She stared back at her reflection in astonishment, "my eyes!" she said.
"A symbol of your heritage," Ajax said, "Green is for the world-for life and vitality, the first sign."
"First, what do you mean first?" She rubbed her temples in confusion, this was all a bit too much for her to take in. "What other things are to come?"
Callisto looked up at the moon, her head poised and eyes full of ancient wisdom, "we can only guide, only you can walk the path. There are things that we can tell you, but for the most part you must find out for yourself. It is part of your journey."
"Not all is known to us," added Io, "we are the Three; the oldest and wisest of our kind, but even we do not remember all."
"Begin the search and all will be revealed to you," said Ajax, "you must learn some things on your own, just as she did before you."
"Who? You've mentioned this 'She' before, who is she?"
"I was but a young colt when she came, much in the same way as you did. Hogwarts was not here then only the forest and the lake. But she found us, just as the Huntress always will."
"The Huntress?"
All three lifted their heads to look up, their horns pointing up at the moon. There was something beautifully eerie about the picture before her; the Three with their heads' raised to stare at the moon, their shining reflection mirrored in the water in which she stood. Then, in unison they spoke, "she is the Daughter of the moon, the Defender of the innocent, the Champion of the light! When the world turns dark and evil begins to rise she will come. Whenever the innocent are in danger the Huntress will ride again."
She stood in silent awe; surely they weren't talking about her. How could she live up to that? She was barely more than a child.
"Do not worry your mind over such thoughts," said Io, lowering her head to look into Lily's eyes, "you will be ready when the time comes."
"But how will I know when the time comes? And what am I supposed to be ready to do?"
"Begin the search," said Callisto.
"Yes, you've said that," replied Lily frowning, their enigmatic speech was becoming incredibly irritating, "but what am I to search for? How am I supposed to search for something if I don't even know what it is?"
"Follow your instincts," answered Ajax. "We are only the guides."
Lily sighed and started to wade out of the lake, "then guide," she muttered grumpily.
She heard Io laugh softly, "have patience young one, and trust in yourself, trust in your heritage, trust in the Moonlit Ones."
Lily turned to face them on the bank and shivered, "So what do I do now, O guiders?"
"Whatever you want, the moon is beginning to set and your task here is complete. There will be no more surprises for you here tonight. I suggest you return and get some rest," advised Io.
"We will take you as far as the edge of the forest, from there you can make your own way," Ajax said.
"But-" Lily gestured to the silver tunic she wore, "I can't just walk into the castle like this! What do I say if I run into a teacher? 'Oh I thought it would be fun to dress up and run around in the castle in the middle of the night, professor'??"
Callisto and Ajax frowned as Io moved towards her, "Then you will have to fix your cloak," she pointed with her horn to the torn strips of cloth that lay at the edge of the lake. Lily was about to ask how they got there, but then she decided that it didn't really matter.
She walked over to them and knelt down picking up the pieces out of the water where they lay floating just beneath the surface. Holding them in her hands she ran her fingers over the wet, frayed edges. Looking up at the three who had come to stand behind her she said, "How do I fix it? I don't know any spells to fix clothes this badly torn."
"When you healed Arimis before it was not the words you thought or the wand action you imagined in your mind that healed him," Callisto said, "it was simply your wish."
"My wish?" repeated Lily sceptically.
"This is your realm," Ajax said, "all must obey you here."
'Realm?' she thought, that made her sound royal. Ajax's words sounded a little farfetched. How was she supposed to command magic as powerful as he suggested without her wand?
"Just try," urged Io gently.
Obediently Lily placed her pieces of cloak out on the ground in front of her; positioning them like a jigsaw so that they were in the right place. Then she stared blankly at them, she had absolutely no idea how to do this. To be honest she felt a little stupid, the events of the night had left her in awe of the powers she was supposed to have and the tasks she had to complete. She felt humbled by their unquestioning acceptance that a girl not yet seventeen from a muggle background who had never really shown any amazing promise before could be this woman- the Huntress.
Pulling herself together, determined to try for the sake of the Three she turned her mind to the task at her feet, "Erm…mend," she said, holding her hand over the cloth. Nothing happened. "You see?" she turned to the three, a wave of relief flowing through her, it was ok, she didn't have the powers that they were insisting she possessed, she wouldn't have to be the Huntress after all, "You must be wrong I can't be-"
"Don't talk, just command," interrupted Callisto.
Sighing she turned back round and put her hand out just as she had done before.
"You must really want it," said Io's voice.
Closing her eyes she thought about how cold she was, and about how worried she was that she would be found wearing the tunic and said, "Mend!"
She saw a shimmer of silver through her closed eyes and she opened them suddenly. Her cloak was whole again; but it had a faint silver sheen to it, steam radiated from it as the water evaporated into the air.
"It will fade," Ajax said, "now come. Your time here is over."
Lily got to her feet, swinging her cloak round her shoulders. They had been right after all, she thought, it must be true. But she didn't want such a gift, oh it sounded exciting to have all that power, but she just wanted to be normal. Power like this came with an amazing responsibility and duty, she felt it more like a burden than anything else. The weight settled on her young shoulders and as she bowed to an acceptance of her power the Three saw in her eyes a new light. She was no longer a child, her eyes still held the wonder of youth but this was shadowed by an agelessness that suggested she knew things that no mortal would.
Io walked forwards and bent her head, grabbing a fistful of her silky mane, Lily found herself seated on her back. Flanked either side by Ajax and Callisto Io moved off into the trees in a stately progress.
Without warning they broke into a gallop. Lily felt a brief flash of fear before she felt a fierce joy coursing through her veins. It was so right! She threw her arms up into the air, revelling in the speed, never once thinking that she could fall and gave a wild cry. From behind her in the forest she heard an answering cry coming from all directions resounding through the Forest.
And then they were at the edge of the trees, looking out at the castle that loomed ahead. Lily slipped down from Io's smooth back and landed gently on the ground. She turned to them and they bowed their heads to her.
"Until we meet again," Ajax said. Then the three whirled round and galloped majestically back into the Forbidden Forest.
Lily turned round and drew her cloak around her and made her solitary way back to the castle, her newly green eyes almost glowing as she paused to stare at the waning moon. Her bare feet did not slip on the wet grass beneath her for she moved with a catlike grace despite her tiredness.
Wearily she wondered what her life would be like now she had such an inalterable destiny. Would she be alone as she felt now? Beautifully aloof like the moon herself, surrounded by her faintly glittering attendants but outshining them all; destined to rein the night's sky in solitary splendour.
She didn't think she wanted to be isolated for eternity, despite the Charm she performed weekly she realised she didn't want to live her life like that forever. But for the moment she was thankful for it. It would save awkward questions about her changing appearance and any problems that would in all likelihood arise as a result of her adjusting to her new powers.
No, for the moment at least she would continue to hide- 'no not hide', she thought, 'I'm not hiding, just.…blending in.'
But she wouldn't be able to 'blend in' for that much longer, she was destined to stand out in a way that no-one who met her would be able to forget. But for now the girl who walked up though the dewy grass held but a hint of the beautiful, powerful young woman she would become.
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A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews people! I'm glad you enjoyed that last chapter and thought it worked well, I had trouble putting down into words what I saw in my head. It's nice to know that it came out ok. Hope you liked this chapter as much!
Aqualyne: yes, I love unicorns too, they rock!
Gazebo: it's going to be a while before she gets rid of the charm altogether, it's been a part of her life for a long time, but soon there will be modifications of it.
You know the drill people, you likey you reviewy ^__^