"I didn't realize that fifth year potions would be such dangerous ones," Hermione said as they climbed up the stairs from the dungeons.

"I thought you always read the book through before the first day," Ron said. "I know you were certainly reading something after our trip to Diagon Alley."

"The Burrow is many wonderful things Ron," Harry commented, "but a good place to study it is definitely not." Ron grinned and nodded. He knew Harry felt a little left out after an entire summer spent at the Dursley's, but Dumbledore had explained the danger of the situation in letters to them all summer. They had kept in close contact as well. With the new revelations about their pasts and futures, it made even more sense, in the grand scheme of things. But that didn't mean Harry had to feel good about being left out all summer. Understanding was easy. Dealing with it was an entirely different matter.

"Something's up with him anyway," Ron said suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

"Did you notice that Snape made no effort to crush or otherwise draw negative attention to Rhia even after she came in late?" Ron asked.

"I noticed that he asked you about the recipe as if to distract from her comment," Harry said.

"I couldn't believe she said that to a Professor," Hermione said, "even Snape."

"What do you think was her real reason?" Ron asked.

"It probably had something to do with last night," Harry muttered as they continued towards the DADA classroom.

"Oh right," Ron said.

At the same time, Hermione asked, "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell everyone when we get to our Sacred Flame class," Harry said. Ron grinned at the code name for their Guardian training.

Hermione frowned. "Okay. Did you see Rhia leave Potions?"

"No," Harry answered simply.

That obviously worried him. She had Ancient Runes with Malfoy next. "Monica is in there too," Ron reminded him. "She'll be fine."

Harry grinned at him. "I know," he paused, stroking Ka'lina. "I just get the feeling that my dream has triggered something. I don't think it will be quiet around here for much longer."

"We wouldn't want to become bored, now would we?" Ron quipped. Hermione smiled in spite of herself, even as she shook her head ruefully. Harry laughed. They entered the DADA classroom.

The Ancient Runes classroom was just above the dungeons. Not very far by any account, but far enough to get away from the damp and cold that plagued them. The Runes room might have been better served up near the library, but that would not have worked for Professor Peltier. He and Madame Pince had an agreement. He would stay as far away from her as being on staff at the same school allowed… and she wouldn't hex him into next week. So, Draco and Rhia only had to climb one set of stairs after Potions. Not together of course, but she was right behind him.

Draco scowled over his shoulder at Rhia. If she didn't get further away from him, then he was going to have to snipe at her, to keep up appearances. Her cool gray eyes merely stared at him as she raised her eyebrows. Then he smelled lilacs and turned to see Monica smiling at him from inside the classroom. He ignored Rhia then and took his seat next to the Ravenclaw girl.

Professor Peltier appeared in the front of the classroom with a flourish of his dark maroon robes. "Bonjour mes petits choux. We are going to be looking at Ogham runes from Ireland. They've been found over the course of thousands of years, in the druid circles and other ancient locations across that island country."

"Professor, you were speaking about the runes found in Greece in the last session," Monica said with a smile.

Peltier executed a perfect Gallic shrug. "Oublier d'il mademoiselle. Eh… how do you say… Forget about it. We are going to look at the Ogham now. Merci."

With a wave of his wand, Peltier projected the picture from the book into life-size on the wall. The rune was carved in dark gray stone, in a cave or underground place of some sort. "Can anyone tell me what this rune means?"

"That is a reference to the Wind Professor," Blaise Zabini said from the back of the room.

"Oui," Professor Peltier exclaimed. "Now why would there be such a large representation of the Wind in a place such as this?"

"That's the Cavern of the Winds. It's a place of power," Draco answered. His voice was cold and his body stiff. Monica looked at him sharply, then over at Rhia. Draco's face looked carved from marble. The usual look that preceded a Memory from the distant past.

"Oui Monsieur Malfoy! The ancient druids did call it the Cavern of the Winds. It was thought to be a source of great magic. There are many places around the world that are such. Several can be found in Ireland. Augureys or Irish Phoenixes nest in that area because of the abundance of fairies that can be found there. Can anyone tell me"

"Excusez-moi Professor," Rhia interrupted then proceeded to let loose a stream of questions in rapid-fire French. During this rather distracting deluge, Monica escorted an blank-eyed Draco from the classroom.

One minute Draco was answering Peltier with information he wasn't sure how he knew, and the next…

'Of course it's a source of power,' someone sneered, 'this is where Wind and Water failed after the last Gathering.'

'If they failed, then how is it that that line still exists?' he felt him self reply.

'Because they were weak then, as they always are. They tried alone the fools. They did not have the Heart to kill the Master.'

'That does not explain why that power is here, nor why you brought me here.'

'Zacharias my son, I brought you here because we must prepare it for the Return.'

'Will it come in our lifetime then?'

'Only the Book knows that, and we don't have it, thanks to those stupid interfering females… But we must be prepared just the same.'

'Why this place?'

'Because He was cast out of here once long ago, and he doesn't like unfinished tasks. He wants his stronghold where they failed. This is one of the many Magic centers in this world, and will be a source of power for him as they thought it would be for them.'

'So the Return will not come in your lifetime, nor mine.'

'But it may… in your son's.'

'I have no son.'

'But you will Zacharias. You will.'

"Draco?" Monica asked. "Are you with me yet?"

Draco blinked at her. "What happened?"

