Niki nodded absently, and frowned a little as Luis gave Arcadia the rose. Some people had no taste whatever... "I'm sure it will be. You're still doing runes, aren't you?"

"Uh-huh..." Morticia nodded absent-mindedly. "What do you say?" she whispered then. "Is Nathan out of it at last? Wouldn't like that hag to hurt him - or you, for that matter... maybe if she gets a crush on Luis...?"

"Is Nathan out of what? Me? Her?" Niki shook her head confusedly. "I'd not like to be hurt, either, believe me! From what I've heard, she and Luis deserve each other!"

*********

"I have read Chinese martial arts shounen manga," Jian replied enthusiastically, in the most quiet yet still audible voice he could muster. "Virtua Fighter. They are translated from Nihonggo into Mandarin and only black and white inside, yes, but the action is still there."

Jian noted that his classmates were either too engrossed by the class activities or too sleepy to pay attention to him or Dylan. The teacher seemed too enthusiastic about the discussion on boxes and balancing forces, but that was all right.

Balancing forces...it was an idea as old as time itself. One Jian was all too familiar with.

After Luis Verga opened the box and gave a rose to a certain female and more females reacted, Jian shook his head in his inability to make sense of the situation. Very strange, these Western folk.

While waiting for Dylan's reaction to his statement, Jian looked around the room and wondered when the actual lesson would begin.

Then his eyes locked with Shinrei's for the shortest of moments. She quickly and smoothly looked away, back to the front of the class, that he was almost certain he had only imagined the eye contact.

The only reason he knew at the back of his mind he was not imagining things was the now-familiar warmth that coursed through his body. A feeling that he only associated with her.

He was also certain Xian and the rest of the Mian-Ju-Tao had sent him to his damnation. He felt that he really needed a "beating" this time to bring back his "old" focus.

He did not know he was still staring at Shinrei, long after she had turned away.

Noticing that the Professor as well as the rest of the class was oblivious to them, Dylan smiled a little. "If'n I could read Chinese, I bet that'd be interestin'. Squee's right strange. This little kid, here, he has these horrible nightmares. An' is friends wi' Johnny the Homicidal Maniac who lives next door," he explained, pointing to the large-eyed character in the black and white comic.

"Unconventional characters are interesting," Jian said. "They give a story life. If you finish reading, I will be very grateful if I could read your...Squee? comic, too."

"Nightmares are a very bad thing, Dylan," he continued more sombrely, fragments of memory occurring to him in the form of a half-remembered montage. "People often need other...people when they have nightmares."

The Yangtze flood. The struggle against irresistible forces. High-pitched wails and yells that were muffled and finally swallowed by the merciless waters. The storm that took the lives of his parents away. He was barely two years old then, but he //knew//.

Jian still had nightmares about the flood sometimes. It wasn't something you forgot, even when you are no longer a child.

"I am sorry I have not brought my manga, Dylan," he added, in an attempt to stop his unwanted reverie, "but they are all about martial arts. Different techniques practised by different people. I can help you learn a few of those techniques, especially Koen-ken and Ensei-ken, so we will be like those manga Virtua Fighters. Only we will be real, yes?"

*********

Mahou watched Luis as he did his box-thing, marvelling at the purity of the rose. She turned away as he gave it to Arcadia, wondering who this girl was to be so snobbish, it seemed. Stealing a glance to the other girl, Mahou raised a brow at her.. She was wearing layers of make-up. Mahou, herself, didn't wear any of the stuff, not really caring if anyone liked the way she looked or not.

Turning back to her books, the half-elf sighed. Making friends wasn't easy. Sure, she had some acquaintances.. but none of them really talked much to her. Not that she wasn't used to it, mind you. But she longed to have some friends to talk with and tell secrets to. Looking back at Nimue, Mahou quickly turned away, pulling her hat down lower over her ears. She couldn't risk having that thing be pulled off or anything. She kept a close eye on it.

Mahou, though, really wanted to find Avalon.. (she IS in Gryff, after all) and she wanted to look for it. Here at Hogwarts. Picking up her quill, Mahou drew a picture on a slip of parchment: one of an ancient artefact of the Elfin People. It resembled a willow branch, with a dragon with no arms or legs, wings flared, entwining itself around the greenery. This thing was made of wood, but enchanted to sense the magick of Avalon. But the only place Mahou knew to get it was.. Ireland. And she wasn't going there any time soon.

