An Eagle's Legacy

AN EAGLE'S LEGACY

CHAPTER THREE:

Ecolinda was the divinitation master at Hogwarts, replacing the previously resigning Sybill Trelawney. Unlike professor Trelawney, Ecolinda was a master Diviner, and had a deeper comprehension for the art of Divinitation, and had more real and accurate predictions. Ecolinda had few students who were fairly talented in the art of divining, and Dayna Wood was one of them. Dayna was a loyal student to her, and often sought her advice in many situations. Ecolinda was a mentor to her, and she enjoyed that.

She sat in her desk in the north tower, crystal gazing, when a knock on the trap door entrance to the classroom. "Come in" Ecolinda said calmly without lifting breaking her gaze by lifting her eyes.

"Professor? It's me..." Dayna said, lifting the trap door and stepping into the classroom.

Ecolinda, recognizing the voice of her young visitor, broke the gaze of her crystal ball, and set it aside.

"Its nice to see you again Dayna" Ecolinda said calmly, smiling a pacifying smile. It seemed that she was always calmed and relaxed, even in the most hectic of times. "What brings you here to visit? Its rather early...I wouldn't want you to miss your first class of the new year..."

"Its about these visions I've been having" Dayna said, a bit hesitant. "They've become more recent especially over the summer"

"I see" Ecolinda said, taking in everything Dayna said and analyzing every aspect to her speech, as if every sound, every word were like a treasure.

"And lately, they haven't been all random tidbits of predictions....they're much clearer. And always of the same sort..."

"Like what exactly?" Ecolinda said, leaning inward towards Dayna, as if showing her interest.

"Well, most recently -- the last two visions I had -- were of this same scene. The first one was when I was on the train, coming to Hogwarts. I saw a woman, her name was Catherine, and she was talking to another woman named Agatha...or something. It was strange, I remember they mentioned Rowena Ravenclaw -- I think it was Rowena Ravenclaw, they said Rowena....yes, I believe that Catherine said that Rowena was her grandmother..."

"Hmmm" Ecolinda said again, trying to analyze the tidbits of information Dayna had given her. "Where were they in your vision? Could you recognize the location?"

"Yes, it looked really familiar. The woman, the one named Agatha, I remember she clearly said 'its so lovely of you to visit the castle' to Catherine. It looked really familiar, and Hogwarts was the only castle I know, so I am assuming that they were in the great hall, at some kind of party almost...."

"Well then, if it took place in the castle, I'm sure that this isn't a prediction, but a vision from the past. For some reason, and I am sure these visions are significant, someone or something is channeling your mind to have these flashbacks. Now I cannot help you in interpreting them, as I am about as clueless as you are on this matter. But I can advise you: research this. Definitely under no circumstances let this go. It obviously has great importance to you, especially this year."

Dayna respected Ecolinda's opinion and promised her that she would look into the visions. Just as Ecolinda suggested she should get to her class, or she would be late, Dayna interrupted.

"-- but then there was last night..."

Ecolinda suddenly turned her head. "Yes I heard about that, in the great hall. I couldn't attend the feast, but the paintings were buzzing around all night about it.... Dayna, does your episode last night have anything to do with your vision?"

"Yes" Dayna said. "Yes it does- I couldn't remember before, but when I thought of you, I remembered...I was in Catherine's body. Not literally inside, but I was her. I remember looking at my hands, and in the mirror, and I was her. The only thing that was a part of me that stayed familiar was my eyes. I could tell, cause they change..."

"yes I remember" Ecolinda said. "You have very unusual eyes indeed, but they tell a lot about your character, and they make you an individual."

"I agree" Dayna said. "But that's why I was so....confused. I thought I was the only person with eyes like this, and I thought that the fact that I was Catherine but with my eyes had some kind of.....symbolic meaning...."

"It could and it couldn't" Ecolinda said thoughtfully. "Perhaps it means that even if you portray your self as someone else, or even become someone else entirely, like you did with Catherine in your vision, you still are you. You still maintain those eyes that identify you."

"I understand that, now" Dayna said "but how couldn't it have symbolic meaning, then?"

"The other possibility is that...."

"That what?" Dayna asked.

"That you have the same eyes. And with those eyes I can only assume one thing..."

"What would that be?"

"That you are blood related to Catherine. Making you the heir of Ravenclaw"

All of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw fifth years were gathered into the Charms classroom. The classroom had an ovular shape, causing the desks to form a semi circle around the Charms teacher Lamondo Holl.

First period charms of Monday mornings was Lamondo's favorite class, as he felt most comfortable in it. He knew the Ravenclaw students well, being the head of Ravenclaw, and the Gryffindors, though occasionally rowdy, not nearly as some of the Slytherin boys.

Lamondo was five minutes into his lesson. "Welcome back to Hogwarts, students. I'm sure you are happy to be up bright and early to join us in charms today, aren't you?" Lamondo was pleased to receive a few laughs from the back of the room.

"Well, just so we know everyone's here to join us, lets take roll. Ok, just say here if you are....."

