Myo was sitting at the Tonks' dining room table on her stool. The option of using a chair had been quickly ruled out in order to better accommodate Myo's wings and tail. It was a beautiful morning at the Tonks. The golden sunlight filtered through the windows and gave the room a calm and peaceful atmosphere.
Andromeda (Andy) was sipping a bowl of tea while reading a newspaper with interest. Ted was helping himself to a large portion of bacon and scrambled eggs. Nym hadn't come downstairs yet, the young metamorphmagus didn't seem to be much of an early riser. As for Luna, she had abandoned her breakfast of freshly picked nasturtium flowers, cherry tomatoes and raspberries mixed with yoghurt to crouch down in front of the fireplace and observe the ashes with attention. She had vaguely overheard her say that she had seen a Medulasher Domesticus in the rest of the previous day's fire and had been trying to join Luna in the search for the creature, but she was in a difficult predicament at the moment.
Indeed, Myo was facing her great enemy of the morning. The weird nutrion and healing potions that Andromeda (Andy) was asking her to take. Why did her potions have to be so bitter? Their thick, syrupy texture made her want to puke. Yes, she felt vaguely better after taking them... but at what cost? Her tongue got all cottony, and she felt like she had ash in her mouth for the next ten minutes. The big question here was not whether she would take them or not, (Andromeda (Andy) was just too scary for her to dare try to run away.) but what order to take them in. The neutral magic potion was the least bad, it just tasted and felt like vaguely salty water. The nutritional potion was thick and reddish brown, just looking at it made Myo want to vomit. The blue and soft green ones were pretty much equivalent and were just very bitter, but the worst of all was the pale yellow grainy mixture that was supposed to be good for her bones or something.
After a good five minutes of intense pondering, and weighing her many options, Myo came to the conclusion that the best strategy was still the one she had used the day before. She held her wings close, closed her eyes, plugged her nose, and swallowed all of her potions randomly as quickly as possible before grabbing a large glass of cool water nearby and drinking greedily in hopes of clearing her mouth and throat of her foul potions. Even without a wart on her nose, Andromeda had to be a real witch to be able to brew such abominations. Even the witch's recipes from the stories involving toad slime, snails and cat hair had to taste better than this.
Myo put her glass down and let out a long sigh, her morning liquid torture session was finally over. She frowned when she saw out of the corner of her eye that Andromeda was watching her in what she seemed to think was a discreet way over her newspaper, looking amused. Myo felt like sticking her tongue out to show her displeasure, but Andromeda was just too scary for Myo to try. So she just poured herself a big glass of apple juice and filled her plate with scrambled eggs.
Luna came back to sit next to her, looking discomfited, and began to eat her berry yoghurt. Curious, Myo asked her. "Luna, the Medulasher Domesticus, have you seen them? Myo became more and more interested in the creatures Luna could see. Either the young blonde was rubbing off on her, or she really did have a secret interest in the hidden beings that Luna was showing her.
Luna nodded sadly. "They ran away when I approached. They are very shy. I only saw the tip of one's tail." A discussion then started on the nature of the Medulasher and their habits, from what Luna said, these creatures fed on the pieces of coals left after the fires and the remains of floo powder. They were apparently some kind of parasite of the network of chimneys... Myo didn't really understand but it was interesting. Wizards could move around by throwing themselves into their fire with some kind of powder and telling the location of another fireplace. It seemed a silly and uncomfortable way to travel. Flying seemed so much better in comparison. Myo didn't like the idea of being touched by any fire but her own anyway. Her flames seemed to agree with her from the little flames that had started dancing between her feathers for a moment.
After finishing her breakfast, Luna got up hurriedly and ran to their shared room saying that she had to send a letter to her dady to let him know that Myo had accepted their invitation and that everything was fine.
Myo had also finished her breakfast and was about to go upstairs to join Luna when she heard Andromeda's voice say her name.
"Myo, before you run off, there are a few things I'd like to talk to you about first this morning."
she turned to face Andromeda and stared her straight in the eye, nervously scraping her talons against the floor, her wings surrounding her and slightly concealing her body, her feathers puffed up to feel more impressive and less vulnerable. She didn't like being taken to task by an adult magical witch. Andromeda was certainly nice, but she was still intimidating.
Seeing her reaction, Andromeda raised her hands with open palms as a sign of peace and Myo relaxed. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to let the tension leave her before speaking, trying to keep her voice steady. "What is it, Andromeda?"
"I wanted to know what you were going to do. If you want, you can stay here with Ted, Nymphadora and me in this house. We'd be very happy to have you. But if you prefer to go back to your tower, that's fine. You don't have to answer right away. You can take as much time as you want to choose."
Without even thinking, Myo answered, "I will go back to my tower." At this statement she saw a hint of sadness in the eyes of Andromeda and Ted, who had begun to observe the exchange.
"Very, very well. In that case, I'd like to see your wings." Andromeda said, rising from her chair. She approached until she was within a meter or two of myo before asking. "May I?"
