A/N: I must say this one took a while; I had to seat down with my beater and work out a time line just to get the facts right in the Forgotten and people I most quietly over quaint so that is way it takes so long to post this fic, plus I am working on part two of Dark Allie as well as this one, also I have written out all of this fic but it's a skeleton there's no real meat in them yet so thank you for waiting for this and I'll get right on the next chapter to fill it out. Enjoy.
Chapter 17: Deals and History
/ Telepathic /
24 December 1996 22:25 PM A.D
The Forgotten stood before them, alert and attentive to the smallest movement made in his presence. He was the centre of attention, holding their focus as surely as if he had held an automatic pistol trained on them. He was beautiful, and terrifying at the same time, so normal and so exotic, so mysterious.
The feel of magic filled the Great Hall sending the smallest of hairs on their bodies to tingling attention, reminding everyone that this was ancient magic, powerful, little understood and dangerous.
He was dressed in a flowing robe of fine black silk of a cut and style that permitted his wings to move freely without restriction. His hair, moving gently in the current of the magic flowing within the hall was a soft blonde and cut to his shoulders and tied back with the use of a black silk ribbon into a cue. The membrane of his wings, trembling gently in the power flows were of a light golden colour. The eyes that looked about the hall and marked each person were the colour of mercury and showed in their depths that this man, though he looked young, was in fact far older than the twenty six or so years he appeared.
The metallic eyes focused on Harry and the blonde head nodded in regal greeting though his tone implied a question. "Lord Silver?"
Harry, Nameless to those watching, nodded and smiled. "Yes and what is your name young leader?" He projected a deeper sounding voice than his natural tone, an echo of a time when he had been older and wielded great power as a Dragon Lord. 'God damn it. I forgot that to them I had another name and Lord Silver is how it translates to those listening in English. I can't afford to make these kinds of mistakes. I need to deal with these people carefully and forgetting something as simple as that is not a good way to start.'
Watching carefully Albus looked up and gave a small smile at the look not quite hidden on Harry's face at the utterance of the name Lord Silver. Only the long years of reading faces, students and parents, teachers, politicians and Ministry of Magic personnel enabled him to see that momentary discomfort.
'Ah, forget something, did you? Some thing that has the potential to reflect on this meeting in a bad light if you are not more careful, I think. Most interesting. It looks like Harry has a few more titles than even I do at the moment.' He paused and then gave a little chuckle to himself. 'Something we can sit down and have a nice talk about.'
The winged man's lips curved into a smile and he walked forward to the edge of the focus circle surrounding him. Those mercury eyes swept again over those who watched before settling once more on Harry.
"My name is Shar, Lord Silver. How may my people serve you?" Blonde hair shimmered in the lighting as he dipped forward into a slight bow to Harry.
"Shar. It is a good name for a leader of the Forgotten. Time has passed and as a reflection of that perhaps you should stop calling me Lord Silver. My name, for now at least, is Nameless. How are your people faring on that world to which you moved over 2000 years ago? Have you lived in peace and safety?"
Harry spoke to Shar while making a restraining motion at everyone else in the room, particularly at Professors McGonagall and Snape as they both tried for closer looks at the shimmering runes, edging closer to the circles. He could not afford for there to be any disturbance of the circles and he needed to keep the area clear and controlled. It was natural that they were curious about Shar, he himself was, but that would have to wait for another time.
"We live. We survive and that is all that we can do for we can not prosper without the holy city's power. The city remains on your world, Nameless and without it… "
Shar lifted one wing in a slight shrug and his eyes flickered once again around the room this time taking particular care to examine the faces of those who watched. As he concluded each examination he nodded to them, having memorized them and they felt that somehow he had assessed them.
The Head Boy looked at the Professors. "Holy City? What is it and where is it?" He whispered, looking from the teaching staff to the Headmaster within the elemental circle, hoping that at least one of the elders present would answer.
Albus raised an eyebrow at the comment glancing at the Head Boy but shrugged his shoulders in an elegant and clear 'I don't know' gesture. After a moment's consideration of the forces surrounding them all he whispered a summoning charm and a chair appeared in the centre of his circle. His old bones were feeling every year this night and his arm was starting to hurt.
Harry sucked in a startled breath as the chair appeared within the elemental circle but there was not so much as a flicker in the power flows of the greater spell and he had to admire the old Headmasters skill. Dumbledore still knew more than he of the nuances of magic and he had to respect that knowledge. Only with age could you gain such flawless ease with the Art.
Shar too was watching and those metallic eyes centered on the old man within the circle. Though the young looking face remained emotionless Harry noted that Shar was giving the Headmaster of Hogwarts something more that a degree of respect from his initial assessment. It was no small display of knowledge and ability to work a summoning charm within the power flows dedicated to the ancient magic.
He watched as Dumbledore settled himself within the embrace of the chair, his heavy robes whispering as he settled and Harry spared a glance at the Head Boy then focused once again on Shar though he did, after a moment, decide to give some background to the listeners.
"The Holy City is in fact one of the out lying cities of the old Elven Empire that was wiped out more than two millennium ago. What became known as the Holy City was originally named Ice Cliff, a most appropriate name in truth as it was built within the arctic ice cap. Originally it was to be used as an outpost against the attacks of the evil dragons of that region, mostly the blues and lesser whites. Later it became something else entirely."
