SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1The Choice of Silence

Chapter I: The Silcála

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter… *Sniff*…

A.N.: Well… Here's the Sequel! I wasn't planning to post it soon, but as the 5th book is coming tomorrow (YAY!) I decided upload at least the first chapter. I hope you'll still read it even after the 5th book release! In a day, this will turn out to be very AU. I'll update the story once or twice a week… just like I did with The Coma Curse. Lastly, I wanted to thank you all for reading The Coma Curse, especially SatanSaphire, Katie Lang and my dear Beta, Red… I think she's now known as Aminem.

~*~

Harry looked around the castle. Finally, he arrived! It was night already, a cloudless night.

He knocked on the old wooden door of the castle. A woman opened it and asked him to come in. He was feeling a bit nervous, he'd heard about them before. Countless times. They were like a myth… A legend… He followed her, not hesitating a bit.

This castle was an academy. Those who went there, after being tested, spent years training… Then, they were appointed to the Trials, where they would earn the title of Master of Lómë, roughly translated from an elven language, Master of the Night. Not many passed the Trials, for they were too difficult but if they did, they would earn a place within the Silcála.

 The Silcála… It was an Order, formed by Masters of Lómë. Its objective was to keep the balance of the Afterlife and the balance of all dimensions and timelines. It was composed mostly of wizards and witches, but there were some Muggles too. The Muggles were, mostly, part of the Intelligence Group, planning missions and giving advice.

To keep the Balance, the Masters were given missions. They would differ from staying in the Afterlife and protecting someone there (even if they were dead, if the wrong person got hurt, it could cause a politic problem) and going back to Earth or to another planet and help someone.

Harry found about them as soon as he arrived the Afterlife. At the first time available, he could, he went to find the Academy of the Silcála. He was a Mage, he reasoned. It shouldn't be very difficult for him to pass the Trials… He was seventeen now, it had been two years since he died. He'd spent those years with Lily, his mother. They both got along pretty well, and she was the first to support him when he said he wanted to try the Academy.

 Lily and Ciara. He cringed at the thought of the last. Ciara was a friend, a little older than him (if he wasn't mistaken, she was nineteen). She was cool and all but she was a bit tempered. While his mother had supported him with his decision, Ciara had made a scandal on 'how could Harry leave them after all they did for him?' If it hadn't been in a public place, Harry would've thought it was funny. Of course, at the time, all he wanted to do was strangle her.

 In the end, she had decided she couldn't live without her 'little brother' and went with him. When he tried to ask how she  would survive the Academy, she simply shrugged and answered she'd manage. Harry doubted she would still think this after they spent a week in the Academy.

 He looked at Ciara, who was next to him, it seemed she was feeling as nervous as he was. She nodded at him, letting him know she wasn't coming back home. He took a deep breath and entered the Academy. She followed.

*

The castle was as dark inside as it was outside. Irony, Harry thought, with a smile. Silcála means Shining Light and their Academy is so dark…He looked to his side. Ciara had a determined look on her face, even if her eyes were apprehensive. She was clutching a teddy bear, she had it since she was a child but still kept it, saying it was hers and she wanted to keep it. He rolled his eyes, couldn't she act her age?

 The woman who opened the door said something to a gargoyle. It opened in an abrupt movement, letting a door be seen. Harry followed when she entered it. He knew Ciara came just after him.

 There was only one person in the room. The High Master, Harry noted as he saw he was wearing the Silcála symbol of a silver, eight-pointed star. The woman bowed slightly and left the room, wordlessly.

The High Master turned to them.

"I understand you want to join the Academy," he said and Harry noticed his voice was like Dumbledore's – only he wasn't old.

Harry heard Ciara gasp as he said this and smiled at her naiveté. She hadn't thought he would know they wanted to join the Academy–the young Mage himself was surprised he did, but it was to be expected. The Masters of Lómë were known for their omniscience, and Harry was very much accustomed with that – his own mentor was very close to all knowing. 

"How did you…" He heard Ciara speak. He sighed; didn't she know who she was talking to? It was the High Master, for Merlin's sake! If she continued like this, he would probably reject them from the Academy!

 Deciding to take some kind of action, Harry spoke quietly, trying to cut off what Ciara had tried to say. "Yes, we want to join the Academy, High Master."