Myo nodded. She didn't like anyone other than Luna touching her wings, but this was Andromeda. She was nothing like a Petunia, not even the same species. Andromeda, though intimidating, was kind and had done nothing wrong to Myo. So she turned to show Andromeda her back and spread her wings slightly.
"I'll touch them and be careful, don't worry." Then she felt Andromeda's (Andy's) hands gently probing the muscles of her wings and carefully manipulating her joints. The sensation was not unpleasant. To feel her wings being manipulated like this by someone she knew would not harm her was quite relaxing. She felt her feathers being stroked for a moment, then gently pressed against the fine bones of her wingtips before the hands withdrew. She heard a couple of spells whispered and a bit of magic flow through her before she heard Andromeda pull back.
"Good news Myosotis. Your wings have fully recovered, you can fly again."
Myosotis couldn't help but squeal with joy at this. She had missed flying terribly the last few days. The immensity of the sky. The wind in her feathers. Far above the earth and its troubles. She turned back to Andromeda with a radiant smile on her face. She was about to say that she was going to ask Nym and Luna to come fly with them on their silly broomsticks when Andromeda said. "This afternoon, some goblins will come to see you. They're the ones who run the economy in Britain and much of the private administration."
Myo was speechless. Goblins? Really? "Andromeda! We have to leave! If they're goblins, they'll want to eat us. They'll have a troll! Or worse, a... a Balrog!"
Andromeda didn't seem to understand Myo's panic, but did what she could to reassure her. "Don't worry, they're just Goblins, they won't hurt you if you don't attack them first. They just keep the gold in their underground bank and administration."
Myo nodded. She was a little anxious about meeting goblins, but if they weren't the vicious little bloodthirsty creatures from Lord of the Rings, then everything would (probably) be fine. A question immediately came to mind. "Why meet goblins? I have nothing to do with them."
"Well, it was known that none of your parents were Veela. Therefore there is a mystery regarding your ancestors that I would like to see solved."
"How would the goblins know that?"
"The goblin nation, handling most of the private administration of the families, have a lot of genealogical information and the magical imprints of almost everyone in their records. They'll take a drop or two of your blood to get your magical imprint and then go back to Gringotts, their bank, to compare your magical signature to any of their records they might suspect might be related to you."
Myo wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of goblins taking her blood, but if what Andromeda had said was right, and her supposed mother was a veela bird thing, then it raised questions. Personally, she didn't care where she came from, it wasn't like it really mattered to her, but adults could be weird like that sometimes and want to know unnecessary things.
"What time will they be over?"
"Fifteen normally, make sure you're in the house on time."
Myo nodded again and was about to start leaving when Andromeda's voice interrupted her again. "One last thing, I wanted you to know that I'm going to try to contact other Veelas. I don't know if they'll respond... but we have to try." She placed a hand on Myo's shoulder, gently, in the least threatening way possible, and added. "Very little is known about the Veela. They are a very secretive species, and rightly so. But in our case that doesn't work in our favour. Far too little is known about the Veela, their magic, abilities, anatomy, etc. for me to be able to treat you properly. Moreover, the few mentions of Veela culture describe it as rich and very important to them. I don't want you to be deprived of its knowledge."
Myo's eyes widened almost comically. "You'd really do that? Would you really find other Veela bird things for me?"
Andromeda smiled. "Yes."
Myo stared at Andromeda with her large, hopeful eyes. "Please do. If you manage to find any more Veela bird things, let me know as soon as possible." The idea of meeting other creatures like her was irrationally pleasing to Myo. She couldn't really explain it, but her mind was over-excited at the thought. To have people to fly their wings with. Letting her flames meet someone else's flames. Sharing her little feather care ritual with another like her... Learning more about herself and how other bird things live.
"That was all I wanted to say to you. You can go now." Said Andromeda, still lost in thought, a silly smile on her face, Myo headed for the stairs.
oOOOo
Luna was at the window of their room, she had just attached her letter to dady to Liz's leg, Andromeda's little black owl. Luna couldn't help but smile when she thought of that owl. Her always ruffled feathers and big green eyes made her particularly cute, and despite her bad temper and sociopathy, she could be remarkably kind and loyal to a few choice people, of which Luna was lucky to be part.
She was drawn out of her thoughts by the door of the room opening behind her. Myo had just entered, a big, beaming smile on her face, her joy almost palpable. Before she could react, Myo had taken her in her embrace and she found herself wrapped in a thick layer of feather and down as Myo's wings closed over her. She put her arms around Myo's neck and reciprocated the hug. Since they'd started sleeping together, Myo had become increasingly tactile, and frankly, Luna wasn't complaining.
"Andromeda said I could fly again," Myo said against her chest.
Luna was glad to hear that, not being able to reach the sky had started to weigh heavily on Myo, the number of Wrackspurt that had started to accumulate around her head had become worrying. Fortunately, this morning, they all seemed to have fled or disappeared.
