"Please, Lisa! Be my wife!" Cota was on his knees with his hands clasped together in front of his face, a desperate pleading look lined his features, and his eyes shimmered in a watery dance of desperation.
Lisa stared down at him and absentmindedly chewed her lip. "Y'know, that's not the way a girl wants to be proposed to… well not that blatantly at least." Truth be told she'd had a crush on him the first time she'd laid eyes on him, as had most of the girls at the academy. Yet after months of skirting around him and making wild attempts to gain his notice, she learned he was rather down to earth and made a great friend. So she'd maintained a friend status through Derek, and had mellowed overtime.
Cota looked like he'd been deflated. His eyes widened and became, if at all possible, more watery. He was suddenly a great deal more lax and even his clothes and hair seemed defeated and worn. His jaw dropped slightly and after a few moments a soft cry escaped, "Please."
Lisa hadn't seen that coming and her eyes filled with tears before she knew what was what. When she didn't answer, Cota deflated more. His arms sagged, his legs formed into a W as his body sank down even lower, and his head dropped so that he was staring at the ground. Turning away, Lisa wiped her eyes and, trying hard not to look at him, said, "You must really love that little girl."
In a mystical voice, barely above tears, Cota let out a defeated whimper of, "Yes."
Lisa stopped herself as she realized she had been on the verge of biting off her nails. She balled her hands into fist, spun around and threw them down at her side. "Oh, Alright!" She snapped. "All do it."
"Really?" Cota had jumped into a position between on his knees and standing. He looked rather awkward in the unnatural position. His eyes brightened and sparkled as did his entire persona and he stared up at her with a child-like smile as if it was Christmas morning for the first time. He clasped her hand in both of his and ignored the uncertainty in her eyes, voice, and stance.
"Yes, really," Lisa answered, yanking her hand out of his and pushing him back on his knees as his legs had begun to shake under the sudden strain. "But can we just elope? There's no way I can explain this to my friends and there is no way in hell I'm letting this get back to my parents."
Cota nodded energetically to every word, still on his knees as if fearing she'd change her mind. "That's fine," he stated. "Whatever you want."
"Fine, I'll meet you in your lord's room in two hours," she sighed and stomped off to get some clothes and supplies. "Of all the girls in this academy, why me?" she mumbled to herself. "Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger!"
Cota scrambled to his feet and took off across campus as fast as his legs would carry him. His wild dash across the school had not been a planned event for that day and he didn't have much time to get everything ready. It had been just his luck that Lisa had been at the opposite end of campus the moment he needed her. Now he had to get back to where he'd started from. Cota, panting and out of breath, stumbled to a halt in front of Oweiry and Derek fifteen minutes later and collapsed to the ground. Gasping for air he managed to announce,
"She said… yes," before nearly passing out. Derek and Oweiry looked to each other before grabbing Cota by each arm and hauling him up and off toward James's room. They pushed the door open and heaved him inside, closing the door sternly behind them.
No, the chaos had not started out as a scheduled episode for that day, week, month, etcetera, etcetera. In fact, it had all been put together at a moments notice. Neither was it what it seemed to be. Cota had been in James's office, doing what James had told him to do. Everything was going smoothly, no one questioned James's absence, and everything was in order, when a Ministry employee entered the office and announced that he was from the department of the Welfare and Protection of Magical Children, more accurately the family planning department. He was in charge of special cases.
From what he'd heard, Cota was a child, (People are considered as child until at least over 21 by most authorities when it comes to matters such as children, death, sickness, ect.) who had no parents, but had a child that had a mother that didn't stick around. This aroused some concern and he continued to tell Cota that he wanted to do a "routine check" to make sure her home life was "up to code and healthy." He also asked that the mother be there. Cota had waited until the man left, and then promptly panicked. He had pulled Oweiry and Derek from class, himself being excused from that class as he'd already taken it, and told them the situation.
They needed to find Kira a mom, and they had less than a few hours to do it. It would take Lisa a while to get to ready. She was supposed to have purple eyes and some of Kira's features. With her friends' help she managed to transfigure her nose into an older version of Kira's. Meanwhile, Derek, Cota, and Oweiry were setting up every picture Cota had of Kira and trying to think of the best cover story they could use. Two hours came abruptly fast and as Lisa entered, Cota had a total of nine minutes to relay the entire story enough for her to try and memorize it.
She kept muttering "if they catch us we're in SO much trouble." Lisa and Cota changed into slightly more formal outfits, took a picture, then changed back as Derek doctored the picture to make it look like a wedding photo. The story was that Lisa and Cota had eloped. Cota went through the plan again. The moment the last word had escaped his lips there was a knock on the door.
