Prologue
Harry Potter smiled at his soon to be wife; they had both decided that it would be better to wait until after the wedding to sleep together. That they shouldn't rush things and that they had the whole of their lives to be together now that Voldemort was gone. That and they were both in mourning for Fred, who had died in the final battle. Harry watched as Ginny breathed deeply in and out, curled next to him in the bed, he was going to be eighteen years old soon, an age that he was never sure of reaching. He gently moved a lock of hair from her face, before lying back in their bed at Grimwald Place.
He watched his clock tick down the minutes left before the moment of his birth, hardly believing that he could be so blessed. He watched, as the clock got closer to midnight, until finally he turned eighteen. There was a brilliant flash and Harry felt himself light on fire. He screamed, he was in agony, he was being burned alive. He ran from the bed and stared in horror at his body, covered in flames. "GINNY GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, SAVE YOURSELF." He shouted and Ginny stirred waking up confused and staring at Harry in shock. "GET OUT OF THE HOUSE NOW, I THINK SOMEONE CURSED ME, PLEASE GINNY IT ISN'T SAFE."
Ginny stared at him a moment longer, before she turned and ran from their home. Harry stared after her, relieved that she had gotten out, that she was safe. The room around him was on fire as well, as he burned. He screamed and screamed, yet no matter what spells he tried, nothing could stop the flames. He wasn't just a part of the fire, he was the fire, it burned inside of him, as well as burning in the room. He felt the agony inside of him, he shrieked and the sound that emerged from his throat wasn't one a human could make. He shrieked again and again, until finally the blackness took him.
He was freedom and he was the wind, he laughed as he spread his wings and soared away from the burning building that would soon be no more then ash. He would find his destined one, the one that he was meant for and he would be cherished by them, as the great gift he was. He flew in the direction of his destined one, determined to reach them, to be with them, to croon to him, to have chicks with him in his human form. To live their lives together and to grant them a long life. He streaked across the sky, one of the most powerful magical creatures in the world, shouting his joy to the heavens.
He landed in a strange dwelling, those who walked on two legs might have called it a mansion. Yet the word for it didn't matter to him at the moment, in fact no words mattered, except for destined one. It beat over and over again in his mind, with each new flap of his wings. He found a balcony, the door was open to let in cool air. He smiled then, soon he would be with his destined one, and then they could begin their lives together. He found his destined one lying asleep in his nest, he smiled and landed softly on the man's chest. The man sighed in his sleep, one hand coming out of the covers and wrapping around the wild being that was now his. He sighed in his sleep and the wild one let out a contented chirrup, before closing his eyes, putting one wing over them, before falling asleep.
Chapter One
Draco frowned as he opened his eyes, something was heavy on his chest and there was a contented thrum coming from his chest. He knew that despite how little he actually knew of his inheritance that Veelas never made such a noise. A wonderful smell filled the air and danced upon the wind. It was fire and trees after rain, it also smelled slightly of roses and the static tang of power clung to it. He felt his world lock into place, as he opened his eye and saw a phoenix sleeping on his chest. All that mattered to him now was this impossibly big bird that must have been doing the bird equivalent of snoring. Draco stared at him in wonder a moment, before breaking into hysterical laughter. Of course with his luck he'd be mated to a phoenix, considering that nothing had gone right for Draco Malfoy of late, why should this be the exception. Veelas were supposed to mate with humans, because he couldn't mate properly with consent from a bloody bird, how ever was Draco going to survive past his next birthday. His laughter woke the phoenix and it opened luminous green eyes. "Merlin your eyes look just like Potter's."
The phoenix cocked its head and let out a inquiring and interested sound. "Potter is most likely no one, you'll ever meet. He's a speckled git, with more luck then sense and likes to make himself out to be better than me. No one is better then me, you hear me mate?" He asked the phoenix and the bird looked at him once more, letting out a trill.
"Good bird, you know who's the greatest wizard here, don't you? If only the rest of the world would share your sentiments, but mine is the curse of beauty and nobility and all are jealous of me. To have one such as you as a mate, clearly shows that they were wrong to imprison me. My father always taught me that it is better to hide who you truly are, that way you never get hurt if someone rejects you. Still you would never reject me would you, you have no choice but to be with me now and as I am yours, you are mine." Draco said and stroked the Phoenix's feathers for the first time. The bird leaned into the caress for a moment, before moving towards Draco's hair. "Not the hair please, later you might groom my wings if you wish, but don't touch the hair." The Phoenix let out a sound that sounded entirely too much like laughter. "Hey don't you laugh at me you bloody bird. I'd better get down to breakfast, otherwise my 'dark wizard sitters' will have a field day. Well let us put on the mask and greet the day with aplomb, no matter how demeaning this might be." Draco said and went to the closet to get some clothes. The bird called out for him and Draco barely had enough time to change before it had landed on his shoulders.