Shinrei was not really paying attention to her classmates as they tried to open the box. When Arcadia succeeded, she had glanced at the smug look on the Slytherin girl's face and returned her attention to her desk, where her fingers were entwined neatly, as if in prayer.

She was thinking that she sorely lacked proper martial arts training of late, especially in close-quarters jujitsu. Already she could feel the weakness in her hands. Weakness...she was already too weak to allow herself to lose more strength and focus.

There was a hush that fell on the room that made her look back up, only to see Luis Verga retrieve a rose from the mysterious box of the DADA teacher and then give the rose to Arcadia.

Shinrei was dead certain she heard a Hufflepuff girl's muffled squeal of delight from a few rows behind her. This made her turn. And this made her see Jian Hupi.

*Gods. Not again.* She prayed to Izanagi-seikun that he did not catch her staring, even if for only a few seconds. *He is a Shaolin monk, Shinrei Hikari. Why do you stare at him so?*

Flushing as if she had ran a mile or two, she diverted her attention to Mahou, who was doodling something on a parchment. "Mahou-chan?" she said in a whisper. "What is that you are drawing? A driftwood carving design for a garden?"

Turning to Shinrei, Mahou moved the paper a little closer to her. "This is an ancient artefact, Lady Shinrei," she explained. She didn't realise her voice was a little too loud. "It be o' th' Wood Elves o' Ireland." She beamed. "It has th' power ta sense th' magick o' Avalon, ye see. This be a dragon.. very powerful creature, it be. Th' willow is a tree tha' represents the feminine powers, hence the priestesses o' Avalon." She detailed the drawing by adding some shading and leaves to the willow. "I ha'e seen this artefact b'fore. Da, he be an.. archaeologist.. found it. He.. um.. gave it back ta th' Elfin folk o' Ireland. I got ta see it b'fore he gave it back, though, claiming he could no' go ta Avalon, let alone use

th' artefact ta sense th' magick tha' Avalon emits."

Mahou felt rather proud of her explanation. Her father had told her many times of his rendezvous with the elves.. how they had wanted him to train in Avalon.. how he refused.. Mahou would never forget how he had turned down such an opportunity.

"Th' artefact be on wood, ye see.. but th' wood be enchanted. It be carved inta a piece o' oak wood, symbolisin' th' masculine power." She pointed to the slab of wood that the carving rested on. "I e'en got ta hold th' thing. It was like holdin' a piece o' Avalon itself. I wanna find th' gateway ta Avalon.. if it be here.. an' go there. But it only be a rumour tha' a gateway resides in Hogwarts.. so I donnae ken if we'll e'er get ta find it."

Shrugging, Mahou added a few more lines to her drawing.

**********

Sarah wasn't that confident about the box but with Arcadia and Luis successes as well as Smyth's explanation made it sound if not easy then at least logical and she was a plucky girl.

Therefore, as he had pointed in her general direction she got up and approached the box. Patterns of light and dark. OK?

She took her time with it, trying to stay calm and not rush. She didn't like the idea of being pricked though and that fear may have led her to over-compensate.

Aidan watched as the box finally clicked open. "Well done, Sarah. You nearly lost it at one point but you got there."

Addressing the class he said, "You see, it is quite simple really you just have to watch what happens."

He checked his watch as he was listening to the two girls in the front row talking. "Ok, I better let you go otherwise you will be late for the Quidditch trials."

He turned to the two girls who had been talking. "And you two can stay behind for a few minutes."

"Your homework is to read up on observation skills in An Explanation of DADA Skills. Class dismissed."

"Well that's okay then" Whispers Arcadia, not planning on doing any reading

************

Marvo Smiled. That was easier than he had expected. He had been tempted to go and open the box, but didn't want to seem like he was showing off.

"You off to Quidditch Trials now? Mind if I come and watch?" He said to Kat.

Then he smiled, "I mean, I can have a spell ready for if you fall off.... again." He winked at her.

"Somehow I just knew you were going to come and watch." She smiled at Marvo. "It's a good job I don't mind."

Nimue looked with some sympathy upon Mahou and Shinrei being held back by Professor Smyth as she knew both girls were keen to try out for Quidditch team. She gave them a smile as she passed them.

Then hurried up to join up with Kat Black and some of the others, "You'll be off for the trials then. I am going to collect my cloak and come to watch and cheer you on from the sidelines."

Kat led the way out of the classroom just as Nimue caught them up. "I've got to get my broom so I guess I will see you both down there then."

She dashed past on her way to the dorm to drop off her schoolbooks and collect her broom and of course, the cats.

