CHAPTER 18

The founders were absent for the rest of the day and the day after as well; only Harry noticed as far as he knew. The Ministry building was quickly repaired—there hadn't been too much damage done; and all the people who'd fought were healed on the second day after the attack.

Classes resumed, though they were now behind schedule and the teachers were determined to catch up. This meant that they spent less time on the subject but covered everything that they originally would have in five days in three. The good part of that was there was less homework and when the weekend came, there was none at all. Since there was nothing that needed to be done for classes, Ron called a team meeting in preparation for tomorrow's Gryffindor—Hufflepuff match.

They didn't have the pitch, so they made due with a model of the quidditch field, complete with miniature bludgers, a snitch, a quaffle, hoops, and players dressed in yellow and scarlet. They all sat around that and planned. They talked strategy, tactics, formation plans, and how many points they need to keep their leading position. Hufflepuff had lost twice and were currently in last place. Nevertheless, Ron wanted to beat them good so that Gryffindor wouldn't be passed up by Slytherin, who was very close in points. Since this would be the last game before the finals, they need the win to ensure their entry.

At lunch the team took a break, then returned to planning for another hour. "I don't see how you can spend that much time on something like quidditch." Hermione told them absently as the meeting ended.

"Easy," Ginny said, "We just did. Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't say anything more and returned to studying her transfiguration book. With four empty hours to fill, Harry got his notes for his custom shield and went to Remus' office to talk and work.

Remus had taken NEWT Arthrimacy and was able to tell Harry where his mistakes were so far. Harry took an hour to fix those and began to work on the last third of the project: going from notes to the actual creating of the spell. If he got in an hour each day, it would take him the rest of April and most likely all of May.

Another hour and a half of writing down what he would need to make the spell, Harry left and put his stuff away then visited Hagrid for an hour with Ron, Hermione and Alex. Alex hadn't met Fang at all yet, and was knocked over by the large, enthusiastic dog. She merely laughed as he licked her; apparently she liked dogs and didn't mind slobber. "As long as I can clean it off later," she said.

For the last half-hour before dinner, Harry went back to The Hideaway and used the exercise room then showered before returning to school.

"Alright, we know what we've gotta do so let's get out there and do it!" Ron shouted. The team cheered and went out onto the field where the Hufflepuff team already waited. The clouds were dark and large, threatening a downpour. Bad conditions, Harry thought, having sensed the winds that swirled up higher in the air. They took their positions and mounted their brooms. The two captains shook hands, the quaffle was tossed and the whistle was blown; the match began.

Harry's main job for the game was to keep the other seeker from getting the snitch until Gryffindor was ahead by at least seventy points. It was easier to do since the Hufflepuffs always played fair, which also meant that Harry didn't have to distract other players. Elise and Jackie did a complex pass and scored the first goal, Harry cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors. He quickly moved out of the way of a bludger and flew over to the stands where he'd have a better view.

The Gryffindors scored seven more goals and the Hufflepuffs scored once, but they made nine attempts. Ron's gotten better, Harry thought. When Ginny scored their ninth goal altogether, Ron called a timeout.

"Okay, good job. I like what I'm seeing, keep it up. The Hufflepuffs aren't as offensive as the other teams, so try to keep the quaffle in our possession. Don't shoot unless it's a clear shot and there's no one else around. We're trying to buy Harry some time to find the snitch. So far, no one's seen it. We gotta keep our lead, if we want to be in the finals for sure. Do we?"

"Yeah." They answered.

"I asked: do we?"

"Yeah!"

"DO WE!" Ron yelled.

"YEAH!" they shouted. With a whoop, Ron led the team back into the air and the game continued. Harry searched hard for the snitch, if the other seeker beat him to it, all their planning would go to waste.

The rain began to fall; lightly at first, but a few minutes later and it was coming down in buckets. Steadily the winds got worse and Harry was having a hard time keeping his light broom steady. It was a drawback the broom had, and Harry made a mental reminder to tell Alex after the match. When the strain of the winds got too big, Harry would do a loop or dive to ease it out. The pelting, ice cold rain made it hard to see and his hands to go numb. Alex's commentary was drowned out by a crash of thunder. "I would not stay for long at this height, Tallon." The light element's voice whispered in Harry's mind. Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise despite the rain and he dove for all he was worth. A large flash illuminated the dark stadium—the lightning had struck the exact place he'd been, and he thought he saw a glimpse of a light sprite in the sparking clouds. "Thank you," Harry told the element silently. He resisted the temptation to ask the elements to stop the storm for a bit, and continued to look for the snitch.

More thunder crashed and Harry found himself envying Ron for his magicked earplugs. Harry only heard Alex say "One hundred and ten—ten," but he knew that Gryffindor was still in the lead.

