Rhia squeezed his hand before walking to where Daniel sat with the still enthralled twins. He was watching them. The quiet of the room was broken only by the sound of water dripping from robes. "The storm has them now," Rhia said softly. The fury of the storm was muted now by the castle walls.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked. "Didn't they start the storm?"
"No they didn't," Daniel said fiercely. "They had no reason to."
"Well someone did," Sirius said. "That was no ordinary storm."
They were quiet, contemplating that for a moment. Ginny had summoned fluffy scarlet towels from the Gryffindor girl's dormitory. She handed them to those who had been in the rain. "What did you mean, 'the storm has them now'?" she asked Rhia.
"Someone sent that storm here and it caught them as surely as a fishing net." George said before Rhia could answer.
"Yes, that's it exactly," Rhia added. "Newly come into their powers as they are, they haven't built up any defenses. They were caught up into the power of the storm."
"It pulls at you. At the center of you… I almost got lost in it myself," Harry said, his tone almost wistful.
"I forgot about that," Rose said softly. "I block it automatically now, I hadn't thought…" At the confused faces around her she sighed. "It's an elemental quirk. If we are open to it, if we're not careful, we can get caught in, or enthralled by any naturally, or supernaturally occurring aspect of our gifts."
"So what do we do?" Daniel asked. "Are they caught irreversibly? I can't just leave them like this!" He looked worriedly at his sisters. "I can see it now. 'Hey Dad and Mum. Oh yeah the girls are fine. They're just in thrall of a freak thunderstorm. But don't worry. They're healthy.' That would go over real well."
"We only have to wait until the storm blows itself out." Rhia said, toweling her hair. "They'll be fine." She looked at Rose. "Remember the forest fire a few years ago? You stood there watching it for hours, while firemen ran around you to put it out. We couldn't move you for anything. But you weren't hurt. It was like the fire wouldn't touch you while it had you."
"Like them. Neither one is the least bit windblown or wet from the rain." Ana said.
"Yes. They'll be fine. The storm should finish up in an hour or so. Something as wild as this one can't last long." Rose said. She glanced out the window. They could see the Forbidden Forest and part of the lake. Some of the smaller trees were nearly bent double in the gale. There were ten-foot waves on the surface of the lake and the rain was coming down so hard it made a mist when it hit the surface from droplets re-launched into the atmosphere.
"This isn't normal." Monica said. "Not for this part of the world. This is hurricane weather."
"Of course it isn't normal. Father's pet weather-witch is throwing a tantrum." Draco said in a snide voice. "I hope she doesn't damage anything important."
"What was her name again Draco?" Rhia asked in a haughty voice. Harry shot her a glance. The twinkle in her eyes belied the tone.
"Desiree, Mother. The one he tried to pass off as a maid the last time." Draco answered.
"Oh, right. That one." Rhia said in a bored tone. Draco didn't even look at her. He was watching the storm.
Alaster watched this exchange with interest. "How did you…"
Draco turned and saw the numerous intense faces watching him. He scowled. "What the devil did I say now?"
"At least this one was from this lifetime," Harry said dryly. The hint of a smile appeared on Draco's face.
"Your father knows a weather-witch?" Alaster prompted.
Draco paled even more than usual. "What did I say? What was the memory?" he asked urgently.
"You said that 'Father's pet weather-witch was throwing a tantrum.' Oh and that her name was Desiree." Rhia answered.
"Oh. Yes. She was fifteen at the time and quite inclined to local storms of temper." Draco said after a moment. "She'd been spoiled by her foster family before coming to live with us." He ignored the snort of laughter from a Weasley.
"Fifteen… and your father was using her?" Hermione asked, outraged.
Draco sneered at her. "He's been using me since before I was born, so I don't think the transition was difficult." He shook his head. "And no he wasn't using her then. She was too unpredictable. She'd be about twenty now." He glanced outside. "Obviously come fully into her powers."
"With some coaching from your father," Harry said.
Draco met his eyes. Neither flinched as he said, "Yes." A moment later, he added, "I've never seen anything like this before. Her storms were always localized, nothing this powerful."
"That means she's close by," Alaster said. Without another word he was out the door.
"Does he think she's actually here at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.
"Who knows?" Rose said, rolling her eyes.
"You said you'd never seen her do anything like this before. Why do you suppose that is?" Fred asked.
"Because she's tapped into them," Sirius said with a nod to the twins.
"What do you mean?" Daniel asked. He sat with an arm around each sister. "She's caught them and now she's using their power?"
"Lucius is giving her a taste of pure power to make her hunger to have it again. It's a common enough practice for our Enemy. Let a person's own desires drive them to his work." Sirius answered.
"Once they come out of this, will she be able to get their power again? Ana asked.
"I'll teach them to block as soon as they recover. Then she won't be able to reach them." Rose answered.
"Unless they are captured and turned." Draco said softly. "That's how he got Desiree in the first place. She was ten when she first came to us."
"A ten year old girl, taught to hate for a decade and then given power like this…" Ana said staring out the window. She smiled, a never seen before glint in her dark eyes. "She's certainly upset."
