Fate? Coincidence?

"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous."

-Albert Einstein-

It was almost like Heather's time in Hogwarts prepared her for the insanity that was Haven. Especially in lieu of the embarrassing moments, like facing someone important covered in something unmentionable. Blaise and Sirius had of course, covered a complete course on how to deal with it. Understandable since Blaise and Sirius were just the sort to get into impossibly embarrassing situations.

There was second year, when the Heir of Slytherin hoax started and Heather was still shy and timid and afraid of everyone's thoughts. Blaise had happened to pass by her in the library, hiding, and had raised his eyebrows in consternation.

"Why do you care?" he had said. "Why do you care of what they think? They aren't exactly important to you."

The words had struck a cord deep in her and her eyes had opened impossibly wide to stare at him. Everything just tilted and she had looked at the world with changed eyes.

Fred and George Weasley had started the spontaneity in her when both of them found her in her third year, looking longingly at the snow while everyone else played in it and she was stuck inside because of the mass murderer that was supposedly her godfather.

"You're afraid of Sirius Black?" Fred had asked incredulously.

"And that's why you won't go outside," George added blankly.

Both of them had exchanged glances and had looked at her with complete sadness. Back then, she had thought it to be pitying. Now that she looked at the memory properly, it was just sadness because they could not believe anybody could be ever be so afraid that they could forget to live properly.

"If you're going to die," George eventually said.

"Then at least you'd have tried snow diving and sledding down the slopes in Hagrid's cabin," Fred continued.

Sirius had cemented everything in her fifth year by embodying everything that three boys taught her.

"Aren't you afraid?" she had asked him when they sneaked out of Grimmauld place when he was technically a wanted criminal and she a deranged mad woman.

He flashed her that grin that spoke of volumes and volumes of mischief. "What's to be afraid of? It's better than withering away. Come on, little fawn!"

Heather remembered those lessons as she walked into her city with bloodied trousers.

Her men had, at least, found a clean shirt to replace her old one with so she didn't look like she had just come straight from a horror movie.

The elvish contingent behind her were too preoccupied by their surroundings to notice the horrified, curious and alarmed expressions that she garnered. They didn't even look like they had come from tangling with orcs, wargs and goblins. Heather felt like hating them for that, just a little.

"My lady," an orphan called to her. "Lady Eilys is a waiting in the hospital."

Heather swiftly changed directions and clucked at the boy, instructing him with a gesture to lead the contingent to the Rising Eagle.

Prince Legolas called to her as she turned to walk away. "My lady," he said. "I wish to speak with you under better circumstances."

Heather wanted to show her surprise so badly because the bugger didn't know how rare it was for elves to seek her out. They had elves and dwarves passing through Haven, true, but none of them really interacted with the humans beyond purchasing supplies and selling goods.

"Of course, my lord," she answered instead. "You can find me in the Training courts at dawn. Beyond that, the orphans know so please just ask them."

Upon reaching the hospital, Heather was greeted by Luna and Draco. Luna fussed over the minor nicks and scratches while Draco loomed in the background, scowling and generally looking unimpressed. He finally broke his silence when Luna finished bandaging the last one, a gash that ran up her thigh that had clotted up in the walk back to the city.

"What," he asked slowly. "Possessed you to do that? You didn't have a sword or the Sword. I thought you could tell the future?"

That stung. Like, ouch.

Luna didn't need to glance between the two of them to read the angry tension in the air. She could probably hear their souls or something. Heather really didn't know since she hadn't exactly sat down with Luna to have a chat about the full scope of her powers.

But going back to it...

Heather narrowed her eyes at Draco. "The future isn't set in stone, brother," she said softly. "This morning, I foresaw you and moonbeam having an argument that lasted for the whole day. So I left because I did not wish to get involved with that. My leaving apparently changed the future because instead of the squad losing two men and some of the guests receiving injuries, I prevented that. I can't be coddled, Hodur. These things happen whether you like it or not."

Draco's nostrils flared and he used wandless magic to close the door with a bang! Then he whipped off his blindfold to subject her to the full force of his expressive eyes.