Professor Sprout stepped forward but eased back again when Harry waved a hand in a cautionary reminder that no one was to get too close to the circles. "The Elven Empire fell more than two millennia ago? How do you know about it, Nameless?"
"I know." It came out as a whisper yet it seemed to carry on the very currents of magic that circulated throughout the room. "It has been almost three thousand years since the Elven collapse when the Dragon Host was raised up to become a power in its own right. In our turn, as is the way of things, we fell. More than 2000 years ago with the rise of the Ministry of Magic and its gain of power within the magical world the Dragon Host fell. We did not last so long as the Elves. No great accomplishment, I think."
Harry saw Tonks and Hermione look over at him from where they stood within the elemental circles and he was uncertain just what it was that he saw in their eyes. Rowena and Silvenestri were standing on the far side of the circles watching and listening with an apparent lack of interest in what they were discussing. Waiting, he guessed for the more important matters to be raised.
After a moment Dumbledore leaned forward and there was a gleam in his eyes that was notable despite the faint shimmer that occasionally rippled through the elemental circle that surrounded him. " Dragon Host? So you are a member of this Dragon Host?"
His eyes flickered up to meet Harry's and Harry felt the light brush of his mind and knew that there was no force behind the probe. It almost seemed a caress even as it was an enquiry. Looking into Harry's eyes Dumbledore saw there something… an old hurt, a loss for a life that was forever gone but nothing of his emotions and no memories penetrated his shield.
'I have got to stop trying to do that. He has learned well and now his mind is very well protected… Protected enough to survive Voldemort, I think but I must be certain he does not drop his guard. Besides, if I am fortunate one day I may just catch him out and I might be lucky to learn something of the Rune Magic. Did it originate with the Dragon Lords or perhaps from somewhere else? I love learning about new magic and techniques and Rune magic, the little that we know, has always fascinated me. I have only Harry who may know the answers.'
Harry snorted softly his gaze wandering over the Great Hall and coming to rest for a moment on Tonks. "I am the last of the Dragon Host unless I father another rider or find another suitable and a dragon for him to ride."
Tonks felt his eyes on her and shook her head, turning away at the thought of having a child with Harry as yet. Perhaps in some years she might consider it but now she had too much to learn, too much to do and she was in no way interested in his dynastic ideals.
Albus, watching the by play carefully gave an amused snort at the look Silver flashed to Nameless and couldn't help but chuckle. When he thought of that particular young woman having a baby he shuddered. He knew who she was and while some dismissed her he knew better. She was stronger willed than most gave her credit for and he know that if Harry, or Nameless wished children then Tonks, or Silver as she was this night, would be holding him at bay for some years yet to come. It could lead to some most interesting fireworks in the domestic situation. He would watch with interest as matters developed.
Rowena stirred, moving to walk around the power circles until she stood behind Harry and knew that she had all of their attention, Dumbledore included. "It was my fascination with Nameless that made me want to build the school here and not somewhere else. I have had a crush on him for over 1000 years now but I suppose that I shall have to settle for the knowledge that Silver will take care of him. Apparitions are not the warmest of companions on cold nights."
Shar stirred, extending delicate fingers to sample the power flows and after a moment, satisfied with what he sensed he spoke. "If you will it I shall tell you of how my people came to be in this world and how we came to reside upon another?"
Dumbledore, delighted at the prospect of a history lesson sampled the flows of magic himself and determined they were strong and stable. He nodded acceptance of the offer and ignoring the rather disgruntled Nameless who had suddenly had his prime position usurped by Shar and Dumbledore conjured some chairs for everyone to make them selves comfortable. Shar, with a flick of his wings and curve of delicate fingers produced a cushion for him to sit upon and with his wings arched for a moment he settled, cross legged then drew his wings close to his back.
"Once, long ago, my people were Elves. Our city was a small one and insignificant amid the Empire. At any given time there would have been no more than 2000 people within its walls. We were of no importance to those of greater rank who had their games of control and advancement though had they known of our secret I do not doubt that they would have noticed us. Beneath the city that my ancestors called home lay the nest of the last of the gold dragons. For the births of three Elven generations we had lived with them in peace and the two races left each other alone. We had enjoyed something more than 200 years without attack or disease disrupting our lives when disaster struck. In this age we know not why or how it came about that one of our Spellweavers went mad and in his insanity tried to gain control of the Heart Stone of the city."
"Heart stone?" Dumbledore prompted, shifted slightly forward in his chair and interrupting Shar.
Both the gleam in his eyes and the relaxed lines of his face showed how much he was enjoying this new font of information. 'Ah, Merlin! This is so much better than watching the old Headmasters and Mistresses of Hogwarts fight over the things they did years ago. Living history is wonderful.' He thought with a small smile.
"The Heart Stones are the key to Elven magic. Without these stones we can't use spells of any kind within our own walls. You see elves draw their magic from the land around them but it was decided long in the past that magic should be controlled within the home. As cities developed this was adopted to include not just the domicile of the wielder, but his home environment as well. Magic must be monitored else unauthorized use might endanger the people. So it came to be that within the walls of our cities all magic would be drawn through the Heart Stone of which there was one to a city. Thus was the need to use magic possible yet also monitored for the good of all residence."
