"Take one more step and I'll hex you worse than you can imagine," said a female voice.
That once silent watcher squeaked in surprise. "Who.who are you?"
There was a hint of laughter in her voice as she said, "At the moment, you can think of me as your shadow. Now turn around and march to that window."
"I. I can't see you," he whimpered as he turned and headed towards the western-facing window.
There was a snort of laughter. "Are you really that dense? You must be to expect to get away from me now."
"What are you talking about? I'm doing what you said."
"Ah, but that ferret-like brain of yours is racing around, trying to figure out who you can blame this on, and how you are going to get out of the trouble you are most certainly in," that voice said smoothly. They arrived at the window. "Now jump out."
"What?! You want me to jump out of a third story window just for eavesdropping?"
"Oh I'm sure you've done more than that recently, but we'll talk about that later. Now jump. I'll be right behind you. I'm your shadow, remember?" The now extremely pale watcher stared out into the sunshine. "Oh for the love of little apples!" And with that, she pushed him through. The twelve turned and stared as Malfoy fell through the doorway, screaming. He hit the floor with a thud and still he screamed. A girl stepped through after him. She looked down at him and snapped, "Oh get up!" She nudged him with her boot.
"I'm not dead?" Malfoy whispered, in shock.
"Of course not Malfoy," Harry said. "What are you doing here?"
"I brought him here," the girl answered. "He was spying on you."
"And who are you?" Ginny asked. "And how did you get in here? Rose, you told us it was locked to anyone other than us."
Rose sighed. "She's my sister, and she wasn't supposed to show up like this."
"But her voice doesn't match the." Hermione let her sentence drop as everyone looked at her.
Rose smiled. "I thought you might have overheard that conversation. That was my other sister, Moira. This is Rhiannon. My younger sister."
"That doesn't answer the question of how she got in the room," Fred said.
"Have any of you stopped to wonder how Malfoy got in here?" Ron asked. He was holding Fianna close to his chest. Her bright blue eyes could be seen just glaring at the Slytherin sniveling on the floor.
"Rose, perhaps you'd better tell them, while I straighten out this rodent." Rhiannon said. She nudged Malfoy to his feet and pushed him to a corner of the room.
"Can we help?" Ron asked, the light of battle coming into his eyes.
"No thanks. I can handle it." Rhiannon said, smiling back at him.
They turned their attention to Rose, who smiled, a bit sheepishly. "Well, you may have noticed the three empty chairs in the circle."
"Oh no," Hermione said. "Don't tell me one of them is for him?"
Rose sighed. "I honestly don't know. That's another thing that will have to be discussed at a later time. Those chairs are there for a reason however. I'm just not entirely positive who they are all for."
Harry glared over at the pale blond boy who was having a wand waved in his face and getting quite a talking to by Rhiannon. He suddenly wondered how she had him so cowed. He wasn't even threatening to tell his father about her. That in and of itself was unusual. He seemed to be just standing there and taking it. Harry looked around at the others. "Since we don't even know the reason we are all here, then we can't really wonder what he's doing here, now can we?" Kali'na had climbed down to his shoulder. She mewled in his ear.
"They're hungry," Ginny said as Erian took up the cry. "And so am I as a matter of fact."
"The food is right over there," Rose said. She pointed to a table in the corner. There seemed to be enough platters of food on it to feed fifty people. "We'll eat and then finish what we came here to finish." As the others headed towards the table, she called to her sister, "Rhia, are you hungry?"
Rhiannon looked up. "What? Oh yes. We should probably feed him too, before he decides to sue us or something."
Harry blinked at her. "Only Muggles sue, and even then it's mostly American ones," he said as he helped himself to a mincemeat pie.
Rhiannon smiled, "That's true, but I hear some wizards are adopting the habit." Malfoy was staring at her. There didn't seem to be any malice in his face. His customary sneer was gone. In fact he seemed most at ease with his situation. And that made Harry very nervous. He returned to his chair with a plate full of food and a bowl of porridge for Kali'na.
"That may be true," Harry replied finally, "But his family would never allow him to do anything that closely linked to a Muggle practice."
"Is that right Draco?" Rhiannon asked. "Sit here. You'll get your food after the others, since you weren't expected."
Malfoy's pale blue eyes glinted briefly. "It seems you weren't either. And yes as much as I hate to admit it, Potter is right. I'd never file anything as crass as a lawsuit." It was odd, even surrounded by people who despised him, at a distinct disadvantage both physically and magically, Malfoy managed to look proud. The few moments in the corner with Rhiannon had given him a chance to compose himself and there was no longer any sign of the panic and fear that had been so evident when he fell into the room.
Rhiannon nodded. Harry's thoughts were so evident on his face. She waited until everyone else had his or her plate of food and then she directed Malfoy to get a plate and help himself. She almost laughed at his expression. She imagined he'd never eaten buffet style in his life. Even at the tables in the Great Hall, everything anyone could want was always in easy reach from their seat. And even if it wasn't someone would pass it down. At least they did from the meals she'd seen there.
Later, Rhiannon was sitting next to her sister, and Malfoy was on the other side of her. There was an empty chair between Malfoy and Neville. Neville hadn't spoken since Malfoy had fallen into the room. Now he was silently eating, keeping his eyes on his plate. Ginny glanced at him worriedly every once in a while. All four Ravenclaws had kept silent as well. They had heard what had happened the day before with the kits and had even heard about his being tackled by Atanis. The Emmortal twins were watching him warily. Daniel had told them tales of this pale Slytherin before. Daniel and Ana were merely watching and waiting. Hermione was trying to keep Ron calm, but not even food could distract him. He never took his eyes off of Malfoy. His brothers watched him warily as well, though George's gaze seemed to drift to Rose on occasion. Harry looked mightily confused. He was studying Rhiannon intensely. Her hair was a pale red-gold color and it curled just past her shoulders. Her eyes were a clear gray and he wondered if they changed like Rose's.
