Child of the Phoenix

by DZ2

A Sirius Secret Response: When Harry thinks he's all ready to go back to Hogwarts, Sirius drops a bombshell that changes EVERYTHING! Now, in the knowledge that he's more than your average wizard, can Harry adjust to a new life, a new destiny and a new FAMILY? Bonded Powerful Harmony;

4. The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Child of the Phoenix

Disclaimer: As Before

Plot: Response to my A Sirius Secret Challenge: Just when Harry thinks he's all ready to go back to Hogwarts, Sirius drops a bombshell that changes EVERYTHING! Now, in the knowledge that he's more than your average wizard, can Harry adjust to a new life, a new destiny and, above all else, a new FAMILY?

Dedication: I wish to dedicate this story to everyone that continues to provide positive reviews for my stories and the feedback that I enjoy; the recommended reads for this story are: Ruby Tinted Glasses by StormyFireDragon and Tinkerbell and Claws by mrsKnitewolf.

Harry/Hermione

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'Telepathy'

Review Answers:

Lotto2355: That's a pretty funny image, but I have the majority of Harry's power mapped out; as a combo with another mutant, however, it has potential;

Wandering Sage: Trust me, I have plans for those human-mated zoo animals;

T4: Howlett was Wolverine's original name before he lost his memories; also, Dr Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, is one of my favourite Marvel Characters – though that's only since the straight-to-DVD movie about his 'creation' and even then, he was AWESOME!

StormyFireDragon: What can I say, Storm? It's a gift;

Dennisud: I'll answer that with one statement: you'll have to keep reading to find out;

PhoenixFelicis: He was in a Marvel straight-to-DVD animated movie, but there have been talks – apparently – for a Dr Strange live-action movie; if they do, I'll definitely go and see it: he just seemed perfect for the story's progression;

Gallantmon228: I have a few scenarios in mind for how and in what way the blocks are removed; the events of this chapter are just one of those ideas;

"So this is the one?" he asked, approaching Harry, who seemed to be like a fly before a giant as the man held out his hand, his eyes locked onto Harry as he explained, "We are well met once more, Harry Summers."

"You know who I am," Harry remarked, shaking the man's hand as he asked, "But…you…that is…are you?"

"I am," the man answered, his gaze fixed on the boy that was to become his student, "Stephen Strange: Sorcerer Supreme…at your service."

Chapter 4: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Harry didn't know what he could say in response to Dr Strange's introduction that wouldn't sound wrong or embarrassing: the Sorcerer Supreme, the single most powerful Muggle-magician was to be his mentor and so, as his student, Harry knew that he had to do everything that he could to show Strange the respect he deserved. And that, he knew, was a lot of it: he couldn't back-talk to the man, he could very rarely argue with his points and he couldn't upset him.

So, rather than embarrass himself in front of his new mentor, Harry chose instead to ask, "Why…why did you ask him to come here, Uncle Charles?"

"Because," answered Stephen, his eyes on Harry and an amused smile on his face, "Charles explained to me how your magic has helped you in the past and now, through your mutations, how you show signs of great power. It is for this reason that I am not only here to test your abilities as a wizard, but I am also going to introduce you to the world of the Mystic Arts: the true power of a Sorcerer. If you pass my trials, then you shall become my apprentice and learn the Mystic Ways as I did from my master, the Ancient One. But, unlike what I did for him, I would like you to simply address me as Stephen or Dr Strange: only my students that have not truly met me call me Master. You, Harry Summers, have met me yourself a short time ago and I would like to see how things have changed since I sent your parents through the portal with you as a baby."

"Then," Harry gulped, following Dr Strange through to the lounge area of the mansion while Charles and Scott cleared the room of a few other students that had stayed, "I hope that I can prove myself worthy of your time, Dr Strange. When…when would you like me to perform these trials of yours?"

"Not just yet," Stephen explained, lifting his hand and, to Harry's surprise, he managed to transform the room into an open floor space with two futon mats, the fireplace igniting and bathing the room in a calming glow that seemed to touch Harry as well as Stephen. Indicating the area that he had magically crafted, Stephen continued, "For now I wish to see just what sort of potential you have as a magic-user: please sit down on the mat and, until I say otherwise, say nothing…and trust me."

