Disclaimer: I own nothing except Niara and the Limfiti crew. All the rest, Harry Potter and all characters from the Harry Potter Series are property of J.K. Rowling.

A/N :Lack a day! I forgot to thank my friend Brittany for her help on the last chapter! Thanks goes out, again, to my beta reader Sobralia! Woot! So without further ado...

Chapter 1 -Another Day in Paradise

Niara shifted her weight slightly onto the ball of her left foot, feeling the muscle in her right thigh relax ever so slightly. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the moments respite from the pain that this particular position of the Wutarki was giving her.

It was morning workout at Limfiti's monastery, and on the grounds it was completely silent, except for the wind shifting the trees and the measured breath of 60 trainees (with their masters) as they worked through the patterns of the Wutarki. A series of movements not unlike ti-chi, named after the wind worshiper Patune Wutarki, Wutarki was a training exercise meant to facilitate concentration in mind, and skill in body.

Unfortunately for all those present on the green that day, the Wutarki movements were a lot less relaxing, and a lot more taxing on the body than the simple movements portrayed.

'The only thing that I want to be worshiping right now is a hot bath for my muscles' Niara thought wryly to herself, as the group moved into the next position; hands raised high above the head, and balanced on her right leg again.

Gritting her teeth together, Niara tried hard to find a meditation place, focusing on one of the higher mountain tops that surrounded their residence rather than on the painful pulse that had moved down to include her right calf.

Built during the late 1300's, the Limfiti monastery was a one story structure built straight into the mountain side, guaranteeing cold living conditions and little natural light all year round for those 'cursed' to call the lump of rock home. Very few 'artificial comforts' (as the masters lovingly called warm water and artificial light) had ever been installed. Just a few torches were the only means of navigation in the darkest of passageways.

An eagle screeched wilding above, and while Niara glanced back at it, her thoughts continued to flow towards the building behind her.

The main rooms that were open to the sunlight (when it was present), were the weapons training court (where, rain or shine, one could be expected to find themselves) and the main dining and cooking hall, which would have proved to be quite unpleasant a room if there was not a means for which the smoke from the cooking fires could escape built into the walls. All around the dining hall were huge woodworked panels, ending in a single engraved door that led out onto the green. Floor to ceiling, these panels depicted the history of the region, and the monastery itself.

Limfiti's, over time, had become less of a monastery and more of an intensive training center for those who wished to learn the art of defense. Perhaps it would be more accurate to state that it was a center for those whose parents wished for their children to learn the art of defense. The age of admittance to Limfiti's was a young one, and most of the younger ranks never did exactly realize what they were getting into.

'I certainly didn't.' Niara thought grumpily, 'If I had known what was in store for me up here, rest assured that I would have used my pudgy five year old legs to move as far as possible away from the trainer, the one that came to our village looking for prospective trainees'

That was seventeen years ago, and at that time, ignorance was surely bliss. Otherwise the nightmares she would have had before coming to the monastery would have never let her sleep:

'I hear that you have to wake up before dawn everyday-'

'-and that you have to catch your own food or you don't eat-'

'-and you train until you drop'

Niara was jolted out of her thoughts as she felt the group move once again, this time into the final position, a meditation pose in which they would remain for some time. She allowed herself to glance around, deftly noting how well some of the newer trainees were adapting to their training.

Pleased that they were coping well (or as well as could be expected) Niara contented herself with letting her mind wander back into nothingness...

'pay no attention to the kink in your neck...it is really quite non-existent ... ignore ...ignore ... you just think that it's there, really you're just imagining it...that's right...good.' Niara inwardly sighed, silently congratulating herself on that particular accomplishment until -

'Damn stupid leg cramp...NO...don't think about it...its not really there...ignore...'

Somewhere in the distance, and eagle swooped down for the kill.


Much too soon after the morning workout came morning training – a main part of the Limfiti lifestyle. Stifling a moan, Niara grabbed the nearest weighted staff in the rack that she was passing and hoisted it into the air. Turning back from the rack, she quickly tested the balance in the staff before shifting her focus to the gaggle of students in front of her. Her job for the last few years had been that of a master, passing on the teachings of the Limfiti to the next generation

All trainees were required to have the magical gift, but instruction taught control over not only their magic, but over their bodies as well.. Members of the Limfiti order where highly sought after due to their trade, making them skilled in a variety of jobs from body guards to assassins and spies.

