Chapter 5. Elements in Magic

Harry woke slowly some hours later staring blurry-eyed at the ceiling, breathing in the warm scent of the approaching afternoon. The selfsame smile from this morning spreading across his face. He felt exhilarated to have slept twice in a row with out being a woken by nightmares, visions, or bizarre dreams. He would most defiantly have to find some way to thank Dreia for this little miracle in his otherwise depressing life he decided. He had often wished that he could escape from his harsh realities in his dreams. Now, with Dreia's spell it looked like he might yet get that chance.

He rolled over to tell her as much, only to look at an empty, precisely made bed.

Harry let out a long, low breath of air as he looked at the vacancy Dreia had occupied. He wondered briefly where she'd gotten to, but decided against getting up to find out for a while. He would be more than happy to lie here and enjoy the peace and quiet.

But ignoring the random thoughts and memories that swirled endlessly in his head had never been one of his strong suits. Indeed, he was never able to clear his head properly as was required during his Occlumency training last year. Lying in this bed not even attempting to keep his mind absolved of thought gave his peace and quiet an invitation to fly swiftly out the open window.

So, all alone in the little room he began to mull over again all that had happened in the last couple of hours. The meeting with Regulas had been a rather large blow, and the fact that he was to be trained in Druid combat skills was simply astonishing. But it was surprisingly his dreams that gave him the most trouble.

He remembered waking up sick, which Dreia had confirmed last night in their talks. He searched every corner of his mind to remember some small detail of it. But all that came to him was a sour sensation in the pit of his stomach, and feeling that something was very wrong.

It must have been Voldemort up to something he decided. What else would make his feel that way? He only wished he could remember, so he could possibly warn the Order. If he had to have those wretched visions, he at least could put them to some use. But with nothing to specific to report, he decided to say nothing. It had been several hours since the dream, if anything had happened they would surely know by now.

Of course, if Dreia's promise held true he wouldn't have to worry about it anymore anyway until he was skilled enough in Occlumency to dispel with the visions in his sleep himself. And he would be more than happy to let her continue to cast her spell until that happened.

His mind then wandered back to the dream Dreia had sent him. He wondered how she did it, or how she gave him the vision of the meadow last night. Or why he couldn't quite remember the details of that dream to begin with either. Didn't she say that this was a way for memories to be passed down from one generation to the other? How was the of use if they ended up all 'fuzzy?'

Harry continued this avenue of thought by thinking more about Occlumency, and eventually training. Then he wondered how they were to get around the International Confederation of Wizards' Statue of Secrecy, and Reasonable Restriction of Underage Magic. How Druid magic differed from regular magic. How Dreia had managed to gain his trust so quickly when he'd only known her for such terribly short period of time. How all that had happened in the last 24 hours had come to pass when he'd spent three weeks in utter seclusion at the Dursleys.

That last thought made his blood simmer slightly. For three weeks all he'd gotten from his friends in the magical world were brief, one or two line hellos.

Ron's latest had only said:

Dear Harry,

Sucks you're not here mate. Can't wait to see ya!

Ron

And from Hermione it was:

Dear Harry,

We miss you terribly. Please let us know immediately if you need anything.

Love,

Hermione.

The only time he'd seen hide or hair of the Order was Moody sticking his head in the back door over the hair argument, and the brief replies he'd get from them when he sent in his required every three-day letter.

Harry,

Good to know the Dursleys are taking our threats seriously.

Tonks

Or,

Harry,

We understand.

Remus

Or,

Mr. Potter,

You'll receive you OWL results soon. Please continue with your summer studies.

Minerva McGonagall

It wasn't that he felt sorry for himself; he understood that they couldn't say anything via owl post for fear of interception. It was that he was trying to keep himself busy to avoid anything having to do with his last week at Hogwarts. Some news at least would have distracted him from the memories he tried so hard to avoid.

And the Dursleys hadn't helped matters. Except for the short arguments with his aunt, the giving of his required chores, meal times, and the sneers he'd received when he worked-out with Dudley, his aunt and uncle ignored him for the most part. Dudley was still Dudley for reasons Harry couldn't explain. But any of his usual nasty remarks about Harry were met with severe reprimands from his aunt and uncle if said in their presence.

