Right, here comes another update. This one does mark a pause after the mayhem of the attack and the revelations about Thierry in the last one. So, we're getting the chance to analyse what the heck happened with Julie's vision, for example.

Huge thanks to Billdog718 for his beta and checking on the flow for this one. Also thanks to all of the patient readers. I know I've picked up my publishing pace, but I'm a bit stuck on something else, right now, and It had hindered my posting rate. Hope to fix it soon.

To Pause and Consider

"How could it not happen?" exclaimed Julie.

Only after the commotion caused by the revelation of Thierry's secret, had Julie managed to find the time and had sought refuge in Wroxton's office. Because now that all excitement had finally receded, she was confronted to the fact that had thrown every certainty she had upside down. The vision had been wrong!

"I mean, I saw it happen, over and over again," she complained. "It haunted my life for most of the year. It has messed up with everything in my life and it was just... wrong?"

Wroxton cocked up an eyebrow.

"Are you that powerful, now?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" said Julie, taken aback.

"Is your Sight that developed and controlled that you can consider yourself to be infallible?" précised the Seer.

"What? No! I mean... all of what I have been doing this year stemmed from this bloody vision of Kenneth dying in my arms, and it was all for nothing because the vision was wrong?" she said.

"Was it?" said Wroxton, pointedly. "Was it really wrong?"

Julie was unsettled. What did she mean?

"Allow me to explain," said Wroxton. "Your vision showed yourself running from an attack, and you were rescued by Kenneth, a purpose for which he gave his life. When you encountered the same build-up, the same sequence of events, you naturally assumed it was heading toward the same outcome, but by doing that, didn't you overlook a few differences in the events?"

Julie gave it a very deep thought, and then it started to appear to her. There had been differences. Details that were off. Actually, she had felt it on the moment, but she had attributed it to fear.

"In the vision, when I was running down that narrow street, I was alone and when the attack came..." she began.

"Kenneth had to jump in the way to protect you," said Wroxton. "Now, why didn't he do it, this time?"

"Because... because he was with me in the street," said Julie, as she realised it. "He was with me the whole time."

"And therefore, I'll venture to guess, he was in a perfect position to help you," said Wroxton. "Now, why was he here in the first place?"

"Because I let him," said Julie with a gasp, as the mere idea astonished her. "I accepted his protection. Was it all it took?"

"A detail," said Wroxton, "and yet with so many consequences."

"But that means that by pushing him away... I actually put him in danger!" said Julie, horrified. "He would have gone desperate and his only resort would have been to jump in the way of the spell. So by trying to counter the vision, I was... making my way toward it?"

"It's always an easy explanation," said the Seer with a smile. "The future isn't set, Julie. Not for us, not for anyone. When you fight against a vision, it is sometimes the best way to make it happen, because you have seen it at the wrong angle."

"I... I was wrong," said Julie, with a sudden revelation.

"Exactly," said Wroxton. "You saw Kenneth give his life to save yours out of love. You naturally made the connection between his love and closeness to you with the certainty of his death. But maybe the vision warned you so you could keep him close on the contrary, to prevent him to extreme risks. Maybe the vision was trying to tell you not to alienate him. You told me you were torn between him and your boyfriend…"

Julie considered it and paled.

"I was wrong," she repeated, her voice growing weaker. "I thought I had to keep him at a distance, to protect him..."

"But by doing that, you completely ignored his own free will," said Wroxton. "Thankfully, fate managed to surprise you."

"Oh, what an idiot!" suddenly said Julie.

"Who is, dear?" asked Wroxton with a crooked smile.

"Me! I've made a mess of everything because I was so, so certain of what I had seen," moaned Julie. "I have to be the dumbest girl ever to walk the halls of this school!"

"Quite the melodramatic assertion, Julie," said Wroxton. "Let this be a lesson to you. No certainty is allowed in divination, because nothing is set."

"Oh, yes, something is set," said Julie.

"What would that be?" asked Wroxton.

"It doesn't matter how much of a bitch I am to Kenneth, he still shows up to rescue me," she said, dead serious.

The seer had actually no answer to that, and Julie didn't need one. She knew exactly what she had to do.