As they finished their food, Rose spoke up. "Perhaps you could explain yourself Malfoy. Now that you can't claim that we starved you." The Slytherin looked at her for a moment, then around the circle at the others. He opened his mouth to speak.
He stopped as a dannikit jumped into his lap. It was Andra. He gaped down at her. The little brown kit sat on his lap and looked up at him. Nobody made a sound. She co.cked her head to the side as if thinking very hard about something. Malfoy was completely still. Neville was watching with a vaguely disgruntled, and even a fearful expression on his face. Reggie and Lynne looked even more worried that he. None of them looked more confused than Malfoy himself however. After the longest time, Andra seemed to come to a decision. She trilled at him imperiously. Malfoy closed his mouth with a snap. She trilled again.
"Will you pet her already?" Rhiannon said. "Then you can get on with it."
Draco slowly put a hand on her head and stroked it. It was quite obvious to everyone that he hadn't done that very often. Andra gave a brief whirr before leaping back to Neville's lap. Malfoy looked around the room, his blue eyes slightly startled. He blinked a few times and they returned to their usual chips of ice. Harry wondered suddenly if Draco knew what it was to have a pet. He doubted it. Not a real one anyway.
"I wasn't spying, not really," Malfoy said finally. "I was just watching."
"Why?" Daniel asked. "What were you watching for?"
His chin came up. "I wanted to see where all of you were going. I saw you come this way yesterday, but you disappeared. So today I came here first."
"How did you know that we'd come here today?" Ron asked, with quite a bit of heat in his tone.
"I wasn't sure you would. But I decided this wasn't a normal class so you might meet outside the normal time periods." Malfoy said, his voice cold enough to give a salamander chills.
"No one sent you to watch us?" Hermione asked. She put a hand on Ron's arm to try to calm him down. Fianna wasn't helping much. She was standing on the floor by Ron's feet; her already bushy tail, three times its normal size and her bright blue eyes were fixed on the Slytherin with a concentration that was frightening.
Malfoy scoffed, "No one sends me to do anything Granger. I'm no peasant." He looked her up and down saying nothing, but his eyes said it all. Hermione flushed and Ron's hands clenched into fists.
"That's quite enough Draco." Rhiannon said suddenly. "I'll escort you to your class now."
He looked at her solemnly for a second and said, "All I have is a study period with Professor Snape. I won't miss anything."
Through his anger, Harry realized that Malfoy did not want to leave. This situation was getting stranger by the second. Why wouldn't Malfoy leave a place where he wasn't wanted? Rhiannon and Rose were whispering to one another. He could see Rose's eyes. They were bright green. Rhiannon's were still that same clear gray as before. She looked away from her sister and caught his eye. She seemed to smile as she said, "All right then Draco. You can stay, if you like." Her voice turned as cold as his had been. "If you make another remark like that, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Do we understand each other?"
And Draco Malfoy, that proud, cold, 'pure-blood', rich young wizard said nothing. He only nodded once in agreement. That was the end of the subject.
After a few moments of shock, Ana broke the silence. "Now, on to you Rhiannon. What are you doing here?"
"I transferred here from Salem Academy in America to be with my sisters." Rhiannon said simply. "And please call me Rhia. Rhiannon is so long and formal. That would be like calling Rose, Rosemonde all the time. Takes too long."
"Your name is Rosemonde?" George asked. "I never knew that." He sounded a bit hurt.
"That's because I never told anyone." Rose said. " It's too old fashioned. Now, shall we finish the boxes?"
"Yes. Let's do that. I'm quite curious as to what else we can do to them. They're quite beautiful as they are," Hermione said, touching her the soft caramel suede on Nildur's box.
"Sure yours is," Ana said. "Mine is the color of dirt." She looked down at Segan's box her expression perplexed.
"Dirt is a good thing," Neville said. "Don't knock it."
"Oh I wasn't Neville. I just can't help but wish Segan had chosen something a bit. prettier." Ana said.
"So Rose," Reggie asked, "What do we do now?"
Rose smiled. "First thing is to get that table back over here in the circle and empty of food." She looked over at the still food-laden table just in time to see it, dishes and all, disappear. "My they certainly are efficient, aren't they?" Rose murmured. "Okay someone levitate it over here, and I'll get the rest of the supplies." She stood and went to the cabinet in the back of the room. There were various tins and cartons that had to be carried to the table once Fred and George had floated it over the circle of chairs and into the center.
To everyone's surprise, Malfoy was the first to help Rose, but only after Rhia gave him a long indecipherable look. When everything was assembled on the table it came to 12 paint tins and six cartons. "First," Rose said, "The kits will chose the paint tin that is meant for their box. The cartons have the second and final element that we'll deal with in a minute." She put Vestan on the table and waved a hand at the boxes. Everyone else followed suit. Rhia and Draco watched as each kit went unerringly to a single tin. There was no hesitation from any of them.
"Now, pull their tin over to you and open it up." As they did what she said, there were some shocked gasps. Everyone stared into his or her paint tins. Draco leaned just slightly in Rhia's direction to see Rose's paint. Harry looked up in time to see the gray-eyed girl raise an eyebrow at him from across the table. She hadn't moved at all, but he got the sudden feeling that she'd moved a good foot away from Malfoy in her head. It was the strangest thing. Yet another in a series of things that occurred around that girl. He looked back into his paint. It was the most beautiful paint he had ever seen in his life. It wasn't one color. It was all colors, swirled together, shimmering, moving through each other, but not mixing in the slightest. He could have watched that paint swirl forever.
