Fire hazed the air and the smell of the flames trying to engorge the wet timbre that had once been the brave and untamable Phoenix brought bile to the to the throat of the young man watching in disgust and horror from the bow of his own ship. He half expected the boat to rise from the water and flames as beautiful and polished as when he had last seen it, as its namesake implied. She was a beautiful ship. He could feel his eyes burn with tears he would never allow himself to shed as the edge of the white flag baring a burning Phoenix lit, it burned quickly and soon it was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash that fell onto the burning deck, to be swallowed and forgotten.

"Harry." A voice said behind him. He knew the man addressing him was Sirius and this was most likely affecting him the same way it was Harry but he could not yet face him. He felt a hand being placed on his shoulder and he shirked it off and stepped forward clenching the railing in his hands. "Captain Potter, the crew is awaiting your orders."

"Take the crew in the long boat, search for survivors, that's all that can be done." He said through gritted teeth.

"The Death Eater wouldn't have left any survivors..." Sirius dropped his head, didn't really want to say it.

"Just check!" Harry shouted.

"Ay Captain." Sirius nodded. "What of you?" He asked cautiously.

"I'm going to find my heading. We're heading to shore, the Death Eater is somewhere around here and I won't be taking chances with our crew." He said shortly.

"Yes Captain." Sirius nodded. He went down onto the deck to find the crew awaiting their captains orders.

"Get the long boat set up, were searching for survivors." The crew nodded easily and began about like a perfectly oiled machine. Sirius returned to where their captain was standing to see he hadn't moved.

"Oh and Harry."

"Yes Padfoot?"Harry said softly his voice but a whisper among the sounds of the agitated water and the whipping wind. It was as if the sea knew what had happened that night. Harry didn't doubt that she did.

"I wanted to tell you that you couldn't have stopped this and..." Sirius debated the second part, he didn't want to infantalize Harry. "Prongs and Lily couldn't have been more proud of you then I am now." He put a hand on his god son's shoulder. Harry nodded.

"I know Padfoot, but if we had gotten here just a couple ah minutes faster..."

"We would have gotten caught in the cross." He tightened his hold on his shoulder. "You remember the 'blasted' current we were caught in. I think it was her, the sea I mean. She didn't want us to move. She was keeping us safe she was." He smiled through the grimness of the moment. He looked around at the slowly dying flames serenely. "With the sea on our side Paddy there's nothing that can't be done.... You know who said that?" Harry smiled and nodded.

"My father." He said softly.

"Your father." He took the young mans face in his hands. "Your father was a good man Harry, and you are shaping up to be more and more like him every day. Everyone on this ship who had the pleasure of knowing him can see it. But... in your eyes..."

"You see my mother."

"Ay. But not just in the color and the shape, it's the light, the ferocity, they didn't just call her Lily Fire for her hair yah know." He laughed softly at the memories. "Socked me in the jaw more then once that one" Harry couldn't help the laugh that came from his lips. His mother was as infamous for her temper as Sirius was for making her lose it. "Harry, what I'm trying and failing to say here is you are going to be the best captain this ocean has ever seen, I can see it and so can the rest of the crew."

"Thank you Padfoot." Harry nodded his head. "Looks like the crew ready." Harry jerked his head toward the people waiting on deck with the boat ready to be lowered. Sirius nodded. Harry walked to the steps and removed his hat from his head.

"This is a terrible loss. And tonight we head for the nearest land. I will not risk your lives no matter the amount of vengeance that lies in my heart. But on this night I swear, I swear here and now in front of you, the eyes of my crew that there is a day coming on the horizon that we will sail these waters without fear." The crew raised their fists and cheered, he could feel their need and passion in their cries.

"First mate Padfoot," Harry called.

"Yes Captain." Sirius raised his head to him.

"I want a list of the dead." He whispered.

"I'm not sure thats..."

"That's an order." Harry turned and walked towards his quarters.

Minerva McGonagall

Pomona Sprout

Rubeus Hagrid

Horace Slughorn

Semptina Vector

Marcayus Binns

Sybil Trelawney

Aurora Sinistra

Rolanda Hooch

Argus Filch

Alastor Moody

Poppy Pomfey

Irma Prince

Filius Flickwit

Those unaccounted for...

The dirty slimeball Snape

Captain Dumbledore...

Harry was really supposed to be sleeping. Sirius was steering the ship just so that he could do just that, but how did anyone expect him to sleep with what had just happened and furthermore what was sitting in his hand. Half of the people he'd been raised around were dead, and one of the people whom had been closest to him was now missing. He wasn't sure if he should be happy. For had they found his body that would have been the end, he would be gone. Now there were a million things that could have happened. And what of Snape. Had Sirius been right the whole time. Had Snape been secretly working for Captain Voldemort? There were to many questions and most definitely not enough answers.

He looked out the window and could see the sun rising steadily over the water maybe it was safe to go up on deck and take over the wheel. He slipped on his fathers loose black breeches, a white tattered shirt of Sirius's, and a red vest with leather ties he had picked off an unlucky man in a bar fight Harry supposed he was lucky it was red. He put on his brown leather boots and tucked in the top. He put on his hat and walked up on deck. He could see Siruis desperately studying Harry's map, and checking Harry's compass, and praying to the Sea Goddess that he wasn't mucking anything up.

"Padfoot." Harry called in amusment. "Ye old dog, off with yah. I'll take over."

"You sure? We're almost there... I think..." Sirius puzzled looking at the map with an almost terrified expression. Harry took the map from his hands.

"We're close but we've got some time to go. Wake Hermione I just want to check this over with her."

"Oh." Sirius put on a roguish grin. "I'm sure theirs plenty of things she'd like you to check over."He laughed boisterously

"Just fetch Mione you great dog." Harry hit him with the map grinning.

"Ay Captain." He winked and when down into the crew quarters. Harry inhaled a fresh breath of morning air. The salt did his stressed mind good. The dawn always made things clearer to him.

"I ain't had a wink of sleep what could good ole' captain Potter need from meh now!" He forgot how much of a terror she could be when not given her 'beauty' sleep.

"Ah!" Harry exclaimed.

"What!" Hermione yelled back looking startled.

"What is that thing eating your head..." Harry stared.

"That is mah hair! And this is what it looks like when I don't get no down time Potter! You had me pick'in through bodies half the night and now you got me up so early I feel like one of my momma's poor roosters!" She put her hands on her hips glaring at him through slittled eyes.

"I just wanted you to look over these maps..." He held them out as if she going to claw his hand off.

"You called me up here at this time to look of some damn maps!" She snatched them and brought them into the lights. "Well If these are maps to London then you got em hell stright if these are maps to Albuquerque then your plum outta luck!" She slammed them into his hands and began to stomp back down to her quarters.

"Thanks Mione." He grinned at her retreating form.

"You ain't welcome!" She announced slamming the door behind her. He couldn't help his laughter. At least he knew that his mapping skills were improving. Once they reached London they'd steal what they could, pack up some supplies and see if they could find out any information regarding Captain Dumbledore's whereabouts. But what Harry didn't know was just what this journey was getting him into.

AN/ A lot of things to cover. Yes I'm sure this piece probably left you a lot of questions like.

Why is Harry Captain?

Or

Where's Draco?

Or

Why is Hermione Southern?

Well all those question will be answered in the next chapters. But the only way those next chapter will be written is if I get some reviews. I didn't know how I felt about this introduction like chapter so Ill see how you guys feel about it and decide where to go. So PLEASE REVIEW! That's how you'll get me to update. That's all it takes. Thanks guys. REVIEW!