Disclaimer: This is not mine. It belongs to J. K. Rowling. The general idea isn't even mine. The characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and the general idea belongs to Severitus. So please don't sue. Thank you.
Things Are Looking Up
Chapter Nineteen
Ginny Weasley woke up slowly. She wasn't in the dorm, she could tell that, and she was leaning on someone. It felt like her muscles were on fire. The events of last night came flooding back at her. "Oh God…" Ginny moaned.
A silky voice chuckled and hen said, "I suppose you hurt a little?"
"Yeah." Ginny said except for it came out as a croak.
"I think you may have overdone it." Griffin commented, realizing that he still had an arm around Ginny and it felt like tons of pins and needles were pricking it.
"You think?" Ginny asked sarcastically. "I don't think I can move."
"I'm sorry. Did they not tell you that you would be sore tomorrow?" Griffin asked.
"Sore. They said sore. This isn't sore, this is like I've been on a rack and it's just been tightened a dozen notches." Ginny said, opening her eyes and then closing them. "It's really bright in here."
"That's another thing they neglected to tell you then. Your brain is a little unsettled, so you have a really bad headache." Griffin said softly. "I'm sorry, I have an inkling of how much it hurts."
"Really?" Ginny asked skeptically.
"Yeah, they used it when I was near to mastering the art, but I had hit a block. They gave me the knowledge and I fought and then they took it away, although I had already been practicing for quite a few years then." Griffin said ruefully.
"Do you regret going away?" Ginny asked softly.
"No, not really. Although I will miss Ron, when he finds out who I am, he might not ever talk to me again. I don't know if I should really associate with Hermione because she might guess, and Well, then there's you." Griffin said softly.
"Me?" Ginny asked, sounding puzzled.
"Yes, you. I need to know, were you serious about going out with me?" Griffin asked.
Ginny thought for a moment. "Yeah. I think that I want to stay for the Christmas hols."
"Really?" Griffin asked.
"Yeah, you could get lonely." Ginny replied, grinning.
"Me? Lonely? That'd be the day." Griffin said, knowing that it was all too true.
Ginny shook her head quickly. "Er, Griffin? Dumbledore's coming. With my mum, and McGonagall."
Griffin swore softly. "Do you want to sit on your own?" Griffin asked, knowing full well how Molly might react to see her only daughter nestled up against a strange person. The fact that they were both fully clothed didn't matter much. Griffin's cloak had been covering them, and it twitched as if to wrap itself around Griffin, but Griffin shook his head.
"I'm fine here. When I shook my head it hurt more. Do you have any potions to help it?" Ginny asked.
"'Fraid not. You could take a potion, but it would help for only a little while, and then the pain would return stronger than ever." Griffin said.
"And you know that how?" Ginny asked quietly.
"Experience. Painful experience, I might add." Griffin grinned.
"Okay then. They're nearly here." Ginny said, and Griffin's cloak covered Ginny's head as she ducked under it. "Break it to mum gently." She asked.
"I will." Griffin sat back and waited. He could feel the three in his aura spread thin to prevent any unwelcome surprises. Mrs. Weasley was definitely angry, and Dumbledore was… He couldn't read Dumbledore's emotions, but McGonagall was a little fearful. Probably because she had seen some of his powers in use. Damn. He had meant to keep his magical strength a secret for a while longer.
Seconds later there was a knock on his door, and Dumbledore came in. His eyes landed on Griffin, and he smiled. Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall were thankfully behind Dumbledore and they were being silent.
Dumbledore looked at a chair, and Griffin nodded.
"Go ahead, sit." Griffin said.
"Thank you." Dumbledore replied, sitting on the couch opposite Griffin, and Mrs. Weasley sat in the leather chair adjacent to the couch Dumbledore was on, and Professor McGonagall sat next to Dumbledore.
"Mr. Delacroix, we were wondering what has happened to your acquaintances." Dumbledore said bluntly.
Well that was to the point. Griffin sighed. "I believe that they have returned home. Although they could be somewhere in the castle, I am not their keeper." Griffin said.
"And Miss Weasley?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"She had a master's knowledge given to her brain last night. It was a one time thing, and she is quite sore and has a terrible headache, so I request that you please talk softly." Griffin said softly. Dumbledore winced a little, and Griffin realized the he must have had gone through the experience once or twice.
"That's all very nice, but where is my daughter?" Molly asked, glaring at Griffin.
Time to face the music. "She's—" Griffin began, but was cut off by Ginny.
"Right here." She said softly.
"Ginny!" Molly exclaimed.
Ginny winced. "Not so loud mum. I feel as if my head is being bashed in with a rock." Ginny said softly, here eyes closed.
"Dear, why don't you let me have a look at you?" Molly asked, starting to get up. "Surely there is a potion that will—"
"No." Dumbledore said firmly. "Any potion will just make it worse."
"I really insist on being able to at least look at her." Molly snapped, moving over to Ginny. "Now, if you'll just get up." She said, looking at Harry with a glare that would make Severus proud.
"Mum. Let him be. Moving hurts." Ginny said."
"Ginny. You are lying on a boy. One whom you've only just met." Molly said.
"Actually, I'm lying on a couch, and Griffin just has an arm around me which was to keep me from falling off the sofa." Ginny replied, frowning in her mother's direction.
"Is this true?" Molly asked, restraining herself from shouting, as she could apparently tell that he daughter was in pain.