"Do you want to come fly with me on your broomsticks?" asked Myo as she broke away from her.
"I'd love to, but I should warn you, I'm not very good at flying. Dady only let me touch a broom at the beginning of last year."
"We'll just be careful. I can't wait to finally fly with you." Said Myo, spreading her wings as best she could given the size of the room and flapping them slightly. Suddenly Myo's eyebrows furrowed. "But my feathers need their preening ritual for me to fly well."
Indeed, Luna noticed that many of the feathers looked damaged or in need of being smoothed. Luna didn't really know why, but something told her that what Myo was about to do was a tremendously intimate thing. "Okay," she said. "I guess you'd rather be alone to do this. I'll... I'll wait for you in the library."
She was about to leave when she felt Myo's small hand around her wrist. She looked at Myo, who looked indecisive, as if two opposing forces were at work inside her. Finally, after a long minute of tension, she heard Myo speak in a small, almost inaudible voice. "You can stay and help me if you want, Luna."
"Are you sure?" she asked, particularly surprised by this turn of events. It didn't take much wisdom to realize that what Myo was offering was a sign of great trust. During the preening, she would be defenceless, at her most vulnerable. And Myo was offering to witness this moment and even to help her. Luna didn't know if she should accept something like that. But could she really turn down an opportunity to get even closer to her best friend?
Myo seemed to hesitate for a second, but determination settled in her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. I'd like you to help me please Luna."
Luna swallowed. It suddenly seemed like a great responsibility that she was not at all ready to take on. Yet she was desperate to take this chance. If she refused, who knows when, or if Myo would offer her such an opportunity again. "Okay," she said. "But first tell me what I should do?"
Myo smiled at her, obviously happy that she had accepted. "Hm, the bent or broken feathers, you have to take them out and put them on the ground. They will burn there. If they don't come easily enough or look good enough, just smooth them out. When it's done, I will fall asleep. Will you put me on a pile of pillows or a bed?"
Luna nodded. "Okay. I'll lock the door so we won't be disturbed or interrupted." While Luna dealt with the door, she saw Myo form a pile of pillows and blankets in the centre of the room. Luna felt herself blush at what she saw next. Myo had just undressed completely, keeping only her necklace with the hare skull and the river stone she had given her. Myo was just really... extremely pretty. Nothing like what she had sometimes read about magical beings in English books. In those, the creatures were described as monsters with animal characteristics vaguely grafted onto a human body, distorting and desecrating it. However, the existence of Myo proved once again how wrong his stupid and racist texts were. Her avian features were in perfect harmony with the rest of her body in a unique and complete being.
Myo sat cross-legged in the middle of the cushions and began to hum something in a low, almost inaudible voice. Realizing that it had begun, Luna knelt behind her and began by just stroking her wings. It was then that the blue flames she was becoming familiar with appeared. First right between the feathers, then in a growing blaze until the flames enveloped them both. As Myo's humming grew louder and words in a language Luna didn't know began to flow, Luna had never felt better. The flames were not burning her at all, just a gentle warmth enveloping her, penetrating every cell. She felt almost euphoric, more pure and light than ever before. The few wrackspurt that had approached her because of her concern for Myo's health the previous days had just evaporated.
Then she set to work. Smoothing the feathers, pulling and removing the broken or bent ones, stroking, manipulating the wing joints to get access to all parts of the wings. The tail feathers, the tiny, downy feathers on the arms and legs, nothing escaped her attention. Luna felt herself entering a kind of deeply pleasurable meditative trance. Myo's voice became clearer with each passing moment as her soft, unfamiliar song echoed through the room. Even if Luna didn't understand the words she could easily tell that it was filled with joy and hope. Feelings that ran through her and made her want to sing along with Myo. Luna had never really sung, she didn't like that kind of expression. But right now, she couldn't help but hum along with Myo.
Myo's flames had spread further and now filled the whole room. Luna could feel her own magic under her skin singing with Myo and dancing with the flames, sometimes giving them a green or golden glow that they didn't normally possess. As Myo had said, every feather that fell to the ground after Luna had delicately plucked it disappeared in a green or purple flame without leaving any ash. What she didn't expect, however, was the fact that the orbits of the hare's skull hanging from Myo's neck had lit up with intense blue flame in an imitation of life, or a memory of life. The polished river stone, too, glowed with flames, these flowing around and within it like water. Like the memory of the river at the bottom of which the stone had lain for millennia.
Luna's consciousness became weaker and weaker as the feeling of completeness, euphoria, joy and sweetness filled her. Her movements became mechanical without losing any suppleness or smoothness as Myo leaned against her and continued to sing.