Dumbledore considered this and nodded his understanding, well aware of the need to contain and control magic in an inherently magical society. There had to be checks and balances else anarchy reined.
Shar bowed his head to the old man and continued. "The Spellweaver managed to circumvent the guards placed upon the Heart Stone's tower and within the chamber housing the stone he started to absorb the power contained within the stone. Other Spellweavers and some guards became aware of his intentions and fought against the drain his interference was causing. My ancestor, a many times removed grandmother survived with some skill remaining to her succeeded in reaching him and fought him for control of the stone. The family chronicles say that the fight lasted for many hours and as a result of the strains placed upon the stone by their battle for control the Heart Stone cracked and was destroyed in a conflagration that destroyed the tower and combatants. It goes without saying that you can not release that much magical energy without there being consequences. The Dragon nest beneath the city was also destroyed. There was another effect, one no one could have foreseen. Dragons are an inherently magical creature and even as their nest and they themselves were destroyed their magical energy, driven by the unleashed powers of the Heart Stone meshed and bonded with the Elven survivors. A mere 500 of the city dwellers survived the distortion of the tower and their city."
Harry sighed softly and settled into his seat. Everyone was ignoring him, their attention focused on Shar and the golden gleaming wings of a dragon at his back. He knew that he was not going to regain their attention or be able to speak to the Forgotten until this story had been told. It seemed that Shar was a natural born storyteller and he held them captivated with his tale of a time long past.
"Those in command of the Empire did not choose to investigate the destruction of an entire city. We were a small city, remote and of no importance. My ancestors were left for dead and to fend for themselves. It is without doubt that travelers would have taken word back to the Empire of the destruction of the city and no doubt there were rumors of what might have happened to destroy an entire city but no one came to investigate. Few there were who would brave the ice and snow of the wasteland my ancestors called home, fewer still had any reason to seek us out. They were left to survive as best they could or die. It was not a simple or easy thing to survive amid those conditions with so little to assist them but they were a hardy folk and they were never of a mind to wait on the officials of the Empire to offer aid to them for anything. They were simply too far away from those with the power to help to expect any aid to reach them and thus they did not wait for it. It was hard but it was not impossible and they lived to build at first shelters and then a village in which to eek out an existence. Why no one expected there to be lasting repercussions from the magical distortion that destroyed the city with the tower I do not understand, but from the records that exist today I know that they were greatly disturbed when the first births occurred. The unleashed magic of the Hearth Stone that killed so many of the people and destroyed to the last egg the nest of the Dragons had cursed – or blessed, depending on your point of view, the generations to follow. Those first born were not quite as I and others are this day but they had wings much like mine though there was initially evidence of scales upon their bodies in those early days. Marked by the Dragons demise the children were healthy and strong, clever and proven to be surprisingly wise for their years as they developed."
All eyes save those of Nameless who had heard this story before were centered on the Forgotten and he seemed undisturbed by their stares. Nor was he fooled by the apparent disinterest of the one who had asked to be named with no name. Shar sat quietly and waited for the questions he knew must be asked.
Hermione was the first to break the silence, her voice soft and low but clearly heard within the Great Hall. "So you are descended of those children who somehow had become a part of the dragons. That is why you have wings but what about this city? The Holy City?"
Shar turned his shining metallic eyes to her and dipped his head in a small respectful bow, a soft smile lit his face. "The magical essence of the gold dragons was released with the explosion of magic from the Heart Stone and such is the nature of the Elven magic that it was absorbed by those few who survived. If nothing else Dragons are great survivors and the drive to survive is a part of all that is a part of the Earth itself. The wings that mark us to this day are the legacy of the dragons we account to be our ancestors. Elves can be a stubborn lot and dragons even more so. The city that was so much rubble had been home to both races and neither side of the merged creatures was willing to abandon that which had been home. That first generation of Forgotten, the product of both dragon and elf, determined to rebuild the city and remain amid the ice and snow. It suited them to become forgotten for many of the Elves of that time were intolerant and would have thought nothing of wiping such abominations from the face of the earth. In time the reconstruction of the city produced a city that become somewhat more beautiful than it had been originally. The blend of elf and dragon lent itself to a different style of architecture and art that was unique. Though I have never seen the city I have viewed art works that depict many of its wonders. I would have liked to see it."
A soft sigh escaped him and after a moment he shook his wings, seeming to wake from a doze.
