DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters here. Not any from the Harry Potter universe, and similarly Winding Circle and its inhabitants are not mine.

AN: I'm really, really sorry about the long wait. I had a lot more things going on than I thought. Also I'm sorry about how short this chapter is. Frustrating, I know. But I think I'm finally over my writers block. Yay! I finally know where the story is going! Plot alert! Plot alert!

AN #2: I've only recently realized how OOC the people from Winding Circle are. Especially Briar. Terribly sorry about that. I know it's unlikely that they would act like that under any circumstances. Will you ever forgive me? I hope so.

QUOTE OF THE CHAPTER:

"The landlady says you don't sleep in one of her beds until you've bathed. I have to admit, I would welcome the change myself."

Briar started to back up. "That stuff's unhealthy," he informed Niko. "Maybe you wouldn't be so bony if you stopped doing this all the time."

Strong arms grabbed him; a hostler had been standing behind the half-open door.

"My thinness has nothing to do with bathing," Niko retorted. "Do you undress yourself, or must we do it for you?"- Briar Moss and Niko Goldeye (Sandry's Book)

And now...On with the story!

¤Back in the Houses of Healing¤

"So, what are we going to do?" Remus asked the group.

"First of all, I think we should tell Lark-" began Sandry (still in Ron's body).

"And Rosethorn," interjected Harry's body.

"Niko, definitely," said both of the girls with unruly hair.

"And we won't forget Frostpine, Daja" snapped Draco, his brown hands covering his face, before Daja could even answer.

"Alright, that's fine," Remus reasoned.

"But since none of us are over there, right now," Hermione pointed out, "we can't communicate with them—er—telepathically."

"You're right, Hermione," Sirius said, "The only thing we can do is deliver the message in person."

"I will," Briar volunteered, wanting to get away from the escaped convict and the werewolf.

"No," Sirius said, "We can't afford to let anyone out on their own."

"I'll go with him," offered Sandry.

"I think we should stick together," Hermione said, "We should all go."

"Not in one group though," Sirius said, "I know how they think, and they think outside the box. We should split into two groups. I'll take one," he looked at Remus, "You'll take the other?"

"Of course."

Harry moved instinctively to Sirius' side. Ron followed him.

"We should probably have at least one of you four," Sirius indicated toward each of the four students from Winding Circle in turn, "in each group, because of your knowledge of the area. So, if you don't mind?"

Briar backed away from Sirius, "I ain't goin' with you," he told Sirius, his vocabulary returning to that which it was years ago, despite all the time he'd spent refining it.

Remus sighed, "Then come with me." Briar looked around at him, horrified. Lupin added, "I promise I won't bite you."

Briar looked around the room for support.

"I'll go with you," Draco told Briar, looking uneasily at Harry and Sirius, "I don't like werewolves either."

"He's not that bad," Sandry snapped at the boys, "Stop being prejudice."

"Then you come too," Briar immediately said to Sandry.

"Alright," Sandry agreed, without hesitation. Briar looked slightly surprised.

Sirius looked at Daja and Tris.

"Oh kay," agreed Tris.

"We'll go with you," agreed Daja.

Hermione looked sadly at Sirius and Harry, but determination flitted across her face.

'I'm not leaving Professor Lupin with Malfoy and Briar,' she told Harry and Ron.

'Hey!' Snapped Draco.

'You are being prejudice.'

'Fine. Whatever.'

Hermione walked over to Remus and told him, "I'll go with you, Professor."

Instantly, he told Hermione, "'Remus' is fine, Hermione. Unless you want to be 'Miss Granger,' of course."

Hermione's cheeks became tinged with pink.

"Right. Sorry, Prr-Remus."


((AN: Just to make this easier, I'm gonna list who is in which group.

Lupin's group: Briar, Draco, Sandry and Hermione.

Sirius' group: Harry, Daja, Ron, and Tris.))

'How's it going?' Hermione's voice sounded, inside everyone's head. Before they had left, Harry had suggested they all link hands, presenting an easy form of communication for the two groups. So far it was working well, although Briar had refused to touch anyone save his foster-sister, Sandry and Draco had refused to touch anyone at all. Hermione (the only other person in Lupin's group who could talk telepathically with the others) had volunteered to link arms with everyone else.

'We haven't met any problems at all, so far,' Harry informed the other group.

'We're not too far from the halfway point,' Tris added.

The two groups had taken different (longer) routs to Discipline cottage than were usually traveled, but the four young mages still knew the area well enough to know the halfway points.

'We still have a ways yet before we get to the halfway point,' Hermione said to Sirius' group.

'Oh, wonderful,' Draco's voice told everyone.

'What?'

But Lupin's group already knew 'what'.

'Death Eaters.'

All five of the people in Lupin's group could see the Death Eaters, and they weren't too far from being seen by the Death Eaters.

'Is there another way 'round?' Sirius' voice inquired.

'Of course,' Briar told the others, while gripping Sandry's (Ron's body's) hand very tightly.

Sandry knew this was out of nervousness, but gave him a look, raising Ron's eyebrows. Briar softened his grip.

'This way,' he directed, pointing 45 away from the path. The group skirted into the shadow of a large, mostly unused building a few meters from the side of the road.

'Be careful,' came Daja's voice.

'Don't worry about us,' Sandry scolded.

As the mages (and wizards/witches) hurried along, they didn't notice that one of their number was falling behind. Seemingly entranced by the sight of his father and Potions professor.

Surely it wouldn't hurt to have a quick look...

'Halfway point,' reported Briar a time later.

'Alright. Good,' Sirius replied, 'We've just passed ours a while ago.

'Wait,' came a worried voice. Remus Lupin had turned around and checked their number. Four. Four people.

'Malfoy!' Hermione said, alarmed.

'What?' wondered various members of Sirius' group.

'He's not with us,' Briar made a growling noise in the back of his throat, 'He's gone.'

'DRACO!' or 'MALFOY!' they called out to him, through their variously trained minds.

Draco approached the group of Death Eaters from behind a large garden. One large bush near the edge served his purpose quite well.

Or so he thought.

After trying to listen in, for a few moments, Draco finally caught a few words.

It was Bellatrix. She was saying something about capture. Potter perhaps?

But Lestrange was cut off.

Draco Malfoy easily recognized the drawling voice of his father.

"There's someone watching us," he told the group. Draco froze. "A girl. A black girl."

Draco sighed with relief.

Malfoy Sr. continued, "Behind that bush."

Draco remembered his current body was not his own. It was that of Daja Kisubo. A trader. A black girl. Bloody Hell.

Wonderful Reviewers!

Miliko01, holly, wildmage, Raiast, Luisa Adele Reilyn, Monikka DaLuver, Alcapacien, Candystar, and Jedi Alanna

Thank you all SososoSOso much!

We'll try to update soon, as we say. At least we know where it's going now.

Also, yes, I figured out that Mithros is a Tortallan God, not Emelan, but I don't know what other god would be best to put in for it, and I don't know where all I wrote it down, so just use your imagination (please?) I rather think my time is better spent writing the next chapter. However if it really bothers you, leave a review and tell me (preferably saying other stuff too)

"The Brightest Stars Never Fade"
Give a sniffle for Snuffles.
He WILL come back!

TTYLL! (talk to you lot later)

Kiwi Jeanne (& Sqwerty Jeanne)