Which it self was very strange. They'd never done anything in Harry's defense, especially when it came to Dudley's taunts, ever. They'd always encouraged it. Of course, they'd still let Dudley get away with small little jabs, like the one he gave over breakfast. But the larger more blatant one's were met with a sharp tongue and privilege revoking, leaving Harry to wonder if reality had suddenly decided to go on holiday and forgot to tell him.

But admittedly the training sessions with Dudley had helped him to focus of something, to forget for a while. It also helped him work off some of the disappointment he felt at being kept in the dark again as he had last year. He knew why now at least, but it was still just as frustrating.

Harry pursed his lips together and shook his head with self-irritation. This was no way to spend the day. Staring at a blank ceiling, brooding. He was finally back in the magical world (half a world away, but still...), and he would not allow himself to be depressed again.

He only glanced at the somewhat ajar door because he'd seen something out of the corner of his eye. Two small blurry heads were poking through looking at him.

"Er... Hello?" he called.

The two heads turned toward each other, giggled, and abruptly disappeared behind the door.

'So there are children here,' Harry thought, letting out a low grunt, shrugging off his covers, and swinging his legs over the side of the bed back into his shoes. He ran as a hand over his face and through his messy black hair. "Time to meet the rest of this lot," he said under his breath. Then he stood, stretched, and traveled out of the bedroom to face the day.

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Walking down the hall he noticed again the multicolored decorations adorning the walls. As he had this morning, he recognized the landscapes from around England, but now that it as lighter, he got a much clearer view of the masks and other artifacts interspersed between them.

Some of them were familiar from history lessons he'd received in primary school. The Green Man was there, the sheila-na gig, some Celtic knot work, and the Celtic cross. But there were quite a few he didn't know which were absolutely bizarre to him; a man with deer antlers, three equal disembodied arms joined at the shoulder rotating in a counter clock-wise circle and runes he didn't recognize.

And what exactly was with all the trees?

He was more curious about something else however as he walked through the rest of the hall and down the stairs. With the exception that there was no way that that many rooms could fit on the second floor, for all the magical people in the house there seemed to be very little magic in it.

He brushed off the confusion figuring he'd get the answers to that particular mystery eventually.

Harry entered into the kitchen a few minutes later where it looked like lunch was getting started.

Winston was seated at the far end of the table next to two young boys around nine or ten years old enjoying some sandwiches. Dreia was huddled in the icebox apparently in search of something and a female house-elf (or so he assumed. She was wearing a dress.) was busying herself by making some sort of garden salad.

Winston looked up from his meal and grinned at Harry motioning him to join them. "Ah young Harry, good to see you're up and about. Did you rest well?"

"Yes sir, like a baby," he said taking a seat opposite the boys, who smiled at him.

"No, no Harry, enough of the 'sir' business." He made face like he was sniffing something particularly foul, "No, no, it makes me sound like an old man."

"But you are an old man, Winston," Dreia pointed out pulling her head out of the icebox.

The two boys giggled as Winston gave Dreia a look that would freeze fire. "I needn't be reminded of it ever time I turn around thank you kindly."

Dreia winked at him, pulling a large jar of pickles over to the table.

"Harry, let me introduce our youngest," she said. "This is Eden,"pointing out the small dark-haired boy with a short nose, and round blue eyes, "and this is Jeremiah," pointing to the other, who had sandy colored hair that was more brown than blonde. "Boys, this is Harry. He'll be staying with us for a week."

"Nice to meet you Harry," they said as one. Harry had a distinct sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he was possibly looking into the eyes of two future Weasley twin replacements. Did they always come in twos?

"So Harry, how would you feel about a little demonstration of some of the things you'll be learning after lunch?" Dreia asked placing a sandwich in front of him.

"That would be brilliant," he said picking up his ham and swiss on rye.

"Fantastic," said Dreia walking around the table to Winston where Winston was seated. She stood ramrod straight in front of him with a very large Cheshire cat grin on her face. "Winston, kind sir," she said in fake accent befitting stuffy, prissy, upper-class women, "I challenge you to a duel."

Winston looked up from his plate wearily while she conjured a white silk glove and smacked across the face, startling everyone.

Across the table Eden frowned, and said "But that's not how wizards do it!"

