Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all her stuff. Also the parts about Naisi, Conor, and Deidre are really from a Celtic legend, Deidre and the Sons of Usna. All else are my ideas.
Author Note: Please review and tell me if the chapters are fitting together especially in detail. I did most of them out of order and some of these later chapters were written in pieces, so I may have slipped up somewhere. Please let me know if this is the case.
Silverthreads. . . that was a big opps. Don't worry I will fix it. Dudley is just a carrier anyhow, since he is a Dud.
Chapter 8-Hermione Hears Muses
"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Breakfast, dears! Get your sleepy heads out of bed!"
Harry, already awake, shook Ron to wake him. Hermione gradually woke up on her own. About five minutes later the three of them headed out to the dungeon hall and Harry pointed his head toward an empty room. Ron looked at Hermione with one eyebrow raised in curiosity. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and they followed Harry into the empty stone room.
"Incendio," Hermione said into the fireplace.
"Before I got my O.W.L.s, I received a strange package in the post." Harry removed the mysterious envelope from his pocket and held up the silvery blue strand. "This is all there was. No note. No return address." Ron and Hermione looked at each other stunned.
"It never gets easier for you does it," Ron said shaking his head. "Do you know what it is?"
"Yes. I got a hold of Lupin at the Grimmauld Place headquarters." Harry filled Ron and Hermione in on what he found in the two-way mirror, including Snape's reaction. Ron and Hermione listened intently and all of it seemed even more strange as Harry continued. For Ron, at least, the most strange bit was Snape's reaction.
"Wow. Snape didn't bite your head off? He actually was reasonable? Do you think he feels guilty about Siri . . . huh . . . you know?"
"Well, he should, damn it! He stopped teaching me Occlumency just when I was starting to get somewhere with it." Then Harry said feeling his words a bit harsh, "He did actually look genuinely sad though. Almost as bad as Lupin."
"That doesn't surprise me," Hermione said quietly. "Sometimes when people fight like they did it just means they are too much alike or have a greater affection for each other than they want to let on," Hermione's eyes drifted to Ron. Ron, oblivious to Hermione's look, watched Harry's reaction before he said,
"Well, maybe a bit alike. I don't think Snape would like to sit around all day and all night. But then again, other than teaching, and spying on the Dark Lord, what do you think Snape does with his spare time?"
"Who knows? But whatever you think of Professor Snape, he is brave and very intelligent. How keen do you think most wizards would be to spy on Voldemort for Dumbledore? He may not have been excited about it either, but he is still doing it, isn't he?" Hermione deduced looking toward Harry for his reaction. Harry looked hurt and confused, so Hermione quickly moved on, "I've received ideas from muses before. Harry, Do you see their face after the ideas pass through your mind?"
"Yes, after a flash of orange light. Is that what happens to you too?"
"Well, partly. The light I see is usually blue and then a face zooms through it. I guess I always have assumed it to be the muse's signature, so you know where you got the idea. The first time it happened was when Professor Lupin became our Defense Against the Darks Arts professor. I saw him change into a werewolf. Professor Snape's assignment confirmed it for me."
"Wow, and you didn't tell anyone?" Ron said amazed.
"Well, I didn't know what it could mean, you know, since it couldn't be a prophecy. So I checked the library, of course, and came across muses in Masters of Legilimency. They can scan peoples thoughts at great distances, and especially when people are in desperate need of an idea they are given ideas for that person."
"Who gives them the ideas?"
"No one really knows. But muses are the only people who can send memories in solid form at great distances away from them. They also are the only people, other than seers, born with the skill of telepathy. It really is scary that they could scan our minds at anytime, and our memories could end up giving them ideas. And the thing is they don't always try to scan people's minds it just happens. They are, however, bound to be neutral. In the war with Voldemort, most muses refused to give him ideas or read others memories. Those that wouldn't went crazy and died or were killed by Death Eaters. They say that fewer than 20 still exist, and they stay far away from people, so they can't give ideas to anyone good or bad."
"But then why would Sirius think that necklace would help her? What would be the point?"
