SPRB

It was August twenty-ninth… he had taken to always keeping the shelf of Potter Keepers in sight…

But three hours ago… everything stopped.

He had cast every diagnostic charm he knew.

The Devices were all in perfectly operational order. Their target just was not detectable. He had not died, or anything like that… it was as if Potter had just vanished from the face of the earth.

He had refreshed the boy's blood sample after the Maze Task, when he returned all bloody.

And because he was tracking the blood, by use of the Blood Arts, a forgotten magic, No simple Wards could block his spying. To be able to block blood magic would take Blood Magic….

"Oh Harry, my boy, what have you gotten yourself into?"

While he had no idea what happened in Brazil, and he had even scanned Vance's mind, he knew enough.

He knew that Harry was happy, had an Heir, and strong. Three things that Albus did not want.

SPRB

Little Hangleton.

The Wizard, formerly known as Tom Riddle, sprawled on his bed, his limbs with the exception of his right hand, burning from within.

It had been slowly increasing since the night of the Ritual, but he had thought it was just residue reactions from the rebirth ritual.

Snape had inspected him just after the end of July. He had to double check the readings.

"My Lord. I presume that you were using snake venom in your ritual?"

"Yes. Nagini was so nice as to donate a few liters."

"And I presume that by using her venom, gave you a venom protection."

"Yes. Nothing smaller than…" the Noseless albino turned to look at the Potion Master. "Just tell me."

"You used Potter's blood, correct?" Snape shook his head. "Of course you did. In the brat's second year, he supposedly faced the beast in the Chamber and killed it, but came out with a new scar." He licked his lips, "A circular scar… on both sides of his arm."

"Just tell me."

"His blood was taken forcefully, not given freely. As such, you are suffering from the venom in his blood, but not the protection of what he used to counter it. In effect you are slowly dying from Basilisk Venom. It has been diluted by running through his veins for two years, and you only took a few drops for the ritual, and if you mix in Nagini's venom and counter venom… I would think that you have about two… maybe three… years to live. And the pain will only get worse."

Suddenly, Tom went limp.

Snape scanned his Lordship again… his body had gone into a stasis like state. All body function was suspended… even the bacteria in his digestive system. The whole body was not in just a stasis lock, but a time lock.

Snape turned to look at Nagini and noticed that she too was time locked.

"Damn it Potter! What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

SPRB

Hermione demanded two like coins from Harry. He pulled out two American half dollars and handed them over. Hermione did a little wand work and then had Harry stick one to the tunnel roof.

"Now… How do we get to the Academy?" Kyra asked.

"Well we have to fly. The sea is too choppy here for the raft." Harry sighed. "That means at least Kyra is riding in the tent. Hermione, as you are not happy flying unless you are surrounded by steel and a seatbelt, you can join her."

"What are you thinking?" Hermione glared at him.

"StormKnight and Soran fly to the island. We follow the smartest owl we know, carrying a letter to the Headmaster of Snow Point."

"Deal!" Kyra dove in through the tent opening.

Hermione sighed. "Be safe." She ducked in after the serpent woman.

Shortly afterwards Hedwig was winging it out into the building storm, and the puma-owl Griffin and Blue Dragon were flying on her tail feathers.

The further they flew the more the storm gathered and the winds roared and tried to throw them off course…

But Hedwig's magic as a Post Owl was stronger, and the two males on her six would shelter her when she flagged in the face of the wind. Her understanding of the properties of wind assisted flight, she allowed the wind to carry her off course, as it was easier and faster to ride the currents around the front approach of the Destination and break through the wind from behind.

And they did…

SPRB

The Woman, dressed in robes so white they had a blue hue, Her hair was so gray, it was liquid silver, falling past her waist in a complex braid, watched the white owl breakthrough the white of the storm that gave the Academy its name.

What surprised her were the two creatures on the bird's tail. A Griffin that was not of the three recognised breeds, and a blue dragon…

The owl flared its wings and reached out to the watcher. The woman got her arm up for the owl to land, and was surprised when it made a non-hooting noise, and extended its leg with a scroll tied in the leather straps

around its ankles.

The griffin and dragon landed on the runway pier and trotted up like tame puppies.

Taking the scroll, she unrolled it.

My name is Hedwig.

My human is the Griffin. His name is Harry Potter.

He is carrying two non-flying members of our group.

Please forgive any impertinence.

The Headmistress blinked twice. "Good Afternoon Hedwig. You have secured my victory in getting them here so soon. You will find a place to rest above the Clock in the tower. I will take care of your companions." She thrust the bird into the air.

She turned to frown at the two males. "Human please." As they did, the dark haired boy took a knee, and as she went to say that it was not necessary, the blue haired male dug into the pouch on the first's back and pulled out a bundle. The first lad waved a hand at it, and the bundle unfolded into a muggle style two person domed tent.