**********

*You two?* Shinrei echoed mentally. It took her another second to realise that the teacher meant her and Mahou. He was asking them to "stay behind for a few minutes."

Gods. He might very well have heard them talking, though Mahou did most of it with her very impassioned explanation of the desire to look for Avalon's gateway.

Still staring at the teacher with a combined feeling of dread (that Gryffindor would be losing more points) and embarrassment, Shinrei whispered to the other girl, "Mahou-chan. I believe he means us."

Mahou flinched as she heard the words "stay behind for a few minutes" ringing in her ears. She looked at Shinrei and knitted her eyebrows in worry.. She thought the same thought.. What if they lost more points for Gryffindor? Facing forward in her seat, Mahou tucked away the drawing of the artefact, her face a mask of worry.

"Sorry abou' this, Lady Shinrei," Mahou whispered gently. "I didna mean ta cause trouble.. again.." She quirked her mouth a bit, folding her hands atop her desk.

"Yes, Sir," she said louder to Professor Smyth.

"No. This is my fault, Mahou-chan," Shinrei replied in a harsh whisper, grimly, looking without blinking at Professor Smyth. "I was the one who asked you about the drawing. As I said before, I have lately developed the ability to draw trouble into my arms without effort. It goes without saying that others will pay for my carelessness along the way."

Shinrei looked at Mahou and felt a strong wave of sympathy for the gentle Irish girl. Unlike herself, Mahou was of a more sensitive nature. Shinrei could take punishment without outwardly expressing hurt and fear, had long since come to terms with the fact that she would always be willing to face the consequences of her wrongs.

What she did not expect at Hogwarts was that others would suffer and pay for her wrongs, too. She was willing to take as much punishment as she could, but drawing others into it along with her was an entirely different issue.

It was something she could not allow. Honour meant paying for one's actions, not letting others take the blame.

She waited expectantly, and with resigned, frozen determination, for Professor Smyth to say whatever it is he wanted to say to them.

**********

Dylan nodded to Jian. "I know wha' y' mean about nightmares," he agreed reluctantly, sneaking Squee back into his bag along with the DADA book as the lesson had been dismissed. "I don't know th' first thin' about martial arts, but tha' could be cool. All I know how t' do is box, an' I'm not s' good at that. Out o' practice, now."

He missed the boxing sessions with Professor Grimalkin over the summer, and while teaching Dafydd was a mediocre substitute, it was still something. But martial arts...Dylan smiled a little. That sounded like that could most definitely be cool. "But yeah, I'll let y' have a go at Squee. Got some other ones in m' trunk, too."

If Jian knew how to smile properly, he would have already done so. But smiling was one of the things he had yet to learn.

The prospect of teaching martial arts had appealed to him greatly as far back in his life as he could remember. No one knew it, but his greatest dream was to build a school that taught Bagua Zhang, an overlapping martial arts principle that believed everything went in an eternal circle. Jian had long since worked in merging Bagua Zhang in both armed and unarmed combat techniques that he had learned from both the Mian-Ju-Tao teachers and his own painstaking research.

It occurred to him that he might as well begin sharing what he knew and had developed at Hogwarts. From experience, martial arts brought even more focus and channelled the wizard's powers with greater precision.

"Thank you. I am very grateful," Jian said, getting to his feet as the rest of the class began to rise at the teacher's dismissal.

He thought for a few moments on Dylan's experience in martial arts. Boxing? Then kempo, Chinese boxing with close-in strikes, was the best approach for the other boy.

"Practice is no longer a problem for you, Dylan," he said. "If you are willing, I would be very honoured to share with you certain kempo techniques that would be similar to your boxing. From there, you can choose your 'ken, your fist approach. I am certain you are a very good fighter, Dylan."

Dylan grinned, his eyes a startling clear blue as they were wont to be when he was happy. "Y'know, it beats Quidditch any day," Dylan said, his enthusiasm beginning to show. "I've done m' fair share o'scrappin', both here an' at home, but wha' did y' call it? Kempo? Tha' sounds dead interestin'."

Jian nodded as he and Dylan joined the throng of students that made their way out of the DADA classroom. He was slightly distracted at seeing Shinrei and another girl staying behind as per orders of the teacher.

"Kempo is very interesting," he agreed, trying not to glance too much over his shoulder and hoping Dylan would not notice his distraction. "It is not plain fistfight or attacks, yes. All your movements are based on your 'ken. You move from eight extreme points or you are a tiger, a swallow or a crane."

