Corina stood in front of the selected few that were going to Valdemar but needed some more training to help them. "I will ask one question, what around this area can be used as a weapon. if by the chance, you loose your wands?"
They looked around "the stool" Remus answered.
"and hopefully they are to stupid to hex it out of the way." Corina adds. "Anything else?"
"Our cloaks?" Neville asked in a unsure voice.
"Yes, throw it over their faces to temporary blind them. Anything can be used as a weapon, smash a vase and you get razor sharp shards." Corina nods, "Well done, Neville."
Neville ducks a smile on his face.
"Corina what if we just rush them if their is only one most wizards cant handle closer spell work. Draco asks as well.
"Do what you can, if you manage it, then do so. Otherwise, I can assure you, you will find an early grave." Corina responds "That's why most of us Heralds are young and living on the edge."
Draco backs away hearing that.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." Corina apologized
Draco shook his head "No no I needed to hear that that may just save our lives."
"Or just your life, you might have to go up against your father, and trust me, I will try to spare him if I can, but battle is battle with weapons or magic." Corina explains, "now let's stop talking, and start doing."
They quickly form up in to pairs and start practicing what Corina showed them. Draco and Neville both haven learn some fencing as nobles in this world.
Corina watched and corrected stances of some of the others, and completely wanted to slap Sirius.
"Black this is for real your lives depend on leaning this quit playing around like a first year." Remus all but yell at him
Corina placed a hand on Remus' shoulder, "Allow me."
Sirius stepped in to a poor ready stance holding his sword loosely.
Corina took Remus' practice blade, and nodded to Sirius.
They quickly engaged in a flash of steel against steel Corina was surprised the man lasted more than ten strokes but she quickly pressed her advantage and in one move disarmed and had the blade tip press to his throat.
"Do not treat these lessons as a game, or you will join your deceased friends." Corina states
Sirius swallowed feeling the tip pressed to his throat "Yes sword mistress I won't play any more."
Corina nods, then handed back the blade to Remus, "Oh before I forget," she handed Sirius a few items from his pockets.
He stared in shock "what how when did you? " he saw as she gave back all but the ten sickles back to him.
"I was taught how to pick pockets. By a former Blue turn Guard, who was taught by a Herald serving as Envoy to the Kaled'a'in clan; K'Leshya." Corina answers
The other just laughed at him as Sirius' face just turned red. "Fine, fine; I'll pay more attention to my environment as well." He held out his hands "now may I please have my sickles back."
Corina handed back the sickles. "Now back to work."
They all jumped back in to work this time with Sirius being serious about the work.
Corina felt him the moment he entered the room, but didn't acknowledge the fact. Harry stood with his back against the wall, watching.
Around thirty minutes later she called a break and told everyone to get some water.
"If Kero doesn't choose you as an assistant for Jeri, I'll eat Morgan's saddle without salt." Harry states, with a grin.
Corina just waved him off "I'm just glad they understand the deadlines of the training."
"Yes, they'll do, if they can stay alive, they might prove to an assent for Valdemar." Harry agreed and he had the familiar pang of homesickness.
Corina felt it as well "Soon we'll be back where we belong."
"oh damn, was I projecting my emotions?" Harry questions, then closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Better?"
"Yes, now how were the others any of them good?"
"They'll do, of course, I do not see Hermione as a fighter, I see her reaching blindly for a glass of tea with her nose in the Chronicles." Harry replies, "I'm willing to bet my next stipend that she will fight if she has too."
"I agree and the others are okay with the basics but they need more time, something, we don't have." Corina responds
Harry nods, "That I agree with, we don't have enough time, and plan, plan and then plan again."
Corina nods, "At least we have the Companion's armor..or at least we know how to make some."
:We have something better then leather armor, Thanks to Severus..of course, it doesn't belong to us.: Dasher states
: Oh and what is that: Corina asks as Harry wondered as well.
:Goblin made armor.: Dasher states, with a mental chuckle.
:Strong lightweight able to withstand most magic, we just need to get out of the way of the Killing Curse, but I think we can do that.: Morgan added
:And what is the cost, from what I read of them they never do anything for free.: Corina mental voice weary.
:The armor belongs to them, and from what Severus has said he made sure that his vaults some of Family's fortune when it to the Goblin payroll...or that is what Fawkes relayed: Dasher answers
Severus and Fawkes entered. Harry had already keyed the spells to allow the Phoenix and his bond-mate into the Vale.
:And a few tail feathers..: Fawkes complained
"Very well then that a plus on our side and thank you Severus and Fawkes." Harry nods to the both of them. "So Severus any idea at the numbers were dealing with and skill level as well?"