From the tent two females exited, one shivered and latched onto the dark haired boy as the other one flattened her tri-tipped ears as she glared at the blonde.

"Help Hermione! Get her off! She is sucking my heat away!" The dark haired boy, Harry Potter cried in mock distress.

"That is not all I can suck… if you want." the blonde pressed her breasts into his arm.

"Release him now and his Mistress won't scratch your pretty face." the chestnut girl hissed.

"You think you can scratch my face?" The blonde jeered.

"No… She said my Mistress… not my Queen." This time the fear was not faked. "No doubt she is watching. There is a reason she calls herself 'Snowfall Death'." drew his wand from under the pouch on his chest and cast a silent warming charm on the blonde.

"Ah." The blonde shook herself out. "That's better. I will need you to teach me that later."

"If you are finished with the display and tomfoolery…"

"First… I have an issue with Tom… foolery or otherwise. But we take your meaning." Harry refolded the tent and had Hermione place it in the back pouch. "We are just blowing steam."

"Mister Potter, I don't tolerate excessive cheek. And you are getting real close to the limit."

"Yes Mum." He bowed his head to her.

"Where do you want us?" Hermione spoke up.

As the four of them stepped over the line between the courtyard and the landing strip… the Headmistress snapped around.

"What are you carrying on that pouch… Who are you smuggling in?"

"Smuggling… no Ma'am." Hermione bowed her head. "Most places we visit ignore House Elves… so we didn't think he was going to be noticed."

"Dobby. You are needed here." Harry sighed.

"Master called Dobby?" The Elf appeared at his knee.

"Headmistress. I present Dobby the House Potter House Elf." Harry rubbed his head.

"Think of him as a tailless Hertasi." Kyra stroked the closest ear with a finger.

"He made the journey with you. As you didn't declare him…"

"There was nothing about declaring any property when we signed up." Hermione sneered, her ears tight to her skull.

"Property?"

"By English Law, Dobby is property of House Potter." Hermione's sneer grew to show her incisors. "And both the Wizard Society and the Elf society are happy with the current arrangement."

The Headmistress made a hand sign and Dobby glowed brightly. "Is this the truth, Elf?"

Dobby blinked twice. "No… not all Elves are happy. But we can not serve the Masters we choose. So we serve the Masters we have until we can do better."

"Are you happy with Potter?"

"Yes!!!!" Dobby started bouncing on his toes. "Great Master Great Wizard Harry Potter Sir is the Master I choose!" He squeed.

The Headmistress released the spell on the Elf. "And who trained the owl to … target people?"

"You mean the man who gave us the Wayfynders?" Hermione smiled, "That's all Hedwig."

"I think she is of bondbird stock." Soran sighed. "She is smarter than other owls I have seen and even smarter than a few bondbirds I personally know."

Harry took two steps acr the coutyard and went to his knees. "Hermione…" He reached for her as he collapsed.

"Master!" Dobby was at his side…

The Headmistress waved her hand over the slumped boy. "His core is empty… Ahh, I see, he was carrying a Blood Ward, five Elf bonds, and… two Secrets. Stepping over the Boundary snapped the blood wards, tied off the rest. His core exhausted itself to charge the Elf bonds and Secrets for the year. I will send you all to the Infirmary." She waved her hand again.

SPRB

A scream of Raptor's Rage ripped Harry from his sleep.

He rolled to his feet, his wand jumping to his hand.

Then he saw a man in Healer robes, trying to heal what could only be a Griffin, while dodging her talons and claws.

A double wave of his wand had the super predator in the air, her movements restrained, and rotating slowly.

The Healer nodded his thanks for the assistance as he ducked past the wing and talon to stitch up a slash on the beast's flank. Then a vial of blue syrup was Summoned to hand and a wave of the wand, emptied.

"What was that?" Harry pointed at the vial with his non-wand hand.

"Just spelled the antidote straight to her blood." The healer stepped aside, to allow Harry to set the creature on the bed. "I am not putting my hand near the mouth of a patient who can rip it off and beat me to death with it before I can blink."

"Would it be difficult to learn how to do that?" Harry asked. "I would do almost anything to avoid drinking some of the vile potions my healer pushes on me."

"Have you tried not needing the potions?" The Healer grinned at him.

"Yes … ended up needing to drink skele-gro."

The Healer blinked. "I don't think I know that one."

"Broke my wrist. My Mediwitch could have me out in a matter of minutes… but some brainwipe Vanished every bone in my arm. Skele-gro is what I was forced to drink to regrow the entire arm."

"How does it work?"

"No idea of the exact details. Hermione probably knows and has the recipe for the brewing. The basics, you vanish the bones, and then the potion uses your body and magic to grow your new bones."

"Vanishing bonesss" the Falcon head turned to look at Harry from where the giffin was laying. "Sssounds painfully."