"May I be excused?" she asked.

"Of course," said Wroxton. "I believe you do have some adjustments to make, don't you?"

"I'm already working on that," said Julie. "Now, I need to step it up."

At this point, the rumours didn't just increase. They went up like a forest fire aided by a strong wind.

First in line, as expected, was the attack on Hogsmeade. Ian could claim that he knew more about it than most, except maybe Kenneth and his friends. But, while the students could be short of memory on many issues, but they weren't going to forget the people who had attacked the Quidditch game, last year, and had nearly burned the whole of Slytherin House in doing so. Also, the only people to have ever broken through the wards of the school had to leave a mark on everyone's mind. So many students had recognized the robes of the wizards who had led the assault. So, by now, everyone in the school knew the Warlocks of Atlantis were involved. The first years who hadn't been there had to be briefed on who they were. This caused a lot of people to start speculating about the possible implications.

Was Julie Carteret a target again? A lot of eyes were now following the French student, and also a few did land on Ian, Kalindra, Kenneth and everyone who had been involved in her rescue. So far, the student body hadn't made the connection that the Warlocks were actually there for the Brotherhood.

The thing everyone seemed to care about was actually what they were after. Even Alexander didn't know that, Ian was quite sure of it, for with all his wits and wisdom, Alexander had still found no way to prevent Ian from spying on him. So Ian knew most of what Alexander and Professor Potter knew and so far, that wasn't that much, when it came to the Warlocks' motive. Where they after Master Walter? One of the novices? The whole group?

What bothered Ian the most wasn't actually what these psychos wanted, but more how they had known how to strike, when and also where. The attack had been carefully planned. One didn't infiltrate Hogsmeade like that. So, the warning of Aria was beginning to sound pretty solid. They had a spy in the school. And whoever they were, they needed to be flushed out. Because without that asset in the school, the Brotherhood could be kept safe, simply by waiting out the Warlocks while the Order and the Auror narrowed on them.

As for what they wanted, Ian was quite sure that Amanio had been the target. None of the novices was important enough. Orlando was a clever boy but that was all. Raphaella was bright and kind, but there was nothing in her that would make her a target by the Warlocks. Thierry was no different, despite his bravery. Julie was still a prize, and she knew it. Without her vision of Raphaella being killed, she wouldn't have exposed herself, but among the students, no one was valuable enough, so they had to be after Amanio, for some reason.

Ian had offered to help repeatedly, to both Alexander and Professor Potter and both had had the same answer. Whenever they thought he could help, they would ask. It was actually better than Alexander's usual cautious rebuke, that he didn't believe in himself. Knowing that Ian was bound to meddle, they were ready to accept it and actually use him. That was progress.

Next in line of discussed news, there was, inevitably, Thierry and as Ian had feared, there was a little bit of everything in these rumours. The students, usually closest to Kenneth, Gillian, and even Janet Spencer, had spread the true version of the story, which was that Thierry had been the victim of abuse and mistreatment since a young age, at the hands of Anselme. Now that this fact had been uncovered, Anselme was held in custody, waiting for the Order to judge his actions and that was the version that had spread in most of the classes.

But as always, there had been some people to twist the truth into less savoury stories. Some had turned mistreat into sexual abuse, and some had even suggested that Thierry hadn't been so against it, after all. These rumours were watched by the teachers. There had been quite a telling off by Professor McGonagall, when she had found out who was the origin of one of them. Thus she had simply warned that if those rumours were to be heard of again, the people speaking would simply be given a full month detention, would cost their House the Cup and would be facing possible expulsion.

The origin of these awful rumours was, of course, found mostly among Slytherins. But surprisingly, and to Ian's disgust, some were out of Ravenclaw, since some were trying to support Colville, who had been exposed as an accomplice. That had showed Ian that some people in his seventh year weren't as decent as he had thought. Eamon and Gillian, and their seventh year fellow prefects were doing their best to counter those nasty whisperings. Gillian was particularly dedicated in this, after having witnessed some of the abuse herself.

