And were greeted by very hyper classmates. Having their Sunday entertainments cut short by the storm had made all the students a little wild. Hermione and Dean were sitting on the stairs, staring with defeated eyes at their housemates. Ron leaned against the wall next to Hermione, watching a group of particularly bubble first years playing Exploding Snap. Fred was talking to Angelina, Alicia and Katie. All four of them were muttering over a piece of paper. George, being the tallest of the group entering waved a hand at his brothers.
Rose, George, Harry and Rhia moved to an unoccupied corner. They were quickly joined by Ginny, Neville, Hermione, Ron and Fred. "Well," Rose started. "We got Draco's schedule worked out. He should be fine for the next little while. The twins and Harry are safe from Desiree too. Now all we have to do is"
"There you are Harry. We need to talk to you about the team," Katie said.
"We have less than two months before our first match and we don't have a Keeper, or even a Captain yet." Angelina added.
"So it's good that you're here. I think we need to have a meeting." Alicia stated.
"We'll be there in just a second," Fred said. He gave the three Chasers a winning grin. "Don't worry. The Cup is in the bag this year ladies."
"Just remember what Malfoy did year before last when you say that Fred," Angelina said. "We've got to be ready. There's no telling what nasty tricks he'll pull this year." And the three of them returned to their paper and their mutterings.
"I hadn't thought about that. How are we going to compete against each other this year with Shards around our necks?" Harry asked.
"Focus Harry," Hermione said. "We've got to schedule some research time. We need to find out as much as we can about weather-witches and the lot."
"But I thought he was safe from her now?" Neville asked.
"What Neville? If you think that then you obviously didn't see the lovely Miss Chang at lunch." Seamus said. "Harry's not safe from her unless he's managed to get out of Charms tomorrow. " He winked at Harry. "She looked ready to spit nails when you didn't show up to sit in the seat she saved for you."
"What? But I never…" Harry started.
"That's what I thought mate, but then the female mind does work in mysterious ways." Seamus replied.
"And what is that supposed to mean Finnegan?" Rose asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Er… nothing…um… see ya." And Seamus beat a hasty retreat.
" Okay, now that he's gone, I have a question about," Ginny started.
"Hermione, help!" Dean yelled from across the room. He was standing in a sea of first years. The boys were yelling about the score and the girls were all bawling for reasons unseen.
"Oh for the love of little apples!" Rhia exclaimed. She looked at Rose. "For the sake of my sanity and the safety of our housemates I suggest we declare this informal meeting adjourned until a later, less hectic time."
Rose, seeing the telltale light in Rhia's eyes hastily agreed. The Guardians scattered to their various pursuits.
Two hours later, Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Stars. I thought this room would never be quiet again."
"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked. "My ears are still ringing."
"Listen to us. We sound like grown-ups." Neville said.
"Oh, perish the thought." Hermione said. "I wasn't ever [I] that[/I] annoying as a first year, was I?"
"Not quite." Ron said. He grinned when she glared at him.
"I think… I'm too tired to think," Rose said. "It's been a very busy day. "We should take up the conversation tomorrow… or whenever I manage to wake up." She called towards the still huddled Quidditch team. "Night all!"
Within seconds, said meeting broke up and George was at her side. "I never got to talk to you."
"So talk," she said, yawning.
He looked at her tired face and the tired, yet curious, looks on the faces of the others. "Another time." He smiled at her, and was delighted to see the weary gray in her eyes turn greeny gold.
"Goodnight Weasley." Rose said. She gave him a quizzical look before heading for her tapestry door.
The others soon followed her lead and went to bed. They had had a busy and complicated day. Make that week. A good night's sleep was just what they all needed.
***
It was dark and cold, though a fire burned in the grate. "Why wasn't I told?" snapped a woman's voice. "I was nearly bloody caught, be cause you couldn't keep your pet under control!"
"Don't snap at me wench!" said an arrogant voice. "Just because you are his current favorite, doesn't give you the right to know every action of the older, wiser members."
"Pet! Who are you calling pet you wretched bit-" screeched another woman.
"What's this?' asked a cold, quiet voice. " Now now, don't go insulting Liliana that way. What's the trouble my dear?" The voice nearly shivered through the air. "Wait. Wormtail stir the fire."
"Yes my Lord," said a sniveling voice. The room was suddenly brighter. The firelight glinted off the silver hand that stirred it. Torches were lit around the room.
"Now, Liliana. Tell me what has you upset." The cold voice said.
