A/N: Well, firstly I want to thank everyone for their reviews and comments; thank you for the words of support regarding my Gran. Unfortunately she passed away maybe an hour, hour and a half, after I'd posted my last chapter. When I went to help with things my phone crashed around midnight that Sunday; I mean like it just froze and would not turn back on, wouldn't recognize another power cable.

So I was without internet for the week. I got a replacement today so, you can thank replacement Brutus for this chapter; cause, ya know, Et tu Brute? It's been a really trying week, going through my grandmother's things just to get it taken care of; just a little tip, if you know someone who has old pictures tell them to put frigging names on the back in pencil, pen bleeds through.

Any-who…thank you for reading. Also, Girl-Sirius is fun to write more so than angsty-Sirius who just needs punched in the face. Making Sirius transgendered just felt natural and seemed to explain a lot about what Sirius's problem was; why he was so pushy and just the general obsession with Harry.

*busts open the doors to the Great Hall and runs in yelling* Harry Potter…I don't own Harry Potter…just thought you ought to know *faints dramatically*

Chapter Six: Seek and You Will Find…

I truly appreciated the fact that Jubilee hadn't dressed me in Camelot colors. The bright blue and crème got old after a while and made me feel separated from there of the black robed host that walked Hogwarts's halls. Thank the divines I had Dimitri in the same hues as me or I would have truly gone made within the first week.

Jubilee put me in comfy grey slacks with sturdy leather boots like I'd had before the time jump. The button up she'd brought was starch white with a silver vest of current fashion. However, what I loved the best was the modern frock coat Jubilee had added, went to my knees without the large cuffs and fancy lapels. It was black in color with silver thread and smaller brass buttons with ravens embossed on the faces.

Aunt Andy just rolled her eyes at me as Jubilee handed me a black fedora with a wide red satin band and a pair of sunglasses like Hooch's. Octagonal shaped lens that were mirrored silver with a gold washed frame. With the accessories on, Jubilee gave me a nod of satisfaction and then left Grimmauld. I sighed happily and followed Aunt Andy to Grimmauld's apparition spot.

It'd been weird staying at Grimmauld instead of going back to Aunt Andy's house or to Dorcha Clagh but it was Aunt Andy's choice that I stay. Lord Potter had had to have help getting back to his house…wherever that was. Weirdest part had been waking up as I could have cared less about where I'd gone to sleep. I'd been put in a room that seemed to have Slytherin colors stuck to the walls.

I was glad to be leaving the house that still needed some highway yellow paint in my opinion. Also, the sound of Sirius having morning sickness wasn't the nicest thing to listen to while trying to eat breakfast. I felt for the woman, sort of because she had brought this on herself; should've used protection. Not for the first time I wondered if I was going to have to go on a werewolf hunt.

Those thoughts were pushed away as Aunt Andy hugged me to her and apperated away to Digaon Alley. Lord Potter was waiting outside for us and looked much better in the light of day than he had the previous night. The man looked dreadfully out of place with his dark brown leather western duster and bright white cowboy hat. I'm not sure if that's how he normally dressed or if he was playing up the stereotype of all Americans being cowboys.

"Good morning, ladies," he dipped his hat to Aunt Andy and myself. "How ya doing this fine morning?"

"Quite well," Aunt Andy smiled at the man. "You prepared for this Archie?" I was shocked to hear the man's first name…I'd almost forgot he hand one. Guess he wasn't born 'Lord Potter' was he?

Lord Potter shrugged. "About as well as I can be. I'm anxious as all get out, though. Just wondering where that little darlin' got too," he admitted as he pushed his hat back.

As it turned out, 'that little darlin'' was in France. Griphook had frowned at the accounts at we could now fully talk about and view. First withdrawal had been made in 1988 in Montreal, Canada and the most recent activity had come from Champ Doré in south France. Aunt Andy got the most peculiar look on her face.

"I know who we have to talk to!" she announced and blinked at the goblin across the desk from us. "Thank you, Master Griphook. You've been ever so helpful."

The goblin just blinked at my aunt and nodded like he really didn't care if he'd been helpful or not. He was nice, though, as we left his office. Aunt Andy told us that we needed to hop a portkey to France; not that that was surprising but that fact she wanted to go to the French Ministry that had me confused. I thought all portkey transports were ministry to ministry.