Dreia ignored him continuing to smile at Winston, who was shaking his head. "What say you, sir?" she asked in the same fake accent.

"May I at least finish first?" he asked.

"You may," she said curtseying and taking her place at the table next to Harry, winking at Eden.

"It's an old muggle custom," she explained to the boys. "Muggles used to have a very formal way of asking for a duel. They would take off a glove a strike each other across the face to show their contempt for each other, as I just did. Wizards just ask for one. Boring I say. It's a bit more interesting the muggle way," said Dreia.

"Yes, and she uses the muggle way every change she gets," Winston told them dryly, rubbing his cheek. "She leaves out the part where they used guns or swords, did it at dawn and fought to the death."

"Technicalities," she said unabashed, tucking into her sandwich.

Harry just smiled at the little interchange between the two as he turned to the boys, "So, were you two needing something earlier?"

"No, just curious," said Jeremiah. "We didn't know we'd have visitors."

"You two are in need of some serious busy work," the house elf said sternly, placing the salad in the icebox and pulling out an enormous roast. "I've found them all over the place sneaking about today Miss Dreia. Should I put them to work?"

"After the duel Jinky," and both boys paled.

"But we have training this afternoon!" the echoed together in protest.

"Well you'll just have to remember that the next time you decided to go lurking about the house," Winston said. He wasn't harsh, or unkind, but serious nonetheless. "You two know better."

"Yes, Winston," they murmured sadly in unison.

Harry felt rather badly that he'd said anything. He wasn't trying to get them into trouble. Although he was taken back that as punishment their lessons had been canceled and that they were truly upset about it. That was a more Hermione like penalty than one befitting any of the Weasleys.

Trying to turn their mood around and stain off some of his own guilt, he asked, "Er...So, do you two play Quiddich at all?"

This tactic seemed to work well as immediately both boys brightened. Eden spoke first, "Not much, but when we do its brilliant! We don't play much because Jeremiah here is a muggle. We have to wait until they give him enough raw magic to fly. It's almost too bad really, he excellent," he said beaming at his friend. "Do you play?"

"Seeker," Harry said. He just wished he knew if that position would be secure when he returned to Hogwarts. It would be wonderful to fly again.

"Well if you take Jeremiah up with you soon maybe Harry here can show you two a few moves?" Winston asked him.

"Not a problem. But...won't Jeremiah fall?" Harry asked a bit wary.

"No, not at all," Dreia replied. "We cast some sticking charms on his rear and he stays on nice and tight. Eden's magic help keep Jeremiah on the rest of the way. Eden's not a bad flier him self," she said proudly. "And he always looks out for Jeremiah." The boy just shined at her.

"How high can we go? With the other muggles and all?"

"As high as you want." Winston said. "The land here is properly warded and unplotable. Even other wizards can't get through them without invitation. We still have to contend with the Wizards' Statue of Secrecy and all that hogwash. Performing magic in front of muggles is still very illegal here in America. We've special wards in place to keep them from monitoring the magic performed here. It's also how we can train the children so young. If the U.S. magical government only new what we did here, we'd all be in Alcatraz faster than we could say 'I object," he said laughing deeply.

That certainly answered a lot of his questions, but a new one popped up instead. "Isn't Alcatraz an abandoned muggle prison?" Harry asked inquisitively. He'd seen something about it once on a documentary that Dudley watched. "Don't they have tours through there?"

"Just because you can't see anything in it, doesn't mean it not there, Harry," Jeremiah said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Honestly, are you sure you're a wizard?" he asked.

Harry just smiled at him for moment before he erupted in a fit of laughter at the irony of that statement. He'd made the connection. Always he'd wish he'd find someone, anyone who had no idea who he was in the magical world. And to think, he got his wish in the form of a muggle child, learning long thought dead magic, by long thought extinct wizard order, in the middle of America.

This boy, these boys hadn't gaped at his scar. They hadn't asked him horribly personal questions, or whispered low while staring at him. And with that final comment he knew for sure. 'They didn't know!'

Both boys just stared at him like he was a mad man. Dreia and Winston exchanged quick knowing glances and rather large grins as they watched Harry approaching absolute hysterics, his half eaten sandwich forgotten.