"Did you not think?" he asked. To Heather's alarm, there was a note of desperation in his voice. "Did you not think of how we would feel when we woke to find you gone? Not even a note. We had to ask the children!"

Heather blinked at that and then blinked several times in quick succession when she realized what that meant.

It wasn't quite obvious but Heather was a creature of habit. To those who only knew her fleetingly, she was erratic and difficult to pin down. To those that knew her intimately, she was simple and easy to predict if you just noted her moods and triggers.

On days when she was bored, she wandered the city and made herself familiar to the people. Those were also the days wherein you expected the crazy and impossible happening because a bored Heather was dangerous. If she didn't have paperwork and something frustrated her, she took it out in the Training courts and whoever was unfortunate enough to pass by in the courtyard. If something did come up and she couldn't physically tire herself on it, she would brood about it and chew on it for weeks until she worked it out of her system.

On mornings, she was especially predictable.

She would wake by dawn, start her training regime, come back to the house and argue with Kreacher on the right to cook breakfast. The yelling and dramatic bangings in the kitchen usually worked as an alarm clock, a warning system for Draco and Luna that it was already time to wake up.

That she had joined the morning patrol without warning her siblings about the sudden change, or even leaving a note was alarming. She had stopped joining the patrol 3years ago. And even if there wasn't any note left, the absence of Heather's magical core within the city and the wards itself would have made them worried enough.

Draco had the Merlin-blessed right to be angry then.

Heather's irritation at being sniped at drew away, almost like it was a balloon that had been pricked by a needle.

"Draco," she whispered, using his real name to make him realize how serious she was. "I'm sorry. That vision took me by surprise and I am worried about Hermione and Guiomer. And then - "

Heather was suddenly aware that she was blabbing and clamped a hand over her mouth. She was spouting excuses and Draco didn't need her excuses. He deserved her promise to not do the same thing again.

Draco deflated as well. His shoulders slumped and he ran his hands through his hair, dislodging the leather that tied it back from his face.

"Potter," he sighed and then he shuddered, his mind rejecting the images his imagination had probably conjured regarding her absence. "Heather," he started again. "Just be careful, alright? We're the only wizards in Arda and this Dark Lord is powerful and has powerful servants. I can see the darkness."

Wasn't that frightening?

Luna sat next to Heather on the examination table and both of them held hands just for reassurance. After all, Draco's eyes could see more than anyone's.

"You can see the darkness?" Luna asked, her voice faint.

He nodded, hands fiddling with the black blindfold. His face was grim and serious. "I thought it was my imagination," he explained. "But the darkness is originating from the South and it is spreading into everything. The trees, the earth and the people."

Heather's hands clenched in worry. "And Haven?" she demanded. "What about our people?"

Draco offered her a small smile. "The darkness is held at bay. It is a good thing that we warded it the way we are doing. If we chose the standard warding, this will be like water steadily chipping away at stone," he said.

Their schedules were already disrupted and so the three of them decided to share a late breakfast in one of the more popular restaurants. All of them needed to see and touch each other for reassurance.

Draco needed to see Heather alive to negate his hyperactive imagination. Heather and Luna just needed comfort after hearing that bit about the darkness of the South. Really, there was news and then there was news.

Regarding the bet taken by Luna and Draco, neither of them won. Prince Legolas explained his situation while Heather tried hard not to laugh. She could picture, quite clearly, the twin looks of dismay on their faces when she in turn would explained it to them.

"We are escorting several humans from the laketown that barters steadily with our settlement," Legolas expounded. "We don't usually do this but my father also has an urgent message for Elrond Half-elven."

Ah, it compounded both their theories nicely.

Heather schooled her expression to prevent it from showing her amusement. This was one person she really shouldn't offend.

"I see," Heather said. She was proud of herself since her voice did not crack, or waver. "So you stopped in my city because of the civilians."

Prince Legolas's face settled into a frown. Mind you, his frown was only a tiny crease of his eyebrows since he controlled his facial expressions quite well. The elf was really polite that it unnerved Heather. She had the feeling that most of the expressions he showed were practiced in front of a mirror of some sorts. It was just too perfect.

"They were rather...discontented with the constant travel. My companions were hard pressed to keep them entertained," he said.

