CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Friday morning saw more excitement than normal; not only because the fifth years and seventh years – some of the sixth years too – already started trying to find the tutors of the subjects they signed up for to already become acquainted with each other, but Sigyn had another hissy fit that ended with Harry, Druella, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine getting scratched, with Athenaïs doing the dunking as punishment. War had informed Harry that her battle wound looked better than the day before and would likely only need one more treatment. But there was also an almost obnoxious kind of excitement going around all the pureblood heiresses and nerves around the rest.
The reason why? During breakfast, refined and elegant owls had been swooping from one House table to the other, dropping into nose dives and landing in front of almost half of the pureblood families in the Great Hall with bright silver envelopes tied to their legs. That also included the Gryffindor table – stunning black owls landed in front of Artemis, Orion, both Weasley twins, the Prewetts, Altair, Arcturus, several other Gryffindors Harry had not been introduced to formally yet … and then of course one landed in front of her and stuck out its leg.
Harry blinked at the creature, causing it to regard her with a look that translated to Are you serious right now? Take the damn letter and give me bacon!, untied the envelope with no certain amount of utter confusion while trying to ignore the giggling and gleeful Loreley sitting diagonally from her.
"Merlin's saggy balls!" Altair exclaimed as he lifted out the overly fancy invitation inside the envelope. "Not again!"
"Altair, really," Arcturus scolded lightly, shaking his head. "Language!"
"The bloody Malfoy Yule Ball!" Artemis wailed in exaggerated lamentation. "I barely escaped with my life from the last one."
Minerva rolled her eyes at her friend and shook her head in despair, rather thankful no owls had landed in front of her.
"Harry got one too!" Orion exclaimed with a grin.
"Oh thank Merlin-"
"-at least that means-"
"-the Ball will not be a-"
"-total snooze fest," the twins chorused.
Harry shook her head in confusion as she carefully opened the envelope. Sure enough, there it was in elegant penmanship.
Lord Brutus Malfoy and the Lady Praxilla Malfoy cordially invite
the Lady Hera
to attend their Yule Ball on December 24, 1944. The event commences at 9.00pm exactly and will end approximately 1.00 am. One escort is permitted to attend as well.
Location: Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire
RSVP directly to Lady Praxilla Malfoy or Miss Loreley Malfoy by November 1.
Harry blinked a few times, utterly nonplussed. "But … why invite me?"
"Errr … you're friends with Loreley," Billy Prewett pointed out as though he were talking to a small child. "That has gotten you an in with the Malfoys already."
"Besides, Mother likes you already," Loreley added serenely with a face-splitting smirk. "You made an impression on her and it seems that Father agrees it would be a shame not to invite you."
"But, it doesn't make any sense. I am half-blood!" Harry argued. Why in everything that is good and holy would the judgemental Malfoy family want a half-blood to come to their ancestral home?
"So? You are a Lady Regnant," Loreley shut down whimsically. "That is, frankly, more important than your blood status. Anyway, have a look at the theme!"
Harry and the others frowned and looked more closely at their invitations. There was a mixed reaction going around to reading the words: Yule at the Court of the Holly King.
Harry paled. "How in the name of Kilgharrah's dragon droppings are we supposed to dress for this?"
"Use your imagination, of course," Loreley sang. "Don't fret, you won't have to do too much research or thinking. Mother learned from her previous errors and decided to assign a character to each guest. Have a look at the back!"
Loreley's friends obediently did so, and soon almost every single pair of eyes bugged out of the heads of the young witches and wizards.
"By Merlin's neck scarf, Oak King Ambassador," Orion read, shaking his head. "Mother is not going to be happy having to represent the Oak King."
"Oh this is cheap!" Artemis complained, snorting with laughter slightly. "Mine is Diana!"
"I don't see the issue," Altair frowned.
"Diana is the Roman counterpart of Artemis," Minerva translated for him. "They are essentially the same goddess, only Diana is perhaps a little bit more temperamental than Artemis."
"Mythology jokes are my gig," Artemis pouted. "Lady Malfoy is stealing my jam."
Loreley's Cheshire cat grin widened further.
Altair looked at his and his expression quickly contorted into surprise. "Jack Frost," he read, blinking in surprise.
Arcturus had gotten Boreas, God of the North Wind. The Weasley twins aptly got the Lords of Misrule. The Prewetts got Attendants of Ra. Harry's own took her by surprise.
"Marzanna," she read out.
"Oh, that's the Slavic Goddess of Death, Winter and Rebirth," Minerva informed with a grin. Harry blanched.
Artemis sighed. "Well at least you didn't get Juno! Why do you get the interesting one?"
Loreley's eyes gleamed even more. "That one was my idea. Mainly because, and I hope you don't think me presumptuous, Harry, but I took the liberty of designing one or two ideas you might like. Considering how much you hate fancy balls."
Loreley had fished out two pieces of sketch paper out of her pocket and handed them to Harry, their friends watching and trying to get a glimpse of the designs as Harry unfolded the paper. Harry, although happy that her friend's foresight had come in handy, was genuinely ecstatic with the design of the gown. There was a Gothic, early Renaissance quality to the gown; it was predominantly white with exquisite phoenix, raven and gnarled wood designs. Harry's favourite element of the dress was that the slim, dainty sleeves were cut entirely in the forms of phoenixes. It was actually rather simple looking, but complex in the intricate details.
"Damn," Altair grinned. "Loreley has talent."
Loreley grinned, looking very pleased with herself. "If Harry twirls, it's supposed to make the phoenixes and ravens move."
"You designed this?" Septimus chuckled. "Careful before all the girls start coming to you!"
"Hey, mine is easy enough," Artemis protested. "I already have an idea what to do with it."
Harry sighed. "I am more worried about Walburga and the others … oh no, speak of the devils."
Indeed, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine were giddily making their way over with Druella unsuccessfully trying to get them to calm down and Harry quietly started to brace herself quietly for the verbal onslaught that was no doubt coming her way.
"HARRY!" the girls chorused. "Whatdidyougetwhatdidyougetwhatdidyouget-"
"Let her answer!" Druella cut in sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Harry rolled her own eyes at her friends' pouts. "I got Marzanna. You?"
"Freyja," Ophelia answered readily, grinning.
"The Cailleach," Ygraine looked a little disappointed by that one.
