Kylie tried to catch her breath long enough to answer the questions Zach was throwing at her as the three men followed her back towards the forest. "I don't know what's going on, but it looks like we may have an intruder on our hands. I ran to find you as soon as the dragons started going crazy."

Zach's look was grim, "have you noticed any strange activity today? Have there been any signs of movement in the forest?"

"There was a bit more bird activity today," Kylie tripped on a root, but Alberto caught her before she fell. She had a reputation as the group klutz, but the slim brunette never made a mistake when it came to dragon handling.

As they came closer to the forest there was a sudden uproar. At least seven of the other handlers rushed to try and subdue the largest of the Common Welsh Greens, the large female had something, or someone, caught in her iron jaws.

Just as the men and Kylie reached the scene of commotion, the other handlers managed to stun the dragon. And to pry a man, with a torn up leg, away from her.

"Well, what do we have here?" Alberto's face was nearly black with rage as he lifted the bloodied man from the ground, "it looks like a death eater to me, let's just finish the job..." he pointed his wand at the man's throat.

"Put him down Alberto." Zach's tone was deadly even.

"He deserves to die!"

"He needs to be questioned."

Alberto swore, and dropped the death eater's limp for to the ground. Where the injured man made whining sounds, as he clutched his leg.

"Were there any others?" Zach looked around at the rest of his assembled team.

"We've got one here," a couple of the other men through down another death eater, who they had tied and gagged.

"Zach," Charlie spoke up, "we need to take them to the school. We can set up a holding area for now until we can contact Ministry officials. Trustworthy Ministry officials," Charlie corrected himself.

Dierna watched the celebration from her seat on the floor. Some of the students had managed to procure a large quantity of butter beer, and her brother and his friends were passing around something a bit stronger.

"Want some Dierna?" Kamen offered her a bottle.

"No thanks, I have to go 'talk' with Dad later. If he smells that on me I'll be in even more trouble."

"All the more reason to show up totally sloshed. If you're intoxicated he might forget about all the other stuff." When Dierna didn't look amused Kamen turned serious, "you're not regretting that you played today, are you?"

Dierna smiled, "not at all. This is just cruel. Dad could have yelled at me already and been done with it. But instead, he leaves me to sit here, worrying about how much trouble I'm gonna be in, when I could be enjoying one hell of a party."

"What about flowers?"

"What about flowers?" Stefan looked back at Viviane, confusion written all over his face.

Viviane rolled her eyes, "what kind of flowers do I want at my wedding?"

"I don't know," Stefan shrugged, "how about those pink ones?"

"Those pink ones? Boy Stefan, you sure are a lot of help."

"Hey! I was being serious. You have that pink stuff around the bottom of your dress, I thought that pink flowers would look nice with it."

Viviane laughed, "this is why I'm scared about leaving wedding plans in Colin's care, but now..."

Stefan grinned, "It's not long now."

Viviane smiled back at him, "but it's still too long for me."

"The least he could have done was tell me where he was going to be," Dierna muttered to herself as she walked along the dark hallway. She had left the celebration early, the 'impending doom', as she had called it, hanging over her head didn't make her feel like celebrating much. And now, having failed to find her father in his office, she was on her way to her parent's apartments.

Not bothering to knock, she entered the living room of her parents' apartment. Where her father was reading the Daily Prophet, and her mother was curled up on the couch reading a book.

Severus looked up when his daughter entered the room. He set aside his paper and stood up; he raised a hand and beckoned her over with one finger. "Well young lady, what were you thinking today? I told you that you would not be playing in that quidditch match, but you deliberately disobeyed me, why?"

Dierna bristled with anger, "I am fine! You saw me play today, there is nothing wrong with me."

"Dammit Dierna! You almost died, I don't know what I have to do to get through to you, but you refuse to recognize the seriousness of the situation," Severus towered over his daughter, he hadn't intended to yell at her like this, but she was so infuriating sometimes...

"But Daddy," Dierna pouted and widened her eyes in false innocence, "I know how serious the situation was, but I'm fine now. And I needed to play in the game today, so that I could prove to myself that I was better. I thought that if I played you wouldn't be mad at me, because it means that I really am better now. I wanted you to be proud of me for winning."

"Your daughter is an excellent actress," Morgan inserted from where she remained curled up on the couch.

"Thanks a lot Mum," Dierna glared at her mother.

Morgan smiled sweetly, "you were asking for it with that one darling, "if I can't get away with the false innocence act, than neither can you."