Griffin sighed. "Yes it's true. She nearly fell off, and I knew that she'd be hurting just a little, and well, she ended up sitting next to me, and then she fell asleep, and after a while, I guess that I did too. Only to wake to keep Ginny from falling off the sofa. That's just what happened." Griffin explained a bit hurriedly. Just then, Griffin sensed someone entering his magical aura. Apparently Hogwarts was helping him out by spreading his magical sense father then it could go. He could sense one very angry older brother headed this way. Griffin gulped. There was really only one thing that he could do. "Ginny?" Griffin asked in an odd voice.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Could you protect me from your brother?" Griffin asked.
Ginny grinned, and chuckled a little, and tried opening her eyes to see if the light still bothered them. Yep, it did. "You? The almighty Griffin? Need protection from Ronnikins?" She asked.
"I'm not all-knowing, that's Time." He said rolling his eyes.
"Oh yes!" Dumbledore suddenly said. "Who were those people with you. They claimed to be the founders, but that is quite impossible." Dumbledore suddenly said.
"Well, sir, if you didn't believe them there is nothing I can do for you." Griffin said.
Ginny sighed, and wiggled around a little, and ended up with here face resting on Griffin's chest. "I think she's sleeping." Griffin said, his face turning a brilliant shade of red the rivaled the Gryffindor scarlet.
"She's better be." Molly muttered.
"As much as I'd love to chat with you, I'm quite exhausted from the events of last night, and I'd like to attempt to get some sleep." Griffin said.
Molly looked thoughtful, and cast a charm over the two, and smiled. "I have no problem."
Griffin smiled to himself. He wasn't planning on doing that with Ginny, although he wouldn't mind… "Mrs. Weasley, let me assure you that any intentions I have towards your daughter are completely honest."
Molly sat up a bit straighter, and smiled. "Thank you. That is somewhat reassuring, but I'd still like to get to know you better before anything serious happens." Molly said.
"Quite understandable." Griffin replied, closing his eyes. "I'll see if I could make time to get better acquainted with you."
"That would be lovely." Molly replied.
"Good-bye Griffin." Dumbledore said, ushering the two women out of Griffin's rooms. Before closing the door, Dumbledore winked at Griffin.
Griffin drifted off to sleep thinking about that wink. Had he figured out his true identity? Or was that directed at the fact that he had a beautiful female currently sleeping on him? So many things to ponder. He decided to think about it later. Preferably when he didn't feel like he had a herd of Hippogriffs running races in his head.
"What do you mean you don't who know they are?" he proclaimed in a high pitched voice.
The cloaked figure kneeled before him. "Master. I—I am sorry. I was not able to—"
"I do not want your apologies!" Lord Voldemort proclaimed. "crucio." He declared in a cold voice, causing the cloaked figure to scream in pain, and hundreds of miles away Griffin woke Ginny with his screams.
Ginny shook Griffin. "Griffin! Wake up!" She said.
Time came bustling into the room from a door that hadn't been there before. "He's having one of his dreams, isn't he?"
"Yeah, I can't get him to wake up." Ginny said.
"Here, let me." Time said, and she covered the area where the scar was, and Griffin immediately woke, blinking eyes that were now green.
"I'm sorry." Griffin croaked.
Time frowned, and she conjured a glass of water and handed it to Griffin.
He took it then frowned. "What's in here?"
"Just the potion we came up with to help." Time said. Griffin nodded and drank the glass dry.
"Thanks." He replied, his voice back to normal. "How's your head?" He asked Ginny.
Ginny grinned. "Better."
"Good." Griffin replied. Then he looked at Time. "She's going to have to be trained, isn't she?"
Time nodded.
"How long do you think she will need?" Griffin asked, examining Ginny magically.
"We only have two weeks, and it will take her at least five years to get the skills, and possibly another two to hone her skills." Time said.
"Do we have the time?" Griffin asked.
"I think so." Time replied. "I'll have to get permission to change things a bit though."
Ginny was watching this exchange with interest.
"Change things a bit?" Griffin asked, frowning.
"Just make time go even more faster. Maybe double or preferably triple it." Time replied.
"Can you do that?" Griffin asked.
"It's been done in the past, but the council has to vote on it, and then it goes to the residents. If it's for a good cause, they will usually agree." Time replied.
"Okay, well then, we need the other three heirs and possibly that rest of the nine." Griffin replied thoughtfully.
"Yes. That would be nice. I'll have to talk to the others about this. I think you should explain this to your lady. She looks confused." Time said, grinning at Ginny before walking back through where she had come. For a second, Ginny thought that she had seen an archway there with a black veil in it.
"Okay. It looks like you're going to the Citadel of Time for a few years. More like seven, or more depending on what Time can get done." Griffin said, but was immediately cut off by Ginny.
"YEARS?!" She squeaked, her eyes wide.
"I should reiterate. Time runs differently there. Remember when I was lemon dropping you guys every half hour?" He asked.
"Yeah…" Ginny replied, remembering once when they had all been talking for a few hours, Harry had 'lemon dropped' each of them about every half hour.
"Well I was doing that every night before bed." Griffin replied. "If a week passes here, normally, a year passes there. I was gone for three months, but I was training for twelve years."
Ginny's eyes grew wide. "So if I was to go there for training, and Time can do what she wanted, I would be there for years?"
Griffin grinned. "Yeah. You're the heir for Gryffindor apparently, and you are a major component in this war. If you were wondering, I'm heir for Ravenclaw, I got that through Severus. We've figured out that Draco is the heir for Slytherin, through his mum, and Lucius, Neville is the heir of Hufflepuff, and Amy has blood of the four in her, connecting all five of us. There was a prophecy made, and it goes like this.
