Later, Harry met Ron and Hermione in the Common room. He told them what had happened with Malfoy and what Reggie and Ginny had said. Hermione stared into the fire for a moment. "They might be right. However, I think a good nights sleep is in order before we declare Malfoy a Good Guy." She waved a thoughtful hand at the two of them and climbed the stairs.
Ron looked at Harry and said, "She's right you know." He smiled. "She usually is."
Harry nodded and followed him to their dormitory. Neville was already fast asleep in his bed, Andra on his pillow. Dean and Seamus were still down in the Common Room, along with most of the other Gryffindors. Harry looked at his own bed. There was Shadow, just sitting there and waiting for him. He smiled as he heard Kali'na whirr inside her box. He opened the door and she leaped out onto his bed. She trilled at Shadow, who just purred loudly.
Harry looked at Ron. He was already in his pajamas and climbing into bed. "How'd you do that so fast?" Harry asked.
Ron looked at him oddly. "I moved. You've been standing there staring at those two for nearly ten minutes." Fianna and Starlight were both lying at the foot of his bed, a black and red ball of fur.
Harry shook himself, quickly changed and blew out the candle. As soon as he was under the covers, Kali'na was beside his head, whirring softly. Shadow stepped delicately onto his chest and lay down, purring all the while. "Hope I'm not smothered in my sleep," he muttered. All he got in answer was a light snore from Ron and louder purring from Shadow. He smiled in the darkness. "I think you were supposed to be at the box finishing," he told the cat. "You weren't though, and Rose didn't seem to notice. So I suppose it's alright that you are here," he yawned, "with me." Shadow's only response was more purring and Harry slept.
And dreamed.
[I] Atlantis. He was looking at the city. No. He was in the city, watching the Sunstone Spire. That was odd. It was at a different angle than it had been during either of the two times he'd seen it. There was Lianna and a few of the other women from the Spire. The Daughters of the Sun. Now how did he know what they were called? He'd think about that when he woke up. There was the Serpent coming towards them.
"Ah the lovely Daughters of the Sun. Do you never rest?" he asked, his voice hinting of dark and wicked things that are best done at night when there is no moon.
"Not when there is such as you about Snake Charmer. Perhaps you would have better luck with your serpents." Lianna said, her eyes a steely gray.
"Just because you are cold and unfeeling doesn't mean your women are." He turned and Harry knew he smiled at the other women. None of them smiled back "Or perhaps it does." He laughed cruelly and turned on his heel. As the Serpent passed, Harry's scar started to burn. He gasped, saw the man's fiery red eyes as they looked straight at him and screamed as the pain in his scar flared excruciatingly. [/I]
Harry woke up drenched in sweat, his heart pounding wildly and his scar burning like fire. Apparently he hadn't really screamed, because it was still dark and everyone else was still asleep. But his throat felt raw, as if he had. Kali'na was sitting on his pillow, staring at him. She made no sound, merely stretched out a paw toward his scar. When she touched it, the pain lessened considerably. He smiled thankfully at her green eyes. After a long moment, he heard Shadow purr from somewhere in the depths of the darkness around his bed. He drifted once again toward sleep.
Just before he floated into the fog of a blessedly dreamless sleep, he thought he heard voices whisper, "After four years I'm still not used to it. That hurt like the very devil Star. Though it has definitely been worse."
"I remember. Well he's sleeping now, and the kit is helping isn't she?"
"Yes, but"
"Use the respite and get some sleep yourself. You have a lot to do in the morning."
Then there was nothing but purring and Harry heard no more.
The next morning, Harry woke up with only a dull ache behind his scar. He pushed aside the velvet drapes of his bed, put on his glasses and looked at his watch. He sighed heavily. There was still two hours before breakfast and he was now wide-awake. He patted a drowsy Kali'na on the head and grabbing his robe, made his way to the bathroom.
It really was a nice bathroom. Not as nice as the Prefects' perhaps, but nice enough for five young boys to share. At least he didn't have to clean it. And Dudley wasn't one of the boys he shared it with. Harry shook the thought of the Dursleys from his head and stepped into the blissfully hot shower.
Thirty minutes later, he stepped back into the room, wearing his robe and toweling off his hair. The other boys were still sleeping. Ron was in fact snoring, one hand hanging off the side of the bed, the other over his eyes. As Harry passed, he saw Starlight curled at Ron's feet. He leaned over and patted her with his free hand.
The black cat opened her eyes and blinked at him. A drop of water fell from his hair to her paw. Her golden eyes suddenly went quite large and round. She yowled a yowl worthy of Crookshanks and seemed to fly to Harry's bed. He watched, stunned, as she swatted Shadow for apparently being where she wanted to land and streaked out the door. Shadow came up hissing and spitting. As he stared, she suddenly went perfectly still, turned around and saw him. Then she streaked after Starlight.
"What odd cats." Harry muttered, chuckling. As he started to get dressed, he happened to look at Kali'na. She was writhing on his pillow, a wild and loud whirring coming from her. As he buttoned his shirt, he petted her. She just kept writhing under his hand, the whirring like a happy hum under his fingers. He pulled out his Dannikit handbook and read a bit. He discovered that what she was still doing was the equivalent of dannikit laughter. Apparently, She thought that Shadow and Starlight were funny too.
Harry looked at his watch. It was now only an hour before breakfast. He picked up his wet towel and threw it at Ron. "Oi Ron! Wake up mate!"
Ron sat up with a jerk. His red hair was sticking out from his head at odd angles. It looked nearly as messy as Harry's normally did. He was looking around wildly. When he finally realized that something damp and heavy wasn't really attacking him, he threw his pillow at a laughing Harry and yelled, "Blast it all Harry!" Still grumbling to himself and glaring at his friend, he stumbled into the bathroom. The others soon followed in turn. Harry scooped up Kali'na and put her on his shoulder. Carrying her box as well as his bookbag, he went down to the common room. Rose was there, asleep in an armchair. Vestan was curled on her lap. Fred and George were talking to someone in the chair across from her. He couldn't see who it was. "Morning all." Harry said.
"Morning Harry," George called, grinning.
"Guess what?" Fred asked.
Harry, noticing the sparkle of mischief in his eye, was wary. "What?"
"Rhia was sorted into Gryffindor last night." George answered.
Harry blinked in surprise at the wave of relief that swept through him. He hadn't known how afraid he'd been that she'd go to Slytherin. His headache faded completely. "That's interesting," he replied.
"I'm so glad you all find me interesting," said the voice in the chair. Harry stepped around to see Rhia sitting there. Her legs were tucked beneath her obviously new robes. The scarlet and gold tie around her neck looked quite good with her red-gold curls. There was a twinkle in her gray eyes and a smile playing about her mouth. "Do I pass muster?" she asked with amusement rippling in her voice.
Harry flushed. He'd been staring. The twins grinned. "You'll do." Harry managed to say.
"Why thank you Harry." She looked up at Kali'na. "Hello Kali'na. Are you taking good care of Harry?" Before Harry could ask how she knew the name of his kit, Kali'na jumped from his shoulder to Rhia's lap. Petting the whirring kit, Rhia said, "I suppose that means yes."
