The Crystal of Tempest

Chapter 5: Toward the Holy City

"Deis Uno?" questioned a woman. She was a beautiful woman with waist length black hair and piercing blue eyes. She wore black priestly robes that showed off her figure clearly. It was the woman whom had found the Crystal of Tempest at the site of the Battle of Snow-Covered Fields.

"That is what the intelligence reports, your eminence" said one of twelve hooded cultists surrounding the woman. They were the Children of Tempest and were gathered in a dark gloomy chamber that was built in the form of a temple sanctuary. "The Gryffindor Royal Family has traveled to Deis Uno."

"No why ever would the Potters go to Ravenclaw?" muttered the woman. "Especially at a time like this."

"Perhaps they are heading toward Deis Rowena," said another cultist.

"Perhaps," said the woman. "Of course, it may be possible that they are only going on some vacation but somehow I don't think so. If they are indeed heading toward Deis Rowena, that could mean trouble for us."

"What are your orders, your eminence?" asked a third cultist.

The woman closed her eyes and started thinking for a moment. Finally, she sighed and said, "I will pray to our lord, perhaps he can answer for us. You are all dismissed."

With that, the cultists bowed low and left the chamber. The woman turned around and walked up a sinister looking black altar decorated with black serpents. Placed on the altar was the Crystal of Tempest.

The woman kneeled in front of the alter and started saying, "Speak Lord Tempest. Speak and grant orders to your servant, High Priestess Cassandra Frost."

On top of the altar, the Crystal of Tempest started to give off an eerie glow.

* * * * * * * * * *

Deis Uno, the capitol of the Kingdom of Ravenclaw was one of the most beautiful cities in Magiterran. Located on the northern mouth of Eagle River at the southernmost tip of the Northern Mountains, the city had Greco-Roman style architecture and was built on many slopes. Whereas Godric's Hollow had buildings of many colors, Deis Uno's buildings were all white and conveyed a sense of purity. On the hill within the city stood the Royal Palace, though it looked more like a temple than a palace. It was here that Queen Penelope Clearwater resided, with her husband Prime Minister Percy Weasley, one of Ron and Ginny's older brothers.

"Things are going well I must say," said Percy while he dipped his spoon into his soup. He was sitting next to Penelope on the high table with the Gryffindor Mage Knights and their families seated around them. "Literacy Rates are higher and cauldron production has never been better."

Ron didn't bother hiding his yawn. Percy had been boring them about the statistics of the Kingdom for the past forty-five minutes and the children were all falling asleep at the table. "Wonderful news, Perce. Now can we please get down to business?"

Percy looked disappointed. "I would've assumed Ronald, that my stories of my success would be a good source motivation for you."

"Yeah, they're a great help," Ron said sarcastically. "But as much as hearing tales about cauldron thickness is enlightening, that's not what we're here for."

Percy was about to retort but Penelope shushed him and spoke up, "Its very dangerous to travel to the Holy Lands during this time of year. It's the breeding season for Dragons and the largest population of them in Magiterranlives in the Northern Mountains, where you are heading."

"Its important that we arrive at Deis Rowena as soon as possible," said Harry. "The Mountain Pass is the only way to get there, especially since those Apparation preventing wards created by the Death Eaters are still up."

"What is the whole point of going to the Holy Lands than," Percy demanded. "Shouldn't any vacations you have be spent setting up censuses in Gryffindor?"

Ron and Ginny burst out laughing at Percy's pompous attitude. Harry simply grinned and said, "That is for us to know and for you to never know."

After dinner, Hermione took Penelope aside to speak to her. "I can't thank you enough for looking after the children while we are away," she said. "Harry, Ron, and I will probably gone for a few days but I don't want to burden you for so long."

"Its no problem, Hermione," Penelope said. "You just go take care what it is you need to do. Your children are in good hands here." Penelope placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. Hermione couldn't help but smile a little bit.

* * * * * * * * * *

That night, the entire palace was asleep with the exception of a pair of twins.