So it seemed could everyone else. The room was completely silent. Until all the dannikits set up a ruckus at once and Rhia said sharply, "Rose, stop that." The auburn-haired girl looked over at her sister. Vestan stretched from where he sat on the table to put a paw on either of her cheeks and look into her eyes. Her eyes were shifting colors, from gold to green to gray to blue and a few others that were un-nameable. She blinked rapidly at her kit. And then looked around the table at the others. The other kits were in various states of precariousness as they tried to block their companion's vision.
Kali'na was on Harry's head, her tail swept over his eyes. Fianna had clawed her way up Ron's shirt to put a paw on his nose, forcing his eyes to cross. Nildur had thrashed around in Hermione's hair until a large bit of it fell across her face. Lunia and Solida draped themselves on the arms of the Weasley twins, covering their eyes with their fluffy tails. Anondir and Ikarus had merely stretched across the top of their tins. Closing off the view of the paint, without touching it. Phantom had stretched up to cover Daniel's eyes with her paws. Segan managed somehow to get on Ana's shoulder, twist around and get nose to nose with her. Andra flipped up Neville's tie until it covered one eye. The other she blocked with her tail. Erian merely trilled at Ginny and sat in front of her. Strangely, her vision didn't really need blocking as just his presence got her attention. Once he had it, the soft brown kit approached Malfoy. He was still leaning towards Rose; his eyes fixed on her paint.
From everyone else's point of view it looked quite odd. It was like he was frozen in that position. Rhia still hadn't moved, and those cool gray eyes watched Erian. The kit stretched up on his hind-legs then put one paw on Malfoy's chest, the other on his chin, and mrowled in his face. The Slytherin blinked, and then moved to rebalance himself in his chair, and put a hand on the kit before could fall. "What the devil is that stuff?" he asked. He petted Erian a few more times before the kit returned to Ginny. Her blue eyes were confused as she cuddled her kit.
Rose took a deep breath. "That stuff is Fate paint. I had forgotten the danger. Many a witch and wizard has wasted away while watching it. It's used to paint important objects, helps the user to discover the fate of the objects and often themselves. We are going to use it today on the boxes." Her eyes had returned to gold. "I'm sorry all of you."
"Don't worry about it Rose," George said reassuringly. "Our kits were here to save the day."
"So was Rhia," Harry said. Both Rhiannon and Draco looked at him then. Her face was unreadable and his cold.
"Why are you using such a valuable paint on a carry box for a dannikit?" Malfoy asked. A faint blush touched his pale cheeks as all 12 dannikits turned to stare at him.
"Because, Draco," Rhia said calmly, "They aren't normal, not even for Dannikits. Which is saying a lot considering Agoradans are quite unusual anyway."
"How do you know the paint is valuable?" Fred asked.
Malfoy looked like he dearly wanted to make a remark about money then, but Rhia met his eye with her cool gray gaze and all he said was, "My father had something painted with it once. I never saw it. He." He stopped, looked disgruntled and then looked down at his hands.
Harry exchanged a look with Ron and Hermione. That was certainly interesting. Rose cleared her throat, "Well, we have a lot to do now, and only this class period to do it in. I want all the kits on the table, next to the paint tins. Now everyone take out your wands. Put your free hand on the kit, and stick the end of your wand into the paint." Harry stared as his wand seemed to soak up the swirling paint. The hand he kept on Kali'na was like an anchor that saved him from being caught by the colors again. He heard Rose's voice say, as if from a distance, "Now touch the wand tip to the top of your box." He did as she said. The paint flowed smoothly out of his wand again, to pool on the top of the box. There were blinding flashes of light all around the table.
His vision slowly returning, Harry saw everyone else blinking too. "Wicked." Daniel said. He was staring down at his box. Harry looked at it too. It was a picture of two sharp, long bladed daggers, crossed in X. There was a thin line of brass down the length of each blade. The handles looked like they were wrapped in brass dragon scales. They did indeed look wicked against the dark green of the box.
Harry looked at his own. Slashing across the dark black of his box was a silver lightning bolt. It was the exact shape of his scar. It shimmered as he watched. He looked around the table at the other boxes. They all had an image on top now.
Across the top of Ron's purple box was a club. There was leather wrapped around the handle to form a grip. Hermione had an open book, and a quill displayed attractively on hers. He could see Fred's blue box and the long staff that stretched from one corner to the other. George's deep red showed an archery bow and a quiver full of arrows with gold and green fletching. He couldn't see Rose's box. Next to Daniel, he could see Reggie's box. Her sky blue box now had white puffy looking clouds on top. Her sister's was covered in white-capped waves, like a stormy sea. Ana's once plain dirt- brown box now had what looked like a myriad of gray stonework all across the top. Ginny's pale yellow box was covered in animal paw-prints. Neville's had vines of varying shades of green twining across the top. Rhia was smiling at everyone, especially him. Harry forced himself to look at Rose. Her box was now tilted a bit so he could see it. There was of all things, a rose on the top. But it was a rose with petals of flame.
"They're finished," Rose said with satisfaction in her voice. Everyone started admiring everyone else's box. Malfoy sat quietly, watching them. Rhia frowned and said something to him. He jumped and looked at her, startled.
"What do you suppose she said?" Ron asked Harry. He was still watching Malfoy closely. Fianna was ignoring him however. She was staring at the top of Ron's box.