"What's going on?" Rose asked from her chair.
"I am making the acquaintance of Harry's dannikit Sis. Sleep well?" Rhia smiled across the hearth at her.
" Passably. What time is it?" Rose asked.
"Ten minutes before the stampede." Ron said, coming into the room. He pulled up short at the sight of Rhia. "Welcome to Gryffindor," he said finally.
"Thank you Ron. What stampede?"
As students started crowding into the common room and out the door, Ron sighed. "That one."
Hermione slipped through the crush to join them all in front of the fire. She stared at Rhia for a moment. "So you're a Gryffindor," she said. "Where did you sleep last night? Not in the fifth year girls dorm I would have noticed a sixth bed in there."
"She was with me," Rose answered. "There's no more room in your dorm."
Hermione looked at the sisters. "Both of you. in a former supply closet?" Harry was thinking the same thing.
"This is Hogwarts 'Mione," Ron said. "No telling how big it really is."
"A supply closet." Fred said. The twins looked at Rose with odd expressions on their faces. She burst out laughing as they started pulling failed jokes out of their pockets.
After an uneventful breakfast, the fifth year Gryffindors, including Rhia, and Rose made their way to Hagrid's hut for their Care of Magical creatures class. The fifth year Slytherins came as well, though what they were going to do without kits was a mystery. Rhia walked between Rose and Harry. She had returned Kali'na to him on the way to the Great Hall. The black kit was on his head, whirring contentedly.
"Mornin' Students," Hagrid exclaimed. "If you'll come over to the side o' the house, we'll start the lesson."
They gathered on the side of Hagrid's hut, Gryffindors in one huddle with their kits and Slytherins in a separate huddle. Harry and Rhia were standing sort of in the middle of the two. He couldn't bring himself to leave her there, next to the Slytherins. Malfoy opened his mouth to say something. There was a hint of a sneer on his face. Rhia cleared her throat. He glanced over, blinked, scowled and shut his mouth again.
Harry looked at Rhia. He didn't dare say anything. There was no telling what the Shards would do if he said what he was thinking. Rhia smiled at him and then turned her attention once again to Hagrid. The friendly giant was telling them a bit more about Atanis. The beautiful Agoradan was sitting in the paddock, but everyone knew that it was by choice and not design. Finally Hagrid asked the class if they would like to pet her. She had met them the previous lesson, but that had been serious. This didn't have to be. Rhia's hand shot up with Harry, Ron and Hermione not far behind.
"Och Rhia Jameson. Climb on through the fence then. Hold your hand out so she can smell it and"
It was too late. Rhia was already inside the paddock and tickling the Agoradan under her chin. Atanis was very nearly taller than the girl petting her was. "We've already met Hagrid." Rhia said, smiling around the Agoradan at the open mouthed Groundskeeper. A low rumble of thunder came from deep in Atanis' chest. Rhia laughed.
"Rhia." Rose started. "Perhaps you should give someone else a chance?"
Smiling, and with one last pat, Rhia climbed back through the fence. "Your turn Harry." Hagrid managed to say. Harry glanced at Rhia then at the Agoradan. Making sure Kali'na was secure on his head, he climbed the fence. Kali'na started whirring. It was a rather pretty accompaniment to the low rumble of her mother. Atanis gave her daughter a swipe with her tongue before focusing her attention on Harry. He held out his hand, like Hagrid had said, but she ignored it. Instead she focused those big gray eyes on his and stared.
[I] He was in Atlantis again. Lianna was speaking. to him.
"You must leave. You must document the events of the last days."
"I won't leave you" he heard himself say.
"You must! We will meet again.when lightning strikes twice." [/I]
"Are you going to pet her Potter, or just stand there all day?" A sneering voice said, bringing Harry back to the paddock. He blinked at the still rumbling Atanis, and her mesmerizing eyes.
He heard Rhia say, "Leave be Draco." He also heard Ron struggling. He scratched the Agoradan behind her left ear and turned back to the class. Ron was red in the face, and Hermione had a firm grip on his arm.
Harry climbed the fence quickly and joined Hermione in her attempts to control Ron. "Later Ron," He whispered fiercely. "Later. You wouldn't believe what just happened."
Ron took a deep breath and Fianna poked her head from his pocket and meowed. Slowly, the red faded from his face, but his blue eyes were still flashing. "What happened besides that… Malfoy's remark." He managed to keep his mouth under control, and avoid a Shard mishap.
"I saw something…" Harry started. "But I will tell you after class."
"What's happening after class?" Rhia asked, joining them. The rest of the students had returned to their observations as one by one, they were allowed to pet Atanis.
"We're going to have a talk," Harry said. Then he frowned. He hadn't meant to tell her that.
"Oh good. I've wanted to talk to you all too. Perhaps on our way to my sister's class?" Rhia said, smiling. She glanced over at Draco. The Slytherin was staring at her, an expression of reluctant admiration on his face. "That boy could use some manners," she muttered under her breath.
"Yes. You're coming to Rose's class?" Hermione asked.
"Of course," Rhia said. "It's my family history after all."
"Then you know," Harry said.
"Yes Harry. I know." She looked at him directly then. "More than most, I suspect." Then she turned and walked over to Rose.
"What do you suppose she meant by that?" Ron asked.
"I don't know Ron. I hope we find out soon." Harry answered.
The class continued on. Ron and Hermione petted Atanis. Nothing unusual happened. At least nothing that Harry could tell. When Draco approached the paddock, Atanis stopped rumbling and stared at him, her lip curled to show a long fang. He stared back. He held out his hand and said something that no one else could hear. The lip uncurled and she allowed herself to be patted by him. When he turned to smile triumphantly at the rest of the class, she hit his back with a large paw, knocking him flat on his face.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville were about to laugh when their shards zinged them. They managed, just barely, to hold in their laughter as Draco sat up and spat a clod of dirt out of his mouth. Harry's laughter died as Rhia, rather than a Slytherin, climbed into the paddock to help Draco. She didn't help him up however. She said something to him, then went to Atanis and started whispering to her. Draco picked himself up and, saying nothing, climbed out of the paddock. He was joined Crabbe and Goyle at the edge of the crowd. He shook off their 'helping' hands and frowned in the direction of the castle.
Twenty minutes later, Hagrid brought the class to a close and dismissed the students. Harry did not get a chance to talk to the others. They never got a moment without other Gryffindors around. They all made their way to their Charms class and once again tried to use the bathing charm on their dannikits. It worked better this time because the kits were fully bonded. The trio and Neville's kits were the best behaved of the bunch once again. They submitted readily to the charm. Vestan submitted as well. He even whirred loudly as the bubbles faded away. Rhia just watched, a smile on her face at the dannikit antics.
Finally it was time for luncheon. They joined the other Guardians at the Ravenclaw table. "So, how was Atanis this morning?" Ana asked.
"She was beautiful. And she still doesn't like Malfoy," Hermione said.
"Smart animal," Ron commented they all winced as their shards zinged them once again.
"What was that?" Rhia asked. They all looked at her. "Oh it's those." She looked at Rose, who nodded as she rubbed the place on her chest that the Shard zapped.
"I really wish you would control your comments Ron," Ginny remarked.