"Are we really going through with this," hissed a worried Lin. "We're going to be in big trouble."

James rolled his eyes and said, "Lin, would you rather stay here and waste away a great first hand learning experience."

"Well no, but still..."

"Don't worry about it, trust me. Everything is going to be alright."

Lin was still worried but she still helped James set up his little plan. After all, she didn't want to be left out either.

* * * * * * * * * *

The next morning, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were about to begin their three-day journey to Deis Rowena.

"We're going to be gone for about a week," said Hermione as she kneeled down and James a quick hug. "Stay out of trouble during that time."

"Oh don't worry Mum, we won't get in trouble here," James said with a devilish grin. A soft chuckle nearly drifted out of his mouth but Lin quickly elbowed him before James let anything out.

"Why is it that I don't trust you," Harry said.

"Trust me Dad, we won't get in trouble here." Harry thought James had emphasized the word "here" but decided to think nothing of it.

"Just do everything your Aunt Ginny and Aunt Margaret tell you," Hermione said as she gave James a hug. She then gave Virginia a strong hug. Hermione noticed that Virginia wasn't protesting the fact that her parents were leaving, which was very strange of her. 'All well, my little angel just must be growing older," she thought with a small sigh.

"OK, lets go," said Harry. Hermione nodded and started to follow her husband. Ron quickly kissed Margaret and Christopher before he trotted after his two best friends. When he caught up with them, he whispered into Harry's ear, "Do you think James is planning something?"

"When isn't he planning something," said Harry. "Yes, he definitely is, but I doubt we'll find out what his next plan is until we get back." It would be only be about five hours later when Harry would find out just how wrong he was.

* * * * * * * * * *

To the west of Deis Unowas Deis Rowena, the holiest city in all of Magiterran. It was the place where the One Deity had given the whole of Magiterranto the founders and it was also the first city in Magiterranever to be built. The founder Rowena Ravenclaw created the city as the original capitol of the Kingdom of Ravenclaw and it was also the site of the great Temple of the One Deity. Unfortunately, the city was located high up in the nearly inaccessible Northern Mountains. So about eight hundred years ago, the capitol city of Deis Uno was constructed at the base of the only mountain pass to Deis Rowena. To this day, people can travel to Deis Rowena solely through the Mountain Pass beginning at Deis Uno.

It took three days to get to Deis Rowena through the pass. Located high up in the mountains and often covered by snow, it was a journey made only by the strongest of people. Furthermore, travelers were also in constant danger from the dragons that lived in the Northern Mountains.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been traveling for nearly five hours and were starting to grow exhausted.

"Are we there yet?" Ron moaned as he dragged his feet through the foot deep snow.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron it's only been five hours. We've still got two and three quarter days of traveling before we even come close."

"I need a break," Ron groaned. "My feet are turning into lead and I think I lost a few toes to the cold."

"All right, lets take a break," Harry said. "I was getting hungry anyway."

Ron let out a cheer and shouted, "Food!" He started bounding around the place happier than a lark.

"I thought he was too exhausted to move," Hermione said with a soft chuckle.

Ron ignored Hermione as he pulled out one of the supply sacs they had shrunken. "Come on, help me prepare dinner," he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she enlarged the sac back to its original size. She was just about to open it however when the sac started wiggling. A split second later, the opening of the sac burst open and James and Lin sprang out.

"Couldn't you have had dinner earlier?" moaned Lin. "Its very tiring having to stow away in those sacs." She looked up and saw the looks of surprise and amusement on Harry and Ron's faces as well as the combination of shock and fury on Hermione's. "It was all James idea!" squealed Lin.

James made a bow and said, "Thank you, thank you."

"How...W...what..." Hermione was so angry she couldn't even put a coherent sentence together.

Harry spoke in her stead, "What your mother is trying to say is, how did you do this?"