 The High Master's eyes narrowed, eyeing Ciara intently. Harry felt a strange knot in the bottom of his stomach, fearing he wouldn't let them enter. "She," he said quietly, only a bit above a whisper, yet the tone was very cold, "Cannot join."

 Ciara made an indignant sound. "What?! You Mister I-think-I-am-the-best-because-I'm-a-Master! You think that just because I'm a woman I can't join the ACADEMY?! Well, that's WRONG, Master! I'm very much capable of joining this BLOODY ACADEMY!"

 Harry could only stare at her, blinking. He couldn't believe Ciara did just that! He loved her as a sister, but she was overreacting. As always… He thought with a sigh. He could very well picture the Master's reaction… He would look at them calmly and simply tell them both to go away… All this for nothing…

 The reaction wasn't – thankfully – what Harry thought it would be. The High Master looked at her and said, in the calmest tone of voice. "Are you finished?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "Well, Miss Akaino, for your information I don't want to accept you, not because you're a woman but for your temper. With a temper like yours, you would never survive it here." He smiled, not unkindly. "I've been watching you both, Miss Akaino. You wouldn't adapt here."

 Of all, this wasn't what Harry had expected. This High Master had been watching us? As much as he agreed with the Master (he, himself, had also said this to her countless times), he knew he needed to say something to help his friend (and, as much as he would never admit it, he didn't want to face her wrath later).

"High Master," he said, just as quietly as the older man, completely ignoring Ciara by his side. "Give her a chance. If she doesn't adapt to the Academy, I, myself, will bring her home."

The High Master looked at Harry piercingly, then at Ciara, who was looking quite indignant at they both and finally, he looked at Harry once more. Sighing, he nodded his consent.

They both grinned madly at him when he said so. "But," the High Master said, with a warning look. "If you step out of the line," he told Ciara. "You will leave for home."

 They both nodded, looking down to the floor, trying to conceal their grins.

The High Master chuckled and called one of the Masters that was standing by the door. "Master Linn will show you your quarters." He looked at them, wondering then smiled. "Welcome to the Academy."

 ~*~

So that was it. The following days were like Hell to them both; Ciara was having much more problems than Harry but managed doing everything well. Harry, on the other hand, was doing pretty well; although, he admitted later to Ciara that it was very stressing and he would much rather his old training. Of course, this was after a tiring sword exercise and, if Harry hadn't been tired (angry, more likely) he would have noticed that, even if his training had been terrible, he had been very successful with it.  

Even with the eventful days, Harry missed his mother and longed to come back home. He sighed as he remembered his life on Earth, if it was three years ago, when he was still alive and finishing his forth year, he would think he'd become mad if he said he missed his old life. How ironic… He couldn't help but think. He felt as if he was betraying his mother (and even Ciara) thinking like that. He wondered how Sirius was feeling… Did he feel guilty? And, what about James? A sudden feeling of sadness overwhelmed him at this thought. He hadn't been able to spend much time with his father… Maybe his last decision hadn't been so wise after all. Maybe he should have tried more… Found some other way…

As much as he didn't want to admit, Voldemort hadn't been a 'normal' wizard. Yes, he was almost immortal. Yes, he was the Slytherin's heir… But, Harry was a Mage. He could have found a way, if he wanted to. Tears rushed to Harry's eyes at this realization; could it be true? Had he died… because he wanted to? It seemed silly to think like this, but Harry had thought that his sacrifice had been something necessary, not something that, if he wanted to, he could avoid it.

 He shook his head as if trying to make those thoughts leave. He wondered for a brief moment why he always got into a musing mood when he was sad… He guessed he was just strange.

Strange…

 The Dursleys had always told him he was a freak. It had bothered him very much when he was a child. Then, he went to Hogwarts and it had never bothered him again. Still, he always knew he was different, even from his friends. Maybe his unconscious already knew what he was. And his duty. Strange things always happened to him. Before Hogwarts, he had Apparated to the roof of his old school while being bullied by Dudley and his friends. At Hogwarts, things like the Philosopher Stone and the Chamber of Secrets happened. And there was also the fact he could speak Parseltongue.

Why was that bothering him now?

 This, he didn't know. Maybe it was because he was in a strange place… Or that he was doing strange things… It frustrated him not knowing the reasons of his thoughts. It was like they weren't his. Like he wasn't him. He hated this. All of this. Why did he need to train? Why did Merlin and the Founders find him worth their powers? Why?