A slight noise behind her made Niara glance over her shoulder, in time to see her teaching partner, Custer, grab a staff as well. Custer had been part of her training group ever since she was taken from her village. At only two years older than herself, Custer was a flamboyant African-American with deadly aim, and a diplomatic personality when he chose to show it. Niara often relied upon Custer's soothing personality to get her through the monotonous days at the monastery. He had become like her older brother. Seeing her gaze, he grinned, and moved to stand next to her.

"Another day in paradise," Custer remarked, slinging his staff over his shoulder, and looking out over the field like a marshal surveying his troops. Bending down, he whispered in her ear: "I hear that we don't have to hunt today because of the lesson"

"Thank goodness for small mercies," Niara shot back, raising an eyebrow as she massaged the back of her neck. "Do you want to be the shooter or the shootee?"

"Shooter," Custer replied, moving past her to take position a few paces back. "I never want to be on the business side of that wand of yours..."

"Trust me," Niara said playfully, "You never will."

"Hey! None of that! There are innocent minds around here!"

Swallowing a laugh that would have joined Custer's raucous one, Niara moved forward to confront the group of trainees.

"Now then, today we will be covering the usage of the staff as a form of defense against a magical attack. The very structure of the staff, if made correctly, is for its usage in the absorption and redirection of magical fire," Niara started to walk towards the group of youngsters, passing her staff from hand to hand.

"The only trick is mastering how to control the re-direction." She stopped moving, and turned back to face Custer. He took her lead, and continued.

"Most," his strong voice carrying, "Are not even aware of the staff's magical ability, seeing as the ability to channel the power is fickle, and temperamental."

Niara took her staff and flipped it to face outward, showing a slight groove present in the base of the staff. She then turned the staff over slightly to show the continuation of the groove up the side of the staff.

"If you are able to absorb the magical attack with the base, then the magic will immediately be stored, and, in a moment's breath, will be redirected out the side of the staff." She flipped the staff back over to the other side one again. "Let me demonstrate."

She turned back to Custer and fell into her ready position, feeling the group clustered around her back away to give her room. She gave a slight nod of her head, following Custer's movements with only her eyes. Taking a step back, Custer drew his wand and opened his mouth;

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Niara felt, rather than saw, the spell rush towards her from his wand point. Stepping to one side, Niara brought the staff up to meet to bolt of light in a fluid movement. On contact, she quickly flipped the staff so that the groove was facing out towards her group of students, trying to hide a grin. The effect was instantaneous:

"Cool Ma'am"

"It's just like you hit him yourself!"

"He didn't even see it coming!"

"Poor sod!"

Slight laughter came from the group as the trainees swarmed around their fallen comrade for a while. She flipped the staff back upright, and dug the point into the group, leaning on it slightly as she surveyed the impact of her demonstration. Behind her, she heard a brief counter-curse muttered, and all too soon she was confronted one again by shining eager faces.

Raising one eyebrow in question she stared back at the group, then hefted the staff into her hands. "Well then, shall we get started?"


"All in all, a very productive day," Custer remarked to Niara as they headed back towards the dining room from the field. The sun was starting to set behind them, and Niara could see the torches in the monastery flickering to life as they were lit by students.

"Yes, they're well on their way to mastering the staff," she replied, kicking a small stone out from in front of her with her muddy boot. "Though I'm not so sure about Tayna, we will have to keep an eye on him."

"Definitely" Custer replied, nodding his head as he opened the door to the dining room and motioned Niara to precede him. She thanked him with a soft smile.

"The best part of a day of teaching, no matter how rewarding the job might be, has to be coming back to the warm hall," Niara remarked, grabbing a small wooden bowl from a stack at the door, and handing an identical one to Custer. She glanced into a pot in the hearth, then looked back up at him, her eyes twinkling slightly. "Pre-caught food – my favorite."

"Suit yourself – I like to know exactly what that food looked like running madly about before it ended up in my pot."

Shaking her head slightly, glad for the respite of having to gather her own food, Niara ladled a generous portion of the stew into both bowls. She felt Custer leave her side, making his way over to a couple of free seats on the other side of the hall. Dropping the ladle back into the pot, she followed quickly behind him.

