And I'm back!
Sorry about the absence, but an injury (due to my own ill advised reactions) left me with only one hand for a wile. Even now I'm still in physical therapy for it, so expect new chapters to be slightly further apart than the normal two weeks for the moment.
Now on with the show!
Again I own Nothing!
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And a big thanks to by Beta the mighty pazed!
Chapter 39
Harry plopped into the chair across from his father, watching as he tightened the straps for the brace he wore on his left knee. Tannim grinned at him as he flexed his leg. "Any luck?" he asked.
"Yeah," Harry replied, "just got off the phone with him. He said he'd ask but 'no promises' he'll call back this afternoon… We need to start thinking about a plan B, just in case."
Tannim sat back, and rubbed his chin. "Well, when in doubt, start at the beginning. Let's see the poem again."
Harry reached into his backpack and pulled out a legal pad, on it was written.
"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching ponder this;
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour, the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."
After reading it again, Tannim approached the riddle again. "We know, thanks to Keighvin, that the screech from the egg is what a Merperson sounds like in open air, and thanks to Hermione's book, Hogwarts a History, that there is a small village of them in Black Lake on the castle grounds."
Harry nodded as Tannim continued. "Come and seek us where our voices sound, We cannot sing above the ground. You need to find and get to their village, or follow their voices to another location… under water…" His voice tailed off.
Harry sat forward, elbows on his knees. "Are we sure of that?" he asked. "I mean… what kind of a spectator sport would that be? Underwater? In a lake? In the middle of February? It may be frozen over as far as we know… Is their any chance that we may need travel someplace else?"
Tannim had talked about that possibility with the others, so he conceded the point. "It's possible… but we don't think it likely. It's not so much the ability, but the logistics of doing such a move… All of Hogwarts, the contestant schools, and the audience (the information they had received was 9:00am arrival time at Hogwarts), we believe all of the events will be held on the castle grounds."
"OK, but can we have plan B address the possibility of being somewhere else?" Harry asked.
Tannim nodded, "Probably a good idea… just in case." They settled into the seats discussing their plans.
Hermione wanted to scream. She had been researching being a witch vs. being a mage for weeks, and still felt no closer to a decision. She had spoken with Sirius, Tannim, Chinthliss, Mr. Davis (of the American Magical Education Department)… and still had no idea of what she wanted to do.
She couldn't talk to Luna, as they had decided that they didn't want to influence each other's decision, her mum and dad… They were supportive of whatever her choice would be but weren't much help making the decision.
Her head thumped into her pillow as she flopped bonelessly on the bed. "What in the bloody hell am I going to do?" she murmured.
A knock brought her attention to her bedroom door and the blond head that soon peeked around the now open door. "Hermione…. Can I talk with you for a minute?" Luna asked quietly.
Hermione sat up, and patted a place on the bed next to her. "Of course Luna… How does it feel to be home?"
The young blond padded her way over and slid up onto the bed, her knees pulled up in front of her chest. "Good… a little strange but good… I know we said we wouldn't talk about…" Her voice trailed off.
Hermione nodded. "Yeah… I guess you can't make a decision either?"
Luna sighed. "No… I think I have… but… I thought it would be easy at first, I thought I'd keep using a wand… It's what I was brought up with… but I saw so much when I was with Chinthliss, and Lady Ako…"
Hermione nodded, "Yeah, it was the same with me… Shar, Tannim, and Mr. Silverhair took time to show me a lot…." She reached over to her desk and grabbed her notebook. "I started a list of pros and cons. Tell me what you think," she said as she passed it to Luna.
The younger girl quickly read through the list, then sighed at her sister. "Ok, I agree with most of this… but in truth I think it boils down to just a few arguments…" She took a deep breath and set the note book to the side. "A wand is a focus, and allows much finer control at the sacrifice of adaptability. To deal with that, over the years 'spells' were created to allow the users to access a wider range of abilities quickly."
Hermione agreed, as Luna continued. "Non focus users make many more adjustments 'on the fly' to borrow Harry's example, but they must have drastically better focus and any 'spell' they wish to do quickly must be refined through practice."
Hermione shrugged her agreement. "From what I have been able figure out, that's about right… The training method is where they differ… They both make use of runes, but how they use them is different… Focus magic users create spells through arithmancy and runic formulae, where non focused use 'sight' to make adjustments and changes, using runes as a power tap, and in runic arrays only. That is why the first thing they tend to learn is how to use mage sight."