A woman, hooded and cloaked stood before an enormous armchair, Lucius Malfoy standing arrogantly beside her. She curtsied beautifully and remained in that position, until an ominous hiss had Lucius down on a knee, as low to the ground as she. "Malfoy set his weather-witch on the school without my knowledge and without proper planning or control." Liliana spoke in clipped, yet silky tones. "They are now aware of her as they would not have been, had I been given this information."
"They didn't even know I was there," a younger woman said from a dark corner.
"You will not speak until spoken to!" the cold voice cracked through the air. "Crucio!" The woman's screams tore the dangerous quiet of the night. With a wave of his wand they ceased and she whimpered from the shadows. "Rise up Liliana." As the woman stood, her hood fell back to reveal hair the color of crimson. A cascading curl hid her eyes, shimmering like blood on her cheek. "Now, Lucius what is your response to this?"
"I felt that she was ready my Lord. The attack had to be made quickly, before they reach their full power." Lucius said.
"So… you think that they are a danger to us then?" the cold voice said dangerously. "Stand!" the cold voice screeched. Trembling slightly, Lucius did as he was told. The wand started pointing around the room at the various people in it. "Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!" As the air filled with screams and an evil cackle, the woman, Liliana knelt again on the ground before the maniacally laughing Lord Voldemort. Suddenly she looked up. One green eye, one blue, glittering with unshed tears. [I] 'Shadow, wake him. Quickly!'[/I] Then the wand pointed at her.
***
Rhia lurched awake, in her own form, still lying on Harry's bed. She sat up and stared at him in the dark. He was pale and twitching a little. "Harry, wake up. Harry, WAKE UP." She reached out a hand and shook his shoulder. He didn't stir. "Ka'lina, his scar." The dannikit moved to cover his scar with her paws as Rhia went cat again. Shadow sat on him and braced herself raking her claws down his chest.
"NO!" Harry yelled, coming awake and sitting straight up in his bed, throwing cat and dannikit to the floor. "Bloody hell." He was drenched in sweat, as if he had run a very long way, and been terrified at the end of it. He looked down at the floor. Ka'lina was staring at him, glowing eyes accusing in the darkness. Harry concentrated. Blue light flickered obligingly in his left hand. At his first clear sight of the dannikit, his scar burned with renewed vengeance. "Was that you who scratched me?" he asked her. She grumbled at him before jumping onto the bed. Ka'lina climbed to his shoulders and balanced there. She placed a paw on his scar as if to say, 'No you dunderhead. I was doing this.' The burning faded.
"Oh. Well thanks. It must have been Shadow then. Where did she go?" he looked around the room. Surprisingly, considering the amount of noise he'd made, the others were still asleep. He looked down at his chest. His shirt was torn from Shadow's claws. The scratches stung, but no copious amounts of blood could be seen. He was a little worried. He'd knocked the cat to the floor pretty hard. He patted Ka'lina. "Better go find her then. Make sure she's all right." He thought briefly about changing his shirt but decided to wait until he got back to his room. He picked up his robe and slipped into it, taking care not to set it on fire with his flickering hand.
So, sizzling blue-lit hand held in front of him, Harry slowly descended the stairs to the Common Room, watching for the glint of cat eyes. He stepped into the Common Room to find Rhia sitting on the sofa in front of the fire. Closing his hand, the blue lightning faded. Quietly, he approached, not wanting to disturb her, yet compelled just the same. She was curled into the corner seat, her legs bent beneath her, staring into the fire. "Rhia?" he whispered.
She jumped and turned. "Harry. What are you doing awake?"
"I was about to ask you the same question." Harry replied. He came around the sofa and sat beside her. "Did you see Shadow run through here a moment ago?"
"Rose's cat? No. Why?" Rhia asked. She was wearing a plaid t-shirt and shorts. He tried not to notice how her skin glowed in the firelight. He saw her shiver as a cold draft blew through the room, competing with the dying fire. Her arms broke out in goosebumps.
"Well I kind of knocked her off the bed when she woke me up. I'm afraid she might be hurt." Harry said. When she shivered again, he took off his robe and draped it over her shoulders.
"Oh you don't have to… Thank you Harry." Rhia said. She noticed his shirt. "Your shirt. It's torn." She stared at him, gray eyes troubled. "Shadow did that?"
"Well, yes, but she was bringing me home from a nightmare. More a vision really." Harry said.
"You can tell me about it while I take care of those scratches." Rhia said. She stood and slid her arms into the sleeves of his robe. "I'll be right back." Before he could tell her not to worry about them, she was already coming back.
"You don't have to," Harry started.
"Take off what's left of your shirt Harry," Rhia said, setting a bowl of water and a cloth on an ottoman near the couch.
"What?" Harry asked. His eyebrows shot up.
