The Next Generation

“Obviously your powers and total lack of magical knowledge, besides you knew whatever you are was going to affect me and Vera.” He pointed out and Ciar grinned.

“What I am is the same as what you are.” He replied with a smile and Rave felt a dull sense of wonder, Ciar was telling the truth. So which was it? Human or something else?

Chapter 10:

Rave had felt him stiffen, Itzal thought cautiously, surely he would confront him about that later. For such a young boy he was very observant a trait that was often taken for granted. He however found it rather endearing but it certainly made it difficult to avoid the hard questions he asked. That was hardly the problem at hand. Rave and Vera simply could not be of the same line as this new boy claimed. It was impossible. Totally completely impossible, right? There were rumors that the headmaster had exposed his unborn children to wild unpredictable magic, but surely that wouldn’t have changed them that much. Or if it had why didn’t Vera’s aura match her brother’s?

“That’s impossible.” He said aloud looking directly at Ciar for the first time. Those black eyes swept over his face taking in every little detail and he couldn’t help the faint shudder and chill that he felt. The boy’s aura was cold empty and seemed to draw all the warmth and color from around it.

“It’s the truth.” The other replied with an easy smile, “Ask Raveal. He feels the truth in my words and it scares him.” He continued still with that easy smile and friendly tone. This time it was Rave’s turn to shudder.

“What is he?” slipped from his lips almost unconsciously and Itzal couldn’t help but wrap his arms around the younger boy. While he had no official claim on him until he was of age he couldn’t help already thinking of him as his mate.

“He’s a Mori. Well a Moriphan technically.” Said a familiar soft wispy voice, both Itzal and Sterling stiffened immediately whipping around to look at who ever said what they could not. It was Ione, the young veela. She had a large tome in her arms; she hadn’t been around much since the first day presumably in the library if her recent statement was anything to go by.

“That’s impossible.” Itzal murmured again, “There haven’t been any Mori for centuries.” He said, stuttering over their name. Ciar snorted.

“There haven’t been any earth-born Mori in centuries. I assure you we’re thriving in our realm.” He said with a sneer that was far from pleasant. Ione looked annoyed at being interrupted and settled into a seat between Ciar and Vera giving him a glare.

“In reality there haven’t been any Mori, on earth, since the Inheri came into being. That’s how I stumbled across the Mori actually, researching the Inheri. The first inheri was born from a moriphan father and a succubus mother, am I correct?” she said, sounding horribly akin to her aunt Hermione. Ciar looked at her with obvious surprise.

“I could have sworn we destroyed all information on us from the human records.” He replied, his way of saying she was indeed correct. She sniffed acting as her pureblood heritage entitled her too.

“You would have if the Moriphan himself hadn’t saved the records. I found Nathan’s journal. It’s quite informative. But I can’t find much on the exact details of the mori’s powers or well anything about their culture.” She said looking peeved.

“You won’t either.” Ciar said with obvious distain; “There’s no reason for the humans to know our every weakness. Even if we do only visit earth very rarely. Raveal and Vera, and your yet-to-be-born brother or sister will be the first earth born mori since the creation of the Inheri.” He said with an indulgent smile.

“Why do you keep linking the mori with the inheri?” Vera butt in, looking annoyed and confused, Rave was the one with the powers not her.

“Because, the mori created the inheri, essentially, almost every time there are earth-born mori a new magical creature is created out of their crossbreeding. After all its rare that more than one mori is born on earth in the lifetime, let alone three. If your brother or sister to be lives through their birth of course.” He replied with a kind smile that never even touched his eyes. Always those same cold back eyes.

“Why wouldn’t Itzal or Sterling tell us then?” Rave asked looking more at Itzal than Ciar. Regardless it was the latter who replied.

“It’s sort of a curse I suppose. The mori like their privacy and since all inheri are born with the knowledge of their creation, a genetic memory mutation I have to say that was probably a result of the mori blood, and they were cursed to fear the mori. Well that’s not exactly right, the mori like me not born of earth. The earth-born well I don’t know. Nathan didn’t live long enough to find out I suppose and there hasn’t been an earth born since him.” He said looking thoughtfully at Rave and Itzal. Rave had decided to relay all the information they were learning to his papa up at the main table, which would be helpful later when they needed to cross examine everything.

“Why were we born mori then, and how are you sure?” he demanded.

“I don’t know why you are mori, perhaps because your father is a very distant line from one of Nathan’s human children, or because of the massive amounts of magic you were exposed too in the womb. I can’t be sure how you are mori but I know you are.” Ciar replied trying to articulate himself correctly;

“You…ah. Bexiel. There’s a feeling around both of you. It’s the same as the feeling with my mother, or my siblings, any of the other mori in our realm. Although you also feel slightly different, but only slightly. I think it’s your magic.” He continued, swearing. None of them could’ve said how they knew he had sworn when no one knew the word but it had been a swear nonetheless. Rave felt that he could not deny the strange feeling of kinship between himself and the older boy, but there was a feeling of danger mixed in as well.

“You speak of the mori powers,” Vera interrupted again, “But Rave is the one with weird inexplicable powers not me.” She continued looking at Ciar expectantly.

“That’s because you haven’t hit puberty yet.” The dark eyed boy replied with a lecherous grin. She blushed but waited for a further explanation.

“I’m not divulging the anymore details of the Mori here, love.” He said however casting a glare at the other students who were listening in.

-Then perhaps all of you would join me in my office after your classes- Harry’s voice flitted through Rave’s, Vera’s, and Ciar’s minds. The latter rolling his eyes but sending an agreement, both twins agreed as well. So the day went on traitorously slow for the twins and Harry although he refused to show it. Finally the end of the day rolled around and Harry, Severus, the twins and Ciar gathered in the headmaster’s office.