"Abbot?" "here"

"Ackerly?" "here"

"Archibald?" "here"

"Branstone?" "here"

"Brown?" "here"

"Clearwater?" "um...yes, im here" Kes piped in.

"Crockford?" "here"

"Dunlop?" "Here"

"Finnigan?" "'ere" said Andrew Finnigan, in his thick Irish accent.

"Hazelwood?" "here"

"Jordon?" "here"

"MacMillan?" "here"

"Spinnet?" "here"

"Thomas?" "that would be me" Christie responded smiling obnoxiously at Professor Holl, causing more giggles to erupt. Lamondo Holl took a deep breath and even smiled back at her: he was used her personality after four years.

"Wood?" Finally, no response came to the obnoxious name calling. "Wood? Anyone?"

Suddenly, Dayna burst through the door books in hand. She was panting from running so hard. Professor Holl raised his eyebrows "Wood?"

"Present" Dayna gasped, trying to squeeze in a seat between Kes and Christie.

"I want to see you after class, Wood" Professor Holl said, draining the blood from Dayna's face.

Silence filled the classroom, and was disrupted by Professor Holl clapping his hands together loudly. "Ok, everyone. Today, we're going to learn about the Disillusionment Charm. Does anyone know what that means?"

Like a reflex, Dayna's arm shot in the air. Dayna knew Kes and Christie knew the answer too, but because of the whole "see-me-after-class" incident, they obviously felt bad and wanted to help her get back on Holl's good side.

"Yes, Miss. Wood. What is the Disillusionment Charm?"

"it's a charm which hides the true, magical nature of something."

"Could you give us an example of this?" Lamondo said, testing her. Dayna loved teacher battles: either proving them wrong in their teachings or in their opinion of what she was capable of was a favorite pastime of hers. Apparently, Lamondo did too.

"Well" Dayna said thoughtfully, "its like with magical creatures. The Ministry of magic allows the ownership of animals such as Hippogriffs and Winged Horses, as long as the wizard performing ownership performs a Disillusionment Charm on them regularly so that Muggles won't notice anything strange about them."

"Very well put, Dayna." Lamondo said, making her smile "Now does anything know the incantation for using the disillusionment charm?"

Dayna shot another 'please-just-let-me-get-this-one' look at Christie and Kes, and they in response gave her a 'fine-but-just-this-once' look in return. Dayna smiled with gratitude toward her best friends and mouthed a 'thank you!' to them.

"Anyone? Anyone..." Professor Holl asked, trying to avoid calling on the same student again.

"Uh yeah- does Dayna not have her hand up in the air, waving it like a six-year-old child who has bladder problems and is waiting to go to the bathroom?" Christie shot at professor Holl. The students laughed once again, and Professor Holl couldn't ignore it.

"Thank you for that observation Christiella. Yes Dayna, what is the incantation for the disillusionment charm?"

"Nonpraestigius defixus" Dayna said proudly. "It's a Latin combination of the words non, illusion, and then defixus means spell or charm."

"Very good once again" said Lamondo Holl, and continued with his class.

The first period charms class went by rather slowly, with constant repetitive calling on Kes, Christie, and Dayna. They were said to be the three smartest girls in Ravenclaw, and Christie and Kes were the wildest, but they were still seen as intelligent none the less. Dayna tried to focus on her class and forget about what had happened with Ecolinda, and having to see professor Holl after class.

Finally the dreaded moment came. Lamondo announced the homework for that day, and then told the students that they were dismissed. Christie and Kes waited just outside the classroom, and promised that no matter how mad professor Moody got, they would wait for Dayna so they could be late together.

"Please just step into my office over here" Professor Holl said, gesturing toward his desk. Dayna didn't understand why she was so afraid. She had known professor Holl for four years because of his presence as the Head of Ravenclaw. Now he was like a stranger.

"Look professor Holl, I'm really sorry about being late. I was up in the North Tower with Professor Ecolinda, and I had to run down -"

"Whoa slow down there, and take a breath." Professor Holl first smiled then laughed. "You think I wanted to talk to you because you were late? No, that's happened plenty of times before with other students. And I'm sure that of all people you would have a logical reason. I wanted to talk to you today about your performance in Charms class."

Dayna suddenly grew all the more nervous. "Oh..." She said hesitantly.

"You took the Honors class entrance exam over the summer, correct?"

"Oh God." Dayna thought. "I must have done terribly if he wanted to talk to me about it...." "Yes I did take that exam" Dayna said clearly, trying to sound confident. "What's the problem...did I do badly?"

Lamondo laughed again "No actually, I wanted to talk to you about just the opposite. If you see, you scored amazingly on the test. I think a school record. But I think that you possibly may be too advanced even for the honors class."

"Too advanced for the Honors?" Dayna said "Are- Are you sure?"

She immediately regretted her question. "Of course he's sure" she thought, "he's the bloody teacher."

"Yes, and I was wondering if you would be interested in taking the sixth year course with some of the older students."