A few moments later Harry managed to calm himself and wiped the tears from his eyes. He said to the boys with one of those smiles you can't remove from you face, the kind that make the muscles in your face ache, "You are officially my new favorite people. I can't think of a time I've been happier to hear those words... Just... Just..." Harry started to chuckle again, hand over his mouth while the boys just looked at each other, their eyebrows constricted in confusion.

Finally Eden asked curiously, "Um... Why though?"

"Ask Dreia sometime," the rather large smile across his face was Harry's only other response. He silently hoped they wouldn't ask until after he'd gone back.

They finished their lunches with some light, everyday talk about the running of the house; who was where, who's doing what, who's turn it way to take out the garbage (Which Jinky made a face at). Harry listened attentively to the conversation around him trying to figure out the dynamics of the household.

It seemed there were eight men, two teenaged boys, the two younger children, Dreia, and the house-elf. The men all worked at various jobs in both the magical and muggle world; everything from muggle solicitors to magical government. He was quite surprised to learn that Regulas was employed at the local equivalent of St. Mungo's as a healer, considering he'd spent the last year thinking of him as a death eater. "He's one of the best in the country," Dreia said proudly. "They are simply besides themselves that he is going home to Britain."

Dreia and Winston stayed home most of the time dealing with 'Druid Business' and training of the two teenaged boys and the two younger ones Druid lore, Druid magic, and a scaled down equivalent of the education Harry received at Hogwarts. But they also both took time to teach advanced classes at The Salem Witches Academy on occasion.

"But you're my age," Harry said dazed. "How could you teach?"

"Besides the fact that she a regular little book-worm, and can't seem to help mastering any new spell she comes in contact with," Winston replied with a roll of the eyes, "shes been learning since she was a year old, year-round. She's also been training those here since she was 12. They were all quite impressed with her at the Academy when she applied. They snatched her up with out even taking the American equivalent of OWLS or NEWTS."

"Flatterer," Dreia said as she batted at him. "It will get you ever where."

Harry also asked why they'd taken up residence in America. From the little time he had spent with some of them, he noticed that none of them he'd met so far had managed to loose their accents, nor ways of speaking. They would, on occasion would say something American, but for the most part they were still very British.

"We don't know," Dreia answered honestly. "This place has been with our particular offshoot for 200 years. There were no records, no reasons why passed down. It's a bit of a mystery really. Most of us travel between here and Britain quite frequently though for family, and rituals, and what not." She shrugged her shoulders. "We've just not had good solid reason to move back. It's wonderful here; clean, bright, full of vibrant energy. I'm really going to miss the place," she said wistfully.

"And we will miss you too love, we will miss you too," Winston said with an encouraging smile.

"Well!" Winston continued brushing off the gloom of imminent departure, "I believe I've been challenged to a duel. Your terms Dreia?"

"Elemental magic only, as I will be teaching that to Harry first. Your weapons?"

Winston's smile broke into a mischievous grin, "Wands. No wandless magic."

Dreia narrowed her eyes at him, "I knew you'd say that. I shouldn't have bothered to ask."

"But it's traditional," Winston returned.

"Yes, Yes, fine," she said. "The herd was in the front meadow this morning are they still there, Jinky?" she asked turning to the house-elf.

"Yes, Miss. The back meadow would be far more suitable."

"Shall we?" Dreia said turning to the table at-large.

Everyone began cleaning up from the noontime meal but Jinky protested loudly waving them away. "Really, this is my job you know. How can I expect to earn my way if you won't let me at it!"

"She's not a normal house-elf," Harry told Dreia quietly walking behind Winston and the boys from the kitchen, out a back door and on to the porch. "I've never met one that didn't use language a 2 year old would be proud of."

Dreia gave a good-natured chuckle. "When she came to us five years or so ago, we told her that if she wanted to work for us, she had to accept freedom."

"Well, you can just imagine what that did to her. By the time she was through wreaking havoc all over the house, she had managed to bang herself into three walls, broke two fingers with a meat mallet we didn't even know we owned, and threw herself out the second story window."

"You're joking," said Harry horrified. He didn't even think Dobby would have gone as far as to throw himself out a window. "You didn't stop her?"

