Ailouros Tails book 4: The Return

Chapter 1~ Going Forward

Will watched as Ailouros let the news sink in. her green-blue eyes watched him unsure if he was toying with her.

"So you're really my brother?" She asked. He could clearly hear the hesitation in her voice.

"I think so." Staring into her eyes he saw the faded brown ring around the iris of her eyes. He momentarily lost himself in the ocean coloring of her eyes. It caught him by surprise when she suddenly gave him a hug.

"I'm glad you're my brother then." Her tone was soft with a slight purr to it.

"I'm glad I'm your brother too Kitty." He smiled softly at her.

***

I smiled at my brother. It was still strange to me but then it would be. I looked back at the blue police box. It had been years since Will told me I was his sister. Am and I finished our training about a month ago.

Finally, we were heading back home to our time. It would be strange to be waking up back at Hogwarts tomorrow. Due to our training Am and I would be up earlier than everyone and have nothing to do now. No training or practice.

"Allycat. It's time to go... You ready?" Am asked turning to me.

I nodded. "I guess so... You?"

Am smiled gently. "It'll be okay. We will come to visit from time to time."

Sighing I headed towards the blue police box and followed Am inside. As the door shut I saw Will and gave a small wave goodbye to my brother. When the door shut I looked around the inside of the TARDIS. It didn't take me long to find the pool and I just sat on the edge quietly. Closing my eyes I could sense the movement of us traveling through time.

After a while Am came and found me beside the pool. "Allycat it's time for us to go. We're back at our own time... Back home."

I stood and headed out after thanking The Doctor for a way back to Hogwarts and our own time. Am stayed behind and said her goodbyes so I just headed inside keeping my cloak on as it now felt like a shield against what was to come. As soon as Nico and Percy saw me they raced over.

"Ailouros! Your back!" Percy said grinning as I got the life squeezed out of me from his hug. Nico stayed a step back. I knew he was watching.

When Percy let me go he looked me over. "You've gotten so tall! Are you ready for class?"

"I guess..." I murmured.

Nico came up beside me, "Come on Ailouros. Let's get to class. Flying class is next."

Percy stayed back with Travis and Conner to wait for Amaterasu.

***

As we walked outside I glanced at Draco Malfoy and kept going to the broomstick I would use.

Nico stayed beside me calmly and honestly, I appreciated his simple company.

"Hey, Ailouros! Is the little kitty cat back after running to daddy?" Malfoy sneered.

I glared at him my hand gripping my bow.

"What's with the cape? Liking Slytherin enough to wear our colors now?" Malfoy teased trying to get a reaction.

Nico looked at me standing calmly silent. "You may want to shut up now Malfoy," He warned.

"What are you going to do? You going to give me a skeleton to run from little boy?" He turned on Nico.

I narrowed my eyes, "What did you say Malfoy?"

"OOOH! The little boy needs a puny kitty to defend him. How pathetic!" He laughed with his idiot friends. "What's she gonna do? Scratch me?"

"Maybe ill scratch you, maybe ill do something else," I replied calmly.

"AAH! It speaks!" Malfoy and his friends were laughing too hard to notice me grab an arrow and notch it on my bow. Professor McGonagal was hurrying towards me. I let the arrow fly several inches from Malfoy's head making the mocking laughter stop. Everything was silent as the arrow thudded into a tree and softly quivered there.

"AILOUROS OCEAN! Come with me!" Professor McGonagall went to grab my arm but I pulled away.

After retrieving my arrow I followed her back to the school and up towards the office of the headmaster Dumbledore. I refused to give up my bow, arrows, or knives.

She sat me down on a seat. "Wait here." She then left me by myself on the chair. I closed my eyes and listened.

"She nearly shot Draco with that thing... I think she's been through too much and should continue her studies apart from the other students." McGonagall was speaking. "Amaterasu seems calmer than she had been when Ailouros vanished so I think she should be okay with the others."

"You truly think it's wise to separate her from the other demigods like that?" Dumbledore asked. There was a pause then he sighed, "Do what you think is best for her Minerva. She is in your house."

"Thank you dumbledore. I'm sure Lupin would be willing to help catch her up to the others and with her temper." I heard Minerva McGonagall say then her footsteps were coming closer so I opened my eyes quietly fingering my silver oakleaf.

"Come." She walked off toward the doorway and I followed.

To my 'surprise' we arrived at Professor Lupins' classroom and entered.

"Remus Lupin. I need you to be the one to teach her in all her studies. Apart from the other students. We may also require her to stay somewhere else than her normal Gryffindor dormitory. You may start now." With that McGonagall left the room.

Lupin looked me over and raised an eyebrow. "So what did you do little one?"

"I was defending Nico and myself," I answered, head held high.

"From?" Lupin asked.

"Draco," I answered with a shrug.

"Are you okay Ailouros?" Lupin asked softly and I just nodded. "What did he do?"

"Shot an arrow between them." I gave him a small smile. "He asked for it and I made sure not to hit any of them. The arrow was several inches away from hitting any of them."

He smiled, "You know... You remind me a lot of a person I knew once. Im not sure if it's such a good thing that you remind me of him."

"Who is he?" I looked at him curiously.

"Me," Lupin said sitting up straighter.

"Huh... How do I remind you of yourself?" My curiosity was burning inside of me but I held it in quietly knowing that asking too many questions at once wouldn't provide any new answers.

"Well... I suppose we should get you caught up with the others." Lupin said changing the subject.

"Okay," I replied quietly knowing I just had to be patient.

I spent the rest of the day learning in Professor Lupins' classroom. By night I was tired enough I was nearly asleep on my desk.

"Come on Ailouros. Let's get you to bed." Lupin said softly.

I stood and started off towards the Gryffindor tower when Lupin stopped me.

"For now... You're in the hut by the whomping willow." He said gently and guided me outside to the tree.

"What about Shadow and October? Where are they? Are they okay?" These and a million other questions rushed out before I could stop them.

Lupin smiled softly. "Your two cats are fine Ailouros. You'll see them soon enough."

"Okay..." Once inside the hut, he showed me the passageway as a backdoor, where my bed was, and my other things. It looked like I would end up being there for quite some time.

When Lupin finished the grand tour, he left me to figure out where I wanted to put things. Quietly I organized my scarce belongings and started to draw. Before I knew it I had drawn my brother Will Treaty beside Halt Gilan and Horace. "I wonder why they put me away from the other Gryffindors..." I asked myself softly. Sighing I put the picture on the wall. "Maybe things will be okay again tomorrow."

Somehow I just knew it wouldn't. I couldn't explain it, but I knew things would not be okay for a while.