**A**

Going from the British Ministry of Magic to the French Ministry of Magic was trippy. One moment everything was doom and gloom and the next it was like stepping into the romantic era before Louie lost his head. I was glad for my sunglasses as the whole place was filled with natural light through large windows. The place was beautiful and could be forgiven for the overabundance of blue.

I happily let Aunt Andy take the lead again as the dinner plate that had taken us here was handed over to a very polite witch. Lord Potter had the same happily, awe inspired look on his face as I did as we took in the work of art the French worked in every day. I snapped out of the daze when I saw a department sign that read 'Foreign Relations Office'.

Aunt Andy smiled at the receptionist that guarded the gate to the office. "Could we please see Madame Delacour?" she asked and I wondered what Nym's courtly flower had to do with this. "We don't have an appointment but it's about a family matter involving her daughters. With me are Lady Athena Black of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black and Lord Archibald Potter of the Most Noble House of Potter and I'm Andromeda Tonks nee' Black, Proxy for Lady Black."

The receptionists eyed our little group questioningly before picking her up reddish colored wand and tapped it against a tall stake of blank paper. Words were scribbled onto the sheet before it folded itself into a little bird like creature and flapped…flittered more like…into the busy office beyond. I watched it until it vanished around the corner.

I'd just taken off my sunglasses and the fedora, stowing the glasses away in an inner pocket, when a shorter woman with almost glowing blonde hair rushed out of the office; I knew right away that she was a mated Veela by the way I got this happy, friendly feeling from her despite the worry on her face. Her shimmering blue eyes totally ignored Lord Potter and myself as she locked her gaze on my aunt.

"Mon dieu! Andy, what haz happened?" the woman demanded, sounding frightened. "Haz something happened to Nym?" interesting to note that this Madame Delacour already considered Nym part of her family.

Aunt Andy was quick to dissuade the woman's fear. "No, no, Nym's fine, I promise."

Madame Delacour let out a shuddering sigh and put her hand to her chest. "Do not scare me like that, Andy. I feel like I have lost ten years off my life thankz to that petite frayeur!" the small woman took a long breath and then let it out; her demeanor much happier now. "If you are not here about Nym, then what are you here for, I wonder?" her eyes drifting to me and Lord Potter.

"Can we go somewhere private?" Aunt Andy implored.

**A**

Apolline Delacour's studying stare was unnerving. She'd been staring at me since she realized who I was, that I was the Knight that'd met her ancestors. Her eyes lingered on the scar on my chin and I had to fight the urge to duck my head. We were in her rather spacious office in very nice but not so padded chairs.

"So, you want me to believe thaz my foster-daughter is ze long lost daughter of James Potter and Sirius Black…who is now a woman?" Apolline asked shifting her gaze back to Aunt Andy. "That she was hidden away and only now you are able to find her with blood magic on an old bed sheet?"

"No, ma'am," I shook my head. "It was blood magic on a piece of canvas. Big difference, just for the record." I ignored my aunt's glare at the side of my head. "And, also, we've a name of Lindsey Clarke and that her Gringotts account which is still attached to the Black vaults and Potter vaults was accessed from Champ Doré within the last week. I, honestly, don't know if your Lindsey is the same as our Lindsey but there are ways to find out; if you amenable." I shrugged and sat back in my chair with my hat on my knee. "If they are the same then there are several people who are very eager to meet her. Madame, if the Potter parents hadn't died then when Voldemort was stopped, they would have gone to find her."

Apolline scowled at me. "You 'ave have no fear of his name?"

"Why should I?" I asked dumbly. "He's real name was Tom Riddle Jr. and he's a half blood and through a series of outlandish events, I've hit him in the face with a rock twice. I've met far scarier monsters than that wannabe."

The veela woman just scoffed and waggled her finger at me. "You should not scoff at monsters, child."

"There is only one monster that scares me, Madame, and it's not Tom Riddle. Now, can we please get back to the business at hand?" I asked, now I was ignoring Lord Potter's curious gaze. "We mean Lindsey no harm; she's family and family is everything. A simple test is all we ask, though, I think we all know the result."

Apolline looked to my aunt. "How sure are you that thiz wall hanging is correct?"