Ian wasn't surprised by Gillian's attitude. But he had been surprised to see her regain such an influence that swiftly; after the awful smear campaign she had been the target of, he would have thought that a lot of people would have avoided her. Being proven wrong there did compensate a bit for the revelation of the bunch of jerks that stayed in Ravenclaw's seventh year. People followed her lead on this, and soon, the most outrageous rumours were squashed down without Ian having to step in.

Ian was also relieved that none of the Novices was to be found amongst the ill-speakers. Well, that excluded Colville, who had been suspended and sent back home to his family. Ian had been told by Orlando that not all novices were orphans like Thierry or Orlando himself. Colville had been placed in the Brotherhood by his aristocratic family, who thought it was a way to get ahead in life. So, now, he had been proved to be way out of line, so he had been literally thrown out of the Order with a furious note pinned on his robes for his family and a message to the Ministry of England, since Alan was British. Colville had now to be watched. Professor Dumbledore had also issued a statement that Colville wouldn't be allowed to enroll in Hogwarts, for lack of character.

Ian was convinced that Thierry needed the support of his friends to get over the pain and suffering, but above all else, he needed the support of the other Novices. Ian hoped they would react the right way.

Thierry had been staying in the Hospital Wing for five days, now. Madam Pomfrey had stopped the visits, while she would take care of his older wounds. Each morning and afternoon, she would put spells on him, mending a bone clean, or making some old scar disappear. Each day, Thierry found a new face in the mirror. He was looking in better shape than he had in years.

At the dawn of the fifth day, Madam Pomfrey told him that he could receive visitors again. Thierry was expecting Kenneth to drop by and he hoped that Amandine would come, too. Her presence felt good for him, but the very first visit wasn't Kenneth. Nor was it Amandine or Master Walter.

Orlando popped his head through the door, looked for a second then nodded for people with him. And Jeremy and Raphaella suddenly made their entrance with him. Thierry was surprised, but glad to see them. Orlando took a seat at his left while Jeremy was offering a chair to Raphaella, at his right side.

"How do you feel?" asked the Italian girl softly.

"I've never been better," said Thierry.

He read incredulity on their faces, and smiled.

"I mean it," he said. "I had very old scars, that are now gone. So I've haven't felt better since I was ten."

Raphaella suddenly began to cry. Thierry rose from his pillows and caressed her cheek.

"What's wrong, Raphi?" he asked, concerned.

"I can't believe we've let you face this, without knowing anything, without seeing anything. This is so wrong!"

"Raphaella, listen to me," said Thierry. "What do you think you could have done? Curse Anselme? We all wished it at some point, but no one could do it. There are rules."

"And he was breaking them," said Jeremy, seriously. "We should have noticed and… I don't know… done something."

"I did nothing to stop him," said Thierry, getting back into his pillows, after having made sure Raphaella was calming down. "I just tried to hold on, because I thought he had the right to do what he had done."

"But he hadn't," said Orlando. "Anselme is a…"

"Shhh, Orlando," said Thierry. "You don't want to get that gross."

Orlando had a sad smile.

"I mean," he said. "He's always tried to turn us into cold-hearted monks without any thought dedicated to love or pain, but that is pushing it."

"Did he hurt you, too?" asked Thierry, suddenly worried.

"No," said Orlando, shaking his head. "But when Kenton died, he always told me off because I was sad. Kenton was like a father to me. I never understood that thirst for self-control Anselme was professing. But I also had no idea that he was trying to teach you that with blows."

"How can we help you, Thierry?" asked Jeremy suddenly.

Thierry raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised of what he heard. Jeremy had a little smile.

"I know I haven't been the best friend you had, among the Novices. I probably stuck to Alan's shadow a bit too much. And I was good at avoiding the wrath of Master Anselme, but I would never accept what he has done to you. You're one of us, so if we can help you, you only have to ask."

Thierry nodded slowly.

"Then maybe you can do something for me," he said. "Make sure Anselme hasn't tormented anyone else. Speak with the other Novices."

"Master Walter had already done that," said Orlando.

"And maybe their reaction was the same as mine, which was to deny everything," said Thierry. "But with another Novice, maybe they would say something else. Can you do that for me?"

Jeremy nodded.

"Sure, you got it," he said.