Luna didn't know how long she'd been doing it, she felt like she was in a soft fog she'd never want to leave, when the little bit of consciousness that remained within her left her.
oOOOo
Myo finally felt like herself. Ever since the storm incident, something was wrong. She felt sick, sore and weak. But after the ritual, it was as if the world had brightened up again. She stretched and spread her wings with pleasure as she felt her strong, supple muscles loosen and relax again. She was about to get up when she noticed something unusual. She was on the pile of pillow and blanket she had made to be comfortable while caring for her feathers, so far nothing unusual. No what surprised her was the sight of Luna's head resting on the feathers on her thighs and the feel of her arms around her waist. Luna looked so peacefully asleep that Myo had no desire to wake her. But she had to if she wanted to be able to stand up. She was glad that Luna had agreed to help her with the little ritual. She trusted Luna and wanted to be able to share this with her. Not to mention that she was still too numb and not flexible enough to take care of her feathers alone. Besides, from what she could see, Luna did an excellent job. Her wing and tail feathers were smooth, silky and perfect for flying again. Luna had even bothered to take care of the occasional stubborn little feather on her arms and legs.
Knowing how much sleep she needed after taking care of her feathers, and that she had started the ritual at half past eight, it must have been around 10:30. A quick glance at the clock in the room confirmed this. They would still have time to fly well this morning if she managed to wake up the little sleeper who was apparently enjoying the comfort of her feathers.
She began by pressing a finger against Luna's cheek, then by tickling her ear. When nothing worked and Luna's only reaction was to grumble in her sleep and tighten her grip around her waist, Myo had to take more drastic measures. She lifted the bottom of Luna's shirt and tickled her ribs. A reaction followed. Luna laughed and loosened her grip so that she could free her arms to protect her sensitive ribs.
After running away from the terrible threat of Myo's fingers, Luna glared at her, no doubt in a bad mood after being woken up like that. However, her glare turned into an expression of embarrassment as she looked away and blushed all the way to her ears. Myo sighed. She had forgotten that humans could have strange reactions to naked people. She grabbed the pretty little dark green dress Andromeda had modified for her to accommodate her wings and tail and slipped it on. If she stayed in her feathery outfit, Luna wasn't going to be able to communicate with her normally without babbling or blushing in an inexplicable and exaggerated manner.
"Did you sleep well Luna?" Myo asked with a soft, relaxed smile. (It's hard not to be happy, calm and relaxed right after the preening ritual).
Luna seemed to come to her senses once Myo was dressed again. "Best nap ever, Myo. I've never slept so well."
Myo laughed, "Yes, when I take care of my feathers it happens every time. I didn't think the result would extend to you though. Well, are we going to fly? We've got quite a bit of time before Andromeda calls us in for lunch."
They both walked out of the room hand in hand, down the hallway and down the stairs to the living room, aiming to exit through the small garden door. As they entered the living room, their plan was interrupted by the two pairs of eyes fixed on them. Andromeda and Nym were both sitting on the armchairs and sofas in silence, motionless. The atmosphere was tense and Myo felt uncomfortable. Nym tried to speak but her mouth opened and closed without making any sound.
It was Andromeda's voice that broke the silence. "Myosotis, Luna, what happened?"
Myo almost reflexively hid behind Luna and watched the three Tonks from behind her shoulder. Luna glanced at her, and Myo nodded. It was better to start explaining than to let this tension build up. She wanted to be able to fly, and she didn't like the mixture of concern and fascination she saw in the Tonks' eyes. Fortunately, Luna spoke up for her, at this moment Myo was infinitely grateful to her, she didn't know if she would have been able to say anything.
In a dreamy voice Luna said. "I was helping Myo take care of her feathers. Her flames seemed to like me. We even sang together. It was very relaxing and magical. That's probably what you felt."
Andromeda seemed to want more detail to better understand, but for some reason decided not to pursue this further. Nym seemed overexcited.
"That was great, I've never felt anything so... intense!" she said as she got up from her seat, her long hair swinging between a bright crimson and a sunny blonde.
Andromeda stood up in turn. "I'm going to go and prepare the meal. Oh yes, Ted's gone to work and wishes you both a good day," she added before heading for the kitchen. Myo could see in Andromeda's eyes, however, a mixture of excitement and curiosity that was poorly concealed.
She looked away from Andromeda when she heard Nym continue. (her hair had turned orange with green streaks, she noted passively...) "What are you going to do?"
"We're going to fly." replied Luna in the same tone, "Myo needs to stretch her wings."
"oh... oh, OH! I know, wait a minute! I'll be right back." Nym said as she ran to her room.
Myo and Luna looked at each other dumbfounded for a moment. Luna simply shrugged her shoulders and waited. They didn't have to wait long before Nym came downstairs holding a wooden box in her arms. Almost at the bottom of the stairs she tripped over thin air and sprawled out on the floor, the box she was holding opening and releasing a small golden metal sphere that immediately flew out along with a larger red leather ball. The box appeared to contain two more balls, but they were firmly fastened to the box. As Luna walked over to Nym with a worried look on her face to help her up, in one swift move, Myo grabbed the small golden winged sphere. The sphere immediately stopped, and she put it in her pocket.