"Sorry everybody," Ron apologized.
"As soon as we get to our classroom, we're going to talk," Rose said. "All of us." She looked directly at Harry.
They ate quickly and left the hall. As they were climbing the stairs up to the third floor, Rhia stopped and looked over her shoulder. "I'll meet you all there," she said. Without another word, she turned and went back down.
"Come on, let's go." Rose said. Harry looked after Rhia until she disappeared around a corner.
They continued up to the third floor classroom and one by one stepped through the window. There were several wooden crates in the middle of the circle this time. The chairs had names on them this time. The chairs went like this: R. Jameson, L. Emmortal, R. Emmortal, Tasner, D. Emmortal, F. Weasley, G. Weasley, R. Weasley, Granger, G. Weasley, Longbottom, Potter, R. Jameson, Malfoy, and Reed.
"What's in those crates?" Lynne asked.
"We'll open them up as soon as Rhia gets back," Rose answered. "Everyone take your seats." They did as she asked. There was some confusion between George and Ginny, but they figured out that the twins would remain next to each other.
"What's with the new seating arrangement?" Daniel asked as he sat beside Fred.
"And who is this Reed person?" Neville asked.
"Malfoy has a seat." Ron said, his voice flat.
"Yes. He has a Shard Ron," Rose replied. "I expected as much. Reed must be the last Guardian. I'll explain the new seating when everyone is here." They waited.
Malfoy sauntered into the room. His habitual cold sneer was much in evidence. He said nothing, and
Hermione had Ron's arm in a death grip to keep his mouth under control.
Rose swallowed and said, "Thank you for coming Draco."
"I had no choice. I got a schedule change this morning," he said.
"Take your seat then," Rose said. Harry devoutly hoped that Malfoy would not notice the flare of green in her eyes as she said, "You're one chair away from Harry."
Malfoy looked at Harry, raised a blonde eyebrow and asked, "Who's Reed?"
"We don't know yet," Harry answered, careful to keep his voice neutral.
There was shriek at the door as a girl stumbled in. They all turned to stare at her. She stood there, slightly bent over, breathing heavily. "That's worse than the barrier at the train station," she said. Then she looked up. All male mouths fell open and all female eyes narrowed. She had thick black hair that cascaded in waves to her hips, pale skin and violet eyes. "Hello. I'm Monica Reed. I just got here this morning and was told to come here. The note said to climb through that window. It was quite nerve wracking to step out into what looks like nothing but sky. Do we have to do that every day? What I mean is, is that the only way into the classroom? If it is then I suppose that it's okay. Oh goodness, am I in the right place? This is a mixed class. I didn't think that happened here. Of course with the scrambling about that was going on in the Great Hall I suppose it was bound to. I'm a Ravenclaw apparently. Just moved here from the California School of Sorcery. We don't have houses there." She paused for breath. "Just Quidditch teams. I'm talking too much aren't I? Emma has always thought I did. That's my cat. She's not here yet. At least I don't think so. I can see by your faces that I'm doing it again. Sorry." And with that, her mouth snapped shut and stunned silence fell in the classroom.
"Welcome to my class Monica. I believe your seat is right here between Draco and myself." Rose said finally. "This is not a normal classroom, nor a normal class, but I'll get to that. There aren't any other mixed classes at this point in time. Though you may have double lessons with some of the other houses."
Monica walked quickly to the seat with her name on it and sat down. Malfoy looked like he'd just been given the most amazing gift imaginable. Until Monica looked around him to Harry. "You're Harry Potter aren't you? I've heard of you at the Academy. Congratulations on the Triwizard Championship last year."
"Erm… thank you." Harry muttered. Malfoy was giving him a particularly evil glare. "OW!" Harry yelled suddenly. So did everyone else in the room, including Malfoy and Monica.
"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Wasn't me," Ron said.
"Then who…?" Hermione started. They all returned their attention to Malfoy, who was looking particularly pale at the moment. Monica looked slightly stunned. She was rubbing her chest, as were most everyone else in the room.
"Where is it Draco?" Ron asked.
"I don't know what you are talking about Weasel," Malfoy snapped.
"Blessed hell!" Rhia exclaimed from the doorway as they were zinged again. "Your Shard Malfoy. We've all got one now."
"What are you saying?" Malfoy asked.
Rhia stalked into the room, her left hand fisted around something on her chest. "I'm saying, Slytherin, that every time you insult or plan something evil towards another Guardian, we all feel the pain. So I suggest that you abort what ever evil plot you have against Harry right now or so help me…" A much milder zing swept the room.
"Excuse me…" Monica interrupted. "Guardian of what? These?" She pulled a necklace from inside her blouse. A deep purple stone was hanging from it. "It's been zapping me since last night. I've had it for years and it's never done that before."
They all pulled out their Shards, except Malfoy. He didn't move. "We are all Guardians. All fifteen of us. Guardians of the Shards."
"Why do they need Guardians? They're just rocks." Malfoy sneered.
"You Idiot!" Rhia yelled. They all gasped as their glowing Shards zapped them yet again. Rhia's piercing gray eyes focused on Malfoy. "Do you know of any ordinary rocks that do that Malfoy? You couldn't be that stupid."
Harry put a hand on Rhia's right arm. She jumped, startled and looked at him. "Calm down Rhiannon," he said firmly. After holding her gaze for a moment, he looked at Malfoy. "Draco. We know that you have a Shard and I am relatively sure that you know what it is and how important it could be." Malfoy's chin rose and he was stiff for a moment before he slowly reached up and pulled out a cord. An ice blue Shard hung from it.
Monica cleared her throat. "He might, but I don't." Her smooth white brow was furrowed in confusion. "I gather that these Shards are special, since they need Guardians. But I'm still a little fuzzy on the subject. Up until last night it was just a pretty necklace my mother left me. Worth nothing but its sentimental value."
"I'll explain a bit later," Rose said. She looked at Malfoy. "Where did you get yours?"
"I bought it." That was it. He wasn't being very forthcoming.
"And you Rhia?" Harry asked. "You didn't have one earlier." He still had his calming hand on her arm. She was still looking at him, but now her expression was inscrutable.
She said finally, "That' is what I went back to get just moments ago. Sta…" She stopped. "Moira had it for me." She relaxed her fisted left hand and revealed the Shard around her neck.
"Why did she have it?" Reggie asked. "She's one of your sisters right?"
"Yes she is. She got it from our mother." Rhia answered.
"Moira has been to see Mother? That must have been interesting," Rose said. She cleared her throat.
"All right people, Let's get cracking." She snapped her fingers and a small flame lit her fingertips.
"Oh blessed hell. I didn't want to do that." She blew it out. "So the seat arrangements…" She looked around. Monica and Draco were both staring at her hand, mouths hanging open. Rose sighed. "It'll be explained in a moment."
Rose smiled at them all and began. "The Shards bring out the gifts of their Guardians. My gift happens to deal with fire. We already knew that, but apparently the Shards made it more sensitive. Hence the finger pyrotechnics. In the crates are tools to help us hone our talents. We'll open them in bit. After I go through everyone's talents.
"Reggie, Lynne, Ana and I are elementals; Air, Water, Earth and Fire. We'll of course explore them more extensively to determine the extent of our abilities.
