Jez: You're right, it does deserve a re-write. I'll do that.

---

"Alright, I think it's time you told us everything." Hermione snapped, poking Monica with her finger. The dark haired girl opened her eyes, and scanned sideways to stare directly into Hermione's face. Her eyes were blue but didn't seem to draw her in, as they had last time.

"You want to know? Alright, fine. At the beginning, and I don't mean a beginning, I'm talking THE beginning, when all life, no when time itself began, so also, did two beings, beyond the universe herself. The first of these was Triaxx, a guardian of the balances of the universe. His temperament was balanced towards good in all things, and he had power almost equal to the universe herself. But balanced to good as he was, he could not do his job impartially. In order to remove this balance, his power would have to be limited, but that would defeat his purpose. Instead, the universe simply created an alternate, a counterpoint to him. This object became known, as the Black Lance. It was immobile, and until humans came along, it was formless, as was he. From them each of the pair took form. He took the form of a human male, while the Lance took the form of a weapon. The two are exact equals, in all things, except one. The Lance deceives with false promises, and takes control of it's servants. Triaxx uses his natural charm and charisma, what there is of it, and convinces people to do it for him. Sort of like how I got suckered into it." She sighed. "In any case, that's what these attacks are about. It doesn't want us killed, it wants to turn us to it's side."

"That won't happen." Harry asserted.

"I wouldn't be so sure. The call of the Lance is enormously strong. I've felt it, and it's only because I was backed by a full council of twenty wizards, that I was able to stand against it. The Slytherin's might be turned much easier than others." She replied.

"Can we stop it?" Ron asked. She sighed.

"I don't know if it can be. It certainly can't be killed. It might be possible to defeat it, but I don't think it can be stopped, not permanently at least." She replied smoothly. "Can we continue this some other time? I'm getting a head ache." They agreed, and let it go, while they concentrated on their classes, waiting for the next attack. It didn't come, until Halloween day.

---

"Fool." The shadow creature did not back the word with any force, physical or magical, but the tone made it as if Voldemort had been crashed to the ground. He stared silently. "That is not how you take the school. Force will not work. Use those you have inside, and do not, strike quickly, or else you will never succeed."

"How? How then do I do it?" Voldemort asked. He hated having to be this way. Were it any other being, he would simply wrench the information from them, and destroy them. But he could not even make this one flinch. Nothing he used seemed to effect it.

"Use the leverage you've acquired, and force the parents, to force the children to destroy Potter and his little friends." The shadow creature smiled. "Don't forget, Malfoy first. Else all will fail."

"Of course." Voldemort swept from the room, and further into his house. He could kill the son, by using his own friends. Yes, Crabbe and Goyle. Their fathers would do his bidding, and having them order their own sons to kill Malfoy, would be simple, and allow him to blame them for it. The father would blame them, and think him a more powerful being for destroying the murder's of his son. With Malfoy dead, he could use others to go after Potter. In fact, he could sway at least one within Potter's own house. Yes, this would be good.

---

"Something I can do for you Albus?" The silver haired man in the fire asked.

"Tell me, why did you send the girl here?" He asked, staring.

"A vision. And because she can't control her powers. Not fully. The vision showed Voldemort returning to power. If she didn't get to Hogwarts, then the only thing keeping Voldemort from returning to full strength, would have been used to restore him thereto." The man answered, leaning forwards in his chair.

"Did you know about the attacks?" Dumbledore asked.

"What attacks?" Came the response, snapped, worry in the other man's tones.

"We've had a half-dozen students attacked. At least one is still in a coma." Dumbledore answered.

"Perpetrated by shadows I'll bet." Came the statement. It wasn't a question, because he knew it was true. He leaned back. "Tell her blocks of light. She will understand that. You've taken precautions I assume?" Dumbledore nodded. "Alright, I'll see if I can help any, but I can't make any guarantee's." He rose, and the fire followed. "Lord dul Marcae, out." The window in the flames shimmered, and died away.

"I only hope, that it will..." The fire went out, and a scream echoed through the darkened room.