This comment was followed by a crack of thunder so loud that it shook the castle. The rumble of the thunder faded, but the shaking just went on. The dannikits yowled as the floor beneath them began to tremble. Segan hissed. That being something none of the dannikits had ever done before, drew attention to him. He was balanced on the windowsill, small fangs bared to the cloud-black sky. He was only two feet up the wall from the violently shaking floor, and he was perfectly still. Before the implications of that could process in the minds of the Guardians, Reggie screamed.
Abruptly, the shaking stopped. A moment later the wind died down and the rain became nothing more than I light drizzle. Just another moment and a hesitant ray of sunshine peeked into the room. "Now she's [I] really[/I] upset," Ana said with satisfaction.
"So am I," George said as he picked himself up off the floor. "Did you have to do that without warning us?"
Ana blushed. "It just sort of happened. I only shook the castle and surrounding area. I think."
"This is turning into quite a day," Sirius commented.
"You have no idea," Lynne whispered. Her voice sounded clogged, as if she'd been crying for a long time. She and Reggie were clinging to their brother. All three were trembling violently.
"How are you feeling?" Monica asked.
"Like I've just been through the spin cycle of a washing machine," Reggie rasped.
At the same time, Lynne answered, "Like ice in a sno- cone maker."
"At least they still have their senses of humor," Fred said cheerfully.
"Do not." Reggie muttered.
"That's how we really feel," Lynne stated.
Everyone smiled a bit. Reggie looked at Ana. "Thank you Antar." Ana blinked at the use of her full name. "If you hadn't frightened her, we'd still be trapped."
"But you screamed," Neville said.
"She didn't. That woman did, just before she let us go." Lynne said.
"She needs a firm place to stand in order to do her magic," Draco said.
"How does she do it?" Daniel asked. "I thought these two were the only ones who could control the weather."
"I haven't a clue," Draco said. "I just know she does it."
"Let's pool what we do know," Sirius suggested.
"Someone, presumably this Desiree, called up a storm," Rhia said. "You two," she motioned at the twins, "were open and she grabbed up your power, using it in her fury."
"It wasn't like that exactly," Reggie said, "she wasn't angry. She was…"
"Exultant. Triumphant." Lynne finished. "Until the end."
"But why?" Ginny asked, "She didn't gain anything."
"Oh, but she did." Monica said. "She discovered what she could do, with the girls at her disposal."
"It also may not have been wholly her triumph you sensed. It could have been her keeper's," Sirius said.
"I would know if my Father were here Mr. Black," Draco said.
"He may not be her keeper anymore," Rose said. "He has… other responsibilities these days." She started a fire in the grate with a snap of her fingers. Rhia summoned blankets and draped them over the twins.
"It was strange," Lynne said as she clutched the blanket close. "She was very clumsy at first. Clawing at the clouds, as if they would willfully evade her hands."
"Yes, she fought the wind at first," Reggie added.
"As a simple weather witch, that is how she must do it," Rose said. "She has to use force where you two only have to ask."
"Ask?" Hermione queried.
"The elements are really very accommodating most of the time," Rose explained. "What it boils down to is the various methods and the courtesy involved. Reggie could ask the wind to blow a certain way, and it would, merely because she asked. This weather witch has to use her magic to force it. As a result the wind itself is angry and reluctant."
"I don't understand," Ron said.
"Well," Rhia started.
Just then, Alaster popped back into the room. "We're all to go to Dumbledore's office."
"Yes immediately," Cora said, coming in behind him. "You have some explaining to do."
"What's the attitude of the rest of the school?" Rose asked.
"Everyone's a little uneasy. That was quite a storm," Cora answered. "Are you two all right?" This last was directed at the twins.
They shook their heads. "How would you feel if someone reached inside you and took what you didn't even really know you had?" Reggie asked.
"Huh?" Neville asked.
"We haven't even begun to stretch into our powers and already someone is trying to take them from us. They're a part of us, but we didn't know how big a part until they were taken away." Lynne answered.
"They're a part of you all right. Which is why Dumbledore it concerned. This weather-witch's attack today violates all sorts of laws and rules that surround the school. It shouldn't have happened." Alaster said.
Everyone started to move towards the door. "It'll never happen again, I promise," Draco said in a petulant voice. Cora paused and looked at him. He was staring at the wall.
"What the…?" she started.
"Shhh… let him finish." Fred whispered. The blonde looked at him questioningly. Everyone watched Draco.
The Slytherin flinched suddenly. "I won't spy on her anymore. I just wanted to know how she" he broke off. His voice stiffened. "Yes. I understand. I won't. Don't do that. I said I wouldn't" He flinched again.
"What's happening to him?" Reggie asked.
"It's a Memory," Harry said. "Another one from this lifetime I'd say."
"Maybe he'll know more about Desiree when he comes back." Ginny said.
"Comes back? What are you talking about?" Cora asked.
"I'll explain once we get to Dumbledore." Alaster said. "We're going to have to make some special arrangements for Draco for a while."