"Presumably like the rest of my family I got Oak King Ambassador," Walburga sighed. "I mean there is plenty one can do with bark effects but still – it is not as elegant as I would have liked."
"You can make it elegant. That's the point of giving you all a character – to make sure no one looks the same," Loreley sighed. "That way we can save our furniture, curtains and portraits from angry pureblood Ladies."
"Dru, what did you get?" Orion asked eagerly.
"Khione, Goddess of Winter," Druella sighed, shaking her head. "I have no idea how to do that one creatively without making a giant ice crown or ordering a blue dress!"
It was at this point two others joined in the conversation. Artemis' face lit up in an instant as she saw them approach. "Lestrange! What did you get?"
Sure enough, Heron Lestrange and Tom Riddle had decided to join the already crowded Gryffindor table, both holding their invitations with flummoxed expressions – no doubt their themes had taken them by surprise. Harry turned her attention onto them, curious to see what their answers would be.
Heron Lestrange flushed slightly. "The Malfoys have assigned me Apollo."
"Seriously?!" many chorused.
"They gave the Lestranges the Greek Sun Gods? I did not see that coming to be honest," Tessa stated as she applied the last of the butter on her toast. "No offence, Lestrange, but I had my money on the Averys for that one."
"Me too, honestly," Heron agreed with a slight chuckle. "Mother will be contented at least."
"What about you, Riddle?" Harry turned her attention onto Tom.
Tom flushed slightly. "Member of the Wild Hunt."
"OK, which lucky sod got Odin?" Septimus wanted to know instantly, shaking his head.
"Avery," Lestrange answered immediately, to try and save Tom's pride a little.
Eventually, as breakfast was quickly drawing to a close, the Headmaster and the staff had to start ordering students back to their seats, to finish what was left of their breakfast and to start preparing for lessons. The staff really hated the fact the Malfoy Yule Ball always caused such a kerfuffle every single year because it meant that very little attention would be paid in lessons, and right now, the students could not afford distractions. The only year there wasn't a fuss was during fifth year, for rather obvious reasons; the death of Myrtle Warren. Fortunately, the seventh years largely dropped the subject during lesson hours, which also meant a reprieve for Harry, for around four glorious hours straight.
Unfortunately, she could not escape her friends at lunch, especially since Walburga and Ophelia had managed to get a glimpse of Loreley's design.
"We are ordering that dress to be made tomorrow," Walburga spoke with a tone of finality.
"No, we are not," Harry argued pettily as she tried to focus on eating her hot cross buns.
"Yes, we are!"
"Woman, you are already insisting I sort out my wardrobe! Plus, the Yule Ball is not until two months-"
"Your dress will take at least a month to make properly, Harry!" Walburga protested.
Harry sighed. "Why are you not focusing on your own dress?"
"Because Mother and Father will sort my dress out; they always do," Walburga replied with a shrug. "All of our families do."
"Bloody brilliant," Harry muttered sarcastically.
"I say just let Black have her fun," Arcturus told her gently, regarding her with some pity as he swished his vegetable soup with his spoon, trying to catch a piece of carrot. "Just … please, for some peace in Slytherin?"
"I will also pay for your tea and cake at Madam Paddifoot's," Altair added, with a grin.
Harry grumbled obscenities under her breath for a few seconds. "Fine! I'll be a good little doll," she sulked. "I still feel like two months preparation for a ball is really excessive, especially in times like these."
"Welcome to the Malfoy family," Artemis stated dryly.
"Actually, welcome to ninety per cent of pureblood families," Ignatius corrected gently. "Especially if they have a political point to prove."
Artemis had to concede there. "Fair point."
"Hey, Harry! Isn't that Mr. Burke's raven?" Orion asked, pointing to a corvid that suddenly flew in via the open ceiling latch for the mail owls. Harry looked up as well to see, yes indeed Thanatos' raven was heading towards her with a brown wrapped package. The raven cawed a happy greeting to her as he landed, gently and carefully dropping the small package next to her before landing and sticking its leg out to her, a letter there.
Harry frowned as she unattached the letter. If Thanatos had something to say, he'd use the Link. Was it from Hypnos or Melinoë? Curiosity did kill the cat; Harry fed some hot cross bun to the raven, who cawed gratefully and began tucking in, and cut the Peverell seal that was on the back of the letter.
Dear Niece,
I hope you do not find us presumptuous – we had Henry dictate the letter since none of us can write ourselves, most inconvenient – but we took the liberty to buy you a small gift. You see, we are working on a Yule gift for you already and we would very much like you to use the gift to send over some additions for our present!
We have also heard from some our fellow portraits that the Malfoy Yule Ball is almost close at hand once more and that you are very likely to be invited. If you are, let us know because Igny knows exactly which pieces of jewellery you will need for your first public debut into pureblood society. The Malfoys, if our preserved memories serve us correctly, have always been a rather snobby, uptight bunch so you will need to put your best foot forwards, even if it is for one tedious evening. Also, if you are invited, make sure you have an escort – they will be able to protect you from the vultures who will no doubt want to make your acquaintance.
We look forward to hearing from you. We rather miss you,
Anthony, Cadmus and Ivar.
Harry couldn't help but smile brightly at her first letter from her portrait uncles. Cadmus' stark refusal to accept an alias was rather funny too – of all of them, Harry had pegged Antioch to be the one to protest loudly, but she had been proven quite wrong.
"What is it?" Altair asked nosily.
"Altair, really?" Arcturus sighed.
"It's OK, Arcturus," Harry reassured. "My portrait uncles asked Henry to dictate a letter to me. Apparently, they decided to send me a present."
"Really?" Orion lit up, as did many of the others around the table.
Harry unpacked the paper gently, revealing a beautiful, hand-carved box made out of cedar wood. She lifted the lid off and gaped as she lifted out a small but elegant camera, which could not have been bigger than thirty-five millimetres at least. It was accompanied by a decent amount of film roll and batteries. Billy recognised it within an instant, jumping up and down in excitement.
"Merlin's beard, that's a Popular Model Hansa Canon!" the fourteen-year-old exclaimed excitedly. "I have been begging my parents for one. It has one of those new Serenar lenses! They are the bee's knees, as I have heard."
"It's a Muggle camera, right?" Arcturus deduced, looking slightly conflicted.