"Oof, you weigh a ton, you know what, you look like a Thunder, always thundering about the place, what do you think boy?" Malfoy asked and the phoenix let out a singsong trill. "I suppose that means you judge the name accurate, am I correct, nod your head if you agree that I have superior naming abilities." Draco said and smiled as the phoenix nodded his head. "That's a good boy Thunder, I believe that we will get on amicably, although I think I'll go barmy from the lack of sex." Thunder let out a descending trill. "I am a Malfoy and Malfoys don't fuck magical birds, no matter how beautiful they might be." He said and the Phoenix had the nerve to point at Malfoy and let out a sound that sounded like descent, before it gestured to one of his wings. "Veela are considered a magical humanoid, not a Avialie magicus, like you your fine self are. We had better go now, my taskmasters are waiting after all and you never keep an auror waiting they get tetchy." Draco said and winced as he walked down the stairs. "We are going to demand that we go to Diagon Alley before we help with the rebuilding, my poor shoulder will not be able to stand up to your prodigious size." He said and the bird squawked and ran a beak through Malfoy's hair. "Cut that out you and I guess that did come out wrong, I just meant to say that you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen, despite that you are a very large bird and it is alas not entirely comfortable for me to have you on my shoulders, though I do like you so close to me."
With that Draco began to elegantly saunter down the staircase, reaching the bottom of it and turning towards the dining room. He nearly gave away his aloof persona, when the Aurors actually dropped their jaws and gaped at him. "I do believe that you are supposed to chew with one's mouth closed." Draco said and took his seat at the head of the table. Unfortunately his parents were still in prison awaiting trial and it would be far from easy to determine their fates. As his Mother was the mate to his father, if they were to kill him, she would not last long after her death. Draco was worried for his parents, he thought for certain that they would win the war and everything within the wizarding world would go back from the world the muggleborns had made it over time and change instead to the ways of the old order that Draco thought to be superior. Before the introduction of muggleborns, wizards had lived in harmony with all creatures and the lands, but do to the twisted depravity of muggles, the traditional ways had slowly declined, until perhaps there were only truly fifty families left in Great Britain that followed the old ways. The old ways could be taught, but it was as much a religion as a way of practicing magic and the thing about faith was that it was hard to convince others to believe, when they were not born believing. Still Draco didn't want the way he lived his life to be gone, within a few generations, because of people immigrating and demanding changes to their constitution. As it was the wizarding climate of Great Britain was no longer stable, yet Draco and others like them remained. They were the last decendants of the draiyed, the first wizards that had dwelt in what was now Great Britain.
They had been wrong to put their trust in a man, though although from an ancient family was not raised in their ways. They had paid for it, when Draco's family swore fealty to a man that was slowly loosing his sanity. The things that his father had been forced to do were terrible, Draco had seen how the war had affected his father and how his Father had clearly believed that it might be better if the other side won by the end. Still it was no better then it had been before the war, in fact in many ways it was worse. Draco took some of the silver platters and gathered food to his plate. He took all of what was left of the bacon, some eggs, toast, beans and jam. He used to eat plain oatmeal in the morning, to be nourished by that which came directly from the mother. Still he had found that oatmeal was not enough to see him through lunch, while he had to perform menial labor, to assist in the rebuilding for a people that had spent centuries subjugating his own.
He occasionally rolled up bacon and fed it to the Phoenix, who made small chirrups of pleasure at the treat, as he delicately took the bacon from Draco's fingers. Finally the bird turned his head away, clearly having his fill of food. Draco smiled and continued to eat his own breakfast, as his mate had now been seen to. "I need to go to Diagon Alley, before starting work today, I would be too fatigued after helping with the rebuilding, to get the necessary supplies for Thunder."
"How on earth did a Phoenix bond to the likes of you?" One of his guards burst out.
"Perhaps I am not the man you think I am, perhaps our side had our reasons, just as you did. Perhaps we thought our way of life, those that do not believe in the rights were threatening our very existence and rituals we live our lives by. Perhaps we didn't wish to share that which we held sacred and have it be ridiculed by the masses, so we turned to what seemed like the only option left to us. I am a man of honor and I have never killed and yet I am held prisoner in my own house, merely because my Grandfather was loyal to a man that turned out to be mad. However once we swore to be his vassal, our other vassals were brought into the war as well. Proud and noble families died for naught, because of a madman's need to regain what we had lost. The entire war could be summed up to a simple fact, the old ways are not for those not born to them. They can never truly understand them, as they have not grown up believing in the values and beliefs we hold sacred. Now will you allow me to get what I require to take care of my companion, or will you deny me the most basic of necessities and have an innocent Phoenix suffer for your cruelty?" He inquired and the air around him became static, Thunder nuzzled his head against Draco's reassuringly and Draco felt himself calm almost instantly.