"What happens to Colville?" asked Thierry, with a spiteful tone in his voice.

"Thrown out of the Order," said Jeremy with a wince. "So much for becoming the next Initiate."

"What are you talking about?" asked Thierry.

"Soon, there will be a new Initiate," said Jeremy. "He will come out of our ranks. Alan knew it from Master Anselme. Anselme was grooming him to get the position. So he was doing his best to be well seen by the Masters, and essentially turned into Anselme's lapdog, but this was going too far, this time."

"So you're in a good place to become the next, then," remarked Raphaella.

"Me?" said Jeremy, laughing. "No way. I'm way too behind in my grades, but I'd say I have a pretty good idea of it could be."

"Care to share your wisdom?" asked Thierry.

"Wouldn't want to spoil Master Walter's surprise," said Jeremy, smiling.

"Alright, keep your secrets, Ravenclaw," said Thierry, on a feint exasperated tone.

They all chuckled.

"Speaking of Houses," said Raphaella. "How is it to be a Gryffindor? I mean, given Anselme's attitude about your sorting, we never spoke of it, like it was the ultimate mark of shame, but I'm curious, is that so different?"

"I don't know," said Thierry. "Since I don't know how it feels to be a Ravenclaw."

"Well, the mood is quite nice, up there," said Raphaella. "Being in the Nest, it is really elevating. We're surrounded by very eager minds. They really want to learn, and we all love it. The atmosphere is quite relaxing, too."

"Well, that is when you don't hang out with Colville's friends," said Orlando, wincing. "He's been awfully efficient to reveal the worst in the seventh year. Most of their free time is spent in nasty gossip and trying to gain influence."

"I can't do anything but agree on this one," said Jeremy. "but apart from that, all that Raphi is saying is quite true and we may add the exception of Orlando's friends."

"What? What's wrong with my friends?" said Orlando defiantly.

"Well, a chaotician and a genius, that's bound to bring trouble, huh?" said Jeremy with a smile. "and when they're not fighting evil, they are working so frantically that it gets scary, really."

He had said all this with a benevolent smile. Orlando chuckled.

"So, same in Gryffindor?" asked Raphaella.

"Well, the atmosphere is definitely chaotic in the Tower," said Thierry with a smile, "but it's fun. Many jokes running around the room... People working together with quite a good amount of laughter, especially when we work on divination..."

"Why?" asked Raphaella, who was studying Divination very carefully.

"Most of us don't believe in Trelawney's lessons," said Thierry. "She has predicted Harry Potter's death so many times that each time we have a Defence Class, someone jokes that it's amazing how good he looks for a dead man. Besides, we have a real seer in the House, so…"

"What? Who is that?" asked Orlando.

"Julie," said Jeremy Thierry. "She has visions, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does," said Thierry. "That's how she knew about the attack. She gets real, proper warnings about the future. So when old Trelawney is doing her show with her crystal ball, we can't help but laugh a little."

"Can't' blame you for that," said Jeremy. "But Firenze…"

"Firenze is always saying that humans can't see the future clearly," said Thierry, smiling. "Really helpful there. Anyway, we're having fun, on the whole."

"Many pretty girls, huh?" said Jeremy, winking.

"Jeremy!" protested Raphaella. "We have a good amount of pretty girls in Ravenclaw," she added with a smile.

"Of course, we have," said Jeremy, casually. "Gillian Crawley, Meredith Justin, Sarah Connelly, you…"

Raphaella suddenly blushed. Thierry smiled at Jeremy, who winked again.

"So that girl you were dancing with, at the Ball, her name is Mandy Williams, right?"

"Yes," said Thierry.

"Seems cool," said Orlando.

"She is," said Thierry. "She's great. Enough about me. What's up in the school?"

"Not much, actually," said Jeremy, shrugging. "Everyone's been reeling a bit from the attack. Oh, useless bit of news: the young teachers missed dinner, tonight. Neither Potter, Weasley and Lockenburn were there."

"Ian heard they had a friend for dinner, in their apartment," offered Orlando, helpfully, but clearly aware that it wasn't doing much to raise the interest in this kind of news.

