Chapter II

Riki sat quietly in the classroom, and glanced across the aisle at Draco Malfoy, who looked back, and winked. She didn't return the wink, but did smile faintly, and lower her head.

"Any questions?" McGonagall asked. Riki lifted her head, and raised her hand. "Yes, Ms. Thorn?" She sighed, and cleared her throat.

"Could you tell us…about the goddesses?" she asked. All the students except Ron and Harry looked at her funny.

"The goddesses…"

"Of the Element Magic?" she asked, slightly softly. McGonagall looked around the room.

"Alright. There are four goddesses: Etalia of Earth; Amelie of Air; Fiona of Fire; and Wilia of Water. They were half of the first eight to be discovered as to have the magic ability. The four of them were the best of friends: they were always together, even after they created families. Of course, the day came when one of them made a single mistake. Etalia had lost her father in a car accident: he was normal. He had no magic powers, and he died quickly. When she spoke of it to the other goddesses, Amelie told her that it didn't matter. She felt a tiny bit of the pain Etalia felt, but her words of comfort to her friend were 'People die. It's fine. People die, people get over it.' Amelie wasn't sure of how to be comfort pain like this, so she didn't know what to say. Etalia got angry about this, and the four friends quickly became enemies as Etalia fought Amelie, and then the two of them fought the other two when they tried to defend each other. They fought, long and hard, attacking each other and each other's families. One by one, Etalia managed to take one child from each of the other goddesses, and hide them in a room, protected by more than one spell, which was difficult to get thru. So, in an attempt to get the kids back, Fiona, Wilia, and Amelie took one child, each, from Etalia. In a fit of rage, Etalia used her powers against her friends and, ultimately, against herself, killing them off before anyone could rescue the children. They were found, but they were near death when they were found…"

"So…" Riki began, raising her hand and lowering it again. "That means…they've been…reincarnated, and are doing it again? To kids here that……"

"Remind them of the children that had been taken by them the first time…" Riki nodded.

"Neville and Seamus…"

"Right…Now, we have tried to keep an eye on all the students, to see if something they do might be what the goddesses had done. Only, no one is really sure of everything the goddesses did, since they lived and died before Hogwarts was created. But we are sure of the story, so we tried to protect everyone from them. Apparently…we have failed…"

"No, you haven't. People make mistakes, Professor. It was only because either they haven't done anything yet, or no one has noticed what they've done," Hermoine said. Riki smiled.

She stood, heading out of the room by herself. Harry, and Hermoine took a running start to lunch, but Riki preferred to walk, still, because she didn't want to fall. Ron came up beside her.

"You alright?"

"I just think…I know something is wrong here, Ron. And it's not just the idea of these…goddesses. It's the whole idea of them putting Neville and Seamus in harm…and possibly more students. I don't think I can handle that…"

"Things will be fine, Riki. Honest…"

"Hey, Riki!" Riki and Ron paused, and turned around.

"What, Malfoy?"

"Thanks!" She looked at Ron.

"For what?"

"Getting me out of turning in my homework," he said, winking, as he ran by, laughing.

"Bite me, Malfoy!" she called after him. She looked at Ron.

"I wonder who the goddesses are…" he said, looking at the students passing them. She shrugged.

"I don't know…"

Riki sat her books down on her bed, and took off her robes, pulling her turtleneck over her head. Turning, she jogged down the steps, and bumped into Harry on the way. She put her hand up.

"Sorry…"

"Where are you headed?"

"Library…" She continued out the door without another word, and jogged down the steps, opening the door and entering library. Heading down the aisle, she looked up at the labels on each row of books, saying what letters were where, and found one on magical history. She headed over, and ran her finger along the dusty shelf, finally tapping it and pulling it down. Riki set it on the windowsill, and opened it, looking for anything about the Goddesses. After a second, she hopped up, sitting on the windowsill, and lifted the book, reading it over. Footsteps sounded down the row she was in, and before she knew it, the book was on the floor, and she found herself looking into the blue eyes of Draco Malfoy. Rolling her own green eyes, Riki jumped down, and picked up the book.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked, turning around. He leaned against the windowsill, and crossed his arms against his chest. It was a rare moment whenever she saw him outside of class without Crabbe and Goyle. She lowered her head, shaking it, faintly smiling, as he leaned over a bit.

"You know, no one else is in this library…" She looked up at him, still smiling, and tightened the grasp she had on the book.