Harry knew that it would be foolish to do otherwise…

ChildOfThePhoenix

"Wow: a mutant? Harry? But he always seemed so…so normal?"

Sirius couldn't help but laugh as he and Remus had been charged with explaining the situation to Hermione while Charles, Scott, Logan and Jean were keeping watch over Harry and his time with the Sorcerer Supreme. Heaving a sigh, Sirius explained, "Harry was a normal boy, Hermione, and he still is: but now, he's just…a little bit more than what we knew him to be. He's got another little secret that has something to do with the way that Charles and the X-Men see him, but I'll leave him to explain that part of the story to you."

"So?" asked Hermione, now getting to the point that she'd heard outside, "What's going to happen to me? I mean, I'm not a mutant and Harry's being taught as a special case by the Sorcerer Supreme, who even I know is a powerful and apparent criminal-minded wizard in the British Ministry: so what happens to me?"

"First," Remus explained, passing Hermione a cool glass of lemonade as they discussed their options, "We're going to inform your parents of Charles' offer to remain here: with the X-Men's combined powers and the additional presence of the Sorcerer Supreme, it will be difficult for Albus to make a move on the mansion. Afterwards, I'm going to help teach you a few advanced things through the resources of the American Embassy's magical guidelines and then, when Harry's ready, Charles has organised a visit to Magical Chinatown in New York to explore this side of the magical world. But for now, you're welcome here as a guest and I think it would be nice for you to go and speak to some of the other students: make friends and get to know the area…is that suitable for you, Hermione?"

"What about Harry?" asked Hermione, but she was answered when the door opened and Charles wheeled into the room, his eyes filled with purpose as he looked to the three magic users.

"Harry is being tested by Stephen as we speak," he explained, his voice calm as he addressed Hermione, "The test may very well take up most of the morning and part of this afternoon: once he's free again, I'll let you know. First, I'd also like to say that there are a few things around here that may surprise you, Miss Granger. Namely the powers and attitudes as well as the emotions of some of the mutants around here; some are here because they're frightened, alone and unable to communicate with anyone or anything due to bad experiences around the country and in certain parts of the world."

"Is it true that you're a telepath?" asked Hermione, setting her now empty glass down on the table as she looked to Xavier.

"It is," he answered, "But I do not make it a habit to read a mind where I have not been given permission or requested for the right reasons. As for how I know that you are such a good friend to Harry; it is because he seemed to be happier when you were here with us rather than standing out there with Dumbledore. Harry, for reasons that he alone shall reveal to you, cannot trust the man for very much longer and, as we speak, there are steps being taken to give him, Sirius and Remus citizenship under the protections and guidance of the American Embassy and the American President of Magic, Sebastian McKinley. Should you choose to stay, Miss Granger, I will see about extending that courtesy to you and you will be able to remain here or, if your parents desire, they may purchase a property in the nearby city: either way, you are safe here."

"Thank you, Professor Xavier," Hermione sighed, before she rubbed the back of her neck as she asked, "Um…would you mind if I asked you to call me Hermione? It's just that I respect your home and thank you for your hospitality, but the only ones that have ever called me Miss Granger are my teachers."

"That's fine, Hermione," Charles explained, before he gestured to the door behind him as he asked, "Now, if you would follow me, I think that Harry would not mind if I showed you around while he's being tested, wouldn't you say?"

Hermione, getting a confirming smile and a nod from the Marauders, sniffed once, brushed down her jeans and, rising from her seat, she followed Charles out of the dining room and around the school…

ChildOfThePhoenix

The few minutes before Harry felt any true magical reaction to Stephen's presence seemed to go on forever; there they were, seated on the futons, their legs folded underneath them, Stephen's hands linked with Harry, his eyes on his new student as he told him, "This won't hurt, Harry: just relax and remember what I said about trusting me."

Then, the next thing he knew, Harry felt rather light-headed and almost like he'd been separated from his body, his mind feeling slightly foggy for a few moments before the moment hit him. His body recoiled as though it had been on the receiving end of a magical shock and then, to anyone looking in, it looked as though the two were locked in a staring contest.

However, inside Harry's mind, the true purpose behind the interaction from the Sorcerer Supreme was as clear as day as Harry had found himself being pulled into a dark chamber lit only by a few sparse lights that danced around him like fireflies in the night. Before he could make any sort of guess about their purpose, Stephen appeared next to Harry, his body surrounded by a golden veil of magical light as he stood next to his potential apprentice.

