Chapter 24 Mother Nature
Waking up from a restful night Harry got up to find Ron sitting on the edge of his bed deep in thought. The look on his face betrayed his inner battle.
'What's wrong Ron?' Harry asked.
'Nothing mate… nothing.' he replied in a far off voice.
Harry sat down on his bed and looked up at the empty beds around them. It was Saturday and everyone was enjoying the good weather today. Even though it was the middle of November the sun was out and the snow was, suspiciously melting.
'Cm'on tell me. We're best mates. I'm not gonna laugh at you.'
'Well I had this freaky dream Harry. I was with you, 'Mione and the twins. We had these special powers. It was a real old like, like it was centuries ago. I think we had past lives. You know they say that all wizards, they are reborn if they are good enough. I think we're one of them.'
'Well, let's get Mione and Emma and we can maybe find a spell and find out yeah? Come on what's the worst that can happen?'
Shrugging his shoulders Ron was pulled up to his feet and dragged out of their room in search for their lost other half of their group.
Hermione and Emma were sitting on the couch whispering while looking over a book of ancient spells and rituals.
'Hey Hermione, nice outfit.' Harry replied.
'Thanks, Emma helped me out. She let me borrow her teal t-shirt and made me wear my bell bottom black pants I got from my parents last summer.' she replied with a smile.
Harry sat down beside Emma who was wearing a pair of brown pants with a flower embroidered in the left leg and a long sleeve pink, purple, blue and brown striped shirt.
'Ron sit down and tell them about your dream, you chicken shit.'
'Harry, language!' Hermione chased and shushed Emma who was laughing like a loon.
'Seriously Mione this isn't funny you have to listen to me. I had a dream last night. We were all there including Emm's sister. We had powers and we were going to defeat a monster of sorts.'
'Honestly Ronald…'
'No Mione, I was 'Reginald', Harry was 'Hunt', Julia was 'Joy', Emma was 'Emilia' and Mione you were 'Hailie' just like that book we found. There has to be something to this. I mean it was always know that wizards who were good enough were re-borne. We should see if we were these people or not.'
Hermione tapped her finger to her lips and hummed to her self.
'I saw a ritual in here we could use tonight. It has to be done during a half moon that is rimmed red. When I was studying Astronomy I discovered we would be having one tonight. All we need is the ritual powders.'
'Where do we get them?' Emma asked, leaning in now.
'We…' Hermione flipped through the book and turned to a page near the beginning. 'It says we need to light a fire in an open space surrounded by our joined mother overshadowed by her power.'
'So that means we need to be by mother nature, the woods in a clearing under her power which would be the moon. Right?' Emma looked at Harry and Ron who were looking dumb struck at her. 'WHAT? Can't I know i anything? /i
'Exactly. We need powdered mix of salt and moon powder to encircle the fire. Then we need a mix of fairy dust, ground Dactylomancy and some Bristlecone pine needles.'
'Professor Snape has them. I can get them from him. Won't be that hard.' Emma replied.
'I can distract him while you get them Emma.' Harry offered.
Emma nodded and got up from the couch.
Harry and Emma waved to their friends and walked out the portrait door. Heading down to the dungeons Harry knocked on Snapes door as Emma cast herself invisible.
'What is it Potter? I am very busy.' he replied snidely.
'Sorry sir, but I need your help Peeves is further up the hall causing trouble.'
'Fine come on.'
When they left Emma crept inside and bagged the ingredients from his stores. Being his niece had it's advantage, he could never keep her out of i anything i .
When she heard Snape storming back she pocketed her newly acquired things and stood by the door. When he stormed through, before the door closed she ran through and down the hall.
Seeing Harry she grabbed his sleeve and they headed up to the girls Lavatory that Moaning Myrtle inhabited.
Waiting for Ron and Hermione to show up with their supplies they sat down and unpacked the ingredients.
When they got there Emma was just appearing with Harry on top of her smiling as he tickled her. Blushing when their friends cleared their throats, he stuttered.
'She umm… she started it, tried to scar me while she wasn't visible.'
Ron smirked and sat down beside him. When night fell and it was time for dinner, they put their powdered 'stuff' as Ron called them away and headed for dinner before they went to the forest. Julia was sitting beside Emma and they were chatting, it was a lot better then it was before. After eating their full Emma said good by to Julia who was off to talk with Draco.
Grabbing the salts and powders and their cloaks they snuck down the hall and out to the forest. The Invisibility cloak wasn't big enough for all four of them.
'We need lots of wood. Ron and I will go that way you and Emma go to the left.' Hermione replied when they spotted a clearing.
Harry smiled and grabbed Emma's hand and ran the opposite way. Harry stopped abruptly and shushed Emma who collided into him.
'You hear that?' he asked. 'Sounds like some people laughing.'
Emma nodded and frowned, was it her sister?
Keeping forward Harry and she hid behind some trees to see Julia Cardigan in mid air. But like may birds and Vampires them selves she had no glossy wings to kept her aloft. Her arms were by her side as they flew with he sun to the half moon.
'Her feet, they are covered by dark black clouds. You can barley see her feet. Is that how she stays up?' Harry asked looking at Emma with confusion.
