Hey everyone,
This will probably be the second to last chapter before we go back to reading and I do think we will go from the last chapter of PoA straight into GoF, simply because there have been plenty of regular chapters between the last CR chapter and the next, however I am not sure how far the Great Hall will read into GoF at first.
Oh well, enjoy,

Venquine1990


Chapter 26
The Gang – Part 01

3rd of November 1993
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Jason's POV

Going to Hogwarts. This is the one thing my friends and I always wanted. The one thing we sometimes got angry at Harry over because he was allowed, but we weren't. The one thing that made us hate that we were Elementals as we believed it was a form of magic that made us unfit to study at the school ourselves.
Yet now I am here and have discovered that our Elemental abilities were just never picked up on, which I am sure is thanks to our secret wizard guardians – or kidnappers being the better word. And the fact that all of our parents – bar Irma and Irina's mother – are alive and were kidnapped like us is just too crazy to believe.
And yet all of it is true. Our parents are alive, Harry, Jeremy and Jessie are brothers and we are now all at Hogwarts, together with our future selves who are the sole reason we finally got given this most amazing of chance. And the craziest of it all is that bringing us together with our parents wasn't even the goal of the time travel.

Yet the idea that, in two to three years' time, Harry will come to us and tell us to go down under, fearing for our lives regardless of the fact that he told no one of our existence makes me really worry for the Harry of the future as I can only imagine how broken and emotionally weak the now adult lad must be feeling.
"And yet, no one here feels like that. They're still innocent. They're still bereft of the horrors that war can bring. The worst that they have been through is the emotional shocks and pains that the book has brought them. They are still untouched souls and even if they read the books, they will probably remain as such."
Goes through my mind before I decide to do something my friends and I actually agreed on were we ever to get the chance to go to Hogwarts and I use my Rock Elemental ability to scale up one of the walls of the Great Hall and when I am halfway up, do I look around the Hall, trying to spot certain character traits and behavior.

And thanks to the hall being as packed as it is, is it easy to find who I am looking for, allowing me to spot four different souls like that, two boys and two girls, who are all seated more or less by themselves or are seated in such a way that it's obvious that other students don't want anything to do with them or even sit near them.
I instantly slide back down and approach the first, which is a boy my age who has tanned skin and eyes that are shaped in such a way it's obvious he is of foreign descent and the way that some of those close to him are glaring at his eyes proves that that is exactly why he is seated all by himself, even if he is reading a book.
Another person I spotted had been a younger girl, who was a year younger and who is surrounded by books on talents, gifts, abilities and other things and who has a seriously worried and defeated look on her face, a boy that just got turned away by two students that obviously need help and a girl that looks at the Badger table in longing.

"Hey there." I say to the foreign boy and he responds: "You don't want to be seen with a foreigner, even if he is Pure of Blood." And while this shocks me, do I then smile and say: "You're talking to the Leader of the Gang no one at Little Whinging wanted to talk to. And they all believed themselves purer than pure."
At this the foreign boy looks at me and then the boy that had been turned away actually runs away and asks: "Hey, do you need help finding your friends? Or maybe a listening ear to what it was like living with kidnappers?" And while I feel slightly overwhelmed by his excitement before I just smile at his kindness and say:
"No, but I could always use some friends that are willing to listen." And the boy looks shocked before he says: "Wow, that is a first in four years' time." Shocking me and making me wonder: "Who on earth would try and keep away from a guy that just wants to help so badly for four years? Why would anyone here want that?"

"At least you're good at what you do, know what your skills are." A voice then mutters and I realize that the girl with the dozen books surrounding her is sitting right behind the boy with the apparently foreign blood and I see her eyes clouded with frustration as well as excitement as she looks from one book to another to the next.
"Don't sweat it, Amber, you still have most of next year before you get your Career Advice and haven't your parents marked their calendar for every possible talent show that takes place this summer? You'll see, by the end of the holidays you will be weighed down by a hundred tombs on what you want in life."
The excited boy then tells the girl and the girl in question smiles before the final girl that I spotted comes over and says: "I swear, David, you really are the only reason why Amber hasn't pushed herself into an emotional breakdown yet. At least you all seem to have been Sorted in the House where you feel like you belong."

