Elemental Genesis

***

Chapter Twenty-One: The Piracy of Destiny

"Damn!"

"I told you to duck."

"Two seconds too late!"

Aquarius shrugged indifferently as Thanatos rubbed his head. Both stood in the hall of the castle of Annuvin. Melania was silently fuming in her dark throne, blue eyes shining bright with repressed rage and fury. Kybele stood to the side with a mix of anger and amusement.

Rin, however, was another matter.

"How could this have happened?!" The usually collected magic goddess was bereft of all emotion other than wrath. "I warned them this would happen!"

"And it just blew up in our faces," sarcastically replied Aquarius.

Kybele interceded with, "Well, at least we know Pheta had nothing to do with this."

"How do you know that?"

Thanatos quickly responded, "Sekhmet wouldn't be involved then. You know that they hate each other considerably."

Rin shouted, "I don't care! Kardis is loose! This is bad. Do you know how much destruction that spirit could cause?!"

"Which is why we need to find it again." Everyone turned to look at Melania. "Pheta won't pass up this opportunity. Kardis' power may be enough to break the Dark Gateway."

"We should have control of it fairly soon, sis." Thanatos grinned. "Don't worry."

"Yes, they're on the sea," explained Aquarius.

Melania sighed, "No offense to you, Aquarius, but something is going to go wrong. Somehow, it always does."

<><><>

After a long two weeks at sea, they were finally docking. Bill was exhausted. He liked travel, but even this was a little too tedious for him. He wished that they had been able to apparate, but both the Ministry and the Death Eaters would have found them all too quickly. Something the Order of the Phoenix did not want. All he had to do now was to deliver...whatever it was to Headmaster Dumbledore and then he could finally take a break. The lights of London were bright against the night sky, blocking all illumination from the stars.

"We shouldn't land," said a voice from behind him.

He turned around quickly in alarm, but relaxed once he saw that it was just Wyvern Irving. The former Slytherin walked up to stand next to him against the railing. His one good eye watched the approaching city warily. "Yes," he said decisively. "We shouldn't land."

"What do you mean?"

"Call it a hunch. But if we land, we're only going to get trouble," the other said.

Bill cracked a grin. "Paid a little too much attention in Divination, have we?"

Wyvern glared at him. "Think what you want. I wouldn't expect you to understand. After all, Gryffindors are always the type to rush into things. You don't know how to think or analyze what is right there. That is what separates a Slytherin from a Gryffindor."

"Yeah right," Bill replied arrogantly. "Harry Potter does that all the time and he's a Gryffindor."

Wyvern snorted. "He's hardly a Gryffindor." Bill turned to counter, but Wyvern continued. "That boy is a Slytherin through and through."

"Don't be dumb!"

"Am I being dumb? Explain why he knows Parseltongue, how he usually works things to his own advantage? How he knows many of the things that go on around him and interprets the chaos correctly? Where does he get his determination and ambition? Why he distrusts authority so much, even when his own well-being is at risk?" Bill was hit with one more rhetorical question, accompanied with a scathing brown gaze. "How is it that he can take on the Dark Lord and predict more or less what he will do, where countless others, a majority of them foolhardy Gryffindors, have died horrible deaths? Tell me that he isn't a Slytherin."

Bill didn't know what to say. He was spared though, by their entering the harbor. The ship's crew started to pick up the packages that were placed on the deck earlier, one of them being a cage. He watched as several sailors backed away from the hissing feline.

"Don't kid yourself," Wyvern said. "Just because someone is placed in a specific house doesn't mean they belong there." Wyvern calmly then proceeded down to the dock from the gangplank. The redheaded cursebreaker was at a loss for words. Shaking his head, he too made his way down to the dock, right in front of the cage holding the cat.

As he was going to take the cat with him via portkey to Grimmauld Place, everything stopped.

