Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed, Harry Potter or any Tamora Pierce characters in this story.
Chapter Fifteen: Not My Mother Anymore
Paige and Harry were never happier to be safe in school. There was about two more months until the third task and they had been told. They had to enter a magical maze and find the center. Paige and Harry had been practising spells with Ron and Hermione for several days now. It was Saturday and a Hogsmeade weekend. Paige woke up and got dressed in a jean skirt, white top and her white cloak. She put on some shoes and brushed her hair, with half her hair in a pony tail and the other out. She left the dorm and went down to breakfast.
Later, she met up with Ron, Hermione and Harry. Hermione and Ron were going on a date, as were Harry and Paige. They got their names checked off and walked down together to Hogsmeade. When they got to the edge of the villiage, Ron and Hermione bid them good day and left to Honeydukes. Paige and Harry then went to the Three Broomsticks. It was warm and pretty. Paige sat down at a small table near a window and behind a small decorated tree and waited while Harry went to get some Butterbeer. Paige was humming cheerily when Harry returned. "Thanks Harry." she said, taking one of the flasks of Butterbeer. Harry sat down and took a sip. Paige put her flask to her lips and took a small sip.
It warmed her up. She looked up at Harry who was grinning. She smiled and Harry said. "Have you ever had a boyfriend before?" Paige thought back and said. "Never. Everyone at Yamani School thought I was a weirdo." Harry grinned and said. "I only ever had one crush. On Cho Chang in Ravenclaw." Paige looked over where she could see Cho with her best friend, Marietta and her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory. Cho looked at Harry and smiled. Paige put down her Butterbeer and stared out of the window.
Then she felt a curse of magic flying at her and ducked, the curse hitting the window and shattering it. She jumped up and drew her wand in a frighting swish. She landed, hitting the ground hard, and turned her wand on Diggory. "Cedric, don't make me do this." she said quietly. "I know it was your magic, I can sense it!" she said, her voice raising to a growl. Diggory advanced on her. "Diggory, I have training. Don't make me unleash it." she said, eyeing his wand hand. "Fine, Willows, but if your really a Yamani child, you'll have no problem in a sword combat, right?" Paige looked at Cedric who had drawn a crystal sword. She eyed the sword and a shine of light appeared at her waist.
Her sword was attached and she was wearing her squire training clothes. A pale blue and white tunic with Lady Alanna's symbol on. She drew her sword that Alanna had given her. It was dubbed Lightning. By her feet a black cat had appeared. He had violet eyes and was named Faithful. This one looks tough, Mistress. said Faithful. Only Paige could hear him. She thought. 'Yes, but he is cocky. I should hope to beat him easily, all though, I shouldnt hope too much.' Faithful blinked and yowled at Cedric. His sword is entwined with magic ... from Duke Roger Diggory of Conte, my lady. Roger is Lady Knight Alanna's foe. She killed him twice. said Faithful, looking upon the sword.
Paige then said. "Well, if combat is what you want, Diggory, then lets take this outside. No one has to get hurt from your mistake." Diggory snarled, but nodded and they stepped outside, with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Cho, Marietta and several others. Then, as they took position, Alanna arrived. "Paige ... as my squire ... I wish you good luck ... and don't kill if you don't have to." Paige smiled at Alanna who was now holding Faithful. She looked her enemy in the eye as he said. "In the name of Duke Roger Diggory of Conte, my father, I shall kill the Lionesses' squire." Paige looked at him and said.
"In the name of my Goddesses, the Dragon and the Lioness, I shall defeat my foe." She drew her sword and raised it. Cedric raised his to meet hers and they brought them down together in a swishing movement. It meant loyalty to the holder's god or goddess. Then. they both took two steps back and Cedric cried. "You shall be struck down ... by your own Lightning." Paige ignored his cocky remark and dove in for his chest with Lightning. Cedric swished and slashed. She blocked his movements, but one of them cut into her right sword arm.