"I don't know Ron. I'm not a mind reader. What do you suppose these pictures mean?" Harry said. Kali'na was back on his head, her paws over his scar.
"I can answer that," Rose said. "But not quite yet. There is one more thing to do."
"You just said they were finished." Ana said. Segan looked quite pleased with the box now.
"They are finished, but we are not." Rose answered. She looked at her sister.
Rhia stood up. "Come on Draco. We have to take the rest of the paint to the Headmaster. It's too dangerous to leave here."
"I'm not an errand boy." He snapped. She just looked at him, saying nothing. He stood and looked down his nose at her. Of course since she was shorter even than Rose, this was the only way he could look at her. Still she said nothing. He narrowed his eyes at her.
Her expression didn't change as she added, "Pour the remnants into one tin. We'll just take that one to Dumbledore." Everyone waited to see what he would do. She stepped away from him, to pat Vestan on the head. "See you later little fellow. Would you all mind passing the paint to Draco?" Stunned, they did so. After a defiant moment, he started combining the paint. It took two tins to hold it all. Picking up them both, Malfoy started to the door without a word. Before following him, Rhia looked at Harry. Some strange emotion passed over her face just as she smiled and turned away. Unlike her sister, whose emotions were always as plain as the eyes on her face, Rhiannon Jameson was unreadable.
The door closed behind her. Everyone turned to look at Rose. "Start talking." George ordered. "Why didn't you tell us your sister was here? Why haven't we seen her before now? And why on earth did you let Malfoy watch the completion of the boxes?"
"Why was he being so nice?" Neville asked. He and Ginny were both holding their kits close. "He was almost human."
"Malfoy couldn't ever be human. Are you forgetting what he did just yesterday?" Ron exclaimed. He scooped up Fianna from the table and tucked her into a pocket of his robes.
"We haven't forgotten Ron," Hermione said. She put a hand on his arm. "I think there is more here than even Rose knows."
"Yes, there is. I can only say that Rhiannon's appearance today was as much a surprise to me as it was to you. I'm still not sure why Malfoy was even here, and Rhiannon knows something that she hasn't told me yet about all that business and the reason for his continued presence." She sighed and traced the rose on her box with a finger. "Now about these. I think it's time we figured out a few of them."
"You don't know?" Reggie asked. She was stroking Ikarus with one hand and with the other lightly touching the clouds on her box.
"I know mine refers to my ability to use fire as a weapon, and to my name. Yours is obviously something similar, only with air and your sister's with water. Ana, yours is something to do with earth and stone, I'm not sure what. The others. I don't know."
"Mine has to do with plants," Neville said happily.
"And mine with animals." Ginny said. "That explains what happened with the Cridders, a bit."
"Ours are weapons." Fred said. "Though I think Daniel got the best part of that deal. Those knives look positively,"
"Wicked." Daniel finished. "I don't know about that. George has some rather sharp-looking arrows."
"Mine looks like a bludger bat." Ron said, frowning.
Fred looked down at it. "Nah, a bludger bat is shorter and not so large at the head."
"Looks like a fair sized club to me Ron." Harry said. "Mine is just a rendition of my scar."
"Don't be so sure Harry," Rose said. " I think the pictures are linked somehow to powers that haven't been discovered yet. They aren't just representations of us." She paused. "Well, now that we have those at least partially established, it's time to open the cartons. Every other person take one and open it up." They did. Inside each carton were four thin cords, each one strung with a small piece of stone. "The larger one goes to you and the person to your left, the smaller matching one goes to your Dannikit. The one that should be yours will be warm in your hand, the other will be cold. Be sure to take the one meant for you."
Harry stared down at the small stones in his hand. The longer cords hung down from his hand. After a moment, he picked up one and handed it to Daniel. "This is yours, and this one too." Phantom took the smaller cord and stone from Harry's hand. He turned to Kali'na. "I guess these are ours girl." He looked back at Rose.
"Now, tie them around your neck, comfortably loose, but tight enough that they won't come off over your head." She said, doing the same thing herself with the one Neville handed her.
Before she put it on, Hermione asked, "Why don't we want them to come off?" Rose didn't answer. Hermione shrugged and put on the necklace. They all put the smaller ones on their kits as well. A light seemed to flicker in each of the stones. Hermione gasped, "These are the Shards. or at least, most of them." Rose smiled, but said nothing. "Whatever they are." Hermione added.
"These little things are what that snake was so worried about?" Daniel asked.
"No. If you'll recall, it said that not even the Shards would save us." Harry said, staring down at the little stone now around his neck. He looked at his box and then at Kali'na. "They must be powerful if Voldemort wanted them mentioned."
Reggie and Lynne gaped at him. "You just said." Lynne's voice faded.
"Of course he did." Hermione said. "Fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself." {Sorry, had a movie moment there.}[smile]
"We didn't figure out what your picture meant 'Mione." Ron said, looking closely at her box.
"It's books of course," Hermione answered. "We pretty much already know I'm good with those." There was a hint of disappointment in her voice.
Rose smiled, "That's true. But like I said before, there's more to these pictures than meets the eye."
George looked at her appraisingly. "Was that a joke? From Rose?"
"Nothing on the scale of yours I'm sure," Rose said, grinning at him. "Now, I'd appreciate it if all of you would just tuck the necklaces under your collars. At least until we talk to Dumbledore. You all have a class to get through now."
"How are we supposed to concentrate on Herbology now?" Ron asked.
"Just be glad it's not History of Magic," Ginny grumbled.
"That's a bummer. Hey maybe if you try to figure out what those paw-prints belong to, you'll be able to stay awake." Neville suggested.