"We tried. She banged up my elbow pretty good when I tried to stop her from ramming her head into the wall. Gio lost a toenail trying to pry the mallet from her hand only to end up somehow with half the knife drawer falling on his foot and a large butcher knife sticking out of his big toe," Harry winced. "Don't ask me how that happened. There still a betting pool on that one. And then, Vincent fell down the stairs trying to get to her on the second floor. None of us had ever dealt with a house elf that quick or violent before. The only thing that finally managed to stop her was the ground outside the window."

"So when the dust settled... literally... we told her we would bring her on un-freed, if she learned how to use proper English, had her own room, managed to make and ware her own clothing, and would accept help from us. And under no circumstances, was she to ever, ever, punish herself again. Ever."

She shook her head in exasperated remembrance, "She was a mess at first, but adapted. I've had her explain some of her elf magic. It's fascinating...."

"Are you two going to chat it up all day or are we going to do this?" Winston shouted from the meadow below them. "I've got vegetables that need work!"

Dreia shot Winston a lost helpless look. "That man is either extremely patient, or extremely impatient, and there is no in between. Especially when it comes his vegetables." She crunched her eyebrows together and yelled to Winston, "I'm coming you old badger, keep your shirt on!" Then she stuck her tongue out at him in a completely childish way.

"So," said Dreia, her demeanor completely switching to excitement as she turned to Harry. "Pay close attention. I expect questions and awe when we're done!" She turned and bound down the porch stairs, shouting over her shoulder, "And you boys watch closely as well! There will be an exam!"

The boys sitting next to Harry on a bench groaned in unison. "She's rigorous that one," Jeremiah said making a face behind her back. "Always looking for a reason to test us."

"This isn't for our benefit, it's for yours!" Eden said glaring at Harry. "What exactly makes you so special?"

Harry sat down next to the two boys and gave a large, heaving sigh, slumping his shoulders forward. But there was a hint of the earlier laugher playing about his mouth. "I'm sure you'll find out in time," he said looking out to the meadow where Dreia and Winston were discussing something in a rather animated fashion. "As I said before, ask Dreia."

The two boys shot him curious, irritated glances, folding their arms over their chests in unison, and turning to the meadow. Harry laughed darkly to himself. 'Why am I so special indeed.'

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The duel between Dreia and Winston was nothing short of spectacular. They began by placing their backs together, taking ten paces forward, then spinning around and whom ever was quicker getting off the first shot.

It was nothing like the dynamics of a Wizards duel as Eden had pointed out. There were certain rules you followed, allowances you made for your dueling partner. This was all most war, winner taking all.

Dreia muttered the first spell brandishing her oddly shaped wand like whip, producing a long green thorny vine that swung around wildly before binding itself around Winston. Winston somehow managed to poke his wand into the vine where is vanished in a blaze of purple fire; quickly returning with a spell that cast a bright searing light out of the tip of his wand that Harry swore was a ray of sunshine. Rather than side step the beam, Dreia wove her wand in a large clockwise circle that conjured a large round rock that hung in the air. Winston's spell collided with the boulder absorbing the jet of light. Winston swore loudly flinging himself to the ground while the boulder began to glow intensely with a halo of bright hazy light. The light then quickly detonated in a trapezoid back in Winston's direction, that seemed to blind him momentarily.

Dreia quickly followed with a spell pointed toward the sky. A grey mist erupted from her wand while Winston pulled himself from the ground, wiping his eyes. The mist shifted and shuddered above him forming a large cloud that sent sheets of rain over him. But rather than fall uselessly to the ground it stuck to him wherever it touched covering him in a literal wet suit.

Winston disappeared from the man shaped wall of water appearing again behind Dreia where his wand emitted a silver streak of lighting. Dreia spun in a pirouette transforming herself into what Harry could only assume was a gust of wind as there were bits of earth and completely out of place fall leaves. The leaves, and earth soared straight up as the bolt of lighting struck the ground where Dreia was previously standing sending a great spray of grass, and dirt in every direction.

Dreia materialize in the center of the mess jerking her wand in several quick flicks generating glowing red sparks. The sparks hit the ground near Winston becoming peculiar little campfires with feet. The fires darted for him, climbing up his robes attempting to set them ablaze. Steam rose from where they came into contact with his robes, as he was still completely wet.