"The heirs grow closer…. Blood of old flows through new…. There will be five…. Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor all in one…. There will be five heirs; nine to save the school…. Slytherin has it from both mother and father… Gryffindor is one in many, only one is right so choose carefully…. Ravenclaw's parentage is shrouded in mystery…. Hufflepuff is not who you would think, but is coming into power…. All five heirs shall unite…. If this does not come to pass Hogwarts will fall into the hands of the Dark Lord…. There will be the wolf, otter, lion, and fox to help…. yet they cannot do it alone…. The nine must unite or Hogwarts will fall…. The heirs grow closer."
Ginny blinked. "Are you sure about the identities?"
"At least of the heirs. The founders paid a quick visit and identified them. You are Gryffindor, Draco is Slytherin, Neville is Hufflepuff, I am Ravenclaw, Amy has got all four in her somehow. The wolf is Remus, Hermione would be the otter, Severus is the lion, and Ron is the fox." Griffin said.
"Well. Do they have to train too?" Ginny asked.
"Yep. All nine of us do." Griffin replied. "After the eight of you get good, we're going to learn to work as a team, so we will be completely attuned to each other, and if one of us needs help, one of the others should be there right away."
Ginny blinked. "Sort of like my Telepath talents?" She asked.
"Yes, in fact that will make it easier for you." Griffin replied.
"Okay." Ginny replied, and winced. "Ron just found out where your rooms are. And he's very angry with you."
"So Ronnikins is coming to get me?" Griffin asked. "Can you pick up on any of his thoughts, if he angry he should be doing a fair job of projecting them."
Ginny thought for a moment, and closed her eyes. Her expression changed to on of rage for a few seconds than changed to one of fear. "I could. Mainly I could pick up, castrate, kill, Ginny's dead, torture, and then I got out of there."
Griffin gulped. "Well then, I'll just activate my personal wards." Griffin said, and was momentarily surrounded by an aura that glowed blue-green.
Ravenclaw stuck her head through the wall. "You activated your wards, why?"
"Ron found out where my rooms are , and he seems a little angry." Griffin replied staring at the door.
Rowena closed her eyes. "He is mad. I can feel him." She pointed her wands at Ginny, and she was surrounded by a blue-gold aura that faded from sight.
"What was that? It felt cold." Ginny asked shivering.
"Just a little something to protect you if your brother gets out of hand dear." Rowena replied, and pulled her head back into the room she was in with the others.
Godric stepped out, and looked around. "I don't see anything that he could do permanent damage to either of you with. Remember, his best friend just died, and he went on a suicide mission, and he came back alive. Not to mention that he sister stayed the night with a strange man whom he knows nothing about." Godric said. "I'm sure that you two will be fine." He said, then left the room.
Griffin gulped nervously, and his gray cloak settled on his shoulders. Ginny looked at it.
"Why'd your cloak go from the couch to you?" She asked.
"It's got a number of protection spell woven into it, and when I feel threatened, it will do it's best to protect me." Griffin said, absently stroking the edge of it. Just then the door slammed open, and a very angry Ron Weasley stormed into the room. Immediately his eyes fell on Griffin.
"Who are you an what do you think you're doing with my sister? He asked in a dangerous voice, his wand pointing at Griffin.
"Well, I was talking—" Griffin said nonchalantly.
"I mean last night." Ron eyes fell on Ginny, and they narrowed. "Forget about you." He spat out, striding across the room, and grabbed Ginny by the wrist. "C'mon Ginny. We're getting out of here." He started to pull Ginny.
Griffin could see that Ron was hurting her. "Let go of her." Griffin said quietly.
"Make me." Ron said, still pulling Ginny towards the door.
"Remember, you said it." Griffin replied, grinning at Ginny.
Ginny winced. Ron was squeezing tightly. She did not like that expression on Griffins face. Griffin came striding across the room, and put a hand on Ginny's arm, she felt a warmth spread down her arm, and center where Ron was holding her. Ron still gripped tightly, but her robes were beginning to smoke. Ron suddenly yelped and let go, looking at his hand. There was a blister on his hand and fingers, and Ginny's robes were burning merrily around her wrist.
"I'm impressed." Ginny said. "Why doesn't it hurt me, and why aren't my robes burning all over?"
"Control." Griffin replied, bringing his hand down in a sharp motion. The flames went out. "Now shall we sort out our differences?" This comment was directed at Ron.
Ron glared at Griffin, cradling his burnt hand.
Griffin raised an eyebrow. "I told you to let her go. She obviously did not wish to leave."
"She shouldn't have been here in the first place!" Ron snapped.
"Oh really? And why is that?" Griffin replied, joining Ginny on the couch, a little too close for Ron's comfort.
"She should have been in her dorm where she belongs." Ron snapped. Glaring at Ginny.
She glared back.
"Actually, she does not belong there." Griffin replied, putting an arm around Ginny.
"Then where does she belong?" Ron snapped, restraining himself from going and ripping Griffin arm off of his sister.
"She belongs here. With me." Griffin sad softly, achieving the desired effect.
Ron paled, and then went a dangerous shade of red. "AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? SHE BARELY EVEN KNOWS YOU!! HER BOYFRIEND'S JUST DIED, SHE'S PROBABLY JUST USING YOU!!!!" Ron shouted at Griffin.
"Actually—" Ginny began, but was cut off by Ron.
"HARRY JUST DIED! DID YOU EVEN CARE FOR HIM AT ALL? OR WAS THAT JUST FOR FUN?? WAS IT ALL AN ACT?? WERE YOU JUST WITH HIM BECAUSE HE WAS FAMOUS?" Ron shouted at his sister.