Andromeda's voice rang out from the kitchen as Myo walked over to Nym to see what she could do to help. "Nymphadora! How many times have I told you not to run on the stairs, you walking disaster!"
"But Mum..." Said Nymphadora who had meanwhile straightened up with a big red bump on her forehead.
"No buts! Look at your state!" After examining Nym for a moment, Andromeda disappeared into the cellar and came back up a moment later with a white ceramic pot in her hand. She removed the cork and began to spread a thick, purple, lavender-scented cream on Nym's forehead, then on her scraped hands and knees. Nym winced. The cream must have stung. Andromeda inspected her daughter one last time before returning to the kitchen, mumbling something about suicidal offspring and heart attacks.
"How often does this happen to you? Myo asked curiously.
Nym winced. "Unfortunately. Because of my metamorphosis I sometimes tend to make my limbs a little longer or shorter without realizing it, and when the difference is too great, I fall flat on my face."
Andromeda's voice rose again from the kitchen. "And she's also super clumsy. It's a wonder there's still a vase or a whole plate in this house."
" Mum!" shouted Nym in an indignant voice. Only her mother's laughter answered her.
"Well, follow me. I'll show you the brooms." Nym said as she picked up the ball and stuffed it into the box. "By the way did you see the snitch?" Luna shook her head no and Myo looked at Nym with a puzzled expression.
"The snitch?"
"Yes, little metallic gold ball with wings. Have you seen it?"
Myo took the golden ball out of her pocket and showed it to Nym. "Is that it?"
Nym smiled, "Yes, exactly, thanks Myo. She said before taking the snitch from her hands and stuffing it back into the box. Myo couldn't help but feel a pang of regret at being deprived of the pretty golden ball. She swore to herself that she would keep the next one she saw that did not belong to Nym. After all, stealing is perfectly moral and normal as long as you don't steal from your friends and the stolen object is pretty.
oOOOo
A powerful wingbeat, the air rushing against her feathers. A violent gust of wind made her do an acrobatic loop. She saw the leather ball out of the corner of her eye and caught it in mid-air before throwing it at Luna, who was clinging tightly to her broom and laughing with her hair blowing in the wind. Luna simply threw the ball as high as she could into the sky. Myo and Nym dashed at the same time, but the speed of a broom could not compare with the speed of her flames and wings. She went up in a spiral in a spray of bluish sparks and caught the ball in one of her talons before sending it in Nym's general direction. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the little golden ball called a snitch and swooped at it in her best imitation of a hawk.
A few minutes ago Nym had tried to explain the wonders of a strange game called quidditch. Myo had vaguely understood the rules, but it just seemed silly to her. At first, Nym had tried to play a minimum of the rules, but the game had very quickly degenerated into flying chaos of a passing game mixed with a chase of the little shiny ball that was immediately released afterwards to continue playing. Frankly, Myo preferred it that way, it was just much more fun. Plus, the strain of trying to catch the ball was pushing her to do antics and acrobatics in the air that she would never have thought to do on her own. In short, Myo was having a great time.
Even Luna, who was not confident in her flying abilities, seemed to be having a good time in their chaotic aerial ballet. Their game continued for a long time, until they heard Andromeda's voice calling them back to the ground.
With a touch of regret, Myo returned the snitch to Nym, and the little group went back inside for lunch.
oOOOo
Myo was sitting on a large cushion in the living room, a book on her lap and a cup of honeyed herbal tea close at hand. Andromeda had introduced her to the wonders of herbal tea. A few herbs brewed in hot water, a little honey... something as good as it is simple. Andromeda had even kindly pointed to the book on medicinal, aromatic and infusion plants she was currently reading. She recognised with interest several plants that she had seen growing wild around the tower. Was it even really wild? Or the remains of an abandoned garden?
Myo took another sip of her cup of chestnut honey mint vervain and let her mind wander. She missed her tower, she missed being able to fly freely as high as she wanted without the risk of being seen by a non-magical. Her gaze fell on the ash-filled path. She missed the large pile of ash she had accumulated in her tower. The Tonks' shower was wonderful, always the right temperature and raining softly, but without her ashes... she never really felt clean.
Besides, she couldn't really take something from the Tonks and burn it and then make a corner for herself like that. Especially if she was going to go back to the tower soon. When she was alone in the tower again, the silence would feel strange. She'd gotten used to Nym's exuberance, Andromeda's calm and powerful (and intimidating) authority. What would be strangest for her would also be not sleeping with Luna anymore. Ever since she'd arrived at the Tonks', Luna had literally clung to her as if, if she took her eyes off her, Myo would disappear or something.
She took another sip of herbal tea. The honey and warmth soothed her throat, the mint refreshed her breathing and the vervain appeased her. With her flames no problem heating water, she had found some very old cups in a cupboard in the tower, and there was no shortage of plants around. The question was how to get honey on a regular basis. She was planning to pay regular visits to the Tonks and Luna once she was back in the tower anyway, she could just ask them for jars of honey at that time, or trade them for the products of her hunts. Maybe Andromeda would like her hare hides, maybe they're useful in her potions. The skulls... no, she would keep the skulls. A matter of respect. One hunts yes, but one respects what one hunts.