"Where are we?" asked Harry, looking again to the spark-lights that danced around the strange dark chamber.

"We are currently wandering within a representation of your magical core," Stephen explained, his voice calm as he pointed to the lights, "Those luminous lights represent your magical power and, though I suspect you know of this, their size indicates that your magic has not truly matured. Their tiny glowing bodies are hardly able to illuminate the darkness around us, while, was your magical core at its fullest power, their lights would shine so bright that they could blind you."

"Is that because of the blood ward that was tied to my magic?" asked Harry, a part of him wanting to reach out and touch the lights, to feel his magic and, at best, to caress it in his embrace as if to ensure himself that he still had some true power. However, though he could speak and turn his head and body to his mentor, Harry found that he couldn't step out of the darkness and into the warm, welcoming light of his magical core's glow.

"That is one possible explanation," Stephen answered, his words making a bit of sense to Harry as he added to his point, "From what I was told in my communication with Charles, it seems that your magic has suffered an intense reduction in control and power surges, which as I understand it, is normal for someone of your age. However, if you are to pass the trial that will decide whether you are ready to become my apprentice, then it must be one of our tasks to remove these taints from your body and, at the same time, flood it with so much magic that your potential is near equal to my own."

"And what about my spells, Dr Strange?" asked Harry, his eyes wide at the thought of what Stephen was suggesting, "Won't flooding my body increase the damage that they could do to others or even to myself?"

"No," Stephen answered, his eyes filled with a proud gleam as he listened to Harry: he was an eager student and a worthy soul, but the trial would prove how strong his will truly was. "For when you learn the Arts or command the power, it will leave you with such power behind your magic and your spells that you may not even require a wand. This is not how a true Sorcerer casts his spells: I have no wand and neither do the students that learn under me, so I would suspect that the same will be said of you when the time comes, Harry. Does that scare you?"

"Maybe a little," Harry admitted, glancing once more to the small lights that danced around him as he asked, "Well, I suppose that my next question would be: how do we release my magic from this…darkness?"

"There is an old edict that can answer that," Stephen explained, lifting his hand to the lights, Harry then aware of the golden glow around his hand now turning into a blood-red energy as the Sorcerer Supreme added, "Magic must defeat magic: with my own power and assistance from my amulet, the Eye of Agamotto, I should be able to dispel the darkness that clouds your mind and magic, but if I do this, then you must be prepared for your body will need to endure a great amount of magical strain. This is just one part of the test that I have for you, Harry: when you pass it, and I know you will as I have faith in you as a wizard and a warrior, you may indeed discover your magic being easier to control. However, now we have the important question: do you wish me to proceed knowing the pain that you face?"

Harry didn't need to wait for a chance to answer the Sorcerer Supreme, "Yes."

The last thing he saw was a powerful beam of white magic leave Dr Strange's amulet, the eyes of the Sorcerer Supreme glowing with raw magic as it battled against the darkness of Harry's mind…

ChildOfThePhoenix

'AHHHHHHH! NO! PLEASE! DON'T COME NEAR ME! STOP IT!'

Harry's screams echoed within the minds of Jean and Charles, distracting both mutants from the tour that they were giving to Hermione, the two of them sharing a worried glance before Jean asked, "What…what could be causing this?"

"It must be Stephen," Charles answered, though he and the others were already moving back down towards the room where Harry and the Sorcerer Supreme were situated. As they got closer to the room, the more physically-listening members of the group clutched at their heads, Hermione actually grabbing her heart as she heard the scream pass through the door, though it sounded strangely muffled, like Harry's mouth was covered.

"Professor Xavier," she asked, her voice filled with a mix of fear and shock, "What…what's Harry screaming like…like that for?"

"I believe that I can answer that one, Hermione," the sharp voice of the Sorcerer Supreme answered, Stephen's astral form then appearing through the door as he looked to the others, "It was meant to be a simple case of releasing Harry from his mental and magical blocks; however, there is something else within him that does not want Harry to touch this power. As soon as his mind started screaming, I used my astral form to escape his mind knowing that his screams would draw you here."