"Bet you wish you hadn't drenched me right about now!" he yelled to Dreia laughing, water pouring out of his wand at the little fires. Dreia was undaunted though. She just stood stoically straight, showing absolutely no emotion, her hands and wand clasped together in front of her, almost as if she was waiting for something.

Harry saw exactly what she was waiting for a few moments later when Winston yelped in pain. The fires had not gone out at all with the water from Winston's wand, nor were they deterred by the fact that he was wet. They simply jumped around him drying his robes and then setting fire to him.

Pointing his wand at the fires he systematically froze them, tossing them to the ground where they shattered at his feet. He then sent one of the freezing charms in Dreia's direction to which she barely had time to counter with a large golden shield that froze to her hand when the spell struck.

Harry heard her curse momentarily, but return with a thin silver light pointed in Winston's direction. At first, Harry thought she'd missed. The silver light soared inches above Winston's head as the older man cringed striking the ground behind him. It was quickly apparent that what ever she was intending had worked because everyone, including the boys beside him hit the deck as the earth began to shake violently. Harry deciding that the porch floor was as good a place as any joined the boys covering his head with his hands.

Harry was a curious lad though, and raised his head slightly to see what was going on. He looked up just in time to see Dreia point her wand toward the cracks in the earth behind Winston and yell "Finite Incantatem!"

The earth stopped shaking just as suddenly as it started, jagged fissures mere inches from Winston on all sides.

He looked around at that destruction and then to Dreia who had stood, and was brushing herself off. "Got a bit feisty did ya?" he yelled exasperatedly, shifting himself onto his knees. "Who'd you call for that one?"

"Gaia," she shouted back, still no emotion on her face. "Sorry"

Winston pulled himself the rest of the way to his feet, and shook himself off checking out the state of his injuries in the process.

"Would you like to continue?" he shouted to her finally, with a dramatic gesture of his bruised and burnt arms in the direction of the fissures, and damage around the meadow, "Or shall we call it a day?"

Dreia answered by sending the same eclectic blue light she'd used on the back of her head the night before from her palm toward Winston. The light enveloped him momentarily, leavening a glowing aura of blue surrounding him in its wake.

"Did you see that?" Eden whispered excitedly to Harry and Jeremiah. I've never seen the bùrach spell before!"

"I reckon she went overboard," Jeremiah said dully picking himself off the porch. "Look, first she tries to kill him, then she heals him!" he said staring at the blue light surrounding an exhilarated Winston.

The cobalt light faded in to the backdrop of the afternoon sun around Winston who displayed a large smile, his previously raw red skin now the perfect shade of cream. Dreia stood with her arms folded across her chest in indifferent observance.

The indifference only served to puzzle Harry. He'd watched the spectacle before him trying to figure out exactly how all these powerful spells worked or how he'd learn any of it. But now that there was a break in the action, he wondered how Dreia remained so... detached during the whole thing. It was like she was some sort of moving statue. Not that her movements were stiff in anyway they were very fluid, very dance like. But she barely moved any of the muscles in her face at all.

But before her had time to wonder further, Dreia flung her wand in an ark unleashing an ink black streak that expanded in to a dark wall of nothing that headed directly for Winston.

Winston gathered his wits and countered with the same bright ray of sunlight he'd used before. The spells collided fiercely in the middle of the meadow.

At first it seemed the black of Dreia's spell absorbed Winston's like the boulder had. It sped fast in the wall of nothing disappearing as it struck. But the black stopped in its path a short distance from Winston, and began to expand and writhe and twist. Harry could make out random spots of dark grey that created a sharp relief floating in the nothing that became lighter and lighter as the seconds wore on. All those watching the sight winced and turned their heads when finally the vast space of black exploded, dissipating under the blinding yellow light of a newly risen sun.

The sun faded triumphant, while Winston jumped in the air, on arm stuck up in victory. That wasn't to last long though for when he landed he sent three quick light blue spells running toward Dreia. Mid-air they formed into miniature tidal waves of water, which with a flick of her bizarre wand, Dreia banished in puff of steam.

"Spoil-Sport!" Winston shouted in a good-natured jab. Dreia ignored the prod flicking her wand shortly sending a rotating blue disk of fire at Winston, followed silently with a poke of her wand by a large gust of wind.