Griffin sighed and appeared to be flicking something off of his finger towards Ron. Immediately Ron shut up. "There, now that is much better. I will not have you talking to Ginny like that. She is your sister. Respect her. Now, I will let you in on a secret, but I will warn you. Included with the little secret, is a tiny curse. Known as a blood oath curse." Griffin said. A drop of blood dripped from Ron's finger and landed on a piece of parchment. "I am warning you, if you try to tell anyone, you will not like what happens. In short, you may die. So I suggest that you keep this to yourself. And before you protest it, Ginny, I don't want to do it, but it is necessary."
"Okay, for your information, Harry Potter did not just die last night. I fact he saved your skin. To the wizarding world, yes he is dead. This is all part of an important plan that cannot be messed up. Harry's death has made Voldemort very happy. Voldemort will find out in a month, and begin to attack in earnest, but he will be met by a group of nine who will bring his downfall."
"Where is Harry?" Ron asked, glaring at Griffin.
"Right in front of you." Salazar said from behind Ron. Ron jumped and whirled.
"Thank you Salazar." Griffin replied.
"Harry?" Ron asked.
"Yes, but I happen to be going by Griffin now, so I'd like to be called that. And next time you try and attack me you will not like that outcome." Griffin said coldly.
Salazar grinned from behind Ron. "The otter approaches."
Griffin barely had time to process the words when his vision was obscured by a mass of brown bushy hair. "Hi Hermione."
Hermione didn't reply, but cried onto Griffin's shoulders.
"Hermione?" Griffin asked.
"Don't you ever do that again." Hermione said in-between sobs.
"Do what?" Griffin asked.
"Die on us. You have no idea how much that scared me." Hermione sobbed.
"Oh, I'm really sorry, I hated to do that, but it was necessary." Griffin replied. "This cloak is relatively new."
Hermione immediately got up, and sat in a chair. "I'm sorry." She said rubbing her face with the sleeve of her robe. A handkerchief appeared in the air in front of her.
"Here." Griffin said bluntly. Hermione blinked at it, and then plucked it from the air.
"Where'd you learn that?" Hermione asked, wiping her face.
"Told you that one would come in handy." Time said, her eyes dancing as she looked at them.
"Of course you did, you're Time." Griffin replied bluntly. "There's our answer Hermione."
Hermione turned to look at Time.
"Why don't we come and join the conversation?" Helga's voice asked.
Murmurs of agreement were heard, and there were five more chairs and the four founders and Time joined in on the discussion that was about to take place.
"We're missing five." Griffin said.
"We'll go and get them." Time said, and they disappeared with barely audible pops.
"Where's they go?" Hermione asked. "It's impossible to apparate—"
"Not for the founders or Time, Hermione" Griffin said.
Hermione's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "You mean they were—" She left the end dangling.
"They were my dear friends, and training masters, Helga, Salazar, Godric, and many times grandmother, Rowena."
"She has your eyes, Harry." Hermione said.
"Griffin. Harry Potter is dead, I've killed him. My name is Griffin, and you better get used to it." Griffin said.
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"Why? It was necessary. I'll answer it later, let's just wait for the other's. They'll have to walk back.
"Okay." Hermione said, grudgingly accepting Griffin's answer. "So Ginny, where'd you learn to fight like that?"
"I don't know how to. The knowledge was just loaned to me, but I'll be going away to learn."
"What?" Ron exclaimed.
"Hush. You'll be going with her." Griffin snapped.
"Really?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, really. Your break is going to suck my friend." Griffin replied.
Ron's eyes narrowed. "That will be because?"
"It will go on for years, and all you'll be doing us learning." Griffin replied, watching as Hermione's eye's lit up.
"Oh, Please, can I come?" She asked eagerly.
"OF course you'll come." Time said, pulling Severus and Draco into the room along with Salazar. "So will these two." She said.
"Who're we waiting on now?" Salazar asked.
"Rowena who is getting Amy, and Godric who is getting Remus, and Helga who's getting Neville." Griffin replied.
"We're here." Rowena said, entering along with the others.
"Will you tell me why we're here?" Remus snapped, and the he sniffed the air and looked directly at Griffin.
Griffin gulped. "Hello, I'm Griffin." He smiled brightly.
"You." Remus hissed.
Griffin cringed. His scent must not have changed. "Yes? I have a good idea of what you're going to say. So why don't you not say it, and let Time explain things."
"Oh no, Griffin, I won't be explaining things, you will be." Time said grinning evilly at him.
"Why me?" Griffin asked.
"Because you were the one who got me involved in your life." Time said smirking. "But I will tell Reums, okay? I don't think that the others are prepared for this completely. In fact, I'll even take him to get his things and leave him with Rose's parents, I think they'll be pleased to see him." Time said, putting a nmild silencing charm on Remus.
"With all due respect, you were the one who approached me." Griffin said, still glaring at Time.
"You agreed with me." Time said replied.
"Only because I didn't want to watch everyone in this room die a horrible death and then die myself trying to defeat the Dark Lord!" Griffin snapped, and then cringed and then clapped his hand over his mouth.
"I feel a little lost here." Ginny said.
"Okay here, let me put it this way." Griffin snapped. "She," he pointed at Time, "Came to talk to me, and said that I could go to the Citadel of Time to prepare for the Second war, as I would be a major player in it, and she showed me a vision in what would happen if I didn't." Griffin said, closing his eyes as he remembered it. He had watched Ron be ripped apart by Aragog, who had eaten Hagrid, Ginny had been raped by the Death Eaters and the murdered, Hermione had met the same fate along with her mum. Percy had gone dark and killed the Twins and his parents, Bill had been burnt to death by a dragon, Dumbledore had been tortured to the brink of death but allowed to heal, only to be tortured again and again. Mercifully, Harry's death had been short and only had a few crucio's in it. Ron's mum had been forced to watch had her husband and son's were tortured and killed before her eyes, then she had been kept prisoner. Thankfully, he hadn't been able to witness her fate.