"I know…that's why I came in here. I don't like other people crowding me in the library…" She dropped one hand, and reached out, placing it over his, and leaned over. He pressed his lips against hers, and the library door opened. She stepped back, and knitted her eyebrows together. As Ron walked by, she rolled her eyes. "Just leave me alone, Malfoy," she said, faking anger, and spun, walking away. Ron paused, and looked at her.

"There you are! Angelina was looking for you…wanted to know why you aren't at practice." Riki's eyes widened, and she took off running, dropping the book at Malfoy's feet. Ron ran after her, and followed her all the way outside, at the Quidditch field. As he jogged up, he heard Angelina yelling at her.

"I know your having trouble flying, and I know your having problems getting back on the broom. But that is no reason for you to skip out on practice!" she exclaimed. Riki's eyes were on the field, avoiding Angelina's burning stare, but Ron saw the tears wetting down her cheeks. "I don't care what problems you're having, Riki, you HAVE to come to practices, at least to watch, so you know what we're doing!" she practically screamed. Riki spun away from Angelina, pushing Ron away, and ran into the building.

"You should go easy on her, Angelina…it hasn't been easy for her these past few weeks. You know that. I mean…she's trying. At least she's trying…" Ron stated.

As he spoke to Angelina, Riki raced up the steps, but stumbled, falling against the stairwell, in, practically, the only empty hallway in Hogwarts. She sat on the step, back turned away from the stairs, head bent down, crying. She heard someone come running up behind her, and felt a hand on her back.

"Riki, what's wrong?" She looked over at Draco thru red eyes, and quickly looked away. She hated it when he saw her crying.

"Angelina is still angry that I've been having problems getting on a broom…" He put his arms around her, and whispered, "Come on…before someone sees us…" He pulled her off the steps, and headed down the hall. She paused, and looked up, taking a deep breath.

"I need a room where he and I can sit and talk without being disturbed…" she whispered. A door appeared, and she ran in, pulling Draco with her. They dropped down near the door, on a few pillows that were laid there. He looked around.

"Where'd this room come from?" he asked. She shook her head.

"It's a long story…Why were you coming up those steps?" she asked, and looked up at him. She'd finally stopped crying, but she still had a tear going down her cheeks from her reddened eyes. Draco put his hand against her face, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

"You ran past me, and I wanted to know what was wrong…" She looked into his eyes, and reached up, touching his hand.

"How can you be so sweet when you're with me, but…be so rude…so mean…and so good at it when you're around everyone else?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I don't really know…I just guess it's the way you act around me…not being afraid or anything." She smiled, and he leaned over, kissing her. She smiled, and put her arms around him.

"Draco?" she asked, softly, looking up at him. He looked down.

"Yea?"

"I love you…" He smiled at her, and kissed her cheek.

"I love you too, Riki…" After a second, he stood up, pulling her off the ground, and, sliding an arm around her waist, put a hand on the doorknob. "We should be getting back out there…people may begin to wonder, you know?" he asked. She smiled, and hugged him.

"Thank you, Draco…"

"Welcome, Riki…" He bent his head, and kissed her. She smiled into the kiss, and pushed open the door. Looking both ways, they slipped out, and headed down the hall.

Riki leaned back against the couch in the common room, and heard Harry's voice thru the door.

"Help! Someone help!" She leapt up, and ran out, to find him pointing a shaky hand down the hallway.

"Harry, what is it, what's wrong?"

"Hermoine! She's been taken!" Riki ran down the hall, and could see Hermoine's feet kicking all the way down the hallway.

"Hermoine!" she screamed, racing after her. She skidded to a halt as the basement door slammed in her face. She slammed her fists against the door. "No! Hermoine!" McGonagall ran down, her robe pulled tightly around her.

"Who was taken?"

"Hermoine!" Riki cried, falling to the ground, rubbing her hands. She'd burned them by now, after hitting the door so much. McGonagall helped her stand, shaking her head, and led her to the Hospital wing.

"We have to find out what is protecting that door, and quick!" she heard McGonagall say to Dumbledore, as Madam Pomfrey wrapped her hands. Riki nodded a thank you, and left the wing, going back up to her common room.

She sat in class trying to write with the bandages, and finally gave up, dropping her quill.

"Ms. Thorn? Problems?" Professor Snape asked, turning towards her.

"I can't write, Professor…my hands won't hold the quill…" she said, raising her hands up, showing him. He sighed.