Lisa's expression changed abruptly from scared into calm, Derek suddenly looked natural and Oweiry dropped his look of grand doubt and sat down. They all came through in the clutch and Cota was thankful to the full extent of the word. He opened the door in a much more relaxed way than he thought he would and managed a warm smile. The Ministry member walked in and looked around briefly, noting each person in turn, and then looked back at Cota.
"Where's Kira?" He asked.
Before Cota had time to answer, Lisa stepped forward. "She's at KindelSpell, may I take youl coat?" she smiled a most stunning smile as she took his coat and hung it on a coat rack that James liked to launch his hat at whenever he was bored.." (The coat rack would fight back and try to knock the hat away.) "I'm… Sakura, Kira's real mother."
"Will she be joining us?" The ministry employee asked.
"Werl, Mistel…" Lisa started.
"Draica," Mr. Draica answered. "Norbert Draica."
"Mistel. Dlaica," Lisa greeted, giving a slight bow of her head. "We thought it best that Kira not be here for this." She had dawned a slightly Japanese accent and replaced her r's with l's. Mr. Draica stared at them both, waiting for an explanation.
"You see," Cota began, trying to keep his voice at a tone of calm explanation, as if he'd had to explain all this a few times before. "Kira's got a special situation." He sat down on James's bed, next to Lisa and she gripped his hand. "We were both young and-"
"And my parents are in Nihon-…Japan," Lisa filled in, a good excuse for Kira's name. "They wouldn't have understood, but I didn't want to abort her."
"So, when my Lord heard the situation he came up with a plan." Cota nodded as if lost in a memory. "I was already living with him and when Kira was born-"
"In the back of a pizza derively cawr if you'll berieve it," Lisa added, side glancing Derek, whose mouth opened in a silent 'Oh!'
"Well, it would be too hard to tell Kira that her mom loved her, but couldn't stay with her," Cota sighed a fake sigh and Lisa gripped his hand tighter and a tear fell down her cheek, an act worthy of an award. "But I never had to. Lord James and his wife adopted her as their own. So I see her everyday, but she gets a normal life."
Mr. Draica listened patiently to the story, nodding his head at the right parts and making notes. He re-read what he'd written, then, holding a hand up to silence Cota before he'd even opened his mouth, he turned to Lisa.
"Kira was born in," he looked at his notes. "January, right? She's a new year's baby?"
Cota squeezed Lisa's hand twice and Lisa answered, "What? No, not at all."
"When was she born?" Mr. Draica asked, sending a wave of panic through Cota.
"During my shift," Derek answered quickly and with a soft laugh as if the memory was funny even if the event had not been. "She calls for a ride to the hospital, not able to apperated and thinking the floonetwork was risky, so I picked her up that icy night and was late for all my deliveries."
"Yes, I was wondering why you two were here," Mr. Draica announced, looking over his circular rimmed glasses and Oweiry and Derek.
"Oh, I'm Derek. I deliver pizza… and a baby when I have to," Derek smiled. "I'm a friend of Cota's and witness to Kira's home life."
"And you?" He asked Oweiry.
Oweiry blinked for a little longer than most people did, but when he reopened his eyes he had an answer. "Sakura and I have an arranged marriage," he explained. "I'm also a friend them both."
"I didn't catch your name," Mr. Draica stated.
"Kazen," Oweiry answered without skipping a beat.
"Okay, I don't understand," Mr. Draica re-read all his notes. He pointed to Cota. "You're the girl's father, but living with a Mr. Potter who is pretending to be the girls father. How does that work, the girl is blond, but Mr. and Mrs. Potter have black and read hair.
"Lilly's sister is blond," Cota announced proud of Petunia for the first time ever. "James is a perfect dad to Kira, and I love my role as more of a brother. I get to have fun with her and I don't have to punish her."
"Oh… that seems okay…" Mr. Draica looked over at the drawing Kira had done in Kinderspell of her family. "Okay, but you don't see Kira very often?" He asked Lisa/Sakura.
"Iya, er… no," Sakura acted. The three boys mentally applauded her for 'forgetting' the English word for no. "I'm not velly matelnar."
"Maternal," Cota corrected softly, laughing in his mind.
"Right," Sakura blushed slightly and smiled at Cota. "And it wourd be hald to esprain to Kira I was her mother, when by the time I got to see her again, she berieved that Lirry was her mother."
"And… you're fine with that?" Mr. Draica asked.
"Yes, I have no problem with it. Cota and I are great friends. My parents are well respected. Kazen and I are happy. It's perfect."
"Mmm, hmmm." Mr. Draica wrote something down and looked to Derek. "And she had the baby in the back of your car?"
"Yeah."
"Any report of that?"
"You want me to tell my boss that I picked up a friend during work?" Derek mumbled.