Severus had been discovered as a spy, and he had been tortured and the knifed to death, a spy's death was not a pretty sight. Harry's acquaintances had just been tortured, raped, or asked to join, depending on who they were. Harry had seen so many students commit suicide, the sight of students jumping off of the many towers and turrets of Hogwarts had become a common sight in his dreams. Most were Slytherins, too afraid to face the Dark Lord. Their theory was, anything was better than service to HIM. Griffin shook his head slightly to forget about the thoughts and visions that were running through his head. He had spent plenty of time dwelling on them, and they still had the power to suck him in at times. It was rather frightening.
Rowena swore, and walked over to Griffin, and shook him by the shoulder rather hard. Griffin's eye's snapped open. Somewhere in his musings, Time had left with Remus.
"I got sucked in again?" HE asked rather weakly.
Helga nodded, and conjured a mild calming tea. Griffin took it and sipped gratefully.
"Well, to put it nicely, I choose the option that let us live, and Voldemort possibly be defeated." Griffin said.
"But how?" Severus asked.
"Simple." Griffin said, "I was shown a vision of what would happen if I wasn't properly trained, and preferring to be able to live with all of you alive, I choose to go to the citadel instead of dying trying to kill Voldemort." Griffin said, gathering his thoughts. HE wasn't sure if they could handle hearing about THAT, so he decided to tell them later. "I believe that is all."
"No way. You were gone for months in a strange place, and you come back completely different and we're supposed to believe that is all. Why don't we hear about this vision? Hermione asked.
Griffin shook his head. "I could barley handle it the first time, and had nightmare for weeks afterwards. You are not going to see it. All I will say on the subject, that is if I had not agreed to leave, things would have been a lot worse."
"Glad you think that way." Godric said. "We saw them, and…" Godric shuddered. "I don't even like being reminded of them.
"We're still a bit in the dark here. Perhaps we could see this vision?" Hermione asked.
"NO!" Griffin snapped. "I still get nightmares about them sometimes."
"I thought you had said those had stopped." Helga said accusingly.
"They did, I said sometimes. They're not every night like they used to be." Griffin said.
"Okay." Helga replied.
"Back to the subject. So after I saw them, I agreed to go and train. So I left my friends and now I'm here to make new friends, and help them do some training.
"But why?" Neville asked.
"Simple." Griffin began. "Us nine are very important people who need to unite and train together, until we can fight very well on our own." Griffin said.
"How do you know that?' Ron asked.
"There's a prophecy." Time began walking into the room. Griffin nodded for her to continue. Time did so, and Griffin leaned against Ginny, closing his eyes, they had gone over this so many times, it wasn't worth listening to once again.
Two hours later they were still talking about it, and Griffin was sleeping on Ginny's shoulder.
Neville noticed this. "Time? Griffin's fallen asleep."
Time looked at him, and nodded. "Let him sleep, he had a busy night."
Ron and Hermione had the good graces to look guilty at this.
"So you nine, that is including Griffin, will be going to the Citadel of Time to learn how to fight properly. You leave tomorrow." Time said.
"Tomorrow?" Draco exclaimed.
"Yes tomorrow, and you'll be there for at least ten years." Time said.
"YEARS?" Neville exclaimed.
"Technically you'll be gone three weeks." Time replied.
"I though it a week is a year?" Severus asked.
"It is, but I've speeded it up because of the coming threat." Time explained.
"Oh." Severus replied.
"I suggest that you go and pack." Time said.
Hermione nodded absently.
"Hermione?" Time asked.
Hermione jumped. "Sorry, I was thinking." She muttered.
"You mean that the prospect of being taught by the founders just sunk in?" Time asked.
Hermione smiled ruefully. "Something like that. I've got to go and explain to my parents."
"That's right, they're staying at the castle." Time said.
"They are. They decided to stay and teach. Mum's going to be teaching muggle Herbology, and Dad will be helping in the hospital wing because he also a pediatrician as ell as a dentist."
"Lovely. They will be a success." Time said. "Did you know that the magic from the castle is rubbing off on them?"
"What?" Hermione asked.
"In a few years, they will be able to do small spells like 'lumos' and after ten years they will be strong enough to do more advanced spells, just enough to do a patronus. Your mum will develop it first, and will do it when she is angry with your sister." Time said.
"Sister?" Hermione asked.
"She's pregnant, only a few weeks along, so she has no idea yet." Time replied.
"Oh my." Hermione said weakly, and then collected herself.. "Well, I have to go and pack."
"Don't tell her." Time replied.
"Of course not." Hermione said weakly.
"Too much?" Time asked mischievously.
"Just a bit." Hermione replied, standing up.
"It's twins. A boy and a girl." Time said.
Hermione promptly fainted, and Ginny chuckled.
"I shouldn't have said that." Time muttered pulling her smelling salts out again.
"You knew that." Griffin said groggily.
"Yes I did." Time said, chuckling.
"Where are the others?" Griffin asked.
"They've gone to pack." Ginny replied, watching as Hermione opened her eyes.
"Twins?" She asked.
"Yes, Like Fred and George." Time said.
"Pranksters?" She asked sounding mildly horrified.
"No, that's going to be Griffin and Ginny's kid." Time said.
"Oh." Hermione said faintly.
"Just go and pack." Time said.
"Yes, I'll do that, before I get any more news." Hermione said, getting up.