"Very, Apolline." Aunt Andy confided. "How many girls are out there named Lindsey Elizabeth Clarke, born on the 20th of March, 1977? Having turned eleven in Canada and then moved here to France to attend Beauxbatons as her last withdrawal came from the branch there?"

After a long while, Madame Delacour scowled and then nodded. "Fine, but if Lindsey does not like what you are telling her, you will leave her be."

"Of course," Lord Potter said quickly. "As long as she gets the information then that's all we can ask. Whether she wants to take up the opportunity to go further with it is up to her."

**A**

Champ Doré was a quint village like Hogsmeade but much more colorful and lively. Think Brothers Grimm vs. Willy Wonka. Or even the Wizard of Oz after Dorothy gets to Oz with her little dog too. *insert evil, cliché witch's cackle here*

There were flowers everywhere, the buildings were brightly painted and everyone just seemed a little more animated. I have to say there was certainly more laughter to be had in the little café that Apolline led us to through the floo; it had an easy name so that Lord Potter wouldn't get lost and wind up in Serbia with the way he was trying to wrap his lips around the French words. I'm not French but I was slightly offended by the way he was butchering the vowels.

After vanishing the ash and soot from my clothes and hat; I put the sunglasses back on and followed outside. Champ Doré sat in a wide sweeping valley just off center of the Pyrenees Mountains; though I'm sure if they farted the wrong way they'd wind up in Spain. The sun was out and it was warm which was weird because mountainous areas aren't supposed to be warm.

It was only a short walk from the café to the entrance gates of Beauxbatons where a small fleet of carriages were waiting. Beyond the gates was vast grounds, scattered fountains and sculpted hedges. The carriages housed in a large building reminiscent of stables and were manned back creatures who looked a lot like wood nymphs; skinny but tall with wild air, pointy ears and neon colored eyes.

Apolline spoke to a nymph dressed in very brightly colored and very outdated clothes; like what I got used to seeing with the frock coats and britches but fancier and more colors. When the rapid fired French had stopped the nymph nodded and snapped his fingers. A horses-less carriage came forth, no threstral this time, and the nymph opened the carriage door and held out a hand to help Apolline into the compartment.

Aunt Andy sat next to the Madame Delacour and I sat next to Lord Potter and stared out the window at the ornate grounds. The designs were stuck era before the Reign of Terror. Not saying that it wasn't pretty to look at but the wizarding world had trouble giving things up than a miser with his last coin.

My point was proving by the massive sweeping, east facing chateau with a brightly painted façade, wrought iron balconies and gold gilded decorations of little cherubs (not the real ones but the babies in diapers), mythical animals with witches and wizards tossed in with wands drawn. The slate roof had been spelled blue and I doubt the windows had ever been dirty. Hogwarts looked like the outcast cousin in comparison.

My palm prickled at the sheer amount of magic that permutated the air as the carriage rolled up a twisting path towards. Lord Potter gasped in awe, the noise shaken loose when the carriage stopped short of red marble stairs. The knights in my head were muttering that the chateau had been remolded to mimic the Palace of Versailles after the death of King Louis XIV. The only difference was the size as Beauxbatons was easily four times the size of the palace she was modeled after.

A little house elf in a blue silk tea towel with the Beauxbatons crest on the shoulder greeted us after a wood nymph let us out of the carriage. There was no nervousness about the elf as he held out eyes and announced that he was to take us Madame Maxime. I noticed that the wood nymph didn't enter the building.

I took off my fedora and shrunk it down so that it could be stowed away with my sunglasses. Once again thankful that Jubilee had given me a haircut before breakfast this morning as I ran a hand through it to work out the shoulder length mop. Just a trim because it was starting to curl with how often I was putting in braids and the length gotten to be too much for me. However, it was still long enough for even the elaborate braids that Elise and Branwen had taught me if I was careful and paid attention.

**A**

Madame Maxime was thoroughly shocked to see the gathered group before her, it was written all over her face. The little house elf had handed us off to the Headmistress's secretary, who had us wait for ten minutes in the little lobby where her desk sat protecting the Headmistress's office door. A little light on her desk lite up and the witch, in a bored tone, told us that Madame Maxime would see us now.

"Madame Apolline, Lady Black, Madame Tonks," Maxime frowned as we filed into her office. "What is ze meaning of this?"

