DISCLAIMER haven't done one of these in ages….ouch. I don't own anything in the Potterverse. Duh. That belongs to the beautiful mind of JK Rowling. So please don't sue; my parents would disown me (really, they would) and then I'd be screwed.

What I do own is Aurora, Poseidon, Morganna, Rose, Dot, Thomas, the whole Trelawney/Vablatsky/Vivien/Nimue concept, the spell in this chapter, the prophecy….yeah, I do have a weird imagination. Please, if you want to borrow some, ASK me first.  On with the story!

"So…you want to talk about it?"

Rose looked at Draco expectantly. He shrugged calmly. "What's there to say?" he said dully.

Rose sighed. This was like talking to a brick wall. Except, you got more from a wall. Before he had disappeared, Draco had been hysterical, hyperventilating slightly. Rose didn't think it was possible for him to run his hands through his hair that many times in one minute, but he had proved her wrong.

"Um…so…what's with the portal to Egypt?" she asked bluntly.

He looked up at her from his position on the bed, in Rose's bedroom. "She always had a thing with the Nile. We were going to visit one day. And…well, I just needed some alone time. The desert is comforting."

Rose blinked, and swallowed uncomfortably. She really hadn't ever gone through anything like this before, and was unsure of how to act. "Oh. Just the open air, huh?"

"Something like that."

"Hmm." Rose nodded absently and silence settled between them, thick and heavy. It wasn't awkward, just full of questions that neither was willing to ask.

Rose sighed again and slumped next to Draco on her bed. She leaned her back against the wall, and he followed suit. They just sat together awhile, enjoying the peace.

Draco was raging internally.

Why should I still be here? Why is she gone?

It's my fault. I didn't go with her when she went to get her cards in the common room. Father struck then. I should have known better.

Isn't that the way life is? Just when we think she's safe, and normal again. Just when I thought Father had gone for a while, he comes back.

"Draco?"

How am I supposed to go home now? What will Mother say? My own Father has been sent into a different dimension, and I'm supposed to go home once the holidays come and say, 'Missed you loads, mum! How've you been, now that your husband is never going to be seen again?'

Oh, yeah. That'll be a pleasant reception.

"Draco?"

Oh, and not to mention the rest of the Death Eaters. And the whole water sprite community is going to be pissed as hell. Yeah, this is pleasant.

"Draco!"

"Huh?"

 The platinum-haired boy shook his head tiredly. "Yeah, Potter? What?"

Rose looked him in the eye. "I just wanted to tell you that it's not the end for her. There's still a chance that we can bring her back."

Her comment was met with silence. "Let it go, Potter," came a weary reply after a moment. "Just leave it alone."

"What do you mean by that?" Rose said in a high voice, feeling totally lost at sea. "Don't you want her back? I though you, of all people- "

"What's done is done, don't you see? I know what's going on."

Rose just stared at him. "Draco, I- "

"You can't think I wouldn't figure it out, would you?"

Rose's brow furrowed. She looked at him, completely confused. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"You have a problem with magic."

His words had just left his lips when he regretted it. Why was he striking out at her, when he missed his cousin? But it was too late to take it back. After all, it was the truth.

Rose looked away, glaring at the floor. "Why would you say a thing like that?" she asked, incredulous.

"You can't do anything on your own, without using your powers of mind control. Moving things, talking to people…you use it for everything."

"I do not!"

" Misia never used to use this much magic, before she met you. Then after becoming friends, she can't do anything on her own either. You're just jumping from one type of magic to another, and each time it's getting more serious. The gods and goddesses that Aurora spoke to were powerful."

Rose shook her head disbelievingly. "You think it's my fault that she's a powerful witch?"

Draco snarled. "You don't see, do you?" he asked, his voice dripping venom. "I don't. But, she was into something powerful, and dangerous – and so are you. You can't dabble in that type of magic – it's clear Dark Arts. You're getting addicted. I've seen it before. Once you start with the Darker, more Occult magicks, it's almost too late to turn back."

"So you're angry with me for using magic in a school for witchcraft?"

"No!" Draco shouted, standing. He shut his eyes with frustration, running his hands through his hair yet again. He took a deep breath, counting to ten silently. Finally, he looked up. "I'm not. It's just…The only way to bring Aurora back from the dead would be Necromancy."