"Daniel, Fred, George and Ron will soon be Weapons masters; Long knives, Fighting staff, Long bow, and Club. Your weapons are in the crates. They will stay in this room, until you are proficient enough not to inadvertently hurt yourselves or another student. We will start training this weekend for all of us.
"Hermione, you have the gift of knowledge. There is a Book of Answers in the crate for you. Only you will be able to read it. However, you will have to train that fine brain of yours to read it. Right now it would probably just be gibberish.
"Ginny, you have a gift with animals. I'm not really very sure how far that will go. That's a new one in my experience. We'll have to see.
"Neville, your gift is obviously growing things. I believe you will soon be able to grow a sunflower at midnight if such a need ever arises.
"Harry… Your gift is close to the elementals, but more specialized toward lightning or perhaps storms. That's another thing we will have to explore.
"Rhia, Draco and Monica, your gifts, like Harry's are specialized. Monica, I was given information by your teachers that you have a gift with healing. Is this true?" Monica nodded. "Draco… You're our Potions master and shall probably be working closely with Monica." Rose stopped and looked around.
Everyone looked a trifle stunned. Ron cleared his throat. "What about Rhia?" he asked.
They all looked at Rhia. She was sitting in her chair, her left hand fisted once again, but this time in her lap. She was frowning down at that fist. Rose smiled, "Perhaps you had better explain that Sister dear."
"I'd really rather not." Rhia said softly.
"Why?" Harry asked. "It can't be that horrible. It's a talent." He touched her fisted hand and was surprised when she jolted out of her chair.
"Later okay?" She said. He frowned in concern at her pleading tone. "We should talk about what you saw in Atanis' eyes first."
"All right, I'm sorry," Harry said. "I didn't mean to push you. How did you know I saw anything in her eyes?"
"You went rigid and when Draco spoke, you blinked like someone coming out of a trance," Rhia said. "I would have thought it was obvious." She sat back down.
"Oh," Harry said. Everyone was staring at him now. "She's right. I did see something. But I should probably mention my dream first." Malfoy frowned, and it looked like he was about to say something, but he didn't.
"You dreamed, and saw something in the eyes of an Agoradan," Rose said. "What was it?"
"I dreamed of Atlantis. I was there. I saw Lianna and the other Daughters of the Sun at the base of the Spire." Harry began.
"How did you know what they were called? I didn't tell you." Rose said, sounding startled.
"I don't know. The Serpent called them that. It seemed like he wanted Lianna, and she had refused him. He called her cold and unfeeling, and tried for the other women, but got no response from them. Lianna called him the Snake Charmer and he turned and left. When he did, he looked straight at me. He had red eyes. Exactly like Voldemort. My scar burned then and woke me up. It does that whenever he is feeling particularly murderous. Perhaps they are related." Harry finished.
"You just said…" Monica whispered in an awed and frightened tone, " and you didn't even flinch."
"I never learned not to." Harry said. " Besides," his tone turned angry, "I've faced and beaten him too many times to fear his name."
She blinked. "All that other stuff you said, about the Daughters of the Sun and the Serpent, what was that?"
"My family history," Rose explained. "Mine and Rhia's. Lianna was our ancestress. The Daughters of the Sun were the women who guarded the Sunstone of Atlantis. The Shards are pieces of it. The Serpent tried to get that Stone and Lianna saved it by breaking it. But by protecting the power of the Sunstone, she consigned Atlantis to the bottom of the sea."
Rhia nodded then looked back at Harry. "You're right Harry. The Serpent wanted Lianna, but her heart was already given to someone else." Her hands were fisted in her lap again.
"I know. That's what I saw when I looked at Atanis. I was back in Atlantis and it seemed as though Lianna was speaking to me. She said, ' You must leave. You must document the events of the last few days.' Then I, or whoever I was, refused to leave without her. Then she said, 'You must. We will meet again, when lightning strikes twice.' What do you supposed that means?"
Everyone looked at everyone else. Rose cleared her throat. "I'm not sure Harry, but I know we will figure it out. Now, shall we get into these crates? We don't have time to experiment with the contents much before our next class, but we can take a quick look."
"First, I want to know Rhia's talent." Draco said. "If I'm going to sit beside someone for the rest of the year, I'd like to know what she can do."
Everyone looked at Rhia. She swallowed hard. Harry put his hand on her fists again. This time her whole body jolted, but she stayed seated. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Why don't you want to share you gift?"
"You'll see," she replied. She looked at him, her gray eyes wide on his. She seemed to be looking for something. She nodded as she found whatever it was in his gaze. She wasn't smiling as she stood and moved to the center of the circle. They all focused their attention on her.
Nothing happened for a moment. Then, quite suddenly, there was a flash of light and a gray timber wolf stood in the center of the circle, instead of Rhia. There was a long moment of silence.
"So she's an Animagus. What's the big deal?" Draco asked. His tone was derogatory, but his eyes were a bit wider then usual.
The wolf looked at him and seemed to smile, showing fangs. There was another flash and she was no longer a wolf. Instead, she was a magnificent gray hippogriff. The Rhia-hippogriff fluffed its feathers and looked fiercely at Draco. Then a third flash and she was a large gray dog, looking at Hermione, head bent to the side. The Rhia-dog turned to Harry, still with her head bent and was suddenly a deer with gray-brown fur. Harry's eyes went wide. Then she was a gray Agoradan, a million different shades blending together in her coat. And finally she was Rhia again. There was stunned silence in the room.
"How?" Harry asked, staring at her. "I didn't know that was possible. A multiple Animagi isn't possible. Is it?"
"It isn't. What I do is something else. It has to do with who I am and what I'm supposed to do," Rhia answered.
"What's that?" Fred asked.
"Be a Guardian." Rhia said. She sat down in her seat again. Draco looked just a bit nervous. She sighed. "I'm not going to bite you."
"I- I know that. I just… Can you be other creatures?" he asked timidly.
"If I want." Rhia murmured.
"You plucked the images out of our minds." Hermione said, suddenly.
"What?" Ron exclaimed.
"That's impossible," Ana said. "Isn't it?"
"She just turned into five different animals in succession and you think the idea of her seeing the images in our minds is the impossible part?" Dan asked, grinning at her. She blushed.
"Up until four and a half years ago, I would have said magic was impossible. So I think I've got a pretty open mind," Monica said. "Did you see the images in our minds Rhia?"
"Not really… I saw them in your hearts."
There was a puzzled silence. Reggie spoke up, "I think I speak for everyone when I say, Huh?"
There was a bit of nervous laughter. Rhia looked at all of them. "I could see what you were thinking of, what you were yearning towards. The hippogriff was from Ron, the dog from Hermione, the deer from Harry, and the Agoradan from Monica. You all really wanted to see one right then. So I became it for you. Though I really saw a stag in Harry. I'm a girl so that actually was impossible." She smiled wryly.
"That's amazing," George said. "Really amazing. Why didn't you want to tell us?"
She looked at Draco. He still looked nervous. "Oh for the love of… She's not going to attack you Draco. Stop being such a " Harry stopped.
