Chapter 7
Reason For Being
In the Forbidden Forest Ron walked silently not wanting to disturb any creature at its rest. He walked deep into the forest, ducking from the hands of trees grabbing at his robes, wiping away the stop signs of cobwebs. He wasn't too much scared, but he was tired, but he knew he had to do this so no one would stumble on his newfound possession. While Ron was walking he kept seeing things peering out the corner of his eye, but didn't take heed until he realized it was eyes.
They were glaring at him, the big, balls of yellow. Then another pair, then another, they just started multiplying. Ron stayed looking at them contently not wanting to provoke them. He didn't move, didn't blink, nor scarcely did he breath. A little while of waiting to see what the creatures would do, they came out. There were two thestrals (which you only see if you've seen death, which Ron had because he had seen his own), a werewolf, centaurs, and unicorns that filed out from behind the trees. Ron's eyes widened as they all got down on their front knees. Ron, not knowing what to do, said suddenly, "You may rise," they obeyed immediately. The centaur spoke first, "Master, why do you bless us so?" Ron thought a moment, "Um... I have a book..." "The Oracle's book?" "Yes, and I need a place to hide it from the children in Hogwarts." "Why, Master! We shant just hide it anywhere, we should create a magnificent abode for such a thing," Ron looked at the centaur confused, and then gazed at all the other creatures who seemed to agree. "Then we shall," he said trying to sound proper. Ron seen the unicorn's gemstone horn glint in the corner of his eye and looked suddenly. She was beating the ground with her hoofs, and throwing her head to the side, attempting to get across for him to follow.
While Ron was following the Unicorn, all the creatures of the forest started to creep out and track him in a perfect line. Ron suddenly noticed a new breed of creature that tailed behind him, and managed to make its way to the front of the line. It was an ash-colored warthog looking creature that just appeared there. He was about to ask what was, when he suddenly remembered the kind of creature. It was a tebo, they had the power of invisibility and were very dangerous, but it didn't look as fierce as the D.A.T.D.A. teacher portrayed it to be. To him, it looked like it was at ease, although it's snout was almost touching the ground it bowed so low. Ron moved his hand close to it, slowly. He patted it on the head, and the boar-resembling creature looked up to show that he was pleased with the approval of his master.
Just as Ron's feet were getting tired the unicorn stopped at a rock. She placed her horn on it and drew a symbol, "?". The rock started to quake, and eventually rolled away. Ron peered into the revealed cave and saw thousands of unicorns, like the one he was following. They were beautiful; he was hypnotized with wonder. They were all sleeping, but when one budged so did they all. All of the beautiful creatures bowed on their front knees, creating a path leading to the other side of the vast chamber. The unicorn that had led them there walked down the path and, when she reached the other side, she stomped on the floor and a small, rock table, sort of, came out of the ground. The other creatures stayed out, knowing they weren't allowed in, while Ron walked slowly in the room. After passing each unicorn, they bowed even lower for him. Their noses were touching the floor by the time Ron arrived at the table. He closed his eyes and pictured the book there; when he opened them it was so. Ron knew that nothing can come in that chamber except for a one-horned-horse (also, now, himself) and that a unicorn's swiftness and magic would not allow any harm to such a good source, so he trusted that the book would be safe. "Ikle ream, say dil bruw her Rlemsan(I thank you, magic creatures of the Forest)," Ron spoke in Thamm, hoping that these smart creatures would understand, "Err thig kilsol by poxy (I trust you will keep it safe)." Voices swarmed in his head, *Master!* *Of Course, Master!* *Anything, Master* *Thank you!*. His head began to hurt, but realized that it was just his power of reading minds kicking in.
