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NOVAYA ZEMLYA
Novaya Zemlya was a small island off Russia and it was freezing. Even wrapped up in cloaks everyone was shivering, except for Pyralis who seemed wholly unconcerned.
Hermione kept lighting a small green fire to try and keep them warm. However it would only flair in her hand for a little while before withering and dying. Confused McGongall attempted but the same thing happened.
Lupin noticed a smug look on Pyralis's face.
"Pyralis, do you know if the cold mages power is having an effect on our magic?"
"I am not just a pretty face!" She snapped suddenly.
They looked at her confused. "What?" Ron asked.
"Is that not the English term?" Pyralis wondered looking puzzled herself.
"It is a phrase, certainly, but what do you mean by it?" McGongall prompted.
"I took your magic fire," Pyralis confessed opening her cloak. The green fire was clustered around her waist and flew out into the bodies of Hermione and McGongall. Both women shuddered when it entered them.
"It is green. It is unnatural. Mwanga's toujours essayez et manoeuvrez comment les choses devraient être!"
"It's freezing, Pyralis," Harry protested.
"Yes it is and you also braved my fire to earn our aid but don't ask for it in suitable situations. Why not ask me to provide the warmth?'
McGongall felt like a fool staring at the younger woman with her black eyes flaring. "Pyralis would you please provide us with some warmth."
"Gladly," Pyralis flashed a bright grin and suddenly each of them felt warm as if heated from some internal part of their body.
"This bloody snow makes it hard to walk," Ron complained.
"We are almost there," Pyralis pointed to the top of a hill they hadn't been paying attention to.
"Is that a castle?" Hermione breathed.
'Made all of ice," Pyralis confirmed.
"Great! It's going to be even colder up there," Ron moaned. Pyralis rolled her eyes and Lupin grinned. It was a very teenage gesture.
They arrived at the front gate, which was enormous.
"How do we get in?" Hermione asked uncertainly.
"You knock," Pyralis replied as if she thought this was the most obvious answer in the world and before anyone could stop her she strode over and banged on the door.
The ice door swung open to reveal a tall man standing alone. The ice framed him and his white blond hair glittered. His blue eyes flashed as her surveyed the rest of the group. The balked as they felt the power in his eyes but Pyralis pushed past apparently unaffected by the gaze.
Without taking his eyes of the group he spoke to her, "You were not invited in, Pyralis."
"Your malkia made a promise. You are not kingu of the cold mages. You can't refuse us or have the cold mages grown as arrogant as the stories say," Pyralis retorted.
Harry wished she would be quite so as to not offend Ibzan but the man smiled, "You are right. I forget my place. Я приветствую вас к realm холода!"
He moved back to stand closer to Pyralis, "It has been too long."
"It has," Pyralis grinned with genuine fondness now. It was as if the others had disappeared.
"You know you are one of my favourites, Pyralis but we are opening our doors to regular льда and пламени. So you must forgive my caution," Ibzan spoke and suddenly, keeping a perfectly blank face, hurled a shard of ice recently formed in his hand towards Harry.
Harry didn't have time to think he just threw himself out of the way, knowing that he had no hope of doging it. Pyralis reacted faster and sent a flame to engulf the flying weapon.
"Ibzan," She scolded, "You have not officially challenged him and he has earnt the right to be here!"
"Ah I have offended her sense of honour. So typical of the heat mages," His smile was condescending now, "I will go ahead and inform Yepa of your arrival. You remember the way to the chamber, I trust." With that he strode off.
"He doesn't seem very nice," Hermione squeaked as Lupin and Ron hauled Harry off the icy floor.
"I've always blamed it on the fact he is 26 and a male but it may have something to do with the cold magic," Pyralis conceded.
"Is it a threat being here? If the champion is anything to judge from we are not welcome here!" McGongall stated.
"He seemed to hate us," Harry pointed out.
"He doesn't hate you. He had no emotion when threw that at you," Pyralis told him with a rueful smile.
"Oh that's comforting," Ron snorted.
"Ibzan is not that bad," Pyralis defended him.
"I think we should be concerned about the trial," Lupin spoke up, "Harry can't keep dodging ice and I don't think you will be able to aid him."