"I don't know what that necklace Snuffles gave Blanche was capable of, but I don't recall finding anything that could prevent a muse from giving the ideas to their owners without going crazy, other than being far away from them. Perhaps the orbs contain a magic that is very ancient and Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs found them lurking around the grounds." Ron smiled and said,
"Hermione, you are frightening. You found all that on your own and remember it three years later," Ron shook his head in disbelief, "Amazing."
"Harry, these ideas are like gifts, you know, and the muses must give them out right away or they lose part of their minds." Hermione continued slowly, "Why do you think you're getting the ideas now? What can the muse mean to accomplish now that Sirius is gone?"
"I don't know, Hermione. I don't know."
That night Hermione lay in bed with thoughts about what could be the motive behind the muse's visions. She had learned to proceed with caution since she took up with Harry and Ron. She was the voice of reason, and it was her duty to protect the boys because she knew that despite the fact that they had survived without her a few times this summer, when school began again they wouldn't think to plan anymore. Hermione knew that was the danger of Hogwarts. Everyone assumes it is the safest place in the wizarding world, but that must not be saying much considering the Dream Team had faced Voldemort and worse in the safe haven. Knowing this, she was determined to continue being the one on guard at all times. She would continue to be the rational, cool, collected, paranoid Gryffindor know-it-all because only she could do it. She knew it was her fate. She also knew she had a bigger part to play yet, but she had know idea why she knew this. She just knew. It was with these thoughts of strength, loyalty, and precognition that Hermione fell into a deep, deep sleep.
Hermione sees herself walking through a forest on a bright sunny day with a clear blue sky except for a few perfect, fluffy clouds. Hermione follows the cumulus clouds to a clearing in the great woods. In the clearing, she sees three circles imprinted in the land. In the center of each, is a rectangular stone made of the same peculiar rock that is curved at the top as if each stone is the top of its own arch. Behind the farthest circle she sees two great Yew trees that have grow together. If they had been people, they would have been lovers in an embrace. Hermione feels safe in the clearing and somehow at peace. The trees are the most beautiful things she has ever seen. She wonders if she could ever find the love these two trees have found.
The scene swirls away and shows a man with dark raven hair and pale white skin playing a harp and singing to a strawberry blond Hermione. The dream Hermione laughs and kisses the man when he finishes.
Purple fog floats through Hermione's mind in a dark midnight moor. A reddish-blond Hermione with purple eyes is riding a horse between two men. She gazes around her and looks to three graves freshly filled. Tears come to her eyes as they approach them. The two men look at her hungrily and make motion to take her. Hermione watches herself jump from her horse and run for a headstone. Before she smashes her own head against the tombstone, she sees the words on the stone,
'Naisi of Usna, Knight of the Red Branch
and
Husband of Deirdre
One Day Our Love Will Bring Peace.'
Hermione returns to the clearing with the Yew tree lovers and sees herself in her white silk nightgown. She approaches the circle in front of the Yew trees with determination and peace on her face. As she enters the circle, the circular impression glows blue. She continues to the center and stands on the stone in the middle. Her feet are bare, her hair unbound, and she lifts a blue sphere to touch her forehead. She begins to sing but the words are not clear. As she sings with the sphere still touching her forehead, she sees another person in the clearing approaching the circle farthest from her. He is tall, pale, and raven-haired. As he enters his circle, it glows green. He pulls out his own sphere and joins in her song. When the song is finished, they raise their spheres in unison and the lights collide making the center circle glow with red heat. A younger man in striped pajamas with dark disheveled hair approaches the center circle. He reaches his center stone and completes the phalanx, when he raises his own sphere. Suddenly only the voice of a woman resounds, "Beware Conor reborn. The curse of Catha follows you to this life and ever. These three are now protected in the Phalanx of Avalon and shielded with the love of ages. These are the words of the Goddess."
When the sequence finished, Hermione sees a woman with blue hair and purple eyes float through her mind. With a flash of blue light, the face vanishes and Hermione bloats upright in her bed.
