The Next Generation

[DucksRMagical]

Unusual was definitely an appropriate term to describe the duel that had just transpired. Galena was as confused as ever. She knew Valencia had had a very strange education that involved her grandfather, but she didn't know the details. Despite her curiosity about this whole ordeal, her number one concern right now was the children. She hastily shook the stranger's hand, so as not to appear rude, and introduced herself. "Galena Sprague, Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts."

Nikolaus shook her hand back and once he let go, Galena immediately looked for Arthur and the others. Arthur and Liam were standing next to each other, looking very scared. Galena had heard them say that they wanted to go home, and right now that was what Galena was going to concentrate on. The only thing was, she could not see Geneve anywhere. She turned to the two boys, "I'll take you back to Hogwarts if you'd like. But where is Geneve?"

[FawkesthePhoenix]

Valencia raked his face for traces of misinformation."Then why didn't you leave? Surely you'd be cautious enough not to get involved with an old family feud."

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve felt an odd sort of longing in her stomach. She winced, and Harry noticed.
"What's wrong?" he queried.
Geneve looked down at the floor. She felt an odd sense of vertigo. She felt like she was going to faint.

**************

Liam looked around when Galena had mentioned Geneve. He had a terrible feeling that Geneve was in danger, and felt his uncounscious reaching out, seeking her. Where was she? She wasn't here anymore, he was certain of that. Somehow, he felt like he had a hold of her, like a thin bit of string that had come unraveled, leaving a trail to the piece of clothing it was once part of....

**************

Geneve tried to gather her senses, but all that seemed to consume her mind was something calling to her. "Where are you?" it called from another world away.
"I'm right here.." she said.
"What?" Harry watched her with a worried expression. Geneve looked up at Harry, who shifted uncomfortable at her gaze. "Your... your eyes....." he gasped. Geneve felt oddly calm. She smiled at him. She pulled her wand out of her cloak, and sat down next to Harry. He tried to look away, but her gaze on him was so intense that he was drawn to her face. She brought her wand up between their faces.
"Can you use this? To get us out of here?" she breathed quietly. Harry looked at the wand, and nodded silently. She reached down and unbound his hands. "Quickly." she said, and Harry, taking the wand in his hand rolled it over to look at it closer.
"This is ....not your wand is it?" he whispered.
"Hurry!" Geneve hissed.
Harry took hold of Geneve and together they disapparated out of the Shrieking shack.

[choki]

"Well, I was about to leave when I sensed that something bad might be happening, but unfortunately someone held her wand straight at my face. Yeah, it would be very unwise for me to leave." Nikolaus replied with a little sarcasm.

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve hit the ground hard. It was cold again; the ground was covered in dirty snow. She was on her hands and knees, and when she looked up, she realised where she was; she was back in Russia, and Liam, Arthur and Galena were standing next to her. She looked to her right. Harry was standing up, dusting the snow off his cloak and out of his hair. He adjusted his glasses, and assessed the situation. "Galena!" he said upon recognising the Hogwart's professor. "How.. what are... what's going on?" he sputtered. His gaze fell on Arthur and Liam, and then back to Geneve. Geneve rose to her feet. She looked at Harry's hand, still holding the wand she had given him. He was right; it wasn't her wand; and she was sure now who's it was - her grandfathers. Harry put the wand into his cloak. Geneve smiled. I'm sure it will be safe with him, for now, she thought.

[FawkesthePhoenix]

Valencia turned to see Harry Potter apparate next to her.
"Harry! What....." Valencia stared at him, uncomprehending.

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Harry recognised his Hogwart's school mate, Valencia. He felt such a surge of emotion that he hugged her. She patted him, but was still confused. Harry pulled away, ran a hand through his black untidy hair and took a deep breath.
"This girl is Voldemort's grand daughter. Her mother kidnapped me, and brought me to what I recognised as the shrieking shack at Hogsmeade. I don't think we have much time; if they're smart, they will be able to follow us. From what I gather, they're trying to train her for something. She was supposed to turn me. How do you think she was meant to do that? I'm an Auror. I've dealt with every kind of curse and turning spell there is...." Harry looked around, his eyes fell on Nikolaus. "Oh, I don't think we've met. I'm Harry Potter. And you are?" Harry extended his right hand.