"No I will not but that will not be the test. While we are proud and value bravery the cold mages are arrogant and value logic. They will ask you to vocalise your case. Prove why they should help you," Pyralis answered.
Harry seized her upper arm, "You mean I have to convince them that they should help a people who expelled them at birth?"
She put a hand over his, "Voldemort is a threat to us as well as you. We may be bitter about automatic exclusion but the cold mages will see reason. Ibzan will argue for you case. He was the reason Yepa agreed to your Dumbledore."
"Ibzan?" McGongall asked unable to keep the incredulity out of her voice.
"Voldemort is, as I said, a great threat. Shall we go to the chamber?" Pyralis suggested. They nodded and followed when something clicked in Harry's mind. Pyralis had said Voldemort's name.
The chamber was awesome and magnificent. The ice was shining.
"It isn't even cold," Ron observed.
"That is because we are humans also," A loud voice called. The woman sitting on the thrown had blond hair and pale green eyes with a small crown on her head.
"Malkia Yepa, thank you for seeing us," Pyralis bowed her head in respect.
"It is a pleasure," Yepa responded politely, "you with the red hair! What is your name?"
"Ron," He stuttered, flushing bright red.
"We are people of flesh and blood and, whilst our tolerance to cold is much greater, we could not survive without manipulating the temperature. Just as the fire mage could not walk into a fire without altering the very nature of it.
"I know you know our test Harry Potter, so why waste our words when it is yours that matter?"
Harry knew no response except a sharp nod of the head.
"Up here then where everybody can see you," Yepa gestured to the throne. Harry eyed the pedestal with terror. He didn't like speaking in front of a crowd but McGongall gave him a quick dig in the ribs and he moved to stand beside Yepa. There were less cold mages then fire mages but their eyes were cool and objective.
He made eye contact with Pyralis and tried to tell her with his eyes that he didn't know what to say. She, reading his expression, placed her fingertips over her mouth and then to her heart. Speak with his heart? He could barely speak with his mouth. He caught Ibzan's gaze and the cold mage nodded once. It was a demonstration of support.
He tried to clear his mind with the sudden memory of the fact they could read his mind.
"I proved my self worthy of the Heat mages support and earned the shujja as a companion. I come to you because in these dark times we need to forget what separates us and fight our common enemy. We may have distanced ourselves from you but Voldemort will seek to enslave you. I cannot heal the rift between our people but I can acknowledge that we are people.
"Malkia Yepa you said yourself that you were of flesh and blood. I am too. Pyralis is also. So are my friends. We are human and we would rise together to combat something that has relinquished his humanity and would seek to take ours. So I'm asking you to help me stop Voldemort."
There was silence and Yepa turned her weighted gaze to each cold mage in the world. Not a word was spoken but Harry had the eerie feeling they were in fact discussing via thought.
"We have decided against offering aid," Yepa said finally. Harry's heart sunk and McGongall's mouth flew open but it was Lupin who spoke.
"You are being bitter about being left by the wizards in some hellish island off Russia to live with the local Nenetses…"
"The what?" Ron interupted.
"They are the native villagers," Ibzan answered, "They keep to themselves really. As do we."
"As I was saying. I know what is is like to be an outsider. We cannot stop doing what's right because of previous wrongs," Lupin concluded.
"How are you an outsider?' One male cold mage spoke up, his tone was flat.
"I'm a werewolf. I've been shunned but I fight for the wizards," Lupin answered.
"Becaused you are one still," Yepa snapped standing up. Ibzan looked up sharply at his soverign. Hermione shrunk warily away from the group and clutched Ron's hand. Pyralis moved in front of Harry, understanding that when cold mages ejected any sincere emotion into their voice that there was usually a problem brewing.
"He argued well," Ibzan pointed out quietly.
"He argued passionatly but I do not see the logic," Yepa had calmed herself.
"But he will come for you after us and the muggles," McGongall cried, trying to make her see reason.
"And we can defend ourselves here," Yepa dismissed.
"I will fight for them alone," Ibzan said suddenly.
"What?" Yepa's voice was low and dangerous.
"If you would not provide the army, let us compromise and send a warrior. I am worth any army that you would amass," Ibzan declared. He didn't say this with arrogance but as if it was generally acknowledged as perfect fact.
