Once again: The plot of this story is based on JKR's Harry Potter series. Our plot weaves in 2 new characters: David Murray and Elizabeth Fawkes. While Lizzy is an addition, Dave replaces Seamus Finnigan. It also incorporates ideas borrowed from the White Wolf storyteller game system. Many new characters will appear in following chapters which are our characters based on the game system we played. Our plot weaves around the original plot of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone). We own only our own characters and our plot. All other characters and the original plot belong to JK Rowling. Please don't sue us! :) Part 2 of the disclaimer: All gaming terms, references, settings and characters relating to Werewolf: The Apocalypse are owned by White Wolf (Martyn, Macha, Dave, and Lizzy are our own characters however), no copyright infringement is intended. BTW, we are not making a penny off this.

We also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge our good friend, Jason. He created Amadeus and the Werewolf chronicle from which our characters, Martyn and Macha, were based. Without his creative input, Martyn and Macha, and their subsequent development, would never have existed.

Kudos to our Beta Reader Remus_is_Mine: aka JAX

Note to all our readers: If you read chapter 2 before the new year, please re-read it. When we originally uploaded it, for some strange reason, part of it was cut off. We've fixed the problem, the chapter's end should make a little more sense now. (If you started reading our story after Jan 1st, please disregard this.) Thanks!

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The Lord, the Lady, and Luna

Chapter 19: A Kin's Sorrow

One day, shortly after Easter Break had begun, Dave, Lizzy, Harry and Ron were approached by Hermione who gave them each revision timetables that she had drawn up. They realized, knowing Hermione, that they should not have been surprised. They spent the Easter break alternately studying and trying to convince Hermione that they didn't need to spend every waking moment behind their books. Near the end of the break, Dave noticed one morning that Harry became rather excited after receiving an owl. Shortly after that, he, Ron, and Hermione disappeared. Later on, when they returned to the common room, Dave sniffed the air and looked first surprised, then resigned. He beckoned to Ron.

"Ron, can I talk to you for a moment?" Dave asked.

"Sure Dave," Ron replied, "What's up?"

"Ok, what kind has he got?" Dave asked. Ron looked at him blankly. "Oh come on, Ron. Hagrid's got a dragon. What kind?"

"How'd you know?" Ron blurted out. Dave pointed at his nose.

"I can smell better than most humans," he replied. "After all, I could small Fluffy all over you guys."

"Fluffy? You knew about Fluffy?" Ron asked.

"Yea, after I smelled him on you, Professor Dumbledore told me what he was, and where," Dave replied. "Now, about that dragon?"

"Oh, it's a Norwegian Ridgeback," Ron replied.

"For crying out loud, he lives in a wooden house!" Dave exclaimed. Harry and Hermione overheard the last comment and giggled.

"That's exactly what Hermione told him," Ron said. "Maybe you can talk some sense into him?"

"I doubt it," Dave replied. "Why don't we go send a letter to Charlie? Maybe he can take it."

"Norbert," Ron said.

"Norbert?" Dave asked.

"Yea, that's his name. The dragon's, I mean," Ron said. Dave just shook his head before leading the way up to the Owlery. When they got up there, all the owls, except two, flew up to the highest perches available. One of the two, a medium sized, brown one, stayed relatively nearby, fluttering and ruffling his feathers. The other, a big, dark, great grey flew right down and landed on Dave's arm.

"Geez, Khisanth, it looks like Tas fancies you," Dave said to her, indicating the brown one. Khisanth hooted at him in a resigned sort of way. "We need you to take an urgent message all the way to Romania. This is Ron," Dave indicated towards Ron. "We need you to take a letter to his brother, Charlie. You can bring Charlie's reply directly to Ron. I'll have lots of rewards for you when you get back." Khisanth hooted at him again and nuzzled his cheek. "Quit it, Khisanth, or Tas will get jealous." She hooted at Dave again. Ron could have sworn she was laughing. He finished his letter to Charlie and handed it to Dave to tie on Khisanth's leg. After it was secure, she nuzzled Dave again, then flew out one of the windows, flying fast, but not overly so. On their way back down, Dave turned to Ron.

"How'd Hagrid get himself a dragon, anyways?" Dave asked.

"Well, he hatched it from an egg," Ron replied.

"And how'd he get the egg?" Dave persisted.

"Well, he said he'd won it," Ron said.

"Won it?" Dave exclaimed. "How could he just win something like that? I mean, they're Class A, Non-Tradeable goods!"

"Yea well, he said he'd won it down at the pub," Ron replied. "Didn't tell us anything more than that." Ron returned to the common room, while Dave went to see Dumbledore. After several tries, he guessed the password to the gargoyle and was soon up, knocking on the office door.