Luna smiled softly. "From what I was taught by Lady Ako, limited sight is the first step, yes, but the second is personal warding. Something I will need to learn regardless of the path I choose. My natural gift leaves me open to attacks; thankfully my home and Hogwarts warding had some of the protections I needed interwoven into them… they protected me from some of the dangers…"
Hermione was confused, Luna had never said anything about how her gifts could be dangerous. "Danger? From what?"
The young woman deflated slightly. "Before we left for Lady Ako's home they took me aside and talked with me about what it meant to have a gift like mine, it is something highly sought after, for various reasons…" She shuddered, her voice dropped to the barest of whispers. "Some would seek to kidnap me, others to kill or sacrifice me."
Hermione gasped, and gathered her in her arms. "Why?... Who?"
Luna's arms wrapped around her sister. "Chinthliss said the largest threat was from the Un-Seelie court… or some of the nastier unaligned… Evidently, my gift is one of the strongest they have seen, some would seek to use that power themselves or to keep me from using it, period… Chinthliss thinks that, with training, I may be able to 'see' the nature of the spell a magical is forming as they do it … and counter it as it is used. He told me to be careful who knows how strong my sight is as it could make me a target."
Hermione hugged her sister tighter as she began to cry. "No matter what, we won't allow that to happen…"
Luna sniffed, as she sat up. "That's why I am here… I want to use non focused magic… but I need someone that I trust…"
Hermione's mind sped through the implications of her sister's words, a small smile crept onto her lips. "Ok, we do this as a team. You doing non focused, and I'll do focused… but I think I had better learn to use limited sight and shielding as well…"
Luna face lit up. "Exactly what I was thinking… Now the first thing you need to do is…"
"So this is it?" asked Chinthliss looking at the building at the end of a cul-de-sac.
"Yes, it was listed as a Potter holding," Keighvin said as he pulled into the parking area. "From what I gather it was rented to a family that passed away several years ago… It has an open floor plan, and I have the insides being updated."
When the car stopped they both stepped out and walked toward the entrance. "I figured after hearing about the way the other schools arrived for the tournament you may have wanted to do something similar."
Keighvin chuckled as he pulled the door open and ushered Chinthliss inside. "I admit I thought about it… for about a half a minute… A submersible tall ship, and a flying coach... please…" he said rolling his eyes. "These people."
Chinthliss chuckled in turn. "You should have seen the pictures from the Quidditch World Cup! These people are anything but subtle! Multi story tents… in flashing colors… there was even one covered in clover!"
Keighvin shook his head. "Idiots… Did you know that the owner of the grounds they used is in an asylum?" Chinthliss frowned deeply as he continued. "He had had his mind messed with so often it has compromised his short term memory… he has a lot of trouble retaining anything new… Then there was his families encounter with those cloaked … people…"
"At least they survived… Is his prognosis promising?"
Keighvin nodded. "They are hopeful, and his family has been nothing but supportive."
Chinthliss nodded. "That's good…"
They walked in silence for a few moments till they reached the entry way. After pulling open a pair of metal doors, Keighvin spoke again. "The School's offices will be out here." He gestured to the offices that were under construction around them. "The portal will be in a specially constructed receiving area. The Brits are footing the bill for this and will be buying the installation at the end of the school year."
He walked a little farther into the large open room. "Six classrooms (one set up for chemistry or potions), five practice areas (two more outside), a large library, with six computer stations to start with (we are putting the wiring in for a dozen more during the renovation), and a cafeteria. It will be a good start for them."
Chinthliss nodded. "And for now?"
"We use one of Sirius's properties as a travel hub," he said. "It will do for this year, and the portal will be temporarily connected to the one being placed in Hogwarts.
"And when will that be installed?"
An evil smile grew on Keighvin's face. "It will be there before breakfast tomorrow…"
DONG! DONG! DONG! Albus sat bolt upright as the castle bells tolled. He fumbled on his night stand for his glasses and wand. Within moments he was headed out of the door from his bed chamber, waving his wand in an intricate pattern so his robe appeared over his sleeping attire along with a pair of slippers on his feet. Another wave saw his pointed hat settle upon his now somewhat less disheveled hair. As he was tying his robe he saw the other professors exiting their chambers in similar states.