"Thanks Neville. I will," She smiled at him. Lucky for him, her brothers didn't see that smile. It was a bit on the flirtatious side.
As they all started to pack things up, Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "I think we need to have another meeting in the Common Room."
"But Harry," Ron started, "We have that meeting with Dumbledore. Surely some of our questions will be answered then."
"Ron, you know as well as I do that meetings with Dumbledore often raise more questions than they answer," Harry said.
"He is right though Harry. We don't know what that meeting is about, so we shouldn't plan anything yet." Hermione said.
"Well it's doubtful that the meeting will be about Rhia. And that's what I want to talk to you guys about." Harry said.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked. He patted the pocket where Fianna was nestled. She whirred softly.
"I think I know her from somewhere." Harry said. "It's the strangest thing. she's ringing even more bells in my head than Rose does."
"Huh?" Ron asked again. "You know Rose?"
"No. I don't think I do. It just feels like it. The feeling is even stronger with Rhia." Harry said.
"That's odd Harry. I felt like I had known Rose forever earlier, but some people just bring that out. It's just the way they are. It doesn't mean anything." Hermione said.
Rose cleared her throat. She was standing by the door. "Shall we?" Everyone tucked the Shard necklaces into their shirts and headed out the door. "You seem a bit preoccupied Harry. What's going on?" Rose asked. He had been the last one out the door. She had joined him quickly, and tapped the window frame behind her, locking it.
"I was just thinking," Harry said.
"About what?" Rose asked, her eyes a friendly gold.
"What year is Rhia in? She wasn't wearing any house colors."
"She'd be in Fifth year I believe," Rose answered, "As for her house, I don't know. She just showed up and may not have been Sorted yet."
"That's true I suppose," Harry said.
"Why were you wondering?"
Harry shook his head, "Just curious."
A few moments later, the group split up to go to their separate classes. Rose went with the fifth year Gryffindors to Herbology. She continued to walk beside Harry. Ron and Hermione walked ahead of them and Neville behind. Harry realized suddenly that Hermione had grown taller over the break and now came to Ron's chin. That particular red head was now taller then Harry, but not by much. Rose was actually shorter than Hermione. It occurred to him that all this sudden thought about height was odd. Until he realized why he was doing it. Rhia. She was shorter than Rose. Which meant that her head would come to his shoulder. He frowned at himself as Kali'na started whirring from her place on top of his head. They slipped into Greenhouse 4, trying not to interrupt Professor Sprout. She merely nodded to them and continued lecturing on the Phileo plant.
After the lesson, They approached her to see what they missed. "Not a thing dears. What a lovely carry-box Neville. Whatever inspired you?"
Neville flushed a bit and said, "Your class Professor." It wouldn't do to tell her it was Fate paint and he didn't really know what the vines meant.
The Herbology professor smiled a very pleased smile and said, "That's marvelous Neville. Just marvelous." Then she shooed them all out of the greenhouse so she could lock up.
"That was smoothly done Neville," Ron said.
"Well it must be at least partially true. I do very well in her class after all." Neville answered. He patted Andra, who was on his shoulder with one hand and the other held his carry box.
"What do we do now?" Harry asked.
"We are to meet the others in the Great Hall in about 30 minutes. From there we'll head to Dumbledore's office." Rose answered him.
"Why don't we go directly there?" Harry asked.
Rose looked at him, her eyes blue with amusement. "Most students do not have the intimate knowledge of the castle that you have Harry. They don't know the location of the Headmaster's office." Harry flushed. Kali'na, now curled in the crook of his arm trilled faintly. Rose grinned. "Let's go to the Common Room. I have to pick up a few things." There were murmurs of agreement and they all headed inside.
Ron, Harry, Neville, Fred and George stepped into the Great Hall, their kits in their arms or on their shoulders. Ron had his wizard chess board under one arm. "Who's for a game while we wait for the ladies?" he asked cheerfully.
Daniel sauntered up. "I'll take that offer. Anybody know why girls have to fuss with their clothes when they are just seeing the headmaster?" He asked as he and Ron set up the board.
"Not a clue mate," Fred said, grinning. "But isn't it nice when they do?"
Daniel grinned as he casually moved a pawn across the board. "Isn't it though?"
"Speaking of girls," George said, nodding his head at the door.
Harry looked up from watching the chessboard, expecting to see Hermione and the others. Instead he saw Rhia. She was walking with Malfoy over to the Slytherin table. "She couldn't be. Could she?" he said.
"Be what? A Slytherin?" Neville shook his head. "She's too nice."
"No house colors yet," Ron said, glancing up from the board briefly.
Daniel frowned slightly as his bishop was beaten to a pulp by Ron's pawn. "Classy girl like that shouldn't be seen with slime like him. That skinny girl, what's-her-name, Pansy. She's more his speed."
"She's not with him," Harry said. "They're walking together is all." Rhia and Malfoy left the room after he had said something to Goyle.
The other boys looked at Harry. Their expressions said clearly, 'So that's the way of it then.' Harry didn't notice as he was staring after Rhia. It didn't surprise him at all when she turned just a bit in the doorway and looked directly at him. She smiled a 'just for you' smile and rolled her eyes a bit before going after Malfoy.
"Better mind your queen Daniel," Fred said, bringing Harry back to the room. Just in time to see Cho Chang glide into the room with a couple other Ravenclaw girls. Just the day before, the sight of her had made his inside clench up in knots and his palms sweat. Now he just thought she was a very pretty, very nice friend. That thought echoed in his head the whole time it took her to cross the Hall to stand next to him.
"Good afternoon Harry," she said sweetly. "What are you boys up to?"
"Just killing time before a study meeting," Harry said, smiling uncomfortably at her.