"The bird is clearly a young one, he only has three plumes, he will need special care and it will need to be determined if he is just a phoenix."
"You say that if it was nothing to be a phoenix, phoenixes are creatures of light in their purest form. They are a gift from the Mother and the Father, one of their first children and need to be accorded respect as such. While it is true that magical humanoids have bred with Phoenixes in the past, it is rare to a descendant with the soul of a phoenix inside of them. I feel that the odds that my companion is able to shift form are highly unlikely. I will not have him submitted to tests that may well be very painful for him to endure." He said. "In any event my phoenix is his own person and it has been determined that Phoenixes are just as intelligent as wizards are and need to be treated as such." He said, he couldn't bare to hope that just maybe his mate was more then an animal, phoenixes were highly intelligent, yet how could he truly be with a phoenix as a veela needed to be with his mate?
"We would never harm a phoenix."
"I do not know what those that do not follow the old ways are capable of. Just as you do not truly know what those of the old ways are capable of. We have codes of honor that people like you cannot begin to imagine and a culture different from the wizarding world, although we have heavily influenced the wizarding world as it is rightfully ours. We allowed for muggleborns to study from us, to learn what we had to teach them and they repay it by trying again and again to change our world for the better. What they really do is make our world more like theirs and attempt to destroy our way of life. I will state this clearly and you might quote me on it, as long as muggles attempt to destroy our way of life, there will be war. You may be able to stop it by destroying all that follow the old ways, still that would make you less then the monsters you seek. By destroying a culture and history that has been around for thousands of years, a system of honor that you can't possibly understand, you are committing genocide and therefore no better then the dark lord. The Dark Lord had the courage to do something at least, before the insanity got to him, he saw the need for the preservation of the old ways. The only way that I'm speaking to you of this, is that its clear to all in this room that my heart is pure. Still having a pure heart is one thing, people can accomplish many things that others would consider horrible with pure hearts. It means only that I do not enjoy killing or bloodshed, that in fact I would attempt to avoid them whenever possible. It does not mean that I am incapable of them, after all Dumbledore was capable of a great many things and he was pure of heart." He sighed. "Now may we go, or will you continue to simply stare at me like fools?" He demanded.
"We can go, but only for an hour, then we must return to Hogwarts."
"As you wish." Draco said and bowed highly insultingly, though as those not privy to the old ways, they didn't understand the gesture. He walked with the other Aurors to outside of the manor and took one of their hands as they disappeared. He found himself in Diagon Alley the Phoenix seemed interested at the people coming and going with lumber and other supplies floating about the buildings. He let out a high-pitched call, before leaping from Draco's shoulders and flying over Diagon Alley, he turned on the wind, banking his body and Draco smiled. His mate was a beautiful creature, it didn't matter to him that their relationship could never be what was considered controversial, seeing him flying up above in the sky, Draco felt truly blessed. He watched his mate for a moment longer, before heading into the Magical menagerie. "Hello I'm looking for several large perches and a shoulder pad big enough for a phoenix. I think I could also use some books on phoenixes as one just recently bonded itself to me." He said and the man behind the cash register stared wide-eyed at Draco a moment, before getting together his purchases. "Before I leave, is there any particular diet that phoenixes are supposed to eat?"
"They love flavored smoke and well charred meats, they also have a sweet tooth. Other then that they liked to be groomed and enjoy grooming. You may want to buy several self cleaning cat boxes as Phoenixes are fastidious creatures, that can't stand being dirty or being around their own filth."
"Yes, add them to my purchases as well, this is to be charged to the Malfoy account in Gringotts." Draco said and the man nodded, Draco was relieved yet again that the Ministry couldn't cease his assists, or demand that he pay anything at all to them. There were five unbreakable wizard laws and that was one of them. Another was that a seat couldn't be taken from an old family, even if that family was no longer a part of the wizard community, once the last of a line died, he could transfer his seat over to someone that he deemed shared his values. Draco's father had held twenty seats in the Wizardgammat and once given, only the wizard that held the seat, could give the seat to another. Therefore when it came time for Lucius' trial, Draco would abstain and give the seats over to someone he trusted for a period of one meeting of the wizardgammat. The only problem was that he had no idea of whom to trust and as a relation to the accused, he could not be impartial at the trial. That was the third unbreakable rule, if a wizard that sat on the wizardgammat, could not see the other side in the conversation, then he was excused from the trial. The fourth rule was that the political structure of the wizarding world could not be changed, even though the minister had as much power as a king at some points in history, the wizardgammat was a force to be not taken lightly. Even if Voldemort had won, he would have become Minister and would still have to listen at least superficially to the wizardgammat. That was why most Dark wizards moved to the continent or further away, if they wished to truly rule someone.