Rose felt her cheeks warm a bit. "Well, yes, but- "

"Take it from someone who's been brought up to be a Death Eater. Necromancy equals evil. It's serious Dark Arts, and once you do something like that, you can't go back."

Rose shook her head. "No! I'm not the one doing it! I won't be participating in the ritual at all."

Draco looked her in the eye. "So it's a ritual now?." He managed to bite out through gritted teeth, his patience long gone. "I told you that it's gone too far. Who is in the 'ritual'?"

"Um…that would be Harry."

She swallowed nervously before looking Draco in the eye. He stared back at her, drained. With a growl, he slumped back down to her level.

"You mean," he said angrily, "That my cousin's life is in the hands of my greatest rival?"

Rose felt a prickle up her spine. "Umm…" she murmured, looking at him. "Maybe?" she squeaked.

She jumped up when his face darkened, and began to talk fast. "But there's this whole thing, you see, where I beseeched the Powers That Be for a way to bring her back, and they told me that they were both Elementals, and that the balance was out of whack for some reason and it was a Yin/Yang inconsistency and that Rory was a Water and Harry was a Fire and that we never knew about Harry because he has too much restraint and that his power is repressed inside him, but she's the opposite, and that if they can even out the balance then she will come back."

Draco just stared at her. Rose was panting, out of breath. She had taken only four gulps of air during that whole speech, and was very red. Still, she glanced at him hopefully, waiting for some sign that he was happier.

The platinum haired boy shook his head with disgust. "I don't believe you." He said in a low tone.

Rose looked at him like he was crazy. "What is your problem? The Powers That Be told me directly!" she exploded.

"My problem? It's your problem!" he shouted, standing abruptly and starting to pace. "You beseeched the Powers! I told you, you are in way, way too deep. This is just dangerous."

Rose felt hot tears building up behind her lids. There was a big knot in her stomach, which she tried her best to ignore.  "But…I just…" she paused, her hands shaking. "I just wanted my friend back." She spoke in such a small voice, Draco barely heard her. When he did, however, he softened.

"Yeah. I want her back too," he ground out. "But…I guess we'll see after the ritual, won't we?" he said, shrugging dejectedly. "So," he said, changing the subject.

"Is Potter here yet?"

Rose shrugged. "Just a minute, I'll see where he is," she muttered, closing her eyes. She snapped them back open when she felt a rush of anger coming her way from Draco. "Or, you know," she stammered, blushing furiously at being caught out. "We could just go out there and check."  Maybe Draco was right: she was relying on magic a lot.

Draco took her by the elbow and marched her out. "What did I say?" he asked, angrily. "Just lay off the magic for a while, please?"

His last word was spoken in such a different voice, that Rose paused to look up at him. She almost lost herself in the swirling silver eyes. "I…okay," she surrendered, still surprised at his speech. "I'll try."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A short time later, Harry and Rose were alone in the Sphere. They were waiting for Dumbledore to come, so that they could start the ritual.

"Uh…hey, Rose, I'm sorry about earlier."

The strawberry blonde shrugged. "It's okay. I know you needed time to yourself. Don't worry about it."

Harry flushed a little. "Yeah, but I still feel bad about blocking you out like that. I know it was rude of me."

Rose gave a small smile. "Yeah, it was," she conceded, "but I'm sure I'll get over it." She gave a giggle, and sighed. "So, what are we waiting for again?"

Harry rubbed a hand over his face. "Professor Dumbledore still needs to find the, uh…"

Rose felt her chest constrict. The body. Aurora's body was still at the bottom of the lake, held by the Merpeople. "Oh, right. It shouldn't take this long, should it? It's been a long time…"

At that moment, the door opened, revealing a slightly wet Dumbledore, followed by Draco Malfoy. Behind them both was the body of Aurora, floating. She was very pale, and her lips were blue in a way that had nothing to do with magic.

Rose felt a shiver built its way up her spine.

It's not just a body, she thought to herself. It's Rory… beside her she felt Harry stiffen, and she felt his horror push past her in waves. She swallowed.

"Rose? I'm sure you know how to complete the ritual?" Dumbledore asked in a tone that brooked no insolence.

"Yes."

The man clasped his hands together. "Then I think she'll be fine."