Since Heather was used to Hermione's euphemisms and politically correct terms, she gathered that the civilians had complained a lot about the trekking. Pity and kinship welled up in her.

"Really?" she asked. "I suppose there will be enough things happening in Haven to keep them entertained for a while. Where were you escorting them to?"

A small quirk of his lips. Probably his version of outright laughing.

"These residents of Esgaroth lake town have heard of your shining jewel for a city and wished to see it for themselves," he said. "Our bargain expressly stated that their journey ended in Haven."

Esgaroth. A quick poke of her memory told her where that was and she almost gaped at him.

Of all the magic-blessed things. She really hoped someone would think of a better mode of transportation. No wonder the civilians had groused and complained. The journey from Northern woods to Haven took nearly four months of constant travel. That was especially trying for a first time trip.

Now, how do you explain that to an elf who probably thought of the wilderness and travelling like a fish thought of the ocean? Ah, nevermind. She would worry about it later.

"I'll see to their comfort to prevent the discontentment," Heather remarked, a grin working its way to her lips.

To her surprise, Prince Legolas actually laughed. It was as interesting as watching enchanted statues come to life. Hmm, perhaps he wasn't an ice-cold snob. If she was being kind, Heather might as well call him shy and polite.

Being a noble-born and an elf, how much interaction has he actually had with humans in the thousand years he has been alive? That was a puzzle. Rivendell and its elves were special cases, after all. It saw a lot of human traffic since it was one of the more friendly elvish settlements. In terms of metaphors, Rivendell was the elvish version of Haven.

"When is your father expecting you?" she asked him.

"Not for another year, my lady," he answered.

She flashed him a wicked grin. "Spend a season with us after you send your message to Lord Elrond. After all, it takes a while for the passes to clear during winter and Haven is brilliantly beautiful to behold during that time."

It was a suggestion and it was up to him to take it. And the great plus? He was actually thinking about it. A month or two of staying in their city and he might not be quite so socially retarded.

Well, one could hope. He was, after all, a thousand years old and years of habit would be difficult to undo with just a few months.

Heather stared and stared at the letter, blinked to see if she was imagining it. When it didn't go away, she closed her open jaw and looked to the ambassador of Duke Bard.

"It is real, Lady Gryffon," the man said placidly. He looked like a strong wind would keel him over. He had introduced himself as Jansen and Heather found him so wierd that all she could do was listen bemusedly as he expounded on the letter from the Duke of Esgaroth. "In the light of recent events," he was saying. "The honourable Duke has realized our severe need for manpower and a true system of government. Many of the other countries have all that but rumors of Haven's hospitality and its spreading wisdom reached us."

Just to explain Heather's incredulity, the Duke of Esgaroth wanted Esgaroth to be a vassal to Haven. More specifically, to their as-yet-unnamed country.

It was freaking creepy how these things happened to her. Heather was starting to think that someone was messing with her. Because, for Helga's sake, they'd only started thinking about properly establishing a country last month. How in the world did word of that get to a town with a four-month journey?

If anyone had an answer, she would dearly like to know.

"Forgive my surprise," Heather managed. "I'll talk this over with my siblings and we will try to hammer out an agreement of sorts."

The ambassador gave a cheery grin and a bow, leaving her office and making Heather feel more than a little awkward. In her own office. The fellow truly had a personality, or maybe it was the blood loss from all the injuries she received the previous morning. Either way, something about the fellow made her feel a little off-kilter.

When Heather got over her shock, she apparated to Draco's office, not caring who would see her because, really, who didn't not know about their magic anyway? Thankfully, Draco was only with Meiran and Faramir, reviewing over stock supply lists while brewing several potions at the same time.

Faramir had been slowly introduced to the idea of magic so the sight of the cauldrons stirring themselves didn't induce as much shock as it should have.

"Gryffon," Draco growled. Then he noticed the look on her face and stood up, dropping the papers he was holding. "What is it?" he asked gently.

Heather was aware that she may have been hyperventilating. Draco had to take her hands and chafe them to get her attention.

"Better?" he asked.

She managed a shaky nod. "Yeah," she said. Then her eyes widened in realization and she scowled at him. "You complete and utter arse!" she yelled.