"Well, a Weasley. Why am I not surprised to find one here? Isn't this the place where the poor dredges of society come to scavenger?" In front of them were Death Eaters, menacing in the black robes and pale white masks. He knew the voice of that specific murderer though. Only Lucius Malfoy would make a gibe like that. Out of the corners of his eyes, he took in the terrified sailors, his shocked Ministry-supporting colleagues, and the stolid Wyvern Irving. Malfoy laughed from behind his masquerade. "If you hand over what we want, then we'll be on our way and leave you alone." Again, the aristocrat chuckled. "Relatively, that is."

He gritted out with clenched fists, "And what do you want?"

"Our little feline friend over there." Malfoy lazily gestured to the now quiet cat, watching everything with its piercing green eyes. "It would be quite useful to the Master." Bill went forward to stop him from getting near it, but one of Malfoy's henchmen held him back with a barely missed curse.

So, that's it. They want the cat. He looked at the sleek black cat once more. The tomb proclaimed it to be a magic enhancer of some kind. Bill himself remembered the unnerving rush of energy he felt when the cat turned into a staff back in Egypt. It seemed impossible, but it was true. "You won't be getting it."

"Really? I think I've already have." Kneeling down to peer into better, Malfoy sneered. "I'm not surprised that it's in your care. Look how disgustingly hideous it is."

Bill could feel the anger that emanated from the cat now. It apparently understood every word Malfoy said and understandably was offended. He saw sharp claws retract and heard a low growl of warning. Malfoy just continued to turn his nose up at it.

"It evidently belongs in a trash heap."

Out of nowhere, the lock on the iron confinement snapped with a flash of blue light. And the cat, not sparing the chance at both revenge and freedom, sprung forward. It struck twice with its steel-like claws: the first swipe slicing the mask into ribbons, the second drawing blood.

Malfoy staggered back shrieking, hands covering his mauled face. As if on signal, the mayhem began.

The Death Eaters started to fire spells everywhere. Boxes exploded and splintered from poor aims. The sailors ran off screaming the apocalypse. They were muggle and would have to have their memories altered afterward. But then again, they had reason to. The people that he worked with were obviously cowards. He was on his own. To protect a cat.

"Stupefy!" He was fortunate to get several Death Eaters with that one. He cast a quick shield to block a few spells from another dark wizard, but fell to the ground. No shield spell, no matter how strong, could block the pain of the Cruciatus. Bill could see the edges of his vision blurring red as the minutes passed by. His throat was becoming hoarse from screaming.

"Reducto!" The death eater who held the curse was thrown violently back. Bill could see someone kneeling next to him, all the while fighting off spells. "Are you alright?" When Bill gave no response, his savior yelled out, "Aren't you a Gryffindor?! If you are, stand up and fight!"

Wyvern. Wyvern Irving. Out of all the people who hadn't left it was Wyvern.

"It's gone!" A panicked voice shouted this out above the din.

"What?!"

"The cat's gone!"

"Blast! Everyone, stop! There's no point!"

Various popping noises signified the retreat of the dark wizards through apparition. In a matter of seconds, the dock had gone from havoc to strained tranquility. It was only he and Wyvern now. Bill felt himself being tugged up to stand and being supported. He grinned. "Just because someone is placed in a specific house doesn't mean they belong there?"

"Shut up and tell me where the resistance headquarters are."

Bill laughed.

<><><>

"What a surprise to find you here, dear sister." Erebus stepped out of the dark shadows. The shaded roof of the docks' warehouse was a perfect view for what had just occurred. His dark armor made no sounds as he walked towards the woman standing just a few feet away. The wind mussed his dark hair and blue eyes were inquiring. "Tell me what nefarious scheme is going through your head now." He sighed. "I'm sure it will bring trouble anyway so you might as well tell me. And don't tell me 'a little bit of pirating'."

The woman turned and smiled serenely. Only her eyes, an almond hazel, gave away her amusement. "Dear brother, whatever do you mean?" The resemblance was striking. Her hair was as dark as his was, but was choppily cut boyishly short. Two large bangle earrings were engraved with various runes hung from her ears. Her black robes flew in the wind.

"I don't think I need to explain my meaning, Destiny. What have you done?"

"Kept Kardis away from Pheta."

"So you released the cage? Impressive. I must say that I enjoyed that little show with Lucius Malfoy."

