Snape's cloak swished as he walked down the stone passageway. How many times had he started to walk this path in the past ten years? There was a mark on the wall where his feet betrayed him and he stopped moving. One day, he swore, he would make it to the end of the hall and speak to the person in the cell. However, his feet had locked in place as always. He sighed as he turned and retreated from the damp darkness to the light of the house above. His master awaited his return.
HPGW-Elemental-Masters*
Harry picked a dandelion, no longer yellow but white and covered in seeds. He blew on the seeds and sent them flying out to take root elsewhere. A small feminine voice called out from behind him.
"You're supposed to make a wish before sending them on their way."
Harry turned to look at the speaker, who was a small elf like girl with a gossamer dress that did nothing to hide her body. Her hair was as dark as his but his eyes were sapphire blue instead of the green of his. She had a look of mischief on her little face.
He was shaken at her appearance but her choice of greetings brought something else to his lips.
"Why do people do that? It doesn't really work does it?"
She smiled and crossed her right leg over her left. "Of course it does, sometimes. You are giving up your breath to do work for the flower. The powers that be take note of your good deed in return. Even if nothing comes of it, it shows you understand the way things work. I'm impressed though, I was sure when I showed myself to you, there would be some screaming or throwing things. Maybe calling me a bug girl and trying to squat me."
Harry shrugged. "I don't like to hurt other things. I know pain too well to wait to inflict it on others. Besides, you're talking to me like I'm a person and not a bother. I like it."
The girls eyes flashed before she spoke again. "You are not a bother, Harry Potter. You deserve better than an Uncle who hurts you and pushes you in the mud. I've been watching you for a very long time, waiting for the day when you could see me and hear my voice."
Harry scratched his head. "Why would you want to meet me? Surely there are much better people to reveal your existence to. I mean, you're a fairy right?"
The girls laugh was like the breeze playing among wind chimes. "Not exactly, though thank you for the compliment. I am not of the Fae Folk though. I am a Sylph, a creature of the element of Air. I've waited for you since the day you were born. You're a Mage, Harry."
HPGW-Elemental-Masters*
Ginny went over to Ron who was waiting for her. Fred and George were there as well, bent over a book on fire magic, discussing how to improve their fireworks with their powers. Ginny had no doubt that one day they would be very successful firework creators. She couldn't see their other brother still at home, Percy. She guessed he was closeted with Dad in his shed.
"So, what did Mum and the Salamander what?" Ron inquired, his brown eyes bright in delight. Ron had a deep love of the creatures of fire. He might never command the elementals or draw their power, but they did love the way he admired him and went about his lessons in power. She smiled warmly at him.
"The salamander revealed a new mage has awakened in the town. I'm being tasked with finding them so they can get some training."
Ron rubbed his chin. "If the Elementals are bringing them up, I wouldn't doubt they are of Master potential. I do wish Mum was sending one of us that has shields though."
Ginny hugged her brother. "I think she was worried about a new mage accidentally igniting the fires in one of you and starting a fight."
Ron snorted. "Well, that's fair enough. Will you be alright down there, alone?"
She smiled and punched him in the shoulder. "Of course! I'm a Weasley after all. We come from a long line of elemental mages. Besides, this will barely scratch the surface of the adventures our parents had at our age."
Her brother nodded. "Still, if anything exciting does happen, you'll include me, right? I want to hear everything."
As the youngest of seven children, Ginny was tempted to say no. She was finally getting something that was solely hers. But Ron understood better than she did. He was the sixth son and the weakest in their elemental power. She was the only daughter. Her brothers might pick on her, which helped toughen her, but she knew if anyone messed with her, they would crush them.
"Sure, Ron. I'll keep you in the loop." Ginny promised. The smile she got was worth giving up keeping this to herself.
HPGW-Elemental-Masters*
Her Master blinked up at her, incomprehension on his face. She sighed; he was going to be one of the tough ones.
"I'm a what?"
"A Mage, Harry. A person able to bend the magics of one of the four elements that make up this material coil. Your element is the same as the one I am made up of."
Master gulped and then asked. "What element is that."
She waved her hand and sent a small amount of blue power to her young Master. His eyes went wide as he saw the visions, she showed him. Visions of flying unsupported. An endless blue expanse. True freedom from the earth.
"Air," She smiled as the visions ended for her charge. "Our power is Air, Master Harry. Well, it will be yours once you learn to use it."
He seemed dazed from the visions, something she could not blame him for. She waited while he regained his wits.
"So, how does this all work?"
She sighed. It really should be a mortal's job to explain all this to him, but she could not afford one of her darker sisters coming to Harry and seducing him to the path of evil. She would do her duty.
"Please know my explanation is biased, I am a creature of Air. You will need to find a mortal teacher to explain everything properly, but I can give you enough to go on with. Is this acceptable?"