"So you're perfectly okay with the fact that she could be anything, she can see into your very heart Potter?" Draco exclaimed. "She shows up one day, out of the blue, and the very next day you find out what she can do. Which happens to be anything she wants, and you're fine with it." He looked a little panicked.
"Yes I am Draco. Because I'm capable of trust." Harry said firmly.
"And we saw what happened because of that last year didn't we?" Draco snapped. They all screamed as their Shards zapped them, HARD.
"THAT"S ENOUGH!" Rhia yelled. Tears were streaming down her face. Everyone else was panting for breath and gripping their Shards with white-knuckled hands.
"Yes," Rose said. "That is most certainly enough. We are going to drop the subject this instant. Draco, if you can't control that tongue of yours, I'll report you to the Headmaster. It wouldn't matter that you are a Guardian. Now, we are going to open these crates and we are going to enjoy examining the contents. That's an order."
"Who made you boss?" George asked, grinning.
Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "This did." She held up her right hand. There was a thin white line from the base of her smallest finger to the ball of her thumb.
"What the devil is that?" Ginny asked.
"Birthmark. In my family, there are always five daughters. One of the daughters is born with this scar, and that one will have five daughters as well. It meant that she, or in this case me, will deal directly with the Shards." Rose answered. "Let's get into the crates now shall we?"
The dannikits were draped or curled in various positions of repose on or around the crates. They seemed largely unconcerned with the antics of their human companions. When the larger Shards of the students zapped them, the Shards worn by the kits merely glowed. Kali'na was looking at Draco from her place on the tallest crate with unblinking green eyes. As Rose stood to open the first of the three crates he glanced up at her. She jumped down onto his head. Draco and Harry both froze in shock. Kali'na stood there for a moment and the very tips of her tiny claws were visible for a second before she leapt onto Harry's head. The black kit yawned and lay down on her perch, front paws crossed over his scar.
"Why'd she do that? Monica asked. She was looking past Draco at the now snoozing kit with awe.
"She's trying to make them friends," Ginny said suddenly. Everyone looked at her. "It's true. That's what they are trying to do. We all have to be friends if this is going to work."
"She's right," Rose said. "Now would someone give me a hand with this crate? It's being difficult." She was trying to pry the lid off with a the lever side of a hammer. And all it was doing was splintering the wood.
Rhia stood up and walked to the crate. She stood beside her sister for a moment, looking at it. "The hammer isn't going to work," she said finally.
"Why not?" Fred asked
"Because the boxes contain materials that can only be used by Guardians?" Draco suggested, still eyeing Kali'na.
"Therefore, only Shards can open them," Monica said.
Rhia smiled. "Right."
"How'd you know that?" Daniel asked.
"It's simple logic," Hermione said.
"But how do the Shards open them?" Rose asked. At their questioning looks she said, "Hey this is the first time all fifteen Guardians have been together for more than a thousand years. This is new territory for me as well as you all."
"Then this should be fun," Neville said nervously. "Our leader doesn't even know what we're doing."
"Oh Neville, don't worry," Rose said, smiling at him. "I promise not to blow us up." She looked at her hand, remembering the finger snap flames and added, "At least, not intentionally."
"That's not funny," Ron said.
"Yes it is," George said grinning fiendishly. " In a twisted Weasley twin kind of way."
"She's been hanging out with you two for too long." Ginny said.
By now, everyone was examining the crates, looking for some kind of lock to place the shards in or
button to push. But they all three looked like normal wooden crates.
"I've only been around them for four days," Rose said. She ran her hand over the top of the crate, displacing Erian and Vestan with the sweep of her hand.
"She's had the same sense of humor for her whole life," Rhia said. She put her left hand in one particular spot on the top of the crate and left it there. Her right hand came up and started fiddling with her Shard. A thrill ran through the room.
"Annoying little things aren't they?" Monica asked. Everyone looked at her. She grinned. "Thrills. You don't know where they come from, and they go away without telling you why they showed up at all."
Draco looked at her. "Now that was funny." Then he smiled. A real smile, one that wasn't calculating or disdainful, but genuine. They all stared at him, surprised. "They aren't always annoying though." Monica raised one smooth black eyebrow. "Sometimes they're quite nice." Her mouth dropped open then snapped closed again. She cleared her throat, looked down at the floor, then back up at him. He winked at her. Her violet eyes widened. Still smiling, Draco looked around the room at the others. "So who did what that gave us all that particular thrill?" he asked.
Harry, struggling to reconcile this Draco with the one of ten minutes before said, "Rhia, Rose and Ron and I all had our hands on the crate. I haven't moved since then."
"I was touching this board here," Ron said, placing his hand on said board. His eyes were narrowed on Draco.
"I had just swept Vestan off the crate," Rose said, "and I haven't moved my hand since then either."
"Well Rhia, what were you doing?" Ana asked.
Rhia was frowning in concentration at her left hand where it rested on the top of the crate. "I think my hand was here, but I can't be sure."
"No…" Harry said. He picked up her left hand. Her right hand fisted around her Shard in reaction. "It was here, one board away from mine." He put her hand down on the crate and another thrill swept through them all.
"Okay… now what?" Draco asked. "Her hand in that spot obviously sets off something."
Hermione squinted at the crate. "Harry, put your other hand on your Shard." He did and there was a stronger thrill. "All right, now Draco, put your hand one board from Rhia's and the other on your Shard. Now Monica do the same next to Draco. Neville, you get on the other side of Harry. Everybody else get away from the crate." When the five of them were around the crate, with their hands in position, there was a loud click and the top popped up about an inch.
"Way to go 'Mione," Ron said, hugging her. She blushed and smiled.
Neville, Harry, Rhia, Draco and Monica all lifted their hands. The lid followed. After a moment of shock, Harry said, "Let's put it over there on the floor, out of the way." So the five of them walked over to a corner of the room, a 2-foot square hovering about an inch under their hands. As they lowered it to the floor, the others staring after them, Harry added, "This has got to be the oddest way to open a crate, even in the wizarding world." When the lid touched the floor, they lifted their hands up again, this time free of it.
"Okay," Rose said, " Ana, Reggie, Lynne and Ginny, let's get around the second crate. We've only got a few minutes left." They circled the crate and went through the same process as the others. The remaining five, Daniel, Fred, George, Ron and Hermione surrounded the last. Once all three were open Rose said, " Now, dive into the one you opened and let's see what we've got."
There were a few moments of confusion as wood shavings were scattered around the room. "Boy there is a lot of packing material in these things," someone said from inside one of the crates.
"Blessed hell…" Rhia said in an awed voice. Everyone looked over at her. She was holding a large flat box with a glass top. Inside were fifteen small daggers with sunbursts carved on their hilts. "I think we all get one of these."
"I didn't think they were real." Rose said.
"That's the part of all this you doubted? Whether or not daggers existed?" Draco asked.
Rose nodded. "Wait until you see them in action. Then you'll understand."
"These must be mine," Daniel said, pulling out two long knives, still in their scabbards. The sunlight glinted on the brass of their hilts.
"Don't pull them out!" Rhia exclaimed. At his look she added, "They've got quite a bit of power to them. If you pull them out now, you might hurt some one."
"I wouldn't cut anyone."