"The city was rebuilt and for a time it thrived. Those Elves who had survived the destruction of Ice Cliff began to die far earlier than they should have given the life span of an Elf but it undoubtedly was a result of the destruction of the Hearth Stone. Soon their children marked with the dragon's legacy out numbered them. It was near this time, when there were few of the original survivors left that travelers from the Elven Empire chanced upon the place we now called the Holy City for it filled our people with magic that was the legacy of the dragons. Those Elves who found them were shocked and while a very few were accepting none could forget that we were no longer elves. Most were shocked and cursed us as being some thing that was other and therefore it was undesirable that they continue to exist. Our ancestors were not natural and that is against the Elven order of things. They called us The Forgotten, the Forbidden and Abomination for we were neither elf nor dragon yet filled with the magic of both. It was learned very early on by the parents of the first Forgotten that their children were not limited to the Elven form of Magic. They were able to use the Elven magic with the ease of their parents but they also had the ability to cast magic as only a dragon could. No focus, no Heart Stones were required for them to use magic and they could go beyond the villages and cities of the elves and use magic freely without any great preparation. It frightened them, I think, to see how easily my ancestors could use what had required great concentration and training before. Only human wizards had been able to cast magic in forlorn and lonely places away from the Heart Stones and the human wizards then beginning to come into existence required some focus such as the wands that I see you still wield to this day."
Harry jumped into the pause then, taking the opportunity to break into the conversation. "It was not long after the Elven peoples learned of the Holy City and the Forgotten that my people raised up from the ranks of the first human wizards to take what power we could. Most of the time this was accomplished by force as the Elves considered the humans to be little more than apes. The Dragon Lords desire to take what was there and show the Elves that they were not animals started the war between the Elves and the Dragon Host that lasted for generations. In time the elves started to die out and the Dragon Host gained strength as they bred faster than the Elves whose life would number in the centuries whilst man's life was an eye blink in comparison. The Host took control of the old lands that had been under Elven control, destroying the cities one by one and the Hearth Stones, weakening the elves further with each stone destroyed. With the earthquake that sent Atlantis, the Elven capitol to the bottom of the ocean the fate of the Elves was sealed. It was a blow that they would never recover from. In time the Dragon Host also found the Forgotten in their ice bound city and waiting for us to attack them. But to the surprise of the Forgotten and the few Elves with them, we didn't attack."
Shar stirred, absently flicking golden strands of hair over his shoulder. "The Dragon Host saw the merging of Elf and Dragon and instead of reviling us as unnatural they acknowledged us as being the ultimate merge. They could merge mind to mind, soul to soul with their dragons, but they could not merge physically and they revered a species who were naturally so close to dragon kind. With the Dragon Host's acceptance of the Forgotten our people became close and alliances formed. We helped them where needed and they helped us to survive and indeed to thrive within the ice locked city. The Dragon Host were there to aid my ancestors when they needed to flee as the ice caps grew and the ice shelf threatened to crush the city. It was at this time that the Ministry of Magic, that uniquely human organization began to hunt down the Dragon Lords and as is the way of the cycle of life, to take their turn in control of the mysteries of magic. So that is the story."
Gold and Silver nodded slowly, thinking over what had been said while others exchanged long looks, some in wonder and others in awe of 'living history'. The Head Boy and Head Girl were looking between Nameless and Shar as though they had gained two heads in the last few minutes and within his elemental circle Albus Dumbledore gave thought to a very large file locked away within the Department of Mystery deep within the Ministry of Magic.
'The Cycle of Life, Shar? Yes, it is a cycle and maybe Harry is not so far off being right that the Ministry is becoming a little too controlling over the years. Yet if the Ministry falls, what is there, who is there, to stand between the people and raw magic unleashed? A balance must be maintained.'
Harry stirred, flicking a gaze about him and noting that everyone was still seated and most looked to be lost in their own thoughts. With a small sigh he turned to face the Forgotten. "Much time has passed and the icecaps are receding. The spells that preserve your city against the pressure of the ice are still active, I feel them faintly. With the retreat of the ice your city will be accessible soon enough but first we will need to bring your people safely to this planet. There is also the matter of the Muggles to be considered. It would not do for them to learn of the city or its inhabitants."
Shar looked curious at the mention of Muggles, never having heard the term before but he offered a small bow to Nameless to acknowledge his promise that the city still existed.
"As once was stated in the agreement between our two races, we who were named the Forgotten stand ready to come to the aid of the Dragon Lords when called. You need to open the gate from your side to this world and we will be ready on this side to come through, Nameless. We will fulfill the oaths of the Accord that is our agreement and aid the Dragon Lords that survived the ravages of time to summon us back to our rightful place." Shar gracefully rose to his feet and this time offered a deeper bow full of respect to Harry.
Harry nodded. "Good. I summoned you here this night to make certain you had survived on that other world and to enquire if you were ready and willing to return. I hope that the next time we meet it will be face to face Shar." He stood and motioned to the others within the elemental circles.
Dumbledore sighed as he heaved himself to his feet. His aching body wanted to sleep and rest but his mind was alive with the thirst for knowledge and the sheer delight to have met a Forgotten. With a deft sweep of his wand he caused the chairs he had conjured to vanish, unceremoniously dumping certain people onto their butts with squawks of protest and could not resist the chuckle. Harry flashed and surprised glance at the Headmaster and stifled the urge to laugh.
Shar, smirking, offered a deep bow to the Head Master and turned to Harry. "As do I Nameless, as do I." He touched his gaze to those who watched by way of farewell and his gaze lingered longest on Hermione within her circle before sliding once more to Harry. "I have no doubt that I shall find the world much changed and most intriguing."