"Glad you agree. At least now, Kardis won't be going to Pheta-supporters."

"Wise move," Erebus conceded. "Now Kardis won't be held by Voldemort, who supports Pheta in her plan for total annihilation. Also, the spirit won't go Dumbledore, the blind fool who worships her as a light goddess. Brilliant."

"Thank you."

"But I can assure you that Melania wont appreciate it."

"No matter. She doesn't approve of me much anyway. I doubt this will have much of an effect on her opinion."

"Too true."

"How are those whippersnappers, by the way? I haven't seen them in awhile and I'm under the suspicion that they prefer that."

Erebus laughed heartily. "You don't certainly try to raise yourself in their good books. Artemis is still keeping an eye on things from the moon. Moros is as always, sneaky and conniving."

"He's going to drive Nyx to the grave."

"If she could die. Hypnos is working around the clock like usual and Thanatos is...himself."

"Ah. Don't bother, I understand."

"Good. I don't want to go into detail about what he did on that nude beach."

"Please refrain."

"If I must. Ate is causing trouble since it's her nature to be mischievous. Phobos and Deimos are doing what they always do: overseeing terror and fear and whatnot."

"Melania?"

"Worrying about Tom and Harry. And wondering why you don't give them more of a break."

"How can I? It makes them stronger! They should not come to depend on us. And you missed one."

"Ah, Pandora. What do you expect a goddess of hope to do? She's trying to keep spirits up. And she's having a hard time of it."

Destiny looked on at the city of London. "Well, humanity is entering a period of despair and depression."

"They don't see it that way."

"Of course they don't. They're too busy 'inventing' things to make themselves lazier. When they do realize, it'll be too late."

"Like in the old days, you mean?"

"Yes. Then it was much simpler."

"But that is the way of the universe. It's happened to countless other civilizations, planets, stars, and galaxies. It happens in a cycle. That is how the three great powers keep order. Well, the Almighty. The Universe and Chaos have not been active in these matters for awhile."

"They'll be coming back."

"But of course. Change is inevitable. And that law in itself is a paradox by how it doesn't change."

<><><>

Dumbledore sagged in his seat. "So, we failed."

Remus Lupin looked over concerned. "No. We know that Voldemort doesn't have the cat either. That's good news."

"But it's a variable that could affect us later. Possibly hurt us."

Bill Weasley had come in just a few hours before, suffering visibly from the aftereffects of the Cruciatus. He was even more surprised at who helped him. The other was no Order member, but helped anyway. After fussing over her oldest son, Molly had thanked and hugged the poor boy many times. Remus could tell that the man wasn't used to that, judging from his overwhelmed and shocked face. He was overall good-looking despite the eye patch, attracting the glances of many a female Order member. Even Ginny Weasley, who had been staying in her room crying ever since Harry's disappearance, ventured a look. Now, she was out and trying to help her brother, but her gazes kept returning to her brother's savior. Remus had spoken to him earlier.

()()()()()()()

"Your name is?"

"Wyvern Irving."

"Are you a Hogwarts graduate?"

"Yep. Slytherin house." Remus was hit with an intense glare. "I don't deny that I'm proud of it either. Are you the werewolf I was told taught two years ago? Remus Lupin?"

"Yes." He felt disconcerted. "I see that got around."

"My annoying cousin couldn't keep her mouth shut for her life." The younger man scowled. "Youngsters, always flighty. Like Weasley's sister, for instance."

"You mean Ginny?"

"I don't know her name, but she's been looking at me like a lovesick puppy. It's getting on my nerves."

"She's just happy you saved her brother."

"No," argued Wyvern. "She has a crush on me now, not Potter. I'll bet she won't be staying in her room now." Wyvern's scowl grew deeper. "No wonder she's in Gryffindor. She goes for heroes. Pathetic."

Remus brushed off Wyvern's insult to Ginny. "But you are a hero. You saved Bill."

"I'm no hero. I'm just human." Wyvern looked out the window into the dark street. "Therein lies the difference."

()()()()()()()

"Do you think we can trust Irving? He now knows of the Order."