"Oh it was easy really," James said. "Last night while everyone was asleep Lin and I enchanted the sacs so that they're insides were large enough for us to stay in comfortably. Then, earlier today, we just enchanted a portkey that would leave us in those sacs."

Hermione still looked angry but Harry simply chucledand said, "Hermione, they've upped us this time. We can't take them back to Deis Uno so we're going to have to take them with us."

"Fine," snapped Hermione. "So long as I know Virginia is safe in the palace, I'll be able to handle you two here."

"Um Mum..." Lin said hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Virginia's not in the palace." Lin nudged the sac a little and a full head of bushy black hair shyly pocked out of the opening.

Much to Ron and Harry's amusement, Hermione lost her temper.

* * * * * * * * * *

Far to the south, in Malfoy Manor, the capitol of the Kingdom of Slytherin, A young man with platinum blonde hair, pale gray eyes, and elegant green robes was sauntering around the palace.

This was Draco Malfoy, a Mage Knight and the king of the Kingdom of Slytherin. Although Draco was the one of the rulers of the Alliance as well as a War Hero who fought for the Alliance during the War against Voldemort, many people in the Alliance regarded Draco with suspicion. And for good reason, for Draco was the son of King Lucius Malfoy, one of Voldemort'sdevoted servants as well as his puppet ruler for Slytherin. Although Draco was a Mage Knight, people knew just how much he regarded his father.

Chapter 6: Nomie

"Who the Hell, are you?" Draco demanded.

The beautiful young woman simply smiled seductively. She tossed her long black hair back and studied Draco'sprofile for a while. Dracowondered how the woman had found her way into his bedchambers but after a little thinking, he realized the oh-so simple answer. It was a known fact that Draco'sfather Lucius Malfoy had kept a personal harem before he had married Draco'smother, Narcissa, and there were many rumors floating around that Draco kept one as well. Although these rumors were unconfirmed, it was a fact that Draco had a LOT of women "visitors". The guards must've thought that this strange woman was simply another one of his "visitors" with an invitation.

"Greetings young Malfoy," the woman said. "I am Cassandra Frost, High Priestess of the Children of Tempest."

If Draco flinched at the name "Tempest", he hid it well. "And what may a beautiful woman such as your doing here without an invitation? Not that I am complaining," he said with a smirk.

Cassandra grinned and made her way seductively over to Draco. "I am here to offer you an invitation, to the Children of Tempest."

Draco laughed out loud. "And why would I even consider," he said, still with a smirk. "I for one am more interested in you, my dear."

"I am flattered," Cassandra said. She paused to think for a moment and said, "Tell me, what do you think about Harry Potter?"

Draco was clearly thrown off guard by the abrupt change of topic. "And what does Potter have to do with anything?" he hissed.

"He has something to do with everything the last I heard," Cassandra mused. "That's always the way it is isn't it. Harry Potter this and Harry Potter that. Harry Potter the greatest of the four rulers of the Alliance. Harry Potter, the most heroic and powerful of the Mage Knights. Harry Potter the vanquisher of the Dark Lord. Harry Potter the victor, the conqueror, the champion, everyone's wonder boy, beloved husband, father, and friend. Harry Potter with his beautiful wife, mudblood as she is. Harry Potter, loved by all." Cassandra paused for a moment before continuing. "And what about Draco Malfoy? War hero, so and so ruler, and eligible bachelor."

By this time Draco was seething with anger, years of buried jealousy resurfacing. "Your point," he hissed.

"Don't you want to best Harry Potter once and for all?" Cassandra asked as she looped her arms around Draco's neck "Join us Draco. Take a part in the glory that comes with our Lord, just like your father did."

When Draco remained quiet, Cassandra pulled away and made her way over to the door. "I will be back in five days," she said. "I will have your answer then." She then left Draco alone with his thoughts.

* * * * * * * * * *

In the north, the troop of Gryffindor Mage Knights and children were walking through the snow toward Deis Rowena. Harry had managed to send an owl to Percy and Penelope, telling them that James, Lin, and Virginia were with them. Since the three kids had taken a one way portkey, they couldn't go back to Deis Uno.