Ron left the unicorns to rest, and as he was leaving the forest the rest of the creatures subtracted slowly. Only the thestrals followed him to the front of the forest. "Wow! We were really back in there, weren't we?" he looked at the thestral, but it didn't answer, or shake it's head, or beat the ground, nothing. "Ok, well thank you," he gave a slight bow, which he thought would be a nice gesture. He walked back to the window that allowed him to be out there in the first place. He looked up and pondered, "Now, how am I going to get back?" he asked himself aloud. He closed his eyes tight, clenched his fists, and grinded his teeth. He thought hard about just floating to the top, but felt nothing happening. He opened his eyes, because he was going to think to do something else. "Oh my goodness!" there was surprise waiting for him when he did. "I'm floating... without a broom!" Ron was floating higher and higher, until he reached the Gryffindor Common Room's window. He placed his hand on the window and fell back through. "Well, that was fun," he said as he walked up the stairs to his Dorm.
The next day, luckily, was a Saturday. Ron didn't have to go to classes and hear people scream out of terror, because there was a silver coverings over his eyes. Ron lay in his bed-laced four-poster waiting for Neville and Seamus to go to breakfast, so he didn't have to have any confrontations.
Later that day, after sneaking his way in to breakfast, and after avoiding sitting near people in the Library, he went to Dumbledore's office. "Come in, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore requested as he bowed Ron in. "I'm glad you came, I wanted to talk about living quarters for you and the new class schedule..." "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Stop and rewind!" Dumbledore looked stunned, "Living quarters? New schedule? I can't stay here anymore? School?" "Well, I talked to the other teachers and they agree! Because you are now a grand source, you need to be properly protected." "Like the Oracle?" "No, no, no we won't put you in another dimension. We'll keep you here, with protectors." "Why do I need protection? I can protect myself." "No!" Dumbledore almost jumped out of his chair, "I mean, no you shouldn't have to do that. You are The One, you need high protection... Dragons, and Whomping Willows, no we should build a proper abode for such a high person as you," Dumbledore was more talking to himself more than Ron. "Excuse me, Professor, but I'd think I'd prefer to just..." "None sense, now run along," he practically pushed Ron out of his office. "But..." Ron didn't get to talk to Dumbledore about where he hid the book.
Ron didn't run into Harry or Hermione all day! In fact he didn't run into anyone the whole day! Yes, sure he was avoiding some people, but he did want to see Harry and Hermione. He looked in the Gryffindor Common Room, in the Great Hall, in the Library, and it wasn't until he went outside that he saw them in the distance. They were sitting near the lake talking, *I think I'll have a little fun* he thought to himself. He made himself invisible and started walking towards Harry and Hermione. "What!" Harry was yelling, "She kissed him, why?!" "I told you! She gave him power to walk through things! I've been looking up about this Oracle, I found out that she ruled a thousand years ago as a queen. But she didn't have one thing she needed, a mate." "A mate?" "Yes, but there's one problem, once an Oracle chooses a mate, she has to give him or her all their powers, which is the only thing keeping her alive this long, and she has to allow the next one to rule." "Well, why doesn't she rule anymore?" "I don't know they only wrote about two oracles before, one was *WAY* before the beginning of time and it was guy. He decided to take a girl named Nisym (Nigh-seam) as his mate, and she began to rule. They said that she used to look like a normal person, but with the extent of the power her hair turned grey, and her skin pale, she gained a tattoo on her forehead that allowed her to see the future, but no one's really seen the tattoo because it's hidden behind her hair, only her protectors know about it. The book said that she was a great ruler, the best, but we came into a time of greed and people were trying to kill her to try to gain her power and place in the land, they thought by killing her that they could, but they didn't know how it worked. Because of her love for the people, she couldn't hurt the citizens who were attacking her..." "But she tried to kill you!" "No, she was protecting her mate..." "Oh my gawd! Ron?" Hermione knocked Harry over the head, "DUH! Now anyway! The book ends with 'it was like a hurricane. She brought peace, but when she left there was turmoil. She came as fast as she went, no one ever saw her again.' Some people say that she's still ruling in another world, others say she's looking for a mate so she could finally die, but I think that she wants to come back to power for revenge because why else would she decide now to come around and take Ron..." at that point Ron came into view, "NO SHE'S NOT!" "RON!?" "Yes, that right! See what you forgot to mention was that an Oracle can have NO evil in her! Revenge? Revenge? None sense! She's the most precious, most powerful, most virtuous being!" Ron ran away not turning back to see there stunned faces.