Winston waved his wand in a complex pattern that conjured a clear shield of water. The disk of flame struck the shield evaporating both in the large puff of simmering steam.

Winston had barely the beginnings of a smile when his eyes bulged spotting the advancing gust of wind. He made to dive out of the way, but the squall hit before he could move more than a few inches, shoving him hard in the center of his chest, carrying him backwards. He rode the line of wind for a few moments before being unceremoniously flung to the ground, knocking him out cold.

"Should have seen that coming," Jeremiah commented dryly beside Harry shaking his head. Though he said it like he knew what the spell did his eyes betrayed him in their roundness, his mouth somewhat slack. Eden looked at him, with the same round eyes saying, "How could he? He had a great bloody disk of fire to contend with!" He screwed up his eyebrows in confusion looking back to the meadow where Dreia had begun to walk briskly over to Winston's fallen form. "What was that spell anyway?"

"You mean you don't know?" Harry asked. He had figured from the comments the boys were making that they knew exactly what the dueling duo was doing.

The boys turned to him with awe struck faces. "No!" they shouted in unison. "That advanced stuff, Harry," Eden said awe struck. "We've read about some of it of course, but they've told us we had to wait until we were older to witness it."

Something seemed to click for the boys as they glanced at each other, then back at Harry; a slow smile began to creep across each of their faces. "My opinion of you has decidedly changed." Jeremiah said smugly crossing his small arms in front of him. "We may have to work this afternoon, but because of you we got to see this!" Both boys turned to each other then and clapped their hands together in a high-five. Harry rolled his eyes, and looked back to the meadow when Dreia had revived Winston.

He was in a sitting position on the ground rubbing the back of his head a scowl across his face. Dreia was leaning over him examining his bumps and bruises laughing. This Harry was glad to see. He was slightly unnerved to see how calm, how cold she was during the short duel. She was such had such an animated personality. It was just weird seeing her like that.

Winston stood slowly, Dreia helping him to his feet. She waved her hand at him, dust flying from the folds of his grey robes. Dreia wove she arm through his and gently began guiding him back to the cabin when a voice broke the air from the door behind Harry.

"I should have known," said the deep sleepy voice behind Harry. "You could hear that racket in Denver, I'd wager."

Harry turned around to face whom he assumed was one of the teenagers of the house as everyone else was supposed to be at work. He stood stiffly in the doorway covered in shadow watching the meadow as Dreia and Winston approached. He was reveled rather abruptly through having been pushed from behind onto the porch. The brown haired boy scowled pulling himself upright as a younger shorter redheaded laughed at him emerging from the doorway and said, "You shouldn't lurk in doorways, its rude."

"I didn't want to roam around out here in only my dressing gown," he returned shoving the shorter boy in the shoulder as a snicker escaped the formers mouth.

"Ah yes, I'd forgotten," the redhead said to the brunette. "His lordship does not like exiting his bedchamber in less than robes of gold and silk," he said in a regal drawl and mock solute.

The brunette continued to scowl at the redhead, while the redhead and two younger boys doubled up with amusement. Harry just smiled in ignorance as the older boy surveyed the three helplessly shrugging his shoulders. He turned to Harry proffering his hand. "Patlyk Andrews," he said sincerely, Harry accepting his hand shaking it firmly. "And that prat over there is Thayne Brewster."

"Harry Potter,"Harry returned brightly. Patlyk gave him a nod of acknowledgment, his eyes momentarily flying up at Harry's forehead, but said nothing. Thayne was less forgiving though, as he abruptly froze in place, and openly gawked at Harry's brow in amazement. Making Harry feel frustrated and self-conscious.

"Merlin's beard," Thayne whispered.

"Now who's being rude?" Patlyk inquired.

"I... um..." Thayne stuttered. "I just wasn't expecting... Oi! You!" he suddenly shouted rounding on Dreia who was approaching the steps with Winston in tow. "You said that A Harry would be visiting. Not the Harry," placing his hands on his hips.

She raised her eyebrows affronted, "Surprise?"

"Surprise," he said scathingly shaking his finger at her. "You know!"

"I do..."