She dropped Lightning and staggered. She healed her arm a little, but couldnt hold Lightning. She reached for her sword in her left and and stood up, blood steadily flowing. She could use both hands in sword fight. She swished and slashed and Cedric looked suprised when she kicked him to the ground and knocked his sword away. She put her blade to his throat. "In the name of the Goddess, you have been defeated." said Alanna, walking over towards them. Cedric suddenly vanished and reappeared at her back. He kicked her and grabbed Lightning.
She was on the ground and her own blade was at her throat. She was bleeding and had a few scratches. She looked up at Cedric. "Now ... I shall do my father's work ... and destroy the Dragon's daughter, the Lionesses squire." he brought the blade closer and Paige felt it cut a little into her throat. She suddenly was entwined with blood red magic and Cedric was on the ground. A boy walked over. "Protector of the Flame, may I assist thee." he said, extending a hand. She looked up at the soft blue eyes of Zatch Dumbledore.
"Zatch, I, unlike you, fight my own battles." she said, smiling at him. He looked at the twitching Cedric. "Then, you may finish him off if you want." he unbound the magic holding Cedric. Cedric snarled and grabbed Paige's sword. It flew out of his hand and into Paige's. "Don't you know better than to use other people's swords, Cedric of Conte." she said, her eyes flashing like fire. The Gift! She suddenly felt it surge through her body and she shook it from her. It flew out at Cedric, pinning him to the ground. "Cedric of Conte, you have asked for combat beliving you could beat me. Why did you even challenge me, Conte boy." she looked at him.
Suddenly, Paige was blown back as Cedric disappeared into thin air. "Cedric of Conte!" she snarled. Paige picked up Diggory's sword and felt darkness go through her. She dropped the sword, her hand burning. The sword was humming and her hand was burned. "That sword ... has Duke Roger's mark." she stammered, clutching her burned and blackened left hand. She touched it with her right and healed the wound. But, it wouldn't fully heal. She tryed but it wouldn't. "Why did he call my mother a Dragon?" Paige asked Alanna quietly. Alanna looked at Paige.
"The Dragon is an old friend of mine. Your mother isn't the Dragon, A Yamani warrior known as Liam is the Dragon. He is your real father. And your real mother ... is me." Paige looked up at Alanna's face. "Your ... my mother ... then Keladry of Moonside ... who is she to me?" she said, looking down at Alanna's feet. Alanna put her hand on Paige's shoulder. "She took you when I went missing. She is a great friend to me." Paige looked up at Alanna and ran. Ran from all things messed up in her terrible life. So thats why the triplets hated her. She wasn't their real sister.
She wasn't Paige Willows. She was nobody. Paige stumbled up the long road to Hogwarts and ran into the grounds. She ran into the castle and raced for her dorm. Once she entered the girls dorm, she lugged out her trunk and packed it, crying. Paige then slammed it shut and pushed it. She couldn't push it, so Paige, still crying, went over to the window sill and sat down on it. She looked out, crying. Then she heard a voice behind her. "Paige ... are you ok?" Paige turned and looked at Harry who had entered. "Go away. I'm not Paige. I'm nobody." She looked at his handsome face, as tears spilled down her face.
Harry slowly walked over and pulled Paige into a hug. Then, he sat down and Paige sat on him, still crying silently. She buried her head into his chest and cried. "Paige ... what did Alanna tell you?" asked Harry quietly. Paige looked up into Harry's concerned green eyes. "I'm not Paige Shinkohami Willows. My father is a Yamani warrior known as the Dragon. His name is Liam. And ... my mother is Alanna. The people I thought were my father and mother arn't mine. They are only Peter, Penny and the triplet's parents." Harry hugged her close as she cried silently.
He then brought her head up to his and whiped the tears away. She sniffed and Harry hugged her close, kissing her deeply. They broke apart and Harry hugged her again. "Then, go ask Alanna what your name and idenity is. But, to me I'll call you Willowfire until I know your name. Maybe your real name was Paige. Maybe not. But, lets go confront Alanna and get the whole truth." Paige looked up and nodded. Together, she and Harry left to Alanna's office.