After some very hefty consideration, I continued this fic after a four month break. I'd be very surprised if you still keep up with me. Since my huge project is over and I've decided that I've relaxed enough to go on with my life, I'll start on this again. For those who still keep up with me, I thank you very much for your unduly patience.
Thank you,
Silverrowan
Chapter 4: Uneasy Revelations
Dear Minerva,
How are things going in that school of yours? Well I do hope it went better than mine! Honestly! What do you teach these so call wizarding kids these days? None of them could even manage a proper disguise spell. I cannot believe...
That was how Maia McGonagall's monthly letter to her cousin started. Minerva chuckled as she finished the letter. As always, it was full of complaints about the lack of competence of the students nowadays. Often, Minerva wondered why Maia decided to teach if she doesn't even like it and why drama of all the subjects in the world. She didn't even know that drama was a wizarding subject. 'It must have been a really strange school.'
Of course, despite that Maia was family and the two cousins were really close, Minerva didn't really know a lot of Maia's personal life or her job. They always talk about her in their letters. All she did know was that Maia taught drama at a private magical school for the past ten years and changed her name there. When Minerva inquired about the name-changing topic, Maia had just brushed it off as because she doesn't want anyone to hire her because of the McGonagalls' teaching history.
'Well that's certainly logical.' She mused. 'We do have a rather extensive list of family members who turned teachers.'
Minerva McGonagall folded the letter neatly and carefully placed it in a locked chest with all her other letters. Maia had always been her favorite cousin and her monthly letters were greatly treasured since she had hardly seen her for the past years. In fact, once she thought about it, they had not met once ever since Maia got her new teaching post.
Minerva was glad for her cousin but she really does miss her. Being a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry does not give much time for family and personal matters, what with students running amok and Harry Potter getting into trouble every single year. Although he didn't do them on purpose, not like his father and Sirius Black. Now that's a team that strikes terror. Of course, there's no way she could have known about Harry and Ares.
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Harry met Ares in the hallway, beaming slightly. Ares simply rolled his eyes at his partner's newest achievement and stepped aside to avoid one of the fallen People. Fallen. Yes, he did truly like that word, especially since it's his enemies that are being described. He had nothing against the People themselves, since they did treat him all right but Harry hated them with good reason. So he did too. Never let anyone accuse him of disloyalty.
He then frowned. The People had a huge secret. There was no reference to what the secret was but mention of the power or the sacred stone has been whispered about long enough for Ares to know that they have something powerful in their hands. And he was determined to get it. The only thing he does know about the treasure was that it had something to do with Egypt. With Harry's help, he had no doubt that the secret would not be a secret for long.
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William Weasley, or Bill as he was called, was on the verge of a huge discovery. Of course, he doesn't know it yet. Most people who discover important things don't. After all, how can taking advantage of the shade of a pyramid for a short break be a break at discovering something?
That was exactly what Bill was doing now. Taking a break from Egypt's burning hot sun and ridiculously high heat. It was lucky that Bill was excavating near one of the Wizarding pyramids that had been hidden with illusion spells instead of muggle ones. He wasn't too sure how the local authorities would take to a stranger leaning against the aging buildings people are trying to save.
The wizarding pyramids however, suffered no such problems, protected by the many layers of complicated spells casted on them. Because wizarding pyramids were very common, wizards don't really value the pyramids as much as the muggles do. After all, you just need a few spells to build one.
This particular pyramid that Bill is leaning on is one that he favored greatly. It was one of those rare ones that are anonymous. The only clue to the origin of the builder was a carving of an eagle's talon on one of its sides. That is also the reason for its name "The Talon Pyramid".
Bill shifted slightly to get more comfortable and felt something sharp prick his fingers. Immediately, a thin trickle of blood oozed out onto the dry sand and was absorbed instantly. He lifted his hand and saw something shiny flashed in the sand. He dug for a while and tugged the object out. Brushing the sand out of its edges, Bill gasped in surprise, eyes wide.
It was a knife, a very very beautiful knife, decorated with rubies and sapphires and obviously very old. But it was not the blade that caught his attention, it was the words carved onto its side.
In a very intricate handwriting, it read in old Latin: Property of Grand Master Talon
Are the blade and the pyramid somehow connected?
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Kaiser was frustrated and angry. Those two emotions are not a very great mix. Discovering Harry's and Ares' whereabouts and losing it again was like adding fuel to the fire. Narrowing his eyes at the blazing fire in front of him, Kaiser though about everything that had happened in the past four years since Harry became his charge and later Ares. Everything in Bermuda had started to go strange and people were getting refreshed from normal routines. Kaiser particularly, had tons of trouble on his hands. Yet, he would not have it any other way. Yes, it was time to visit Casmir again.
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Casmir, the shadow vampire, practically a living legend, was not feeling like a living legend. In fact, he felt as if his head was going to spilt in half. The tolls of the past few months were finally ganging up on him and he seriously needed a vacation to relax. But he can't. Not with the knowledge that an infuriated Kaiser would be popping up for news now and then.
That was what he was planning to do this afternoon. He already had all his beach clothes packed too. With sunglasses, lotion and a portable chair. Not to forget a radio with some nice classical music.
But his vacation was suddenly canceled when his old friend decided to come and visit. The reason: the mass that is going on in the world and two missing students. Casmir however, was not going to refuse him. Not with the way his friend's voice was sounding. Perfectly calm. Kaiser Klementine was known for his temper and with all rights, Kaiser wasn't supposed to be calm. Add to the fact that Kaiser was smiling. Not a warm or cold smile, but a scimitar smile, the one that says that he'll tear you apart if you don't do something.
So what could he do but comply? Sadly, nothing.
This is so unfair! Kaiser's the one who's supposed to be running in terror, not me. Isn't there a protect-living-legends program somewhere? After all shadow vampires are a very endangered species. We should be protected! sniff
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Runay was discovering the joys of modern technology in muggle London. Since he had nothing better to do and Dranus was at school, he decided to venture out into the muggle world and taking a whole ton of muggle money with him. (All transferred from wizarding money to muggle from Lucius Malfoy's personal vault) Runay had spent the last few weeks exploring England and Europe in his demon form, which was a pure white dragon and frankly, he was getting bored and tired of flying around.
The salesperson at the store was at first unkind but after seeing how much money Runay has, he changed his mind and was all smiles. Runay was fascinated and bought everything imaginable, even a small flat. He spent hours obsessing over it, musing on how muggles so efficiently built tall buildings without the use of magic. He then spent another five hours furnishing the flat. Runay was very pleased with how it looked in the end.
I'll introduce it to Dranus first thing on the weekend.
All in all, it was a good day.
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Charlie Weasley loved dragons as a child and he still love them now. He used to spend hours upon hours staring at the pictures of the mystical creatures in the few books his father bought him. Now at age twenty-one, he considered himself an expert on dragons.
However, with all his skills and experience, he'd never seen this dragon before.
"And you say you saw this dragon flying around the countryside?" Charlie asked in an amazed voice.
His fellow colleague Sarah nodded and replied, "Yep. That's right. It was an amazing creature Charlie! It definitely made the freezing trip to Russia worthwhile! Once I saw it, I just knew I had to take a picture. Luckily, I had my camera with me."
Charlie had no doubt that it really was. The picture was a bit fuzzy from the weather but he could make out the magnificent outline of the pure white dragon.
And Charlie knew that like Sarah just had to take a picture, he just had to see it for himself.
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And thus, it's done.
Again, I appreciate all of you who've reviewed this fic.
Silverrowan