Mr. Draica looked at his notes, then over at Kazen. "And you think that Sakura and Cota being friends is just fine?"
"Not exactly," Oweiry grumbled, calming the three other students as they had caught the sarcasm in Norbert's voice. He thought things were going along too perfectly. "You'll notice I voted to stay in the room, rather than but out as I have little to do with all this."
"Ah. Do you feel any attachment to your wife's daughter?"
"We prefer not to mention her. It's all in the past."
"And if Kira ever found out the truth?" Mr. Draica asked.
"I'd tell her the entire story," Cota announced.
"And I'd gladly meet her and explain my side and that I thought she'd be better off with Lily and James."
"Perfect," Mr. Draica's face broke into a smile and he stood up. "That's all I need I think." He was half way out the door when he smacked his forehead and said,
"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Do you have her birth certificate?"
They all stared at him. Cota had no idea where or how James had gotten Kira a birth certificate. The room was dead silent until Sakura spoke again.
"She- she was born in a pizza car," she said in a soft tone, like a little girl trying to get by with a lie.
"Yes, but surely you went to a hospital after the birth," Norbert nodded.
Again silence flooded the room, becoming a thick, heavy cloud. Sakura kept breathing in whispered breaths that sounded like 'We're in trouble, we're in trouble.' Derek was panicked and trying to think up a convincing lie, but each one was sounding more outlandish than the next and he couldn't remember the first one. Oweiry was surrendering to reality and thinking up what the academy and the ministry would do to them for lying, and what James would do to them for not being convincing. Cota's mind was on all the categories, but the one thing that held most prominent in his mind was a Kira. He had just about given up when it came to him, an answer that wouldn't be questioned.
"We were afraid," he stated boldly. "My lord knows Albus Dumbledore. We could either take the baby to a hospital and chance an attack by… you-know-who… or go to Dumbledore."
Everyone felt a wave of tension and tried their best to look natural and pretend this wasn't the first time they'd heard the story. Mr. Draica, staring at them all from over his glasses, looked to each person carefully. Derek was nodding and staring at his shoes, Oweiry looked like he didn't really care what Cota had to say, Lisa looked ashamed, and Cota just shrugged. Mr. Draica hesitated just long enough to send the students into silent fits of panic, before speaking in a slow drawl of a voice.
"Well… I guess I can understand that, seeing as how you are all very young. But…" his eyes took in Cota and he quickly double checked his report. Then his eyes jumped back to Cota, who was feeling very nervous and was very aware of how tight his stomach was clenched. A strange heaviness seemed to have overcome him and it seemed all blood was rushing to his feet, creating a lightheaded effect. As Mr. Draica continued to stare, Cota had the odd feeling of wanting to become some kind of insect that could scurry away. Then Norbert spoke,
"You're Cota Lionsaber?"
"Yes," Cota replied in a voice that didn't seem to belong to him. It was an easy question, yet he felt like it was a question on a final that he hadn't studied for.
Mr. Draica nodded once very stoutly and tucked his clipboard under his arm, extending his right hand towards Cota, shaking his hand purposely. "Well, I think the Ministry can pardon you after all they've put you through. My deepest sympathies for you and the other five-"
"Six," Cota whispered. His eyes downcast as he thought of the man who'd saved his life more than once, and died fighting. "Zalik came with us and was the only reason the rest of us made it out. He is not to be forgotten."
Another great silence spilt into the room and none of the members were in a hurry to recapture the sound. It was a silence that only death could bring. Cota remembered the funeral. He'd made sure that Zalik was buried below his mother and father, and next to his fiancé. Usually, when a rider dies, a medal is presented to their father as a sign of pride, and a ring is presented to the mother as a symbol of thanks. The medal was put in a well designed display box and secured to the headstone of Zalik's father; the ring was also put in a display case and secured to the headstone of Zalik's mother.
Zalik's grave was marked with an enchanted flower. It shimmered with a beauty unrivaled from any other flower, and when someone came up to it, it told the story of Zalik's death. His tomb also held a display case, filled with many different medals for valor, stable mind under a crisis, knowledge, leadership, devotion, saving his teammates at the cost of his own life, dying in service, a purple heart, a silver band with different precious stones was given by the other six members of that night, and a badge of eternal thanks and friendship that had been presented by Cota.
Mr.Draica also remembered the ceremony as all the news stations had watched and reported from the gates, though they were told by many riders that disturbing anyone participating in or attending the funeral would be punished by death. That had kept even Rita Skeeter at bay. Norbert signed off that he'd checked everything out, bowed to each student, and left. A few more seconds of silence followed him, until-
"I… I think we pulled it off!" Derek shouted as if nothing could have stunned him more. Cota dropped onto James's bed and stared up at the ceiling with his hand pressed to his heart. Lisa dropped into a chair and let out the deepest, most relieved sigh any of them had ever heard. Oweiry dropped his head into his hands and stared at the floor, his stomach feeling queasy.