Draco sighed wishing that he could go back to seeing the world as black and white, but thanks to Potter he could never think that way again. He and Potter had been rivals, if not all out enemies and yet Potter had saved Draco's life, at the risk of his own. Draco was beginning to realize that the world was not black and white as most of the wizarding populace believed, but there were as many shades of grey.
He rubbed at his temples, shrinking his purchases, apart from the shoulder pads, which he put onto his shoulders and saw two medallions as well, hanging from a hook. He had no idea that the menagerie sold necklaces of knowing. They were usually reserved for close friends, or bonded partners. He supposed that they could work just as well for intelligent animals and so bought the set, putting one around his neck and wincing as it absorbed into his skin. Now if he ever figured out how to change his form, besides the one of a veela, the necklace had bonded to his magic and would stay on him.
He walked outside and gave a sharp whistle, he heard the Phoenix whistle back and smiled. Thunder landed on the cobblestones and cocked his head at Draco, as if to say "Well what do you want?"
"I have here a necklace that I'd like for you to wear, if you would permit me to put it around your neck." Draco said. "It will allow me to know where you are if I wish it and will allow you to know the same of me. If you were human, we would be able to communicate through a spell that's much like legitimancy, or mind reading if you prefer. I might still be able to communicate with you, who knows the charm might work, or it might not. It's a matter of applied magic and Phoenixes have a lot of magic, though I'm not sure if I could understand you, even if we could talk." The phoenix bent his head and nodded slightly, Draco secured the necklace around the Phoenix's head and smiled at him. "Don't go far alright, we'll have to leave once I've got what I need to have to take care of you properly." Draco said and smiled as the Phoenix flew into the sky. He watched his familiar dart about on the air currents for a moment, before he walked to Flourish and Blots. "I need every book you have on Phoenixes and caring for them." He said to store clerk.
"Anything else you need?" The man asked and Draco felt his hair stiffen at the rudeness in the man's tone.
"No I will be taking my business elsewhere and if you wish to maintain custom, you may wish to be more civil to those that enter your shop. Regardless of who they might have sworn fealty in the war, if you want to have their business, you would do well to give them the same respect that you give your other customers. Otherwise you will have a part of the population that is already resentful become even more so, this is not a threat, simply a statement of fact. Good day sir." Draco said and turned on his heel leaving the shop, his shoulders back and his gaze strait ahead. "I am done for now, though I may wish to visit Hogsmead later and procure my novels from a more hospitable shop." Draco said and took out his wand, he marked the shop with the mark of the trinity, of dark, light and grey, before grasping the hand of an auror. "Well what are you waiting for man, do show some level of competence." He said, as his familiar settled between his shoulders and started to gently tease Draco's hair with his beak. "Stop that you." Draco said and laughed, his bad mood gone. "Hey watch the hair." He said and Thunder let out a small song, which made Draco's sprits lighten almost instantly. He smiled then a genuine smile, as the auror apparated them away. He managed to school his expression, as they arrived just outside the badly damaged Hogwarts wards. They walked inside and Draco felt Thunder shiver slightly. "What is it Thunder?" He asked as the Phoenix continued to shake.
"Many died here." A girl with white hair said and stared at the lake. "To a Phoenix it feels as though he has failed somehow, but he hasn't. He was not there and their deaths were not his fault. Although most had stasis spells put on them hours after death, perhaps if their soul still lingers it might not be too late. The four-month period has not passed and the veil hasn't completely closed on their lives. Some souls might be departed, but he could attempt to save some if he so chose." She said and got that far off look in her eyes, when once she spoke it was not in her own voice, but in the voice of a much older woman. "One of hair of night with magic light, one of hair of moons, but magic of dark, bound together by soul's spark. Hark and listen to what I speak, for as you sow, you shall reap. If ways are not combined, both shall be lost for all of time. More tears will be shed in rivers of red, if you do not heed what I have said. I ask you not to abandon all, but rather to transform so all might survive and thrive, through this tormented time. The balance cannot be undone, the dark and the light, always they fight, but between them exists the grey. The balance of magic should never truly sway." She started to collapse and Draco caught her, staring at the girl and seeing her in a new light.