The girl moans at the end and then groans as she hears something and when I look at where she's glaring at, I see that the people she had been glaring at earlier are now squabbling with each other, to which the girl stomps over and says: "I'll be right back." Sounding resigned enough I can tell this is a very recurring thing.
"She really doesn't get herself." The girl with the books then says and I look at her as she asks: "Would you want to get between those two over there?" And when I look at the squabbling pair, do I grimace as their looks of annoyance – even with their similar looks – make me wonder how they could possibly be family of each other.
"Yeah, exactly. Yet, even with the boy being her twin brother, Thora still sometimes picks her sister's side when her brother's in the wrong. She's never partial and she's never afraid, even when those two bring out their wands – and her older sister really knows some nasty spells. Yet she just ignores that and doesn't get what it means."
This makes me smile at all I have learned so far and I say: "You guys remind me of the Gang. All with individual problems and yet each of you have a very interesting bond that seems to tie you together." And the four of them – Thora having returned from her family – look at each other shocked, before they all start smiling.

Trophy Room
Joshua's POV

"My friends and I always dreamed of coming here. We swore that, if the chance ever came to us, we would do our best to all get our names be put in this very chamber." I tell my newfound parents as we look at all of the trophies and badges that are scattered around the room, glass cases surrounding and preserving them all.
I then aim for one of the corners and say: "Harry told us that there was even a trophy for someone who later turned out to be his – well, what we thought was his parents' murderer. He said it got removed after it was found out that his act of saving the school from a dangerous beast was all an act where he framed an innocent soul for his crimes."
My parents look at the empty case I am indicating and I then happily aim to another and say: "And look, there's Harry's Seeker badge. He really deserves to have it himself, but because he earned it a year before anyone else did in the last century – in his first year – did they put it here, to honor his amazing accomplishment."

At this my parents smile and then I mutter: "And then to think. The fact that you guys get to be here, that we get to be a family again, that so many lives have been saved and bettered. To think that none of that was actually what Isaac and the others came here for." At which my parents move closer to me and my dad says:
"They may not have come here for that reason, but I doubt they would have ignored the opportunity to cause all of this if they even heard of the chance of it being possible." At which I nod before mum asks me a shocking question as she asks: "What do you think of all this, Joshua? Of the fact that you now have two new siblings?"
I look at her shocked, but then smile and turn away, looking back at Harry's Seeker badge as I say: "To be honest, it doesn't really change much. I always considered all of the Gang my family, so the only thing that really changed for me is that I now have parents that I actually care for and that I get to be at Hogwarts."
At this mum nods, a warm smile on her face and then I hear a warm voice saying: "Yes, I can tell that, like Harry, all of your other friends have this special character trait that makes them easily likeable. I am certain that you will find your niche here at Hogwarts before long." And I see Professor Dumbledore walking in.

The man looks at where I was gazing and asks: "Interested in your friend's history, are you Joshua? Then perhaps you will like to see this as well." And he motions back to where the empty case was, before to my shock, I notice that there is another case hidden behind it with a gorgeous silver trophy encased within.
I move over and read: "Award for Special Services To The School. Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter." This alone makes me smile and Dumbledore says: "Even when a trophy gets taken out or one loses their right to the trophy, the case remains for 55 years before it updates itself. I never understood why it wasn't 50, though."
This makes me smile at the man and he says: "Nevertheless, in four years from now this case right here will either get the same trophy with a new name on it or will be emptied out with this wondrous silver trophy moving to that encasing. Though of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, even to rules like this."
This confuses me and the man asks: "You don't think that traveling back in time to save 60 or more lives and preventing Hogwarts from becoming a battle field deserves a trophy?" And my eyes widen as the man laughs softly and walks away, while in my mind's eye I can already see it; the Squad names on this very trophy.

Slytherin Common Room
Elisa's POV

It definitely is wonderful to finally have my family back in my life, but just by looking at my father and brother, do I know that getting them involved in my past is not a good idea as they both seem to be trying – as well as failing – not to grimace or growl under their breaths whenever I speak of Harry. And even mother is a problem.
"You cannot imagine how happy I am to have you back in my life, Elisa." The woman says, yet I can't help but think: "No, I really can't. Not with your vague, apathetic expression." And while I wonder why the woman won't show her elation over having me and my future self/sister back, do I then get shocked as father says:
"There will be much you will need to learn, Elisa. You and your sister." Yet it's not the words that shock me, it's the tone of his voice. Instead of pride and belief that I can live up to whatever he has planned for me, do I hear nothing but a severe demanding tone coming from him and the tone actually sounds freezing cold.