Harry inclined his head by way of his own farewell and reached deep within himself to pick up once more the threads of control that bound the old magic. The circles began to pulse, glowing brighter and brighter and those within the elemental circles were aware of the pulse beat that was most closely described as a heartbeat the longer it endured. Dumbledore, eyes narrowed, extended all of his mastery of magic to follow the ebb and flow of the intricately woven magic and how Harry began to carefully unravel the knot.
'Ah, he has talent. I was right about this one. Gently there, Harry. That feels like a major conjunction… Ah, yes. Good, my boy. Very good.'
The Great Hall was once again resonating; vibrating with the magic and the spectators had backed away from the circles. With a complex twisting of his fingers Harry took up the final chord of magic and severed it, allowing the power flows to fall away and the Great Hall resounded with a bell like tone. Surprised Harry looked about him but neither the teachers nor Rowena seemed disturbed by the effect though the others present were looking about them in surprise. Before him Shar faded away and with an audible snap of energy the five circles flared with light and vanished. Shar vanished as the circle dissipated leaving behind the cushion he had been seated on as the Great hall was plunged into darkness.
Dumbledore was the first to break the silence as with a flick of his wand torches flared into life and the Hall brightened. He surveyed the damage done to the ceiling enchantment and considered this display of Rune Magic well worth the effort to replace the spells.
"So that is what you needed Fawkes' feather for. To get in touch with your allies and let them know that they could soon return." He shook out his robes and walked up to Harry.
Feeling the ebbing pulse of the rune magic still draining from Nameless he resisted the urge to grip his shoulder. He needed to remember that Harry had no idea that he knew who he was and this was not the time for such revelations.
Harry nodded and taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself after wielding the magic he walked back towards the head table, with each stride feeling the diminishing magic within him. Tonks, Hermione and Silvenestri moved to follow behind him though Rowena remained floating in place, watching with the eyes only an apparition could claim the ghostly lingering essence of the circles. By dawn the last of the circles magical emanations would be gone and until then she would linger to monitor the site until she considered it clear for the students to move freely within the Hall.
"Yes that is what I needed the feather for. I and my friends will be leaving you now to rest if you do not have any questions?" He was tired and wanted to sleep and he still had to make it to bed.
Professor Sprout was quick to ask a question before Harry had the chance to leave either by magical means or by the more mundane method of placing one foot before the other.
"Just how old are you Nameless? From that discussion with Shar you are at least 2000 years of age." She eyed the young man who bore a striking resemblance to Harry but she could feel the magic in that distortion and wondered what he really looked like.
Harry smiled "No I am not that old. Some days I feel as young as sixteen and other days I feel positively ancient. I suppose you could say that I have the mind of a twenty three year old and the capability and training for magic of a two thousand year old. I am all of these ages and many more." He proffered a small bow to the Professor by way of an apology for answering in a riddle.
Snape was next and both his voice and demeanor said he did not like this man who claimed to be a Dragon Lord and whose face was shielded with magic and so resembled Harry. "If you are a member of the Dragon Host then where is your dragon?" His voice held its classic sneer as he watched the man with the girls surrounding him. It reminded him of a harem.
Harry smiled, baring his teeth a little liking Snape as much as Snape like him. "She is around. If you must know then I suggest you talk to Dumbledore. After all, he has had men trying to find her for something a little over a month now. Last question, if you please." He flashed a glance over those assembled trying to gage who it might be to ask the next question. 'I just hope he doesn't find out its Silvenestri.'
Minerva beat them, turning to face Harry in a swirl of dark green robes. "Tell me, Nameless. What do you have to do to join your ranks?" She walked slowly towards him, her head held high and no doubt in her voice.
Albus just raised an eyebrow at her comment wondering if she was willing to join Harry and his little group and on reflection he decided it was possible. Minerva had always had a mind of her own and a passion for causes that quite often had left him breathless. Everyone else in the Hall but Harry and Dumbledore looked at her in shock at the very thought that Minerva McGonagall might be willing to join a renegade in this war and not work with Dumbledore and the Order.
Harry considered the Professor for a long moment and the reactions of those others watching. "In this battle we are allies, not enemies and to succeed we must always remember that. If you wish to join with the group then go outside and into the Forbidden Forest and wait there for someone to come to you. Now, I beg you to excuse us. It has been a trying day and we all need to rest." His last words were uttered on a gust of wind that kicked up out of nowhere and he and his friends faded away.
Rowena observed the reactions of those who remained and faded out though she lingered as she began to cast charms to return the tables to their accustomed places. She paused, surprised to note that the cushion on which Shar had sat was still in existence and after a moment she charmed it to her room. No need to draw attention to this remnant of the night's activities.
Dumbledore walked over to Minerva and rested his good hand on her shoulder. "Minerva? What are you thinking? For all we know he could be willing to defeat Voldemort and his followers from becoming the Dark Lord of this time with the intention of defeating the Ministry and bringing back the Dragon Host. Why are you speaking of joining him?" He looked into her eyes trying to fathom what he saw there. 'I need to learn more of Harry as he is now, as he is when the Dragon Lord persona takes him and I can do that best if Minerva is willing to help.'
"Have you forgotten that I can sense other people's magical energy? Those four who came tonight have energy signatures very close to some of the students in this school. The signatures are close but not a perfect match." Minerva spoke to Albus though her gaze did tract to the other listeners. She did not know about the others but she suspected that Albus knew who Nameless was and possibly the identities of the girls with him.