"Memory. An odd one I'd guess. Your hands are like ice." Monica said. She looked down at his hands, they were practically blue with cold. They stood in the hall outside the Runes classroom, a place that had to be kept warm to protect some of the ancient artifacts Professor Peltier had. "Are you all right now?" She took his cold hands in hers and tried to warm them.

"I remember it." Draco said softly.

"What? But it wasn't one from this lifetime," Monica said. "You spoke with an accent."

"Irish. This one was from my grandfather. I only met him once. But I know his voice. I spoke with it. My great-grandfather spoke to him… me. In the Cavern of the Winds." Draco said.

"Okay… this is good. You remember the Memory. That's an improvement." She looked into his blue eyes. "Isn't it?"

"They were planning even then for the Serpent's Return," Draco murmured.

"Then maybe you know their plans… maybe they will help. So it is a good thing." Monica said. She smiled softly at him.

"He was such an evil man Monica. I could feel it, practically seething through his blood. [I] My [/I] blood." Draco said.

"This is not the place to discuss this," Monica said tensely. Draco stared at her as she looked around quickly. She released one of his hands and he felt the absence of her warmth like a knife. He started to pull his other hand away, but her grip tightened. He started to snarl at her to let go of him, but then he saw what she was doing.

Monica had pulled out her wand. She appeared to be drawing a door on the wall next to where they stood. When she finished she muttered a spell of some sort. And the door opened. "What the devil…?" Draco asked.

Monica flashed him a smile. "Told you California magic was different. Come with me." She tugged him towards her.

"What is this?" he asked.

"My broom closet," Monica said with a lop-sided grin.

"Your… broom closet."

"Yes. We can talk in private in here," Monica told him as they stepped inside.

"You have your own broom closet." Draco stated, looking around. There were two upturned buckets in the middle of the floor, three brooms and a mop leaning against one wall. Before closing the door, Monica reached up and pulled a cord hanging from the ceiling. A soft glow filled the little room, source unseen. The door shut with a click. She smiled at him and nodded. "So where are we exactly? Still off the Runes hallway or…. Somewhere else, like the Guardian classroom?"

"I… don't really know. I do know that this is mine, and only I can get into it." Monica said.

"Why not spruce up the contents then?" Draco said, staring at the buckets. "perhaps something more comfortable…?"

Monica grinned. "Sit down They're not quite what they seem."

"Nothing is." Draco said. They sat. It was like sitting in the best armchair ever… without seeing it. "How…"

"It's mine, I can do what I want with it." Monica said. " Now Draco I'd like to pick up where we left off." Draco merely looked at her and said nothing. "You are not evil. I don't believe you ever were, not really."

"But I was. I told you all the things I did," Draco said. "It's in my blood."

"That was his blood Draco. Not yours regardless of the fact that it was a Memory." Monica said earnestly. "You are good. Or you would not be a Guardian."

"A single evil person can turn the whole Stone bad…" Draco said.

"That's not true. That could only occur if the Heart were evil and Harry has that. You are not Evil." Monica said again.

"I might be…" Draco started.

Monica huffed and blew her hair off her forehead. She leaned forward and took both his hands in hers, as she had in the hall. "Do you think I am evil?" She asked seriously.

"Of course not!" Draco exclaimed.

"Why?" Monica asked.

"Because… because you are you… You're a Healer." Draco said. " Healers can't be evil."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Positive," Draco said. "You wouldn't be able to do what you do if you were evil."

Monica smiled. "Dragons aren't evil either. They only do what they do to survive. As you have done." She reached up touched his shoulder, where she knew the tip of one wing of the dragon mark rested. He went utterly still staring at her. She'd memorized the scarred markings on his back enough to know their shape. He was stunned. She knew it. Her smile grew and her violet eyes took on a flirtatious sparkle. "Now that we've settled that serious issue, what do you say we make good use out of this broom closet?"

What had come to be called the Sacred Flame classroom was now quite crowded with props and areas set up for practicing. The original circle of chairs was still in the center of the room, but it had somehow been compressed so that it didn't take up as much room. Even with the portal to the clearing, they had to store their equipment in this room and upon occasion had to stay out of the forest anyway.

Neville had a mini greenhouse in the windowbox. Hermione had taken over an entire book shelf with various reference sources. Monica and Draco had a small medical potions lab in one corner. Ginny had set up an area where she could play with the dannikits and any other animals they borrowed from around the school. There was currently a fire salamander in the fireplace. Only Rose could handle him at the moment, but Ginny was gaining his trust every time she wore her yellow robe. The weapons, Harry's rods and the Pheonix daggers all had their own little niches in the walls around the room. Lynne's water tank and Reggie's feathers were in another corner, along with Ana's rocks and boulders. Ana had a larger collection now, having learned all she could from the orignal ones provided, she was trying to expand. Rose's midnight bombs were there as well. Close to the water tank and far from the fireplace. Just in case the salamander got frisky.

They began arriving and what had once been a quiet room quickly erupted with the cheerful noise of fifteen students. Rose and the other seventh years were first, having been in Charms together. The fifth years followed behind, having just come from a short Dueling club meeting. Then came Ginny and the little twins. As soon as everyone was present, Rhia nodded to Harry to tell his dream. They settled into what had almost become routine in deciphering Draco's Memories, listening intently and preparing questions or comments to make. When he finished, they were silent and thoughtful for a time.