He sat in the Library and thought about what Hermione said. "A mate? They make it sound like she's a dog," he looked around him to find Malfoy acting awkward. He was pacing back and forth, toward Ron, then away from Ron, toward Ron, then away... he kept doing this until Ron got annoyed. He got up and walked toward Malfoy, when he noticed Ron coming he looked as if the leg binding curse was put on him. "Malfoy," Ron nodded toward him to give recognition. "Malfoy... Yes! That's right, I'm Malfoy, I am a Malfoy." "Are you ok?" Ron asked looking Malfoy back in the eye. At that Malfoy looked away hurriedly. "I'm... I'm... I'm...." "It's ok, I know it looks weird." "No, sir! It's not that. Its just that I didn't know you were going to be..." "The One?" "The new Oracle, sir..." "Don't call me sir, please, I really hate that," Ron cut in. "Sorry." "Malfoy? You don't need to be nice to me, in fact no body does, I just want things to be normal." "But, they're not. My Father..." "He's a follower of Voldemort?" Malfoy ignored the comment. "My father has read all about the Oracle..." "Because he wanted to know who was going to be the one to help defeat Voldemort?" Malfoy, again, ignored the comment, "I know your power," Draco said finally looking in to his gray coated eyes, "I know we haven't had a great past, I know we hate each other, but I want you to know that I'll follow you against he-who-must-not-be-named..." Malfoy looked at the entrance to the Library and saw Hermione and Harry coming so he sprinted off the other way.
"Ron, I was just explaining to Harry what the book had said! I didn't mean anything by it," she spat out when she was near him. "Well, maybe you should of read the book a little further." "Sorry, Ron," she looked downwards in an ashamed fashion. "Ron, it's just that if you are chosen to be the 'mate' of the Oracle; if you decide to rule with her; if you want to live the way she does and go through the same things she has, then you will die when you decide to take your own mate." "The book was wrong again," Ron didn't know how he knew, he just did. Somehow he also had powers to know the history and answers for who and what the Oracle was, "See, as the Oracle only after you have done all you can to make your people holy and true then you can die, but otherwise you decide to have the option to be immortal." "Well, what if she only wants you as a mate so she can die?" "Then that's her decision, but if you think she wants to come back to power for revenge then you're stupid! She can't have..." "Any evil, ok I get it," seeing that Ron got his point across he sat down and listened to how Hermione and Harry's day went.