Flitwick walked up to Minerva. "What did their energy's feel like? More appropriately I think the question should be 'Who' did their feel like?" He asked in his small voice while looking into the eyes of his good friend for many years.
Minerva's gaze tracked over each in turn and then around the Great Hall and up to study the disruption in the roof enchainment. "The one that he named Violet had an energy signature very close to that of Hermione Granger in both the depth and type of potential. Almost identical but marked by a difference best described I believe as organized chaos compared to Hermione's neatly organized energies. Silver was showing very strong powers that I equate to a Metamorphmagus and ability to match the powers reminiscent of Tonks. Again it is similar but very different." She paused to wait for questions but none came and so she continued. "As for the little girl… that one should be watched carefully. The signature I sensed in her is off the scale and difficult to read because of its intensity and there is only one person I know that has that distinctively pure and concentrated signature at so young an age. Harry's charge, Silvenestri has that spike that is very distinctive but you have to remember that if you find one person with such a signature then undoubtedly you will find another in the world who can mirror it."
Snape considered Minerva for a long moment. "Well then, I believe that we need to learn more of Harry's charge. We need to exactly who she is, where she comes from and if she knows anything about this Dragon Lord." 'And while we are at it I can finish my contest with her without the distraction of the class running out.' He mused.
Minerva looked at Snape with narrowed eyes. "I will not permit you to do anything to that child Snape. Not now or ever you, do you understand?" Her voice suggested that disobedience would incur retribution in a form that would make what the fake Moody had done to Malfoy seem to be a walk in the park compared to what Minerva would do to him.
Snape sniffed, glared at Minerva before nodding and then stalking out of the hall and down to his room's to think. Despite what Minerva thought they needed to gather intelligence on this mysterious little girl who could stand up to him in a staring contest and just now he needed to entertain himself by thinking of ways to take points from Potter for having a doppelganger walking around.
Professor Sprout considered the dark robed Potions Master as he stalked off before placing a hand on Minerva's shoulder. "What about this Nameless or Lord Silver as he's known? What did you sense from him?"
"Now that is a mystery. His power is also off the usual scales I use to measure potential. In fact his power is marginally greater than yours Albus, if only barely and I sense too a lack of experience. It is very close to the potential I feel from Harry but it is not the same."
Albus looked at the professors still gathered and then into Minerva's eyes "This is interesting and will need to be investigated but it does not answer my question. Why are you joining his ranks Minerva?" He was hoping that she would change her mind about joining this with this Lord Silver and his cohorts or that she would but would agree to tell him what she found out. His eyes looking deeply into hers carried this message and he could only hope that she would choose to heed it.
Minerva sighed softly and turned, walking toward the doors to the Great Hall. She smiled as she looked back and nodded farewell. "I am joining his ranks because I believe he will be the one to win this war. Not you or the Order, not Voldemort and his minions and not Fudge and his fools in the Ministry. I think it will be Nameless and his followers who will have the victory and I have waited a long time to see Voldemort fall. Now if that is all, I have a meeting to attend."
'What then, Minerva? You just told the others his identity though they have not as yet realized it. The prophecy is known to us all and they will put the pieces together. While you join your Dragon Lord I ask you to remember what the Dragon Host was and do you think we can maintain a balance between the Muggle world and the magical world if the Host should return? I hope you think of that, my dear.'
Minerva McGonagall walked out of the castle and into the forest leaving a group of wondering professors and a very interested Dumbledore in the Great Hall to decide what it would be best to do concerning the Lord Silver and his army of Forgotten that would arrive to battle Voldemort.
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McGonagall had to admit she had always had an attraction for power and powerful friends but unlike certain others she had never let it go to her head. Voldemort and his Death Eaters lived for power and little else and she had never been greedy for power.
'Some days it is hard to believe that Tom was a class mate of mine. He always struck me as an odd boy though I thought initially that might have been the result of his Muggle father. I always had a feeling that he was going to do something that would make our year look bad and I guess you could say I was right. He makes Hogwarts look bad, not just our year.' She mused.
She was at this time standing inside the Forbidden Forest with her wand at the ready in case of trouble and looking around trying to detect if any of Nameless's friends were coming. The sound of Hagrid singing wafted through the forest with all the subtlety of fingernails on a blackboard and she had to smile fondly as the kind hearted half-giant walked out of the woods. He emerged from the castle side and had his crossbow at the ready as the Centaurs were still attacking anyone other than their own kind they chanced to find within the forest.
"Hello Professor. What brings you out into the woods tonight?" Hagrid asked taking a seat on a tree stump nearby and pulling a clay bottle from his coat. He took a sip before offering the bottle to Minerva.
"Like you, Hagrid, she is here to see if she can join us." A soft voice issued from the forest before Minerva could accept the bottle and down a sip of Hagrid's rather remarkable home brewed whisky. One sip of the brew was usually enough to get you merrily drunk or, as usually happened, pass out.
"Is that you, Gold?" McGonagall called into the woods her wand at the ready as Hagrid climbed to his feet with his crossbow primed and ready should they need to do battle with some denizen of the forest.