Draco's eyes were wide and his eyebrows were raised. "How am I an arse?" he asked.

"You hexed us!" Heather said, almost pointing an accusing finger at him. "You kept nattering about creating a country and what-not. Now we've got people who want to be vassalled or something."

He laughed and it made Heather realize that she was acting ridiculous. "Godric's sake, woman," he chortled. "You're not making any sense at all."

Heather shoved the letter in his face as explanation and sat on a vacant chair to compose herself. She gave a vague greeting to Meiran and Faramir while she waited for Draco to understand why she was in shock.

"Have you learned anything this past month?" she asked Faramir.

Faramir nodded enthusiastically. "A fair lot, my lady. Miss Meiran has not left me idle."

"Good. I was worried that we were neglecting you."

Draco's exclamation cut off the reply Faramir was making. "How in magic's name did they know?" Draco demanded.

Heather laughed. "Now you know how I feel!" When he scowled at her, she added, "I'll leave you and Eilys to hammer out the agreement with the ambassador. It's making that pureblood lessons useful at least."

The problem was pushed on to someone else and it made Heather feel immensely better. More so than usual because Draco really was easy to rile up and he made the most brilliant expressions of anger.

"Gryffon!" Draco exclaimed. "You're letting Eilys organize something? Have you gone mad?"

Heather shot him a speaking look. "You're telling me that you can't manage your own twin?"

"That's not the point!" he spluttered.

It truly was the perfect stress reliever right next to torturing trainees.

Luna watched the argument in front of her with shining eyes. It really was better than any drama or comedy that anyone could come up with.

"You're an asshole!" Meiran yelled while she stamped forms with vehemence.

Deimos was drafting a letter and he didn't even glance up or look at her as he sniped back, "And you're needy, demanding and opinionated."

As Meiran seethed in anger, Luna turned entertained eyes to Phobos, who was calculating hospital rotations at the same time.

"What do you think will happen if we lock them in a spare bedroom for a day?" she asked Phobos.

He gave her a serious and considering look. "That depends on what you hear, my lady," he answered.

Luna cocked her head to the side as she pinpointed Meiran and Deimos in the clamoring voices inside the Administration building. Draco's assistant was easy to identify since her soul sounded like a snowy blizzard and the scorching gale of the desert at the same time. Deimos was even easier because Luna had worked with the twins for a long time and was familiar with the texture of her assistant's soul. He sounded like a twisting tornado of energy.

She gave a soft and gentle smile of happiness. "I believe they would appreciate it if we do," she told Phobos.

Phobos's sleepy soul actually woke and buzzed a bit as he laughed. "My lady," he said."I will manage my brother and I will leave the banshee to your care."

Luna very rarely caused mayhem and chaos like Heather did and she really didn't do any of it on purpose but as she listened to the couples curses, she felt like she understood Heather a bit more. It was bleeding entertaining.

Guiomer bit back a curse as he ducked under an axe swing.

He had finally understood why it took months to finish the project and why he needed Kreacher to help him. Setting up the wards for each safehouse made him tired and lethargic for three days. Granted, Kreacher did check on him every other two days or something, but that visit didn't coincide with the marauding bandits attacking him when he was still tired and recovering his magical core.

Buggering, Godric-cursed bandits.

The one plus in the entire situation, as far as he was concerned, was that Guiomer had finally managed to learn how to transfigure a needle. He hadn't learned it properly back then as he didn't understand why he would need to transfigure a needle. In the middle of being attacked while he still came from sleeping, that was the first spell in his mind and a thousand pebbles rose, turned sharp and shiny and then incapacitated the poor sod that tried to slot his throat in his sleep.

The rest of the party had turned and fled except for the biggest idiot that also wielded the biggest axe and sword in the whole of Arda. The sword was actually big enough to be called a claymore.

"Stop running and stand still!" Big and stupid roared.

"No, thank you!" Guiomer called. He ducked and rolled and finally, finally his panic-riddled mind recalled a spell. "Scourgify!" he yelled and aimed his finger at the mans eyes.

The bandit roared in pain and dropped the axe. Guiomer hurriedly pointed at the axe and it turned into a really weird horse with a sharp axe for a head. It butted its previous owner and the man was cut clean through.