"A study meeting this early in the year? What ever could you have to study?" She looked prettily confused.
"This and that," George said, coming to Harry's rescue. "And there is the rest of our study group." He motioned to the door where Rose, Hermione, Ginny, Ana, Reggie and Lynne waited. "Come on Ron. Haven't you finished trouncing Daniel yet?"
Ron flashed his brother a grin and said with no lack of pride in his voice, "Checkmate Daniel. Sorry Pal. Hey, be comforted that you lasted longer than Harry."
Daniel stared down at the board, bewildered. "How?" he muttered as he helped Ron pack up the board and pieces.
Harry waved at Cho before following the others to the doorway. She stared after him. As he got to Rose he thought he saw an angry frown distort her pretty mouth, but then she smiled and waved back at him and he dismissed the thought as nonsense.
"That was certainly interesting Harry," Rose commented. Her eyes were a brilliant blue and she looked like she dearly wanted to burst into laughter.
"I've always wondered about that girl," Hermione murmured. "Now I know."
"What's that 'Mione?" Ron asked as they all headed toward Dumbledore's office.
"I'll tell you later Ron." She answered, glancing over at a thoughtful Harry.
They all stared at the Griffin statue. "How are we to get in if we don't know the password?" Ana asked.
Rose smiled. "Everlasting Gobstoppers." The Griffin moved out of the way and Rose motioned them all through.
"What's an Everlasting Gobstopper?" George asked her as they climbed a flight of stairs.
Rose grinned at him. "It's a Muggle candy. I've got a few. I'll show you later." As they all crowded into Dumbledore's office, Fawkes squawked a greeting.
"Hello Fawkes," Harry said, "Professor Dumbledore about?"
"I'm right here Harry," the headmaster said, coming in through a side door. "Welcome to my office everyone. Would you all come into the conference room now please?" He sounded tired. None of them had ever heard the headmaster like that before. Grieving yes, but not tired.
They followed him into the room he had just come from. There were enough chairs for them all. They sat, and looked around them wonderingly. There were a countless number of things in the room that they would have loved to investigate. However, the most intriguing thing in the room was a painting. It showed a beautiful city by the sea. Tall round columns, cobbled streets, towering buildings. All of them arranged in three circumscribed rings. The smallest and most spectacular surrounded a glowing orb that was set high above the city on some sort of spire.
Dumbledore said nothing, merely watched the picture. Like a muggle movie, they watched time pass in the city. At first it was calm and easy. Just people going about their daily routine. But it gradually became more hurried. Stress and worry were evident on their faces. The worry became fear as many people were running through the streets. Someone was climbing that spire, towards the still glowing orb. They could see that it was a woman when the strong wind blew her hair out behind her. She had almost reached the orb.
As she touched it, the picture seemed to ripple. The woman almost fell, but managed to hold onto the spire. She pulled off the orb. The picture shuddered, and terror was plain on the faces of the people below. With one arm wrapped around the spire, holding her in place, the woman cradled the orb in her hands and stared into it. Suddenly she thrust it towards the sky and held it there. Around her disaster ripped through the city. Buildings fell, people fled, the roads rose and fell as if they were waves on the sea. The tower below the spire was soon the only thing left standing. The orb glowed still, the same calm light as before.
Then with a suddenness that was shocking, it shattered. The pieces showered over the woman and onto the ground below. She hung limply on the spire, cut and bleeding. And the twelve thought that she was dead. Then she moved. Slowly, painfully she made her way to the ground. After tending to her wounds she looked around her. There was no one left in the city. She was alone.
More time passed. She slowly gathered the pieces of the orb from the rubble. There came a time when she didn't appear any more. The sea covered more and more of the picture, until all that was left was the center spire. Finally there was nothing but the deep blue of a calm sea.
"What do you think?" Dumbledore asked softly.
"That beautiful city. destroyed." Ginny said. Her blue eyes were filled with tears. Neville patted her shoulder. They were all silent.
"Atlantis." Hermione said. "We just saw the fall of Atlantis. In that painting. How?"
"That painting is a documentation of the events as they truly happened. An anonymous artist created it long ago. Yes it is the fall of Atlantis. That orb was the Sunstone of Atlantis and the source of the city's power. It was created so long before even this happened that it is beyond even imagined history."
"The Shards." Harry said, "The Shards are the pieces of the Sunstone that the woman gathered from the ground. We're wearing them around our necks. Our kits are wearing them on collars." He sounded as stunned as everyone else looked. Except for Rose. She was smiling approvingly at him. "You knew. You knew what they were."
"Yes I did," Rose said. "Now you do. All of you." She turned to Dumbledore.
"So does Voldemort. That's what the snake was meant to tell us. Its sole purpose was to let us know that he knew we had them. That, and to make us think not even they would matter." Dumbledore told them. "But he was wrong. They do matter. I know they do simply because he took all that trouble to tell us they didn't. You twelve, along with another three who aren't here, are the Guardians of the Shards."
"What does that mean exactly?" George asked.
"That means that we are to protect them from evil. Namely, Voldemort," Rose said softly. "If he gets even one, he will then have knowledge of the others, and be able to obtain them."
"And what does that mean?" Daniel asked. "He'd be able to find the others?"
"The Shards want to be together. That is how so many of them are together now. They lead their holder or Guardian, to the others. If he got one it would lead him to the rest." Rose answered.
"How do you know so much about them?" Hermione asked. "You didn't have yours until today."