"I'm going to puke," Lisa muttered. "Oh, I'm really going to puke," she jumped up and ran awkwardly into the bathroom.
"I'm next!" Cota yelled after her.
"Never again," Oweiry groaned, hearing his heartbeat still thudding in his ears.
"I need a drink, who's with me?" Derek asked. Cota, Oweiry, and Lisa –as she came out of the bathroom- raised their hands. They all looked to Lisa.
"What? I already broke the law, I might as well have a beer," She stated with a slight laugh. Deciding to blow off their break hours, the four students headed for the nearest tavern. Most taverns understood the stressed of being a Zagan student, so they'd give the under-agers a few drinks as long as they didn't mention it.
-
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce to you, my brother," Dumbledore smiled the sparkle-less smile of someone deeply embarrassed, but all too used to it. "Aberforth."
The man Albus was gesturing towards was examining a loose thread on his orange cloak and seemed to be either oblivious to everyone else in the room, or didn't care. The order members stared judgingly at the man, who had earlier barged into the house led by Fawkes, and began ranting how he needed gerbil food desperately. He also included a long list of other gerbil related items, including a gerbil.
James stepped forward and extended his hand towards Aberforth in a warm gesture, "Good to have you here," he smiled. "I'm James
"
"Yes, I know," Aberforth smiled dimly and nodded a few times, ignoring James's hand. "Do you know where my gerbil went?"
"Err," James blinked a few times, unsure of an answer. Aberforth looked down and saw James's hand before James could gather the sense to retreat to the group. Aberforth grabbed James's hand and pulled it close, as if examining it. He twisted it in painful directions and mumbled strange comments like 'must play Quidditch, yes, yes. Hands tell it all, yes. Very strange, very strange indeed. Doesn't seem to own a gerbil… hmm… these lines look like a map, but of what… or where… or when?'
Lily was the next to step forward, hoping to rescue her husband. "Hello dear," she smiled warmly. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Can I take your coat?" She asked, stretching her hands towards him to take the coat. Her smile shone brightly and her eyes sparkled with warmth that made Albus beam at her.Aberforth released James, who stepped back into the group at lightning speed, massaging his wrist. Aberforth looked Lily, up and down.
"No, my coat I shall keep," Aberforth explained. "But this needs feeding," he grabbed a particularly disgusting weasel-like creature from his pocket and deposited the slimy beast into Lily's hands. "Don't worry about the claws, it's the teeth that are poisonous," Aberforth added, stepping past her. Lily froze as the order parted to let Aberforth through. Hagrid quickly took the weasel from Lily as James stepped forward with his wand in his left hand and began trying to use a very potent cleaning spell on Lily's hand, which was turning an odd purple color.
"He's a very intelligent person," Albus smiled.
They all stared at Albus now with disbelief and doubt exceedingly evident on their features. James was massaging his wrist and trying to make sure all his fingers were where they were supposed to be. Lily was still stunned; Hagrid was shaking his head, though he was also trying to look like he believed Albus. Moody decided to be blunt.
"So tell us," Moody grunted. "Was he dropped on his head, or did he drink some bad potion?"
"Mad-eye!" Alice snapped.
"What exactly is his area of expertise?" Remus asked hesitantly.
"Aberforth loves experiments and while he is a bit crude he does have the courage to go farther than most to find an answer," Albus explained. "I gave him the information from Takai's lab and he was able to see things we could not."
"Remus, Sirius, Peter, and I can see it just fine," James grumbled, seeing where this was going. "We've seen it in real life."
"I understand, of course," Albus smiled. "But you can't deny the fact that something needs to be done about Kira. She has great power and if something goes wrong she'll be a danger to herself and those around her."
"One…."
"Two, Kira, two," Fred prompted, balancing in the volcano and staring at his watch he'd gotten from a Muggle cereal box order.
"Two, tree-"
"Three, three," George groaned.
"One, two, three!" Kira grimaced and Fred and George, each supporting one of her feet, hoisted her into the air. She grabbed the tube and pulled herself in. They had toppled over about five times already and all three of them could hardly believe they'd finally succeeded.
The volcano erupted and Fred and George were thrown off. Kira had to grip the tube with her hands and feet and scramble to stay in the tube as it tilted downward. After a few seconds the tube righted again, the volcano became quiet, and Fred and George began climbing up it. The teacher looked up to see them hurrying to get up and laughed. They'd been at it for weeks now, but she knew they were too young.
"Ah, the Knights of Larceny are at it again," she chuckled.