'My sister and I are like you and the rest of your friends… our friends. We have special powers. She can fly with out wings and 'snap' as she calls it to any place on earth. Whether it be warded more forcefully than Hogwarts or it be the deepest oceans on this planet. She is a real fighter of all the arts and is my beloved sister and friend through thick and thin. Watch and see what I can do Harry.' she smiled.
Looking to Harry she winked and turned into a raven with a jump into the air. Julia had picked Draco up by his waist and held him tight.
The tender kiss they shared was broken apart when a raven flew around and a dark black and foreboding cloud formed around them. Seeing the fire alight with fire and destructive winds, Julia landed and they ran off in search of the safety of the castle. The Raven landed with a loud 'CAW' and changed into a replica of Julia who had just left.
Harry ran to her and felt her face, awed by her power he held her close. Hugging her to his chest he kissed her head and looked into her eyes as she changed back.
Emma smiled and leaned into Harry's fingers caressing her face. As he leaned forward she sighed softly as their lips met in a soft a wistful kiss.
Smoke engulfed them and they appeared back in the clearing with a bundle of wood off to the side.
'You are amazing. You're just like me. We're not normal and we never will be. At least I know I'm not alone any more.'
'I can shadow walk. I walk from place to place through shadow and smoke. I can take eon any form as long as I have seen it or can see it clearly in my mind. Like you, and Hermione and my sister I have knowledge in most arts of combat, weather it be magical, hand to hand or weaponry. I know this is all familiar what is happening. But I know only a bit more than you and my sister.'
'That's okay I'm sure if you knew more you would have told me wouldn't you?'
'Of course.' Emma smiled and pulled away and put her hands on her hips as Ron and Hermione came with bundles of wood in their arms.
'Come one we need to start a fire.' Hermione replied.
With the fire roaring and the salt surrounding it they sat on the snow free ground with their cloaks bundled around them.
Hermione reached into the pouch she held and looked to the moon before throwing a fist full in. The fire roared with might and changed to an electric blue color before turning black.
'We, mere children of our mother sit before her soul under her mighty power and ask for her guidance and power.' Hermione said.
'Give us knowledge of the past that pertains to us and ours to help us in this troubled future we see coming ever nearer to our mother, heart and home.' Emma replied softly.
'Show us what we know deep down in the recesses of our mind. Tell us what we believe we know is true or if it be false.' Ron asked.
'give us what we yearn, not for us but for those we seek to protect. To help us keep your children and your rejections and creatures alive, weather they deserve it or not. To free this world of fear of one of our own, to give him to you to create anew and give him a better life. Peace.' Harry called out to the fire and the moon.
The moon shone bright and the fire shot high into the sky. Clouding the dark star light night with black. The heat of the fire spread through out the clearing and wrapped around them as they knelt in a circle.
The fire dwindled but the light stayed and shone onto them. Words wrapped in fire glimmered into life before them.
i My children honour me with their words. Life I have given to you, and you do my old heart proud. Fear you have is not for you but for your siblings I have also given life to my self.
Your request is an honourable one, with many answers. The quest I have given to you four plus one who is sadly not among you since your birthing is of great importance.
One among my greatest children has fallen to his sorrows and his whims. To bring him back to me this you must know. /i
The fire roared lowed and high and before them stood four people, Emma and Harry stood side by side holding hands and smiling while to their side was Ron and Hermione wrapped in a hug.
The fire gathered around the people and five more appeared, they shared the same faces but their cloths were worn and depleted. They were peasants, and smiling even among their poverty and their slavery.
The people disappeared and Ron was the first person to walk up from the burning wood.
Pointing to a fiery cloud and then to what was happening beyond it.
i Five of my greatest children it has taken to bring my fallen home among the vast moons.
To know the past is the way to the future of our kind. My heart beats with yours as you dream your dreams. /I
The Ron in the fire looked into Ron's eyes and pointed to him before disappearing in red flame.
The fire spun in circles before Julia, Emma and Hermione smiled at them from the enclosure.
i 'Magic that I have given to you is not the only means to a peaceful end for the fallen that walk the earth through the times of the darkest moons. Knowledge of bodily weaponry and weapons made of wood and stone and steel you must master. Knowledge is power and power is knowledge, how will you fight and bring him home to me if you have no weapons among your reach? Use what you are given, weather be your mother or your brother, it will keep you safe among these harder times.' /i a soft and worn voice echoed around them.
The figures disappeared and Harry stood there alone, and withering. The fire that surrounded him cracked and hit him with force. Trapped by his creator he stared into Harry's green eyes, the light of the fire dulled as the life the fire figure held dwindled.
I 'But to put my son into perilous situations without hope I will never think to do. Safety of all my creations is in my thoughts always. No boundaries will keep two of you back for life is greater than the laws you make to govern yourselves or that of mine own. Speed of light is an essence that I have given you, among you, you know. The power of all of your siblings you I have given with my trust and power. One day you will wield my hear in your own and our power to intertwine. Teach him you must for his power lay dormant and sleeping they will stay until my children can learn to play as one.' /i the voice faded and the night sky reappeared through the darkness.
The moon shone brightly as the red rim disappeared. Harry looked to Emma and smiled to her.
'To play as one. What you suppose that means?' Ron asked and Hermione heaved a great sigh.
'Oh Ron.' she whispered with love and headed back to the castle to sleep on her racing thoughts with her friends and boyfriend.