"Martial arts is different from Quidditch," he stated more passionately. "Quidditch is just sport, game. True kempo and others are based on a lifestyle and a set of principles. You...believe and you practice in martial arts. Fighting is just one part of it, a very small aspect."

"Yes, Dylan. I agree martial arts beats Quidditch." He looked at Dylan and executed his best attempt at a quarter-smile, the one that ever-so-slightly quirked the sides of his mouth and made his face look a little less serious. "If you want to learn, we could start tomorrow morning with a run at the grounds, very early. Is that allowed? Then we practice kata, basic form exercises. I miss training myself. I have not practised for four days now."

"It's allowed," he told Jian. "I'm usually out there runnin' in th' mornin's anyway. Old habit. Not tha' anyone notices, anyway. Hogwarts is dead quiet in th' mornin'." It was true enough. Ever since he'd been accused of attempting to kill Niki last year, Dylan had taken to running in an effort to somehow work off his frustrations. Sometimes in the mornings or in the evenings, depending on the weather, but always when he would be left alone with his thoughts. It would be odd to have a partner. But not, Dylan noted, necessarily a bad thing, not at all.

"That is very good," Jian said thoughtfully, already mentally outlining Dylan's training program. It likewise added to his enthusiasm that Dylan sounded practical and rather fearless, plus he had no qualms on learning martial arts from a foreigner. "We shall begin tomorrow morning. By next week, I think you will be ready to choose your 'ken."

In China, Jian had no experience in training along with people his age. The other boys in the temple, most of them new trainees, were relegated to beginners' routines. Jian had always trained with the older fighters ever since he was ten, since he had already mastered the basics when he was a very young child, having grown up in Mian-Ju-Tao. This was one of the many reasons why he was the one chosen to be "sent" to Hogwarts.

It would also be well if he had a person his age to talk to, someone who understood the value of illustrated stories and the exhilaration of physical combat like he did. Someone who would not ridicule his fascination with "Virtua Fighters" and tell him to run off and say prayers to Buddha instead of wasting his time reading. A friend, perhaps.

He glanced up and down the hallway, slowly beginning to fill with students. "Are you going to the Quidditch trials, Dylan? I am trying out."

For some insane reason, he had decided to try out. It would not be good if he stayed at the sidelines and snuck around trying to figure out the real meaning of the "evil star." It might rouse suspicion on the real reasons why the Mian-Ju-Tao sent him. So act like a new foreign student he would. Immerse himself in the culture, though it was a risky immersion as he only learned how to fly properly on Sunday, with the help of a few Hufflepuff second-years (who were fascinated by his Shaolin-monk background) and an extremely old Cleansweep owned by one of them.

Dylan squirmed a little, dropping his gaze, and as usual, his dark hair fell in his face, obscuring his eyes. "Er...not s' good at Quidditch...th' broom thin'...it jus' ne'er really worked for me."

This was, of course, a vast understatement. Along with his inability to make anything happen in Transfiguration save explosions, and more of the same in Potions, Dylan also had something of a reputation for his marked inability to properly fly a broom. He considered it something of a stigma, and did everything in his power to avoid potential humiliation, broken bones from falling or a combination of the two. That meant, in the briefest of terms that Quidditch was right out.

"As I said, Quidditch is only a game, sport, yes?" Jian replied, in an attempt not to make the other boy feel bad about whatever it is that made him suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation.

"I also have things that never work for me, too. Many, many things. The list is too long to tell you about, but..." Jian shrugged. "So what do we do now? Will you be going back to the dormitory?"

"Prob'ly. I watched some practice an' it really didn't thrill me, so I reckon avoiding th' pitch would be good." Dylan kept staring at the floor in front of him. Old habits do indeed die hard.

"I respect your choice, Dylan," Jian said. Once more the expression closest to a smile crossed his normally stony face. "What is more, I appreciate your honesty."

"I am looking forward to training with you in Kempo, which is better than Quidditch." Jian glanced up and down the hall, as if waiting for someone to materialise within the vicinity. "I think I shall go now or I will be late, yes? I shall see you later."

He bowed to Dylan and began to walk in the direction of the Quidditch field.

**********

"Out of the trouble with Arcadia, of course. And Luis..." Morticia looked at him. "Well... he DOES look good in some sort of way.. but I don't think he's a nice person, is he?"

She suddenly realised class was over. "Oh, let's get out of here!"

Sarah had been very happy about her success at the box and was as merry as a spring lamb (no Baa-cadia jokes implied) as they started leaving the classroom.

