A/N :

Heeeeello there darlings! How are we all? Hope you're all alright and that you had a good Christmas / Yule / Eid / Hannukah / Random other festivals and a good New Year!

I've changed my name a few times in the last few weeks, but I think this one is about right for now.

Here it is, at last! Sorry it's taken me so long, but as I like to keep ahead of myself, I was determined not to put this up till I'd finished chapter 10. I haven't actually finished it, but my mates at school were getting annoyed and wanted some more. So here it is!

Disclaimer : What I would do to own the rights to HP and be a millionaire. Unfortunately – I don't. They belong to JK and WB. I do, however, own Aurora, Mara and Addie [the character not the person!].

This chapter is dedicated to everyone in the world. May this year be more peaceful than the last. It's also dedicated to the person-that-I-like-but-no-one-else-knows-who-he-is-cause-I-wont-tell-them. Yay!

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Dark wings, they are descending,

See the shadows gathering around.

Aurora woke up a few hours later. Her head was still painful, and there was a deep throbbing pain in her abdomen. When she tried to get up, dizziness hit her so quickly she fell down to the floor.

"What's happening to me?"

Us, my dear, us. said a crisp voice in her mind.

"What? Who are you?"

I am you.

"No. I am me."

I am what you are. We have met before. You know that I am here.

"You're the Spirit?"

Yes.

"You were the one that talked earlier?"

Yes.

"Can you take any real form?"

Yes.

"Then would you mind coming out? It's quite odd talking to myself."

A dark shadow emitted from her mouth, and standing there in front of her was a tall black robed figure.

Here. Let me help you get up. It stretched out a black-gloved hand.

"Thanks, but I can do it myself," Aurora said weakly, clambering back up onto the bed.

You had better get some more rest.

"But the match…"

It will have to be missed. You are weak right now, and need to rejuvenate. You need to keep strong and healthy.

"But..."

"Don't argue with me. You'll soon find out I always win." The figure had spoken aloud for the first time.

"Can you stay outside of me?"

Not for very long. I had better be going back inside now.

"How…"

Just breathe in. Slowly.

Aurora breathed in, and the dark shadow disappeared.

You can still talk to me.

"Good."

Take care. We don't want you getting hurt.

"I will. Oh, and next time, tell me before you say something on behalf of me."

I will. Now losto. [A/N : Now sleep.]

Aurora slipped uneasily into sleep.

*

She was woken from a very good dream by hammering on her door.

"Go away!" she mumbled

"Come in Draco," called a voice from the other side of the room.

Draco stormed through the door. "Why weren't you there?" he demanded.

"Careful Draco, you'll start to sound like your father soon."

"And who is this?" he said, glaring at the black robed figure sitting at Aurora's desk.

"Go away!" Aurora mumbled. "I was in the middle of a very good dream. It involved you, me and swimming."

"But who is she? At least I presume it's a she?"

"Yes I am thank you very much! Well, at this point in time anyway."

"She's the Spirit."

"Spir…"

"And she is meant to be in here." Aurora prodded her chest. "It's her fault I didn't get to the match. She was meant to wake me up!"

"I so was not."

"Were."

"Not."

"Were."

"Not."

"Not."

"Were. Dammit! You tricked me!"

"We are very tricksy."

"Yes we are."

Draco, meanwhile, was still standing there in his Qudditch robes, confused.

"So," he said finally. "You are the same person?"

"No," they said together.

"Come and sit down here," said Aurora, motioning to the bed. "We had better talk about this. I have never really told you fully. Oh, but first, tell me what happened in the match."

"They beat us. Again. Potter has a Firebolt. I'll nevr be able to get the Snitch if he's still flying that." He slumped on to the bed. Aurora took one of his hands in hers.

"Oh well. There's always next time. Anyway, about me and her. When I was twelve, and I did the knife test, this happened as well. They didn't realize it at the time though. I am the Child of the Dark. Before me it was Amy, head of Morion, before her my father, before him his mother, her uncle, etcetera etcetera, stretching back as long as anyone can remember. It has not always been our family, there have been others, but for over two hundred years it has been predominantly us. One day I will pass it on, maybe to my children, maybe not, but it will be to another Morion. Unless before that time the Choice is made in the Final Battle."

"And she is…"

"The spirit that lives in me."

"There are two people sharing one body? How Quirrelish."

Aurora raised one eyebrow.

"Don't do that!"

She looked puzzled.

"My father does it, and it's really quite annoying."

"Oh. Anyway Addie here…"

"She has a name?!" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Of course I do!" retorted Addie indignantly.

"Addie here has only just talking. The Herenya's will pick it up soon enough. Then they'll be after me."

"No they won't." Addie spoke up. "They can't touch you yet. Until you are twenty one. And even then, they probably won't. Your mother will stop them."

"She will?"

"She loves you, you know that. She just sees too much of your father in you, that's all."