"Indeed!" Billy confirmed with a wide grin. "Their cameras are so fascinating. Their photos do not move but there are other cameras that are able to capture moving images by pressing a kind of button. They even keep coming out with a new kind of camera that can capture sound and everything – it is pure magic! 'Talkie films', the Muggles call them. The first ones came out twenty years ago. They even have a box that shows them these films called a 'telly-vision' or something."
The Slytherin purebloods listened to the youngest Prewett babble almost in disbelief, a few of looking quite scandalised at either the youngest Prewett's knowledge pool or about a separate camera that makes images move.
"Billy loves his cameras and technology," Tessa laughed at their reactions. "He has thousands of books on them at home."
"Yes, that much is obvious," Orion chuckled nervously.
Harry turned to Billy. "Would you show me how it works?" she asked. Harry naturally knew how a camera worked, but this was the kind of camera she would have seen either in someone's antique cupboard or possibly as an exhibit in a museum. She had relearn everything in a way.
Billy was up in an instant and practically crawled under the table to Harry's side of the table, much to the indignation of everyone around him. The enthusiastic fourteen-year-old didn't pay them any attention, utterly absorbed in showing Harry how to adjust the camera for when she wanted to zoom in or out slightly and where the take-the-photo button is.
Once Harry had the basic information down, she got up and grinned. "Bunch up guys. Let's test this thing out."
She took a few paces back to make sure she had all her friends in shot; while the purebloods simply smiled for the camera, the Weasley twins could not resist pulling a funny face. Harry chuckled as she took the photo. "Beautiful!"
Harry then took some individual photos of Orion, Loreley, Altair, Artemis, Minerva and Arcturus. Walburga, Ophelia, Druella and Ygraine insisted on a smaller group photo of the four of them together.
"OK, Harry, now let's take one of you before you run out of film," Billy joked soon after.
Harry flushed a little. "I haven't posed for a photo in around two years," she admitted. It was true. The last photo taken of her was during fifth year by Colin Creevey when the camera-savvy boy managed to capture a rare photo of her genuinely smiling and having fun.
"Well, about time that you did, then," Minerva commented with a smile.
Billy took the camera, giddy that he was holding a Hansa Canon. Harry sat back down in between Altair and Orion as Billy took another group photo, this time with Harry in it, grinning. "Damn, this Serenar lens is amazing! I am betting these photos will come out looking amazing."
"I still think Harry should also get a magical camera too," Druella offered her opinion easily. "Keep it balanced. Some Muggle photos and some magical ones – makes it more interesting."
"I agree," Altair concurred immediately.
"I will find her one," Billy grinned. "You can't just give someone a camera willy-nilly. They are all unique in their own ways, you know. It's like buying a broom – you need the right one."
The good mood was soured slightly when Septimus and Octavius chorused: "Professor Dumbledore alert."
Indeed, the Head of Gryffindor House had gotten up from his spot at the High Table, carrying his marking underneath his arm and heading straight for the Lions' table. Harry was pleased to note that whatever had been done to Dumbledore's hair and clothes the day before had held for a second day. The usually eccentric man was dressed like a dower Oxford professor with a very whacky hair style that Harry was sure would only be fashionable in the 80s. The children all had to force themselves to keep a neutral expression as their professor approached to avoid laughing in his face.
"Good afternoon, my children," Dumbledore greeted coolly with a forced smile. "I have a question for all of you. None of you-"
Then Billy Prewett had an evil idea. He raised Harry's Hansa Canon and exclaimed, "smile, sir!"
Dumbledore blinked in shock as he heard the camera click but saw no light emitting from the camera bulb, as it was customarily done with cameras in the magical world. He had no idea how to react so he cleared his throat. "Thank you, Mr. Prewett. As I was saying, none of you would happen to know the how to de-Charm my classroom? It would appear someone has Charmed most of my belongings to start singing some very interesting songs whenever I am trying to teach."
Harry had to bite her cheek quite hard at this and ignore the subtle looks that were being sent her way.
"Singing spells? Have you tried the Non Cantare Spell, sir?" Minerva asked with a frown.
"Indeed, I have, Miss McGonagall. It was for naught, I am afraid," Dumbledore sighed. "For some reason it is also utterly immune to the effects of Finite Incantatem."
"Maybe Riddle knows something that could work, sir," Ignatius added with a grin. "He is a walking library after all. Maybe he knows something that will work."
Harry pursed her lips as she felt a grin threaten to cross her face at the apoplectic glint that had entered Dumbledore's eyes.
"I think I just might," he sighed reluctantly. "Thank you, Mr. Prewett."
"Ouch," Orion giggled madly once he was sure Dumbledore was out of ear-shot. "That has to give him a punch in his pride!"
"I never thought I would see the day that Professor Dumbledore would be forced to ask Tom Riddle for help," Artemis snorted, shaking her head and leant past Altair to look at Harry. "Do you have a confession to make, Hera?"
Harry blinked as innocently as she could manage as she put her new camera back into its box. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Uh-huh, and I am the one responsible for turning Malfoy's hair yellow," Arcturus scoffed, chuckling. "I still have no idea how you managed to do it, but you really put me in a bit of situation."
"I never did thank you for taking the fall," Harry smiled at him. "Thank you."
"No problem, it was actually kind of fun," Arcturus grinned.
"I still want to know how you managed to switch Riddle's books with Orion's books," Altair nudged Harry lightly. "It is an open secret at this point; everyone is curious to know."
"Yeah well, I like keeping those cards to myself a little while longer," Harry's smile grew. "I cannot make it too easy for you or you will all get bored!"
"BORED?! Around you? Never!" her friends chorused.
Harry cackled to herself. "Still not telling."
"Spoil sport," Artemis, Druella and Altair grumbled.
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It is not a commonly acknowledged fact that the familiars of the students at Hogwarts tend to have their own routines and even end up making friends with one another and spending the time that their witches and wizards were away at school hunting together or socialising. Athenaïs the Gargouille, though she did spend the majority of her time hunting on the roof tops of Hogwarts castle, spent some of her Friday with Sigyn, Seraphina and Frey the ball python visiting some of the owl familiars, including Endor, at the Owlery. It had not been too difficult; there were several passageways for familiars to travel through. The group had taken a couple of small passageways and tunnels while the dragon amongst them followed along while periodically freezing when ghosts and students walked by.