She felt like taking a little walk outside, maybe go to the woods. She glanced at Luna to suggest she come along, but she had sunk into an armchair with a book entitled 'magical creatures and where to find them' on her lap. She looked far too fascinated for Myo to dare disturb her. In any case, she had to be available to meet the goblins.
Her gaze returned to the fireplace, and she sighed again, looking longingly at the ashes.
Suddenly, a spray of green flame appeared in the chimney, turning into a great emerald fire. Surprised, Myo jumped to her feet, knocking her still half-full cup of herbal tea to the floor and the armchair behind her. With a sudden flap of her wings, sending the book in Luna's hand flying and ruffling her hair, she placed a sofa between herself and the threatening, unknown green flames. Luna, visibly surprised and frightened by Myo's reaction, looked at the fireplace and her friend in turn, trying to understand.
Myo spread her wings and puffed up her feathers to make herself more impressive and threatening and let her flames that were running restlessly under her skin outside, let them cover her. She slowly moved away from the path towards the door so she could escape. But Luna had remained seated in the room, clearly unaware of the danger she was in by staying near this unknown green fire. Myo could not leave her here, her friend so naive and innocent, not even realizing the danger!
Giving in to fear and panic, she was about to pounce on Luna to take her with her and protect her when she heard Andromeda's footsteps coming up from the mystery potion lab and her voice saying, "Opening of the network floo allowed."
At the same time, Andromeda entered the room and froze, her eyes wide and riveted on Myo and the state of the living room, her mouth open and no sound coming out. On the other side of the room, three small shapes, a few inches shorter than Myo, emerged from the flames, grumbling. The three small, well-dressed beings in suits and formal clothes, with hooked noses, sharp teeth and stern faces, also had their eyes fixed on Myo. The only noise disturbing the silence of the room was the sound of the soft blue flames surrounding Myo ready to protect her and the sound of one of the little people dropping his elegant dark leather suit to the floor with a clatter.
Myo did not understand what was happening. She just stood there defensively, staring at the little people, ready to flee or defend herself at the first sign of aggression. The tension in the room was almost palpable. Whatever was going to happen. Myo was ready to fight, to protect Luna and Andromeda, and to flee.
It was Luna who broke the tension. The little blonde stood up slowly and cleared her throat with a look so serene and calm that it completely disarmed Myo. "My noble Goblin sirs, I am Luna Lovegood." Moving slowly and calmly she pointed to a still puffy feathered Myo, " Here, my friend Myosotis Potter, the reason for your visit, and Andromeda Tonks, your host." She looked Myo straight in the eye with a smile so calm and soothing that Myo folded her wings behind her back, and her flames disappeared, though her feathers remained puffy from the aftermath of the scare. "Myo, I present to you, my Goblin Sirs." She turned back to the goblins and bowed slightly. " Welcome, my Goblin Sirs, and thank you for accepting Andromeda's request so quickly and for coming. I apologize for my friend Myosotis' reaction, I think that the green flames of the floo network frightened her."
The goblins seemed to come to their senses and Andromeda managed to take her eyes off Myo. One of the goblins with the gold embroidered suit sleeves, their leader perhaps, tilted his head ever so slightly in Luna's direction. "Apologies accepted Miss Lovegood." He turned to Myo and Andromeda before continuing. "I am Steelhand, representative of Gringotts' external lineage and heritage administration. We're here on urgent legacy testing business for Miss Potter." He raised an eyebrow as he watched Myo with steely eyes. Myo couldn't contain a shiver. "And I think I understand why."
Andromeda, who seemed to have regained her composure, said. "Welcome and thank you Steelhand. She let her gaze roam the living room for a moment, observing the damage Myo's panic had caused. "Please follow me, after this... incident," she stared at Myo, who couldn't help but look small. "I'm afraid the living room is no longer suitable for this meeting. The dining room would probably be more suitable."
The little group headed for the dining room, with Myo at the end ashamed of having reacted so extremely to the arrival of the goblins she had been warned about. She was a little reassured to feel Luna's hand in hers and to see the dreamy smile of Luna telling her not to worry. The little group sat around the table, the three goblins on one side, Luna and Myo on the other. Andromeda was making tea after asking the goblins if they wanted something to drink.
Once everyone was seated and there was silence, Steelhand spoke up. "Well Mrs. Tonks, what kind of test would you like us to conduct on the young Myosotis?"
" A confirmation of her paternal lineage, and research into her maternal lineage."
"Um, I see. The fact that Miss Potter is a Veela does raise questions about her parentage. Do you have any idea where we should start researching her maternal line?"
Andromeda sighed, "I've been doing some research on the Veela recently. Unfortunately information about them is scarce. I did discover, however, that the last time a Veela was seen in Britain was in 1965. Since then, the species has been declared extinct on the islands.
