A/N: next segment done…'bout time too, huh? I know you're all anxious to meet Air…he'll be in it…but only for short periods of time…I'm still working out his character traits and history and all that jazz…well enjoy!
Chapter Six
Hermione headed back to the others in a hurry, still fuming over the small argument with Draco. As she arrived, three pairs of eyes turned to greet her, but only one pair, a light brown, held a questioning gaze for longer than necessary. Hermione turned towards her friend and mouthed 'later' and sighed relief when the redhead nodded in agreement.
Ginny watched as her brother and Harry played a small game of Exploding Snap, while talking again about the upcoming Quidditch games that'll soon take place once school started in full swing. Suddenly feeling sleepy, she laid her head back and decided to take a small nap for the remainder of the train ride.
She was running to her cliffs again, running away from the approaching evil. But this time the face changed, it was no longer pale silver-blue eyes that bore into her own, but a different color altogether. Deep amber colored eyes crept out from amongst the shadows of the trees and stepped forward just slightly. A cloak adorned in a brilliant gold covered the figure, hiding all but his face, which she could barely make out to begin with.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Ginny asked the voice cautiously.
"They call me Air, and I seek answers." The voice replied in a hushed male tone. Ginny's confidence soared as she was finally face to face with the last unknown power.
"What answers to you wish to know?" She asked the darkened figure.
"The Chosen Four, what powers do they truly hold." He spoke softly.
"I cannot answer that, for we don't really know ourselves. But I have a question for you. Are you good or evil?" The fear suddenly ebbing back at the possibility that he may not be on their side.
"What do you think, Fire?" He asked.
"I hope you will join our side." She replied hastily.
"But the Dark One holds such promises of grandeur, how can one not be tempted by such promises of power?"
Suddenly feeling hopeless and questionable, Ginny sunk down to the ground, drained of all energy.
"To know such power exists, well, anyone would be tempted…" She tried to explain.
"Are you?" He asked.
"I do not believe his teachings, maybe the whole good and evil only power thing might work, fine, but that doesn't mean that just because we're different from regular mortals that we have some superior standing in this world!" She screamed in reply.
"But with such power, you could also overthrow him, you could set the rules you know…"
The response took her by surprise, she knew it was wrong, horribly wrong to even consider the proposition that he was so obviously displaying before her, but she couldn't resist. What would it be like to have that control over people? I could use it for good…use it for our cause…
"But Fire, you can only grow your power through dark magic, how could you turn away once you've reached such high peaks?"
"How can you read my thoughts?"
"I can read people very well, Virginia, but you'll just have to wait and take my word for it."
Ginny woke up with a start, scared about the dream that just took place.
"You alright there Ginny?" Harry asked, his green eyes boring deep into hers. For a second her breath caught in her throat, desperate to tell someone, anyone, about the events that just went on in her dream. However, blurting out something like that to Harry would just confuse the poor boy.
"You're really pale." Ron commentated a few seconds later.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Hermione asked, knowing she had a vision and eager to find out what it was.
"Yeah, just a bad dream that's all. Must have been the Basilic or something…I'm fine now, honest."
"Are you sure, cause we can send an owl to Dumbledore to have Madame Pomfrey on hand when we arrive. You've witnessed enough sortings, this one's no different." Harry explained.
"I'm fine, really." Ginny replied, irritated by their sudden interest in her health. Hermione sent her a sympathetic look then turned to lecture Ron about his studying habits.
The sorting always amused and entertained Ginny, ever since she was a second year. As she watched the nervous first years come trailing in (forgetting her own fear when she first arrived at Hogwarts), she liked to try to sort them in her own head first, just based on characteristics and all. So after the short carriage ride to the castle and their own seats taken, Professor McGonagall led the small group of first years up front and lined up before the ratted old hat.
The song, always just slightly different each year, went on and within moments the Transfiguration teacher, also the Gryffindor Head of House, started calling out the student's names. The first up was a short brown haired girl with large blue eyes and a slight overbite.
"Lindsey, Abigail." The Professor called out, as the girl placed the hat on her head Ginny thought up her own prediction. But before she could call it Hermione leaned over and interrupted her.
"Hufflepuff." She whispered. Within seconds the hat announced the same thing and the yellow colored table erupted in enormous cheers. Ginny glanced over at her friend with a curious look.
"She walked with a slight fear in her step, not Gryffindor courage. Too innocent for Slytherin, and not real bookish to be Ravenclaw." She explained.
So that's how the two girls' spent most of the sorting, whispering to each other what they thought would be the outcomes, sometimes right and other times not. When the last student, a Ravenclaw, was sorted, Dumbledore rose gently and announced the beginning of the feast. With all the noise surrounding them, Hermione turned to talk to Ginny, assured that no one else would be listening.
"So what did you dream about?" She asked questioningly.
"It was different…I talked to Air." Ginny replied nervously.
"Air? Do you know who he is?" Hermione nearly shouted, her brownish green eyes glowing with excitement.
"I don't think so…he didn't look or sound familiar. But he had these bright amber eyes…darker than gold…it's hard to describe. He wore a golden cloak, just like the Goddess Air did, and he spoke in a whispered hush…kind of bitingly but not…oh I don't know…I'm so confused." Ginny nearly started crying.
"Hey, it's okay. Later tonight stop by and we can chat. One of the few luxuries of having your own room and all." Hermione smiled reassuringly.
"It all just happened so fast. He kept egging me own about stuff and I was so confused, then I woke up and three pairs of eyes are just staring at me…it was scary."
"Sorry about the pairs of eyes, but you were nearly twitching in your seat, then your face grew pale and we started to worry."
"Sorry you were worried. But I'll explain it better tonight."
The two girls continued to finish up their meals; talking loosely with the boys around them about the upcoming exams and what they all planned to do once they finished their last year of school. Suddenly there was a loud bang; followed by the Great Hall doors clanging back fiercely. Dumbledore once again rose from his seat. Walking, no…stalking…down the aisle was a figure dressed in black with a billowing dark golden. Every pair of eyes in the Hall followed the fluid movements as the figure walked closer to the Staff Table. After reaching his destination, the boy in the cloak turned around to face the students. Ginny gasped as a pair of amber colored eyes stared straight at her.
"Ah yes…students…I'd like you to meet your new classmate…"
~Well how's that for cliffhangers…I hope to write more soon…but for now I'll leave you to ponder what's there. I'd love to hear what you guys think Air is…and whom he's connected to. Keep up the great reviews!!!