A.N.: Yep. Time jump. I find writing out what happened in the three day interval a bore to write out (seeing as in my mind, nothing much really happens. You know, the usual things that happen. Whatever… ^_^;). Eh…I'm getting this chapter out rather quickly. Then again…I am procrastinating on my final project…

            Dinner that night was a hushed affair. There was an undeniable sense of anticipation in the air. As soon as the last dish had been cleared, Dumbledore rose and began to speak.

            "As you have doubtlessly heard by now, some guests will be arriving tonight that will help us in our battle against Voldemort (a collective wince) and his Death Eaters. I encourage you to stay to welcome them, the Lady of the Stars, and her Senshi." He waved his wand, and the dinner tables disappeared only to reappear lined against the walls of the Hall, laden with light refreshments.

Some people left, mostly Aurors and Agents who had to replace those just arriving, but most milled about making small talk. Moody was pacing in agitation, his eye whirling madly in his paranoia. Snape stood in a shadowed corner of the room scowling darkly and unconsciously rubbing his forearm, where the Dark Mark tingled unpleasantly. Remus had been convinced by Dumbledore to leave his rooms for the night, and was looking very pale and wan. Still in a deep depression over Sirius' death, made all the more painful by the Ministry's pardon, he nevertheless made attempts to answer to McGonagall and Pomphry's well-meaning queries. Sprout and Tonks were listening 'patiently' to a wailing Trelawney, who didn't notice Tonks' subtle face mimicries of her were causing Hooch to snigger uncontrollably into her goblet. Molly Weasley stood nearby frowning in disapproval, but with a hint of a smile tugging at her lips (she had sent the children home to the Burrow). Firenze thoroughly confused Vector and Sinistra by speaking cryptically about the 'changing alignment of the stars.' Even some of the ghosts were in attendance, namely Nearly Headless Nick and the Hufflepuff Friar, who were in conversation with a few Order members.

            A surge of old magic could be felt in the Hall, and everyone fell silent, expectant, waiting. The very air seemed to thicken with the ancient magic. Out of nowhere, a ball of light appeared in the middle of the Hall, shining first silver, then a deep forest green and garnet. The light changed rapidly to an earthy brown-green and blue, sugary pink, and an opalescent white-gold before it began to flicker rapidly through varying colors. It went through gold-orange, dark purple, deep red, navy-yellow, emerald green, aquamarine, and ice blue before the first two colors returned and the ball grew in shape. It formed a doorway of some sort, engraved with the phases of the moon. The doors opened in a slowly fluid fashion, pouring out a gray fog that swirled over the floor.

From the grey void past the now open doorway came twelve cloaked and hooded figures. Each wore one of the colors that had been seen, the first two in navy-yellow and dark purple. The former held a bejeweled sword, while the latter held a deadly purple and lavender glaive taller than itself. The next two wore silver and forest green and garnet. These two looked around where the first two had not, and a pair of mysterious garnet red eyes locked onto Snape's own, something unidentifiable passing across them before the eyes broke away. The silver cloaked figure held a tall silvery staff, with a twinkling orb atop it, while the forest green and garnet garbed figure grasped a tall, ornate staff that gave the vague impression of being a massive key. Next came a figure in an earthy brown-green and blue, followed by a figure in aquamarine holding a trident. From the doors then came figures in deep red and ice blue, emerald green and golden-orange, and sugary pink and opalescent white-gold. Each of these last six was, like the fifth, apparently unarmed. The doors faded, and the magic in the air disappeared, but before anyone could make a move or say a word something unusual happened. The person in pink collapsed, the hood slipping back to reveal the face of a young girl. The one in gold-orange bent over to emit a faint cry of pain in a decidedly feminine voice. Almost instantly, the remaining hoods and cloaks were thrown back to reveal that two of the twelve were male, while the rest were females of varying ages. The young woman in emerald green caught the one in gold-orange with a cry of "Venus!" The younger man, with the white hair and orange-gold eyes caught the girl in pink, who sported silvery pink hair done up in a rather unusual style.

            "Mama…it hurts…" the girl whimpered. The girl in purple had gone to her side, glaive disappearing into thin air, and was glowing faintly purple. The regal woman in silver had knelt gracefully and was running fingers through the pink bangs.

            "Helios…the Moon Curse is close, and the evil here strong, but that should not have made my daughter pain thus…" she said in a familiar voice.

            "Cosmos, my love, the Earth is also crying out." The other man said, dark blue eyes worried.

            "His Majesty is correct…but there's something else…" The young woman in ice blue said, typing rapidly on a tiny blue object in her hands, a blue visor over her eyes.

            "Broken dreams, shattered Hope," the young man holding the pink girl murmured. "My Lady Cosmos, my Maiden is also being overwhelmed by the crying out of untold innocents, whose Dreams have been fragmented…"

            Meanwhile, the glow from the purple girl had concentrated in her gloved hands, and held over the pink girl's head and heart. As the purple color was absorbed, shockingly red eyes opened, and the pink whispered a soft "Thanks, Saturn."

            Venus had by now risen shakily to her feet, waving off the emerald green and deep red wearing young women with a slightly irritable "I'm fine, Jupiter, Mars." With a glazed look in her bright blue eyes, she walked to where Remus stood. All eyes followed her. No one made a move, for she was exuding a protectively warm, loving aura that spoke of nothing but comfort.

A.N.: Hmm. Wonder what Venus wants with Remus…hey! That rhymed! ^_^ Venus…Remus? -_-; Never mind. Hope you enjoyed this latest installation of my fic. I'm sure you can tell from the events above that there are set pairs, and there are possible ones. What thinkest thou? Drop me a line if you think you know what I'm thinking! (In which case, I feel very sorry for you, because my mind is NOT a fun place to be. I should know, I'm there.) Anyhow, the next chapter will be some time in coming (all the better to drag out the 'suspense') because you can probably tell from what I said above, it's finals week for me. Bleargh. Guess whose going to fail all her classes? I knew I spent too much time online…