"Well, then…I'll have to assign someone to write for you, won't I?" She nodded slowly, unsure. Snape looked around the room, eyes passing over every face. He paused on Malfoy, who was looking away, not wanting to be picked. "Mr. Malfoy. Looks like you have a good assignment now, don't you?" Draco looked up, wide-eyed.

"What?"

"You are assigned to do all Ms. Thorn's writing until she can do so herself."

"Oh…Crud…Fine…" Snape motioned to Ron to switch places with Draco, and they did, so he sat beside her. As Snape turned around to write down assignments on the board, she smiled faintly at him. He tapped her hand lightly, smiling back, but wrote down everything for her.

Riki gathered her books as well as she could in her arms, and started up the steps to the common room after class. As she neared the top, she heard her name, and paused, turning around.

"What?"

"Riki…You forgot your notes," Draco said, jogging up the steps. He stepped right up beside her, lifting up her book and placing the notes between her book and her notebook. She smiled.

"Thanks, Draco…" He glanced around him, looking for anyone, and when he turned back, he pushed his lips against her cheek.

"No problem…" Turning, he ran back down the steps, leaving her smiling behind him. Sighing, she continued down the hall, gave the password, and entered the common room. She looked around, and saw Harry sitting on the couch, staring blankly at his paper.

"Harry?" He blinked, and looked up.

"Hi, Riki…How're your hands…?"

"Sore…but they don't burn anymore…"

"That's good…" Riki sat down beside him on the couch, and dropped her books to the floor by her feet. "You have homework?" he asked.

"Nope…made Draco write it out for me during that last five minutes…He's was rushing to get it on the paper as I spoke. It was so funny to watch." Harry laughed, shaking his head. She yawned, and shook her head.

"You seem tired."

"I am…If I go up and lay down, would you send Ginny up to wake me for dinner?"

"Yeah, sure…"

"Thanks, Harry…" Riki stood up, and headed up the steps to her room, collapsing onto her bed, and closing her eyes.

She opened her eyes, climbing out of the bed. Riki moved freely across the room, and down the steps, heading thru the empty common room to the portrait hole. She paused, hearing the giggling voices, and ran back up to the bedroom. She pried open her window, and grabbed the broom from by her bed, flying out and over to a window that would lead into a hallway. Slipping inside, she looked around. No sign of life near her. A slight growl erupting at the back of her throat, Riki skulked down the hallway, looking for someone in particular. She heard the voice, soft at first, but gradually getting louder, calling words to her, an order, as it sounded after a moment

"There he is!" it hissed. "Go, now, and get him!" She turned, and her eyes landed on Ron Weasley, heading down the hallway. Smirking, she snuck up behind him, slamming her fist into his head. He jumped, falling backwards. Riki caught him, and dragged him as quickly as possible away. She found herself racing down the steps, to the basement, and shoving him inside the door. She looked around. She dragged Ron to one of the walls, chaining him up, as well. She spun around, waving her arms, and watched the door slam close as Ginny and Harry raced down the steps, approaching the door. Smirking to herself again, she turned, glaring cruelly at Ron…

The sound of someone crying near her woke her, but she found herself in a gradually darkening room.

"What…what's goin' on?" she mumbled, sitting up. Ginny looked up, eyes wide and red, from the bed next to her.

"Oh, Riki! Ron was taken!" Riki dropped her jaw, eyes wide, heart racing and skin going pale.

"What?" she asked softly. Ginny jumped over to her bed, and nodded.

"He was taken, too! Harry and I raced down to the basement, but it was too late, whoever took Ron had already locked him in that room! Oh, Riki!" Riki wrapped her arms around Ginny, but stared blankly, and yet frighteningly over at the wall. She slowly pulled away, and looked at Ginny with her blank stare for a moment, before standing and going to the common room. After a second, Ginny stood and followed her. As she landed on the bottom step, she found Riki standing beside the fire, hands shaking. Harry sat on the couch, looking at her.

"Riki? What happened, are you alright?" Riki didn't move. Ginny started over, and stopped at the side of the couch for a second. "Ginny, what happened?"

"All I said was that Ron was taken…"

"And I knew…" she whispered. Riki dropped to her knees, staring at the floor with eyes so wide the firelight danced in them as tears began to well up.

"What?"

"I…I dreamt that I took Ron downstairs, that I was the one who locked him in that room, but without Hermoine, Neville, and Seamus." Ginny and Harry looked at each other, and they sat there in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Riki stood, racing out of the common room.

"Riki! Where are you going?" Harry called, running after her.