"What is his problem?" Goes through my mind before father says: "You are a Malfoy. And while you are female and thus – like your sister – unable to inherit the Family name, which will still go to Draco when he comes off age, you can still learn all that is needed to become a lady worthy of marrying into a worthy Pureblood family."
And instantly I feel the air around me freeze up like the Arctic North, my fury overcoming me and bringing out the maximum force of my power as father – no, Lucius – asks: "Young Lady, what do you think you're doing? Stop this at once!" Yet I glare at the man and focus my power to cause a mist of frost to appear all over.
"I am your daughter, not some puppet you can animate and do with as you please. And my sister and I have suffered enough under a self-obsessed dirtbag that actually got paid to turn us into something we're not. I may have thought that this would change with you lot – but you just proved that I was more wrong than I ever thought."

And while I make sure to freeze the nerves in my family's legs to make sure they can't follow or come at me, do I move out of my chair, snapping my fingers to make sure the cold and frost don't affect those around us as they don't deserve my raging fury and I snap: "Come find me when you realize what the term family means."
And while I can hear my father shouting at me, cursing me and threatening me, do I move over to the entrance and there I turn at him and ask: "Is that your worst, father? Cause that rant was pathetic." And while the man looks shocked, do I say: "Oh, and don't worry, I'll be sure to warn Elena against your sick goals for her future."

And while I see Draco looking absolutely flabbergasted that I am doing this and while I see mother having tears hiding behind her cold, careless façade, do I ignore father glaring at me once more and just turn my back on them, but not before hearing father's last attempt at a threat: "You have no one but us and you know it!"
Yet I turn back to him and say: "You're wrong, father. I have the Gang, the Squad, Harry and, of course – all of his friends and family. And Draco can vouch that I grew quite close to all these people – even before we found out that I am a Female Malfoy. One that has better powers than you will ever have, father dearest."
And with that do I leave the common room, making sure to turn my back on the man and give a silent order to the ice to evaporate over the next ten minutes and give them the feeling in their legs back by that time, my mind in the mean-time set on finding Elena and telling her of the careless, heartless planning of father for our futures.

"Mss. Elisa." I then hear a silky voice address me as I pass a few doors and I look behind me, seeing Professor Snape stand at one of the doors as he asks: "I sensed your powers being used on guests within our common room. Would you care to explain why you attacked your own family like that? Why you froze them?"
And I carefully answer: "I only kept them from moving by numbing the nerves in their legs. As angered as father makes me, I would never go that far, Professor. And the reason behind it is because father thought it acceptable to speak of marriage only a day after finally getting his place in my and my sister's life back."
The man grimaces at this and says: "Your father, Mss. Elisa, only has your best interest at heart." Yet at this I ask: "My best interest? Or the best interest of the daughter he wants me to be without taking this chance to get to know who I am. Or is it that my character doesn't matter because it came from my kidnapper's upraising?"

And just by looking at the man do I know I hit the nail on the head before he says: "Mss. Elisa, you are from a proud and long line of Purebloods and your father only desires to make sure that that continues. That is why he spoke of you bonding to a family that will bring good profit and fortune to your and your family's future."
Yet this news really doesn't impress me and I say: "Professor, I am an Ice Elemental. That means that whoever I marry will help me birth a Child that will probably be a Water, Ice or Mist Elemental. Either that or their magic itself will forever be powered up by the power of my Elemental magic. My line is secured already."
And the man seems to contemplate this before he says: "You are quite correct, Mss. Elisa. I will ensure that Lucius realizes this as well." At which I smile at him and say: "Thank you, and at least now I finally understand one thing." And when the man looks at me with his dark inquisitive eyes, do I calmly say:
"Why I am an Ice Elemental. Considering the careless way that my father spoke of my future without taking my character and person into consideration and that my mother doesn't even care to show her emotions when around family – I finally get why I got that Element to my ability." And with that, do I walk out of the dungeons.

The Hospital Wing
Rosemary's POV

The fact that, the day after I got back my family, they already have to be in the Hospital Wing due to having been under the effects of a horrible curse for over a decade really worries me and because of that is the Hospital Wing now more like a Hospital Jungle, wild flowers with healing fragrances all over the windows.
Madam Pomfrey had not been happy with this, but I had told her that I could activate all of the healing factors of the flowers around her on command and that there is at least one flower with a relaxation factor at every window, making it easier for her patients to relax and improve on their healing, which the witch deeply appreciated.
She had then also called in James Potter, Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Lily Lupin and the Prewett twins and had given them a full physical along with my parents and my parents had told they have near perfect health with only a few weaknesses in their muscles due to years of lying down in their Hospital beds.