Dayna was shocked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I'd love to!" she said excitedly. "But then wouldn't I have to switch around classes and fix my schedule?"

"Way ahead of you." He said. "I checked in with your other teachers after I gave you the first schedule. I found out that the sixth year charms class takes place the same time as your Arithmancy class, and Professor Vector agreed to letting me switch all my classes with his. So instead, you will be taking the same level Arithmancy just the times of your old charms classes."

Lamondo Holl handed her a new schedule. "Arithmancy with the Slytherins, double potions with the Hufflepuffs, Apparation with the Hufflepuffs, Charms with the Gryffindors, Divinitation with the Gryffindors, DADA with the Hufflepuffs, Transfiguration with the Slytherins."

"If you've noticed, you still have it with the Gryffindors, so it wont be much different in atmosphere. Today you will go by your old schedule, but starting tomorrow you run off of this new one, alright?" said Lamondo Holl.

"Alright" Dayna said, clutching her new schedule with pride and beaming madly.

"See you tomorrow, Wood" Lamondo said.

"Thank you!" Dayna said, running out to be greeted by Kes and Christie.

"So what did he want now?" Christie asked.

"You know that exam he held over the summer for whoever wanted to be in his honors class?"

"Ugh that thing?" Kes said. "Firstly, Dayn, I don't see why anyone would want to take an exam over the summer -- especially an optional one -- for a class that if they get into will only pile extra work on their plate."

"Here, here" agreed Christie.

"And secondly, you knew you were going to get in that class anyway. What's the big deal?"

"Just listen! He said that I would probably be too advanced for that, so I'm going to be in the course with the sixth years!"

"Wahoo! Aren't you lucky" Christie said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up and be happy" Kes said, and smiled at Dayna. "Congrats!"

"Wait a second....you said that you're with the sixth years right?" Christie had a look on her face like she had just make a grand discovery. "Are you still taking class with the Gryffindors?"

"Yes......" Dayna said skeptically, wondering what Christie was up to.

Kes all of the sudden caught on. "Oh my god, Dayna, Christie's right!"

"Christie's right about what?" Dayna asked.

"Are you on something Dayna? That's Matthew Diggory's class! You'll be with Matthew Diggory!" Suddenly Kes and Christie broke out in mad screaming fits, causing a group of first years walking by to look wide-eyed and fearfully at them. Dayna laughed, and the others joined.

"I guess its worth Arithmancy first period with the Slytherins then" Dayna laughed.

After her last period class that day, which was a long hour of Transfiguration with the Slytherins, Dayna headed to the library to find out more about her visions. Dayna asked Kes and Christie to come with her, but they rejected her with the usual "oooh- library of death! Sounds very intriguing Dayna, but I'm not sure if I'm up for that kind of excitement right now...sorry..."

She couldn't find anything. She looked up Catherine, Rowena, Ravenclaw Ancestory books, and still couldn't find any Catherine Ravenclaw. She sat alone in the library, just about ready to give up when Lisa Ackerly, a good friend and fellow Ravenclaw pulled up a chair beside her.

"Hey Dayna- you look beat....whatsa matter?" She asked caringly.

"Nothing, just trying to find something and its not ANYWHERE in the library, not even in the restricted section...."

"Sorry, but I can't help you there. I just saw you sitting here with your head on the table, thought you needed some cheering up. Just call on me if you need anything, ok?" Lisa said with a gentle smile.

"Thanks Lise- I know I can count on you" Dayna said, packing up her books. Dayna walked alone back up to the Ravenclaw common room where Kes and Christie were sitting on the floor doing their homework.

"Um...you know the tables are open today, you don't have to work on the floor."

"Yes" Christie said "but we're doing herbology, and Kes thought we'd be a little 'closer to nature' if we worked on the floor..."

Dayna laughed, threw down her book bag, and sat on the floor with her friends.

"So how did the research go?" Kes asked. "Any secrets unfolded yet?"

"Not a thing" replied Dayna. "I couldn't find anything on it."

During lunch that day, Dayna had put forth the effort to telling Kes and Christie about her visions and what happened when she passed out. They weren't really helpful in finding an explanation behind everything, but they did have an abundance of comments on how weird it was, and constantly tried to change the subject back to Matthew Diggory.

"Penelope says that he's even more handsome than his brother was" Kes explained. "She was at school before Cedric, and had graduated just the year before the accident.

"That sucks you were unconscious when he carried you off to the hospital wing" Christie said dreamily, her chin resting in her palms.

Their pleasant conversation in the common room was interrupted by Melanie and Katrina waltzing through common room to the door, purposely stepping on their books as they passed Christie, Kes, and Dayna on the floor.

After Katrina was barely out of earshot, Christie threw a textbook at Katrina's head calling her something obscene.

"I envy your aim, Kessie" Christie said to Kes. If Kes had thrown the book at her, she would be out cold for days.

The girls laughed and worked days, weeks, and months of the Hogwarts year away, enjoying themselves for what they at the time didn't know would be the most 'normal' time of their year.