"Not really. No bones, no pain. Now growing the new bones was pins and needles and you can not use magical painkillers. It interferes with the potion."

The griffin shook herself out as she stood up and stretched. "Healer doesss good work. Now I get sssomething to eat." She strolled out of the Hall like she owned it.

"First time with a Griffin. They have a personality like a mountain." The healer smiled at the lad's face.

"Yes and no. My Owl is a bit of a Deva, the Familiar of my travel companion is a cat… and then there is this…" Harry blurred into StormKnyght's full form.

The healer ran his wand over the creature before him. "That's a new breed…"

Harry returned to his human form. "Was not expecting the speech though."

"So…"

"Not used to non-human forms having human speech. But that is why I am here after all." Harry blinked, before he noticed that he was not wearing his glasses. "Did you do something for my eyes?"

"No… but you are showing the loss of a Blood Ward… a badly applied Blood Ward, and your vision suffered for it." Harry Summoned his pack, holstered his wand and nodding his thanks to the Healer followed the Griffin out and down to the main hall.

Mao-Hermione and Lamia-Kyra were coiled up on bean bags chairs in the sun, reading as Dragon-Soran was nearby wearing a leg bone.

"I see you have made yourself at home."

"Well, I see you have finally woken up. The Deadline is in an hour." Kyra shook the tip of her tail at him like Hermione wagging her finger.

"Master be wanting something to eat?" Dobby was at his knee.

Harry rubbed Dobby's head. "Fetch only. He flopped into a bean bag next to the girls. "You know what I like. Make me a sandwich or wrap." The Elf bounced twice and popped away.

"He was really worried about you." Hermione looked up from her book. "I told him that you were Fine."

Kyra started laughing, "Look he gave her, and in a perfect mimic of her, 'Fine is everything from Perfect Health to this side of Death."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, been there."

"There you arrre." The Griffin from the Infirmary strutted up, a plater hovering at her shoulder. "Wondered where you went." She stretched out beside Harry, the Plater, now showing that it had a skinned leg of some beast on a bed of bun rolls to absorb the blood, settled into place between her forelegs.

The girls looked at the creature ripping the flesh off the bone beside them. They exchanged a look.

"Hey, I am just surprised that it is not a vicious venomous violent villain in disguise." Hermione turned back to her book.

Kyra looked at Harry.

"That's because she is not the Defense Professor." Harry smiled. "She is just a student too."

"Didn't see any other Griffins at the Wayfynder placement." Kyra rolled to her belly as she raised up to get a better view of the new addition to their group.

"Of course not." Hermione shook her head. "No doubt that she had a proxy sign for her. I saw at least three groups that needed a proxy. It was listed as a possible alternative, but it would cost you twelve hours."

"Dammm Basket counts as an Artifact." The falcon hissed as she ripped a strip off the shank. "Had to carry everything on back and claws… could not just fly because of the Kree…" pausing to rip another strip and swallow it 'whole' between each phrase.

"I see that you met Harry," Hermione smiled at the bird headed female. "I am Hermione, Kyra," she waved at the serpent woman who was circling the eating Griffin. "And that's Soran." She jerked her thumb at the blue dragon who was growling as tried to chew the solid bone.

"Dobby!" Harry Called over his shoulder, "Do they have a raw chicken or turkey over there? I think Soran needs his bone taken away."

Growl! The Drake glared at Harry.

"Then stop talking to your food like you're trying to mount it!" Harry chucked a slice of meat from his sandwich at the Drake.

"Do I want to Know?" The bird asked the girls.

"Not really." Kyra had facepalmed.

"Hang around with Him long enough and you will learn quickly enough." Hermione smiled.

"Well, I'm Verra Rashkae k'Leshya." She puffed herself up as if that should mean something to everyone else.

"K'Leshya…" Kyra returned to her beanbag. "Was that not the Tribe that built the First Cliffside Vale?" Seeing the looks of the Brits, "A Vale is where the Greater Mages build and maintain a Hartstone, the source for all wards and…"

"And this one just happens to be built into a cliff face." Hermione nodded. "A good idea for Griffins and those they call friends and family."

"Fresh fish and Land meat." Verra nodded.

"A Cliffside over the sea…" Harry smiled. "Female's sunning themselves… tier and section…"

"And the guy's in Speedos." Hermione smiled at him.

"Ahh!" Harry rolled over backwards. "No Draco-ing!"

Growl.

"Yes." Kyra smiled innocently. "Tell us about Draco-ing."

"Draco Malfoy. A Social Parasite from our old school. Everytime Harry Stomped him, he would declare 'Just Wait until My Father hears about this!'." Hermione returned to her book.

"Yeah. Some of the guys in the dorm referred to it as 'Waving his Father's Wand'." Harry adjusted his vest. "This last summer, her father would wear Speedos as he would rub oil and lotion on the women under his care. Some men just should not wear Speedos."

TBC