Dierna's shoulders slumped in defeat, and she dropped into the nearest chair, "fine, you win, I shouldn't have played in the quidditch game, I was wrong, and I'm almost sorry, can I go now?"

Severus took a deep breath, and tried his hardest to be patient, "Dierna, this is not a battle of the wits, you are in a lot of trouble young lady. You had better not ever pull a stunt like this again, is that understood?"

Dierna mumbled something incomprehensible.

"What was that?"

"I said," her temper flared, and she came to her feet to stand facing her father "that if you weren't so damn overprotective, maybe I could live my life the way I want to, without you interfering all the time! I hate it, and I hate all your bloody rules, and the way you try to control my life. Leave me the hell alone!" Dierna's look was fierce, she was seething.

There was a long silent pause. Severus ran his thumb across the tips of his fingers as he looked down at his daughter. Finally he spoke, in his most dangerous voice, it was hardly above a whisper, but it sounded loud in the deadly silent room, "Never speak to me like that again."

"I will do whatever..."

"Sit down and be quiet."

Dierna stood her ground and glared at her father, "no."

"SIT DOWN!!!"

Dierna dropped back into her seat. She fought back the strong urge to cry, she was determined not to show any weakness. She became very interested in a design on the rug at her feet.

"Sev..." there was a gentle pleading tone in Morgan's voice. She looked at her husband, and when he met her eyes, she gave him the slightest nod of encouragement.

Severus cupped his daughter's chin in his large hand, and raised her face up. But she refused to meet his gaze, "look at me Dierna," he commanded. "I can wait all night if I have to, but you are going to look at me, and we are going to finish this discussion. I would have thought that you'd like to get this over with instead of prolonging it."

Reluctantly Dierna raised her eyes to her father's face.

"Good girl. Now we still have several issues to deal with. First, as your teacher, I need to punish you for sneaking out of the hospital wing. I think a detention is in order."

Dierna opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it.

"And secondly, you deliberately disobeyed me today when you decided to play in that quidditch game. And more importantly, you put yourself at risk for further injury, when you were already unwell. That was irresponsible. It appears that I need to keep a closer eye on you. You, young lady, are grounded for a week."

Dierna's look was wary, "how are you going to ground me at school?"

"Simple, you are staying here for the next week. Other than classes and meal times you will be in this apartment."

Dierna started to protest, "but..."

"Do you really want to argue with me further?"

"No sir."

"Are you going to stay tonight?"

"I was planning on it, if you want me."

"Do I give you any reason to doubt?" Remus ran his hands down Kalliope's back, reveling in her soft scent.

Kalliope smiled, "no," she accepted his kisses eagerly. "Remus?"

"Hmmm?"

"What's going to happen to us?"

Remus broke away from her and studied the priestess' face in the dim light.

"What happens when I get summoned back to the temple? Do I go, or do I stay here with you?"

"I can't make that decision for you, but I think you know what I want."

"Remus, I'm sorry," Kalliope got up and headed towards the door, "I just need a little time on my own."

"Are you going to sit there and glare at me for the rest of the night?" Severus looked over the top of his book at Dierna.

Dierna deliberately tucked her feet under her, making herself more comfortable in the oversized chair, "I was planning on it."

"You're acting very immature, stop sulking and go to bed."

"I'm not tired."

"Are you still determined to hate me?"

"Yes."

"You will get over it in time."

"Probably, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts."

Severus set his book aside, "come here."

Dierna crossed the room and slid onto the couch next to her father, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"I hope you realize that I do not enjoy yelling at you, I don't enjoy having to punish you, but you have a tendency to force my hand. Why do you always have to push the limits Dierna?"

Dierna shrugged, "don't know." She picked up the book he had set aside and started leafing through it. "Dad?"

"What?" Severus wrapped an arm around his daughter and gently rubbed her shoulder.

"Are you ever going to tell me about the project that I've been helping you with?"

Severus sighed, he had been hoping she wouldn't change the subject, but he let it go, "I suppose now is as good a time as any." Severus spoke carefully, as though there were something he was trying to avoid.

"Really?" Dierna sat up, "what is it?"

There was a slight pause as Severus considered his next words, "I'm hoping to come up with an improvement on the Wolfsbane potion."

Dierna frowned, "but you wouldn't let me help make the Wolfsbane potion because you said it was too advanced for me. Why can I help with this?"