"Let's hurry then," Cora said went to the wall next to the doorway. She put the tip of her wand to wall and said, "I need to get to the Headmaster's Office immediately." The wall seemed to shimmer and the doorway changed. The door was older, and bigger.
"How come I didn't know it could do that?" Rose griped.
Cora sent a glance over her shoulder at her sister before opening the door. They found themselves looking into the back room of Dumbledore's office suite. The painting of Atlantis was still the centerpiece, it was at a late phase in its pattern. The city had nearly gone entirely beneath the sea. "Because it couldn't until yesterday night." Cora said. She motioned to the doorway. "Well, come on, in you go."
"Someday, I'm going to make a map of this school," Hermione said. Harry glanced at her. "One that makes sense." She added. Harry hadn't brought up the Marauder's Map, so neither would she. George opened his mouth, but shut it without saying anything.
"You can't," Rose said.
"And why not?" Hermione wanted to know.
"Because the school itself doesn't make sense," Rose answered. "[I] Magic[/I] doesn't make sense."
"Yes it does," Hermione said.
"Alright then, explain to me how in the world something like a hippogriff can survive? How did it come into being? How can those wings big and real as they are actually lift a body that weighs more than ton off the ground?" Rose asked. "Explain to me, using all the powers of logic at your disposal, how a Hippogriff even exists?"
"Well, because… because it…it can… it" Hermione stopped.
"Because it's magic." Rose finished. "Magic doesn't make sense."
"We're getting majorly side-tracked here," Alaster said. "Let's go."
They went. Daniel tried to pick up Reggie, but she insisted that she could walk. She did, and so did Lynne. They were physically fine. It was the mental and spiritual difficulties that would have to be dealt with as soon as possible. Monica ushered Draco through. He'd stopped talking to a phantom authority figure and only stared wide-eyed at something only he could see. That something wasn't at all pleasant, if his expression was any indication. Sirius went 'Grim' before going through the doorway, drawing Rhia's attention. She watched his change with interest. Harry watched her. A light seemed to go on behind her eyes. He willed her to stay herself, for now. Who knew what kind of fit Alaster would throw if he knew what she could do. She looked back at him and gave him a tiny smile. She knew exactly what he was doing. Every kit was still firmly attached to their companion. The storm attack and earthquake had upset them as much as it had their people. Cora finally had everyone through the doorway and came through herself. "Thank you," she said politely. The door shimmered again and disappeared entirely. "Now all we have to do is wait for Dumbledore to get here."
"Where is he?" Harry asked.
"He's doing panic control in the Great Hall." Alaster answered. "He'll be here momentarily."
"How soon is momentarily?" Ron asked. "I don't know about anyone else, but I'm famished. We missed lunch."
"Don't worry Mr. Weasley. Some refreshments will be here shortly. As soon as we get a few things straightened out." Dumbledore said from the doorway.
Ron looked slightly embarrassed. "Thank you sir."
Dumbledore smiled at him before turning serious. He looked at the little twins. "How are you feeling?" Daniel looked mildly surprised.
"Wrung out," Reggie said, but otherwise I feel fine." She was obviously nervous, never having had an actual conversation with the Headmaster. Her sister was the same.
"I feel a little smashed, but I'm fine too." Lynne managed.
"Alaster told me there's a weather-witch somewhere on the campus and she's the reason for the storm. Do you have any idea where?' he asked them, still smiling encouragingly.
"I don't think we can know that until a damage report comes in Sir," Reggie said.
"Why is that?" Cora asked.
Lynne smiled for the first time. "Because, she may have been drawing on us, but she couldn't draw everything."
"Marvelous. I'll get Hagrid to check the grounds following our meeting." He looked at Harry. " How did you manage to stay out of it?"
"I sensed her net, after she caught them. Even though I knew it was there, she almost got me. Rhia pulled me back, before she got her hooks in me completely." Harry answered.
The Headmaster nodded and turned to Ana. "You my dear? How did you become involved?"
"She made me angry," Ana said. "What she was doing to the twins was wrong. We didn't know precisely where she was, so I only touched the castle and surrounding area. I stopped when she released them."
"You do realize that there hasn't been an earthquake in this part of the world for centuries." He said still smiling. Ana nodded, blushing. "What am I going to tell your fellow students?'
"Tell them someone tried and failed to tamper with one of the protection spells surrounding the school." Hermione said. Everyone looked at her. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. Hermione sighed. "Oh honestly! Hogwarts, a History, Chapter Nine: Safety at School. Since I'm the only one in the [I] entire[/I] student body to have read the chapter, none of them will know that it's not entirely true."
"But it is true," Ron said. "In a way." Hermione looked at him, eyebrows raised. "The twins were threatened, and Ana protected them. The actual method isn't important." Dumbledore nodded.
"The faculty shall be told. Thank you."
"Sir, if you don't mind…" Ginny asked. He looked at her. "Why are you asking us anyway?"
"You are the Guardians. Whether you know it or not your actions and ideas are beginning to reflect that. You could have said tell them the truth and wait for the shrieks to stop, but you opted instead to protect them, yourselves and thereby the Shards." He explained.