"So what news from the outside world?" asked Harry, over the small table of his living room.

George Weasley finished his glass of wine, while Hermione was rotating with Ginny to get the dinner ready. Harry had offered his help, but he had been pushed away from the kitchen nicely, but firmly. While Hermione didn't deny Harry could cook, she insisted on being the main driving force in her own kitchen, when entertaining family. Ginny knew how to be helpful without interfering.

With Harry were Ron, Alexander and Phyllis. Hermione and Ginny rejoined them before George answered.

"Well, news get a little preoccupying, to be honest," he said. "I mean for us, supporters of good and right things in this world."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione.

"I told you about it already," said Ginny. "Macke."

"Yes"

"Terrance,I'm-the-natural-son-of-Lucius-Malfoy-and-an-unctuous-leech' Macke, the worst part our political world had seen since Tom Riddle."

"Is the jerk still making progress?" asked Harry.

"He's openly running for the Ministry, now," said George.

"I didn't know that," said Ginny.

"We have a client that is an official observer for the Ministry," said George. "He told us about that. Ambrosius is planning on retiring at the end of his mandate, so the spot will be open to elections. Macke would like the seat, apparently."

"Is he getting that popular?" asked Harry.

"Less than he would like, more than I would like," said George. "He gathered the votes and support of those who backed Devin Stiller. Some say Devin is helping him, behind the scenes, and no shocker there, he gathered most of these families that weren't so vocal against some of Voldemort's ideas, back then."

Harry sighed.

"You'd think people would learn," he said.

"We're talking politics, here, Harry," George said. "My experience can tell you that politics are like business. You could sell any kind of idea in a package that's attractive enough. And some people are quite willing to buy that. Macke is clever. He's the kind of guy who can use a crowd, a club meeting or even a dinner to convince his peers."

"Does Dumbledore know about that?" asked Hermione, standing up to get back into the kitchen.

"We're quite sure he does," said George. "but we're shorter in sight, so we can worry easily. If there is any real menace on this side, Dumbledore will take care of it. Actually, I guess is that he lets you deal with all this Warlocks' stuff because he's focusing on the political landscape, to prevent them to make alliances with old stupid Muggle-haters and people willing to get ahead at any cost."

Harry nodded. Dumbledore wouldn't let the world fall again into a Civil War, like he had with Voldemort. So he was sure that Macke would be dealt with, should he become too much of a threat.

"Alright," said Ginny. "Last time I saw her, Angelina told me you have finally gotten a date, but she didn't want to spoil the surprise. So who is it?"

"I'm taking her to dinner tomorrow," said George.

"And you're avoiding the question, Weasley," said Harry. "The name, for Merlin's sake, we want the name!"

"Yeah, who's crazy enough to go to dinner with you?" asked Ron.

"Cho," said George.

"Cho?" repeated Harry, astonished.

"Yes," said George. "Why not? She's smart, nice, and to speak bluntly, she's hot as hell."

"I don't know, it's just… weird," said Harry.

"Weird? Why? Because she's your ex-girlfriend?" George teased.

"No it's just that he can't imagine Cho dating some wacky prankster like you," Ron interfered, smiling.

"Touché," said George, wincing. "Hey, if Fred has conquered the heart of Angelina Johnson, why wouldn't I try and get the affections of Cho Chang?"

"Well, if you present it that way, that is definitely not going to happen," said Ron, smiling again.

Ginny chuckled at that. And George turned to her, puzzled.

"What? You agree with him? I thought you hated the girl!"

"Get informed," said Ginny. "I invited 'the girl' to my wedding. Cho and I are over our little unease on our… let's say… 'common romantic interest'."

"Oh, I like the way you present it," said Ron, smiling.

"Anyway," said Harry. "I'm just saying... try not to overdo the funny man routine, George. You can be funny, but don't try too hard to be. Despite common belief, Cho's a bit of a romantic, and she doesn't like things sliding out of control."

"Really? Your short dates with her must have given you sooo much experience," mocked George.

"I wasn't aware both my life and Cho's stopped after our sixth year," said Harry. "Wake up, nitwit! Cho and I have been playing against each others for years in the League. I met most of her boyfriends. We even double dated a few times, when I was with Sophie. So I know what she likes and pushy pranksters tire her, usually. Just giving out advice, pal..."