"That's a good idea, but be nice to Ron when you're giving birth to his first child. When you threaten to castrate him he actually believes it." Time said.
Hermione coughed, and looked at Time warily. "I think I'll leave." She said, nearly running out of the room.
"Mortals. So fun to scare." She said.
"Yes, I thought we'd agreed that you wouldn't do that?" Griffin asked.
"We didn't. My fingers were crossed. After you defeat the Dark Lord, turn Colin down nicely."
Griffin sighed, quite used to Time telling him things about his future. "I always wondered about him. I suppose my death crushed him."
"It didn't. He's go a crush on Draco now." Salazar said.
"Really?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah, I caught him leaving a love letter in his room." Salazar replied.
"Poor Draco." Griffin replied.
Time laughed evilly. "I'll be back sometime tomorrow morning to get all of you."
Griffin nodded. "I think I'm going to catch up on my sleep some more. I know how exhausted I will be by tomorrow night."
"You guys get a day to settle in." Time said.
"Yeah, but that day I'll be attacked by Rose." Griffin said.
"She looked really cute." Ginny said. "I want to meet her."
"Of course you do, now that she has got her power under control." Griffin said.
Ginny laughed. "Of course. Wait. She has her power under control at age four?" Ginny asked.
"Technically she's been around for nearly two hundred years, but she has the body of a four year old. She is about as smart as a ten year old, and will start learning when she turns five." Griffin said, then saw Ginny's blank expression. "We went over this. James and Lily were allowed to have children, but their bodies age at the same rate that people do here. So when I was in second year, Rose was born. But since then, in the Citadel, two centuries have gone by. Remember? A week here equals a year there, normally. Now a week here equals a little over three years there. It's confusing at first, but you'll get it." Griffin said.
"I think I'm starting to." Ginny said.
"Okay then. Why don't you go and pack. Then explain it to your parents where you're going." Griffin said.
"Fine." Ginny replied, she smiled at Griffin, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and left the room blushing a bright pink.
Griffin watched her go, and the door to his rooms closed itself. "Why didn't you tell me that I would barely be here for two days?" Griffin asked.
"I don't know. You missed Hogwarts really badly." Time said. "Now, I've got to go home and prepare rooms for them. Do you mind if they share your chambers?" Time asked.
"It will be nice to have them near me. I suppose that I'll be sharing my bathroom?" Griffin asked.
"Yeah. But I might be able to give you separate rooms." Time said.
"Okay." Griffin said, stretching out on the sofa again.
"We'll see you tomorrow." Time said fading from sight.
"Tomorrow." Griffin said to an empty room before falling asleep yet again.
"I know mum." Ginny said.
"Well you could haven gotten killed last night and I refuse to let you go off somewhere." Molly Weasley said.
"Mum, I need to learn, because I happen to be heir to Gryffindor and I have to help defeat the Dark Lord. If I don't learn it is very possible that we could all die. Do you want to die?" Ginny asked.
"Why are you heir to Gryffindor?" Molly asked. "What's wrong with Ron?"
"I don't know. Gryffindor chose me, not Ron, but Ron's going to have to go too."
"Fine." Molly said.
Ginny hugged her mum tightly. "Thank you so much!" She exclaimed. "I'll miss you so much."
"You'll only be gone for a few weeks though." Molly said patting her daughter on the back.
"I know, but I'll still miss you." Ginny said.
"Now, don't you need to go and pack?" Molly asked.
"Yeah, I do. But I'll spend the entire evening with you." Ginny said, hurrying off to her dorm to pack.
Draco was busy packing his things, his mind in a whirl. He was going to train to fight against the Dark Lord! Not only that, but he was important! Who would have thought? He had always been jealous of Potter, because he had it all, he was rich, famous, and had real friends. Not moochers who were only nice to him because of his father. Not to mention, the fact that he was making some good friends too.
Apparently, Hogwarts was doomed without him. That was an interesting revelation. Draco decided than and there he was going to forget about all of the prejudices that he had learned from the cradle and start anew, in this new place. Perhaps he would find someone.
"Draco? Why are you packing?" Pansy Parkinson asked from the door to his dorm.
"I'm leaving." Draco said quickly without thinking.
"Leaving?" Pansy asked, rushing over to his bed and sitting on it. "But why? I thought that you were going to stay? We were going to have such fun." Pansy said in what she thought was flirtatious tone.
"Just for over the hols." Draco reassured her for no apparent reason.
"But WHY?" Pansy whined.
Draco cursed inwardly. "I have to meet a few people, and learn a few things." Draco said offhandedly, hoping that she would think he was doing some DE training.
"I thought that we didn't have any of that over winter break?" Pansy said, trying to get more information out of him.
"There isn't. It's special training." Draco said. 'Now, I hate to be rude, but I really must go." Draco said, shrunk his trunk and pocketed it. Ignoring Pansy's spluttering, he left the dorms, hoping that she wouldn't recover until he had got out of the common room at least.
Ten minutes later, Draco slipped into Griffin's rooms and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin the staircase changed." He muttered, and was surprised when an old wizard came in though a door that he hadn't noticed before.
"Why, you're welcome, but I am a little confused as to why you are thanking me when you should be thanking the castle." Merlin said, waiting for the boy to notice.
"Thanking you?" Draco queried, his brow furrowed in thought. Then his eyebrows shot up so fast Merlin almost missed it. "You're Merlin?"
"The one and the only." Merlin said, bowing a little from the waist.
"Wow." Draco said. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?" He asked.
"Yes. But I chose life in the Citadel of Time over death." Merlin said.
"OH. Why weren't you at the earlier meeting?" Draco asked.
