Ian woke in the morning to an empty dormitory. He rolled over and put his glasses on and got out of bed. The answers he had gotten from Dumbledore that night had kept him thinking all night. If they were the last of a very powerful line of mages, why couldn’t they just end the war right there and then? But, the more sensible side of his brain told him that, if they were so powerful, why hadn’t their dad stopped it?
He slowly got dressed and went down into the common room where Sam was waiting for him. He leaped up immediately when he saw Ian. “About time you get up! Breakfast is almost over!” he exclaimed with a grin, but when he saw Ian’s face, his smile faded. “What’s wrong?”
Ian shrugged with his hands in his pockets. “Nothing. Come on… Let’s go to breakfast…” He gave Sam a fake smile.
Though he didn’t believe him, Sam accepted the smile all the same and led Ian out of the portrait hole. “Good because I need you in a good mood today!”
“Why’s that?” Ian asked as they walked down the corridor to the Great Hall, the portrait hole closing behind him.
Sam gave a heart grin. "Because, Ian, today I've finally unearthed the true instructions on how to become an Animagus!"
Ian quieted him with his hand. "Are you mad? Speak softer!" he whispered.
"Sorry..."
They talked about it all the way to the Great Hall where they met Jesse already talking to a Ravenclaw girl. "Did you know that I already know all the secret places and passwords of the school?" he asked her.
Ian could tell that she didn't really care about Jesse at all. She rolled her eyes and nodded all the same; acting like she was listening to his every word. Her friends beside her giggled.
"Jesse, give it up already!" Sam groaned as he sat down next to him.
The girl turned her back on him and laughed along with her friends. Jesse groaned as he turned around. "Girls here are harder to understand then back home."
"That's because they're muggles." Sam said matter-of-factly. "Course they're going to come on to you better. They don't know who you are."
There was a flowery smell and Natalie ran up to Ian, breathless and shaky. "Ian! Tara didn't come back to the dormitory last night! And she's not there now! I don't know where she's at! I'm so worried!"
Ian quieted her as students began to look their direction. He sat her down and sat down next to her. "She didn't return at all?"
Natalie shook her head. "No! No one's seen her since you two left for Dumbledore's!"
As calm as ever, Ian nodded down the table to a group of girls. "Why don't you go eat something while I look for her, ok?"
Natalie nodded and moved down the table to eat.
Ian turned to Sam and Jesse. "I'll be right back."
He left the Great Hall and went up the moving staircase. When he found himself alone on the third floor, he unfolded a piece of parchment and set his wand on it. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." It took a few seconds then ink began to spread across the parchment in the form of the castle itself. Tiny footprints with names behind them walked all over the place. Most were in the Great Hall.
He found himself on the third floor and completely alone. Satisfied, he searched for his sister.
* * * * * * * * * * *
He found her in a hidden room on the fifth floor and she wasn't moving on the map. It took him a few minutes to find the secret room, let alone the door, then even longer to figure out how to open it. When he finally did, he found a small circular room with extra tables, chairs and other furniture piled up. He spotted Tara asleep on a table.
He sighed with relief and walked over to her, shaking her shoulder. "Tara? Tara, are you alright?"
There was a groan and Tara blinked her eyes open. "Ian?" she asked softly.
He smiled. "Yeah, it's me. Natalie told me that you didn't return to the dormitory so I thought I'd look for you."
Tara smiled and sat up, rubbing her eyes and stretching. "I'm sorry. I was just so upset about what happened that I wanted to get away. I'm sorry I scared you." she stood up and hugged him tightly.
Ian hugged her back. "Dumbledore told me some very interesting things after you left." he told her as he led her towards the door.
She looked at him curiously. "Oh yeah? Like what? Nothing could be as interesting as Remus and Peyton being taken." she said with a growl.
"Well, I found out why Voldemort wants to kill us so bad."
Tara stopped in her tracks, all seriousness on her face. "What?"
Ian sighed and turned to her. "Our father didn't know it but we are the heirs of Godric Gryffindor. We're also from a long line of very powerful mages. Mages are wizards who can conduct powerful magic without a wand or incantation. They just think it. It's so rare which makes it very powerful. Dumbledore told me that it's so powerful, it can stop Avada Kedevra. Did anything strange happen to you last night?"
"Yes!" she said breathlessly, hardly believing what he had said. "It was a strange blue magic all around me! It was so strong that I hid in here! I was too afraid to come out!"
Ian grinned. "That's what it was! That is your powerful magic that surrounds you! Dumbledore told us that it affects us most when we're angry and it's even stronger when we're both mad. Possibly the reason you were the one who saw it."
They had reached the moving staircase and by now, breakfast was over. Students were moving all around them, anxious to get to their next class. There was a shriek and Tara was wrapped up in Natalie's arms. "I was so worried!" she cried.
Tara laughed. "I'm fine! Don't worry about me! This is Hogwarts for God's sake!"
Natalie nodded as she pulled away. "Sorry..."
Ian tapped Tara on the shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked her.
She nodded and smiled at him. "Yeah, thanks, Ian."
He nodded and walked off with Sam and Jesse, their heads bent together in a secret conversation.
A New Generation Begins by The_Heir_of Gryffindor
Chapter Notes: ((Sorry it took me so long to write the next Chapter. I got caught up in the roleplay addiction. This Chapter is kinda boring but it's important because it sums it up perfect for the next chapter, which, yes, it's already written. Please enjoy!))