Harry woke up earlier than usual the next day. His mind was as cheerful as it could be with all he was feeling. He was happy that Tonks had kissed him. He was anxious about what might happen with her. He was grateful to her for her story, and felt comfort in the embrace they shared. More and more, he was beginning to feel ready to talk about Sirius, but he truly couldn't do it yet. The shock was still there, but the pain was starting to surface. Deep down he still didn't want to believe Sirius was gone.
Harry got dressed and walked the halls of the dungeon looking for anyone who might be up. Harry had checked every room except the library, so he decided maybe, just maybe, he might work on his summer homework. When he entered the room, the candles were already lit and he was surprised to see a true beauty with her hair pulled up at the table reading from one of the more ancient looking tomes. Then, as Harry tried to figure out how she got there, Harry realized who it was. Hermione.
"I guess I really shouldn't be surprised to see you here. Where there's a library . . ."
"There is the resident know-it-all. I know. Harry, did you have any 'messages' last night?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"I did. I was hoping that maybe you'd seen what I saw, but maybe the muse only can send to one person at a time. Humm."
"Okay, so what did you see?" Hermione proceeded to tell Harry about the clearing and the phalanx, the Yew trees and the tombstone. After she finished she showed him what she was reading.
"I looked up the Naisi of Usna and found out he was the first king of Alba, Scotland seated at Glen Edive. He took his beautiful Queen Deidre and his two brothers there with him to stake the claim. I have not read much more than that, but the lineage book directed me to 'Celtic Myths and Legends of the Ancient.' It appears that Deidre was much like Helen of Troy. Every man wanted to be with her because of her beauty. Unfortunately for her, King Conor saw her when she was born and proclaimed her his queen before she could speak for herself. Somewhere within all this is a curse and a prophecy, I guess, but I haven't quite gotten through the story yet."
"Well, you keep on with that. I want to know what you come up with, because I had a dream a few nights ago about the same clearing and remarkably the same lights, chants, and people. I take it you are the bushy brown haired beauty in the clearing."
"I guess you're the dark disheveled haired boy with strip pajamas. So who is the man on the other end. He looks remarkably like the man the blond me was kissing in my visions. But I don't have purple eyes. I wonder if this legend has anything to do with that."
"The only man I know who has that dark of hair, is that tall, and that pale, and could have anything to do with the color green is Snape, but why would he . . ."
"That's it. Snape knows tons about everything. He would probably be able to help us figure some of this out. Perhaps, even the bit about Avalon."
"Maybe Dumbledore would know something, but I'm not going to him again. I'll probably get another lecture and a pat on the head. Besides, he doesn't tell me the whole story anyway." Harry paused. "I don't know why but I think I should know more about this than I do. Avalon that is. I have this feeling. . . Okay, so that leaves Snape and your story. After you finish, who's going to talk to Snape?"
"Like you would. It probably isn't anything we should bug him with right now. Don't you think, Harry? I mean what could this nonsense all mean. Maybe the muse is just messing with us."
"While I wouldn't quite rule that out yet, since you are so careful to keep reminding me, I didn't get my vision from Blanche. It was just a normal dream. Maybe a vision in itself. I don't think I'm a seer or anything so that's a bit strange."
"I'd say. What if Voldemort is giving this vision to you? Shouldn't we really go to Dumbledore just in case."
"No, it's just a silly dream, but the last time we didn't tell someone about what was going on in this head of mine, we got into . . . I am starting to wonder if Snape isn't the third. I don't think anybody walks like he does and the man in the green circle walked just like him."
"You know you're right Harry." Hermione raised her eyebrows in thought. "He even held his head in the same dramatic way. Perhaps we should tell Professor Snape about it. He'll probably think it's silly. Too much like divination for my taste too, but I guess . . ."
"Good it's settled then. You will finish you're reading and when Snape comes next time you will discuss it with him."
"Why not you?"
"You've done the research, Mia. I wouldn't want to take your spot light from you."
"Right. You don't want to face him." Harry responded with sarcasm in his voice and a look of mock defeat on his face,
"Gee, you got me. You are too bright for your own good." Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, but agreed anyway,
"Well, I guess it will be alright. You'll have to talk to him too eventually." Sitting back in one of the leather chairs with his arms behind his head and kicking his feet up on the table, Harry replied,
"When that time comes, I'll be ready."