"I see, so we will have to concentrate on the extinct families and open the investigation to other European countries. For the Grand Alliance, Gringotts has branches there, so it will be easier. For the Scandinavian Clan Assembly, it will be more complex. Will you allow us to contact our colleagues in the Hanseatic League of Svorak?
"Yes, on the condition that my identity and that of Myo remain secret.
"Of course."
"What about the other magical nations of Europe and hidden nations?"
"Researching further afield will require additional costs, so it is more reasonable to limit yourself to the Grand Alliance and the Scandinavian Clan Assembly. If the search is inconclusive or requires expanding the number of countries involved, we will provide you with a price quote at that time."
Andromeda nodded.
"Well, now, there is one thing we can do immediately, and that is to test the paternity of Mr. James Potter and the legitimacy of Miss Potter's membership in the family."
"Do so," Andromeda replied.
"Crackedtooth, the Potter register, the analyzer and the knife please."
The goblin sitting to Steelhand's right pulled a thick yellowed cardboard folder reinforced with leather from the case and handed it to Steelhand. He also pulled out a strange little device consisting of a small copper funnel attached to a small metal cage inside which was levitating a small quartz-like crystal, and from the inner pocket of his suit he grabbed what appeared to be a tiny knife in a red leather sheath. Myo flinched at the sight of the small dagger but managed to compose herself, "Here, Master Steelhand." Crackedtooth said respectfully.
Steelhand placed the strange device and knife on the centre of the table, and the register in front of him. He rummaged through it before pulling out a document with a picture of a smiling man with round glasses and messy black hair in the top right corner. An unpleasant feeling settled in the back of Myo's throat as she realised that the man in question must be her father. Steelhand scanned the document with his eyes before nodding and turning his gaze to her.
"Miss Potter, we will begin a blood and magic analysis to determine your paternity bond with Mr. James Potter."
Unsure of what to say, Myo simply nodded.
"I'll have you slice your fingertip open with the dagger and drop three drops of blood into the funnel."
Myo looked to Luna and Andromeda for confirmation that she had to obey. She was reassured to see Luna and Andromeda smiling warmly at her. She took the small dagger and drew it. Then she pricked her fingertip above the funnel, wincing slightly. Three drops of blood fell, then the dagger lit up very slightly and Myo felt a slight tingling in her fingertips. She put the dagger down and to her surprise the little sting she had given herself had completely disappeared. No one around the table seemed surprised. Steelhand merely picked up the device and placed a golden monocle covered with strange symbols over his eye before looking at the stone in the device on which the three drops of blood had run. It was changing colour and oscillating between blue and purple. Steelhand seemed to be comparing the observations he was making with his strange monocle and what was written on the sheet with James' photo.
After a moment he raised his head and looked at Myo with a toothy grin. "Miss Potter, I can tell you that we have confirmed your parentage. You are indeed the biological daughter of Mr. James Potter, in blood and in magic. Being a Veela it is only natural that you have taken on more of your mother's characteristics, but our tests are infallible, James Potter is indeed your Father."
Myo failed to see why this was such a big deal, but the relief on Andromeda's face told her it was.
"Thank you Sir Steelhand for your time. I think that was all that was needed to be done today."
"Of course Mrs. Tonks. We'll keep you informed of the results of the search for the maternal line."
"Thank you."
The three goblins stood up and walked towards the fireplace. The green flames roared again and Steelhand's two companions disappeared. Just as Steelhand was about to jump in too, he turned to Myo. "Miss Potter. We expect you to visit gringotts after your thirteenth birthday to thaw out your accounts and put the affairs of Potter House in order." at his words he disappeared into the flames.
Myo turned to Luna. "That was one of the strangest moments of my life."
Luna merely smiled at her and she heard a small, muffled laugh from Andromeda hiding behind her hand.
"Myo, I think we have a living room to tidy up now. And could you tell me a little bit about your flames please?" Said Andromeda as she stood up in turn.
Myo sighed as she looked at the messy living room and the broken cup on the floor. Luckily, Andromeda's magical stick was going to help them sort it all out.
oOOOo
A few days later, in the late afternoon, Myo was as anxious as she was excited. She and Luna were about to go to Luna's parents' house to have a little party. Myo had never really seen a party. She'd heard Dudley talk about birthdays and Christmas, but those times were always spent locked in the cupboard or the shed at the back of the garden. The closest thing to a party she'd ever had was the rare occasion when a Petunia, staring off into the distance, would give her a book.
At her side Luna was jumping up and down with anticipation, she had spent the whole day explaining to Myo how exceptional Dady was and how much she was going to adore Momy and how much Momy was going to adore her. She had especially told her about the wonders of her house and garden and all the strange creatures and plants living there. Myo was a little bit anxious to find out.