I just grinned as Apolline launched into the story before we even had the chance to sit down. Lord Potter's look of confusion was predictably funny. I sighed softly and look around the office; it was so much warmer than Dumbledore's and brighter too.

There were windows galore, painted in soft warm colors and was vacant of trinkets and portraits of the prior headmasters. I was brought out of my inspection of the balcony doors when Aunt Andy nudged me. Everyone was looking at me.

"Lady Black," Maxime pulled my attention to her. "Is eet true that a member of your House goes to my school?"

I nodded and then reached for an inner pocket, not the one with my hat and glasses. "Yes, it is and I prove it with this!" I cried happily and produced a small crystal orb the size of a snitch. "This is what the goblins use to confirm blood heir…that their really related. Master Griphook lent this to me as we were leaving Gringotts." I handed it over to the headmistress. "For now it's blank, you can check. To activate it, it just requires a drop of blood from either myself or Lord Potter. The blood will be absorbed and then whomever is related to us will have it glow for their touch."

Apolline took the crystal from Maxime. "I am quite…familiar with thiz identifier," she admitted. "We use eet to make sure that ze ambassadors are who they say they are. Eet is not fooled by anythinz like polyjuice or advanced magicks."

Maxime nodded before the very tall woman went back to her desk. She pushed a button and spoke to her secretary. Maxime was asking for both Fleur and Lindsey to be summoned to her office and she asked for refreshment to be severed as well. Then she pointed us to a little sitting area.

"Oh, Madame Maxime, I was wondering," now seemed like a good time to ask, at least I thought it was, "if Dumbledore had let you know that Quidditch is back on for the year and that we're having a tournament of schools…so to speak."

Maxime frowned as we sat down. "Non, he did not."

I tried not to scowl, keeping myself neutral. "Hmm…well, that's a shame but it's very true. It will be the three schools vs. the Hogwarts houses, doing a points system, two hour time limit with ties possible and school champions cannot compete." I paused to take a breath. "Dimitri and I, the other Knight at Hogwarts, plus several of the teachers thought it was unfair that the games be canceled when there are only several tasks for the year and it allows Ilvermorny to compete as well."

Maxime grinned and was not startled by the pair of house elves who popped in with trays of tea and cookies; they started severing the tea unbidden. "I think I like this idea," the giantess said waggling a finger at me. "You seem much different from ze last thaz we talked, Lady Black."

"I feel better," I told her, ignoring the questioning looks from Lord Potter and Apolline. "I've also had time to collect myself; which, honestly, makes all the difference. So, will we see a Beauxbatons Quidditch team?"

"Oui!" Maxime nodded, her eyes twinkling merrily. "And I think that I will have to tell ze other heads of schools too."

I bowed my head to her. "Thank you, also…um…will you be having a chance in uniform?" I asked and the woman looked confused, as did everyone else. "I-I mean, I saw some of your students in the hallways and while you have pretty uniforms, well…I'm afraid they might not be enough to stand to the cold of Hogwarts." This was an honest concern. "It gets really nippy at the castle and your kids were wearing silk. I mean, they could use warming charms but…" I let the concern linger.

Maxime frowned. "I had not thought of that," she confessed darkly.

"Clan Delacour would be 'appy to help with ze outfitting if you wish, Olympe," Apolline offered. "Mes filles will be needing ze clothing anyways and eet would be our 'onor to help any way we can."

That please the French headmistress because she beamed happily to be presented with a solution so quickly for a problem. Lord Potter and Aunt Andy offered to help as well for fostering international relations; plus because of Lindsey. I was happily munching on the cookies the pleased little elf keep feeding me; there were several flavors and I was just as content to play taste tester.

**A**

I was feeling very pleased with myself and had cheeks like a chipmunk when Fleur and Lindsey arrived. Aunt Andy rolled her eyes at me as the other two women noticed and chuckled when the elder Black woman vanished the crumbs from my coat; the elf wiggled his ears in guilty anxiousness and popped away before he could be scolded.

When the two girls were shown into the office it was funny. They'd stopped just inside the doors and gaped at the gathered group. Fleur was the only one who looked surprised at me as Lindsey had just kept looking between Maxime and Apolline.

"Mama Apolline, I swear it wasn't me. That kid is a liar!" Lindsey blurted and blushed.