Author Note: Please review and tell me if the chapters are fitting together especially in detail. I did most of them out of order and some of these later chapters were written in pieces, so I may have slipped up somewhere. Please let me know if this is the case.
Silverthreads. . . that was a big opps. Don't worry I will fix it. Dudley is just a carrier anyhow, since he is a Dud.
Chapter 8-Hermione Hears Muses
"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Breakfast, dears! Get your sleepy heads out of bed!"
Harry, already awake, shook Ron to wake him. Hermione gradually woke up on her own. About five minutes later the three of them headed out to the dungeon hall and Harry pointed his head toward an empty room. Ron looked at Hermione with one eyebrow raised in curiosity. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and they followed Harry into the empty stone room.
"Incendio," Hermione said into the fireplace.
"Before I got my O.W.L.s, I received a strange package in the post." Harry removed the mysterious envelope from his pocket and held up the silvery blue strand. "This is all there was. No note. No return address." Ron and Hermione looked at each other stunned.
"It never gets easier for you does it," Ron said shaking his head. "Do you know what it is?"
"Yes. I got a hold of Lupin at the Grimmauld Place headquarters." Harry filled Ron and Hermione in on what he found in the two-way mirror, including Snape's reaction. Ron and Hermione listened intently and all of it seemed even more strange as Harry continued. For Ron, at least, the most strange bit was Snape's reaction.
"Wow. Snape didn't bite your head off? He actually was reasonable? Do you think he feels guilty about Siri . . . huh . . . you know?"
"Well, he should, damn it! He stopped teaching me Occlumency just when I was starting to get somewhere with it." Then Harry said feeling his words a bit harsh, "He did actually look genuinely sad though. Almost as bad as Lupin."
"That doesn't surprise me," Hermione said quietly. "Sometimes when people fight like they did it just means they are too much alike or have a greater affection for each other than they want to let on," Hermione's eyes drifted to Ron. Ron, oblivious to Hermione's look, watched Harry's reaction before he said,
"Well, maybe a bit alike. I don't think Snape would like to sit around all day and all night. But then again, other than teaching, and spying on the Dark Lord, what do you think Snape does with his spare time?"
"Who knows? But whatever you think of Professor Snape, he is brave and very intelligent. How keen do you think most wizards would be to spy on Voldemort for Dumbledore? He may not have been excited about it either, but he is still doing it, isn't he?" Hermione deduced looking toward Harry for his reaction. Harry looked hurt and confused, so Hermione quickly moved on, "I've received ideas from muses before. Harry, Do you see their face after the ideas pass through your mind?"
"Yes, after a flash of orange light. Is that what happens to you too?"
"Well, partly. The light I see is usually blue and then a face zooms through it. I guess I always have assumed it to be the muse's signature, so you know where you got the idea. The first time it happened was when Professor Lupin became our Defense Against the Darks Arts professor. I saw him change into a werewolf. Professor Snape's assignment confirmed it for me."
"Wow, and you didn't tell anyone?" Ron said amazed.
"Well, I didn't know what it could mean, you know, since it couldn't be a prophecy. So I checked the library, of course, and came across muses in Masters of Legilimency. They can scan peoples thoughts at great distances, and especially when people are in desperate need of an idea they are given ideas for that person."
"Who gives them the ideas?"
"No one really knows. But muses are the only people who can send memories in solid form at great distances away from them. They also are the only people, other than seers, born with the skill of telepathy. It really is scary that they could scan our minds at anytime, and our memories could end up giving them ideas. And the thing is they don't always try to scan people's minds it just happens. They are, however, bound to be neutral. In the war with Voldemort, most muses refused to give him ideas or read others memories. Those that wouldn't went crazy and died or were killed by Death Eaters. They say that fewer than 20 still exist, and they stay far away from people, so they can't give ideas to anyone good or bad."
"But then why would Sirius think that necklace would help her? What would be the point?"