"No, but you are close Professor. It's Violet. If both of you would please come this way, we can go meet with Nameless and some of your questions will be answered." Hermione, still disguised, stepped out of the woods and with the half giant and Professor following she led them into the woods and to Silvenestri lair.
An hour of walking n the deeper darkness of the woods brought them into the clearing with the low mouthed cave on the far side. Seated at the cave mouth was Nameless and Silver in a deep embrace, mouths locked in a kiss while Silver ran her hands through his hair.
"Get a room you two!" Hermione called. "We have guests."
Harry and Tonks broke apart as Hermione joined them and Harry, still in the guise of Nameless grinned at her, unrepentant.
Hermione snorted softly in disgust but could not quite hide the smile. 'I swear they are going to be impossible once they can do that in public. They'll never keep their hands off each other.'
"Ah, you're here. Good." Nameless looked to Hagrid and Minerva and ignored the looks he was being subjected to. Could he help it if he was so distracted by the charms of his lady that he was not prepared for their arrival? "Now then, what do you want to know before joining this group? After all, it is the Order that has more power right now than this small band and you would have more position and opportunity with them at this time. I ask you what it is that you want out of this?" Harry stood, Tonks rising with him and Hermione stood to one side, smirking at the amount of trouble Tonks was having straightening her robes and trying to look dignified.
"I consider it manners, Nameless, to not be canoodling in public and to have the grace to show the world your true face when you are enlisting supporters." Minerva tartly commented, noting that Hagrid was peering around as though he expected something to emerge from the forest and he was not certain if it would be friend or foe. 'It is time to see if my guess is correct and also to make them think a little on the seriousness of this endeavor. Goodness me, how do they expect to get anything done if they can't keep their paws to themselves the minute they think they are alone?'
Harry smiled "How rude of me. Sorry Professor, but I assumed that you would have worked it out by now. Here let's get rid of these faces and put on our real ones, ladies." The older face of Harry melted away and the Harry Potter Minerva knew was standing before with Hermione on his left and Tonks hanging off his right arm. "There. Much better. Are there any questions Professor before we let you join this group or change your memories of this meeting?" Harry gave Tonks a quick hug and watched as Hagrid gave him a quick glance and returned to his survey of the forest and Minerva folded her hands neatly before her. 'God let them not change there minds. I really don't want to cast that spell again.'
"Of course I know who you are, Harry Potter and I have a few things to discuss with you not the least of which is your amorous behavior at the most inappropriate moments. That we will leave for another time but we will discuss it, I assure you. Now then, why are you against Dumbledore? I thought you would be working with him to defeat Voldemort?" Minerva walked up to her two top students while looking at Tonks with a raised eyebrow at her clinging to Harry's arm.
Harry smiled, running a hand over Tonks' back while the other rested on his hip. "I am not so much against him as…" Harry hesitated under those intense eyes. Minerva McGonagall had always been able to make him stop and think with just a look. "He leaves out information that I need. It's important information that I have a right to know and no matter how much I ask for it he ignores my requests."
'Demands and whining.' Flashed through Minerva's mind. 'You really have no idea of how much that man tries to protect you, do you, young man? Ah well, what more can I expect considering the necessity of having you grow up at the Dursley's?'
"Then when he does tell me it's too late for it to make a difference to the fight. I have to face Voldemort and how can I do that without all of the answers? I'm not really against him, Professor I'm just not working with him at the moment."
'You want all the answers do you? Do you even know all of the questions? Have you thought for a minute that perhaps Albus does not have the answers to the questions you do have? No, of course not. To the young everything is urgent and black and white. There are no shades of grey when you are sixteen.'
Hagrid was still looking around, peering into the woods when the sound of wood breaking was heard on the far side of the cave. Hagrid's head snapped up and he looked eagerly in that direction. Harry had to smile, knowing full well what the half giant was hoping to see. Hagrid had such a fascination for dragons.
"Silvenestri, do you have to be so loud? I'm trying to talk!" Harry yelled into the woods. /For a hunter, my dear, your so damned loud. /
/ Humph! You try catching deer in this thick forest when you're my size and see just how quiet you are. / Was the tart come back.
"Harry, why are you yelling at a little girl?" McGonagall asked walking over to join Harry and Tonks.
Hermione smirked and decided to head into the cave. She knew what was going to happen next and while she liked the dragon she really was not up to witnessing her table manners… or lack there of.
Harry nodded at the Professor and smiled. Time to get one up on McGonagall, he decided. "Your right Professor, I am sorry I yelled at her. Silvenestri! I'm sorry for being crotchety. You can come in now and eat." / And we are not done with that talk about size, my dear. After all, you are going to be the biggest dragon on the earth if we can't get you to mate with a lesser. / Harry finished the thought with a sight laugh.
/ A lesser/ The hiss was full of indignant rage in his mind. / I'd like to see you mate with a common mutt/
The ground seemed to vibrate with each footstep as Silvenestri in full temper stomped into the clearing a rather large deer hanging from her mouth, blood streaming from the wound in its neck.