I threw my head back laughing. "Oh, divines, someone has a guilty conscious."

Lindsey straightened up and scowled at me. "No, I just know what a certain little…err…boy has a big mouth and no love for me is all."

"Oh," I said stood from my chair, "is that the case? Well, then I say, good on you for being proactive, just try not to look guilty as your proclaiming your innocence. You might be more believable that way."

Lindsey scowl deepened and Fleur cut her off by asking, "Who are you?"

"I'm Athena Black," I bowed my head to the very shocked pair, "and it seems that you lot have meet my friends over the summer, no? If I'm not mistaken, your Nym's courtly flower that she blushes and gushes about, hmm? Fleur, yes?" that got a smirk of mirth out of Apolline as Fleur blushed from her collar to her ear tips. I smiled at her before looking to Lindsey, who was laughing at her friend. "Now, you, my dear Lindsey, are why we're here. Let me introduce first, Andromeda Tonks nee' Black, Proxy-Lady to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. Beside her, with the cowboy hat, is Lord Archibald Potter of the Most Noble House of Potter."

Lindsey's eyes went wide at the dropping of the names. Her eyes narrowed though, after she and Fleur had joined out group in sitting and Aunt Andy told why we had come to her school. I saw the spark of anger in her eyes as she learned about her biological parents and I don't think it was because Sirius was transgendered; I think it was more to do with them giving her up with the way her eyes flashed at the mention of the unsigned letters with the Gringotts account.

"We can prove it," Lord Potter offered and pointed to the orb sitting next to the teapot. "A Gringotts inheritance test."

Lindsey scoffed and threw herself back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest. "That's not needed, I believe you." She admitted and asked, "by why now? Why after all this time? I have parents you know, well…had but they gave me up too. Why should I come back to the first set of parents who gave me up?"

"James Potter is dead," I told her bluntly and Aunt Andy smacked me as Lindsey's face fell, "you've met his son though. Harry?"

That got Lindsey's attention. "Harry's…little Harry is my brother?" she asked in disbelief.

I nodded and continued to ignore my aunt. "Sirius was in Azkaban for twelve years, if you didn't know. He escaped last year, and truthfully you could call her a selfish asshole. However, one thing I've learned and I constantly tell this to Harry, is that everyone has a reason for everything. You were given up, Lindsey, because the Black family, generation before Aunt Andy here, were bastards and as dark as our name." I explained, didn't feel like sugarcoating this whatsoever. "They would have taken you if Sirius and James would have kept you and they would have killed your parents. Potters refused the title of Most Noble and Ancient, which puts them on the same level of blood traitors to some. Sirius was supposed to be the next Lord Black even though it was his uncle who held the title because he was the eldest male child; becoming a girl and having a child defeats the propose of carrying on the family name. You were born Lindsey Seren Potter." That name didn't seem to surprise Lindsey, must have been in one of the letters…at least the first and middle names. "You would have been raised by Walburga Black, and trust me she was a piece of work; so totally burned her portrait of the wall." Aunt Andy nodded adamantly in agreement though I'm not sure if it was because I did burn the portrait or about her aunt. "Walburga was Sirius's mother and she would have murdered her own son because of his indiscretion. According to Sirius, if he and James could have, they would have run away but they were teenagers. Just about the same age as you and me."

Lindsey snorted as she glared at me. "Are you trying to talk up your family or not?"

"The family has changed. Never will it be that way again while I am Lady Black," I told her evenly. I saw her shudder at the power and conviction in my tone.

Lord Potter offered his input then too. "You don't have to accept us, Lindsey, unless you want to, I promise. We just want to give you the chance to know where you come from, offer you the perks that come with being in the family and be with your family." He winked at her then. "There are some good things we've got going and we'll even welcome the family you've made for yourself here."

The girl shagged into her chair and shook her head. Lindsey was struggling to not to cry; Fleur was holding her hand. Everyone jumped when the door to the office burst open and the frightened secretary nearly fell through the doors.

"Ze town is being attacked by minotaurs!" she cried.

I threw up my hands. "Just once I'd like to go somewhere without having something go wrong!" I cried and looked to Aunt Andy is I got up from my chair. "Is that too much to ask?"