Hermione was a little subdued as she trudged through the snow. Virginia timidly went up next to her and asked, "Mommy? Are you angry with me?" She looked considerably nervous.

Hermione sighed and smiled at her younger daughter. "No Virginia. I'm not angry with you or Lin and James. I'm just...frustrated. You should've stayed behind."

Virginia looked close to tears and Hermione instantly felt bad. She knelt down and gently scooped Virginia into her arms. Feeling better, Virginia cuddled into her mother's arms and started to drift off.

Noticing how tired Virginia was, Hermione looked up at Harry and sent him a silent message. Harry immediately understood and said, "OK, lets take a break here."

"What?" James said. "But we can go on all day!"

"Speak for yourself," muttered Lin.

Within an hour, the troupe had fallen into a simple routine. Harry and Ron were teaching James had to sword fight and Hermione was telling Lin and Virginia stories in a separate corner, Virginia curled up in Hermione's lap. James was a very fast learner and even managed to disarm Ron a few times and Harry once.

"That's excellent James," Harry said, beaming with pride. "Keep that up and you'll be unbeatable in a few years." He parried a little and thrust his sword out a few times. James successfully blocked each blow.

"Am I really that good?" James asked modestly as he deflected another one of Harry's swipes.

"Good?" exclaimed Ron. "You're a bloody natural! I sure wouldn't want to be some cultist facing this six year old with a sword."

Meanwhile, Hermione was telling her daughters tales about some of the adventures the trio had when they were younger.

"Did you really offer yourself to a dragon?" asked Lin, clearly interested in what Hermione had to say.

"Yes," Hermione smiled at the memory. "We were traveling away from Hogwarts when we found out that Hogsmeadewas under siege from a Horntail. I volunteered myself as a sacrificial decoy and convinced your father and your Uncle Ron to fill in as Dragon Slayers. It was pretty chaotic."

"But weren't you scared?" asked Lin. She was bouncing around excitedly. "I mean, weren't afraid that the dragon could've killed you or Dad or Uncle Ron?"

"Yes I was," Hermione said. "At the time, I thought I couldn't ever be more frightened of anything like I was that night. I was soon proven wrong when I was taken to Azkaban..."

"Azkaban?!" Lin and Virginia both exclaimed. They had both grown up listening to horror stories about the great SlytherinFortress Prison.

"Well, Yes," said Hermione. She didn't want to relive the horrors of the time she spent in the prison but she had brought it up. "But your father eventually came for me."

"Mommy, there's a dragon," said Virginia.

At first Hermione thought her younger daughter was referring to her story about her adventures years before. However, a sudden whoosh of wind and a bellowing roar alerted her of what Virginia had really seen. Hermione grabbed Lin and Virginia and leapt out of the way as large black dragon swooped down.

"Harry!" she yelled. Harry and Ron immediately looked up and spotted the large Ridgeback that had come crashing down into their camp. James looked excited.

"Wow! Dad! It's a dragon! Are you going to fight it?"

"Yes we are going to fight it and no you may not join us," Harry said as he brandished his sword. "Go hide your sisters behind those rocks."

"OK," said James. He bound forward to his mother whom was currently in the process of hiding his frightened sisters behind a medium sized boulder.

"James, take care of them," Hermione said. James seemed to be taking his job seriously and set about keeping a hyper Linadn subdued Virginia in place. Hermione ran off to toward Harry and Ron whom were currently parrying around, dodging the flames issued from the Ridgeback's mouth.

"Harry?"

"It's a Ridgeback. Not as dangerous as the Horntail we had to fight off before but we still need caution."

"Oh bloody Hell with caution" shouted Ron. He let out a yell and charged at the dragon only to be blasted away but a burst of flame. He was clearly unharmed but a little dazed.

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle as Harry groaned and buried his face in his hand. "Why does he always charge in like that," he muttered.