Rose lifted her chin. "That woman in the painting was my ancestor. The Legend of the Shards has been passed down through my family since the day the Sunstone shattered. Until four years ago, I thought it was just a family legend. The woman, Lianna, did not die. She went to Greece. There she married a warrior and had five daughters. She passed her knowledge down to them. After her youngest daughter's birth she made the mistake of telling her husband about the Shards. He tried to use them for power. But her daughters, witches all, hid them from him. The six women fled his wrath. They traveled the world as soothsayers and prophetesses for they were those as well. Because they were so often right in their predictions, other warrior kings took them in. They had to be constantly on guard and it grew tiresome. So, they hid the Shards separately, in many places. They all eventually married, but their magic always frightened their husbands away. Lianna's tale was passed down from daughter to daughter. There were never any sons." Everyone looked at Rose. Her eyes were a swirl of gold and gray. The silence in the room was heavy as everyone absorbed the tale.
"What happened to make Atlantis sink?" Lynne asked, still staring at the painting. She reached out to touch the blue water.
"Don't touch it!" Dumbledore said. Lynne snatched her hand back. He sighed. "I'm sorry Lynne. The painting has. unforeseen magical properties. In a moment it will begin again. It replays the events again and again. When it plays through again, I'd like you all to watch closely. Not Lianna, or the Sunstone, but the city itself. I want to know what you see."
They all returned their attention to the painting, as its picture seemed to fade. The beautiful city was once again in place and perfect. This time, the student focused on the city. A very strange thing happened then. The angle of the picture changed. Now the main part of the picture was the streets of the city. The Sunstone was just something far above them. All the happy people that were going about their business in their beautiful, brightly colored clothes, in their lovely city. Ginny choked back a sob at the thought of their fate. A man in black stopped at the base of the spire that held the Sunstone. The woman they now knew as Lianna approached him. They spoke, but it was like a silent movie. The twelve only knew that she was very angry with the man. She sent him away.
Dark fear spread throughout this city of light. Men and women wearing black were often trying to get to the Sunstone Spire. Lianna and a few other women were seen many times at the base of the spire, keeping the dark ones away. The first man was seen rarely and when he came, Lianna was always the one to turn him away. Soon, all light clothed people had fled. A crowd of dark ones approached the Spire, that same man in the lead. Lianna stood alone against them. She spoke and so did he. She turned away from him and disappeared into the tower below the Sunstone. A few moments later, she could be seen climbing the Spire.
The new angle of the picture kept their attention on the people below. The man, in his black robes was clothed just a bit differently from the others. A bit finer, more ornate. As Lianna touched the Sunstone, the city rippled, as it had before. Many of the darkly clothed people fled as buildings toppled around them. The finely dressed man raised his arms up to the sky. As he did, his long sleeve fell back to reveal.
"The Dark Mark!" Harry whispered, incredulous.
"Yes Harry." Dumbledore said softly. "Watch." He looked beyond tired.
Everyone else in the room was gaping at the painting. At the awful death's head with a serpent in its mouth that was tattooed on the man's arm. He was trying to perform some sort of wandless magic. They could just see Lianna at the top of the scene, the Sunstone in her arms. When she thrust it to the sky, the man with the Dark Mark jerked as if he'd been struck in the belly by a very large fist. But still he held his arms out towards the Stone. The city went still around them. Then the Sunstone shattered. Just before a deadly sharp piece could pierce his heart, he vanished. His people had long ago fled, or been crushed by the falling buildings.
The scene continued as it had before. Lianna climbed down from the Spire and tended her wounds. There was a deep cut on the palm of her right hand. When she washed the blood away, all that could be seen was a thin silver scar. The scar sliced across her palm, from the base of her smallest finger to the ball of her thumb. Her other wounds healed at a normal rate, as she gathered the Shards together. She put them into a leather bag that she wore around her waist. When she had them all, she had to force the bag to close. The Sunstone wanted to shine on its city, even broken as it was. Then she left and the city sank beneath the sea.
Everyone turned to stare at Rose and Dumbledore. Rose was looking a bit pale and her eyes were completely gray. George reached out to touch her hand. She blinked and smiled weakly. "I'm sorry," she said, "It's just so different to see it like this. worse than I imagined as a child. Except for the Serpent. That man has terrified my dreams for my entire life."
"How is it that that man wore the Dark Mark thousands of years before Tom Riddle was even a thought in someone's twisted mind?" Ana asked.
"He took it from history." Dumbledore said. "Now I would like all of you to think long and hard about this. Do you accept the duty of Guardianship of the Shards?"
There was silence as they all looked at one another, then back at Dumbledore. George spoke first. "We can't bloody well refuse now can we? What with having the dannikits and Shards and boxes and knowing all this."
"It wouldn't be decent." Fred added.
"No it wouldn't," Hermione said, "Of course I accept."
Ron grinned, "I'm in."
Neville nodded, "So am I."
"Me too," Ginny said brightly.
"Me three," Ana said smiling a bit.
Reggie looked at Lynne, who nodded. "Lynne and I accept of course."
Daniel looked at his little sisters and then at everyone else. "I can't let them go haring off to have adventures without me now can I?"
They all looked at Harry. Harry looked at Rose. She smiled. "It's been my family's fate for thousands of years. I won't break from tradition."
Now all their attention was on Harry. There was a definite tension in the air. If the Boy-Who-Lived refused this task, what could it mean for the rest of them? Finally Harry smiled. "I've never shirked a duty in my life, I'm not about to start now."
They all gasped as the Shards around their necks grew searing hot. They yanked them from under their shirts, and had their eyes dazzled by a brilliant blue light that faded almost immediately. So quickly that, they weren't sure they saw anything at all. Except for the spots that were dancing before their eyes.