"Alright George, you're next," Fred grinned, swinging up all three bags tied together and a rope they made during some of the inside free times. Kira grabbed it and tried to find a place to tie it. She looped the strap of one bag around a foam padded bar and hurried back to the opening.
"Right," George climbed up his twin and began to climb the rope.
As soon as he was close enough, Kira grabbed him and pulled. She helped him inside and they both gasped for breath. Then they turned and looked down at Fred. He was already climbing and Kira and George reached down to pull him inside as the rope wasn't strong enough to last very long and slippery due to the materials they'd used to make it. Once he was up they all grabbed the rope. The volcano erupted and the tube tilted to tumble them out. When it righted they scrambled to the only other opening and looked up. It was a long climb up the padded bars, one of which Kira had secured the rope to. The bars were chaotically arranged so that it wasn't a straight up climb.
"Aw'right," Fred rubbed his hands together and jumped. He pulled himself up onto the first bar with Kira and George pushing him up. He turned and Kira grabbed his hand and he lifted her up as George pushed. Then they both helped George up.
"Ah, oh," Kira bit her lip, looking down.
"What?" George asked breathlessly as he panted for air, all of them being tired.
"The ground is really padded," Kira explained. "I think the bars go away or something.
"…Go, go, go!" Fred yelled; jumping to the next bar as they all began a massively frenzied climb. A clicking sound signaled the bars were ready to go. Fred leapt wildly and grabbed the ledge, pulling himself up. She spun around and grabbed Kira and pulled her up. They both turned and urged George on. He leapt and the grabbed him as the bars suddenly vanished. Kira and Fred, groaning and straining to pull, hoisted George up and quickly looked around. There was a large area that looked like a strange obstacle course.
"I-I'll go first," Kira offered when nobody spoke. She inched forward, toward a dark blue curtain of plastic stripes that moved menacingly like the ones in Muggle car washes. Kira stared at them and when she had just about got up enough nerve to charge, Fred spoke,
"Look!" He pointed to a little button on the side, almost blocked from view by the strips. He rushed forward and pushed it with the tip of his Kinderwand. The curtains shook and then parted. The trio lunged forward and past them. They emerged into another area; this one was a circular room with a table in the center. The walls were foam that had been magically airbrushed to resemble stone. Enchanted ivy grew up it, giving a slightly haunting notion as the room was darker than any other and had no visible light source other than a flame in the center of the table.
Fred and Kira approached first, with George bringing up the rear and glancing nervously around. This room didn't scare Kira, but she felt her friends' fear and an icy wave tingled down her spine. As they approached, the floor shone red and the fire spit out three rolls of parchment. They all stared at them and then Kira grabbed one carefully.
"What's it say?" George asked, hopping on the balls of his feet.
"I don't know, I can't read," Kira informed him.
"Give it here," Fred took the parchment slips. "It says we hafta split up, each one of us takes one path and has to get an ingr… ingree… ingree deee ant. We meet up in da middle."
"Thirty-nine years ago, a wealthy scientist by the name of Takai Sholow started a genetic engineering experiment," James began, reading the journal from the data they'd stolen from the lab. "Code named ANGEL. Ado Neo-genesis Genetic Evolution Life-form. While there are many reasons behind the name of angel, the most logical is that it stands for the wings, beauty, and great power that the ANGELs posses."
"He's created a new species?" Aberforth asked. "I thought this had something to do with reincarnating the Volucris."
"No, not reincarnation," Frank clarified. "He's taking traits from the ancient species and reviving it into beings today."
"Cloning?" Aberforth asked.
"No, he's making real Volucris, only…" Frank stopped, it was hard to explain.
"He's making copies of a species, not individuals," Remus stated. "Go on James."
James nodded and continued. "Takai believed he could use blood to clone an extinct species. His first attempt at this was a girl, by the name of Chi. (Japanese for blood.) Chi's body was taken as a baby of three days old; though Takai expects that he should be able to perform the transformation on a child up to the age of three years."
"That's why you all believe that Voldemort is in a hunt to get Kira? So his own daughter won't have to suffer?" Aberforth questioned. "Nobel… what's the problem."
"Kira," James began, linking his fingers. "Is mine," he said, adding a bit more edge than necessary to his voice.
"Ah, yes, yes," Aberfoth smiled. "Well, go on then."
James cleared his throat loud and continued, "They inserted the blood into Chi's genetic code, using a high tech computer system, a team of three scientists, a doctor, and some sort of magic that had not been used for over one thousand years. Chi grew to be three years old and was strangely small for a child of her age. However, her eyes matched the shape of those of the Volucris in which the blood was taken from. Her eye color did not change though, they remained grey."
"What?" Aberforth again interrupted.