“I have two important questions for you before we simply chat about the ‘mori’” Harry began looking directly at Ciar, who nodded calmly unshaken.

“First how were you able to remove me from this office?” he demanded, that particular question had been bothering him and Severus for the last few days. With all the wards and spells on this room both wizard and Ander the feat should have been impossible, or at least extremely difficult. Yet the strange woman had no difficulty.

“That was my mother’s fault. She is the most powerful mori in existence at the moment, and because you are carrying a young mori it made it even easier to pluck you between realms. Not for long though, as you saw.” Ciar explained, “No there isn’t a way to stop her from doing the same thing again but she’s the only one who can, and I doubt she will. It would’ve left her quite weak for a few days, not a good position for the mori queen you know.” He said answering both Harry’s and Severus’ unvoiced questions.

“Fine. My other important question is; what is wrong with my baby. You spoke as if you expected him or her to not live through birth.” He demanded this time Harry’s voice shook slightly. He’d never had any trouble with his other children the prospect of losing even one was, to put it mildly, terrifying. Ciar paused,

“Mori are connected to their ‘mothers’ the instant they are conceived, by mind and body. The charm you were wearing, while I understand no harm was meant, limited your little one’s connection to your body not in a way that would affect it’s growth but ah…” he paused again looking frustrated, “Forcing it to a human connection, I guess is the best I can explain it. But you also had your mind closed to everyone, my mother and I can penetrate that because no mind is closed to a mature Mori but you little one doesn’t have that strength.” Harry and Severus shared a glance.

“So basically your say that I cut my baby off from something he or she needs as an essential part of their growth?” Harry said and Ciar nodded, “But why did your mother say that they must be born on or after the twins ‘come of age’?” he asked.

“Because both of them will emit a powerful magic of sorts, witch will help heal the bits of damage that have already been done. You have to understand your baby would probably be born, seemingly fine but once he or she reached puberty they wouldn’t be able to accept the changes, it would be … very bad.” He said looking sad.

“What can I do to help the baby now?” Harry asked with a depressed sigh. Severus gave Ciar a glare like his mate’s upset was all his fault and wrapped strong arms around Harry’s slender form.

“You’ve stopped wearing the charm so, keep your mind open as often as you can, or try to keep it open for the baby all the time. I don’t know if you can yet since essentially the baby doesn’t really have a mind yet.” He explained Ciar knew that it seemed that such paltry little things couldn’t affect a still mostly unformed fetus but they did. He’d seen mori mother’s who miscarried or abandoned children that suffered ‘womb neglect’ because it was a hard life for the child. Harry sat down and gestured that Rave and Vera should take over with questions of their own.

“Why does Rave have different powers now and I do not?” Vera asked first, this had been bothering her all day.

“Rave is an empathetic mori, they develop their empathy at birth and all their lives it develops getting stronger. When empaths reach puberty they get a boost in their empathy but none of the ‘typical’ mori powers. Empathetic mori are rare in our realm but more common in earth-born mori.” Ciar explained with a smile,

“Your powers are, or will be, like mine. Powers of the mind. Read other’s thoughts and feelings, manipulate their will, but you never delve too far into another’s mind. With every power there are equal consequences. You’ll learn more when you hit puberty, you’ll have a guide. It’ll make more sense if you allow them to tell you then for me to try and describe it.” He continued with an easy smile. Harry sighed and interrupted,

“Rave, Vera why don’t you head down to dinner. I’m sure your friends are curious as to what you learned, be careful who you tell though.” He said fingering the charm that had caused all this trouble. Once the twins left he looked at Ciar,

“Do you know why this charm didn’t work?” he was thinking of when the twins were conceived. He and Severus had used a contraception spell but presumed that it simply was ineffective on Anders, now however it had Harry wondering if the twins hadn’t been ‘mori’ the whole time and the last battle with Voldemort hadn’t anything to do with it. Ciar looked at the charm with his head cocked.

“I can’t say for sure. I have an unsupported theory though; I think that your mate is a human descendent of the last earth-born mori. Most of the pure blood wizarding families are. Coupled with your own power, I think you are simply too much for the little amount of magic in that charm, or any charm to work effectively.” He said. Harry sighed, nodded and let him go.

“What are you thinking love?” Severus asked hugging his younger lover.

“I want you and the kids nearby Severus. I’m going to connect the mini-mansion to Hogwarts. I don’t think with all this I can stand to have you even such a short distance as Hogsmeade especially when all the teachers throw a fit if I so much as leave the path from the great hall to my office.” He whispered, unconsciously using the kids fond term for the second smaller mansion in Hogsmeade. Severus nodded and kissed him swiftly.

“Tomorrows a new day love, come and get some sleep now.” He responded, masking his own worry for his mate. He was unable to mask the small feeling of guilt he had. It had been his idea to take a break from conceiving children, perhaps it had been a bad idea to go against his mate’s obvious nature of wanting a large family. Shaking his head Severus gathered his mate and made their way to the bedroom, only to sleep tonight though.

AN: I apologize if this is getting to confusing for everyone to follow; I hope this explained some of it? If anyone has any other pressing questions that should be addressed leave ‘em for me in a review and I’ll make sure to explain better in following chapters. I admit that this is quite haphazard but like I did with the Engagement Kiss, if you can believe it, I didn’t start writing with a clear plan for chapters until around 10 in EK and this one I know where I want to end up. It’s getting to that point that’s giving me some trouble. So stay tuned! R&R! =D –totally noticed that FF. Net added an inbox for pms-…that’s rather cool huh. XD