"I didn't do it for you, Harry." Severus replied "I did it for your mother..." he looked over at Corina, who was staring wide eyed. "Wouldn't know anymore, once Fawkes bonded to me, he burned my Dark Mark from my arm, he's the one who had been spying on Riddle."
"Well we'll just have to work with what we have so for now we need to remove his top generals then I deal with him myself."
"That would be Aunt Bellatrix." Draco comments, as he came out, "And my father to a standpoint."
"Very well then do you or Severus know how the fight was magic their likely to use first or most often?"
Draco looked at Severus "They would use the three Unforgivable curses."
Corina nods, "I read about those in the restricted section of the school library."
Draco continues to explain "Also Bellatrix is also quite fond of using the torture curse as she likes seeing others in pain."
Harry nods, "about the same as any blood-path."
"Leave Bellatrix for Black, I think he wants to settle a family feud." Severus comments "As for Lucius, he'll either use the killing curse or the Cruciatus curse and use a person as a shield."
"And Voldemort would just use the Killing Curse." Harry surmised "I am grateful that we do not have those spells in Valdemar, but we do have something like the Killing Curse, but its a very last resort for Mages."
"Right but most of his followers will also have various spells." Snape answers
"Most of those spells are learned here at Hogwarts, so I am willing to bet that you can deflect them." Draco states
"Got your shields up? That might help with the Cruciatus curse.." Corina questions
"And what is this last resort spell if I may ask?" Snape wondered
"Its called Final Strike, it takes every last ounce of magic to cast." Harry answers then looked Snape straight in the eyes. "I believe you can guess the results."
Snape paled and nodded once then he quickly recovered and continued with the planning.
Corina noticed that Harry didn't object to Draco being there, he even placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, to say that Harry trusted Draco. He didn't even bother when the others came and join them.
The strange group planned and studied easy and every bit of information they had and revised their plans once more till it was nearly midnight most went off to bed but Black went outside and sat by the tree looking at the night sky.
:I am not human, but I am willing to listen and talk.: a mental voice states, as a the gryphon walked up beside Sirius.
Sirius jump and looked at the gryphon. " Bloody hell still can't get used to that. Any way there's not much to talk about just an old dog missing his pack that's all." His voice sounding very lost at that moment.
:Mindspeech is easier then forcing human speech out through my beak.: Jerven chuckled, he blinked :I know the feeling of missing someone, I miss my sister, she had settled on a male.:
"But at least you can go see her or she can come to you most of my pack is gone lost to grave." The once proud man spoke his face a picture of pain.
:I lost many good human friends as well. Either to old age or to accident. But as long as you keep them in your heart and memory they will never be truly gone forever.: Jerven replied, questioning why he was gifting the intimacy of Mindspeech with this human.
" I agree Jerven but I still rather have them here all of us running throughout these woods and maybe even being teachers here someday." Sirius answers
:The winds of Fate are always changing, nothing is set in stone, except maybe a Companion's Choosing, that seems to be set in stone.: Jerven replies :but would your friends really want to be teachers? Dealing with chaos that brings everyday?:
Sirius thought for a good minute then laughed. "Truth be told the only ones of use that would be teachers was lily and Remus, they had the patience to do it right me and James nah. " he laughed once more bug his voice was strained. He reached in to his robe and brought out an old bottle.
Jerven grinned : Better to remember them then to just forget they never lived and you still have Remus.:
Siruis opened the bottle as he pulled out a couple of glasses " Me and James were saving this for when Harry was older but I guess now is a good time as any join me please a toast should never be alone."
:You are forgetting, I do not have hands.: Jerven states
"No problem there can fix that in just a flick." He pulls out his wand and change the glass in to bowl for the gryphon.
Jerven looked up at Sirius then at the bowl before a chuckle emerged from his chest. :Just like a dog.:
"I meant no disrespect by that but I couldn't think of anything else to use." The man explain explained but if you want." And he changes in to a dog
:I was teasing you.: Jerven interrupted :This is fine.: the gryphon looked at the dog-form of Sirius..:Rris is going to have a bone to pick with you, who knows he might even adopt you into his Pack.:
Padfoot changes back" Who is he and why?" As he swallows the drink in one shot and lours himself another one.
:Rris is a Kyree, which is to say a rather large wolf, he was by babysitter as a gryplet.: Jerven states
" Well then I think Remus should be the one to meet him not me." Once more he finishes the glass in one shot and fills it once more.
:Whatever you say, you being able to transform into something like Kryee will be a new thing to him..: Jerven states
"Me nah I'm just a washout old prankster but if you think its a good idea." Sirius replied
The two finished the nightcap, and went back to bed, and just in time, by morning, the enemy arrived.