Once a Gargouille, always a Gargouille. There were definitely times Athenaïs wished she could speak the human tongue so that she could tell Harry and her friends a little bit about her past. It was true that her chapel had evicted her from their group, but not simply because of her birth defect. The humans had started dropping things from the sky than went BOOM and BANG a few years ago and those things had ended up destroying the majority of their home, a cathedral in France. The chapel had been forced to escape but Athenaïs' condition was a liability for them as she could not fly as long as they could. They were forced to leave her behind and not long after, a witch had rescued her from under some rubble and had taken Athenaïs to the safety of London. The young dragon had been dismayed to be left at a pet store like a common feline but had been ecstatic that it had led to her meeting Harry.
Athenaïs rather liked the life she was leading with Harry, especially since she could sense humans, animals and prey alike and could help her witch with her projects. The shiny stone around her neck was really handy!
Not long after the humans' lunch break, Sigyn and Seraphina had insisted on hunting mice and birds close to Mr. Ogden's house, much to the human caretaker's own amusement. Frey had not been so keen on hunting garden pests that day and Athenaïs had her fair share of birds already so the two simply stayed back to watch their friends. Mr. Ogden was very friendly, giving them all a bowl of water and telling them funny stories as he worked. Several of them were about his mate, and about his own dog familiar who passed on. Frey and Athenaïs found themselves enjoying it immensely. Mr. Ogden was one of the few humans who the familiars knew that would treat them like an equal.
"Bertie loved winter! He would always run around aside, trying to catch snowflakes. Afterwards, he would complain endlessly about the cold, mainly so that my wife would make him a warm bath and pamper him," Mr. Ogden chuckled lowly. "My wife and I were devastated at losing Bertie. It was like losing a child really. We never could have children, you see," the groundskeeper continued, Athenaïs and Frey listening intently. "We tried for many years but … eventually we became too old. This may sound incredibly insipid, because you likely think 'how can you dwell on something that can never happen', but I sometimes imagine what a child of ours would have looked like. Would they have had my darling Maggie's golden curls? Would they have liked animals? Would they have surpassed their old man in ambition?"
Athenaïs chirped sadly and Frey hissed gently, both nuzzling their heads on his leg soothingly. Sigyn and Seraphina, long finished with their hunting, mewed at him. Mr. Ogden smiled at them. "I have no idea what you are saying, but thank you, nonetheless. Your witches and wizards are lucky to have you."
We are lucky to have them too, Athenaïs tried to communicate through a mystic howl.
Mr. Ogden smiled brightly and patted the stone dragon behind her ears. "I hope your witch is doing well. She has been having a tough time of it lately, last I saw her and Miss Malfoy. She does remember my door is always open for a cup of tea, right?"
Athenaïs nodded firmly and chirped. Mr. Ogden chuckled. "Good. I knew you must belong to Harry Evans. Somehow, nothing is normal around that girl."
Sigyn and Seraphina immediately mewed in agreement causing Athenaïs to scowl at them. Frey hissed with laughter.
Mr. Ogden shook his head fondly at them as he got to his feet. "Well, I had best be off. I still have the Thestrals to feed and muck out. It isn't pleasant work but it must be done. We cannot have them living in filth."
The familiars said their goodbyes and decided to head back towards the castle. By now, it actually was close to dinner time for the humans, if they had their feeling of time correct, and Sigyn and Seraphina were quite eager to get to their warm beds in the dormitory. Frey too wanted to get to her heating stone as quickly as possible – she really hated autumn. Athenaïs was the only one who loved being outside, despite it being quite chilly. Her scales and body temperature had long adjusted to the chilly autumn temperatures so she could easily spend a lot of time outside, but she enjoyed the company of her friends too much to stay out on her own.
The familiars had used their special entrance to gain access back into the castle and were making their way down towards the dungeons when they came across something that really did not look or sound right.
"-you must have heard or seen something useful!"
"I have not! Besides, I do not answer to you; I answer to my brother."
While Sigyn, Seraphina and Frey stuck their heads around the corner curiously, Athenaïs quietly joined a few wall-mounted gargoyles to try and get a better look at what was going on. Four very big wizards, wizards from Harry's year, and dressed in the green and black robes of the Snakes had cornered a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes – the same girl who had been causing Harry grief.
Oizys; Athenaïs remembered. The Gargouille also recognised one of the wizards as the boy Harry once had flung across the room with a spell. What was his name again? Crying … Weeping? No, Lament. Athenaïs' lips curled into a growl.
"I don't believe for a single moment that you saw nothing," Lament sneered.
"Neil, I think we should take this somewhere else," one of his friends said nervously. "Anyone could walk by."
"Shut it, Flint," Lament barked before turning back to the defiant first year. "You will continue keeping an eye on Peverell and her stupid band of friends, you hear me?"
"Why?" Oizys raised an eyebrow sassily. "Your ego still bruised from that Stunner, Lament? Or is it because you were beaten by a girl? Again."
"What did you say?" Lament growled, his hand going towards his wand. "I think I should teach you a lesson in manners."
"Neil!" Flint could barely believe what he was hearing. "This is Malum Avery's sister! He will have both your eyes and feed them to his familiar."
"Avery will thank me later," Lament snarled back dismissively, raising his wand.
Before this idiotic seventh year could throw a Leglocker Jinx or something worse, there was a sound of irate hissing and meowing and the next thing the seventh years knew, Sigyn the demon cat had launched herself at Lament, bearing her claws and teeth, sinking both into his left leg. Hot on her heels was Seraphina, all haughtiness and air of superiority gone and launching an equally savage attack onto his right leg. Lament howled in pain, shaking his legs quite violently to try and detach both felines. Sigyn and Seraphina both hung on for dear life but eventually were both flung off, sliding quite a bit on the squeaky clean stone floor of the dungeons, glaring daggers at Lament. Oizys immediately ran over to check on them. The Slytherin Seeker was livid by this point.
"You mangy furballs! You will pay for that!" He raised his wand towards them.
"Neil, stop this right now!" another of his friends begged.
But once more, Lament suffered an attack, this time from a furious Athenaïs. The dragon had silently taken to the sky and with as much force as she could, brought her long, slim, elegant tail down onto the shoulder of the threat to her friends and to the child. The Gargouille almost had to howl with triumph when she heard a nasty KNACK! after the impact.
Oizys' eyes widened when she saw Athenaïs land daintily in front of her, the two cats and a ball python – when did that thing get there? – and the dragon let out an ominous Haaayyuooouaooo! at Lament. Oizys had never seen an angry dragon before but she knew that Lament was in a world of trouble.
