I sometimes hate myself. This story will have no reference to the seventh book most probably. I will not change it to stick to the seventh book story either. So please read this, and once the last novel comes out, I don't want to hear, "But Harry blah blah blah!"
Slash and hetero pairings will be mentioned. The canon James/Lily, Frank/Alice, Arthur/Molly and the sort. As well as Severus/Harry, Sirius/Remus, etc. etc. There will be various one-sided attractions and OCs.
This is the first part of a seven part story. Phantom Sanctuary will be one story but it will be separated into different parts/chronicles. This is the First Chronicle... Phantom Sanctuary: Into the Light

000..."An Invitation to the Blazing Heat"

The bright flash of light; a brilliant mix of scarlet and green, as both shades dripped with magic. Spectators' necks bent as the prophecy from years before, was finally being played out before their eyes.

It was a surprisingly noiseless moment, only the electric sparks and rapid buzzing of magic in the air.

And Harry Potter found the pressure on his mental barriers surprisingly comforting. Both his hands were trembling violently as he fought to keep hold on his wand, sweat wetting his palms and wrists. It couldn't last forever this way...

"Aren't you a bit tired Potter?"

Harry glanced up at the other wizard, whose magic fought strongly against his. Lord Voldemort... hanging on his last string of life; reduced to magic, body, and parseltongue.

Harry cried out as the magicked wind around them began to cut into his skin and he could faintly hear people calling his name in the background, "Tired of this," he snapped back, referring to their bond. Voldemort smirked. Harry didn't know if he understood or not, seeing as the only words that came from the other wizard were made out in Parseltongue and Harry spoke back in English—or at least he hoped so.

The movement at that second was abrupt and unexpected, but Harry saw it all. Voldemort whipped his arm away, successfully breaking their connection and swiftly side-stepping the crimson light. Harry's mouth parted as he watched the spell fizz out midway. Perhaps he held out that particular spell too long...

Voldemort was quick enough for a man of his state. Souls ripped apart, being brought back to life from nothingness, and hanging only by whatever thin cord that held him together.

Momentary panic caught up with Harry as he flung spells left and right, but missing the Dark Lord each time.

"Shaky aren't we Potter?" Voldemort cackled, his own spider-leg fingers wrapping around the light hilt of his wand—raising and aiming.

Harry suspected Voldemort would've taken that chance to blast his head off his shoulders, but it was when the shrills of his name caused him to trip in surprise, and a flash of gold caught his attention.

"Neville!" Harry called behind him, ripping the gold chain from his neck; its aged metal digging and ripping the back of his neck, and he pitched it to the boy, "Destroy it!"

Harry grit his teeth when Voldemort's eyes glazed in recognition, and the inhumane snarl that left his thin lips left the boy trembling with shivers.

This had to happen.

Neville saw Harry hurl something to his far right, calling his name and giving a curt order to demolish whatever it was.

Injured from the earlier attacks of the hopefully final battle, Neville crawled over to the item, it's metallic shell reflecting the sun's light onto his face and leaving a round sheen on his cheek. Gasping from pain and exhaustion, Neville dug his bloodied fingers into the harsh soil, ripping out the blood-stained grass from where it grew.

A locket. A golden locket that looked somewhat worn out and a thin golden chain that traveled out in silky waves above it. Neville pointed his wand to it without a thought...

"Aboleo."

It'd be a lie if Harry said he knew what was going on. It'd be a lie if Harry said that he thought he would live to see the end of the day.

But it was a soft voice that beckoned him. An androgynous voice and a sweet, sugar smell that enveloped his fatigued body with a warm embrace, "What is your wish?"

Harry let his eyes flutter shut, "I want to see my parents... just one more time..."

"Death is but a road, and life-reborn is another."

It didn't make much sense to him. Magic began to spark in the air around him, and the snug covers left his body. Harry immediately missed the comfort. But his eyes wouldn't open, his body refused to move, and his mind... his mind was shutting down on him as well.

"Choose the road you desire."

And Harry slept.

-be continued-

Uh-huh. Title came from B'z – "It's SHOWTIME!"

Edited: Friday, January 19, 2007