Why…? he thought wearily. Someone once told him that why's were questions without answers. He didn't want any of this… He missed his friends greatly, even Ron with his impulsive manner. He missed Sirius and his Master… They were the only ones who understood him. Even when he had to make a decision like when he decided to sacrifice himself, Dumbledore had understood him. He knew Sirius would have too, if Harry had talked to him. And his father… He missed James, not as much as he missed Sirius or Dumbledore for he wasn't very close to him, but he truly wished he could have had the time to talk to James. To really talk to James. Not just live a lie near him.

He looked through the window of his room. He could see the stars and the moon from there; it was full moon. He wondered if it was too on Earth. He thought of Remus. Was he still the Defense teacher? Somehow, it felt right. If someone would break the curse from that position, it would be Remus. If it was indeed full moon on Earth tonight, his former professor would be running with Sirius and James through the Forbidden Forest, freely and painless, now with the Wolfsbane Potion. He wished he could he the Potion Master's face when he realized that the three Marauders were at Hogwarts. That's it, if they stayed at Hogwarts. Harry didn't know if they did.

 Harry could laugh at the irony of the things. If someone had told him a few years ago everything would change as they did he would've sent this person to St Mungo's! He would never believe that his father would be alive, that he was a Mage, that he'd train his fighting and magic skills or that he would one day be in a Academy in the Afterlife. It was so extraordinary… But then again, his life had been always uncommon.

He sighed. He really should get some sleep; all this thinking was making him tired. He would have a long day tomorrow, he knew. He hoped he would be able to go well on this knew training. He really wanted to pass his Trials soon; the High Master had said it was a matter of months until he would be able to try them. Maybe one of his missions as a Master of Lómë from the Order would be to go back to Earth… Maybe.

 After all, hadn't Sirius told him once all he had to do was hope?

 ~*~

Runes.

 Harry had heard of them, of course. Hermione had taken Study of the Ancient Runes since her third year at Hogwarts and had read about them while he had been under Dumbledore. He'd never tried to do any magic with runes before; the book said it could be dangerous to do it alone. But now… he smiled. He was looking forward to next lesson. He had just received his timetable; he would learn, between sword fighting and archery, many different kinds of magic skills. He specially wanted to try Elemental Magic. He wondered which Element he had…

He looked to the clock. It was still early, he noticed, relieved. Ciara wouldn't be in this class, fortunately or unfortunately he didn't know. They both had done a test, to know in which level they'd enter. Ciara had stayed in the first level and Harry on the fifth, the last one. Times like these he thanked Merlin (and his Master Albus!) for training so much on Earth. He only needed to learn few things.

 He sighed as he decided he should have some breakfast. He headed to the fireplace and threw in some Floo Powder, calling the House-Elves for some breakfast. He ate it quickly, not wanting to be late, ignoring the fact that he was early enough to eat at a normal speed.

 Finishing eating, he went for his lessons.

~*~

 "Alright!" Master Lena said cheerfully. "Everyone get your Athame and try to make spells, on the end of the class I want to try a bit of dueling using the Runes."

 Harry looked to his desk. His own Athame was lying there, next to the piece of parchment he had just used to copy some Runes he would use. The way to use the spells with Runes wasn't that simple – but it wasn't that difficult either. The difficulty of it was that you had to use the Athame instead of a wand, and to use one you had to concentrate much more than normally.

He picked to Athame up, looking very determined. He decided to try a spell to make light, like lumos did. He closed his eyes in concentration and used his Athame to draw an X with two lines on its sides on the air. He opened his eyes and…

 Nothing.

 It didn't work.

Harry gave a frustrated sigh. He had to try again, he reasoned. He couldn't expect himself to get it on his first try… Mage or not, he was still human.

 Picking his Athame again, he tried to cast the spell again. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and said the name of the Rune aloud as he drew it on the air. "Dagaz."

He opened his right eye first, as if afraid it hadn't worked. Then, he opened other one. He smiled. Somehow, he knew his day wouldn't be so long.

 ~*~

TBC…

Well… As always, please review, I really want to know what you think of the sequel, I know it's really confusing in the beginning (it's supposed to be that way!) but don't worry it'll get better. And, if it seems like it doesn't have a plot at all, rest assured it has.