"Peverell's Gargouille," Flint breathed, the first time seeing the enigmatic creature up close for himself.
"It's beautiful," another of the group commented.
Neil Lament, the moment he locked eyes with Athenaïs, went red with rage. "That interfering, buggering creature!" he seethed. "It is just as much of a pain in my side as its witch. And like its witch, it needs to be taught a lesson in humility!"
IT?! Athenaïs seethed. Oh I am going to enjoy this!
The dragon let out a challenging battle cry, glaring at her human opponent. Lament shot several red, blue, green and yellow jinxes towards Athenaïs. Instead of dodging, the dragon did something else. The stone around her neck began to glow, as did her eyes. Within seconds, the Gargouille was surrounded in a glowing, reflective aura, blocking every single one of those jinxes. Oizys, Lament, Flint and the others could not believe their eyes. Athenaïs smirked. The necklace really was handy!
To add to everyone's shock, the onyx eyes of the dragon began glowing an eerie green colour – almost the exact same green as Peverell's eyes – and spread her wings, surrounding Lament in light green outline. The next thing he knew, Lament was picked up by some unknown force and was being tossed around the air telekinetically, with some force, for a good minute before being unceremoniously dropped onto the ground again. Athenaïs growled to herself – she needed more practise to make it last longer.
However, the dragon was making her point very clear for all to see. Once Lament was on his feet, Flint and the others immediately put themselves between him and Athenaïs.
"Neil, you need to stop. This is Peverell's dragon; who knows what else it can do!" said one of the humans who had kept silent until now. "This creature is not normal – you need to stop right now."
"Greengrass, do you think I care? I REFUSE TO BE BESTED BY A BEAST!" Lament bellowed, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He pointed his wand once more at the defiant dragon and shot a Multi-Shot Jinx at her, not noticing that Flint had sent Greengrass and their other friend off to try and find a teacher. Oizys had picked up Sigyn, Seraphina and Frey, dodging as quickly as she could to the right, out of the way of the spell's trajectory. Athenaïs had swiftly dodged many of the Multi-Shots, using her flying skills with grace.
"Athenaïs, please be careful!" she heard Oizys beg from the side.
The young dragon heeded her advice and quickly assessed the path of each attack before dodging nimbly out of the way. Lament next sent a Tempest Jinx when he realised Athenaïs out manoeuvred every single one of his attacks. Though Athenaïs was quite skilled at evading the lightning bolts flying her way, one managed to make direct contact with one of her wings, cutting it quite deeply and forcing her to land while checking on her wound. She was soon forced to side-step the lightning trying to strike her on the ground, jumping rapidly from one spot to another, trying to guess where it would try to strike next.
A few of the bolts were blocked by the strange shield conjured by the necklace, but Athenaïs made one more misjudgement, earning her a bolt across the face that sent her sprawling backwards. The young dragon growled angrily as she hit the floor and howled when she felt the effects of left over static from the bolts all over her body.
"ATHENAÏS!" Oizys wailed, rushing to the young dragon's side, Sigyn, Seraphina and Frey mewing and hissing urgently.
Lament prowled towards her with a satisfied grin. "Stupid creature. Did it actually think it's a match for a human?" he laughed coldly, stopping only a few short metres away from them.
"You will pay for this!" Oizys snarled, picking up the weakened dragon and holding her close to her, staring the seventh year defiantly. Frey hissed just as menacingly at him, no doubt spitting some very colourful words at him while the cats looked set to strike once more.
Lament sneered at her before raising his wand at them again.
"STUPEFY!"
"FLIPENDO!"
The Slytherin Seeker was attacked by a Stunner fired off by Flint, who by now had plucked up what little courage he had, and the Knockback Jinxes used by Eileen Prince, Octavian Rookwood and some of the other first years who had happened upon this shocking fight. Prince and Rookwood rushed over to Oizys and the familiars, glaring at Lament's moaning and swearing form.
"RUN, AVERY!" Flint ordered.
Oizys did not need to be told twice. Trying to carry the dragon as best as she could, the young Avery ran as fast as her legs could carry her, Prince and Rookwood running with her, carrying Sigyn, Seraphina and Frey. The three of them all but bellowed the new password, "SNAKEWOOD!", as they reached the entrance to the Slytherin dungeons.
It was safe to say that when the entire common room saw three frantic, crying first years charging in with an injured Gargouille, two angry and stressed cats and a python who would not stop hissing, everyone was immediately up in arms.
"Merlin's saggy balls!" War, being one of the first to witness them, cursed unabashedly, Bletchley and Rachel Pucey with hands over their mouths. "What happened?!"
Oizys launched into a tirade, tears streaming down her face. "Lamenthelostithewasinterrogatingmeandthenthefamiliarstriedtosaveme-"
War blanched. "Whoa, whoa there – slow down-"
"Lament lost it!" Eileen Prince and Octavian Rookwood chorused. "He attacked Athenaïs, we just saw it!"
War's eyes bugged out. She then saw the state of the other three familiars and knew something really bad had happened. Something so bad that heads were very likely to roll. "Someone get Riddle, Evans, Walburga Black and Rowle here – now! Someone get Avery too while they're at it!" the Prefect barked.
No one needed to be told twice as several people shot into the respective dormitories to fetch the familiars' owners and Oizys' older brother. In a matter of seconds, the four people in question followed by Avery, who had been relaxing and getting ready for dinner, came into a common room where everyone was crowded around two angry first years, one first year who was bawling her eyes out and carrying a moaning and growling Athenaïs while the other two were trying to restrain Sigyn, Seraphina and Frey, who were set to commit murder.
As soon as they saw their familiars, all four wizards ran forwards, taking their companions from the children. Avery immediately rushed over to his sister, utterly speechless.
"What in the name of Morgana's unmentionables happened?!" Altair was the only one gutsy enough to demand. The Knights were frozen to the spot; Arcturus had both his hands over his mouth.
Harry, trying to stop herself from flying into a panic, was cradling her dragon while War was working on healing her wounds. "Athenaïs … Athenaïs, please – can you hear me, are you all right?"
The young dragon turned her head slowly to smile at her witch. Kyuuuuooo…
Harry, tears leaking out of her eyes, hugged her friend close. "Thank, Merlin!" She turned to look at the three first years, a coldness to her eyes. "What happened?"