When their vision cleared, they saw a smiling Dumbledore who didn't look nearly as tired now. His eyes even twinkled as he asked, "Shall we go to dinner now?"
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then Ron's stomach growled and they all laughed. If it sounded a bit forced, no one commented on it. Ron flushed and mumbled something about not eating much at lunch. As they made their way from the room, Harry looked back at the painting. Atlantis was once again above the waves, in all its splendor.
"It 's so beautiful it makes me want to cry sometimes," Rose said softly. "They didn't all die you know. The Good Atlanteans fled to other islands long before that final struggle between Lianna and the Serpent."
Harry glanced at her. "Somehow, I knew that." He shook his head. "Which is assuredly odd since I've never known anything about Atlantis before."
She just smiled and said, "Let's go. The others will miss us." Harry was very happy to see the gold back in her eyes before they left the room.
Dinner was decidedly boring. All they wanted to do was get somewhere quiet and think about what they had committed themselves to. Instead they had to endure an hour of rather pointless and nonsensical chatter from their fellow students. Admittedly, an hour and half before, they would have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. After seeing the fall of Atlantis in the painting school gossip seemed well, pointless. At least it did until Seamus said, "That strange girl came in just before you lot, looked around, nodded at the Gryffindor table and walked out again. She was quite pretty in an exotic and distracted sort of way."
Harry blinked at Seamus. "Rhia was here and didn't stay?"
"Is that her name? It fits. It was quite interesting because Malfoy followed after her. He's back now though, and she's not."
Harry looked over at the Slytherin table. There was Malfoy. He wasn't sneering as he usually did. In fact he looked a bit confused, and just a tad angry. Harry grinned wickedly. "Serves him right the li" he stopped because he hurt. It was the strangest sensation. There was a zinging pain in the very middle of his chest. He looked down There was a glimmer of blue light shining through his shirt. He hurriedly pulled his robes closed and looked at the others. They were all twelve seated at the Gryffindor table this evening. And they all look as astonished as he felt. He excused himself from Seamus, who looked at him oddly, and left the hall. The others were quick to follow.
Their kits were all quietly snoozing in their boxes, as they had been since before they watched the painting.
As they all crowded into an empty classroom, Rose exclaimed, "Blessed hell Harry. What did you do?"
"I didn't DO anything. I was just talking to Seamus about Rhia and," he paused. "No. I have to be wrong. Not him."
"What on earth are you talking about Harry?" Neville asked. "Or rather who?"
Harry ran a hand through his terminally messy hair. "Seamus said Rhia came into the Hall earlier, looked around and left again. Malfoy followed her. He came back, she didn't."
"The bounder," Ron said. Then hissed through his teeth with the rest of them as they were once again zinged.
Rose stared at Harry and Ron. "Well blessed hell again. That arrogant fool has a Shard."
They gaped at her. She sighed. "I have to find my sister. You all go on to bed. I'll see you all in the Hall before breakfast."
"I'm coming with you." Harry said.
She looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "No. I'll find her easier on my own. Goodnight." And with that she disappeared down the hall.
"How in the name of Merlin are we supposed to sleep now?" Ron asked. "Knowing that that sleazy"
"Ow! Ron, would you please hold your tongue?" Hermione snapped, "I'm not sure my chest can handle much more of it."
A second later, they were all laughing. Except of course for Ron and Hermione. They were both blushing furiously. Even Reggie and Lynne were giggling, though they were almost as red as Hermione.
Fred and George grinned maniacally.
"So is it Ron's. whatever," George asked philosophically.
"Or Hermione's. whatever?" Fred finished. Hermione gasped. The twins turned to look over the two in question appraisingly.
"Well we can't fault her. She's far too pretty." Fred said. He winked at Hermione.
George sighed mournfully. "It must be our brother then. After all the lessons we gave him." They shook their heads sadly.
Ron glared at his brothers. "Shove off the both of you." Still flushing a deep red, he pulled Hermione back into the Hall.
Harry heard her ask, "Lessons?" as they disappeared into the crowd and burst out laughing again. When the others looked at him questioningly as he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes, he refused to explain.
A few minutes later, when they had calmed down and were just about to return to the Hall for dessert, a cold voice asked, "What do you all think you are doing in here at this time of night?"
It was Snape and he looked angry enough to spit.
"It's not even eight o'clock yet Professor." Daniel said.
Ana elbowed him in the side. "We were just about to go back to the Great Hall for dessert."
"What were you doing in an empty classroom during dinner?" He sneered.
"They were doing something for me Professor," said a voice behind the Potions Master.
"Malfoy, what? They were doing something. for you?"
"Yes Professor."
Snape looked decidedly discomfited. He looked back at the others. The Weasley twins at least managed to look convincing. Snape said nothing more and left the room in a swirl of robes.
"Why did you do that Malfoy?" Harry asked. He was genuinely confused and very glad Ron was gone already.
"Because I followed you. and it needed to be done." He smiled icily. "Besides, now you owe me Potter. I won't forget it." He turned on his heel and left.
After a moment, Reggie asked, "Anybody else get the feeling that that last parting shot of his was just for show?"
Everyone but Harry nodded slowly. He was still staring at the door. "Why would he help us? And what is so bloody interesting about us that makes him follow us like that? It's disconcerting."
"The Shards," Ginny said. They all looked at her. "The Shards are trying to find each other. His led him to ours. But he doesn't know that. Yet. I'll bet he doesn't even know himself why he's following us."
"This situation is getting more complicated by the minute." George said.
"Let's grab some dessert and head to bed. I don't know about you all, but my brain could use a break." Daniel said. "There's no telling what's going to pop up for us tomorrow."