Dumbledore sighed. "I think we can. If he were a Ministry-supporter or a Death Eater then I would have known. He is trustworthy. Wholly Slytherin he may be, but trustworthy. And Severus has vouched for the boy."

"I guess we'll be searching for the cat, Harry, and keeping Voldemort at bay all at once?"

Dumbledore looked at his wizened hands, forming a triangular pyramid. Never before had Remus seen Dumbledore look so old. "As daunting as the task seems, it is what we must do. I believe Sirius is already trying to do the last two already. May Pheta help us all."

Sirius was still looking for Harry. No matter how fruitless his searches were, he kept at it. Even Snape had to compliment Sirius' determination. Though Snape then turned it into an insult that resulted in a minor fistfight. Ron had cheered Sirius on, despite his mother's protestations. Hermione had given up her sentry at the window, but was now looking all over for spells to locate missing persons.

"How is Snape?"

"Exhausted. He thinks Voldemort maybe getting suspicious to his true loyalties. All this while he is preparing for the start of the school year. I'm also worried about him."

Remus gave a small joking smile. "I think we all have in other ways."

"I do not mean this as a joke," said Dumbledore seriously. "He has been looking through his family records as if it were an obsession."

"Family records?"

"More specifically, his grandmother. He feels that she said something important to him and that she knew more about what went on the world than most. But so far, he has found nothing on her. It was as if she had appeared from nowhere, which Severus said, was how his grandfather met her."

"So he feels his grandmother had knowledge that could help us?"

"Yes. But there are no records at all on the woman. Mirage Searle-Snape is a utter mystery."

<><><>

The man in the official-looking black robes and white wig stood up to read the verdict. "The committee finds Peter Pettigrew...GUILTY of murder, fraud, manslaughter, espionage, treason, and for acting as an accessory to multiple crimes."

Sirius Black watched without emotion as the verdict was given. The time he had been waiting for had finally come. He was now free both literally and figuratively. He had no pursuers and the person who had started it all, all the torture and agony that he had been through for the past fourteen years, was finally going to get his punishment. By all means, he should have been elated. But he wasn't. The moment was empty now. What was the point? He had failed his deceased best friend many times. He wasn't able to care for his godson, his responsibility in case anything had happened to them. The scene was flawed. Harry was supposed to be here, next to him, happy that Sirius was free and he would have a decent home. He could just picture him: black hair sticking up at all angles like his father before him, green eyes shining with happiness like his mother's used to, his thin face cracked in a joyful smile.

But he wasn't. Harry was missing. Sirius was just deluding himself. He wished it were real. But reality was a cruel mistress.

Then again, so was payback.

"Peter Pettigrew would receive the Dementor's Kiss as punishment for his crimes. Any objections? Nay? Then proceed."

The former convict inwardly cringed as the cloaked monstrosities glided into the room, a wave of cold fear in their wake. Their breath rattled through the air and their audience's bones. How he hated the foul guards of Azkaban, those evil beings who kept those equally evil trapped for their own enjoyment. Sirius had to fight the urge to cast the Patronus Charm and let his silver dog patronus take them down.

No. Peter was going to get what he deserved.

The rat's already pale complexion turned a sick pasty color and his watery blue eyes widened with visible fear. He kept looking around the room for an exit, but there were none to be found in this underground room. The only exit was the only door and he would be taken down minutes before he could reach it. Also, he couldn't change to Wormtail due to the charmed shackles on his wrists. Peter Pettigrew was a dead man and he knew it.

"NO! NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS! PLEASE HAVE MERCY!" Pettigrew kept screaming for compassion, but those pleas fell on deaf ears. No one felt an ounce of pity for this man, who helped to murder so many.

It was in that moment, Pettigrew noticed his former friend and fellow Marauder sitting in the audience. "SIRIUS! SIRIUS! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME! PLEASE!"

All eyes turned to him.

He replied coolly, "Do you really expect me to help you? After all you've done to everyone, especially me? You don't deserve any mercy or pity. Your fate was sealed the moment you began serving Voldemort."