"So nothing interesting?" Harry asked Ron when they were finished with their boring day. "Nope," Ron lied, he didn't feel he had to tell them about his confrontation with Dumbledore. They would eventually figure out that he's not around. They were still sitting in the Library, Hermione had begun reading a book, and Harry was now searching for one. "I need to find out some more fouls that I can call on Slytherin for tomorrow's game," he protested. Ron was watching Hermione read, he didn't know why. He watched her eyes scroll up and down the page, and her brush her hair away when it fell in her face. *I wonder what she's thinking* he thought to himself. Instead of just sitting there wondering what she was thinking, he listened: *Why is he staring at me? I told him I was sorry for picking on his girlfriend! Why did he get so offensive with her any way, it's not like he's mated with her yet... OR HAS HE!* at that point Hermione looked at Ron angrily, squinted through her eyes and then went back to reading. *Who does she think she is? Coming in here and taking him away from me... I mean us! He's going to have to go away! I can't believe I'm going to miss him! What if he doesn't have to go away? Then he'll be with me... I mean us! I can... Oh, shut up Hermione! You need to be reading... 'In the year 1334 Pinn Sherr...* since Ron didn't really want a History lesson, he got out of her brain. *She's going to miss me?*
After a little while longer of watching Hermione get perturbed with the inaccuracy of her books, he left. As he was walking up the winding banister he was stopped by an abrupt noise. Clank! He heard. It sounded like armor being pushed over. He turned around and saw that, at the bottom of the stairs where a suit of armor used to be had been knocked down, and in place was none other than a ghost like girl, whose feet did not touch the ground, and whose hair embraced her like a hug. She had her eyes closed and her hands clasped, her clothes moved as if air was breathing heavily on her. She looked at Ron, although her eyes didn't seem to be, and floated closer with the faintest of sounds. Modest voices swept around Ron, a little girl laughing, a young man singing, and a mother singing her baby to sleep. They were faint, but distinguished. Ron gazed at the beautiful stature that was floating his way, not wanting to take his eyes off of her. "Nisym?" he asked seeing if the book was right, and if that was her name. When he said this, her head bent down low, but she didn't stop moving towards him. When she finally arrived at Ron's side she placed her hand on her forehead. *Ronald* the noise sounded as if it were coming from Nisym, but as if she was underwater. *Ronald*, Ron, not realizing what to do, answered, in the weakest of tones, "Yes?" *You have found a lot about me. Yes, my name used to be Nisym, but that is not apart of me now, I am... this* "The Oracle?" *Yes, I need you, Ronald* "Please call me Ron." Nisym overlooked this, *Ronald, this is for you* she pulled something off of her forefinger. It was a beautiful ring; the size was dainty, but looked like no price could be put on it. There was a pearl with little red, blue, and purple crystals that glinted brightly. She grabbed his hand, she looked like ice, but she felt like fire. Ron watched as she placed the ring on his hand, "It looks a little girly," he said, but then hurriedly added, "but I'll wear it proudly." She kissed him again, but this time there was no pain, just the sweet warmth of her lips and the fragrance of her skin close to his. Before Ron could kiss her back she was gone.
Reason For Being
In the Forbidden Forest Ron walked silently not wanting to disturb any creature at its rest. He walked deep into the forest, ducking from the hands of trees grabbing at his robes, wiping away the stop signs of cobwebs. He wasn't too much scared, but he was tired, but he knew he had to do this so no one would stumble on his newfound possession. While Ron was walking he kept seeing things peering out the corner of his eye, but didn't take heed until he realized it was eyes.
They were glaring at him, the big, balls of yellow. Then another pair, then another, they just started multiplying. Ron stayed looking at them contently not wanting to provoke them. He didn't move, didn't blink, nor scarcely did he breath. A little while of waiting to see what the creatures would do, they came out. There were two thestrals (which you only see if you've seen death, which Ron had because he had seen his own), a werewolf, centaurs, and unicorns that filed out from behind the trees. Ron's eyes widened as they all got down on their front knees. Ron, not knowing what to do, said suddenly, "You may rise," they obeyed immediately. The centaur spoke first, "Master, why do you bless us so?" Ron thought a moment, "Um... I have a book..." "The Oracle's book?" "Yes, and I need a place to hide it from the children in Hogwarts." "Why, Master! We shant just hide it anywhere, we should create a magnificent abode for such a thing," Ron looked at the centaur confused, and then gazed at all the other creatures who seemed to agree. "Then we shall," he said trying to sound proper. Ron seen the unicorn's gemstone horn glint in the corner of his eye and looked suddenly. She was beating the ground with her hoofs, and throwing her head to the side, attempting to get across for him to follow.
While Ron was following the Unicorn, all the creatures of the forest started to creep out and track him in a perfect line. Ron suddenly noticed a new breed of creature that tailed behind him, and managed to make its way to the front of the line. It was an ash-colored warthog looking creature that just appeared there. He was about to ask what was, when he suddenly remembered the kind of creature. It was a tebo, they had the power of invisibility and were very dangerous, but it didn't look as fierce as the D.A.T.D.A. teacher portrayed it to be. To him, it looked like it was at ease, although it's snout was almost touching the ground it bowed so low. Ron moved his hand close to it, slowly. He patted it on the head, and the boar-resembling creature looked up to show that he was pleased with the approval of his master.