Draco looked at the Headmaster sharply. "What do you mean? Even if the balance is restored, she'll still have all her injuries. It's just that she won't be radiating that dangerous magic anymore. Even if it works, wouldn't she die of natural causes? And after being under the water that long without being in her Sprite form, she could have brain damage, and be a vegetable- not to mention the HOLE in her heart and stomach! I still can't believe that you think Necromancy is alright!"

Dumbledore peered over his half-moon spectacles at the boy. "Mr Malfoy," he said slowly. "You need to realize that there has been a big understanding."

Draco stopped. He looked at the headmaster blankly. "Huh?" he pronounced eloquently.

"Miss Malfoy is not, in fact, dead."

Ripples of confusion ran through the room. The three teens looked at each other incredulously. "But, sir," Harry began, "I..how is that possible?"

"Before she fell, she apparently started to put herself in a kind of magical coma. We mustn't have noticed, because it took a while for her to fall. Any time during then, she started turning herself off, effectively. It may have taken around ten minutes in total for her to fall completely comatose, so it appeared she was dying."

"Turn herself…off?"

"She put herself in the coma, but we need to get her out again. She is not dead, but we cannot reach her until the balance is restored. The coma she is in is very powerful magic, and is…tricky, at the best of times. I had no idea she even knew about that type of magic. "

At those words, Draco's eyes darted towards Rose, who looked back defiantly. She would be dead if it weren't for my magic, she thought to herself. 

Dumbledore sighed. "While she is in the coma, she is constantly healing. If you would care to note," he said, turning the girl around so that they could see her.

"She is no longer sustaining any injuries. In the state she is now, she recovered completely. The only problem is waking her up again, and that should be remedied after the ritual is complete. Might I suggest beginning: the rest of the school will wake up soon."

 With that, he left the room. Draco watched him go, floored, then turned back to Rose expectantly with a face that plainly said 'What the hell are you waiting for?'

Rose's lips curled up into a smile. "Okay. We need to start by having her lying down in a circle of salt…" she trailed off, concentrating as she used her telekinesis to move the still girl to the appropriate position, Draco glaring at her the whole time.

She could have used a wand, he thought angrily, but didn't let on to Rose.

Rose was still talking. "I didn't know it would take this long to get her back from the Merpeople. I could have had her out in a minute if I just used some mental persuasion…"

Draco shook his head in disgust. "Why bother? You should have just used the Imperius curse on them, it's the same result."  he bit off harshly.

Rose went red. She considered a response, but was cut off by Harry.

"Can we focus, please? Rory, remember?"

Rose bowed her head embarrassed. "Uh…yeah, okay…um, control…well, basically, Harry, you just need to sit in the circle as well…" she waited until Harry was in the circle of salt and continued. "-and say the following spell." She passed her twin a piece of parchment, which she had written on.

Draco was starting to get agitated now, and went around the circle quickly, lighting the eight candles. "I really hope this works," he muttered.

Rose stood back to see if she had done everything right. Yes…it looked like the vision the Powers That Be sent her. A large circle made of salt, marked with eight large, white candles around it. In every gap between the candles, there was a small puddle of water soaked up by the salt from a beautiful chalice. The chalice was now cupped in Aurora's still hands, and Harry was balancing his wand in both hands, palms facing upwards. Yes…everything was set.   

Rose snapped her fingers, and the glow in the Sphere went out. All the light that there was now was coming from the eight candles, glinting off the chalice.

Harry took a deep breath. He was feeling very nervous, and slightly sick. What if he didn't do the ritual right? What if he misread the parchment and said pronounced the words incorrectly? What if…

That last one came unbidden, but it was too late for Harry to not think it. What if he was too late?

Squaring his shoulders, and taking a deep breath.

"Pondera recrare

Pondera recrare.

Ignis et Aqua,

Pondera recrare."

A/N

O……M……G am I like, the most EVIL author alive or WHAT? mwahahahahahah Beware the cliff!

I cliffed you all!!!!

Ah…aside from this, it has come to my attention that I have been begging for reviews since the very beginning and it has just struck me now that it is not very classy at all to be begging an unknown public for anything other than money.

Anyway, thanks soooo much to all my incredibly incredible reviewers, xtra thanks to Alanna and Pez. You guys  make my day. Kudos!!

Cya later. Reviewing is totally up to you, but please consider carefully as I HAVE MY WAYS of……well, ahem, as I said. Reviewing is totally up to you.