The other thing that made Myo particularly happy was that after the party at the Lovegoods' house, she would be able to go back to her tower. She missed it so much. On the other hand, Nym, Andromeda and Ted were visibly sad to see her go. Andromeda had made her several dresses and warmer clothes in her size and specially adapted to her anatomy, (she had even received a jar of honey). Nym had managed to make her promise to visit them regularly. The fact that Nym had also promised her a delicious meal with each visit had certainly not influenced her decision to promise to come at least once every ten days.
Myo was already waiting in the living room. Luna was descending the stairs, ready to leave at last. One of the things Myo was afraid of was having to go through the dreaded green flames of the fireplace to get to the Lovegoods' house as Andromeda had explained to her.
A few minutes later, everyone was downstairs saying their goodbyes. Myo didn't quite understand all the emotion, though she'd come back to say hello soon. Why the sadness? The fact that Nym hugged her was no surprise, but that Tonks and Andromeda did the same was. Myo was a little hesitant at first, but eventually she accepted the contact and closed her arms around Andromeda (she preferred to hug Luna. Luna was a little bit taller than her, but not taller enough to be a problem. Andromeda on the other hand...)
"Right, so, for the floo. Myo, you throw a handful of powder into the fire and when the flames are green you say, Lovegood's Home, loud and clear while standing in the flames, okay?"
"Yes."
Luna Nym and Ted looked at her with encouraging smiles. "All right. Grab a handful and go."
Myo took a good measure of the powder and threw it into the fire. The flames immediately turned green. A little frightened as she remembered the arrival of the goblins, Myo walked slowly towards the fire. She stepped into it, but before she could say a word, the flames turned blue. She felt her flames dancing happily against her skin. Not a trace of the green flames remained. The Tonks stared at her with a strange look. They were obviously trying to figure out what was going on. As for Luna, she didn't seem surprised at all. Just to be sure, Myo spoke up. "Lovegood's Home." Nothing happened. She just continued to feel her flames burning around her, apparently very happy to have 'defeated' the green flames.
"Do you want to try again?" Andromeda asked in a weak voice?
Myo was about to say yes when Luna spoke. "I don't think that's a good idea. Myo's flames obviously don't like floo network fire."
"How are you going to leave?" Nym asked.
Myo smiled. She wasn't going to let an opportunity to fly slip through her fingers. "Luna, can you point me to your house from the sky?
"No, but I know someone who can. I'll go get Liz." Luna went back upstairs.
Andromeda stared at Myo for a moment. "Are you planning to fly carrying Luna to the Lovegoods' house?"
"Of course!"
"But that's far too far!" protested Ted.
Andromeda was about to say something along Ted's lines when Luna came down with a pretty little black owl with big green eyes, ruffled feathers and a nasty look on her face.
"Come Myo!" Luna said with a laugh and ran to the door.
"Coming!" Said Myo with a grin to her ear and laughing eyes.
"Wait! Little brats! It's way too far! Myo! You're going to hurt yourself!" Andromeda and Ted were about to stop them from getting out by interfering, when Nym with a mischievous smile stepped in, giving them time to run out of the house. Myo heard Nym shout. "Fly! You fools!"
Myo turned one last time, and shouted. "Goodbye, Ted, Andy!" Before grabbing Luna by the waist with her arms and legs and with a few powerful wingbeats, she rose into the sky.
Far below, she could see the silhouettes of Nym, Ted and Andy watching them fly away.
A few minutes later, she and Luna, wrapped in her flames, were flying between the clouds, far too far from the ground to be mistaken for anything other than a bird. Ahead of them, Liz was leading the way. Leaving like that under Andy and Ted's noses had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but right now Myo didn't regret it in the least. Maybe Andy wasn't so intimidating after all. At least not to her.
oOOOo
On the ground, Andromeda watched Myo and Luna's form shrink visibly high in the sky. What little idiots, they could hurt themselves or wear themselves out. But now it was too late, Myo was far too fast to be caught up in a broom. She turned to Nym, who was rubbing the back of her head guiltily for helping the two escapees.
"Nymphadora."
"Yes mum?"
"No dessert for you all week and you're on dish duty, no magic."
"Fine, Mum..." said Nymphadora without a hint of regret in her voice.
The little group headed back to the house, once Ted and Nymphadora entered, she looked back one last time at what was now a tiny black dot disappearing into the sky. She finally called me Andy, she thought, unable to prevent a slight smile from spreading across her lips.
oOOOo
Thomas stood desillusioned, wand in hand, not far from one of the small altars dedicated to what the believing locals had called the 'deity' or 'bird child' who had come to bless their region. Rumours had it that since the bird-child had been seen for the first time in a year, diseases were rarer and less serious, the sea was full of fish and so on. He didn't really believe it himself. But what he was sure of was that the creature did exist. In this village, he had confirmed that on a regular basis, the offerings in the small altars were taken by a strange creature. Callisius was stationed at the small altar in the next village, Jet was patrolling the area hoping to stumble upon their target. If what he'd deduced was right, they'd walk away with a hell of a lot of gallon. He was dying for the trap to finally close on their prey.