Oizys, who was being hugged close by apoplectic her brother, was too distraught to tell what happened and both Eileen and Octavian had not seen everything so their story was incomplete. But, fortunately, Slytherin House had a Parselmouth in their midst. Everyone listened as Frey gave the events in full, hissing madly, with Riddle translating. The more Riddle listened to what happened, the more his burgundy eyes started gleaming menacingly.
Harry heard her too. *That miscreant was interrogating the little hatchling with four against one, the bloody coward! Sigyn and Seraphina taught that scoundrel a lesson but then he turned his stick on them so Athenaïs made him see the folly of doing that. But instead of calming down he proceeded to attack Atty. She put up a worthy fight, Tom but he got her eventually.*
"Who was it, Frey?" Riddle asked in a dangerously calm voice.
"LAMENT!" the three first years chorused, beating the ball python to it.
It was safe to say in about five seconds, a murderous inclination had spread amongst a good number of the present Slytherins. All eyes turned ominously towards the entrance to their common room when they heard it open; poor Professor Slughorn came to an abrupt standstill when he came face-to-face with about thirty furious Snakes, all of whom looked set to string the culprit he had in his office up by the legs and make an example out of him. Following Slughorn at a more sedate pace, were Isaac Flint, Stefan Greengrass and Norman Parkinson from sixth year, all of whom looked extremely guilty.
"I see the damage has already been done," Slughorn stated once he managed to find his voice.
"You can say that again, sir," Harry agreed coldly. "So, what are you going to do about it?"
The Potions professor looked at the stone dragon, who was being tended to by Christina Warrington. Athenaïs looked up at him with a look of irritation. "An attack on a familiar is wholly unacceptable and will be dealt with swiftly," the Head of House answered crisply. "As for Mr. Lament, he is currently getting his shoulder treated by Madam Abernathy. Apparently it got dislocated quite badly during the ... altercation. As for his punishment, he will most likely be suspended-"
"Suspended?" Walburga spluttered. "Sir, he did not simply attack Athenaïs for no good reason! Our familiars were trying to save a first year from getting hexed and cursed. He threatened to do the same to mine!"
"And mine," Ophelia added angrily.
"My familiar witnessed everything," Riddle informed him. Frey then hissed at the three sixth years, who had taken a sudden interest in the floor. "And how those three stood there and let most of it happen."
Flint, Greengrass and Parkinson hung their heads in shame.
"The law is clear on such matters," Riddle continued. "Expulsion, or a duel between Lament and one of the witches of the wronged familiars."
Professor Slughorn nodded. "I am aware. But Headmaster Dippet will no doubt want to establish the truth of the events before he makes a decision on the matter."
"I do hope you will keep the cretin out of Slytherin for a while," Harry growled. "If I see him, I may be liable to carve his eyes out with a spoon."
"Then use them as potion ingredients," Walburga added, eyes dancing with malice.
"Now, now, girls, settle," Slughorn cajoled sternly. "You will do nothing of the sort-"
"What part of he attacked a child and our familiars do you not understand, sir?" Harry seethed, eyes bleeding silver. "He has just proven that he is mad enough to raise his wand to the familiars of his fellow Slytherins without any consideration for the consequences of his actions. Tell me, sir, would you be comfortable with letting someone like that near your familiar?"
Would you have let him near Francis the fish? Harry thought to herself.
"He attacked a child," Walburga continued. "It's a good thing I do not have younger siblings at Hogwarts or I'd be worried about them. Merlin, I worry for the young ones in general now!"
A mutter of ascent rippled around the room. The Head of Slytherin knew he was outnumbered and outdebated but also knew the ultimate decision lay with the Headmaster. "I cannot promise anything, my dears, you know this. But I will go and see Headmaster Dippet without delay," he assured them.
It was probably a good thing he did not see the bright silver in Harry's eyes or the red in Tom's as he left. Harry was close to starting a witch hunt for Lament and teach him a lesson, but a hand took hold of hers and gave her a reassuring squeeze. The gesture from Altair, who had sat next to her just in case he needed to restrain her, calmed her down in a second.
"Lament is not going to live this down," the Nott heir stated as Athenaïs got back up to her feet again, shaking her wings slightly and studying her bandaged wound, looking miffed to the nth degree.
"Indeed he will not," Riddle – for the first time – agreed with Altair as he joined them on the floor with Frey, followed by Walburga and Ophelia. He smiled down at Athenaïs and patted the dragon's head carefully. "Thank you for your service, Athenaïs. You are a true credit to Slytherin House."
"Yes, thank you," Ophelia smiled, picking up the young dragon gently and giving her a hug.
"I have no idea how you handled Lament but I am very impressed," Walburga added, patting the preening dragon's head. Seraphina began mewing her praises to Walburga in an instant, clearly telling her witch what had happened.
"Regular little heroine, like her witch," Druella joked lightly, coming to sit with the group as well. Orion, Ygraine and the Knights did so as well. The Averys both gave Athenaïs a big hug too. Athenaïs was really enjoying all the attention and praise, looking very proud of herself.
Harry snorted fondly at this.
"Speaking of which – Harry, your bandage needs changing," War stated, folding her arms, gesturing to the girls' dormitories.
Harry, though, for once, didn't immediately spring to her feet. She looked at her covered, injured arm before then looking at Altair, Orion, Arcturus, Riddle, Avery, Lestrange and the rest of the curious Slytherins who were trying to go back to their business without trying to seem too nosy.
The Mistress of Death smiled to herself. Perhaps it was time to lower the drawbridge just a little. Constantly having to hide things – it really was exhausting.
"Actually, War, do you mind treating my arm here?" Harry asked, causing her dorm mates to almost choke on their own saliva. Orion and Altair looked at her in awed disbelief while Riddle looked like Yule came early.
War rolled her eyes as walked towards the dorms to fetch her potions. "Your funeral, girl."
The Slytherin Prefect soon came back with her medical kit; Harry rolled up her sleeve, exposing the bandaged arm, keeping the Wiggentree leaves firmly in place. Riddle and the Knights' eyes widened at the sight of how much bandage and Wiggentree leaves were used on the wound. Riddle made space for War so she could sit and work but made sure he could still see everything clearly.
The moment War had entirely removed the bandage and the Wiggentree leaves, was there a collective gasp from the boys and anyone else who had not seen Harry's wound before. Altair had wanted to touch the wound but had his hand batted away promptly by War who dipped cotton wool in the healing solution she had now kept prepared for Harry's treatment and began dabbing the wound, which was now glowing mostly silver.