Minerva backed up at the sight before her while Hagrid looked on with awe at the silver dragon as she dropped her kill in the flattened grass patch next to the cave. Hagrid did a little wiggle of delight that dropped Harry's jaw in shock as he watched the half giant take a bold step closer to watch the dragon crouch over her kill. Hagrid looked like he had received all of his Christmas presents at once and Harry had no doubt that he just wanted to spoil Silvenestri to death.
"Now, my dear, isn't that a bit big for you?" Harry asked after seeing that Silvenestri had hunted one of the largest bucks he had ever seen. / You'll get fat and then those 'common mutt's' as you term them will be able to catch you in the mating flight. /
Silvenestri looked up at Harry and growled at him, baring her fangs before taking the head off the kill with one bite. / Dream on. I'm much too fast for those lesser curs and if you were any sort of Dragon Lord you would not even consider mentioning those dumb toy dragons in the same breath as 'mating flight'. I am very disappointed in you. /
Hermione peered around the entrance to the cave, disappointed that neither Hagrid nor the professor had taken to their heels at sight of the dragon before blanching at the crunch of bone and vanishing back inside.
Minerva did look a little green at the sight of Silvenestri tearing into her dinner but managed to contain the reflex to part with her last meal. "Harry, why is she eating now? I though she ate at lunch and was in the Great Hall for dinner?" While she had thus far managed to keep her own dinner down she knew that her face must be turning greener by the second at the sight of Silvenestri ripping open the bucks belly and sticking her nose into the steaming entrails.
"Yes that is true, she had eaten but you see, it's been a week since she last had a fresh kill. She needs this now otherwise the whole school would know I am looking after a very young dragon and not a little girl who turned six last week." Harry watched undisturbed as Silvenestri took the hind leg of her kill between her forepaws and stripping the meat from it with gleaming bloodied teeth. The crunch of bone followed and Silvenestri's head again dipped to bury her nose deep in the disemboweled buck.
"How can you watch that?" Minerva turned away and fighting to keep her dinner down and noted Hermione just within the cave.
Harry smiled at her and shrugged. He was just glad that Silvenestri had a healthy appetite and looked around in time to see Hermione stick her head out of the cave and then vanish back inside on discovering that the dragon had not yet finished eating. Tonks had taken shelter from the sight by fitting her head in under Harry's arm and Hagrid was taking another cautious step closer to the feasting dragon, not at all disturbed by the gruesome sight.
"You get use to it after seeing her eat for six years, Professor. Was there anything else you wanted to know?"
Minerva waved a hand in the air absently, too busy trying not to lose her dignity and her dinner in one fell blow and taking the opportunity Hagrid jumped into the conversation.
"Harry why have you only told Tonks and Hermione here about Silvenestri and the other things you can do now? You know its not good to let young dragons gorge. They can get dragon colic."
Harry blinked. Hagrid had not taken his eyes from Silvenestri. "I needed to tell Hermione because I needed her to look after her when I had class or was training. Besides, this is Hermione we are talking about. Can you really see her not finding out within a few weeks?" He ignored Hermione's protest from within the cave mouth. "As for Tonks, well that should be easy enough to spot the reason." Harry dropped his head to whisper to Tonks who nodded and hastily entered the cave.
Silvenestri belched, sitting back on her haunches and shaking her bloody head. Taking the belch as a signal that the coast was clear Hermione exited the cave and gave Harry a dirty look for his cheek and wishing that she could have been elsewhere while the dragon enjoyed her meal. A second belch rumbled through the clearing and the dragon settled down to cleaning her teeth with dexterous use of her tongue.
"Ok Harry that was all I wanted to know for now." 'Please, don't let them be like teenage fraternities and want initiation ceremonies. I'm getting too old for this.' "What do we need to do to join this group?" Minerva had a handle on her dinner now and was careful not to look directly at the bloody patch of ground that was all that remained of the buck.
"Nothing painful if that is what has you concerned. I'm actually going to give you something. For you a ring and a cloak, Professor and for Hagrid a ring at this time. There will be an overcoat made from the scales of Silvenestri's last molt when I can get the time to make it. Think of them as Christmas presents from me."
Tonks emerged from the cave and passed a silver cloak to Minerva that had a border of runes along the hemline. Harry pulled out of his belt pouch two of the rings that he had finished earlier that day for his friends.
"These rings let me contact you when I need you. Hagrid, I'll get right on making that coat for you as I really don't think a cloak would suit you very well."
Minerva studied the ring Harry handed her and immediately noted the symbol on the face as being the same as the one that was on the fourth floor and a drop of Mercery was nestled within the dragon's eye. She noted that rings just like hers were worn by Hermione and Tonks' finger though Tonks wore hers on the ring finger of her left hand and had a diamond within the dragon's eye while Hermione wore her ring on her right hand.
Harry smiled at his two new members and suddenly feeling on top of the world. "There that was easy, wasn't it? Now I must go. After all, it's Christmas and that's the best time to be with your loved ones. The girls and I would like to celebrate alone so until the start of school, I bid you good-bye."
Minerva and Hagrid blinked at a sudden gust of wind and flash of light and when they opened their eyes they were standing before Hagrid's hut on the school grounds.
'I sincerely he did not mean he is compromising Miss Granger as well as Tonks. That boy must really give some thought to what he says.' Minerva huffed.
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