Chapter 2: Tripudium Flamme

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Harry quivered a bit at the deep voice that seemed to echo all around

the dark space. But then he remembered what his parents taught him.

Harry straightened himself, put his shoulders back, puffed out his

chest a bit, raised his chin as high as he could, then addressed the

voice. "I am Harry James Potter, Heir of the Potter Clan of Britannia,

What do you want with me?" The creature cocked his in amusement at the

bold introduction. How brave. To be expected from a member of the Potter Clan. He coiled himself around the boy, feeling now, as well as

seeing, the tremors still going through him. "Puer,", the creature

crooned, " for once I am pleased with someone's boldness towards me,

so I shall let you go unpunished."

Harry blinked at the darkness.

"But, ", the creature suddenly growled, the boy flinched.

"I will not tolerate it again." The creature breathed out a burst of

flame in warning.

Harry screamed and covered his head with his arms.

"Tsk, there, there, puer. Look."

Harry received a nudge.

"I have something for you, Meum Paulo Draco. Look up."

Harry got another nudge. He sniffled a bit and tentatively peeked through his arms. Before him were the flames that were breathed by the creature,

but they were different than regular flames. They were in the shape

of...his mummy and daddy! Harry let out a small gasp and brought his

arms down and shuffled closer to the flames. They were in...hybrid

form and looked like they were dancing in the air! Their wings were

even flapping!

"Such a lovely smile.", the creature suddenly said.

Harry was smiling! He quickly frowned, crossed his arms and turned

away from the flames. But then suddenly there was more flames around

him. In the form of puppies! Harry was soon giggling and clapping his

hands as the flame puppies played with each other and did tricks for

him. It was nice, but then Harry finally saw something in the dark. He

squinted a bit and shuffled closer to where the puppies had piled on

top of each other, he barely got a glimpse of a patch of grayish-white

scales before the flames went out and something grabbed him and set

him down back in his previous position.

"That's enough of that.", the creature said. "Now let's enjoy some

from a distance, shall we?" The creature shot multiple balls of fire

and lightening from his mouth that came together in huge explosions

that made pretty fireworks which had Harry 'ooing' and 'ahhing' at them

with wide eyes.

"And Harry, "

Harry turned to where the creature's voice was loudest.

"you may call me 'Magister'.", the creature said before

breathing out a long stream of fire into the dark space.

Sirius sat by Harry's bedside, staring at the small boy swaddled in

blankets and hooked up to a plethora of tubes. The last of the Potter

Clan. At that thought, Sirius tightened his hands which were clasped

in front of his face. The last... And so weak. Sirius clenched his jaw

and squeezed his eyes shut. No more messing around, he has a child to

raise now. A very vulnerable child. The last of a Clan. He whispered a plea. "Help me James, Lily. I can't do this on my own." Sirius finally

succumbed to his tears. He cried for James. He cried for Lily. He

cried for Harry. But most of all, he cried for the world.

"Bellatrix."

When Bellatrix felt the presence in her mind, she quickly perched on a

sturdy tree branch, her husband and brother-in-law following suit,

knowing better by now not to make too much noise.

"Meum Dominator!", she thought earnestly. "I have eliminated the

Potters, as you ordered."

"Good, Bella. The Order shall now be hunting you down. Go to the

Eastern Lands, I have many servants there who will be happy to give

you sanctuary, but first, lose the Order. Follow this path, then head

to what they now call Tibet, you will receive further instructions

when you arrive. This is the last you will directly hear from me for

at least a decade. Vale, Bellatrix."

As the dominating presence left her mind, a map of Europe with a

complicated trail drawn on it came to the forefront.

"Boys," , she purred.

The two brothers regarded her.

" follow me." Bellatrix launched from her perch and began to fly along

the trail in her mind.

The brothers followed.

"That is enough for tonight, puer."

The stream of fire that was twirling around Harry dissipated, making

him a bit sad.

"Do not be sad, mea puer. I will show you many things in the future.

But for now you must rest. I shall be here when you next sleep."

"But I'm not- ", Harry yawned, "tired."

The creature ignored Harry's protests and used his huge claw to push

Harry to lie on his scales. "Bonum est Vespere, puer. I look forward to when we next meet."

Harry yawned once more and pillowed his head with his hands. "G'night..."

The creature brought his head closer to where the mental representation of Harry was slowly fading away as he fell into a deeper sleep. "Puer... Meum puer." He gave a wide toothy grin as the boy finally left. Everything was on track. He left the boy's mind.

Inside a hidden Glacier Cave deep within the Antarctic ice sheets, the creature returned to it's body. Though asleep, it was still undeniably aware of its body and surroundings. With a bit of resistance, the creature made its first voluntary movement in centuries. It twitched one of it's fore digits. It will be painful and will take years, but he will regain efficient mobility as well as his former glory. At that thought he stretched his consciousness to encompass the dragons surrounding him within the cave as well as dragons in hidden crevices all over the globe. "Meum servorum, hear me."

The minds of thousands of sleeping dragons acknowledged his call with a tired, "Meum Dominator."

The creature grinned within his mind. "Prepare yourselves, meum servorum. The time for my return is near. Flex your muscles, regain efficient mobility. Soon, the world shall once again tremble in terror at the sound of the words, 'In Draconis Rex'.

The dragons gave him their affirmation and he withdrew his consciousness.

Yes, In Draconis Rex thought to himself as he rested his mind, everything was on track.