"So you two share a body?" Draco asked.

"My soul and her Spirit."

"Together?"

"Yes."

"I'll have to be dormant for a while now though. These outings have taken strength out of me. Deep breath please Rora."

Aurora breathed, and the figure disappeared once again.

"She is…"

"There is no way to explain her. I am sorry I missed the Qudditch, you know."

"Doesn't matter." He cast his eyes downwards.

"It does." She put one finger under his chin and pulled it slowly upwards, making his grey eyes look into hers, a bright blue. "I should have been there."

"But you're not very well."

"That is true."

"What's wrong?"

"My head."

"You should go to the hospital wing."

"I'm OK, I just need to rest. And eat. And drink."

"I'll go and get you something if you want."

"I don't mind really."

"I'll go." He kissed her gently and left.

He's really something, isn't he? said the crisp voice in her mind.

Yes. she replied with a sigh. It's a shame really.

What's a shame?

What's going to happen to him.

Yes.

*

Draco followed the winding corridors carefully. Aurora knew the school very well, even when she first came, and she had shown him all of the "secret" passages.

"Here we are," he whispered. He knocked sharply once, and a house elf answered the door.

"Yes master?" it asked.

"Erm…" Draco did not know what to say. "Can I have some food please?" That sounded really bad, he thought quietly.

"Yes master. Come inside."

He stepped into the kitchens, which were virtually empty, except a few elves tidying up what was left of the day's rubbish. Four figures sat over by the fire, talking to an elf sitting in a large chair. Four human figures. Two boys, two girls. A black haired, a ginger and two mousey browns.

"Potter," he muttered, and swore gently under his breath.

"What would master like?"

Four heads turned to look at him. Four pairs of eyes glared at him.

She's really become one of them, hasn't she? he asked Aurora.

Yeah. It was kind of obvious she would though.

"Erm…" What do you want to eat?

Some soup or something.

"Have you got any soup?"

"Yes. What kind would you like?"

Vegetable please.

"Vegetable?"

"Yes sir." The elf scurried off to the other end of the kitchens.

"Don't think you're too good to come down here Malfoy?" Harry stood up.

"No. Why should I?"

"Oh, he's not down here for himself, are you?" Mara too stood up, and walked towards him. She started to gently probe into his mind.

"I didn't think you could do that Mara," he said, ignoring her last question.

"Oh, I can. Just not very well."

Draco threw her mind out of his.

"Ow! How can you do that?"

"I have been taught."

"Ara?"

"Yes, Aurora taught me. Why do you always call her Ara?"

"It is her name."

"No it isn't."

"Her full name is Ara, or Aurora Serena Morwen Eris Mina Amy Jasmine Arduriel Polgana. Perhaps you didn't know that?" she smiled.

"I…"

"Ara in Old Tongue means dawn. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the dawn. Therefore Ara is Aurora."

"I knew that. Sort of." Draco was looking uncertain.

The elf came scurrying back over, a tray loaded with a big bowl of soup and a plate of bread in its hands.

"Thanks," he said, taking it.

"Is that for Aurora?"

"Maybe."

"Why wasn't she at the match today?" Hermione too stood up, quickly followed by Ron.

"She was… erm…"

"She's ill."

"How…"

"I can feel it. We are connected, as much as she tries to dismiss the fact." Mara's eyes rolled back in her head. "We are sisters," she spoke. It was the double voice, exactly like the one Aurora had used earlier. "Connected by more than just blood. By Spirit. The Final Battle draws close."

Draco's eyes widened. "Not you too!" he spluttered.

"Me what?" Mara was oblivious of what had just happened.

"You…"

Don't tell her, she doesn't know.

But they've seen it.

They can be arranged to forget.

Draco felt the surge of her sorcery. That was weak. he thought to her.

I can't help it, I'm weak.

Sorry. I'll bring this up now, shall I?

Please.

Draco turned and left without a word.

"What just happened?" asked Harry.

"I don't know," the others replied simultaneously.

"How did we get here? Weren't we by the fire?"

"Probably. Oh well."

They walked back over to the elf in the chair by the fire and sat down once more.

*  *  *  *  *  *

A/N :

Please review!

Not that much of an interesting chapter, but had to be done for things to fit in later.

A great big hello to all of these people :

Arduriel Celebel Arangua (as per usual)

Jezuz (who reviewed the wrong story, so unless you read my reviews on the other one, you're not going to see the funniest review ever!)

Skankers (helped Jezuz write the review)

Katie (swash, swash, buckle, buckle!)

Catherine and Sarah R. (I WILL NEVER TELL YOU! MWAHAHAHAHA!)

Mehreen

Sarah B.

Zoya (Mehreen's cousin)

Hannah with-many-names

Meow (can't remember who you are!)

Glitzy (my name is now longer than yours!)

Sammy Malfoy

bad idea

Elvira