Harry Potter, Master Mage and head of Defensive Magic Research in the Department of Mysteries headed down the halls to his office. Ten years had passed since his defeat of Voldemort and in that time he had studied magic from the most ancient civilizations, the wards of the Egyptian tombs, the animation techniques of the Chinese emperors, Greek Illusionary spells and Druid magic deep in the heart of the Amazon. He had also taken the time to study Alchemy and Element manipulation from Nicholas Flamel and Perenelle Flamel. Most of this was of course unknown by the general Public but a few, Hermione, Ron, Luna and Neville, knew he was as strong as he was. Even before the war had ended Harry had been studying all he could from Mad-Eye and Sirius. Dumbledore had taken all of sixth year to train him in battle transfiguration and enchanting. Harry had in turn taught much of what he learned to the DA and many lives had been saved because of it during an attack on the Hogwarts Express the following year while Harry, Hermione, and Ron had gone on the camping trip from hell the following year.
Harry often found himself reminiscing as he walked down these halls lately. With Hermione heading Hogwarts and Ron running the muggle relations office Harry found himself alone most of the time. Sure Luna and Neville would stop by when they were in the country but both spent most of their time searching or rare plants and animals to document them. Ginny had died in the final battle and Harry had thrown himself into his studies after that, which was most of the reason for his traveling even if he didn't want to admit it.
He was not un happy with his life but Harry knew something was missing. He had grown up as the focal point of a war and studied and immersed himself in defensive magic since a young age. His body and magic quite literally yearned for action and sitting behind a desk and running a few experiments every now and then was just not what he wanted in life. No he would never wish war or distress on any one but he needed something to keep him active.
When Harry arrived at his office he smiled at all the relics he had, most he had found in his travels or as his time as a field operative for the Department. They had all at one time been cursed in one way or another but now they were as harmless as the artifacts in a muggle museum. Harry sat behind his desk and started sorting through the paperwork. Request of transfer, reason unstated, denied. Requested use of the ritual chamber, dark artifact decanting, granted. Mission report, success, commission for lost blade of Kratos, paid and shipped to Grecian DOM. Goblin leader Ragnook Requesting a training seminar sorted into consideration box. A letter from Hermione asking Harry to teach advanced Runes, again. Harry sighed and set down his inkwell pen. So utterly boring. He pressed a rune on his desk in the upper right corner there was a buzzing noise and a few moments later a woman's voice came through the same spot.
"Yes Higdon?" Harry smiled slightly at his codename.
"Natalie Tell Croaker I will be leaving early today and cancel my appointments tomorrow. I am taking the day off to fly." Harry said in a voice that brooked no argument.
"Of course sir, See you on Monday." She said sweetly before the connection was cut.
Harry stood quickly and checked himself over, he had his wand on his sleeve, the elder wand and the other two hollow's along with his broom and his personal book of shadows in the Mokeskin pouch around his neck, his supply of emergency potions in the inner lining of his robe and a communication mirror if he needed. He nodded satisfied with himself and pulled on his outer robe. He walked over to his office fireplace and threw in some Floo powder, "Marauder's Den." He said calmly. He was instantly consumed in green flame and transported to a small manor on large grounds outside of Wiltshire near Stone Henge. It was a modest three story place with a garage and twenty acres of land thirteen miles west of the ancient Druid site under Fidilus and personally warded by himself and Hermione.
He appeared in the entrance hall and was greeted by Winky the house elf. "Welcome home Harry, shall I prepare dinner for you?" She asked eagerly.
"Not quite yet Winky. I'm going flying tonight, I'll send a messenger Patroness when I am on my way back." Harry said wasting no time in walking to the front doors to see it was storming outside, Harry smirked, Perfect.
The house elf huffed but nodded, "Master knows Winky's thoughts about him going out in stormeses but I cannot stop you. I will have hot stew and roast ready for your return." She said in a tone of definition.
Harry nodded as the wind and rain whipped about him as he stood on the steps of his house the doors flung open from the force of the storm. Harry smirked as thunder clapped in the distance. He could already feel adrenaline pumping through him. At the next flash of lightning Harry was replaced with a black and silver bird with bright green eyes, it was a beautiful and terrible creature its wings flared in the wind. He flapped once and was gone in a flash of his own lightning. Winky shook her head and banished the water that had managed to get in and closed the doors.
~~~
Harry, or as he was known in his storm bird form Higdon, reappeared in a crackle of lightning high in the sky in the center of the storm clouds. He few in and out of the currents rising and falling with the wind, spinning, twirling and pulling loops as the wind drove him. He was quite literally in his element here. Very few where strong enough to have a magical Animagus and only Harry had ever become a breed of Phoenix. Harry had been ecstatic when he found out his animal form and had finally been able to change. Harry was able to get his thrill here in the sky dodging and weaving through lightning, sometimes even making it. Harry felt his magic start to lead him East toward Stone Henge and followed the pull.
As a Master Mage he had learned early on in his studies that his magic would never steer him wrong. He had a connection with it that few ever gained and as such it would show him things others would not normally see or experience. Harry followed the pull of magic that seemed to flow perfectly with the wind current. Soon Harry was circling high above the ancient ritual grounds of Stone
Henge, known to the ancestors as the circle of the sun and moon because the most sacred rituals and rites where preformed here on the longest day and night of the year. If Harry was correct tonight was that night was tonight, the winter solstice. He saw some worshipers milling around a fire in the center of the ritual ring around a fire, all dressed in traditional Druidic garb for the occasion, that is to say nothing at all. Harry could sense that most where magical, but there were some muggles there as well. Harry stayed and observed watching as the priest and priestess began chanting in Nordic at ten minutes before midnight. Harry knew that since it was a religious ceremony they weren't breaking the statute of secrecy as he felt and saw the magic start to swirl in the area becoming a virtual tornado of color and magic rising into the air and crating a hole in the storm cloud. The magic reacted with the natural lightning making it more intense. Harry flew low to join the circle as the chant began to crescendo along with the lightning show. Many of the observers were startled to see a storm phoenix appear as they were among the rarest of the rare breed of magical creatures. As he was about to land on the priests shoulder, who he noticed was Neville, and that the priestess was Luna he was struck by lightning. The last thing he saw before he was taken up in a swirl of magic and color was Luna smiling and saying, "Be at peace Harry, and find your true destiny." After that everything went black.