Sirius Black had been diagnosed with more or less the same, yet Madam Pomfrey had insisted that he visit a Mind Healer as well, to which the man had replied: "Only if it's Ted and only if I can get a room decorated like Rosemary did your wing." To which the matron and I had both happily given our mutual agreements.
Yet it was the rest of the gang that had been diagnosed badly. All of them had slight germs from constantly under-cooked food as well as aches and weakened bones and skin tissue due to severe lack of comfort and had been put on a strict regimen of potions that they would have to take three times a day to negate the problems.
And finally had the Prewett twins been given an extra set of potions which they had to take for three days straight as they still had some leftover viruses in their blood from an illness that had apparently befallen them during their time in captivity, yet Madam Pomfrey had reassured the rest of us that the illness was not able to contaminate us.

Naturally throughout all of this, I had activated the relaxing fragrant of my flowers multiple times and Sirius had proven that his time in Azkaban has left its mark as he proved to respond to this with more effect than any of the others who had been left captive, yet all five of them had told us that they too would see a Mind Healer soon.
"Believing your families either dead or in the assumption that you are dead and that they have given up on you is not a thought that helps oneself in their confidence or strength of will." Regulus had said and I had really felt for the man, while Sirius had clung to James, whispering words of regret as he heard his brother say this.
Yet James had proven himself a loving husband and had muttered words of love and comfort and had constantly whispered back: "I don't blame you, my beloved pup, I blame Pettigrew and we will get him back for our years of separation. Hush now, my pup, hush." And the words had done their trick, calming the Animagus.

Regulus had then left, telling us that he had actually been meeting with Jeremy when he was called here and that he wanted to go back to his son and the Prewett twins had left shortly after them, telling us they just knew that their sister, Mrs. Weasley, was probably looking around for them in worry, as was apparently her usual.
Only James, Sirius, Lily and my parents had stayed behind and it had been this that had made me ask the one question that has been on my mind for some time now. "Doesn't it hurt? Knowing how much Pettigrew has changed with his Magical Mind Block and all?" Yet James smiles at me with warm confidence and says:
"It does – and it doesn't. It does, cause it's further proof of how successful Pettigrew had been all these years and that alone is hurtful and yet it doesn't, cause everyone seems to already be healing and – what's more important – their instincts are still the same as before the curse took effect." He then lies down and says:

"I mean, look at Sev. As far as he knows we've been enemies since our first train ride and we are nothing but the bane of our existence. Yet just by the love he feels for his long lost son, he is willing to sit at the Table he hates the most and he's been keeping all the beliefs that he's festered over the years to himself while he sat there."
Yet while the man sounds so happy and confident, do I not share those emotions and say: "He was seated near Edena." Making the man look at me and I say: "Edena is the Fire Elemental and she already gave him a severe piece of her mind before you guys came. I think he did that more out of survival instinct than love."
At which the man sighs and says: "Maybe so, but that doesn't change the fact that he sat at the table that – as far as he believes – once housed his four greatest enemies.""Tell me something, Prongs. How long did that rivalry last anyway?" Sirius asks and James answers: "Five years – and then it changed into a friendship for life."

At this I can't help but look at all of the flowers around me, their different colors and fragrances reminding me both of my own friends, those that are to be my friends in the future and come with me back to this time period and the group of friends that was almost ripped apart by kidnap and the altering of memories.
Yet even though my friends are all very different, even though they had to go down under and hide away for several years and even though the third group hasn't been together in over a decade, do I smile as these friendships are just like the flowers; mismatched in color, but gorgeous in the power behind their fragrances.
And with that do I look past the flowers and out into the grounds, the mountains, village and lake all shining in the late October sun and causing it all to have a gorgeous, if somewhat mysterious shine to it all, yet just like every time I see the sun give something a mysterious shine, do I think of only one thing; the bright sunny future.


There we go.
Okay, so that ending may have sounded a bit too old for a regular thirteen year old, but I really wanted to emphasize that Rosemary, like Rosaline, has a mothering nature and thinks deep and long – bit like the vast expanse of a regular rainforest, which is not misplaced, considering her Flower Elemental gift.
Anyway, next chapter will be the last four of the Gang and like with Elisa and the Malfoys, there is going to be one member of this group who is going to get in hot waters with their chosen public. As for why I am doing that – just letting all of the gang and squad settle in without issue or trouble just doesn't sound realistic.
Also, I want to make one BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! I am taking down the Poll! Not because I want to wait for the last 22 votes, but because I want to start writing all those wondrous stories. However, NONE of them will be part of my regular monthly updates; though you can expect the first few updates tomorrow morning.
Okay see y'all,

Venquine1990