"Mag.., Pio...." no she didn't think Piotr or Magnus looked the Quidditch type but she smiled at the two boys anyway then bounced on past Fiona giving her a friendly tickle on the way - "You coming to watch the trials Fee?" - "Nathaniel, Raphael, Zidane....coming - trying out....?"

She knew of course that Kat would be there and Tish and a clutch of Gryffindors and Slytherins. Would any of the timid Hufflepuffs be coming....?

Fiona, who was still scribbling up the last few of her DADA notes shook her head. "Och," she said, a little sadly. "Ye ken know well how much I'd love t'watch the trials...but...I was gonna go see Hagrid. McTavish is a wee bit poorly...and he's the only person who I can think of t'speak to."

Indeed, the small fluffball that sat on the desk in front of her DID look a little miserable, his eyes red and watery, and occasionally, the haggis made a noise that sounded like a sneeze. Fiona bit her lip worriedly and shoved her books and quill away, gathering her pet up in her arms and fussing it.

"I'll get there as soon as I can," she promised. "Save me a spot where I can have a good view of And..er...the trials..."

**********

Aidan watched the two girls continue to exchange the odd words and looks. He waited until all the other students had left.

"Now then, I'm am sure that the mysteries of something like Avalon will be a great attraction to young girls like yourselves. However, I would appreciate it if you would leave your discussions until you are out of my classroom. You are after all here to learn."

"I shall be taking five points from each of you for talking in class. Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"

Shinrei glanced at Mahou before fixing Professor Smyth with her usual blank, impenetrable stare. The words that followed were just as expressionless: "We apologise for whatever disrespect we have shown to you and your class, Professor Smyth. Mahou-chan and I will make certain a thing such as this will not happen again."

Inside, she was sorry, very sorry, to have caused more point depletion to Gryffindor House. She wanted to find Jon Sinclair and apologise to him right away--how many times had she heard him over the summer say how much he wanted the House Cup for Gryffindor, and how many times had she promised to do her best to contribute? And now *this.*

Mahou had stood up when the others left, her hands clasped before her. Then.. she heard the news.

The half-elf's face paled dramatically. It looked the colour of cold porridge. *Another five points* she thought to herself. *I lost..another 5 points for Gryffindor. What's next? 100?* She gulped and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. All she could manage was a short ~*Cernnunos preserve me*~ in Elfin. Then she froze.

Mahou couldn't say anything more. Her voice wouldn't work. Her mouth wouldn't open again. Her throat was closed to tight she could scarce breathe. So.. she did the next best thing. She fainted.

Aidan looked a little flustered. Why did girls always have to do this sort of thing? He looked at the girl on the floor and back to Shinrei. He flicked his wand at Mahou. "Envenerate!"

Waiting for Mahou to awake he turned back to Shinrei. "Your apology is accepted. You may go now if you wish. I will make sure that Mahou is ok."

Shinrei bent down to look more closely at Mahou after the teacher had cast the spell, anxiety over her previously blank countenance

"I will stay and wait until Mahou-chan awakes and tells us she is all right, Professor Smyth," she said softly. "This situation is more my fault than hers, after all. I could not help but feel responsible for her distress."

Mahou groaned softly and sat up, her brows knitted. She had hoped it was all a terrible dream.. but here she was.. sitting on the floor of the DADA room.. having lost another 5 points from Gryffindor. If this kept up, everyone from Gryffindor would hate her. They would hate her without knowing what she was, too, and that's what killed the girl.

Looking at Prof. Smyth, Mahou sat up, wiping her eyes, knowing that she was crying. "I be s-sorry, Sir," she said, not looking up at him. Her strange eyes stayed on the floor. "I didna mean any harm by it.. Da had an offer ta go ta Avalon.. but he refused.. I just wanted ta see wha' he was turnin' down."

She sniffled again and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I didna mean ta lose anymore points from Gryffindor.." She stopped for a moment, unable to speak over the lump in her throat. "I already lost enough points the other night."

Mahou stood up, grabbing her books. "I should get ta Quidditch." Without another glance to Shinrei or Smyth, Mahou raced out of the room, tears falling from her lime-green, slanted eyes.

Shinrei could only stare disbelievingly as Mahou promptly rushed out of the room. She then shook her head and gave Professor Smyth a wry, apologetic smile.

"She has the tendency to be rather prone to strong emotions, Professor," she explained. "I suppose that indicates she has recovered to a good extent."

"I guess I had better join my classmates at the Quidditch field, sir. Have a good afternoon." She bowed to the teacher and made her way out of the classroom.