"Come in," came Professor Dumbledore's voice. Dave walked in and, when he saw the look on Dumbledore's face, couldn't help but grin. It seemed that the Headmaster had the same look of amused resignation on his face that Dave knew he had on his own.

"Professor," Dave began, "How much do you know about Hagrid's recent activities?"

"If you mean, do I know about his newest 'pet'?" Dumbledore asked.

"Norbert," Dave said.

"Ah, an interesting name for a Ridgeback," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I have been contemplating sending a note to Charlie Weasley."

"No need, sir," Dave replied. "Ron and I already did."

"Excellent," Dumbledore said. "If he can take Norbert, I'd like you all to do whatever he asks, even if it seems that one or more might get in trouble."

"Yes, Professor," Dave replied. "Will Hagrid get in trouble?"

"No, David, of course not," Dumbledore said. "I knew it was only a matter of time before he managed to acquire one and took steps. Your uncle knows. He'll take care of the legal end."

"Thanks, Professor," Dave said, somewhat relieved.

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A few days later, Dave returned to the common room after a couple hours in the library and found Hermione and several other girls clustered around Lizzy.

"Hi Elizabeth," he said as he entered. For the first time all year, Lizzy didn't reply. Concerned, Dave walked over and saw that she looked rather ill. "What's wrong?"

"She wouldn't say," Hermione answered. "She just keeps saying that something's not right." Dave looked closer at Lizzy and saw that tears were threatening to overflow. He guessed right away that this was probably not a physical problem and, with their shared background, suspected that it was very likely spiritual.

"It's ok," Dave said, taking Lizzy's arm. Her knees buckled as she stood up and Dave, still looking concerned, picked her up. "I think I'd better take it from here," he said to Hermione and the others. "This is more of a 'cultural thing'." With that, he turned and carried her up to his room. By the time he set her down on the bed, Lizzy was crying in earnest. "What's wrong, what's making you cry?"

"I don't know," Lizzy sobbed. "I just know something's not right. Something's really wrong." Dave sat beside her for a few minutes, stroking her hair. Then, he had a thought.

"Wait here for a minute, Elizabeth. I'll be right back." With that, Dave stepped into his mirror. In the Umbra, he looked around and saw a unicorn nearby. He approached it respectfully and saw that it, too, looked sad. "Unicorn, what is wrong?"

"I have been slain," came the soft voice of the spirit.

"Slain? Who would dare slay a unicorn?" Dave asked, shocked.

"A great evil," the spirit replied. "I was slain for my blood."

"We will do our best to catch whoever it was, and after I attend to Lizzy, I will find your body and bury it," Dave said. "Rest now, be at peace." The unicorn spirit nodded at him. "One more thing. May I take your horn, mane, and tail? We could put it to good use helping and healing others." The unicorn nodded at him again, giving its permission. Dave returned to his room and sat beside Lizzy again. She was still crying, her eyes shut, but as soon as she felt his weight on the bed, she turned and clung to him, shaking. For his part, Dave put his arm around her and carried her to the Hospital Wing.

"Madam Pomfrey," Dave called as he entered with Lizzy in his arms, "Lizzy needs help. I think she'll need her Gran."

"What is wrong?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"It's a spiritual sort of thing," Dave replied as he laid Lizzy onto one of the beds. "I'll go get her Gran if you like." At that point however, Lizzy roused a bit and clung to him even more.

"Don't leave, Dave," she whimpered.

"I'm just going to get your Gran," Dave whispered. "I'll be right back."

"Well, how about I go get your Gran, Miss Fawkes," Madam Pomfrey said gently. "Would you prefer that?" Lizzy nodded and Madam Pomfrey went into her office. She spoke to Lizzy's Gran through the fire and came back out after a few minutes. "Your Gran will be here in a few minutes, Miss Fawkes. Rest now and try to relax." Several minutes later, having Apparated to the gates of Hogwarts, Gran came into the Hospital Wing. She spoke for a moment with Madam Pomfrey, then came over to Lizzy's bed. By this time Lizzy, worn out with her emotions, had fallen asleep. She was still clinging to Dave's hand and her sleep seemed to be easy only so long as he continued to stroke her hair.

"What happened?" Gran asked Dave as she sat down and took Lizzy's free hand. Speaking quietly so as not to wake Lizzy, Dave related the whole story, including the fact that he was Garou and that Lizzy was Kinfolk.

"I am sorry to see her suffering like this," Gran said. "What can we do to help?"

"Providing her with comfort and company is about all we can do," Dave replied. "Later, when she feels better enough to let me go, I'll go and bury the unicorn."

"Well, her father will be pleased to hear that there is another Kin in the family," Gran said after a little while.