"What are you doing?" Lord Potter demanded, he'd risen from his chair to stop me I think, as I went to the balcony door and opened them.

I rolled my eyes at him, my stomach rumbling a little in regret of those cookies. "What'd ye think? I'm going ta ask them ta dinner, anything else would be rude. Geez…"

With a sigh, I jumped to the railing and ignored the cries behind me as I stood there for a second. Then I jumped and shifted to my hawk form. I was trying to remember if Fraser had ever faced bull-men before…none of the Knights ever had. This was going to interesting.

**A**

Well, the secretary wasn't wrong; there were minotaurs in Champ Doré and they were making a mess of the place. There were two of them in full battle armor hefting double headed axes because apparently their size and razor sharp horns weren't scary enough. Shop fronts were demolished and the pretty planters destroyed with mauled flowers and dirt scattered about. People were hiding, cowering in the back of shops.

I did a sweep of the village, to see if the minotaurs were alone, before gaining some altitude in preparation for another cannonball; that sounding better than calling it a battering ram. What I hadn't anticipation was the fact that hitting the bull-man was precisely like running headlong into a brick wall. It hurt and accomplished nothing but putting me on my backside while the minotaur I'd hit looked confused; saving grace was that I was wearing my armor.

The minotaur, Uno, grunted unhappily and turned to the other minotaur, Dos, and hit him with the face of his axe (the flat side). This knocked Dos backward a few steps and caused him to roar unhappily; would have been funny if I hadn't been right under their feet. I quickly rolled away and drew my wand.

Regretted when my stunning spell bounced off the armored chest of Uno. He snarled as the spell took out a bakery window. He slowly looked back to me and roared. That got the attention of Dos and they both rushed me. I panicked for a second before casting the rusted color spell that wrapped Uno up in thick chains that attach anchors to ships. He fell sideways and could do nothing under the weight of the chain.

Dos, on the other hand, punted me like I was a football. I'd been kneeling down and his metal booted foot connected with my shield and picked me up off the ground. The force of it tossed me a good twenty feet, I lost both my shield and my wand; the shield dematerialized and the yew wand rolled under an overturned carriage.

For the record, minotaurs are very quick on their feet. He had me by my tabard before I was even picking myself up; the bastard smashed his head into mine and though my helm had took the brunt of the hit I still saw stars. The HUD on my helm cracked like it was glass and the crack spread as Dos started bashing his fist against my head. He roared in triumph when my helm started and dematerialized; now he was free to punch my face.

He got me twice, south paw was he with power of a Mack truck in his arms. Split my cheek and I tasted blood in my mouth when I drew my dirk and put it through his wrist in the space between the end of his vambrace and his hand. Dos screamed in pain when I twisted the blade unmercifully.

Dos threw me away from him, I grunted and the air was driven out of me when I struck the side of a half demolished red brick planter. My ribs were thanking me for that; heavily bruised but not broke. I spat tangy blood and summoned Excalibur and my wand, both coming to either hand; Dos had reached the end of my patience.

Casting with my left hand was weird but I cast the brightest lumos possible in Dos's face. He cried out and swatted the ball of light as he stumbled backwards; he was blinking his eyes rapidly trying to clear them. I stashed my wand so I could use both hands and sprinted, lunching myself off a large wooden horse's head that'd been part of a store front.

Excalibur started to glow and cut through Dos's bone, flesh and armor; took his arms and his head. His body and separated parts hit the ground with a heavy thud and blood spilled soaking the street. French aurors started popping in as the extra-large carriage from the school zoomed down the broken street.

I sat down heavily on that planter that tried to break my side and let Excalibur go as I watched the auror take Uno into custody. They stripped him of his chains and armor and I felt my heart turn to ice. I was up and sprinting over.

"Wait!" I cried as they were putting him in enchanted shackles.

"Miss, I need you to back away." a female Auror, speaking French that I understood, stopped me as I tried to near.

"I am Sir Lancelot of Camelot," I snarled and shoved her aside. Not sure that meant anything to them but it was enough make the aurors hesitate and I pressed forward.

There on the left peck of the bull-man was the last thing I ever thought to see. Burned into his skin was the Mark of the Fallen; a crest of a shield with an armored fist that had an X on the back of the fist. It's once been the standard of the King of Rheged. An uncontrollable rage and the feeling of betrayal, the anger familiar if I'm being honest, rolled over my shoulders and set my blood to boiling.