"It means her power was asleep," Remus informed him. "They can genetically change the eyes to be whatever color they want them to, but if they change naturally it means that Volucris has more power."
"Chi died a year later, at the age of four. Takai's next attempt was a boy. This attempt served the same result. Takai changed the Angel's diet and training schedule. Then tried again, creating a girl and a boy this time. The boy was stronger then the girl and seemed healthier, however, the girl was more agile, swift, and could use her powers better. Yet, these two met the same end at the age of five."
"How long are we expecting Kira to live?" Aberforth asked lightly.
James cleared his throat irritably and continued. "Takai was determined, though, to create a perfect ANGEL. He created many angels that gradually became more and more successful. In his next experiment, however, it was his doctor that gave the most help. Irving, no record of last name, gave the creature over sixty percent Volucris blood. Three times more then ever used before."
"We know who the doctor is?" Aberforth asked. "Maybe if we kill him-"
"He's not a problem." James cut him off, now determined to get through the report. "Once again it was a boy and a girl. Hakaisha and Zealot. They grew to be ten, yet their powers weren't strong enough. So Takai took another great risk and created an angel using one hundred percent of the Volucris blood. That Angel's name is Kira Tenshi. Or Killer Angel."
James looked around as a murmur spread through the room. Sirius and Remus looked ready to pounce on the first person to go against James and Lily was giving everyone a look that told them they didn't want to insult her daughter. Aberforth snatched the report from James, reread it, and then continued where James had left off.
"Having one hundred percent Volucris blood, however, proved to make the creature weaker. That problem was corrected by an outsider, a wizard, who gave Kira some of his own blood, making the ANGEL the strongest yet. That Wizards name was James Potter…" He looked up at James and another murmur spread through the group. "He was not part of the staff and was not part of producing the weapon. Takai has taken blood from that ANGEL. It is unknown at this time what he means to do with the perfected blood. Though rumors are spreading that he plans to keep it as a back up."
"Thanks," James smiled, yanking back the report. "As I was saying. The ANGELS are not a novice experiment. Takai is receiving funding and has a grand program established. The male angels are in their own league in the ANGEL program. The females- being the more powerful- are separated into categories. Dark- the most powerful and important Angel; also called the angel of death. Soldier- Exactly what the name says; they aren't as powerful as the dark angel, but weapons just the same. Guards- Guard the Dark and Soldier angels. The female angels below the Dark angel are classified in a group called Fidens, which means: without fear. Kira is a higher member of Fidens. The males are classified in a group simply called MALE, which means: with evil intent."
"Have you seen a male ANGEL yet?" Aberforth asked, making everyone in Dumbledore's group groan. They had expected to have to explain a lot of things, but this was getting annoying. Everyone else seemed to be accepting the information, everyone except Aberforth.
"Not yet," James replied.
"So what do we do?" Aberforth asked.
"We need to get someone on the inside so we can find a weakness for these ANGELs," Dumbledore explained. "So if something happens we'll be prepared."
He could feel the watchful eyes of his team upon him; each trying to make absolutely sure that he was saying that he wanted to be prepared for an attack, and not to kill Kira. Yet their stares held doubt to this. Why not just say they needed to find and destroy the base? Why say they needed to be able to destroy an ANGEL?
"How do we do that?" Marlene asked.
"There is a field of Quadirianus hibiclorian," Frank informed them all, receiving a thankful nod from James. "They need it for a special potion they use on the creatures. The thing about that plant is it sends of a defensive poison into the air, it's very interesting as it not only dulls the person into a faint stupor, but can make them garden it. It's a remarkable thing actually-"
"Jus' get ter yer point," Moody grunted, not pleased with having to sit next to Aberforth.
Frank shot him a look and sighed, "Yes, well, there are only a few places to get this plant and it has to be gotten at a certain time each month."
"And you know this time?" Marlene asked.
"You'd be surprised by what I know," Frank boasted, though no one except Aberforth bought it. "We plan to gain friendly terms with the greenhouse keeper, tamper with his mask so he breathes in the poison, and then question him about the base. He must know a lot because it's very risky to raise these plants, and an ANGEL is staying with him to help protect them."
"And since the ANGELS are top-secret, only a high member of Takai's staff is allowed to roam the world with information on them," Alice nodded.
"What's your part in this?" Aberforth asked Alice, noting that she had nodded when Frank had said 'we' symbolizing that she intended to go with him.
Alice looked to Lily and received a pleasant and supportive nod, so she turned back to Aberforth, "I am going to speak with the ANGEL. She's older, but I have a way with children."
"Children?" Aberforth shook his head. "Though we were talking about some sort of monster."