"Your a seer!" Draco said and bowed deeply to her. "My Lady I know not what to say."
"I'm a seer, well that explains why the air tells me things." Luna frowned. "Well what did I say."
"Something that worries me." Draco said and frowned. "I do not believe that it was my prophesy you spoke, so I have no right to utter it, perhaps the others that heard your words will tell you of them." Draco said and walked away towards the building. The Phoenix took off, flying high above Draco and letting out a song.
"Aren't you going to try to save them, if you asked your familiar..." The auror said.
"Why should I, if I tried to save those I cared about, they would only be on trial and killed again. As for the others, why should I save others that have been my enemies."
"What of Severus?"
"What of him, he clearly was only interested in himself. I don't know if even a Phoenix could save him."
"But he could try, the seer was right from what has been discovered of the veil between realms, it isn't too late." The auror said stubbornly and Draco stared up at Thunder, he was a sight to behold.
"I don't control Thunder, he is a companion, more then a familiar, he will do as he wishes." Draco said. "Now if you don't mind I have forced menial labor to get to and you are taking up my time with your useless babble." Draco said and turned from the auror, he had a splitting headache and his whole life had turned around so many times in the last few months, yet it would be four months since the end of the war tomorrow and too late for anyone to be saved. He took a deep breath and called to Thunder through the stone, the Phoenix landed on his shoulders and Draco apparated away. He found the plot of land Malfoys used as a burial ground for those friends and vassals that could not afford to be buried on their own land, or wished to rest on the Malfoy's. Draco split aside the soil and stared down at the white face of what had once been a second father to him. "Can you spill tears for this man, you did not know him, but he was once very important to me." Draco said and felt the phoenix lift from his shoulders and land on Severus' chest, the bird sang a sorrowful song, that brought tears to Draco's eyes and then Severus' chest rose and fell and rose again. Draco stared at the man that was now breathing, the cut in his neck vanished, as if it had never been. He canceled the stasis charm, but Severus still did not stir. He jumped down into the grave and took Severus' body into his arms, before apparating to the reception desk at Saint Mungos. He went to Godric's Hollow next, looking for newly dug graves and found many, he opened them all and watched as his companion flew from one to the other, some did not breath again, while others did. Draco frantically thought of more burial sites, going to all those he knew of, but they were burial sites for those of the old ways, he had no way of knowing where others buried their dead. He cast warming spells on those still living and felt a wild joy rise in him, with each person he saved. He began to open the graves of deatheaters as well, before apparating those that still lived to one of the safe houses his father owned. He was careful not to choose those that had scared him and been cruel to him, but chose instead that had shown a young man some kindness. He apparated back to the outskirts of Hogwarts, uncaring that he'd broken his parole. He threw his head back and laughed filled with a wild sense of joy and a purpose that he had never found elsewhere. His phoenix sang a beautiful song, that was clearly of his victory and where he had failed to save those Draco had asked to be saved.
"Where do non traditionalists bury their dead?" Draco asked the Auror who stared at him in shock.
"Your willing to help those that fought against you?"
"You heard the prophesy, like it or not, we're stuck with one another." Draco said and yawned, he felt slightly burnt out, what he had done was exhausting to a young wizard.
"I can take you." Someone offered hopefully.
"I make no promises, there are some that Thunder cannot save, even those that he has got to breath again were unconscious when I left them and in need of medical aide, there is only a day remaining for those we lost in the final battle to be saved." Draco said and rubbed his forehead.
"I'll take you." The auror said and Draco nodded, he went to more cemeteries and then found himself at the Burrow, he felt most uncomfortable there and constantly checked over his shoulder, as he uncovered the grave. If anyone saw him, there would be no time to explain, but for once since the end of the war, he was glad of the presence of Aurors. He watched as Thunder cried over the young man and stared as his lungs filled with air. Phoenixes were amazing creatures, the world was truly not worthy of them. He stared at his companion, his mate and felt blessed to have been chosen by such a pure spirit as the being in front of him. "There's one more place we've yet to go, can you manage it?" He asked and Draco nodded, swaying slightly on his feet, not only from the apparating, but also from feeding his mate magic. The Phoenix's feathers seemed duller then they had been, his eyes more glassy, but they apparated again together, finding the last set of graves. This time the auror opened the soil, as Draco rested on one of the benches, centering himself as he gave the last of his magical reserves to his companion. As he felt the Phoenix stop using his magic, he sighed, closed his eyes and tumbled into darkness.