Chapter One: What Are We Going to Do?
"Harry, what are we going to do?" asked Ron Weasley, after he and Harry Potter had crashed into the solid wall that Fred and George Weasley had just easily passed through.
"Not so loud," answered Harry with a whisper. "Let's go back to your Dad's car and wait for him and your Mum."
"The car, that's it!" exclaimed Ron, leading the way as the two young wizards made their way back to his father's Ford Anglia. "We can fly the car to Hogwarts."
"Keep your voice down," said Harry with a whisper. "The Muggles might hear us. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea to start with."
"Sure it is," Ron excitedly whispered back. "We can fly the car to Hogwarts, and Dad and Mum can Apparate back to the Burrow."
"No, Ron, if somebody sees us the two of us and your dad could get into a lot of trouble," Harry argued, as they approached the Weasleys' car. "I'll send a note to your parents with Hedwig, and we can wait here for them."
"Come on, get in the car," begged Ron. "I'm sure it will be okay with Dad and Mum."
"No, Ron, I'm waiting right here for your dad and mum," argued Harry back. "Do you even know how to get to Hogwarts, in the first place?"
"I know it's somewhere up north," answered Ron.
"I thought so," remarked Harry, taking out a quill, some ink, and a piece of parchment. "I'll write a note that we couldn't get through the barrier and that we're waiting by your dad's car."
"Okay," said Ron, opening the back door of the Weasleys' car and sitting on the seat. Removing his sandwiches from a pocket, he asked before unwrapping one and taking a bite, "How long do you think we might have to wait?"
"There you two are," said Molly Weasley, approaching the Weasleys' car with her husband about twenty minutes later. "We were looking all around for you two when Hedwig flew up to us with Harry's note. What do you mean by you couldn't get through the barrier?"
"Like Harry said in his note, Mum," answered Ron. "We were the last ones to get to the barrier, and we don't know why, but we couldn't get through. Instead, we crashed into a solid wall, and, let me tell you, Hedwig did not like that at all. Mind you, I really can't say that I blame her, but with her squawking about in her cage the Muggles were giving us funny looks, so we decided to come back and wait by the car."
"Well, boys, given the circumstances you made the right choice," said Arthur. "I'll drive over to the Ministry building, and we can use the floo network on my floor to call Dumbledore and let him know of your predicament."
"It's a good thing you two are more responsible than Fred and George," commented Molly, as they made their way through London. "Those two would most likely have flown the car to Hogwarts and created all sorts of mayhem."
"Thanks Mrs. Weasley/Mum," answered Harry and Ron, casting nervous glances at each other that Arthur noticed as he drove through the streets of London.
1
"Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts," said Arthur after kneeling and tossing floo powder into his office wing's fireplace.
"Yes, Arthur, how may I be of assistance?" asked Dumbledore from his office at Hogwarts.
"Harry Potter and my son, Ron, missed the Hogwarts Express, because they say the barrier closed and would not let them pass," answered Arthur.
"I see," commented Albus. "I gather you, Molly, and the rest of your lot made it though without any difficulty."
"Yes, we did," said Arthur. "Harry and Ron were right behind Fred and George, and if what they've told us is true, and, I believe it is, then something is definitely amiss."
"Yes, Arthur, I quite agree with you," said Albus. "The Hogwarts Express isn't due to pull into Hogsmeade Station for another six hours, so why don't you and Molly take the boys back home with you, and I'll arrange for them to floo from your home directly to the Hogwarts hospital wing about ten minutes before the train arrives. We are having a senior staff meeting in my office, and Poppy has expressed interest in examining your son and Mr. Potter when they get to Hogwarts."
"We'll take them home and make sure they both floo to the hospital wing," said Arthur.
"Thank-you Arthur," said Albus.
"Just my luck," grumbled Harry, as they made their way back to the Weasleys' car. "Fall term hasn't even started yet, and I already have to go see Madam Pomfrey."
"At least you've got company this time," added Ron. Furrowing his brow, he mused aloud, "I wonder why we couldn't get through the barrier?"