War grinned at this sight. "Yeah, girl! We're getting there," she announced to no one in particular as she continued working.
"Evans, what happened?" Avery whispered, hand over his mouth. Oizys' eyes were almost popping out of her head in shock.
"You remember the evening that I disappeared?" Harry asked. Avery, Riddle and the Knights nodded. "Well, there was a good reason: I wasn't on Hogwarts grounds."
"What?!"
Harry clicked her tongue. "Yep. During the hospital visit Orion, Loreley and I took to visit the men we rescued, they told us Grindelwald had captured them because they were on the security detail of someone who knew my family very well. Naturally with Grindelwald's obsession, he could not resist going after them. I couldn't risk him getting his hands on the two of them." Harry laughed shortly. "It wasn't difficult for Thomas, Henry and Melanie to figure out that the people in question were taken to Antwerp."
"Antwerp," Lestrange repeated, going pale very quickly. "But then … Merlin, Harry … are you telling us you were in Antwerp the evening you disappeared?"
"Correct," Harry answered candidly, nodding while disbelieving looks were exchanged amongst the group who had not heard the story yet. "We did the only thing we could do; we rescued Nicholas and his wife. But it seems the Resistance has been infiltrated somewhat because not long after we found them, Vida Rosier, Queenie Goldstein and an Obscurial called Credence found us."
"You faced down Cousin Vida?!" Arcturus squeaked. "How?!"
"Sheer dumb luck," Druella muttered.
"Not entirely incorrect," Harry chuckled shortly. "Well, the long and short of it is: we got Nicholas and Perrie out, but Grindelwald's people were after us in an instant. I won't go into too much detail, but I had to do what I needed to do to get out with my life." Harry paused for a moment as she remembered driving the dagger into Rufus' back without hesitation, the Stunning spells she used to take out several others … her Death-Infused winds. She quickly shook herself out of those thoughts and continued. "Thomas got Nicholas and Perrie to London, Henry guarding them all the way. Melanie stayed with me to lend me a hand. But just as Melanie and I were getting to the Portkey back to London … someone hit me." Harry jerked her head towards her arm. "Power Wither Hex."
"NO!" Lestrange, Avery, Arcturus and Riddle chorused loudly, jumping almost two feet into the air with shock. Mulciber, Dolohov and Malfoy looked aghast but quietly impressed at both the fact someone had cast it and that Harry had, obviously, survived it.
"Yep. Somehow my magic fought it off and well … I am now stuck with another fancy shmancy scar," Harry finished with a slightly awkward chuckle, refusing to look any of them in the eye.
Riddle was shaking his head at her arm, looking appalled beyond belief. "Harry … I think I speak for a lot of us when I say, please don't ever do something that reckless again."
Harry smiled weakly. "I already made that promise to the girls, Orion and Altair. But as I said to them, I guess I … still crave the thrill of battle. I just couldn't resist the call back."
"I did say Gryffindor suited her best," Dolohov put in. "Guess I am right after all."
"Caius, shut up," Malfoy, to everyone's surprise, advised coldly.
"Just, if you feel that craving again, please let us know," Arcturus pleaded with her. "Because that," he pointed at her arm, "is pure madness."
"So people keep telling me," Harry smiled smally. "But I have resolved that I will only ever go into battle if I have to. I realise I can't keep doing it; going into battle without thinking about what it could do to those who I leave behind. It … isn't fair on any of you or on Athenaïs if I promise to be back and then I … don't come back."
"You asked me why you were part of my Boggart not too long ago," Altair spoke up. "Now you know why."
Harry blinked at him. "Altair …"
"Same here," Orion whispered from the sofa behind her, looking at her sadly. "I can't countenance losing you. Not to some Muggles and not to Grindelwald."
Harry had no idea what to say to that. Athenaïs nuzzled her lovingly. The rest of the evening was spent playing games of Exploding Snap, wizard chess, the girls gossiping and Harry taking more photos of her friends and sketching. It was safe to say, the Slytherins had missed dinner that evening and were delivered food to their dorms by not-so-very-pleased elves working in the kitchens.
It was just after this quick dinner that Harry felt the Link open up.
Harry?
Harry stopped sketching. Tosti?
Is everything all right? I felt a serious amount of anger and stress coming through the Link.
Harry scoffed. Someone attacked a child, my friends' familiars, and Athenaïs.
WHAT?!
Harry flinched slightly. Ow! That hurt.
Sorry! And Athenaïs … she defended herself?
Yes, according to what the witnesses said. Why?
There was a moment of tense silence which made Harry feel quite worried. That would explain what I felt. I think the two of you need your rest tonight. We will meet tomorrow – it seems that Athenaïs may have gotten more hold of her fledgling powers than we first thought.
######################
Rollo sat in his office, with his head bowed against his hands, praying for any merciful deity to give a favourable outcome to the meeting he had been ordered to call. The offending Time Compass, as it had become known as, was sitting in its dome, apparently trying to seem as innocent as possible, which vexed Rollo only further. It had been bugging Rollo the whole day already. Very soon, Miles, Oscar, Satoshi and Katerina filed into the office and once everyone was seated, put Silencing Charms and privacy wards on the door. All of Rollo's senior Cursebreakers wore deep frowns on their faces, utterly flummoxed at why a meeting had to be called.
Until they caught sight of the Time Compass, nestled inside its enchanted dome.
"Let me guess, your Aurors found another cursed item and wish for us to deal with it," Satoshi sighed, shaking his head at the device.
"Worse," Rollo replied candidly, waving his hand lazily, telekinetically pulling chairs up for his colleagues and friends. "Sit. None of you will want to stand while I tell you what I am about to."
Miles, Oscar, Katerina and Satoshi exchanged an apprehensive and slightly alarmed look but did as they were told.
"Rollo, what is going on?" Miles dared to ask once he was seated. "You look like you have seen a ghost, and not the good kind."
Rollo laughed shakily. "Dealing with ghosts would be preferable, Miles," he reassured. He took a fortifying breath. "Last night, two Aurors and two Unspeakables came to see the King on a matter of importance. Apparently, the Department of Mysteries have been … experimenting again."
"Oh, bloody hell," Oscar sighed in irritation. "Have they learned nothing from their previous mistakes?"