Just as Ron's feet were getting tired the unicorn stopped at a rock. She placed her horn on it and drew a symbol, "?". The rock started to quake, and eventually rolled away. Ron peered into the revealed cave and saw thousands of unicorns, like the one he was following. They were beautiful; he was hypnotized with wonder. They were all sleeping, but when one budged so did they all. All of the beautiful creatures bowed on their front knees, creating a path leading to the other side of the vast chamber. The unicorn that had led them there walked down the path and, when she reached the other side, she stomped on the floor and a small, rock table, sort of, came out of the ground. The other creatures stayed out, knowing they weren't allowed in, while Ron walked slowly in the room. After passing each unicorn, they bowed even lower for him. Their noses were touching the floor by the time Ron arrived at the table. He closed his eyes and pictured the book there; when he opened them it was so. Ron knew that nothing can come in that chamber except for a one-horned-horse (also, now, himself) and that a unicorn's swiftness and magic would not allow any harm to such a good source, so he trusted that the book would be safe. "Ikle ream, say dil bruw her Rlemsan(I thank you, magic creatures of the Forest)," Ron spoke in Thamm, hoping that these smart creatures would understand, "Err thig kilsol by poxy (I trust you will keep it safe)." Voices swarmed in his head, *Master!* *Of Course, Master!* *Anything, Master* *Thank you!*. His head began to hurt, but realized that it was just his power of reading minds kicking in.
Ron left the unicorns to rest, and as he was leaving the forest the rest of the creatures subtracted slowly. Only the thestrals followed him to the front of the forest. "Wow! We were really back in there, weren't we?" he looked at the thestral, but it didn't answer, or shake it's head, or beat the ground, nothing. "Ok, well thank you," he gave a slight bow, which he thought would be a nice gesture. He walked back to the window that allowed him to be out there in the first place. He looked up and pondered, "Now, how am I going to get back?" he asked himself aloud. He closed his eyes tight, clenched his fists, and grinded his teeth. He thought hard about just floating to the top, but felt nothing happening. He opened his eyes, because he was going to think to do something else. "Oh my goodness!" there was surprise waiting for him when he did. "I'm floating... without a broom!" Ron was floating higher and higher, until he reached the Gryffindor Common Room's window. He placed his hand on the window and fell back through. "Well, that was fun," he said as he walked up the stairs to his Dorm.
The next day, luckily, was a Saturday. Ron didn't have to go to classes and hear people scream out of terror, because there was a silver coverings over his eyes. Ron lay in his bed-laced four-poster waiting for Neville and Seamus to go to breakfast, so he didn't have to have any confrontations.
Later that day, after sneaking his way in to breakfast, and after avoiding sitting near people in the Library, he went to Dumbledore's office. "Come in, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore requested as he bowed Ron in. "I'm glad you came, I wanted to talk about living quarters for you and the new class schedule..." "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Stop and rewind!" Dumbledore looked stunned, "Living quarters? New schedule? I can't stay here anymore? School?" "Well, I talked to the other teachers and they agree! Because you are now a grand source, you need to be properly protected." "Like the Oracle?" "No, no, no we won't put you in another dimension. We'll keep you here, with protectors." "Why do I need protection? I can protect myself." "No!" Dumbledore almost jumped out of his chair, "I mean, no you shouldn't have to do that. You are The One, you need high protection... Dragons, and Whomping Willows, no we should build a proper abode for such a high person as you," Dumbledore was more talking to himself more than Ron. "Excuse me, Professor, but I'd think I'd prefer to just..." "None sense, now run along," he practically pushed Ron out of his office. "But..." Ron didn't get to talk to Dumbledore about where he hid the book.
