Chapter III:

Antien dodged the blow that was aimed for his head and quickly brought his blade up and around nearly disarming his opponent. Nearly, anyway. That day it was Legolas's turn to challenge the young elfling. Antien belated saw the shift in his mentor's stance and regretted it when he fell hard on his butt. Legolas didn't say anything as he helped Antien up and handed him his blade. Legolas never had to lecture Antien about his mistakes as he did with Balan years before because he knew Antien was already beating himself up about them.

That day Antien was distracted because he was meeting his parents at their new house that afternoon. More than that he had homework to do and the mysterious feeling hadn't disappeared from his room as of yet.

After Legolas dismissed him with little more than a smile and nod Antien cleaned up quickly and headed to the library to start on the transfiguration essay that was due the next class. He found an empty table near the section he needed, spread out as best he could and set to work. He barely got the introduction written when he was interrupted by a shadow over him. He looked up into the kind eyes of Neville Longbottom, Herbology Professor and good friend to his parents. Antien had yet to have a decent conversation with him outside class since the term started, so he silently offer the young professor the seat next to him.

"How are you, Antien?"

"Fair. How are you?"

"Very well. How are you parents?"

Not knowing where the conversation was going Antien answered. "They are well."

Neville smiled and nodded looking relieved.

"What's wrong, Professor?" Antien asked slowly becoming worried.

Neville opened to respond but was interrupted by the appearance of Severus Snape. "Ah, Mr. Potter, Neville."

"Hello, Severus. How are you?"

"Well. How are the mandrakes maturing?"

Neville smiled. "Very well. They should be ready for your advance classes in another month or so."

Snape nodded and turned to Antien. 'Vayna is looking for you,' he said quietly. To which Antien nodded and started to gather his things. Just as he was about to leave Neville handed him a letter addressed to his father and merely smiled before leaving himself. Totally bewildered, Antien set out to find Vayna.

He found her some minutes later inside his rooms, but when he walked in he didn't like the feeling that permeated from the room.

'Vayna?' he asked. When she didn't turn to face him he walked around the living room and knelt in front of her. She was just staring into space. 'Vayna?' She blinked and her clouded eyes cleared. Antien sat back on his heels and waited for her to explain.

'He's coming. His presence is ever closer. Friend or foe, is starting to become clear.'

'But who is he?'

'Only his hair and eyes. So blond it is white and eyes like ice. So cold.'

'He's a friend thought, right?'

Vayna looked straight into his eyes and he shivered at the age he saw there. 'He's coming.'

The portrait hole suddenly burst open scaring him and James, Rose and Hugo tumbled in followed by Legolas and the twins. The spell was broken. Vayna stood as if nothing had happened and Antien regrettably followed her lead.

'You ready, Antien?' James asked. He nodded and they headed for Hogsmead.

… … … … … … …

Antien sat uncomfortably in the parlor of his parent's new house. It looked nothing like the home he grew up in. While he knew that would be the case it didn't stop him from not liking it. The house was cold, but he thought that it had to do with the new over stuffed furniture and furnishings. Antien sighed. It wasn't home.

'Antien?' He looked up to see his mother in the doorway. 'Are you alright?' He nodded even when he didn't believe it himself. 'Are you sure?' He nodded again and Rodwen sat next to him on the couch. 'Because I would have thought that you would be either fighting with James about which room you want or playing in the back yard with Lily. Now what's wrong?'

Antien stared into the unlit fireplace. 'This doesn't feel like home.'

Rodwen smiled. 'And Hogwarts does?'

'Its different because Hogwarts is my school, but home… home is where my family is.' Antien sighed. 'And this doesn't feel like home.'

'Give it time, ion-nin,' Rodwen tried, and then saw the fire that lit in her son's eyes.

'I don't want to "give it time"!' Antien stood and started pacing. He vaguely acknowledged that his father stood in the doorway.

'Antien, dear. What's wrong?' Rodwen said worried.

Antien stopped in front of the now roaring fire not knowing that he was the one that lit it. 'So much… grief. So much pain.' Antien turned his eyes on his father who reeled back. 'What haven't you told us, Estel Galad?' The clouded eyes closed and Antien crumbled to the floor.