The lightning flashed more often and Harry kept being blown around by the high winds. At last he saw a flash, and it wasn't lightning or Neville's watch. A lucky swerve caused by the wind saved him from a bludger. He continued to speed onwards towards the snitch; he stretched out a hand when he was a few feet away from the snitch—and the spectators. Harry grabbed the wet snitch and jerked his broom to a stop; he froze.

His broom handle was only a foot away from Splikvin's calm face, several other professors had ducked. She chuckled and raised an eyebrow, "I am glad you caught that and not my head." She told him. Sprout, who was sitting behind her, fainted.

Harry blushed as the whistle blew, "Sorry Professor." He slowly backed up, then darted away from the rest of the team as Alex announced the final score. "Potter ends the game, leaving the score 260-20, to Gryffindor! It looks like they'll be in the finals this year, and congratulations to the Hufflepuff team for their valiant efforts!" The people in the stands applauded and cheered, the Hufflepuffs loudest of all. Ron shook the other captain's hand and he patted Ron on the shoulder, "Good game Weasley, and good luck in the finals."

"They're next month Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Exactly Herms, that's the end of next month," Ron replied, "That means we've got at least seven weeks to study."

It was a week after the quidditch match and the first week of May. Hermione had gone into 'finals-are-here' mode, fretting about the end of the year tests. Harry, Alex and many other Gryffindors found it amusing to watch Ron and Hermione when they debated about the topic of studying. Harry wasn't worried much, but he did get out the stack of notes Hermione had written for him during his capture and looked over them.

He also worked on his shield spell, which was nearly complete, all he had to do was figure out the incantation and wand movement to make it work. Harry told Alex about the problem he had on the broom during the last match and she instantly began to scribble away.

Unfortunately, the teachers were thinking about the finals as well, and they assigned more homework than ever, a sharp contrast to the days before the match. At last, there was another trip to Hogsmede in the second week of May, and the students were glad to get a break from classes. Harry, Alex, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville were all wandering around together and were joined by Draco and Blaise soon after. They went to the twins' store to look at the most recent inventions (Gumballs that made your hair change colors) and then to Honeydukes for some safe, edible food.

They joked around and talked until it was time to leave. On their way back to the castle, a scream pierced the cheerful atmosphere. On cue, a large group of dark-robed figures appeared, wearing masks. "Death Eaters," Neville growled. When the first curse was fired, chaos followed. The younger students were running about in a panic while the older ones tried to create some form of order. "Luna, go get the Professors," Harry said, she nodded and ran off. Harry deflected a hex and shot one of his own in return. "PAIR UP!" he shouted, his voice carried over the din. "Older students in front, now!" The former DA members were the first to take heed . Harry and Draco paired up, one cast a shield while the other attacked. Alex's dragon patrounous made its usual appearance; she rodewhile it charged, firing stunners.

Harry ducked behind Draco's shield to evade a curse, then created a shield of his own. Several a buildings were smoking, a few trees were already in flames. Harry fell to his knees as his scar exploded and Voldemort tried to take over. No, no, no! Harry thought desperately. He heard Alex cry out, then Hermione; Ron and Neville yelped as they were hit. NO!

'You cannot win,' Voldemort hissed in his mind, 'Tell me the prophecy and I will let them go.'

You'll NEVER let them go! Harry thought furiously, I'll never tell you. Clouds formed, lightning flashed. The professors arrived as the wind tore through the area, bending the trees and blowing out the flames. Harry wrenched his eyes open and saw Ron and Alex being dragged towards a red-eyed wizard, who smiled cruelly at Harry.

"NO!" Harry yelled. The lightning struck out at the Death Eaters holding the two captive Gryffindors, the wind picked Voldemort up an unceremoniously threw him into the trunk of a tree. Harry yelled his fury, the castle of Hogwarts blazed with light—the wards.

The magical shields set by the founders thousands of years ago reached out to cover the students and teachers, protecting them from the Death Eaters and the elements Harry had called.

Voldemort vanished from Harry's mind and the young wizard got to his feet, eyes blazing. He slowly began to walk towards Voldemort, the Death Eaters that approached him were blown aside by the winds. "Crucio!" Voldemort hissed, pointing his wand at the unconscious Ron.

"Sanctus!" Harry shouted, and whipped his wand in his best friend's direction. A silvery-gold blaze surrounded the prefect and the curse hit the shield instead. It held firm, growing brighter.

"Avada kadavera!" Voldemort yelled, pointing at Ron. Again, the shield held firm; again the shield grew brighter. The Dark Lord's eyes widened.