"I was wondering if it had anything to do with that House-elf that said he didn't want me to go back to Hogwarts," said Harry.
"What House-elf was that?" asked Arthur.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley, but I thought you knew I got the warning about the underage use of magic because this House-elf calling himself Dobby set off a hovering charm on my aunt's pudding," answered Harry.
"I was not aware of that," said Arthur. "Could you tell us more about this House-elf?"
"Yeah, on my birthday, this House-elf named Dobby popped into my room and warned me not to go back to Hogwarts this year because somebody was going to do something horrible at school this year," said Harry. "He told me he was stopping me from getting letters and such from my friends, too."
"This is serious," said Arthur. "When we get home, I'll have to floo Dumbledore again and let him know about it.
1
"Okay, Harry, you go first, and Ron, you can go second," said Arthur later that afternoon. "Your things are already in your dorm room, and Dumbledore said he'll be waiting for you in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey."
"Hogwarts hospital wing," said Harry after taking some floo powder and stepping into the flames with Ron following about ten seconds later
"Good afternoon, Misters Potter and Weasley," said Albus Dumbledore, seeing the two young wizards exit the Hogwarts hospital wing fireplace. "While Madam Pomfrey examines you I would like to talk to you about the barrier at King's Cross."
"It was really weird, sir," commented Ron. "Harry and I were the last of our lot to get to the barrier, and when we got to it we both crashed into a solid brick wall. Mind you, I don't blame her one bit, but with Hurry's owl, Hedwig, squawking about in her cage, we decided to go back to Dad's car and wait for him and Mum."
"I see; is there anything else you two can tell me to help shed some light on your not being able to access Platform 9 3/4?" asked the aged wizard.
"Earlier this summer, on my birthday, this House-elf named Dobby came to my room at the Dursley's and warned me not go back to Hogwarts and put myself in danger, because he said somebody was going to do something really horrible at school this year. He's the one that set off the hovering charm that got me in trouble for underage use of magic, as well."
"I will be investigating this matter further, and shall get back to you in due time," said Dumbledore. "As it is now time for the Hogwarts Express to pull into Hogsmeade Station, I will leave you in Madam Pomfrey's most capable hands."
"I have finished their examinations, and I can find nothing amiss with either one of them," said Madam Pomfrey.
"The two of you may then go wait for your classmates in the Great Hall," said Dumbledore.
'HERMIONE!" shouted Harry, seeing his other best friend walking through the front doors of the castle, as he and Ron neared the entrance to the Great Harry.
"HARRY, RON," squealed the young witch, running to embrace her best friends.
"Potter, Weasley, and Granger, that will be twenty points each from Gryffindor…" spat Severus Snape, entering the Entrance Hall from the stairs to the dungeons.
"Bloody hell, what was that, and where did Harry and Hermione go?" gasped Ron.
"Weasley, that will be twenty more points from Gryffindor and a detention for that vulgar mouth of yours," spat Snape.
"But, what happened to Harry and Hermione?" argued Ron.
"It all happened so fast, but I think I just saw a red Phoenix and a blue Phoenix land on their shoulders and flash them away," answered Daphne Greengrass.
"Miss Greengrass, you saw a Red Phoenix and a Blue Phoenix flash who away?" asked Dumbledore, as he entered the Entrance Hall.
"It was Potter and Granger, sir," answered Draco Malfoy. "Like Daph, I saw a red bird and a blue bird, but I've never seen a Phoenix to know if they were Phoenix or not."
"Professor Dumbledore, it had to be two Phoenix," added Hannah Abbott. "Daddy has loads of book about magical creature, and I read that one thing Phoenix can do is flash people away in burst of flames."
"Severus, did you see anything?" asked Dumbledore.
"Like these students have said, it all happened too fast for me to know for certain," said Snape. "What Miss Abbott said about Phoenix is correct, and I did see Potter and Miss Granger disappear in a burst of flame."