"James! Sirius!" Dorcas snapped. Both men froze and their faces erupted into pleas of innocence, giving up on their plan for a quick attack. Dumbledore looked slowly over at them and they became very interested in the ceiling. Aberforth turned to look at them, smiling dully. The awkward yet understandable moment was brought to a swift end and one of the academy owls swooped into the house and landed in front of James, who took the letter from it. The letter read:
The Death Eaters are attacking sectors 14, 19, 27, 6, and 35! The academy is going on lock-down. I'm going to get Kira. Advise.
Cota.
James turned the paper over and grabbed a Quill from his pocket. His hand wrote the words of tactic before his brain caught up.
They lock the gates for a reason. You'll be committing suicide if you leave now.
He stared down at the paper as his brain registered the familiar scenario of my squire or my child. However, it wasn't really a choice, Cota would be killed and both him and Kira would fall.
I advise you to hold your position.
"What's that blasted noise?" Fred asked. They had reached the center, exhausted, and sat counting their tickets, though it was a slow process as Kira only knew how to count to three and was therefore making multiple piles of three.
"It's getting louder!" George yelled, clamping his hands over his ears.
"I don't wanna be here anymore," Kira was chanting, covering her ears and shaking her head.
"Alright, alright, let's get out of here!" Fred urged, jumping to his feet.
They ran back through Kira's pathway, figuring it was one she could do, through the obstacle course, down the tube, and to the volcano. There they dove into the ball pit. George grabbed Kira's hand as he jumped, and pulled her to the surface so they wouldn't loose each other. Together they swam their way through and over to the netted edging. Fred met them there, but that was as far as they went. The teacher was clutching a clipboard and trying to check kids off as they ran past; their parents were snatching them up and taking off. Aurors were fighting cloaked figures, who had a special hatred to a Mudblood teaching the wizard kindergarten. The Aurors were trying to hold them off long enough for the parents to grab the kids and the teacher to apperated away. However, Mrs. Popple refused to leave until she knew all the children were safe. Kira sank down into the balls, terrified and was soon joined by the twins.
"What do we do?" she asked them.
"Die, most likely," George whimpered as Mrs. Popple was forced to apperated away.
"Stay here, click our heels together and say there's no place like home, over and over again," Fred instructed, sinking lower into the pit. The figures moved down the street, but their malicious laughs and wand fire could be heard as loudly as ever.
"Well, what's plan c?" George asked.
"Kira's the planner, not me," Fred hissed back.
"I'm up for some running and screaming," Kira informed them.
And so they did. The three leapt up and over the edge of the pit, screaming their frightened head's off, scrambled across the yard, and dove into the main building. They army crawled their way across the floor and grabbed their bags. Out of places to go, they huddled together in the pit, clutching each other's hands for support and did the only thing they knew to do. They screamed.
"MOM!"
Mrs. Weasley heard the cry and a thankful breath escaped her throat. She rushed into the Kinderspell building and swept over to the kiddies.
"There you are!" She exclaimed, grabbing the twins' arms. "We have to go, now!"
She hauled them to the door but was forced to stop as George grabbed the doorway with all his might and held on.
"Come on!" Mrs.Weasley insisted.
"What about Kira!" George yelled back.
Mrs.Weasley turned pale white as she looked back at the little girl, whose eyes were large in fear and lips trembled in terror. She clutched her bag with both hands and was breathing hard at the thought of being left all alone. Mrs.Weasley was quick to accept the child as a member of her own family, and act accordingly.
"Come on dear, you're coming with us."
Kira jumped up and hurried towards them. George released the threshold and they began running. They ran fiercely in the opposite direction than the Death Eaters had gone and burs into the first open building they came to. Aurors welcomed them into the safe house and directed them into one of the vacant rooms that were reserved for family of a Ministry employee. And owl sat waiting. Mrs.Weasley sent the owl off with a letter to Kira's parents and they waited for it to return. The kids erupted into a massive story of how scary the encounter had been and what it felt like, as children will do in a crisis, and Mrs.Weasley listened sorrowfully.
"They didn't come," Kira whimpered. "Why didn't anyone come?"
"I don't know, dear," Mrs.Weasley said. "They must have had their reasons for not coming to get you." It broke her heart to say it. For all she knew, Kira's parents were aurors and had to fight, or they had been killed. She looked at Kira and feared she was looking upon a child who had just become an orphan.
"I'm hungry," Fred groaned after a few minutes, his stomach protesting loudly.
"We're all hungry," Mrs.Weasley answered, her arms wrapped around Kira, who was crying.
"Oy!" George sighed. "You have a short memory!" He dragged Kira's bag over and opened it up. The lunch unshrunk into a marvelous buffet before them.
'Mother's intuition,' Mrs.Weasley smiled, staring down at Kira.
