Finally a new chapter. I'm really sorry for the long wait. I promised, I'd have more time but life's working against my fanfiction.

Thanks for your understanding, Magical Maniac Girl, I just hope that you had enough patience to wait until I finally found my way in front of the computer again.

I have the next two chapters halfway ready and I plan to bring them online before christmas, but I can't promise anything.

Anyhow, have fun with the next chapter!

Star and Lightning

29th Chapter - Worries

Elisha was curled up in an armchair in a remote corner of the Ravenclaw Common Room, playing lazily with Serena and listening to the music from her discman. The Second War had begun and Elisha was in an emotional uproar. The knowledge of the prophecy and how much her brother trusted her disturbed her. She knew now that her hope that Lord Voldemort could rule the world without killing Harry had been futile. Either has to die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… If the prophecy included her like Harry thought, Voldemort would have to kill her, too, some day. And now she had taken an active part in this war that would throw over the wizarding world and bring Voldemort to full power. She had aggreed to manipulating the wards of Hogwarts only because she knew no way to refuse. Voldemort would have killed her right away if she had and what would Dumbledore say if she went to him for help? She just couldn't, not after what she did. And what would Harry think of her if he knew? These thoughts had been whirling in her mind since christmas eve and she tried to stop brooding over it.

Elisha closed her eyes, continued stroking Serena absent-mindly and listened to Phil Collins singing about a situation with no way out. The song described quite well what she was feeling.

There's no way out of this dark place

No hope, no future

I know I can't be free

But I can't see another day

I can't face another day

But when, at the end of the song, he said, that he found the path from this dark place, she angrily put the discman away. There was no way out, not for her. Serena was startled by the sudden movement and looked at her with concern clearly visible in her reptile eyes. She understood what Elisha was facing. But her only way to help was to stick to her whatever happened, whatever she chose to do. Serena would always go with her.

Suddenly, two heads with long hair popped up behind them and Padma and Sophie, Elisha's Ravenclaw friends, appeared. They sat down opposite and next to Elisha and began talking seriously. They were both worried and tense. While they talked about the war and their fears, they failed to notice Elisha's unresponsiveness. Elisha sat between them and listened to them and realised that they hoped for Voldemort to fail.

Suddenly, her head jerked up upon something Sophie said: "I heard someone saying that He-who-must-not-be-named has an heir. Do you know what that would mean?"

Padma gasped and Sophie continued: "That would mean that it's not enough to kill You-Know-Who, but that both of them had to be killed. Can you imagine that? Whoever that is, I hate him. Bet he loves slaughtering muggles…"

Elisha stood up suddenly and said that she had to use the toilet. She fled the Common Room and leaned against the wall outside. Everyone would hate her one day. What had she done?

But she couldn't give up. It was power that mattered, power, power, power, only power. Who cared what the people thought? Why would she need friends? Power was her only friend. She repeated these thoughts in her mind until she had convinced herself that they were true. Then she seized the black gem in her pocket with one hand and hissed the incarnation to make the wards tumble again.

Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonnagal were sitting in the Headmaster's office talking seriously as the wards failed again. Albus looked up and groaned. He had a natural connection with the wards, being Hogwarts' Headmaster, and therefore knew at once when they failed. Minerva's head shoot up as she heard him and she asked silently: "Again?"

He nodded and replied gravely: "Again. I wonder how long this will go on. I don't believe that this is happening naturally. Someone must be manipulating the wards."

"It works." She replied watching the Phoenix sitting behind Albus. "The students are getting nervous, tense and fearful, as are the teachers. We'll soon have an intern war out of despair."

"Maybe we should offer voluntary lessons. It would keep the students and staff busy."

Minerva nodded carefully. "Yeah, that might be a good idea. I, for my part, would like to prepare lessons and hold some. It would keep my mind of the war for at least a part of the day."

"We can suggest it at the next staff meeting." Albus proposed and she nodded. He watched her carefully and noticed how tired and worn she looked. He himself probably didn't look much better, though. The burden of being Headmaster of Hogwarts, the leader of the Orden of Phoenix and Voldemort's major opponent was almost too much for him. He had to keep the students safe, he had to keep Harry Potter and his twin safe. Elisha Potter…

Minerva heard him sigh desperately and asked with concern in her voice: "What are you thinking, Albus?"

"Elisha Potter." He only said. Then he explained his worries, he always confided in Minerva. "She is powerful and I'm not sure where to place her. I try to keep her strictly on the light side but I'm not sure wether she still is. The Dark Arts seem to fascinate her but I can't allow her to learn them, you know how obsessing they can be. Elisha is a mysterious person. The first time I met her, I felt that she has a strong personality, very much like her mother. I just hope, that she will be a support for Harry, not a trap.

"Did you know that she has already lerned Occlumency? She could block me completely from her mind. If she supported the Dark Side, we'd hardly stand a chance. Harry is powerful, too, but he doesn't seek new knowledge and powers just as much as she does. Tell me, what are your experiences with her?"

Minerva considered her words carefully before replying. "Well, she doesn't excel in Transfigurations. She barely manages second-sear stuff now. Of course, it is a rapide progress but it's nothing compared to what she does in Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. I don't think she's taking Transfiguration really serious, she concentrates on other subjects. But she works hard in the lessons. She's tough, if she wants to be, really clever and somewhat short-tempered.

"I don't think that your suspicions are reasonable. Miss Potter is a nice girl and she gets along fine with her brother and his friends and her own housemates. She might have been a bit snappy towards you but that's a normal attitude with teenagers. And don't forget that she has never had the chance to learn about magic. It's only natural for her to want to read every book she can get. Besides, she's a Ravenclaw…"

Albus looked thoughtfully. He wasn't fully convinced, but maybe Minerva was right. Maybe there really was nothing wrong with Elisha. He really had other things to worry about right now, but he would watch her.

"Could you nevertheless keep an eye on her, please?" he asked.

Minerva nodded: "Of course, I will."