though, for Scamber's dare ^__^) Ginny is doing Ginny-type things
(ordering around the people at Hogwarts because she's pissed off that
she can't find Harry or Hermione) and everyone else is not the focus
at the moment.
ccs rox - New outfits are fun ^__^
Rogue1615 - I'm working it in. Slowly, and unnoticiably, but it will
be there!
Burning Light - I don't think it's pathetic-- I like talking to my
reviewers. Always been like that, I suppose. *shudders* Ugh, 'Happily
Ever After' and 'Faeries who are nice and kind'-- They seem to have
forgotten that the original Faeries kidnapped people to use asservants
and slaves. I'm going to have some fun with my Faeries, because I
_like_ the old legends. I'm Scottish by birth, and something about
that just makes me want to learn about the stories my ancestors used
to tell. Ah, spelling mistakes from typing at two in the morning. Not
the best things in the world. I'll fix that up. And maybe start typing
during the day. *shrugs* Well, I thought I saw Children of an Elder
God on the Bet page. Yeah, I don't have a whole lot of time myself.
Maybe when I get some I'll check it out.
fantasydima - Hermi wasn't wearing the corset because she wanted to,
but because I wanted her to. I met some really interesting ladies over
the weekend who were wearing corsets and practically full bondage
gear. And I thought Leigh was gothic.
Bryt - Yeap, Faeries. Fun-fun-fun. Heheh, the Balance is beginning to
take shape in the world itself... and poor, poor Remy-dear. He's going
to be shocked out of his mind when he finally gets back.
Scamber Dragon - *snickers* Wow, couldn't tell you're happy. So,
basically you're suggesting the Druids take over the Weapon's old
hideout (and probably change the password...) and boredom strikes
while they're awaiting... whatever. I'll have to think of that. Hmmm,
it could work...
lostgirl - No, I think they might be stalkers. *looks around
suspiciously* I know I saw someone aiming a telescope at my bedroom
window...
brion - Ah, Hermi's... situation... with the faeries will be explained
soon enough. If Titania doesn't kill her first. *snickers*
WolfMoon - Ah, the joys of my medium length chapters. Not to long, but
certainly not to short (I hope...)
Arizosa - Are you hyped up on sugar, or something? And you apparently
think I'm god... wow, that's pretty cool. *grins stupidly*
Um-hmm, in order for me to own Harry Potter, we'd have to be living in
an alternate reality.
---
Blackened Sunrise
Chapter Sixty-Two - Leave-Taking
The Itch
---
Hermione stared rather blankly at the glowing lights surrounding her,
since it was a bit hard to stare incredulously at Therius, considering
his was perched on her skull, "Wha... You can not be serious..."
"I am quite serious," the faerie returned coolly, "You completed the
maze, as well as survived the golem to bring Oberon's staff here--
that was the only key needed to unlock the doors of this prison."
She pulled the golden flail off her back, snapping it back into staff
formation, "This... is a key...?"
"Quite," Therius murmured, while the mental whispers of the other
Faeries fluttered through her mind, "With that, you can open the doors
between the realm the Seelie were contained within."
Yes, the former queen, Titania's, voice cut through meaningless
prattle by those she had once considered her subjects, before her
imprisonment, it will free us, Young One. So open the doors!
Therius turned his cool orchid gaze to the bright white ball, "Doing
as such would only damage the barriers between realms. We have no idea
what could come through, Titania. Would you care to have Orcs in here,
destroying our home, before we can escape to Man's world?" his tone
specifically called the ex-queen an idiot, "Of course not. We'll open
the doors slowly, only a few at a time."
Rubbing her forehead, Hermione decided she was going to look around
instead of arguing with the Faeries. This was so surreal; she felt
almost as though she had gotten trapped in the Legend of Zelda:
Ocarina of Time. Oh the presents her parents gave her, with their
rather... limited... knowledge of the magical arts.
She jumped, surprised, when Therius tugged on a lock of her hair,
"Young Mistress," his voice was tired, "Titania and I have come to
a... compromise," he did not sound happy with it, however.
"A compromise?" she wondered, thinking that it might had been smarter
to have actually paid attention to the conversation going on around
her. Therius' exasperated sigh seemed to indicate as such.
"Yes, a compromise, Young Mistress. Aside from myself, you will take
four Faeries with you when you leave this place. Titania has demanded
that she be one of those four."
She could understand Therius' position-- re-introducing the True
Faerie to an environment they hadn't been a part of for centuries was
risky business-- but she also understood Titania's wish to be out of
her prison. Gods knew Hermione had felt the same when she was tromping
through the Maze From Hell.
Shifting a bit uncomfortably-- it would take time to get used to the
leather corset, but if she had her way, she'd be out of it as soon as
she got back to Hogwarts-- Hermione pursed her lips, "Very well. The
question is-- how do I get out of here?"
Therius smiled faintly, "That, my dear, is rater simple. You have
Oberon's Staff in hand. Focus on the destination you wish to go to,
and it will take you there. But! Do not do as such just yet. Titania,
have you decided who will go?"
The queen snorted, I have known for a long time who would leave this
prison with me, should only a small number of us be capable of
escaping.
Therius muttered something about conceited bitches, who thought they
were the center of the universe. Hermione and a couple of the closer
Faeries snickered.
Within minutes, Hermione had the balls of light-- for some reason,
only Therius was visible to her eyes-- had landed on her shoulders,
and were ready to leave. She lifted Oberon's Staff up, focusing on it
as she once had focused her magic through her wand as a child. A deep
magenta glow swirled up around her body, pulsing and beating.
The Faeries that had not been going, but had been surrounding her,
suddenly flew off, terrified. Oberon's magic was not something
pleasant to be around when they didn't have to be. That is... all but
one of the Faeries ran off. A ball of light, only half the size of the
others darted out from behind a small pile of rocks where others of
its size had been. Several voices hissed uncertainly, Velocity!
Velocity, get back here!
No! I'm going to see the Real World! the tiny Faerie blustered back,
directing it only to them, as they had directed it only to him.
It wouldn't do to be discovered before he could get out. As his name
foretold, the young Faerie was the fastest of any Faerie ever born.
With a burst of speed that left only an after-image of a ball of
turquoise light near the wall, Velocity shot across the room to the
human who would save the Faerie. He slipped into one of the inner
pockets of the duster, and made himself comfortable on the black
stones within.
I wonder, thought the youthful Faerie, why she's carrying around an
incomplete set of Knowledge Shards? Perhaps... oh, that must be it!
She must have been on a quest before getting stuck in the Maze-- a
quest to find the rest of the shards and save some beautiful-- no,
wait, she was a girl, wasn't she? So she wouldn't be saving a
Princess... but she could be saving her world.
Velocity vowed then and there to help her with her quest... whatever
that may be.
He never noticed the Knowledge Shards glowing with black light beneath
him. Never felt the binding magic surround him as Oberon's powerful
magery swept him up in a flash of blinding light-- not nearly so bad
for him as he was in a jacket, as it was for his brother and sister
Faeries-- and he felt the world shift.
Hermione felt the drain on her magic, but didn't know she was carrying
six, not five Faeries, and had no idea that she was putting out her
own mana to equalize the amount used to relocate from one realm to
another.
As she did so, she couldn't help but overhear the conversations of
what was formerly the most elite, and the highest ranked officers of
Queen Titania's Seelie Court. They were all pompous bigots who refused
to believe that the "World Out There" could have changed so much over
the centuries. It hadn't changed drastically for ages, why would it
have changed so much now? She didn't feel like telling them about
technology.
It would be more amusing to watch them get scared out of their minds
when a car barreled down upon them.
---
End Chapter