They are in silence as the battle raged on outside. All attempts that Mrs.Weasley made to get the kids to sleep were fruitless as the shouts and screams rang out from the street. Yet her prayers were answered an hour later as a Ministry employee stuck his head in the room and told them they could use the floonetwork.
They leapt at the chance, charging down the stairs. Fred went first, then George, but Mrs.Weasley had to stop Kira, who had almost called out the name of her home.
"Just say 'The Burrow,' dear," Mrs.Weasley instructed. "For now."
Kira stood in confusion, terror, depression, and shock. Mrs.Weasley had to take her with her as the child seemed suddenly lifeless. When they arrived at the burrow, Kira was silent and her eyes were fixed on the floor. Fred and George were re-living the adventure for Charley, Bill, and Percy and Mrs.Weasly gave up on trying to stop them.
"Not you again," Percy sighed, as his eyes locked upon Kira. "I swear we've adopted you." He received a sharp look from his mother and quickly grew silent, realizing what must have happened. They all sat in the kitchen, listening for any news that the battle was coming to an end. Bill tried continuously to distract Kira as the broadcaster announced the names of the dead, fearing the worse. Mrs.Weasley was torn between letting Kira hear it, or making her go to bed and waiting to announce it later. Should she let the child hear it with her own ears, or would it be better coming second hand?
"That's all we know of thus far," the broadcaster stated. "Though there may be more."
"Alright then," Mrs.Weasley clapped her hands together. "Fred, George, Kira, off to bed. William, Charley, Percy, help me clean up. Your father may have company with him when he returns."
Kira lay awake in the bed. The room was familiar to her in every way, but the thought of never seeing her own room back with Trinidy, was agonizingly cruel. She had never known her parents to abandon her when there was trouble. They were always fighting the trouble, so where were they now? Her eyes closed as she could no longer keep them open, and she entered the land of dreams. She dreamt she was chasing a phoenix, but every time she got near enough to touch it, it flew away. She stared at it in frustration and put her hands on her hips, "Darn it, Harry," she pouted. "Why do you get to fly?"
"Kira?" Mrs.Weasley's voice broke through the dream. "Dear?"
"Hmm?" Kira groaned sleepily.
"Wake up, hon," Mrs.Weasley prompted.
Kira sat up, pulling the covers off as she did. Mrs.Weasley led her down the stairs and her heart leapt at the sight before her eyes. Without a word she ran forward as Cota turned around. He kneeled quickly and she bounded into his arms in a tight hug.
"I'm so glad you're safe," Cota said breathily. "I'm sorry about all this," he apologized to Mrs.Weasley.
"Now don't you start with that," Mrs.Weasley shook her head and dabbed a tear from her eye. "Always with the apologizing in your lot. It's never a problem to watch her."
"Are you ready to go?" Cota asked Kira, who still wasn't releasing him from the hug.
"Mmm hmm," she answered softly.
"Be careful," Mrs.Weasley warned as Cota carried Kira out the door towards Patrick.
"We will be, and I'll send you an owl once we arrive," Cota promised, mounting Patrick.
Mrs.Weasley waved goodbye and Kira looked to the house windows. Fred and George waved a fearful goodbye to her, not knowing if they'd ever see her again.
"Hah!" Cota kicked Patrick and the horse set out at full speed, racing towards the meeting house.
James stared at the clock with growing impatience. Himself, Sirius, Moody, and a few other members had fought the Death Eaters, but now there was nothing they could do except wait. Cota should have been arriving at the Kinderspell building where he was likely attacked, but there was no way to send message to him. He'd left the academy the minute the gates opened, even though it wasn't safe. The clock was running low for time, three seconds and it would lock the door. At two seconds till, Cota emerged, out of breath and at his heels was Kira.
"Thank Merlin!" Lilly breathed rushing forward to them both.
"Are you hurt?" James asked Cota, who bowed respectively.
"No, my lord," he answered. "Found Kira at the Weasley house, Arthur told me where she was. He's helping sort things out near the kinderspell building. Seems a few Death Eaters though it would be funny to make it so things attacked muggle-borns attending the school."
"Does that man ever get a day off?" Lilly asked, hugging Kira tightly and whispering apologies.
"Cota, you're a damn lucky fool," Moody announced. "I had ten pounds on you having got yer head blown off."
"Glad to be of service," Cota nodded, looking towards Sirius, who was counting galleons.
"Well, since we are all safe I think we should end this meeting with a picture, and then go fight the good fight," Dorcas suggested.
Kira surrendered her camera to Cota and kneeled next to Harry to watch. The camera flashes a scene of promise and the Order members depart to fight off the Death Eaters. Cota stays with the children as everyone trusts him to be able to defend them should something happen, that and they assumed he'd been through enough already that day.