[choki]

"Nikolaus Herrman from Gringotts. Pleased to meet you, sir, although I must say it is the most intriguing situation we have on hand here." Nikolaus answered politely, shaking Potter's hand warmly.

"Voldemort's grand-daughter you say..." Nikolaus eyed Geneve cautiously. Geneve, being rather nervous, kept quietly to herself and tried avoiding the gaze of others but for a brief moment, their eyes made contact. As if the kind appearance of the man had painted a good image of him, the glint in his eyes spoke of a different man. Geneve tried to look away, but found herself paralyzed with fear from those pair of eyes.

"We should get going. It's not safe to be around here," Harry Potter continued quickly. At this point, Nikolaus simply turned his attention towards Harry, breaking eye contact with Geneve. It was only after that, Geneve started to shake in fear.

"Must be the cold... poor girl is shivering," Nikolaus said. He proceeded to take off his coat of furs and placed it on Geneve. Their eyes met once again and this time round, Geneve simply stared blankly. As abrupt as it came, the sense of fear left. She could not even remember why she was so afraid in the beginning. Shyly, Geneve muttered a thanks to Nikolaus.

"This is going to be very interesting..." Nikolaus thought to himself as the rest prepared to leave this cold land for good. He had plans for the little girl.

[FawkesthePhoenix]

"No," Valencia countered Harry grimly. "This is nothing you will have ever encountered. Do you happen to remember the death of my grandfather? It was reported as a spell gone awry. That isn't quite the case." Valencia proceeded to tell him what really happened.
"During my 3rd year, your 4th, I was taken out of Hogwarts to be privately schooled by my grandfather. He taught me spells I don't even want to think about." A shadow crossed her face, and for a moment everyone saw Valencia as she would've been if she had been a dark wizard. The effect was terrifying.
"He taught me to lie, steal, and cheat. The darkest moments of my life were under his instruction. Then I found the book. It was an enchanted book containing every secret of the Dark Arts ever imagined. But it needed some sort of key, a key my grandfather didn't have. But I did. Marcellus had tied his soul to the book, so as long as the book was safe, he could not be harmed. I took it. For good or evil I do not know. My mind was a shadowy place then. My grandmother helped me. She carved a path of light into my brain, showing me the way. I burned the book. My grandmother died helping me.
"Marcellus was dead, the book gone, but I still knew its secrets. I studied Occulmency with all my strength, and had great success. No one would know the Dark Arts within that book. But then the truth emerged. Marellus had come back as a ghost, and he wanted me. By this time Voldemort had been defeated, and I knew what he planned. There was a secret in the book, the secret of bringing Voldemort back for a third time. But he needed my magic. He did not get it. Though I guess that he's gone through with some of it, his plan will never be complete as long as I stay strong. But I don't know how long I'll last." Valencia's voice quavered.
"The Dark still calls to me, still has a hold on me. Given by Marcellus, darkness is within me. If I give in, just for a second, the effect could be disastrous. And all my fault." Valencia's voice cracked, and she hugged herself, as if trying to keep in all her past with force.

[Ms. Elsewhere]

The others stood still for a moment, the wintery wind the only sound around them. Harry Potter approached Valencia and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You can only trully be strong," he said, "When you are surrounded by your friends. We will help you." he motioned to the others. Then he turned her face up to his. "I will help you Valencia." Valencia looked up into Harry's face. He had experienced darkness himself; his scar was still dark upon his forhead, and his eyes, though kind, were tired beyond his years. He smiled, and Valencia smiled back.
"Alright," Harry said, turning around to the others. "We need to return to Hogwarts. Let me see...." he pulled the wand out that Geneve had given him, then hesitated. "Valencia, I don't think it would be wise to use this again. It may be traceable. It is time to leave. Galena, take the boys, and Valencia, will you take me and Geneve? Then Nikolaus, you can follow us. Agreed?" He looked around at the others, who agreed. "Of course," Harry added, "We will have to diapparate outside the forbidden forest, near the Hogsmeade station closest to Hogwarts. My only hope now is that these people are long gone from the Shrieking Shack... and it's not too late to get to Hogwarts before they do...."