A majority of the people in the room reacted badly to the name of the Dark Lord, but Sirius had gotten his message across. Pettigrew looked both shocked and angry. Though why angry, Sirius would never know. Nor would he want to. Peter Pettigrew, his friend 'Wormtail', died years ago. Now it was time for the traitorous shell that was left of him to face his dues.

The scabbed hands pulled back its hood and grabbed Pettigrew from the collar of his robes. Most of the room averted their glances as Pettigrew had his soul sucked out of his body through his mouth by the dementor. But Sirius did not look away.

At the end of it all, Sirius felt no satisfaction. There were more important matters to attend to. Like finding the thing that made it important: Harry.

<><><>

"ICY WIND!"

He quickly brought up a flame shield as Professor Coulter hit him with an ice attack. The assault was a combination of both wind and water, which made it much harder to block. Wincing at the power rushing at him, he concentrated on forming thrower flamethrower-like move he had learned from Gran.

"FLAME BLAST!" The fire shield flickered as he sent the flames against the wind. As he expected, the attack was neutralized. Smiling in victory, he decided to use a similar attack but instead using water to hit Professor Coulter.

But she was gone.

"Wha-gah!" He found himself with a wickedly sharp icicle held at his throat. But I had the advantage?!

"Never think that I won't move after attacking like that," Professor Coulter scolded. "And you need to learn that you can't stay in one place."

"Professor? I think I understood that when you froze my feet in the first place."

"Funny, Night, funny. Do you understand why you cannot think you have the advantage just because you can use all the elements? You need to overestimate your opponent in all situations and remember that all the elements are more or less equal in strength if employed correctly."

This had gone on through the entire lesson and the lessons before as well. Night shuddered to think what her regular classes faced if she taught like this.

Professor Coulter did not believe on going easy on anyone. "It makes you soft," she claimed, "when you really need to be alert." She had hit him with every kind of ice and water attack that he thought was possible. At one point, he accidentally created an elemental sword from fire to protect himself from her most powerful attack 'Blizzard', but it had soon faded. She had told him that it was just his elemental instincts kicking in. Icicles, water blasts, and at one point an attack that shot boiling hot water at him. She was certainly a master of the water element. Night was honored that she was teaching him. Even though one could pass it off more as trying to kill him. But she said she liked him. That was both a credit and a drawback. It was in her opinion that those who managed to show potential should learn to exercise it and therefore be introduced to tougher situations than the norm. Both fortunately and unfortunately, Night had a great deal of potential.

But when they said she was tough, they weren't kidding. Professor Coulter saw all weaknesses and strengths at a glance and used the knowledge to her advantage. She was not the Blue Dragon of the Arashi-Tenku for nothing. In actuality, Lavinia Coulter was just as feared and respected as Zylle was. And that was something. Though, the fame that Professor Coulter had was more of a result of terror. She was quite merciless.

He could relate to her though. Professor Coulter had come from very similar circumstances as himself. She had been part of an abusive family herself (well, he thought he was abused.) , belittled and neglected. According to Gran, she was a mess when she was brought to Grey Tower Town. The Dragons who had taken her away found out about her abilities and took her in. Lavinia had taken their surname of 'Coulter' and worked hard to make them proud. Gran had said that she certainly did. Any rank of a clan leader was a high honor and Lavinia had taken the job of Blue Dragon. The desire to repay those who cared for her was what drove her determination. He surmised that they had that much in common at least. Night for one, wanted to make Zylle proud of him.

"You're making good progress so far. Have you been taught to form an elemental weapon yet?"

"Not yet, professor. But I should be learning it quite soon. First, with wind, then with fire."

"Good. We'll start with water weaponry a week after that. Have you been practicing?"

"Yes...Zylle wasn't expecting I would use an ice attack two nights ago."

"What happened?"

"I was blown against the wall."

"I see. Typical Zylle. The lesson is over for today. I think you've done enough in these past two hours."

It had felt like more than five. "Thank you, professor."

"Your welcome. Next Tuesday, 3:00 PM sharp." Ice blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't be late." Yes, Professor Coulter had quite the hatred of tardiness.