He nodded and crossed his legs, listening raptly to her. She smiled broadly; never had she had such an attentive student.
"Some mortals are born with an imbalance in their elemental make-up. The closer you are to one element and the less of its enemy element you possess, the stronger your powers. You have very little Water and no Earth. While you possess Fire, it is eclipsed by your Air. This will allow you to harness and wield the magics of Air to your will. How you use this power, will be your decision to make."
Harry scratched his head. "So, where do you and the others like you come in?"
She grinned, he was making this easier for her. "Very well caught, Master. Me and my sisters and other creatures of Air can make pacts with those that are strong enough. You can gain extra power from us to allow greater works to be done. As you get stronger, more and more powerful Elementals will seek you out to become your allies."
"What do you creatures get out of this though?" Her Master asked. A fair question.
"Sometimes, we get energy from the summoner. We treat this energy as a food source that makes us stronger. However, like in the case of you, we choose to offer friendship instead of master and servant. We help you and you help us in return. If you agree to this relationship, we shall train you as an Air Warden. Able to clean the air of toxins and smog and undo some of the damage your fellow mortals have caused."
Harry smiled. "I would like to have friends. I never really had them before. But you were calling me Master, doesn't that go against what we just spoke about?"
Now sadness whelmed in her chest. She had dreaded this moment. "Yes, but I am the exception. I cannot speak more on this subject yet. I was forbidden to tell you everything until you come into your full powers or turn eighteen. I swear I will tell you everything when either of those things occur."
Thunder crashed, binding her to her word. Her Master looked around; the sky clear as before.
"The thunder is a sign that I have been bound to my word."
He nodded and approached her. "So, is there anything I need to do now? Like the books where you must swear an arcane oath?"
Now she giggled. "We can swear the Pact if you are so inclined. It's not needed though. I have been by your side since the day of your birth. You should have heard it. The birds sang in joy and the wind played with every chime in Britian. The birth of an Air Master of your power has not occurred in a century. Of course, we would take notice."
Master held out his hand then. "Well, then I would like us to be friends too. My name is Harry, what's yours?"
The small creature took his pointer finger in her tiny hand. "I don't really have a name, or rather I have had many. You may call me whatever pleases you, Harry."
Harry seemed to think about this and then said, "Your laugh makes me thing of a playful breeze. Can I call you Breezy?"
Breezy laughed as the epithet set into her mind. "Gladly. To you and your allies, Breezy I shall be. I look forward to a long partnership and friendship with you."
HPGW-Elemental-Masters*
The large black dog sniffed along the Irish road. Remus sighed as he watched his close friend checking out the latest in a long string of signs. Sirius, like their friends James and Peter, had only enough earth magic to transform. Remus could have become a wolf to help, but his leg was still smarting from getting stuck in a silver bear trap the week before. He was mostly healed though and did not need the stick that Peter had carved for him to help him walk. Soon, Sirius and Peter in their animal forms approached and Remus looked away. He knew all to well what the 'in-between' forms of a shapeshifter looked like. He heard Sirius laugh, a sign that they were human again. He turned to find them adjusting their clothing.
"Sorry about that, Moony." He smiled roguishly at his friend. "Sadly, nothing new on my end. Wormtail?"
Peter shrugged. He was still underweight as he had been as s child and his handsome face was a shadow of what it was before. Then again, Remus knew he looked haunted too. They all did in the years following James' death. They were tracking the man who took their friend from them, hoping to bring him to justice. They also hoped to find something important the man took and return to their friend's son, Harry.
"The rats spoke of another threat in the area. A Werewolf of the cursed variety, Remus. No sign of the black cloaked figure or what he took, I'm afraid."
Remus cursed under his breath. "How many silver rounds do we have left?"
Sirius opened a bag on the side of Peter's pack. "Twenty. More than enough if he is alone."
What went unsaid among the remaining Marauders was that a cursed Lycanthrope was rarely ever alone. They would have turned others and forced them into a pack. Perhaps they would even have sired children born with the curse. Regardless, they would have to put them down.
"Just another day in the office." Peter joked as he brought out the wrapped packs of their Dark Creature hunting kits. Remus could not deny that. This Werewolf would fall like the others.
"Too right, Wormtail." He smiled as he started to undo his shirt. Unlike Sirius and Peter, his teeth and claws were much more effective weapons against other Lycanthropes. Such was a benefit of being a true Werewolf, born into a clan of them. The Lupin clan had long been the guardians of the British Isles against their cursed kin. As he began the Change, he wished Prongs was there with them.
'Be patient, Harry.' Remus thought as he landed on his front legs, a beautiful gray wolf now. 'I'll get back what he took from you. I swear it on the grave of your father.'
HPGW-Elemental-Masters*
A/N: I know I said next chapter was in March but I wanted to get much of the explaining out of the way. Also got a chance to introduce one of the other group of characters that will be out and about throughout this series. I hope to see you next time.