"I wasn't supposed to be there." Merlin said pointedly.
"That makes sense." Draco replied, sitting in the chair across from the one that Merlin had occupied.
"Of course it does." Merlin said laughing.
Griffin rolled over on the sofa, and said, "A few more minutes mum?"
Draco laughed, and Merlin rolled his eyes. A tinkling laugh could be heard from the other side of the door that Merlin had entered by.
Merlin's gaze snapped to the doorway, and a young girl who resembled Harry came through, looking a little ashamed. Merlin sighed, and patted his laugh.
The girl's expression brightened, and she ran over and climbed into his lap, giving him a hug. "Hey, Uncle Merlin. When are you guys coming back?" She asked.
"We'll be leaving tomorrow, dearie." He replied, hugging the girl around the shoulders.
"Uncle?" Draco asked.
Merlin shook his head. "No, everyone older than ten, is aunt or uncle to this girl." The old wizard said smiling.
"She's cute." Draco said, surprising himself.
"That she is." Merlin replied, a smile gracing his features, then turning to a frown, as he looked down on the head with reddish-brownish hair that tumbled in loose waves halfway down her back.
"Do your parents know that you are here?" Merlin asked.
"Yeah, they gave me a note." Rose replied, fumbling in her pocket for it. She found it, and handed the piece of parchment to Merlin.
He quickly scanned it and smiled. "So me and Griffin are stuck with you?" HE asked.
"Yep. Do you mind if I fix your beard?" She asked, eyeing the long white beard the resembled Dumbledore's.
Merlin thought for a moment, and then said, "I don't mind, but please don't make it that awful shade of green."
"I won't that was an accident, it was supposed to be black." Rose snapped, and set to work intricately braiding the old wizards beard.
Draco watched Rose for a moment. "I don't mean to be rude, but who is she?"
Rose looked around at Draco. "Hi. I'm Rose Clarice Potter. That's my brother. His name is Griffin." She said, pointing to Griffin's slumbering form, then adding, "I want to be a hairdresser when I grow up. I'm quite good at it."
"I'm sure you are." Draco said, looking at the five braids that she was weaving through Merlin's beard. The braid were very well done, only that they were softly glowing pink.
Rose twisted the ends, and the ends of the braids were apparently held magically because there were no ties, and they were staring in place. "There, now you can read at night, Uncle Merlin."
"That's lovely dear." Merlin said, holding up his beard. The glowing braids were very thin, and gave off a small amount of light. "Can I make it brighter, or dimmer?" He asked.
"OF course! I learned that after Jamie complained about his hair being, what was it, oh yeah, too bright too see by." Rose said proudly, eyeing her sleeping brother.
"Good. How do I control it?" Merlin asked.
"With your mind." Rose explained. "When you want it brighter, picture it being brighter, and the same for dimmer." Rose said.
Merlin nodded, and the glow grew so it illuminated the whole room, then diminished until it was barely noticeable.
"Uncle Merlin, do you think that I could explore the castle?" Rose asked.
"Of course, just be careful not to get lost, and if you do, ask the portraits for help." Merlin said.
"Thanks!" Rose said brightly, before sliding off of Merlin's lap and skipping to the door. "Bye." She said before slipping out.
"Do you think that wise?" Draco asked.
"Of course, because Lily and James have put nearly every protection spell they know on her, and she is invisible to anyone that will harm her." Merlin said.
"Oh." Draco said. "She braids nicely."
"That she does." Merlin replied conversationally.
"Is Griffin really her half brother?" Draco asked, eyeing the slumbering figure warily.
"No. But Lily and James sort of adopted him, and Rose and the others see him as a brother.
Neville was packing his things along with Ron and they were chatting about the current change in events.
"I think that it will be fun." Neville said. "Hard, but fun."
"Why? We'll be working, but I think I'd love to learn to fence like Griffin and Ginny did last night." Ron said.
"Why do you call him Griffin?" Neville asked. "Why not his first name? Avery?" Neville asked a little unsure of Griffin's first name.
"Because he wants to be called Griffin, and Avery doesn't seem to fit him.." Ron replied.
"I think there was something in the tea that they gave us." Neville said.
"Why?" Ron asked.
"Because, it was different. I think that I have a gift for this. I know that my mum could always tell if there was something in a drink she had been given. Maybe I inherited it." Neville said.
Ron
opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a girlish voice saying, "Hi!
Are you two Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom?"
They both
turned towards the entrance to their dorm, and saw a small girl of
about four standing there, and staring at them intently.
"Yeah." Ron said, catching his voice. "Who are you?"
"Me?" The girl asked, climbing onto the nearest bed, Seamus', and grinning when she realize it was quite bouncy. Bouncing experimentally a few time, she sat down and said, "I'm Rose."
"Do you have a last name?" Neville asked.
"Yeah, Potter." Rose said, and Ron gasped. "What, is there something wrong with my name?"
"No, it's just that you have Harry's eyes, and…" Neville trailed off and sniffed a little.
"Oh. That's cause he's my half-brother. Lily's his mum, and Severus is his dad. James is mine, and Lily is my mum." Rose said, ignoring Ron's gasp of surprise.
"Severus? Severus Snape?" He asked, his voice going high-pitched.
"What? You didn't know? I'm sure it's a shock, but he's your best friend, just because his father is a different person doesn't change things, does it?" Rose asked.
"Yeah it does!" Ron exclaimed. "Snapes a Death Eater! He'll probably kill Griffin!"
"No he won't." Rose said. "He's had plenty of time to, and he's not a Death Eater. We found a way to remove the mark, so he has retired." Rose said, then turned to Neville. "Do you have a problem with this?" She asked accusingly.