I used magic to tear the mark from Uno's skin, from his screams one would have thought I was skinning him alive. Uno passed out and took several aurors with him as he crumpled. The Mark of the Fallen hovered there in mid-air looking as if it were made from fire. With my free hand I summoned a fallen brick and placed the Mark upon the stone; the Mark's power lost to the non-organic material.

"What iz the meaning of thiz?" the auror that I shoved demanded, Maxime and the rest appearing.

Apolline gasped when she sat the brick in my hand. "Thaz iz the Mark of ze Fallen!"

"Madam Delacour?" the female auror looked confused and surprised to see the ministry official.

"This wasn't a random attack," I growled out and gave the auror the brick as I headed for Duo's body.

I heard Apolline stop the auror from having me detained so that I could explain what I meant by that statement. After retrieving my dirk, I used it to cut Duo's breastplate away by going after the buckles on the sides and at the shoulder. There on his left peck, just like Uno, was another Mark of the Fallen. This one had died with Duo.

"What iz that?" the unnamed auror demanded, looking back and forth between the brick in her hand and the mark on the dead creature.

I shoved the voices in my head away, shoving as hard as I could so that I could think on my own and so I could answer. "It is the standard of a group of terrorists that have been around since the time of Merlin," I explained. "The Mark gives the caster of it power over whatever creature they put the Mark on. Makes them a thrall, a mindless weapon."

"I 'ave not 'eard of this group…The Fallen?" the auror argued.

Apolline frowned. "I doubt you 'ave, Auror Dubois. They 'ave not been 'eard from in near three hundred years."

I sat down hard on the planter, my head spinning unpleasantly. Oh, they'd been busy just not taking credit for what they'd done, I'm sure. This was bad and meant there was a Champion Rheged active; one of Morgan Le Fay's little minions running amuck. There were truly dark tidings on the horizon.

**A**

Auror Dubois was not a fan of mine as I couldn't give her any more information than who the Mark belonged to and that I hadn't been in Champ Doré when the attack had started. Just like them, I'd come to help and luckily the only casualties had been property damages. Divines know what could have happened in that five minutes it took them to arrive that I was getting beat on like a traditional hide drum.

Madame Maxime ushered me into her personal carriage once she determined the questioning to be over so that she could return me to her school. Her school Healer was waiting there, to be called if he was needed into the town. I was still in my armor and was slightly afraid to change back because I really didn't want to see the bruises I'd incurred.

Lord Potter was not pleased and kept glaring at me. I'm not sure he realized exactly who I'd become or that he was truly insulted by what I'd told him before jumping off the balcony. Madame Maxime was giving the man a curious look as he was glaring at me.

"Yes, Lord Potter?" I asked having enough of his staring as we reached the half point to road back to the château.

He scowled. "You are a child," he said. "You should not be playing dress up with swords and taking on creatures at should be left to trained professionals."

I nodded slowly. "I'm sorry ya think tha' my friend," I answered, that Scottish burr back. "However, the world dunna turn with your sensibilities and morals. Magic cares not whom it takes just as long as they've a hand ta hold a wand."

"Does your grandmother know about this?" he demanded to know pointing at my blooded tabard.

"Aye, she does as she seen it a-fore." I pointed out; that only seemed to upset him.

He glared at Aunt Andy. "You're her guardian, you should put a stop to this before the girl get herself killed."

Aunt Andy just shook her head. "Athena's lot has been cast, Lord Potter," she said, putting emphasis on his title. "There's nothing I can do to change it so I'll do what I can to help her through."

Lord Potter only gaped at my Aunt. "How could you think like that?" he snarled at her and pointed at me. "She's but a child and she shouldn't be put in danger like this."

"Lad, if ye don't stop point tha' finger at me," I warned him, "be prepared ta lose it and the hand to which it is attached. Ya knowing of what I've been through or the responsibilities that's been put on me so kindly like ta keep your judgments to yerself."

I wasn't feeling up to this argument and my face was starting to hurt. Maxime was the one who ended Lord Potter's ire with a stern look and letting her magic loose like an aura that was sure to suffocate us all. When we did reach her school, Fleur and Lindsey were anxiously waiting by the front steps.