"What do you mean, ma'am?" Dave asked.

"Her father is Kinfolk," Gran replied. "Child of Gaia, I believe he said. He decided that it was only fair to tell me after I had told him about the Veela blood on my side of the family."

"Child of Gaia makes sense," Dave said. "That's what Lizzy is. Martyn, my Caern leader, will be delighted to hear of another Kin. Are any others in the family Kin?" Despite her worry about Lizzy, Gran smiled a little upon hearing Dave call Elizabeth 'Lizzy'. She knew from Lizzy's letters that Dave never shortened anyone's name.

"I don't know if Lizzy's brothers or sister are Kin or not," Gran replied. "Although they're not wizards, it is entirely possible that her brothers may be. We know that her sister shares her Veela blood, and she may even be a witch as well. Maybe she, too, is Kin. Perhaps this Martyn will be able to tell."

"Maybe this summer, if Martyn approves, your family could come to the Caern," Dave suggested. He and Gran continued talking quietly while Lizzy slept. As she settled into a deeper sleep, her grip on Dave's hand eventually relaxed. "I'll go take care of the unicorn now," he said. "If she wakes up, tell her I'll be back soon." Dave quickly left the Hospital Wing, wanting to accomplish his task quickly, hoping to be back before Lizzy woke up. As he was walking towards the Forbidden Forest, he saw Hagrid leave his hut with probably the same task in mind.

"Hagrid, wait up," Dave called. As he caught up to Hagrid, he continued, "I'll go take care of the unicorn. You probably shouldn't leave Norbert alone."

"Maybe yer righ', David," Hagrid replied. "When yer done, y' should tell Professor Dumbledore."

"I'll do that," Dave replied. "But I have to hurry. I promised Elizabeth I'd be back soon." Hagrid trudged back to his hut, while Dave hurried to the spot where the dead unicorn lay. He carefully removed the horn and cut of the mane and tail hairs. He then shifted to his great wolf form, dug a good sized hole, and buried the unicorn. He then hurried back to the school and went up to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Ah, good evening, David," Dumbledore greeted him as he walked in. "What can I do for you?"

"Professor, I came to tell you that I have buried the unicorn," Dave replied. "I talked to its spirit earlier and promised that I would, so I sent Hagrid back to his house to take care of Norbert. Also, the unicorn spirit gave me permission to take its horn and the hair from its mane and tail. With your permission, I'll take them to Professor Snape. Much as I don't like him, he's probably the only one who can put these to good use. Then, I must be getting back to Elizabeth. She's taken the death of the unicorn pretty hard."

"Very well, David," Dumbledore replied. Dave left the office and headed down to the dungeons where he knocked on Snape's office door.

"Enter," came Snape's voice. Dave walked in and set the bag with the unicorn's horn and hair in it on the desk. "What is this?" Snape asked.

"This is the horn and hair from a unicorn that was killed in the forest," Dave replied. "I've spoken with its spirit and obtained permission to remove these. Professor Dumbledore and I agreed that you should have them." As Snape reached for the bag, however, Dave stopped him and said, "Actually, I need to take something first." With that, he removed a little of the unicorn's hair, tied a ribbon around it and put it in his pocket. "That's for Elizabeth. She's in the Hospital Wing. She felt the death of the unicorn and it has upset her a lot. This might help."

"Please tell Miss Fawkes that I wish her a speedy recovery," Snape said, a bit stiffly but Dave could tell that he seemed to actually mean it.

"I will," Dave replied. "I must go now, I promised her I'd be back soon." Dave left Snape's office and hurried back to the Hospital Wing. Lizzy still seemed to be asleep with her Gran sitting beside her, holding her hand. Gran looked up as Dave entered.

"She woke up once, "Gran said, "But I told her you'd be back soon and she settled back down. Now that you're back, I believe I should go tell her parents what has happened. They may want to come see her, or at least send her a comforting letter." Gran got up and Dave took her place beside Lizzy's bed. Almost without thinking, he reached over and took her hand. After a few moments, Lizzy stirred and opened her eyes.

"Dave, you're back," she said, a bit groggily. Dave suspected she was just coming out of a potion-induced sleep.

"Yes, I've buried the unicorn. I also have a message from Professor Snape. He wishes you a speedy recovery. Oh, and I have something for you," Dave replied, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the ribbon-tied unicorn hair and handed it to Lizzy. For several long minutes after she took it, Lizzy could only gaze at the unicorn's hair. Then she turned back to Dave.

"Thanks," she said softly, "And thanks for spending so much time with me."

"Anytime Elizabeth," Dave replied, "After all, you're my best friend, not to mention Kin." The day ended with Dave still sitting by Lizzy, who had once again fallen asleep.

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