"I don't know what that necklace Snuffles gave Blanche was capable of, but I don't recall finding anything that could prevent a muse from giving the ideas to their owners without going crazy, other than being far away from them. Perhaps the orbs contain a magic that is very ancient and Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs found them lurking around the grounds." Ron smiled and said,
"Hermione, you are frightening. You found all that on your own and remember it three years later," Ron shook his head in disbelief, "Amazing."
"Harry, these ideas are like gifts, you know, and the muses must give them out right away or they lose part of their minds." Hermione continued slowly, "Why do you think you're getting the ideas now? What can the muse mean to accomplish now that Sirius is gone?"
"I don't know, Hermione. I don't know."
That night Hermione lay in bed with thoughts about what could be the motive behind the muse's visions. She had learned to proceed with caution since she took up with Harry and Ron. She was the voice of reason, and it was her duty to protect the boys because she knew that despite the fact that they had survived without her a few times this summer, when school began again they wouldn't think to plan anymore. Hermione knew that was the danger of Hogwarts. Everyone assumes it is the safest place in the wizarding world, but that must not be saying much considering the Dream Team had faced Voldemort and worse in the safe haven. Knowing this, she was determined to continue being the one on guard at all times. She would continue to be the rational, cool, collected, paranoid Gryffindor know-it-all because only she could do it. She knew it was her fate. She also knew she had a bigger part to play yet, but she had know idea why she knew this. She just knew. It was with these thoughts of strength, loyalty, and precognition that Hermione fell into a deep, deep sleep.
Hermione sees herself walking through a forest on a bright sunny day with a clear blue sky except for a few perfect, fluffy clouds. Hermione follows the cumulus clouds to a clearing in the great woods. In the clearing, she sees three circles imprinted in the land. In the center of each, is a rectangular stone made of the same peculiar rock that is curved at the top as if each stone is the top of its own arch. Behind the farthest circle she sees two great Yew trees that have grow together. If they had been people, they would have been lovers in an embrace. Hermione feels safe in the clearing and somehow at peace. The trees are the most beautiful things she has ever seen. She wonders if she could ever find the love these two trees have found.
The scene swirls away and shows a man with dark raven hair and pale white skin playing a harp and singing to a strawberry blond Hermione. The dream Hermione laughs and kisses the man when he finishes.
Purple fog floats through Hermione's mind in a dark midnight moor. A reddish-blond Hermione with purple eyes is riding a horse between two men. She gazes around her and looks to three graves freshly filled. Tears come to her eyes as they approach them. The two men look at her hungrily and make motion to take her. Hermione watches herself jump from her horse and run for a headstone. Before she smashes her own head against the tombstone, she sees the words on the stone,
'Naisi of Usna, Knight of the Red Branch
and
Husband of Deirdre
One Day Our Love Will Bring Peace.'
Hermione returns to the clearing with the Yew tree lovers and sees herself in her white silk nightgown. She approaches the circle in front of the Yew trees with determination and peace on her face. As she enters the circle, the circular impression glows blue. She continues to the center and stands on the stone in the middle. Her feet are bare, her hair unbound, and she lifts a blue sphere to touch her forehead. She begins to sing but the words are not clear. As she sings with the sphere still touching her forehead, she sees another person in the clearing approaching the circle farthest from her. He is tall, pale, and raven-haired. As he enters his circle, it glows green. He pulls out his own sphere and joins in her song. When the song is finished, they raise their spheres in unison and the lights collide making the center circle glow with red heat. A younger man in striped pajamas with dark disheveled hair approaches the center circle. He reaches his center stone and completes the phalanx, when he raises his own sphere. Suddenly only the voice of a woman resounds, "Beware Conor reborn. The curse of Catha follows you to this life and ever. These three are now protected in the Phalanx of Avalon and shielded with the love of ages. These are the words of the Goddess."
When the sequence finished, Hermione sees a woman with blue hair and purple eyes float through her mind. With a flash of blue light, the face vanishes and Hermione bloats upright in her bed.
Harry woke up earlier than usual the next day. His mind was as cheerful as it could be with all he was feeling. He was happy that Tonks had kissed him. He was anxious about what might happen with her. He was grateful to her for her story, and felt comfort in the embrace they shared. More and more, he was beginning to feel ready to talk about Sirius, but he truly couldn't do it yet. The shock was still there, but the pain was starting to surface. Deep down he still didn't want to believe Sirius was gone.