<><><>

It had lived a very long time.

It had many different names.

But throughout the ages its purpose was the same: to find 'master' and serve him.

An Egyptian sorcerer who wanted the ultimate weapon had created it. He combined the abilities of nundu and many other predatory cats to give it exceptional feline abilities. Then he added in the genes of regular housecat, the domestic desert hunting-cat that the nomads used, and kneazle to make it tame and loyal to him. Next he called forth a spirit to make it even stronger.

But he was not worthy. Its spirit was old and powerful, loyal only to itself and to the gods creditable of worship. It became exceedingly selective of its masters. For one thing, several of them died after a few times of use. Others seemed unaffected. It drew its power from the person and amplified it, while adding in its own. Thus great power was achieved. But at a price did it come.

Then they had come. The pharaoh locked it away in the tomb. But she was not upset. He was worthy to become its master. But he said that it had to be kept safe, that people would use it in bad ways. So he sealed the tomb in a place where the sands were cursed by the wrath of the gods. But the pharaoh was kind enough to fix the wards to grant it entrance and exit, so it would not die. He did this under the name of a goddess called Melania Amarna. It then decided that this goddess was one worthy of its appreciation.

The goddess with the hazel eyes freed it, so it was thankful. It was then that it took advantage of its new freedom and attacked the man who mocked it. It wished it had the chance to kill him, but alas, it had to go. Freedom was more important than vengeance.

Here it was now. Its master was gone and it had no idea what to do. Everything had changed. It adapted easily to its new world, but it couldn't help but feel homesick for paths not filled with the angry metal shells that ate people.

Zephyrus Court. Yes, it could read. It had learned that by reading knowledge could be attained. And how those little symbols could mean so much fascinated it. The sun was barely above the horizon and it continued to walk in the early summer air. This may have been a completely different country, one where the sun was not too hot and there was no sand, but it was definitely summer.

The door of one of the dwellings opened, one with a bound package lying on its stoop. A boy with messy black hair and green eyes walked out and picked it up. He began unwrapping the package and when he was done, held a long piece of wood in his hand as if it were sacred. By sight, it could tell it was yew. Then it saw the package contained other items: a green and silver scarf, a long gray coat that looked old but had the scents of many extremely powerful protection spells on it, as well as a few books. The boy read the note the package came with before grinning widely. Neatly organizing the items into a pile he walked into the home.

But it was faster. This boy was the new master. It knew this fact instinctively. He was like it in many ways. And he had power. It was the same power as the goddess who the pharaoh invoked and a similar power to the goddess with the hazel eyes. That would mean he would not die. And he seemed gentle. That was a plus. It streaked into the house before he closed the door.

The boy hadn't noticed it. Quietly, he made his way up the stairs to a green and gray room that still carried with it the darkness of the night. Her feeling that he was gentle was confirmed. There was a white owl on a perch, wide-awake and watching with alert orange eyes. He petted its feathers affectionately and the bird hooted in response. It decided not to harm it then, even it was hungry. The master thought highly of the bird, so it would not attack. The owl then turned its attention to it, but did make any reaction. It could tell that this owl was a spirit like itself, though meant to guard not to act as a weapon. As the boy put the things away in his room, it had jumped onto the bed and walked around on it. Comfortable. It laid down in the green coverlet, wrapped its tail around its feet, and purred loudly.

That was what made him notice it. It could sense the shock that emanated from him as he cautiously approached it and knelt down to look at it more properly. Dazed, he asked, "Where'd you come from?"

It purred before getting up and rubbing its face against his cheek. Hesitantly, he began to pet it, but when he saw that it was not going to attack and enjoyed the attention, grew more confident. "Well, I don't know where you came from, you beautiful thing, but you seem alright."

He thought it was beautiful. It purred louder. It liked him.

"Night, what is that noise?" A woman walked in. It sensed she was one who was of wind and that she seemed to care a great deal for the master. The master evidently cared a great deal for her. And it now knew master's name: Night. The woman too seemed surprised. "Is that a cat?"

"Can I keep it? It seems friendly enough." Night's voice grew pleading. "Please?"

***