"I'm hoping to be able to cut out a few of the more complicated steps. I would also like to alter it so that it cancels out any transformation in a werewolf." He didn't look at Dierna as he spoke, he gazed instead into the depths of the fire in the hearth.

Dierna sat in thoughtful silence for awhile, "why would I have to research blood sacrifices for that?"

Severus' look was serious, "because we're going to try some old magic that is now nearly forgotten."

Nimue sat across from Kalliope on the floor as the sun cast its first golden rays over the school.

"We're going to work on clearing your mind today," Kalliope said in a soft, yet powerful voice. "Close your eyes and open up your senses. Listen to my voice, but also become aware of all that is going on around you. Hear the wind, listen to it. You must learn its language, and it will speak to you."

Nimue breathed in deeply, and tried to do as she was told. They were on top of the astronomy tower, and the early morning breeze caught at her hair, but she wasn't sure what she was listening for.

"Relax child, you're trying too hard. The goddess will show you what to do. You must give yourself up to your senses and let Her come into you. This is powerful magic, but you are more than capable if handling it, you are one of Hers, the goddess has clearly marked you."

Nimue felt all the tension going out of her body, she focused on Kalliope's voice, but also let her senses wander. Her breathing sounded loud in her ears, but it also sounded like it was coming from somewhere far away. As the wind blew around her she could almost hear voices. The wind caressed her cheeks like fingers, they wound through her hair, tangling it. It was almost as though the wind was playing with her...

"What is it telling you child?"

Nimue smiled, "that the days are becoming colder, it regrets the discomfort that it will cause for us. But that it is always just a bit warmer in the vale of Avalon, the priestesses will be expecting us there shortly after the first snowfall."

"Congratulations Nimue, you just called up the realm of visions."

Nimue opened her eyes and blinked against the bright sunlight that now flooded the sky, "but I didn't see anything."

"No, but you don't have to 'see' anything to create that connection. The realm of visions is simply a term we use to describe anything that we use to gain information through a magical connection. While actual visions are commonly used, the world around us can also tell us a great deal. The four elements, earth, fire, wind, and water, are all a part of the goddess."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that using magic we can connect with the elements, just as we use magic to call up visions. You just performed some very complicated magic a moment ago when you spoke with the wind, I have a feeling that since it was the first element you connected with it will claim you."

"How can the wind claim me?"

Kalliope thought for a moment, trying to decide the best way to explain, "it is the form that the goddess has chosen to speak to you through, it also means that you will have a certain degree of control over the wind. The form the goddess uses to speak to Sophia is water, she can see visions in the water. The goddess connected with me through fire," Kalliope made a small waving motion with her hand and a small flame appeared, nestled in her palm, "I can summon fire with little effort. If you ever find yourself in danger summon the wind, it will act as your guardian.
"I think this may also explain why you have had so much pain during visions."

"Why would that make a difference?" Nimue wrapped her arms around her legs and propped her chin on her knees.

"Because you hadn't found a comfortable way to see them. I have troubles seeing visions in the scrying bowl, but I can easily see them in the flames. But Sophia can see the visions with the most accuracy when she uses the scrying bowl. Priestesses who connect through the earth can call up visions without the use of any physical tool. And priestesses who connect with the wind use mirrors."

"I saw one vision in the mirror, it still hurt, but it wasn't as bad as the others."

"We'll have to get you a bronze mirror from the temple, I think that should help."

"There's so much to learn..."

"But you are doing an excellent job," Kalliope smiled, "you will make an excellent priestess, if that is the path you choose to follow."

"Why do I have to serve my detention now?"

"Why do you have to question everything I tell you to do?" Severus almost smiled at the sulky tone of Dierna's voice.

"Because I can."

"Hmmm... well, we can only hope that you'll eventually grow out of it."

Dierna continued to drag her feet as she followed several steps behind her father, and she stuck her tongue out at the back of his head. It almost made her feel better.

When they reached the entrance to Severus' office he held the door open and waited for Dierna to catch up and precede him in.

"Should I start cleaning?"

"No, I actually had something else in mind."

Dierna looked wary, "but you always have me clean your office when I have a detention."

Severus raised an eyebrow, "but I'm still not convinced that you are completely well, so no physical labor for you." He pulled a chair up to his desk and directed his daughter into it. He set parchment and a quill in front of her, "I want a five page essay."

"On what?" Dierna silently begged for something potions related.

"On why it is not a good idea to sneak out of the Hospital Wing."

Dierna groaned and buried her face in her hands, this just wasn't fair.