"I didn't say you would." She said. He looked puzzled but was content to examine the hilts. When George pulled out his long bow, Rhia said, "Don't string it George."
He grinned, "I couldn't if I wanted to. I haven't found the string yet."
"Here it is," Fred said. He pulled out his staff. Wrapped around one end of it was a length of silver string.
Rhia opened her mouth. "Don't worry," George said. " I won't string it. Though I would love to know why…" Rhia closed her mouth.
"What is this?" Reggie asked, holding up a bag of feathers. "A pillow?"
"That is something to help you, just as this is something to help me." Lynne said, holding up very large closed aquarium, full of water, but empty of fish. "You know, in the normal way of things, I wouldn't be able to pick this up. It must be at least a fifteen gallon tank."
"It's twenty, and I think it has something to do with our gifts. See?" Ana commented, easily lifting a rock the size of that aquarium from the box with one hand.
Gaping at the girls carrying such large burdens, Neville eagerly reached into the crate for his things. He pulled out a small leather pouch. For a moment he looked disappointed, until he opened it. "Seeds! Hundreds of seeds!"
Ginny glanced over at him. "I'd say it's more like thousands Neville. What do you think of this?" She held up a pale yellow robe, covered in animal paw prints.
"It matches your box," Ron said running a hand down the length of his club.
"It's a robe identifying her gift," Rose said. "How else would animals know to trust her? Goodness these are odd." She was holding two small black rocks, one in each hand.
"Whatever you do, don't snap your fingers," Draco said. Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "You might blow us up. Those are midnight bombs."
"How do you know that?" Harry asked. He hadn't gotten anything out of the crate yet.
Draco smiled a bit wickedly, "Because I've made one before and I know what they look like."
"Why on earth would you make one if they are so dangerous?" Monica asked.
"And why would they be in here?" Rose asked, carefully putting the bombs in her chair.
"I made it just to see if I could. They are obviously to help you with your control. If you can scorch something around them with out setting them off or something like that." He pulled out a black box as everyone gaped at him. An obliging Draco was a bit unsettling. "This must be my potion supplies." Sure enough, inside were countless vials and jars of odd substances. Each was labeled in a loopy script, [I] Eye of Newt, Belladonna[/I] and many others.
Hermione was lovingly stroking the cover of a very large leather bound book. She opened it up and nearly cried. "I can't read it," she whispered.
"I'm sure you can figure it out," Ron said, patting her shoulder. She smiled at him, making him blink and smile back.
"I don't know what this is…" Monica said, pulling out another black box. She opened it up and then looked around with shining violet eyes. "Medical supplies." She smiled joyfully and every male, except for Harry whose head was in a crate and Neville who was examining his seeds, sighed. There was a faint grunt as a certain girl's elbow found its way into a certain male redhead's ribs.
Rhia put down the box of daggers and was about to reach into the crate again, when Harry popped back out of it. The force of her hands moving downwards was more than his moving up and the palms of both her hands smacked him in the forehead and pushed him all the way into the crate. The blood drained from her face and her eyes went vague before she snatched her hands back and fell into Harry's chair. She sprawled there, her eyes wide and stunned.
Harry stood up inside the crate, wood shavings stuck in his clothes and hair. "What was that?" he asked. His green eyes looked a little wild. "What happened? Are you okay?" He climbed out of the crate and went to her. Everyone else stared at them in surprised silence.
Rhia closed her eyes for a moment, then turned her gray eyes to his. "Harry… I think," She lifted a shaking hand and pulled a curl of wood from his hair. "That your power just manifested."
He stared at her, confused. Then his eyes went to her hand, still held in front of him, still trembling. It was his turn to go pale. He took her hand in his gently, staring at her palm. "Did I do that?" he whispered.
Rhia swallowed. "I think so Harry."
He looked at her. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean… I didn't know I could… I don't even know what happened."
"You zapped me," she answered. He winced. "It's okay Harry. Like you said, you didn't know you could do that, nor did you mean it." She took her hand from his and brushed his hair from his forehead. "Besides," she grinned at him, "now we match." Harry stared at her, his expression confused.
"Match? How do you match?" Draco asked, breaking the silence.
Rhia smiled her forgiveness at Harry and gently moved him out of the way so she could stand up. She waved her left hand at Draco, wiggling her fingers. There was an angry red burn mark on her palm, in the exact shape of Harry's scar. "See? We match."
"Blessed hell…" Rose murmured softly. She stared at her sister's hand, then happened to look at the clock on the wall. "BLESSED HELL! We're all late for class! Everybody leave everything here except your book bags, dannikits and their boxes. Hurry! We'll have to come back before dinner to put them away properly." There was a sudden flurry of activity as they all dashed around to get their things and leave. Rose tapped Harry, Rhia and Monica on the shoulders, telling each, "Stay a moment please."
When everyone else had reluctantly put their new things back in the crates and had finally left, Rose turned to the remaining three. Ron and Hermione were the last ones to leave and even then She had to pull him out of the room. Rose smiled after them even as she asked Monica, "Can you heal it?"
"What? Heal that? I don't know… What happened exactly?" She picked up Rhia's hand and looked closely at the lightning burn.
"He was coming out of the crate as I was reaching in," Rhia said. "I accidentally smacked him on his forehead," She smiled a bit crookedly, "and his head retaliated."
"But why? I've certainly been hit in the head before and nothing like that has ever happened." Harry said. He staring at her hand, his expression guilty.
Rhia looked at him for a moment, then she frowned. "Stop that. It doesn't even hurt anymore."
"The red is fading," Monica remarked. She looked at Harry, then at Rhia. "But you should probably wrap a bandage around it anyway, to avoid infection."
"Here," Harry exclaimed, "Use this." He pulled a white cloth out of his back pocket. "It's a clean handkerchief." At the surprised looks that the three girls gave him, he flushed. "I got a box from Mrs. Weasley for my birthday with a note telling me to always carry one. So I do. I told her I'd never used them, but she said I might have a need for one. Then she sort of sniffled."
"Thank you Harry." Rhia said, taking it graciously. Monica wrapped it around her hand with deft fingers. Rhia smiled at Harry.
"I figure since it was my fault, I should help fix it." Harry said firmly.
"I suppose it won't work to tell you that is wasn't your fault again, so I won't try." Rhia said picking up the box of daggers with her right hand and putting them in the crate. "You go on to Transfiguration now, and I'll catch up. I need to talk to Rose."
"Mind if I come with you Harry?" Monica asked. "I don't really know my way around yet."
With one last look at a smiling Rhia, he nodded. "I don't mind. What's your next class?"
Monica flashed a violet eyed glance at Rose and said, "I don't really know. McGonagall is the teacher though."
He frowned even as he held the door open for her. "That's odd. That' where I'm going… but you're a Ravenclaw." The door shut behind them.
"He's going to feel guilty about it forever, isn't he?" Rose asked.
"Yes. And I am sorry for that," Rhia answered. She looked at her sister. "How he developed such a code of honor around those demon relatives of his, I'll never know." She started picking up wood shavings from the floor.
"What do you know of his history?" Rose asked, surprised.
"I know everything." Rhia said softly. She started examining a particularly pretty curl of wood.