Harry continued to advance, the wind blew furiously around him as lightning illuminated the dark scene. "No more Voldemort," Harry hissed menacingly in Parsletongue, "No more will I let you use me. No more will I let you harm my friends. This will end, I swear it." Hogwarts sent out another burst of light and when it cleared, Voldemort and his followers were gone. Harry's muscles loosened as he freed himself of the built up tension. He gave a dismissive nod at the shield and it faded. "Enervate," Ron's eyes blinked open. "You alright?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded. "You?"

"Fine."

"Hermione?"

"Still out cold, c'mon, let's get everybody up." Harry helped Ron up and then woke Alex, who gave him a shaky smile. He smiled back with relief and the winds ceased, along with the lightning. He helped her up and she hugged him, then they went to check on their friends.

"Are you alright Tallon?" Remus asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Harry answered, "Was anyone hurt?"

He shook his head. "Not really. Well, no one is now. The wards somehow expanded and counteracted and curses anyone got hit with."

Harry nodded. "We should ask the founders about that, but now—now we need to get everyone inside."

Harry slumped into a chair in Dumbledore's office. He was exhausted for a reason he didn't understand. Ron, Hermione and Remus were with him as they waited. Sirius came in moments later, wearing the ring Harry'd made him for Christmas. "Tallon! Moony! Are you two alright!"

"Yeah," Harry answered, "just a bit tired."

"I'm fine." Remus said.

"What happened?" he asked, sitting next to them.

Harry rubbed his eyes. Why was he so darn tired? "Would you mind waiting till the others got here? I have a feeling they'll ask too."

"Quite right." Dumbledore said. He entered, along with Snape, Splikvin, McGonagall, Moody, and Tonks. The headmaster looked at Sirius, "Have we met?"

Sirius blinked in confusion. "Uh, yeah…oh! Sorry, forgot about it," he slipped the ring off and put in his pocket. The others looked surprised but didn't ask. "I came when I heard there was trouble." Dumbledore nodded and the new arrivals either sat down or remained standing.

"Well Harry, could you tell us what happened?" Dumbledore asked.

"It started when we were leaving Hogsmede," Harry began, "We heard a scream, then Death Eaters appeared. I sent Luna to the castle for help, and the rest of us paired up, like we always do in defense class. While the younger kids went back to the castle, Voldemort," Snape, McGonagall, and Tonks flinched, "tried to—to posses me again. I got distracted, trying to keep him from taking over completely. He used that time to get Alex, Ron, and Hermione. I—I wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know, and he said he'd let them go if I did. When I saw Ron and Alex, I got—angry, desperate almost. I shoved him out, and used the shield I've been working on to protect Ron from the curse. He-Voldemort- ran when the castle blazed with light."

"What about the wind?" Snape asked gruffly.

Harry rubbed his eyes again, then looked at Splikvin. She nodded, "I will explain." Splikvin turned her gaze to the others. "You might recall the storm that occurred in mid-September after Fred Weasley was injured in an attack on the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes shop. The storm was not magical, but nor was it quite normal. It was Harry's second elemental outbreak." There were several sharp intakes of breath. Splikvin continued. "His first was the resurrection of Hedwig, who is now a phoenix. However, he did not know that he was the cause of both events. Several years ago, while I was living near Durmstrang, I began the study of elementals and I recognized Mr. Potter's outbreak in September. Knowing that his outbreaks would only get worse if he was left untaught, I have been giving him elemental lessons about two times a week ever since. The wind and lightning appeared earlier today because of his anger. Thankfully, he has gotten to the point in his training where he can subconsciously control the—magnitude of the elements he calls. Otherwise, I doubt anyone would have left unscathed."

"Selena, why did you not tell us?" Dumbledore asked.

She shrugged. "No one thought to ask."

By then Harry was struggling to keep his eyes open, but he still had a question of his own. "Why did Hogwarts glow?"

Dumbledore frowned thoughtfully. "In all honesty, I do not know. However, I believe the founders might." At the word 'founders' Dumbledore looked at Harry, who met the headmaster's gaze evenly. "Minerva, would you find them-"

"No need," Salazar said briskly, walking into the portrait of a former headmaster.

"We are here." Rowena finished as the other three also appeared.

"What's the matter?" Godric asked.

"Voldemort and his followers attacked Hogsmede a few minutes ago," Dumbledore explained, "They vanished after Hogwarts let out a burst of light unlike the other wards. We were wondering if you could tell us why."

The other three founders looked at Rowena, who sighed. "Very well." She looked at Dumbledore. "When I was alive, I was a dream-seer. One of my last Seeings was of the Heir of Hogwarts. In my dream a lone figure rose out of the dark and Hogwarts appeared behind them. Lightning struck the figure, but did no harm. Then another person came into view. A serpent followed the second figure, while a phoenix rested on the shoulder of the first.