Thayne threw his arms in the air, pivoted on his heel, and made for the backdoor. He stopped only long enough to say to Harry, "It's good to meet you... Harry." Then he yanked open the backdoor, walked in, and slammed the door behind him.

Harry frowned. He had no idea what that little exchange was about but he knew full well that he was at the center of it. Which he was sure he didn't like at all. "What did I..."

"Nothing," Patlyk answered directly, relieving Dreia and helping Winston up the stairs. "You're his, um... Hero... More or less. Must have been a shock," he said looking poignantly at Dreia.

"I certainly didn't expect him to react like that," she defended, dusting herself off. "But I am sorry he reacted so badly," she said meaningfully to Harry.

"More... or less...?" Harry questioned.

"The posters are a dead give away yea..." Patlyk answered quietly.

"You're that Harry?" the two younger boys questioned in harmony.

"You two. Jinky. Now." Winston croaked as Patlyk lowered the man on the bench. Both boys mumbled something under their breath that sounded distinctly like '...not fair...' but went into the house anyway.

'So much for my anonymity...' Harry thought.

"We'll discuss it later," Dreia said to Patlyk sighing, walking up the stairs. "I'm sure he'll be fine. First things first."

She knelt beside Winston, closing her eyes. The same blue light that had healed Winston's burns minutes before emitted from her raised palms again casting him in another aura of cobalt. He breathed in deeply letting the spell wash over him. Harry watched in amazement as Winston hair and robes fluttered as if in a strong wind. The pain evident in his brow decreased, and his stiff posture relaxed as the light faded. Winston smiled, opening his eyes. He tested out each of his limbs and the back of his neck, seemingly pain free.

"Good thing that," he said none the worse for ware. Dreia sat beside him patting him on the knee and looked up expectantly at Harry. "So, what did you think the little bit of elemental magic we showed you?" ignoring the unasked question in his eyes.

Harry was startled briefly by the unexpected switch in the conversation back to the duel. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, analyzing the aspects and highlights of it. He worried his lower lip for a while and then said finally, "It was powerful; almost frighteningly so. But every move either of you made was countered or, could be potentially countered by other non-elemental spells. How will that help me?"

"It will help because it will be something you know that whom ever you are dealing with won't, for one. It will catch them off guard. Plus it's really hard to counter an elemental spell," Dreia said seriously, the emotionless mask sneaking back on to her face. "Unless you know what you are doing it takes an awful lot of power to perform those spells, let alone create something to counter them. Winston and I barely broke a sweat."

"How?" he asked curiously.

"Easy," she answered, "We had help."

Winston and Patlyk grinned at the confused look on Harry's face, but he ignored it. "How did you ask for help? Who helped you?"

"The elements," Patlyk answered for Dreia. "Everything in nature has a spirit Harry, Trees, flowers, grass..."

"Vegetables," Winston put in.

"Even the bloody Vegetables," Patlyk muttered rolling his eyes. "The elements are no different. All you have to do is ask them for help and they are more than willing to oblige."

"Er...Right," Harry said skeptically. "How exactly do you ask them for help and what are the elements?"

"That you will be learning first along with the different spells associated with them," Dreia said. "There are four basic elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. But there are others, such as the element of the sun, and moon. We'll start with earth first."

This did nothing to appease his sudden doubts that any of them were completely sane. Still, he'd seen the duel first hand, so maybe there was some merit to what they were saying. It would take some convincing though.

"You'll see. But don't take my word for it." Winston said. "A bit of work in the garden perhaps?" he poised in question turning to Dreia.

"Vegetables," she echoing his earlier statement with the smile Harry had grown accustomed to making reappearance.

Winston stood, and walked off the porch motioning for Harry to follow him. "Come young Harry, I will teach the beauty of a perfect vegetable garden."

A/N: Part 2 should be out much sooner than this chapter was. Some chapter's flow, some give you absolute nightmares. This turned out to be the latter. I hope you all were as pleased with the outcome as I was.

Babylon for Life, I miss Sirius terribly myself. sniff . I think Regulas will be hanging around for a while though. I was very happy with the outcome of that little bit in the first chapter myself. I knew I had to put some set-up in there somewhere, and then the words just flowed like water. It was great. Thank you so much for reviewing!

And as always...

I own nothing. JK's the Goddess with the copyrights. Please Review!