Minerva straightened her glasses and fussed with a few straggling hairs as she asked, "Albus? What is going on?" As she exited the doorway of her new quarters, the headmasters suit.
"I'm not entirely certain Minerva, but I believe that the bells were sounded by Argus." He shook his head slightly. "I gave him the means to do so when he came to work here as he is a squib and cannot access the wards. I apologies for not informing you, it had slipped my mind over the years."
Minerva nodded. "Very well. Do you have a way of finding him?"
Albus placed his wand in the palm of his hand. "Point me, Argus Filch." The wand bobbed into the air just above his hand and pointed down the grand staircase toward the entrance.
Minerva sighed, and shook her head, a point me spell… "Heads of Houses? Please check on your charges, I want to be sure that all of our students are safe. Then place the seventh year prefects in charge and join us." Four of their number peeled away and hurried down the hallways. "Filius, please organize a search of the castle, I'll be with Albus." The diminutive man, and new Deputy Headmaster, started speaking softly to the others as the newly minted Headmaster and Albus moved down the stairway.
As they rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs they spotted Argus Filch, the caretaker of the castle. He was pacing in front of the entry way stroking his cat Mrs. Norris. "Argus?" Albus asked.
The older man turned to face them quickly. "Dumbledore! Headmaster! A train arrived at the station!"
"Calm yourself Argus, take a moment, then tell us slowly," said Dumbledore.
The grizzled old caretaker stopped and took a deep breath. "A train pulled into the valley when I was overseeing the changes Professor Sprout requested to the green house… I left the elves finishing the last of it… But the train… It is nothing like I've ever seen! Hagrid is down near the ward line… he's watching them now. They're unloading something!"
Albus stroked his beard. "And the people in Hogsmead? How are they reacting?"
Argus thought about it for a moment, "Saw a few of 'em, poking their heads out but keepin' clear."
The elder man nodded. "Very well. Thank you Argus. Minerva, I believe you had better alert the Aurors. I am not aware of any arrivals today…"
"Mr. Potter and his… school are to arrive sometime today… Could it be them?" she interrupted.
"Mr. Potter's group arrives today?" Albus asked turning toward the headmaster, slightly angered that he was not told.
"I received word from Headmaster Chinthliss late yesterday," she said, as she began transfiguring her night clothes to something she could wear out even if it would only last a few hours. "They have been in London for a few days and originally planned to arrange for their arrival a few days ago, but some local business has kept them busier than expected."
Albus following suit with his own clothes, they began walking toward the gate to Hogwarts. "You received word yesterday? Why did you not inform me?" he asked, a little more than perturbed by her omission.
"It was after dinner Albus, and you had already retired for the evening. I would have told you this morning, over breakfast. I was not expecting any one at such an early hour, let alone a train to arrive… They must have left London not long after the Headmaster sent his owl."
"Hmm…" Albus replied, his anger dissipating. "I would not have expected them to arrive like this ether… At any rate… shall we greet our guests?"
They walked in silence for a short time, the only sounds coming from beyond the crest of the hill. A low throaty hum filled the air around them, punctuated by an occasional bang of metal on metal or shout.
As they crested the hill they spotted Hagrid, now standing on the other side of the wardline and fence talking in an animated fashion with another person. He was short, even by their standards, only reaching just above the knee of the half giant. Albus stuttered to a stop as a group of like individuals, five in total, came from around the edge of the station house.
"Dwarves…"
Minerva pulled up short, next to him. "Albus?"
He shook himself. "Dwarves, Minerva. Those people… They are Dwarves!"
"Dwarves? But they haven't been seen in centuries! How can you be sure?" she asked.
He started walking again slowly. "During the war… In the mountains, when I was looking for Grindelwald… I stumbled across an outpost… I had had an accident, become lost as well as losing the majority of my supplies. They made their… displeasure over my inadvertent trespassing known to me, and removed me from their mountains. It was an… unpleasant encounter, but not one I am likely to forget, let alone my hosts for that adventure."
"Are they a threat?" she asked.
He watched as the leader of the group, or the one he assumed was the leader, laughed at something with Hagrid. "It appears not… But we must be wary, they are easily insulted, and have quick tempers… or at least that was true of the group I met."