[*Riley*]

Liam looked around in awe, Harry Potter was only a couple of feet away how wonderful he felt when he spoke to him directly.

"Ah Liam I beleive?"

"Ye-Yes Sir" he mumbled through frozen lips,

"Liam Delacour... Oh it can't be , hows Fleur?"

"No time for chat!" Snapped Valencia looking anxious

Abrubtly Liam followed his friends, he noticed Geneve wore a blank expression.

"Geneve" he whispered

"Are you feeling ok?" he added taking note of her stare

"Yes I'm fine, nothing a spell couldn't fix"

Liam knew not even a spell could fix the emotional damage she had just encountered.

[choki]

"We should all go in pairs. One adult with one child," Harry stated. Soon after a short reorganising, three pairs consists of Harry-Geneve, Valencia-Liam, Galena-Arthur, was formed. Nikolaus would apparate by himself.

"Alright, to Hogsmeade station on the count of 1"
"3,2,1!" The simultaneous loud cracks went off one by one.

[DucksRMagical]

Valencia had never told Galena the whole story about what happened during her third year of Hogwarts. Galena did not know Valencia very well yet, seeing as she was already a year out of Hogwarts when it happened. There wasn't time for Galena to comfort Valencia now, though. She laid her hand on Valencia's shoulder for a few seconds, so Valencia would know she was there for her. Just moments later, she grabbed Arthur and disapparated with him, but she wasn't planning on going exactly where Harry was going.

Galena and Arthur appeared in an alley near The Three Broomsticks. Galena turned to Arthur, who was shaking. "Arthur," she said gently, "You don't have to continue with us. I brought us here for a reason. You can go back to Hogwarts, if you'd like. And frankly, I think that might be a good idea. I'm not exactly sure what is going to happen, but I know it will be dangerous. I need to go up to the school anyway. The headmaster is dead, which means I am now Headmistress. I need to inform the other teachers, and eventually the students, too." Galena paused as grief for the headmaster momentarily took over. The idea of telling the students about it saddened her greatly.

"Then I need to inform the Ministry about what is going on, although I will talk to Harry about it first. He is in charge of the Auror department at the Ministry, so he should have some say in that. Anyway, you're welcome to come with me and stay at the school. It is up to you."

[FawkesthePhoenix]

Valencia took a deep breath. She could do this. Valencia walked over to Liam. "Have you ever side-along apparated before?" she asked kindly. Liam shook his head no. "Okay, well, it's going to be a bit uncomfortable, but it'll be over in a second." She grasped his arm and turned on the spot. They reappeared just west of Zonkos. "Now, if you want to you can go back to your dormitory and be done with all this. I'm not going to force into anything. But if you'd like to stay and help, your welcome to."

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Harry disapparated with Geneve, as they had done what seemed like moments before. Harry appeared on the platform of Hogmeade station; Geneve recognised that they were right near the outskirts of the forbidden forest again. She watched as Harry was about to put the wand back into his robes, and for some reason, she reached out and grabbed his arm.
"What is it?" Harry said, hesitating.
"I need that wand." Geneve said, looking Harry in the eyes. Harry paused for a long moment, and Geneve could feel him struggling with resisting her.

****************

Harry remembered how his friend Ron was completely controlled by a Veela in their 4th year. Actually, it was Liam's mother, of all people. Harry remembered how Ron had acted, and how he too could feel some of the effects of how you could become lost to them. He felt that again just then, when Geneve spoke, as she looked at him. He felt, lost and out of control. He shook his head. Geneve kept staring at him.
"Please." she breathed, and the sound of her voice was haunting, like a siren song from the mermaids. She had moved her hand onto his hand, fingering the wand he still clutched. Harry went weak. The Veela were not the enemy, so he had never learned to counter curse their effects. He grinned stupidly at Geneve, and handed her the wand. Geneve held it in her hands. "Thank you." she said, and placed it in her robes. "Now, where are we going next?" her voice dragged Harry back to reality; he felt dizzy, confused and a bit unwell.
"What happened?" he stumbled.
"Um... we just appeared here. I feel a bit sick from this kind of travel." Geneve said.
"Oh.. right." Harry said. "Let's get going, we need to find the others." he had completely forgotten he had been disarmed.