Guiomer allowed himself a moment to regain his breath and then he walked over to the tree that held the sword of Gryffindor. It had flown and embedded there when the giant accidentally disarmed him.

That fight was a good thing because it reminded him of his magical heritage and

that not all battles were won with strength alone.

"What a pain," Guiomer muttered as he removed the magic in the transfigured horse-like creature and it turned back into an ordinary axe. "I am not dying until I at least see my second child and give him a name," he said softly.

Even if he was annoyed, he still lowered the man into the earth. He kept the two weapons in a satchel with the Undetectable Extension charm to be sold or given to his mother.

A wave of his hand packed all of his belongings and Guiomer shouldered the satchel as he just decided to go to the next location. He still had three more safehouses to go before he could go home.

Lord Hodur walked by him and paused. "Phobos, have you seen Meiran?" he asked.

Phobos bit his lip and lied, "No, my lord."

Lord Hodur gave a sigh. "Where is that woman?" he muttered before moving on, carrying several boxes and not bumping into a single person as he went by. Phobos still found it creepy that he didn't bump into anyone when he was blind. Then again, Lord Hodur and Lady Eilys were twins. Perhaps he could hear souls too?

"How many more hours are you keeping them inside?" Lady Eilys asked as she passed by him. She was pointedly looking at the key to the locked bedroom that was tied to his belt.

Phobos allowed himself a smirk. "It's already unlocked, my lady," he answered. "They are just not coming out."

Lady Eilys's tinkling, chime-like laughter rang out in the corridor.

The Bell tower was finally finished and Heather breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone gathered as it rang for the first time, loud and clear. It reverberated across the mountains and echoed back two-fold. It wasn't painful to the ears but very sweet and comforting.

It was almost like...

"Reassurance," Luna murmured. "It is a sound of hope."

Heather gave a small laugh. "Yes," she said. "It will be a bell of Hope." Precognition kicked in and she continued in a trance-like voice, "So long as the Bell tower stands, Haven will still stand and fight."

Draco and Luna nodded, knowing a prophecy when they heard one.

DELETED SCENES:

Moments of accidental magic

Aedan used his magic when he was one and a half years old. He used it to change his own diaper. Kreacher saw it and clucked at him sternly for doing his job. The elf's eyes were shining with pride.

His next bit of magic was when he was two years old and he vanished his own hair. No one noticed since it only lasted for five minutes.

His next magic was more obvious. He made the walls change colors because he was upset.

Cailyn, having been warned, laughed proudly. And then she started crying, depressed that Guiomer was not in Haven so she could tell him about the magic.

Aedan scowled at his unborn sibling for causing his mothers mood-swings. Sadly, the baby couldn't answer him in any shape or form.

People, Legolas isn't really cold here. Heather just gets that impression from him since everything he does is calculated to perfection...to please people. It seems kinda plastic that way. What he is is just extremely polite. Like, the epitome of polite. (How I arrived at that conclusion? Read the Lord of the Rings wiki and its mentioned a bit there. Well, they did mention that he was a bit cold but I prefer my version of it. And in the book, his conversation is really polite too. Gimli is almost the same, except he lets lose his temper sometimes.

Before anyone can ask, Duke Bard of Esgaroth laketown decided to ally himself to a human settlement. Think about it: He's got the elves several rivers away and the dwarves in a mountain that was only a boat-ride away. They're humans and its generally always 'each race to its own' thing. He wanted the assurance of a strong ally and vassal in the face of a worst case scenario. And technically, when it comes to battles of attrition, humans suck. Elves can go for days without sleeping and then they can still fight like nobody's business. Dwarves just won't stay down. So yeah, his solution was Haven, because they really have a good reputation.

Reviewer stuff:

I changed the some curse words. Sorry about that. Don't know what was wrong with me since I actually avoid writing them. (I'm blaming midterms, lol.)

Two people have mentioned Heather's sword, so I'm putting that in the next chapter.

And holy Merlin for reviewer love. Maybe I should avoid stopping the chapter at cliffies. Or maybe that's just the Legolas side-effect. But bugger, that was shockingly plenty.

Please R&R.

~Hallen