Call to Destiny

The Project

Chapter 5

Week four.

The Warriors spilled into the makeshift classroom, all talking animatedly. Well, most of them. Ginny tiredly rubbed her temples as she sat down at the first desk she came to. Not only had she had a pounding headache all day, but while they were sparing in hand-to-hand combat, Draco had twisted her ankle and it was still throbbing painfully. Last time something like that had happened, she was eleven and she'd tripped and fallen down the stairs at the Burrow. She had been hobbling for a week. Draco had apologized, but Ginny was still mad at him. She got out her notes on the Roken demons, which they were currently studying. Ginny had not had any idea that there were so many different types of demons. Or other... things. She shook her head, there was no reason to worsen her headache.

"Alright," the Wildcat began, making her way to the front of the room. "Today, you should finish up with all your assignments concerning the Roken demons and then I'll tell you about a little, project, you're going to be doing."

"What sort of project?" asked Italian girl, Juliana. Ginny envied her. She was very pretty with her long, straight, brownish black hair and flawless freckle-less skin. All the guys were always flirting with her. Not to mention that she was also very good at just about everything the Warriors had to do. She'd probably get one of the top ranks. Phoenix, probably, Ginny thought bitterly. She was shaken out of her thoughts by someone tapping her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Draco sitting behind her. When did he get there?

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"What did she just say?" Draco asked, unfazed by her curtness.

"Something about a project," she whispered, and turned back around.

"Finish up your work, then I'll tell you more about this project," the Wildcat was saying. Her eyes flicked over to Ginny and Draco for a portion of a second. "And if you have any questions, ask me, not the person beside you."

Damn, Ginny thought. How does she do that? She bent down over her notes and began working on the assignment: How to stop a Roken demon if you are left weaponless.

"Psst. Weasley," Draco whispered.

Ginny's pen stopped moving.

"Weasley."

She gritted her teeth and started writing again, but couldn't seem to keep one thought strung together.

"Weasley."

Ginny blatantly ignored him.

"Weasel!"

He wasn't giving up, was he? She wanted to turn around and slap him, but she was going to be stronger than that. Just then, a piece of folded paper landed on her desk. She knew she shouldn't open it, but curiosity won. Just what was so urgent?

Why won't you answer me?

Ginny took her pen and scribbled a reply.

Because I want to be left alone.

No sooner had she started back on her assignment, when the piece of paper sailed over her head.

Oh. Well, I just wanted to know if you're up to some sparing after class.

Ginny's temper flared. That was the burning issue? And how in the world did he think she could spar? She could barely walk!

My ankle is twisted, if you happen to remember. You might not, so let me remind you- YOU'RE THE ONE WHO TWISTED IT!!!

As she sent the note back, she took a deep breath. She knew she was overreacting over nothing, but she didn't care. Her ankle hurt! The note came floating back.

I already apologized, but I take it you didn't hear. Besides it was just a question, no need to get crabby.

Ginny decided to not dignify that with a response. She refolded the note and put it in the back pocket of her jeans.

"Alright," the Wildcat said, getting back up in front of the Warriors. "Pass 'em up."

Ginny sadly looked down at her half finished essay. Sighing, she passed it up. Draco was so distracting!

"Now, I bet you all are ready to know about this project,"

"Does it involve writing?" asked Roby, a twenty year old wizard from Canada.

Kiara grinned and hopped up on a desk. "No, no writing. You see, you've been here nearly four weeks now. You've become accustomed to your powers-"

"We have powers?" Sage asked, abandoning her doodling. There were some laughs from the others.

"Yes, Sage, you have powers. Not a lot, but you do."

"I don't feel any different," David commented.

"That's because you've always had those powers-"

"But you just said we've gotten used to them," Sage interrupted once again, looking completely mystified.

"Will you let me finish a sentence?" Kiara asked. Sage smiled sheepishly. "You've always had those powers, they were given to you when you were Chosen. They've just remained dormant until recently. When you accepted being Warriors, the powers were activated. But because you had them all your life, you didn't even realize anything was different."

There was a collective 'oh' of understanding.

"So, the project?" Draco reminded.

"Oh, right. Well, because you've been here for a while and have been training, its time to check the amount of Warrior powers each of you have. The way we'll do that, is, tomorrow, instead of training, you will each summon a demon and then fight it. The spell you will be reading is constructed so that the demon that you summon, will be the highest level ranking demon that you can fight and remain alive."

Ginny gulped. Summoning demons? Fighting them? Remain alive? She did not like the sound of this.

"Um, Wildcat, how will I...?" Ginny asked, uncertain.

"I'm sure your ankle will heal by tomorrow," Kiara assured her. Ginny highly doubted this, but did not question her.

"On that note. See you tomorrow, and get a good night's sleep," the Wildcat dismissed them.

Walking out, everyone was talking. Some, scared. Some, excited, confident that they would get a high score.

"Scared?" Draco asked, coming up beside Ginny. She looked up at him and realized her anger had evaporated.

"Are you scared?" she asked.

"Hell yeah," he answered.

Ginny managed a weak smile. "Me too."

"Freak!" Sage exclaimed, coming up beside them. David was with her, looking none too happy. "There is no way in hell I am summoning a demon!"

"You do realize we had no choice, right?" Draco asked her.

David sighed. "Draco's right."

"Let's just hope we all make it out in one piece," Ginny commented, grimly. For some reason, this was scaring her much more than it should have. She was not looking forward to the next day.