Ron didn't run into Harry or Hermione all day! In fact he didn't run into anyone the whole day! Yes, sure he was avoiding some people, but he did want to see Harry and Hermione. He looked in the Gryffindor Common Room, in the Great Hall, in the Library, and it wasn't until he went outside that he saw them in the distance. They were sitting near the lake talking, *I think I'll have a little fun* he thought to himself. He made himself invisible and started walking towards Harry and Hermione. "What!" Harry was yelling, "She kissed him, why?!" "I told you! She gave him power to walk through things! I've been looking up about this Oracle, I found out that she ruled a thousand years ago as a queen. But she didn't have one thing she needed, a mate." "A mate?" "Yes, but there's one problem, once an Oracle chooses a mate, she has to give him or her all their powers, which is the only thing keeping her alive this long, and she has to allow the next one to rule." "Well, why doesn't she rule anymore?" "I don't know they only wrote about two oracles before, one was *WAY* before the beginning of time and it was guy. He decided to take a girl named Nisym (Nigh-seam) as his mate, and she began to rule. They said that she used to look like a normal person, but with the extent of the power her hair turned grey, and her skin pale, she gained a tattoo on her forehead that allowed her to see the future, but no one's really seen the tattoo because it's hidden behind her hair, only her protectors know about it. The book said that she was a great ruler, the best, but we came into a time of greed and people were trying to kill her to try to gain her power and place in the land, they thought by killing her that they could, but they didn't know how it worked. Because of her love for the people, she couldn't hurt the citizens who were attacking her..." "But she tried to kill you!" "No, she was protecting her mate..." "Oh my gawd! Ron?" Hermione knocked Harry over the head, "DUH! Now anyway! The book ends with 'it was like a hurricane. She brought peace, but when she left there was turmoil. She came as fast as she went, no one ever saw her again.' Some people say that she's still ruling in another world, others say she's looking for a mate so she could finally die, but I think that she wants to come back to power for revenge because why else would she decide now to come around and take Ron..." at that point Ron came into view, "NO SHE'S NOT!" "RON!?" "Yes, that right! See what you forgot to mention was that an Oracle can have NO evil in her! Revenge? Revenge? None sense! She's the most precious, most powerful, most virtuous being!" Ron ran away not turning back to see there stunned faces.
He sat in the Library and thought about what Hermione said. "A mate? They make it sound like she's a dog," he looked around him to find Malfoy acting awkward. He was pacing back and forth, toward Ron, then away from Ron, toward Ron, then away... he kept doing this until Ron got annoyed. He got up and walked toward Malfoy, when he noticed Ron coming he looked as if the leg binding curse was put on him. "Malfoy," Ron nodded toward him to give recognition. "Malfoy... Yes! That's right, I'm Malfoy, I am a Malfoy." "Are you ok?" Ron asked looking Malfoy back in the eye. At that Malfoy looked away hurriedly. "I'm... I'm... I'm...." "It's ok, I know it looks weird." "No, sir! It's not that. Its just that I didn't know you were going to be..." "The One?" "The new Oracle, sir..." "Don't call me sir, please, I really hate that," Ron cut in. "Sorry." "Malfoy? You don't need to be nice to me, in fact no body does, I just want things to be normal." "But, they're not. My Father..." "He's a follower of Voldemort?" Malfoy ignored the comment. "My father has read all about the Oracle..." "Because he wanted to know who was going to be the one to help defeat Voldemort?" Malfoy, again, ignored the comment, "I know your power," Draco said finally looking in to his gray coated eyes, "I know we haven't had a great past, I know we hate each other, but I want you to know that I'll follow you against he-who-must-not-be-named..." Malfoy looked at the entrance to the Library and saw Hermione and Harry coming so he sprinted off the other way.