"How?" Rose asked, her tone annoyed. "I don't know a blessed thing."
Rhia paused in her scrutiny of the wood to look at her sister. Her gray eyes were unfocused, as though she was seeing something far away. "I was doing my job."
"Do you have your schedule with you?" Harry asked Monica. "I'll just make sure that you do have Transfiguration."
"Oh. Okay," Monica pulled a piece of parchment from inside her robes and handed it to him.
Harry glanced down at it. "That's odd… it's all scrambled. I don't know the fifth year Ravenclaw schedule at all, but this is strange. You've got the same classes as me half the time, and the other parts of the time you are with Slytherin or Ravenclaw classes."
"You mean that's not normal?" Monica asked as they descended a flight of stairs.
"No, it's not. I think Rose's table mixing at mealtimes has spread to the class scheduling." Harry said. He paused and looked around them. "Oh for Merlin's sake! The dratted Staircases have moved again. We'll have to find a different way." He turned and went back the way they had come, though it looked different now.
"The stairs move? You mean like an escalator?" Monica asked, staring at the new {to her} paintings.
"What's an escalator?" asked a stuffy voice to her left.
"It's staircase that moves up and down," Monica explained calmly to the skinny, violet dressed woman in the painting. They continued.
"Oh no, they just change direction when they feel like it," Harry said. "You can climb some stairs expecting to get to the North Tower and end up on the third floor in front of a… never mind."
Monica looked over at him. "So what's the couples policy here at Hogwarts?"
Harry was saved from answering because they arrived at the Transfiguration classroom. "We're here," he said, his tone rife with relief.
They slipped into the classroom. Professor McGonagall looked up from her desk. "Good of you to join us Mr. Potter. You are just in time for a quiz on Animagi. Take your seat please. Miss Reed, you are exempt from the quiz, as your records have not yet arrived. You may sit over there beside Mr. Finnegan."
She sat, giving Seamus a friendly smile even as she looked around the room for someone else. That smile sent him into a flushed and gaped mouth stare, but she didn't notice. Harry quickly sat next to Ron, sending him a 'I'll tell you later' look as he pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill.
"I know you were doing your job… otherwise you wouldn't have joined me when you did. What I want to know is how She expects me to do mine when I don't know a bloody thing about one of the most important players in this accursed drama." Rose exclaimed.
"She miscalculated," Rhia answered, smiling a bit.
"About me… or about him?" Rose wondered.
"Both, and neither. The Dark Lord moved much faster than predicted. That was due mostly to that horrible rat…and the loss of one of our most valuable allies. Or he was one, according to Mother."
"He's out now, and busy."
"I know. I saw him this summer. He was in Hermione's mind earlier."
"You mean they've seen him? They know the truth and believe it?"
"Yes. Harry would have gone to stay with him… if it weren't for that rat." Rhia scowled at the curl of wood in her hand. "Crookshanks should have eaten him. Life would be much less complicated if he had."
"And we might not have found the other Guardians in time. Voldemort's speed has forced ours. Much as I hate to say it, that's a good thing." Rose said. She carefully picked up the midnight bombs and put them back in the crate.
Rhia snorted. "A good thing… When his return cost us the last of the Dianor line last year… and caused Harry great pain." She looked at her bandaged left hand.
Rose gaped at her sister. "So that's why there was no one from Hufflepuff house here. I had wondered. You see that kind of thing is important information that as the leader of this team I should know." Rose ranted. "Her miscalculation could cost us more than the end of a line. It could cost us everything!"
"No… because She is here… and so am I." Rhia whispered.
"Our sister is a blind fool! I can't believe she kept so much from me! Even when I spoke to Her two days ago, she mentioned none of this. Merely cautioned me and told me to take care of my cough."
"Cough? What cough?" Rhia asked.
"Every time he's in danger, I start coughing up my lungs. I don't know why. Makes it near impossible to protect him, though I've managed thus far." Rose frowned at the memory of the snake.
"She didn't tell me that."
"Ah! Finally something I knew that you didn't."
"Well now I'm really here, and even if you are coughing up your lungs, I can do my job."
"Don't you think that will be complicated by your hand?" Rose asked motioning towards Rhia's bandage.
"It shouldn't be… though I should probably keep the handkerchief on it. Wouldn't want to draw undue attention to the group."
"Might want to do it to avoid attention to yourself as well. Can you imagine the furor that it could cause among the female population of Hogwarts? I can see it now, 'The Girl Marked by Harry Potter.' The gossip would be vicious."
It was Rhia's turn to gape at Rose. "Do you really think that could happen? Oh dear… Poor Harry!
I do hope it doesn't. For everyone' sake. That would be awful. Especially since we don't…"
"Right," Rose said. "Of course there is his vision… and what Liana told him."
"About that," Rhia started. "Don't remind him of it. I don't want him to think about that yet. Besides, it could be a fluke. This burn may fade away as it heals, and it could mean nothing."
"It could also mean everything." Rose said.
"For heaven's sake Rose, he just met me yesterday! Before that he didn't know I existed."
"But you knew he existed. As you put it, you know everything about him."
"I said that I knew everything that had happened to him, not that I knew everything." Rhia tucked a curl behind her ear and asked, "So, do you want to know his history or not?"
"Of course I do, but Harry, Hermione and Ron are supposed to tell me sometime soon."
"Do you think that with all that has happened already this year and all that is going to happen soon, they will ever have the chance to sit down and tell you the story of the last four years? An awful lot happened you know."
"I suppose not. But what am I going to tell them if they bring up the fact that they haven't told me yet?"
"Just that somebody else filled you in. Which will be the truth if you would just be quiet and let me talk."
And that is how the others found them when they returned to the classroom to put away their tools. Draco appeared first. He stepped through the window and into the classroom, and came to a surprised stop. Rhia and Rose were both sprawled in their chairs. Rose looked stunned, her eyes a swirl of green and gray. Rhia just looked tired. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked.
Rhia cleared her throat. "Just telling stories Draco." She straightened up in her chair, checked the handkerchief on her hand to make sure it was still tied securely and smiled at him.
"Must have been some story." He commented as he took his seat next to her. Rose was staring at him, her eyes now more green than gray. He suddenly found himself saying, "I didn't do anything," he motioned to the cord around his neck, "I can't, remember?"
"Yes… I know. Sorry." Rose said shortly. She looked at the door as the Seventh years came in. George, Fred, Daniel and Ana all crowded in at almost the same time. George immediately gave Rose a speculative look. She raised a suspicious brow.
"I think you'd be perfect for the job." He said cheerfully.
"What job?" Rose asked.
"That is for us to know and you to be surprised about," Fred answered, grinning.
Dan and Ana both laughed. "It's nothing to be too worried about Rose. Just an… experiment of theirs." Ana said, taking her seat.
"I learned early to beware of their experiments. I remember what happened first year," Rose said.
"Ah yes," George murmured, "the incident involving a certain chocolate-covered strawberry and your fair person. I thought it was rather well done of us."
"You did say that it tasted good," Fred laughed.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked as he and the other fifth years came through the door.
"Did I hear something about chocolate-covered strawberries?" Monica asked.