"Yeah, or maybe you want to ensure she would never get another boyfriend to keep her available, just in case," said George, slyly.

"I'm getting married George," said Harry, with patience. "With your sister, too. Try and remember that before you make that kind of comment."

"Oops, I forgot about that," said George, dodging a slap from his sister. "So I guess I must thank you for the advice, but I guess I'll try it my own way," he went on joyfully.

"It's your funeral… er… your date," said Harry, buried in his glass of wine.

"A joke?" exclaimed George.

"His-Majesty-Defeater-of-the-Dark-Forces-Harry-Messiah-Of-The-Century-Potter has actually made a joke? Whoa boy, whoa, that's so funny!"

He started to roll on the ground, laughing like a maniac.

"You're related to this?" Harry asked Ron and Ginny, feigning astonishment.

"Don't remind me," said Ron, feigning a gloomy tone. "Mum clearly wanted to compensate for this one when she gave birth to Gin and I."

Ginny burst into laughing. George stopped his rolling at once. He took a very relaxed pose on the carpet, with a smile. But Ginny was still laughing, Phyllis helpfully trying to stop her from choking on her glass.

"You two have changed," he accused Ron and Ginny. "There was a time when I could always win over you."

"Yeah," said Ron. "but that was before we met the Master of tongue lashing, there," he said, gesturing to Hermione, still in the kitchen.

"Thank you, dear," she called back from the distance.

Ron grinned widely. George stuck out his tongue to his brother and stood back up.

My Girl is asleep.

My Girl is asleep, and I'm free to wander.

Free to wander.

His thoughts were quite joyful, like some singing. He had some free time now that his Girl was asleep. Fortunately for him, The Girl was often sleeping, being so small and all. And when she wasn't, she was a real pleasure to be with, but her being asleep meant more adventure, like exploring that Great Cave with the funny walls.

Waldo was fluttering in the corridors, purring softly. He liked this hour of the night, really. The corridors were empty, so he had time and space to fly as he wished to and there weren't younglings to look at him with wide eyes. Waldo usually didn't mind attention, as he was after all a pretty cute specimen of Dragonet – and quite the proud specimen, as well- but when they gawked at him, he had to manoeuvre so that he wouldn't hit them. That was tiring.

So, here he was, wandering the Cave. He couldn't understand why the Master called it a Castle. Alright, it had strange funny walls, with colourful things hanging from it, and sometimes talking, but still it remained a Cave. Outside the Walls, there was the bright sky, so when it wasn't the open sky, it had to be a Cave. A Cave was the place where Dragons and Dragonets lived. Waldo lived in here; this was his Cave, wasn't it? But The Master called it a Castle.

Well, let him call the Cave that way if he wishes so. Even someone as wise and kind as The Master could be mistaken. After all he was only a human. Humans were full of little quirks. Like the way the Mistress of Ash never wanted them to play in the Halls when there were younglings walking in. It was strange. What harm could it be? Of course there could be accidents. Like this time when he had missed his turn and hit the young friend of the Powerful. He had apologized properly. Because such an error wasn't was young so he hadn't memorized yet who were every being in this Cave.

There was the Master and the Mistress, parents of his Girl, the Centre of Waldo's universe. Then there was Ash's Master (the redhead one), and Ash's Mistress (the killjoy), parents of Ash's Girl. Once he had memorized those essentials, he had started to know the ones that were living near his universe.

There was the Man-Friend, with his glasses, and his black hair. The Woman-Friend, who had the same hair as Ash's Master and beautiful eyes… Well, as far as he was concerned. Humans' lack of scales did leave him puzzled, but he supposed the female were pretty enough.

Beyond that were the Teachers: Old-Wise-Teacher, who was Fawkes' Master, and Stern-Wise-Teacher, a tall witch who liked to frown at younglings but hid her smiles often, for some reason. There was the Dark-Greasy-Teacher, whom Waldo didn't like and Plump-Funny-Teacher, whom Waldo found funny (and that's why he had called her funny, as he was very logical, after all!). There was also Tiny-Teacher, who could do things do unnatural actions. There was Firenze, of course, and Mantis-Like Old Fool, that Waldo had renounced to understand.