… … … … … … …

Antien woke in an extremely comfortable bed that definitely was not his own but he decided that he was far too tired to be awake. He turned on his side determined to get back to sleep until he heard the voice of what he took to be the healer.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, you're awake." He opened his eyes and closed them again against the harsh light. "I only hope that you do not follow in your father's footsteps. His file has got to be 5 centimeters thick." Antien propped himself against his pillows and wondered who exiled him to the Hospital Wing. Then he wondered what happened that warranted the Hospital Wing. As if she could mind read the matron said, "You collapsed in your parent's parlor. Your mother was most distressed."

"What happened?" Antien asked almost slipping into Elvish.

"Personally, I have no idea. My spells for some reason will not work on you, but after you were brought in that new history professor came in." Antien looked up in surprise. He knew something was really wrong if Vayna was involved. "Are you up for some food? You missed dinner and breakfast." Antien nodded though not really hearing her. He was trying to figure out what happened. He remembered pacing around but after that nothing and that got him worried.

The doors opened and his family walked hardly surprising him. Lily lunged onto his bed and pulled him into a fierce hug tears falling down her face. James looked worried along side his parents. Legolas stood with one of the twins the other surprisingly absent and Vayna slowly lowered herself next to him. He knew that she wanted to ask him something but refrained from doing so instead she asked. 'How are you?"

'Tired.' Elrohir snorted and Rodwen glared at him. 'What happened?'

'You don't know?' Elrohir asked.

Vayna shushed him. 'You know Locien didn't understand his gift when it first emerged.' Antien didn't miss his father stiffen at the sound of that name.

'Gift? What gift?' Antien asked essentially cutting his brother off in asking who Locien was.

'We don't even know if he has the Sight,' Estel said in a tone that told the kids they've had the argument before.

'There is only one-way to know for sure, Estel! And that is to ask him!' Vayna turned to him and he tried not to feel annoyed at being ignored. 'What did you see?'

Antien didn't know what he was supposed to do. He hadn't Seen anything. 'What?'

At that Estel look of worry increased ten fold. 'You spoke, ion. You spoke words that I know you wouldn't speak.' Estel sank to his knees next to his son's bed. 'It certainly wasn't your voice.'

'Ada? What is going on?'

'I don't know, ion. At least, not yet.'

… … … … … … …

A week later Antien was no closer to understanding what happened, but he did escape the Hospital Wing. It was only then that he was finally able to do some work something that the healer forbid of him for some reason.

He was buried in a mountain of papers and books as he worked to make up a weeks worth of work. A few professors offered to forgive the work but he refused knowing the amount of work was nothing compared to the work Vayna had given him.

He realized that he needed a different potions book (one class that wasn't offered to be forgiven) and decided he needed the break the journey would give him.

He rounded the corner and stumbled upon a young Hufflepuff girl desperately trying to reach a book that was far out of reach for her. Antien stepped up behind her and reached for the book that her struggling fingers pointed to and silently handed it to her. He turned away not expecting or wanting a thank you but the girl stopped him at the timid and surprised voice.

"No thank you was needed, but at any rate you're welcome."

He found the book he was looking for and quickly went back to his table only to find the shy Hufflepuff girl sitting there. "I didn't have anyone to sit with. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Though Antien thought his quiet work time was now over. "You are?"

"My name is Alexa. A Hufflepuff of course and a third year." She smiled. "Did that cover all your questions?"

"All but one," Antien answered. "I'm An-"

"Antien Potter," she finished. "I doubt there isn't a person in this castle that doesn't know who you are after the sorting and everything." Antien let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding. He half expected her to say something about his father and he didn't need that right then. "Curious name: Antien."

"It's a family name," Antien responded hoping she would buy it. It seemed like she did.

"What was your other question?" she asked suddenly.

Antien swallowed thickly and hoped he wasn't going to loose a maybe friend. "Little more than a question of blood. Not that it really matters coming from me, considering I'm a half blood." In more ways than one.

She smiled. "I'm a muggleborn, but for some reason my father thinks we are descended from squibs. Not that it really matters," she said echoing Antien's ramblings.

Somewhere in the castle a bell sounded and they both stood scrambling for their possessions so that they wouldn't be late for their next classes. Antien didn't want to be late for Legolas's class because the mere thought was scary.

As the pair went their separate ways Antien realized she hadn't given her family name. For a moment he saw a glimmer of worry and fear in her eyes before she answered, "Dursley. My family name is Dursley."