"Albus, Hagrid just told me two first year girls disappeared as the boat they were riding in passed under the lake entrance to the castle," said a silver Cheshire cat, appearing in front of the aged wizard. "A first-year riding in their boat told us he saw what Hagrid said sounds like Phoenix land on the' shoulders of a red-headed girl and a blonde haired girl, and then disappear in a burst of flames. "
"Oh no, Ginny's a first year girl with red hair," gasped Ron.
"Minerva, apparently Mr. Potter and Miss Granger have disappeared in the same manner," said Albus after conjuring a silver Phoenix Patronus. "Take the remaining first years into the Great Hall and have the Prefects take all returning students to the common rooms. I am locking the school down until we can further determine what has happed to the four missing students. I am dispatching Filius and Pamona to watch over the remaining first years while we investigate what has happened. Additionally, have Hagrid bring the student riding with the missing girls to my office and tell the House-elves to set up this evening's feast in each of the four common rooms."
"Severus and the five who witnessed Mr. Potter and Miss Granger disappear, please follow me to my office," said Dumbledore, leading the way to his office.
"Albus, do you have any idea what has happened?" asked Minerva McGonagall, arriving at the Headmasters' office a short time later.
"Other than four of my students have vanished, no I do not," answered Albus. Seeing Hagrid enter with a rather short boy with mousy brown hair, he asked, "Young man, please tell us your name and the names of your boat companions for the journey across the lake?"
"My name is Colin Creevey, sir," answered the boy. "I think the redhead said her name was Jenny, and I remember the blonde haired girl's name was Goodlove or something like that."
"Could you tell us what you saw when the two girls disappeared?" asked Dumbledore.
"We had just passed under the edge of the castle when a yellow bird landed on the blonde haired girl and a green bird landed on the red-headed girl," answered Colin. "I heard the birds singing, as well, and was reaching out to pet the yellow one, when the next thing I knew, there were two big bursts of flame and the girls and the birds were gone."
"Mr. Creevey, you actually saw the birds land on the shoulders of the two girls sharing your boat?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, sir, I did," answered Colin. "I know it sounds a bit mental, and even though it all happened really fast, I really did see the birds land on the girls' shoulder. Ever since I could remember, time seems to slow down for me whenever something happens around me really fast and I can see what's happening. The first time I remember time slowing down for me was when my little sister Emily was standing on a chair in the kitchen trying to reach for a plate of biscuits Mum had just put on the table. As Emily was reaching for a biscuit, her chair started to tip over and to me it looked like my sister and the chair were in slow motion."
"Wa yer lil sis hur' win she fell off her chair?" asked Hagrid.
"No," answered Colin. "Even though I was just looking in our back door when I saw the chair starting to tip, I was able to open the door and run into the kitchen to catch my sister before she fell. That's the first time anything me family and me couldn't understand happened to me."
"Thank-you Mr. Creevey, you've been a great help to us, and I look forward to watching progress through Hogwarts," said Albus. Sighing the aged wizard added, "I think it's time we contacted Arthur, Molly, and Xenophilius."
"Arthur and Molly Weasley, the Burrow," said Dumbledore after throwing floo powder into his fireplace.
"Yes, Albus, how may we assist you?" asked Arthur upon seeing the aged wizard's head appear in his fireplace.
"Fred and George haven't done anything to disrupt things at Hogwarts already, have they?" asked Molly, standing next to her husband.
"No, this call concerns your daughter," answered Dumbledore. "Apparently she, Xenophilius Lovegood's daughter, Miss Granger, and Mr. Potter have all been flashed away by Phoenix."
"Arthur, look at my clock!" exclaimed Molly. "Ginny's hand's pointing at lost. We have to find her."
"Albus, may Molly and I floo to your office?" asked Arthur, embracing his wife.
"Yes, yes, of course Arthur; I was about to suggest just that," answered Dumbledore.
"Albus, what in Merlin's name is going on, today?" asked the very upset Molly after flooing into Dumbledore's office. As her husband exited the fireplace, she added, "First, Harry and Ron can't get through the barrier at Kings' Cross, and now we learn Ginny, Luna, Harry and Hermione, have disappeared."