He had more trouble remembering the others, well that was except Dead Teacher, through whom Waldo could fly really easily. Waldo let out a cooing of laughter. It was a game he and Ash loved to play with the ghosts, especially with Ugly-Poltergeist, who had quickly learned to fear their pair like the plague. Once, he and Ash had chased him across the whole Castle. It had been so much fun!

Then there were the younglings. Waldo had a hard time remembering them all. They were soooo many! A few stood out, though: the Powerful, who often worked with his Master and the Light Twins, the Ponytail Boy, See-Future, and the Staff Boy. And there also was Bright-Girl, who had known immediately how to stroke his back when he had once landed on the Powerful's shoulder. Waldo liked her, because she was always nice to him.

So, rather than trying endlessly to recognize faces, Waldo enjoyed when his Girl was sleeping, so he could wander without questioning himself on who he was flying by.

But something nonetheless caught his attention, while he was happily gliding in the tunnel leading to one of the closed rooms. The closed rooms were places where younglings went often in, but never stayed long. Female younglings didn't go into the same as the male younglings. It was something he didn't understand. But he didn't really care.

The thing that had caught his attention was a youngling. He was asleep in the middle of the tunnel. Waldo found it odd. He knew that humans needed soft materials to sleep on. So it was curious that this youngling had chosen to sleep on the Cave's ground.

Puzzled, Waldo landed next to the sleeper. He nudged him in the neck with his nose.

You would be more comfortable in your … cradle…?

Yes, a cradle, that was where his Girl was sleeping, a cradle. That one, though, would need a much bigger cradle to rest comfortably. Maybe that was why he chose to sleep in the tunnel. Maybe his cradle was too small… but why didn't the others do the same, then?

There was no reaction. The youngling wasn't waking up, but Waldo knew he was alive. He could feel his life force. It was intact, a little low, but still it was there. Waldo raised a scaled brow, letting out a puzzled groan. He nudged again.

Still nothing.

Oh, maybe he wasn't only asleep! Waldo had seen it once. A youngling that was… how did the Man-Friend say? Stunned… Waldo didn't know what it meant, but still, it didn't sound like a good thing. So Waldo decided that since the youngling didn't seem to move at all, he wasn't likely to disappear. So Waldo had time to go wake the Master.

He took off again and shot through the tunnel as fast as he could. So much for the merry trip across the Cave...

Alexander came running down the bathroom, guided by an over-excited Waldo. The dragonet had come to wake him up and pull him out of the bed. He had looked so puzzled that Alexander had no choice but to follow him. Now he had understood that Waldo was only trying to help.

A student was lying, stunned, in the middle of the corridor. Alexander recognized him. Again he was a Gryffindor and he was in something like his Fifth year, but Alexander couldn't remember his name. He got out his wand from his pocket and waved it cautiously.

"Enervate," he said.

The student suddenly blinked.

"Are you alright?" asked Alexander.

The boy started to look around in shock.

"What am I doing here?" he asked, puzzled.

"Apparently, you've been stunned," said Alexander. "My dragonet found you here. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine, Sir, thank you," said the Gryffindor, still under surprise. "but I don't understand. What has happened? I was just heading for the bathroom and I remember seeing someone, and after that…"

He obviously tried to follow his thought, but suddenly looked panicked.

"I can't remember!"

"Easy, easy, boy," said Alexander. "You've been put under a memory charm, likely. Just like Mr Lightbrown. You won't suffer any sequel, but I want you to get to the Hospital Wing, so Madam Pomfrey can check you up."

Alexander heard footsteps coming his way, and soon, Harry, Hermione and Ron appeared at the corner, quickly followed by Ginny and Phyllis.

"What's going on?"

"Our memory stealer has struck once again," said Alexander darkly.

And we're back into the plot. Yes there is still that spy inside the school, so we kinda need to address that. Next bit will show a little more of the aftermath of the attack and kick us right into the showdown. Hope you liked it.

Seeya!