"Once this image was complete: two figures, two creatures, and a glowing Hogwarts, the dream froze and a voice said, 'For the time of the castle's heir shall be heralded by the sign.' Then my dream ended. My suspicion is that Hogwarts glowed because the Heir awakened, though how is their part." She nodded in the other founders' direction.

Helga spoke next. "I had a dream too, 'bout the sign. A chimera, it was; pretty big one too. Not any ol' chimera though, this one wasn' made of only three animals: dragon, goat an' lion, this one was made of four creatures. Can't remember it exactly, but I think two of 'em were a bird an' a snake. The other two parts were different from each other, but both were furry."

"How can you be sure that was a sign?" Tonks asked.

"Ah, forgot 'bout that. Ya see, I saw us four in th' dream too, along with the first figure in Rowena's dream. That's how."

"Who knows how the Heir awakened?" Moody inquired.

"That would be Gryffindor and I." Salazar answered. "We were no Seers, but the fact that we had a vision eerily similar to that of Rowena's was enough to prove that it was not by chance that we shared the same dream. Half of the vision was in Parsletongue, it said that Hogwarts' Heir would awake to the serpent's inner rising. The other half was in-" he frowned, thinking, "in Greek, I believe. Which is where Gryffindor comes in, seeing as how-"

"You can't speak it," Godric finished.

Salazar glared. "Seeing as how Greek is one of the few languages I cannot understand."

Godric rolled his eyes, "Yeah, and thirty is few?"

"Only seventeen!" he snapped, "And yes, I do consider that few compared to all the other people in the world."

"Whatever. Anyway, the half of the vision I understood was saying that the Heir would awake with the lion's instinct; whatever that means."

Whatever that means is right, Harry thought. The room was silent for a while as they mulled everything over; Hermione broke the silence in a quite voice. "Harry, how would you described it when V-Voldemort tries to—take over?"

Harry thought about it, "Painful, mainly." He said, then his throat tightened as he remembered last year whenever he met Dumbledore's eyes. Something had always risen inside him; angry, wanting to strike like a snake. 'The serpent's inner rising…' Voldemort was the rising serpent in Harry's mind. Oh no, he thought, not another prophecy. "It can't be me," he whispered, staring at his hands tiredly.

"What was that Harry?" Sirius asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. Harry wasn't listening.

'The lion's instinct.' A lion was the mascot of Gryffindor. Gryffindors were picked for their bravery and protective attitudes. 'A saving-people-thing,' that's what Hermione often called it.

Harry'd gotten angry, desperate when Voldemort had got to his friends. Only the need to help them had given Harry the strength, the courage, to force Voldemort out of his mind. Harry clenched his hands slightly as the truth became clearer. "What is it with me and prophecies?" he grumbled in Parsletongue. Salazar heard and hid a smirk of amusement behind his hand.

"What do you mean by that?" the founder hissed back.

Unaware that the others were staring, Harry told Slytherin his thoughts. The green-robed wizard grew solemn. "What about Helga's sign?"

Harry shoulders slumped wearily. "That fits me too. A few months ago, I somehow combined all four of my animagus forms into one being. Part cobra, part phoenix, part panther, and part werewolf."

Salazar nodded. "You should try that again sometime. But think of it this way: Rowena's dream-prophecy is not a bad thing. It merely says that you are connected to Hogwarts, and to us. It says nothing else; it is a tool, not a hindrance."

"I guess you're right."

He sniffed. "I am always right." Splikvin chuckled, drawing the two out of their conversation, she hastily turned it into a cough as the others looked at her. Harry colored, he'd forgotten that she was a Parslemouth too.

"Translation?" Snape asked.

She shook her head. "Not my right to tell." Snape rolled his eyes and earned a gentle elbow in his ribs.

"Harry?" Remus asked with concern. In answer to the real unvoiced question, Harry called all four forms into him, becoming his fifth 'chimera' form.

"I remember that one," Moody growled, "took quite a few bites out of the Death Eaters." Harry shrugged his werewolf shoulders and saw Snape stiffen; probably remembering, Harry thought and changed back.

Ron spoke up, though quietly. "You were worried about us, weren't you?" he asked. "When he tried to take over." Harry could only nod in reply.

"Then everything fits," Hermione finished. Harry stared at the ground, not wanting to see what anyone else thought, and too tired to look up. Part of him couldn't help thinking: Wonderful, add one more to the 'Power the Dark Lord knows not' list.

Coming Up:

The Founders' Four

Being an Elemental: The Next Step

At Ease at Last

Then:

Finals of Two Types

(A/N: Sorry about the long delay, homework--you can understand. A.S.Leif)