that way, their hands connected, after Kalila fell into a peaceful sleep, after the sun set and even after Remus drifted into sleep's embrace. Both peaceful in sleep and each connected to the other through their clasped hands.