"Clearly not," Katerina grumbled, eyeing the Time Compass. "Let me guess – that thing there was the matter of importance."
"Indeed," Rollo confirmed. "According to His Grace, someone who is well-versed in Time Magic has been trying to … improve the amount of time wizards can go back in time."
"Is he mad?" Satoshi spluttered, his eyes bugging out. "We are already walking a thin line with Lady Magic by creating the Time-Turners, let alone-"
"That is exactly what the man in question's superiors thought, but no one did anything to try and stop his experiments," Rollo cut in gently. "However, by the time someone did try to stop him it was too late." He sighed. "From what I have been told, the man claimed the thing started to … speak to him."
"Speak to him?!" the four Cursebreakers repeated, suddenly looking at the device with a greater degree of fear.
"Yes. From what His Grace told me and Griphook last night, the man started muttering about old scores that needed to be settled or undoing mistakes of the past – something along those lines," Rollo informed them. "It has led to the creator of this device having a mental breakdown that has put him into St. Mungo's. The Aurors and the Unspeakables believed that the device is cursed and want us to fix it. Well, they want a specific Cursebreaker to fix it."
"No," Miles whispered, immediately knowing who the Aurors and the Unspeakables referred to. "We cannot give this dangerous thing to a seventeen-year-old girl, no matter who she is!"
"It gets worse," Rollo scoffed. "We will have to order her, or anyone working with this thing, to work under Statute 611 D."
"A gag order?!" Katerina seethed, eyes flaring a dangerous shade of orange. "Are you out of your mind?!"
"His Grace's orders," Rollo clarified calmly. "Considering the sensitivity of the mission at hand."
"That means no one who works with this thing can ask for any help; they will be left out to dry if anything goes wrong," Oscar was shaking his head in disbelief. "By Merlin and Morgana, how incompetent are these Unspeakables the Department of Mysteries is letting in?"
"Apparently, very," Satoshi commented sedately. The Japanese Cursebreaker sighed. "Normally I would agree that we cannot contemplate sending such a liability to the Lady Peverell, but perhaps that is exactly what we should be doing."
"You cannot be serious!" Miles shook his head. "The Lady Peverell is surrounded by overly curious and hormonal teenagers and by teachers with a bad habit of either being too curious or hearing rumours and asking too many questions. There is no way she would be able to hide this device from anyone!"
"That is what I said to Griphook and His Grace when they summoned me last night," Rollo agreed. "But … it seems the goblins are keen on putting Her Ladyship to the test again."
"With a Time-Turning, cursed compass?" Oscar shook his head. "They are bloody bonkers."
"I say we give that accursed device to someone with a little more experience," Miles offered up his very clear opinion. "She's a child still, for Merlin's sake. I don't care if she's off-age legally; if it were my daughter, I would not allow her near that thing!"
"I think we should," Satoshi argued. Miles and Oscar shook their heads. "Hear me out – the Peverells have always had access to magic that no one else could master. There is a reason they are even known in my parents' homeland; they are simply in a league of their own. I have no doubt the Lady Hera is no different to her ancestors. What if she actually knows exactly what to do with this compass when any one of our own Cursebreakers would likely be working on it for months and, possibly, risking their health needlessly?"
"The Lady Hera would also be risking her health needlessly," Oscar argued back with a great degree of agitation. "If we are responsible for causing the Last Peverell to lose her mind, we will never live that scandal down!"
"But what if the Lady Hera is exactly the ideal candidate?" Katerina, to everyone's surprise, took Satoshi's side. "I mean, we sent her everything from murderous swords and jewellery to statues that could induce violent, homicidal frenzies and she managed to handle each and every one of them with skill. We were at a loss; she wasn't. And the magic she used to free those men from the portrait … I think we are patronising her by using her age against her. True, if this goes wrong we will not survive the public rage and outcry but if this goes right – we will have the possibility of working with one of the best Cursebreakers in a long while! No offence to any of our people but I would rather trust the Lady Regnant with that device than any of them put together."
"But she's a war victim," Miles pointed out. "What if she tries to use the damn thing instead of de-Cursing it?"
Katerina folded her arms, looking adamant. "I do not know Her Ladyship that well, I admit. But from what I did see of her during that meeting, I am very certain she is logical and also very moral. If I were a betting girl, I'd say the Lady Hera would not use it. Not even to see her parents just once."
"That is a very steep bet," Rollo commented dryly.
"I say we first offer the chance to our own people," Oscar stated definitively. "Then, if no one wants to take the damn thing, we send it to the Lady Hera."
"I can agree to that," Miles put in reluctantly.
Rollo nodded slowly. "Katerina? Satoshi?"
"Very well," Katerina responded crisply, overtly not happy about the decision.
"I concur," Satoshi added with a curt nod, keeping his tone neutral.
"Then I suppose our meeting has drawn to a conclusion," Rollo stated with finality. "Thank you for your wisdom, as always."
With one more distasteful look at the compass, the four Cursebreakers took their leave. Rollo glared at the offending compass with a deep hatred. "You had better not ruin this, you maggot," he growled at the cursed object.
The compass did not respond.
Rollo sat back in his chair, closing his eyes, nursing a headache. He already pitied the poor girl who would most likely be saddled with the Time Compass, and also pitied the Healers at St. Mungo's for having to accept another patient who suffered under the effects of a cursed object, albeit one of his own making.
"This had better be worth it," Rollo growled to himself as he forced himself to go back to his paper work, covering the dome of the Time Compass with a cloth so he wouldn't have to look at it further.
As if to make matters worse, Rollo heard his telegram machine from behind its wooden panels begin to type.
#########################
So – Athenaïs managed to put up a fight against a wizard, the Yule Ball is already causing excitement amongst already pent-up teenagers, the Time Compass is already causing divide and now Tom and his Knights know the truth behind Harry's wound. But Samhain is very close at hand … and we all know Harry's track record with Samhain, as Abraxas now knows. What will happen over the next few days?
Stay tuned to find out!
Orion: Umbreon, can we gift wrap Lament and send him to Grindelwald for torturing?
Orion, I am not gift wrapping anyone-
Orion: But Grindelwald just stole from my cookie tin!
Gellert *pops in*: They were too tempting to resist!
Orion: I'm telling Harry!
Gellert: I'll replace the cookies!
*Sighs* Oh dear. Well, everyone we will see you next time!
Kingmaker'sUmbreon