"What have we got planned for tomorrow?" The question was posed as both tried to navigate their way through the maze of chairs and tables.

"A bit more staff work, then I think that we can move onto making a shield spell using the energy from a spell blast."

Niara grimaced "I always hated that part of the training; the shield spell has always caused me more than my fair share of grief."

Custer turned back to look at her "Really? All it involves is creating an energy shield about your person."

"I know," Niara sighed. "But all I could ever think about was how the masters were watching my every move, and I could never get the shield to go up around me. It always formed about the caster of the spell, making them immune to my attack. Gave me a real headache that one did."

Having finally arrived at their table, Custer placed his bowl on the table. "Well, you know how it make it now."

"Sometimes," Niara muttered quietly to herself, pulling out a chair from underneath the table "Only sometimes."


It was a dark morning, with the wind howling in the trees, shaking the branches with its gusty moan. Rain pelted from the sky, showering the landscape with its dripping breath.

On the field, as always, sixty trainees and masters tried to maintain their footing as the wind buffeted them – some having more success than others.

Ignoring – no wind... Niara told herself firmly. No wind at all. It's just a lovely warm sunny day her repartee was broken off as another icy gust hit her full in the face

"Stupid bloody cold, rainy day-" she cursed under her breath, concentration snapping

In the distance, over the maddening downpour, a door could be heard creaking nosily on its rusty hinges. Stepping forward in position, she pulled her arms closer to her chest, hoping to retain the warmth that was rapidly leaving her body. When it failed she focused instead on the warmth that the hearth would bring after their training, of the safety from the storm the room would provide. She could already image the noisy door locked up against the elements, could feel its soft texture, slightly slimy from the wetness of many dampened hands holding open as they ran through the door arch. She could even already hear the sounds of the storm deaden around her, the resulting silence deafening as the door slammed shut...

A crack of thunder jolted her back into her sodden, freezing body. Clenching her fists she returned her focus to the next position, imagining daggers attacking the invisible face of the person who had first recommended her for the Litichi training.

You get your comfort in whatever form you can on a wet field in the middle of nowhere.


Brushing her dripping hair out of her face as she made her way through the dimly lit corridors of the hallway, Niara once again cursed her family for enrolling her in this way of life.

'Not that I don't enjoy it,' she muttered to herself , just as a particularly large gust of wind howled through the open windows. 'It's just that sometimes one should be allowed to enjoy the comforts of running water coming from a place other than the sky or a stream!' Caught up in her thoughts, Niara almost ran head on into a trainee racing around the corner

"Ma'am!"

The boy, Carl, the one who had been the unlucky recipient of her reflected spell the other day looked startled, but pleased to see her in front of him.

"I was just looking for you ma'am!" ('Ah,' Niara thought, 'That accounts for the 'I'm so happy to see you' expression after I just recently knocked him out cold')

"I have a letter for you! Well, actually, it's not from me, it just came to the master, but he says that the letter obviously applies to you so –"

"Stop your blithering boy!" she cut in

"Sorry, Ma'am."

A soaking letter was pushed into her outstretched palm before Carl ran off, his duty done. Niara moved closer to one of the torch brackets and flipped the drenched letter over. In the flickering lamp light Niara could just make out the shapely green lettering:

To Ms. Niara Jair

North Dormitory

Limifiti monastery

Wendell Mountains

North Pacific

Odd, she'd had no contact with anyone who'd be writing a letter to her specifically. Anyone who was outside the monastery was probably under orders not to have contact with the outside world for fear of discovery. Job requests, when they came to the monastery, were rarely directed towards a single person. Letters stating the type of job that was required were usually sent to the main office, and it was the head master who decided who was best for the job.

'Owl post too,' she thought to herself, looking at the claw indentations of the outside of the envelope 'Figures I suppose, since it's the only real way to get word to us out here..."

Mystified, with visions of work as a deadly spy master, or as an undercover body guards for high ranking (and high paying) ambassadors playing through her head, Niara opened the envelope and began to read...


A/N Cliffie! Any and all comments pertaining to my writing style, mechanics, etc. would, as always, be greatly appreciated. Just one request – could they please have more substance than: 'DIE MARY SUE DIE', or something along those lines? This is my first story, so anything that you think would help me become a better writer, give me a holler!