Neville shook his head hurriedly at the young girls tone. "No, it doesn't change who he is at all, it only means that he has a dad who is alive." Neville said, a wistful expression in his face as he finished his statement.
"Neville, I'm sorry about your parents. I probably shouldn't say this, but, well, they're making some progress in finding a cure at the Citadel. If they could cure them, they'd have to live in the Citadel though." Rose said.
Neville's smile was one that had almost never been seen on his face before. "Any life would be good for them." He said happily. "I better finish packing."
"Yes, I suppose that you should." Rose said. "And just think, how Dumbledore going to react when he finds nine people have gone missing from under his nose." Grinning evilly, she left them, and went to the girls' dormitories and went up to find Ginny packing.
"Hi Ginny." She said.
Ginny looked up and her eyes widened. "I know you." She said, staring at Rose.
"I suppose that you do. How, pray tell?" Rose asked.
"I've seen you before. When Harry was gone." Ginny said, sitting down on her bed.
"Oh. Well, Harry's gone forever, I suppose." Rose said sadly.
Ginny nodded, a tear running down her face. "I know he's not really dead, but I'm still sad."
"It's okay, you're just afraid for Griffin, and if you should really trust him." Rose said.
Ginny nodded. "Should I trust him?"
"You should, I watched as the charms were taken off, and I know that Griffin is Harry." Rose said.
"Charms?" Ginny asked blankly.
"Griffin is Severus' son." Rose said.
"I knew that." Ginny said. "I just forgot for some reason."
"He did that, it had to happen for things to work." Rose said.
"I suppose that it did." Ginny said, using her wand to direct her things into her trunk.
"I'll be leaving you to pack, shall I?" Rose asked.
Ginny nodded, and Rose slipped out of the dorm, going to the common room, to find Linda down there.
"Hello." Linda greeted her. "I don't remember you from before. I'm Linda Granger."
"Hi." Rose said. "I'm Rose Potter." And immediately regretted saying it.
"Oh. Are you related to Harry Potter?" She asked, tears beginning to form in her eyes, and her hand covering her mouth.
Rose nodded.
"Oh my dear, I'm so sorry." She said, kneeling before Rose, and giving her a hug.
"It's okay. He's not really dead you know. It's all part of a plan." Rose said, patting the older woman on the back.
"What makes you say that?" Linda asked.
"Because I helped to plan it. We're terribly sorry for having to put all of you through this, but Voldemort must think that Harry is dead." Rose said.
"Why?" Linda asked.
"Because it will draw him out into the open, making him more vulnerable to attack, now that he thinks his major threat is gone." Hermione said from behind her mother. "Now, who are you, and what are you doing here?" Hermione asked.
"I'm Rose, Griffin's half-sister." Rose said, grinning at Hermione. "And you're Hermione Granger. It was very stupid of you to do what you did last night."
"How do you know about that?" Hermione asked.
"We were allowed to watch back at the Citadel. Griffin had to save you because you were necessary. He thought you had more sense than that." Rose said, glaring at Hermione.
Hermione made an indistinguishable nose in her throat, and turned to her mum.
Rose slipped away, knowing what they were going to discuss. Slipping out of the portrait hole, she began heading for the great hall, having heard about it from both Griffin and her parents, and the founders, she knew that she had to see it. She found the doors, being the size that she was, she was unable to open them, but recalling something she had heard, she squared her shoulders and approached the doors.
"Excuse me, but being the size that I am, mightn't you possibly open for me?" Rose asked. She felt something sweep over her, and the doors creaked open just wide enough for her to enter. "Thank you." She whispered, slipping into the great hall.
She stood by the doors looking up for a full five minutes. She spent another five wandering about the room, thinking how much fun she could have flying in here. At least, she could see what the ceiling was made out of. Or, actually, look at the spells on it. Looking around the Great Hall, she noticed something funny about the wall behind the staff table.
When she had been three, Lily and James had taught her a few spells, one being a revealing spell. It was for her own good. She had also learned to be an animagi, but that had taken a hundred years to master. There were benefits to growing up so slow. By the age of a year, most babies in the Citadel could walk and talk. Simple spells they could master by their second year, and if they truly wanted, they could begin their magical education at the young age of three. Most children waited until five or six, but Rose had been picking things up since around two. Seeing her father change into a stag, she had immediately wanted to learn how, and had asked him. He had started to teach her, thinking that she wouldn't get it for at least three centuries, but in fifty years, she was able to transform into a small wildcat. Of course it had taken her ten minutes to do so, so she had spent the next 150 or so years honing her skill.
Rose walked to the staff table, feeling small, as her head was about the height of the tables. Standing behind the table, she cast the spell, and a photograph was revealed to her eyes. Rose laughed when she saw the picture, her father had told her about this particular event, it had been one of her favorites pranks, mainly because it dealt with people's hair, but also because it was one that took a lot of knowledge to execute correctly.
She laughed, and turned to leave the Great Hall, and walked directly into someone.
I am so sorry that I haven't updated in forever. Life took control and I've been cut off from my computer. I finished this a few days ago, but my computer kept freezing when I tried to save my changes in the quickedit, so I'm doing it in word. Really intelligent of me, right? Well, Happy Christmas, may all annoying family members go to Antarctica and be eaten by penguins. Thanks for reading, and you don't have to review, I really don't care, my head can't get too big. But I think I will be doing some major re writing for this story and will either take it down and start over which seems like the best idea, or just do something else. I might take the severitus component out of it, because it's getting a little, okay, very messy plot wise. Other than that I have nothing more to say than I'm very, very sorry for not updating in months.