Harry got dressed and walked the halls of the dungeon looking for anyone who might be up. Harry had checked every room except the library, so he decided maybe, just maybe, he might work on his summer homework. When he entered the room, the candles were already lit and he was surprised to see a true beauty with her hair pulled up at the table reading from one of the more ancient looking tomes. Then, as Harry tried to figure out how she got there, Harry realized who it was. Hermione.
"I guess I really shouldn't be surprised to see you here. Where there's a library . . ."
"There is the resident know-it-all. I know. Harry, did you have any 'messages' last night?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"I did. I was hoping that maybe you'd seen what I saw, but maybe the muse only can send to one person at a time. Humm."
"Okay, so what did you see?" Hermione proceeded to tell Harry about the clearing and the phalanx, the Yew trees and the tombstone. After she finished she showed him what she was reading.
"I looked up the Naisi of Usna and found out he was the first king of Alba, Scotland seated at Glen Edive. He took his beautiful Queen Deidre and his two brothers there with him to stake the claim. I have not read much more than that, but the lineage book directed me to 'Celtic Myths and Legends of the Ancient.' It appears that Deidre was much like Helen of Troy. Every man wanted to be with her because of her beauty. Unfortunately for her, King Conor saw her when she was born and proclaimed her his queen before she could speak for herself. Somewhere within all this is a curse and a prophecy, I guess, but I haven't quite gotten through the story yet."
"Well, you keep on with that. I want to know what you come up with, because I had a dream a few nights ago about the same clearing and remarkably the same lights, chants, and people. I take it you are the bushy brown haired beauty in the clearing."
"I guess you're the dark disheveled haired boy with strip pajamas. So who is the man on the other end. He looks remarkably like the man the blond me was kissing in my visions. But I don't have purple eyes. I wonder if this legend has anything to do with that."
"The only man I know who has that dark of hair, is that tall, and that pale, and could have anything to do with the color green is Snape, but why would he . . ."
"That's it. Snape knows tons about everything. He would probably be able to help us figure some of this out. Perhaps, even the bit about Avalon."
"Maybe Dumbledore would know something, but I'm not going to him again. I'll probably get another lecture and a pat on the head. Besides, he doesn't tell me the whole story anyway." Harry paused. "I don't know why but I think I should know more about this than I do. Avalon that is. I have this feeling. . . Okay, so that leaves Snape and your story. After you finish, who's going to talk to Snape?"
"Like you would. It probably isn't anything we should bug him with right now. Don't you think, Harry? I mean what could this nonsense all mean. Maybe the muse is just messing with us."
"While I wouldn't quite rule that out yet, since you are so careful to keep reminding me, I didn't get my vision from Blanche. It was just a normal dream. Maybe a vision in itself. I don't think I'm a seer or anything so that's a bit strange."
"I'd say. What if Voldemort is giving this vision to you? Shouldn't we really go to Dumbledore just in case."
"No, it's just a silly dream, but the last time we didn't tell someone about what was going on in this head of mine, we got into . . . I am starting to wonder if Snape isn't the third. I don't think anybody walks like he does and the man in the green circle walked just like him."
"You know you're right Harry." Hermione raised her eyebrows in thought. "He even held his head in the same dramatic way. Perhaps we should tell Professor Snape about it. He'll probably think it's silly. Too much like divination for my taste too, but I guess . . ."
"Good it's settled then. You will finish you're reading and when Snape comes next time you will discuss it with him."
"Why not you?"
"You've done the research, Mia. I wouldn't want to take your spot light from you."
"Right. You don't want to face him." Harry responded with sarcasm in his voice and a look of mock defeat on his face,
"Gee, you got me. You are too bright for your own good." Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, but agreed anyway,
"Well, I guess it will be alright. You'll have to talk to him too eventually." Sitting back in one of the leather chairs with his arms behind his head and kicking his feet up on the table, Harry replied,
"When that time comes, I'll be ready."