"Ron, I was just explaining to Harry what the book had said! I didn't mean anything by it," she spat out when she was near him. "Well, maybe you should of read the book a little further." "Sorry, Ron," she looked downwards in an ashamed fashion. "Ron, it's just that if you are chosen to be the 'mate' of the Oracle; if you decide to rule with her; if you want to live the way she does and go through the same things she has, then you will die when you decide to take your own mate." "The book was wrong again," Ron didn't know how he knew, he just did. Somehow he also had powers to know the history and answers for who and what the Oracle was, "See, as the Oracle only after you have done all you can to make your people holy and true then you can die, but otherwise you decide to have the option to be immortal." "Well, what if she only wants you as a mate so she can die?" "Then that's her decision, but if you think she wants to come back to power for revenge then you're stupid! She can't have..." "Any evil, ok I get it," seeing that Ron got his point across he sat down and listened to how Hermione and Harry's day went.
"So nothing interesting?" Harry asked Ron when they were finished with their boring day. "Nope," Ron lied, he didn't feel he had to tell them about his confrontation with Dumbledore. They would eventually figure out that he's not around. They were still sitting in the Library, Hermione had begun reading a book, and Harry was now searching for one. "I need to find out some more fouls that I can call on Slytherin for tomorrow's game," he protested. Ron was watching Hermione read, he didn't know why. He watched her eyes scroll up and down the page, and her brush her hair away when it fell in her face. *I wonder what she's thinking* he thought to himself. Instead of just sitting there wondering what she was thinking, he listened: *Why is he staring at me? I told him I was sorry for picking on his girlfriend! Why did he get so offensive with her any way, it's not like he's mated with her yet... OR HAS HE!* at that point Hermione looked at Ron angrily, squinted through her eyes and then went back to reading. *Who does she think she is? Coming in here and taking him away from me... I mean us! He's going to have to go away! I can't believe I'm going to miss him! What if he doesn't have to go away? Then he'll be with me... I mean us! I can... Oh, shut up Hermione! You need to be reading... 'In the year 1334 Pinn Sherr...* since Ron didn't really want a History lesson, he got out of her brain. *She's going to miss me?*
After a little while longer of watching Hermione get perturbed with the inaccuracy of her books, he left. As he was walking up the winding banister he was stopped by an abrupt noise. Clank! He heard. It sounded like armor being pushed over. He turned around and saw that, at the bottom of the stairs where a suit of armor used to be had been knocked down, and in place was none other than a ghost like girl, whose feet did not touch the ground, and whose hair embraced her like a hug. She had her eyes closed and her hands clasped, her clothes moved as if air was breathing heavily on her. She looked at Ron, although her eyes didn't seem to be, and floated closer with the faintest of sounds. Modest voices swept around Ron, a little girl laughing, a young man singing, and a mother singing her baby to sleep. They were faint, but distinguished. Ron gazed at the beautiful stature that was floating his way, not wanting to take his eyes off of her. "Nisym?" he asked seeing if the book was right, and if that was her name. When he said this, her head bent down low, but she didn't stop moving towards him. When she finally arrived at Ron's side she placed her hand on her forehead. *Ronald* the noise sounded as if it were coming from Nisym, but as if she was underwater. *Ronald*, Ron, not realizing what to do, answered, in the weakest of tones, "Yes?" *You have found a lot about me. Yes, my name used to be Nisym, but that is not apart of me now, I am... this* "The Oracle?" *Yes, I need you, Ronald* "Please call me Ron." Nisym overlooked this, *Ronald, this is for you* she pulled something off of her forefinger. It was a beautiful ring; the size was dainty, but looked like no price could be put on it. There was a pearl with little red, blue, and purple crystals that glinted brightly. She grabbed his hand, she looked like ice, but she felt like fire. Ron watched as she placed the ring on his hand, "It looks a little girly," he said, but then hurriedly added, "but I'll wear it proudly." She kissed him again, but this time there was no pain, just the sweet warmth of her lips and the fragrance of her skin close to his. Before Ron could kiss her back she was gone.