"I can't very well tend those scratches if I can't see them," Rhia remarked. Ka'lina whirred with dannikit laughter as Harry pulled the shirt off over his head.
"And what are you laughing at?" Harry wanted to know. "You let her scratch me."
"She thinks it's funny that we wear clothes at all," Rhia said as she wet the cloth.
"That would certainly make life," Harry looked at her. "Wait. How do you know that?"
Rhia focused on cleaning the thin bloody lines on his chest. "Well when I've been an Agoradan, or any animal really, and come back to my own form, I find clothes to be a bit annoying. Mine change with me thankfully, but when I'm in animal form, I can appreciate the increased agility available without clothes."
"Couldn't that be the forms themselves, rather than the lack of clothing?" Harry asked. He knew he was blushing, but hoped she wouldn't be able to tell in the dim light.
"Possibly," Rhia said, flashing him a small smile. "Could you make some light for me please? I don't want to miss anything."
"Oh sure," Harry concentrated and the lightning in his fingers flickered to life.
"What's this bruise from?" She asked suddenly, touching his ribs with a fingertip.
"Quidditch practice. Dived right into a Bludger." Harry said. "It barely hurts."
"Oh that's good." Rhia said softly.
"You said your clothes change with you… but what happens to your Shard?" Harry asked. "I've never asked before… nor have I noticed it when you do change."
"Oh well if I concentrate, it changes with me. Becomes sort of like a part of me I suppose. Having it hidden beneath my shirt makes it even easier. You're bleeding a little bit more now. I'm really sorry about this."
"What are you apologizing for? She brought me home with these scratches."
"That's right, you were going to tell me about this dream/vision of yours." Rhia said. She pressed the cloth to the one scratch that was still bleeding. And so he told her.
"You said he called her Liliana?" Rhia asked when he finished. The water in the bowl was tinged pink, and the cloth now balled in Rhia's fist.
"Yes. It was strange. The others called her his favorite, yet when she looked at me," Harry paused.
"She looked at you? But I thought this was a dream Harry." Rhia said.
"It was. I have a connection with Voldemort because of my scar. Whenever he's feeling excited or angry, I sort of link up with him. No one has ever looked at me before. But that woman… Liliana… she saw me. But instead of exclaiming… or bringing attention to that… she… well,"
"What Harry?"
"She was crying. Strange for a Death-eater… but her eyes… one green and one blue by the way… She looked like she was about to cry." Harry frowned. "And he hadn't even cursed her yet."
"He cursed his own people for thinking we are dangerous…" Her eyes glinted fiercely. " He has no idea. Then she asked, "The other woman… Lucius' pet, did you see her?"
"No. But I'm pretty sure that was Desiree. And that they were talking about that storm of hers." Harry said.
"That was almost a month ago Harry… why would they just now be talking about it?" Rhia asked.
"I don't know. But she hasn't attacked since then. In fact we've had a relatively quiet month… Serpent-wise that is. Maybe they were doing other things and just now got around to it… or it was a flashback dream." Harry sighed. "These dreams aren't really reliable. I just don't know."
"But you're sure that he called her Liliana?" Rhia asked.
"Positive. Why? Do you know who she is?" Harry asked.
"What? No, I've never heard of anyone by that name before." She frowned into the fire for a moment.
"What's wrong? Does this mean he has a Death-eater we don't know about?" Harry asked.
Rhia blinked and swallowed again. "Blessed Hell. I just don't know." She waved at his hand. "I don't need that anymore if you don't." He closed it and the room was dark again, but for the dim firelight. He picked up his discarded shirt and put it back on.
She stared at him. "We should probably go back to bed. Potions in the morning."
"Yeah, we probably should." Harry responded. Neither moved. Ka'lina was asleep on the arm of the sofa. He reached for Rhia's hand and gently took the crumpled cloth from it. In doing so, his fingers brushed her scar. A tremor went up her arm. "Are you still cold?" he asked.
"No… I just… residual jolt from the… from you." Rhia said. "Your shirt is ruined. I should get you a new one." She touched one of the torn edges.
"It's just a pajama shirt, don't worry about it." Harry said. He tapped the tip of her nose. "Believe me, I've worn shirts that are in worse shape than this to school before." He smiled at her as he put the cloth in the bowl, then gave her hand a squeeze. "Sleep well Rhia."
"You too Harry. Sweet dreams," she smiled a bit at his expression. "Goodnight." He scooped up Ka'lina. She whirred sleepily. Rhia waited until the Harry was safely up the stairs and out of sight before diving for the tapestry door. She stumbled into warm darkness. "Wake up Rose. I think Shannon is in trouble."