"They're just talking about one of their famous pranks," Draco told her as she sat down.
"Pranks? What pranks?" George asked innocently. "We merely have a well developed sense of the funny side of life." He gave Draco a look that clearly said, 'Unlike some people I know.'
"Enough of this, you're going to start the Shards buzzing again." Rose said, with a careful look at George.
Harry sat down next to Rhia. "How's your hand?" he asked guiltily.
"You're being ridiculous Harry. It's fine," she answered.
Just then Ginny, Reggie and Lynne entered the room. Rose cleared her throat. "Now that I have everyone's attention, we are going to take everything back out of the crates and put them in their places around the room." No one moved for a moment. "Well, get on with it. Make sure the crates are completely empty. I want a pile of those wood shavings put in that far corner."
They all happily got everything out again Hermione, Draco and Monica had already gotten their things from the crate when Rhia picked up the box of daggers again. Harry waited until she was well back from it before he dove in to pull out the packing material. As he pulled it out, Rhia sifted through it and passed it to Neville, who passed it to Reggie, who passed it to Lynne, who put it in the corner. There were various such assembly lines around the room to get the shavings to their corner.
"What do you suppose these are?" Harry asked as he pulled out two brass rods and a round stone. "These were at the very bottom of the crate."
"Let me see those," Ron said, reaching for the rods.
"No!" Rhia shouted, shoving him away. "Don't touch them. Those are the reason for the accident earlier. Lightning rods. Harry, you must have been touching them somehow when I smacked your scar. That explains the sudden manifestation of your power."
"But I didn't know they were in here," he said, staring at the innocent looking sticks of metal.
"Nevertheless…" Rhia looked around. "Nobody can touch them but you, now that they are charged. That's what happened before. I just got caught in the backlash."
"That seems awfully dangerous," Lynne said. "Could you imagine if those things had fallen into my water tank? Electrocution can't be fun."
"It's not," Rhia remarked. Harry winced. She gave him a fierce look. "I told you to stop that. Trust me when I say that what happened wasn't horribly painful, nor could it even be termed electrocution. Like I said, I just got the backlash from the charge you put into the rods. It was a mild shock. That's all."
"But your hand…" Harry started.
"Is Fine. The only reason there was even a burn was because of the place my hand happened to be at the time, on your scar. Now can we get away from that particular topic for a while? We have some work to do before dinner." Rhia carefully took the round stone from Harry and slipped it into her pocket.
Ginny began speaking. "These things are supposed to help us train ourselves to use our gifts, and the Shards make them stronger. Yet when are we going to use that training? When are we going to need to know how to do these things? I mean, I love that I have a gift with animals, and it's amazing that I can understand them more than ever, but what use is that? Why do the Shards need Guardians in the first place? Powerful ones at that."
Rose looked around and realized with a sigh that nothing further would get done until she answered the questions in everyone's eyes. "The Shards need Guardians because, if there is not a group focused on their defense and able to use them, then they can be taken by Evil. Even now, Voldemort is searching for them. The incident in the DADA classroom yesterday was a sure sign of that. If he ever got a hold of them, any of them… then everything my family has fought for, lived and died for, would be worthless. Thousands of years of struggle by those who knew about them and those who didn't. With the power of the Sunstone, The Dark Lord would be more powerful, more evil than ever. For our side, that of Good and Light, the Shards mean hope. With us, their Guardians, the Shards can defeat his evil. As for training, that will begin next class period. I will have to speak with the Headmaster about extra training sessions. We are going to need to be outside for many of these, and the sight of fifteen students using unusual magic will attract unwelcome attention, so a safe practice ground must still be found. The timeframe is till unknown. Until his next move, we can do nothing but watch, wait and prepare," she paused. "Now, the first step to all that is to get these things put into their proper places and to get these crates out of here. None of these tools leave the room yet. Not even yours Ginny. As harmless as it looks, there is power in it."
"What do we do with them then?" Daniel asked, smoothing a hand down one of his scabbard,
"The weapons go there on that wall," Rose said, pointing. "There are already hooks there for them. Neville, Ginny and Hermione, your things go on that shelf. My bombs, Ana's rock, Reggie's feathers and Lynne's water tank all go on the table in the corner opposite the wood shavings. Harry, Draco, Monica and Rhia, your things must be put in the bottom cabinet of the bookshelf. Be very careful Harry, and don't let your rods touch any of the other things."
"Wait, Rhia didn't get anything out of the crates. What's her aid?" Draco asked. Though he tried to hide it, and mostly managed to, sitting next to her made him nervous.
"Yes she did. That round stone Harry pulled out. She got it and put it in her pocket." Monica told him. "What was that thing Rhia?"
Rhia pulled it out again. "It's a guide stone," Rhia answered, smiling slightly at the plain gray stone.
"And what does a guide stone do?" Reggie asked.
"It guides her, you dope," Lynne remarked.
"Hey," Draco asked, "Why didn't they get zapped for that remark."
"Because their comments were made out of affection," Daniel said, giving him a thoughtful look.
Draco frowned. Anondir suddenly appeared in his lap, whirring loudly. He settled down to survey the room. Draco didn't move a muscle. Monica however, went completely gushy. She started cooing at the cream kit, scratching his chin and making kissing noises. Anondir endured it for a few moments, still whirring. Then he trilled and returned to Lynne, who gave him a hug. "Oh he's so cute," Monica gushed. "I know why I don't have one, but why don't you have one?" She asked Draco, her violet eyes sparkling with pleasure.
All conversation stopped and everybody froze in what ever they were doing. That is, everyone except Fianna. She popped her head out of Ron's pocket and looked straight at Draco. He stared at her and for the first time in his entire life, Draco Malfoy was at a loss for words. "I… uh… I … erm…I…"
"There weren't enough to go around," Harry said. Everyone looked at him. He continued, "No one in the Slytherin house got one. There just weren't enough."
"Oh, that's too bad," Monica said. She wiggled her fingers at Vestan, who was sitting in Rose's chair. He waved a paw at her. "They are just adorable." She looked at Draco for a response.
Draco swallowed. He glanced at Kali'na, who was on Harry's head, then at Harry himself. "Yes, they are."
"Excuse me, but I'm still wondering what the guide stone does," Hermione said. Ron gave her a look, his eyes sharp with tension. She returned his look with a lightly annoyed one of her own. "I just want to know Ron. That was the original topic of conversation." She turned away from him to put her book on the shelf, and her quill in the drawer below it.
Rhia cleared her throat. "It's to help me stay in one form."
"What do you mean?" Ana asked. "You are in one form most of the time, aren't you?"
Something flashed in her eyes for a second before she answered. "Of course. It's just that if I stay in an animal form for a long period of time, it is harder to get back to this one. The stone is supposed to help me find my way back if I ever get stuck in a different form."
"Why would you get stuck in a different form?" Harry asked.
Rose licked her suddenly dry lips. "Should I be captured in one of my other forms, I can't change back without alerting my captor of who and what I am."
"Oh. That's a good thing to have then." Reggie said.
Rhia smiled. "Yes." She looked at Rose and something passed between them. They both looked at Harry.
"Okay, now everybody out. Let's go to dinner," Rose said.