"A handfull of wizards, You and one fledgling ферзя Shujja are to defeat the dark lord? You are a great снежок Ibzan but you will not triumph with these allies," Yepa scorned.
Pyralis' hand flared up, "The throne you sit on, Queen, is fragile and made of ice."
Yepa simply stared at the young woman, "You are a girl, Pyralis."
"I was not selected as Shujja because I was the only candidate. Bodaway and Harhaiah both were opponents of great skill and each older than I. I was simply the best! Besides the heat mages have all sworn to fight!" Pyralis retaliated.
"Pyralis is someone I am very fond of," Ibzan drew the attention to himself, "If she feels this is a worthy cause to fight for, then I will join her. Harry Potter you have my support!"
Harry nodded at Ibzan but didn't speak. None of his group wanted to get involved with the wild mage politics.
"If you go against my will, I will consider it a defiance and you will not be welcome back here," Yepa said harshly.
"Yepa, we both know the only reason you hold that throne and not I is because we cannot hold both the positions of warrior and ruler," Ibzan kept his face blank as he said that. There was a murmur among the group and Yepa narrowed her eyes.
"Be that as it may the position is mine and you must respect that. I will have you replaced if you leave. You will renounce your position as warrior," Yepa decided.
"No you renounce your right to have the greatest warrior the cold mages have ever seen at your side. You will fill the position quickly enough, Zenan has always wanted the role," He gestured toward a woman with light brown hair and deep blue eyes who just stared nonchalantly back.
"But it is mine in true name and deed. I am not one to stand on the sidelines when the magical world goes to war," Ibzan finished strongly, striding over to seize Pyralis hand, effectively shielding Harry with both their bodies.
"We are not part of the magical community," Yepa stated desperately.
"Yes. Yes we are!" Pyralis said casting a look at the wizards and witches standing behind her.
"Where does you power come from if not magic?" A voice demanded and Harry turned startled to see Hermione with a determined look on her face.
"Go Ibzan if you must but you go without our support," This was a clear dismissal and when none of the moved Yepa left the room followed obediently by the cold mages.
"I knew there was a reason why I choose you at every ritual to spend time with," Pyralis admiringly touched Ibzans face. He shifted uncomfortably obviously not used to physical affection.
"You have made a large sacrifice," McGongall detected.
"They made the sacrifice," Ibzan said elusively.
Two twin cold mages ran in. They were brother and sister but their similarities were starling.
"Eira, Yuki! You have something you wish to say?" Ibzan stared at the pair. The male, Yuki, stared back but Eira shifted nervously.
"Without you we have no real fighters," She finally said, "Wen and Karli are two young to know how to use their aggressive powers. We could not hold out defences against The dark lord."
"You have Zenan as champion," Ibzan stated.
"Cold weapon?" Yuki said mockingly, "We all know where we should be."
"You heard our queen speak. I am renounced and outcasted," Ibzan's voice showed no emotion.
"Ibzan if things get really bad contact us. Even if we could only provide communicational powers we could be useful. Promise us you'll tell us and we will bring all we can," Eira desperately pleaded. Ibzan nodded. The twins hurried away not wanting to be caught with Ibzan the traitor.
"What do they mean no warriors? Your powers are very effective," Hermione curiously wanted to know.
"Only some of us can harness our powers for violence. There are more fighters amongst the fire mages as it is within their nature. Our two promising warriors were Wen and Karli but both haven't passed twelve. I was training them but I fear that training will be incomplete. Yepa does not have the strength of our old king Elihoreph," Ibzan sounded almost mournful.
"God of winter," Pyralis translated, "Agnimukha inherited the position from his mother Serafine and they have both been good rulers. With names like face of fire and burning fire how can they not be?"
"The heat mages work well politically," Ibzan admitted.
Harry surveyed the older man and tried to understand why he had done this.
"You do not need to understand, Harry Potter," And he lead the way out of the hall.
Harry, realising Ibzan had just read his mind, shuddered but understood Dumbledore was right. The Wild Mages would be a great aid against the rise of dark magic.
AN: wow a chapter right there! How exciting! Um please review, reviews are great. Going back to England next chapter so yay! All our other fave characters.
MD666