Whatever mirth they were able to share was broken however, when the dragon charged at them, claws slashing. Harry and Hermione leapt out of the way and Hermione successfully managed to swipe her sword into the dragon's paw. The dragon let out a yelp of pain before Harry stabbed his sword into its throat, killing it instantly.

As soon as the large creature lay dead, Ron came up to the other too and said, "Whew, lucky that thing wasn't much of a tough one." Ron was completely covered with soot and some smoke was rising from around his body, making him look ridiculous. Harry and Hermione glanced at Ron and burst out laughing, much to his annoyance.

* * * * * * * * * *

That night, Lin shook James awake. "What is it?" he asked groggily.

"I was thinking. James, I've read all about dragons," Lin ignored her brother's snort and continued, "and I was able to tell that that dragon that was attacking us was a nesting mother."

"Yeah, so what?"

"I was wondering, if we killed a mother dragon, then what would happen to the baby dragons? Won't they die without their mother?"

"Better them than us becoming their next meal."

"James, I want to go find that nest, make sure the baby dragon's are all right."

"You what?!" James couldn't believe what Lin was proposing.

"Oh come on James. It'll be an adventure."

"You're not serious!" Never in his life would've expected James expected that he would be the levelheaded one of the two. It was always James planning some escapade while Lin fretted and discouraged him; never the other way around, like this situation. But Lin's proposal of searching for a dragon's nest was outright dangerous. And if there was one thing that James learned from his experiences with the cultists in Godric'sHollow, it was that there was a fine line between mischief and danger that must never be crossed. James may have caused mischief but he certainly didn't go looking for danger.

"James, please."

"Oh all right, Lin!" James started grumbling as he and Lin left their beds and went higher up the mountain they were on. After searching for about twenty minutes, they finally found a small crater in the side of the mountain lined with rocks and wood. In the center of the crater was a single black, dragon egg.

"There it is," said Lin. She slowly crept up to the large egg, which was about the size of a human head. James's adventurous nature soon took over and he also went up to the egg.

"Hey, it's shaking," he said.

"Well I suppose that means it's almost ready to ha..." Lin didn't get to finish her sentence when the egg suddenly burst open causing pieces of egg shell to fly around.

A tiny version of the dragon that had attacked them early popped out. It squeaked and coughed up a little flame. After that, it opened its eyes and stared into Lin's green ones.

"Oh my, he's cute," Lin said, a large grin adorning her face.

"That's...cute?" said James.

The baby dragon started rubbing its head on Lin's legs. Surprised, Lin started to walk around and was a little startled to see the dragon follow her around, step by step. She looked up at James with a questioning look.

"It looks like the dragon's imprinted on you," said a familiar female voice. Startled, James and Lin whipped around to see their parents standing at the edge of the nest, Harry looking bemused and Hermione looking annoyed. "It thinks you're its mother," Hermione finished.

At first, James and Lin were too shocked to say anything. However, as soon as Hermione's words sank in, Lin gleefully picked up the baby dragon and sprang toward them saying, "Oh Mum! Mum! Please? Can I keep him? Please? I promise, I'll be the best mother to this dragon there ever was. Can I keep him?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. "I don't know," said Harry. "Dragon's are very dangerous. I mean, itsimprinted on you so I doubt it'll attack humans on purpose but they're still a handful."

"Oh Dad! Please let me keep him! I promise to be good. Mum? Dad?"

Hermione sighed. The baby dragon was already imprinted on Lin so they probably wouldn't be able to get rid of it. "All right," she said. "At least till itsgrown up."

Lin let out a cheer and James couldn't help but join her, though he was still a little apprehensive about the dragon, while Harry and Hermione sighed. As they made their way back to the camp, Lin hugged the baby dragon close to her and said, "I think I'll call you Nomie."

Baby Nomie happily purred his approval.

To be continued...

A/N here's the next part. I surehope you guys are enjoying it. So review. And don't forget to check out my other fic, Different Paths.