"Molly, we'll do everything in our power to find out why these things are happening," answered Albus. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to floo call Xenophilius, as well."
"Of course, Albus," said Arthur.
"Xenophilius Lovegood, Stoatshead Hill," said Dumbledore, casting more floo powder into his fireplace.
"Hello, Albus, how may I help you?" asked a slightly cross-eyed wizard with shoulder length hair that had the texture of candyfloss. "Have you, at long last, consented for me to interview you?"
"As much as I would enjoy being interviewed by you, that is not why I have called you," answered Dumbledore. "Apparently your daughter and three other students were flashed away by Phoenix. Could please floo directly to my office where we can investigate this matter."
"Of course, Albus, I'll be right there," said Xenophilius. After stepping out of the Headmasters' fireplace, he asked, "Are you sure it was Phoenix that flashed my daughter and the other three students away?"
"That is what we are still investigating," answered Dumbledore. "Mr. Creevey has a talent that allows him to see fast moving events in slow motion, and as he was riding in the boat with yours and the Weasleys' daughters I was going to ask his permission to place his memory of the event in my Pensieve so hopefully we can all have a good look at what he witnessed."
"By all means," said Xenophilius, smiling at the nervous first-year wizard.
"Mr. Creevey, I would like you to think of what you saw when Misses Lovegood and Weasley vanished," said Dumbledore. "When you have the memory in your mind, I am going to touch your right temple with my wand and extract this memory. This will not hurt you in any way, and will allow me to place the memory in the device sitting in my cabinet to your left. This will allow us all to see what you witnessed."
"Okay, sir, I have the memory in my mind," said the still nervous young wizard.
"Those were definitely Phoenix that landed on my daughter's and Ginevra's shoulders," said Xenophilius after seeing what Colin had witnessed. "For whatever reason they were flashed away, we can rest assured they are in no danger for Phoenix are creatures of light."
"Xeno, how can you be so sure?" asked Molly.
"Phoenix only appear to light wizards and witches who mean others no harm," explained Xenophilius. "Perhaps young Mr. Creevey can view the disappearance of the other two missing students, as well. That way we can be assured of their safety, as well."
"An excellent suggestion, Xeno," said Dumbledore. "Were any of you that witnessed the disappearance of Mr. Potter and Miss Granger looking directly at them when they vanished."
"I was," said Daphne Greengrass, Hannah Abbott, and Susan Bones.
"Would the three of you please think about what you witnessed, and I will extract your memories in the same manner as I did for Mr. Creevey," said Dumbledore. After storing the three young witches memories in his Pensieve, he added, "Mr. Creevey, please place your face in the silver substance inside my Pensieve and you will be transported into the three young ladies memories."
"Okay, sir, but could you please provide something for me to stand on, as I'm a bit too short to look into your Pensieve from the floor," said Colin.
"Of course, Mr. Creevey," said Dumbledore, conjuring set of steps for the short first-year to stand on while he looked into the Headmaster's Pensieve.
"Good, now, Mr. Creevey, please think of what you witnessed from the girls' memories, and I'll place your memory in my Pensieve," said Dumbledore. After viewing Colin's view of the girls' memoires he added, "Quite extraordinary. All four students were indeed been flashed away by a Phoenix. I agree with Xeno's assessment that these youngsters are in no danger, for a Phoenix would never take someone into a dangerous situation."
"But, Albus, what are we going to do?" asked the distraught Molly, reaching out and tightly embracing her youngest son.
"For now, the only thing we can do, is to wait, and hopefully, before too long we can ascertain more about what has happened to the four youngsters we are all deeply concerned about," answered Dumbledore. "In the meantime, we shall provide accommodations for you, Arthur, and Xeno as we eagerly await any news regarding our four missing students."
"Could Arthur and I go visit with Percy, Fred, and George?" asked Molly.
"Yes, Minerva, please escort the Weasleys to Gryffindor tower and explain to your house what has happened to their house-mates," said Dumbledore. "Severus, please do the same for your house, and I'll have Filius and Pamona do the same for their houses."