"You mean to say that you're responsible for his screams?" asked Sirius, his hand flexing, a part of him wishing that he had his wand in his hand at the moment. "You were asked here to protect and train my pup, not break his mind into some sort of demon-level delusionary state!"

"The reaction was something that I did not foresee," Stephen explained, now glancing back to Jean and Charles as he added, "I need your help, Charles: without proper protections in place, Harry's mind will shut down and…well, see for yourself."

He lifted his hand as he said this, directing it towards the door, which opened slowly and methodically, revealing Harry's still, unconscious body; or it would have been unconscious were it not for the feral screams that escaped his lips, the screams contained by a light blue shield that seemed to be made of pure energy. Within the shield, Jean, Scott and Hermione all shared a worried gasp and a look of horror as they saw Harry's Cyclops-like blasts firing from his hands in rapid succession, as though his energy was represented by the bullets of a machine gun and that gun was trying to break through the shield.

However, what really made them gasp was the sight of a collection of crimson trails that drizzled over Harry's body and splashed onto the floor, the crimson liquid easily identifiable as that of blood. Peering closer, Hermione saw that the blood seemed to drip out of Harry's infamous lightning-bolt scar, his eyes closed as if he was trying to endure – trying and failing – extreme levels of pain.

"Stephen!" barked Scott, facing the apparition of the Sorcerer Supreme, the others then noticing Stephen's physical body kneeling next to the shield, his hands glowing with blue light that was powering the shield around Harry's body. "What…where has that blood come from? Why is my son screaming?"

"I wish I knew," Stephen answered, facing the body of the boy that he would call his student, "I have never sensed such potential magic within a child since the Ancient One told me that I was worthy to learn the craft, but this…this is more: there is something else inside Harry that is causing him this pain and empowering the blocks. Quite literally, Cyclops, his mind and magic are fighting against his physical limits…and the body is losing the battle. The shield that I have placed around him not only quietens his screams, but reduces the damage that he can do: however, without calming his mind, I can neither lower the shield nor leave his side."

"And that's why you need our help," Jean remarked; it wasn't a question, "You need Charles and I to go into Harry's mind and draw out the calm, soft-hearted individual that I call my son. Only then can he be calm enough for the seal to be removed."

"More than that," Stephen added, "I need the two of you to place Harry in a state of mental stasis: almost like a comatose state while we go through the potential options: as his parents, I ask that you and Scott listen to me as you did once before, Jean Summers. There are many things that we can do, but I would feel better knowing that he is safe and unable to harm those around him while we discuss this."

"You know," Charles explained to Strange, "That I do not prefer to enter the mind of another without their given consent; however, I know how much you wish to help him, Stephen. So, just this once, I will help you restrain Harry: however, you must be prepared for the backlash that will come of this when Harry wakes up again."

"I am, Charles," Dr Strange remarked, before his astral spirit returned to his body, leaving Jean and Charles to approach Harry, the Phoenix aware of the young girl that was her son's best friend leaning against Sirius and Remus for support, her head buried in the robes of the darker-haired man.

Approaching Harry's still-screaming, still-actively-dangerous form, Jean lifted her hands and settled them around her son's head, the hands of her best friend and mentor joining hers before both psychics closed their eyes, drawing on their telepathic powers to enter Harry's mind. As they did so, Jean actually cried out in pain as she was hit by psychic spikes from Harry's mind, the power within her son, the only other Class Five in the known community, attacking her mind as if to try and keep them out.

'Harry…' Jean whispered, her voice strained by the pain of her son's psychic attacks, 'It's Mum…and Uncle Charles; let us help you…or we'll lose you again.'

'Can't…can't control it!' Harry cried, releasing another beam of energy from his hands while Jean and Xavier gasped as a telepathic wave crossed their minds, the effect of the attack reminding Xavier of another certain psychic's mental defences when her body changed to another form. 'Don't want…don't want to hurt you! But I can't…can't keep it in: HE won't let me.'

'He who?' asked Charles, surprised at Harry's confession about another presence in his mind; then again, as Jean and Charles both tried to return to Harry's consciousness, the psychic attacks resumed and, this time, they were accompanied by a strong hissing and an image of a flash of green light from within Harry's mind.

'This is what I was trying to warn you about,' Stephen mentally explained, the mental prowess of the Sorcerer Supreme now aiding that of the two mutants, 'There is a darkness in Harry's mind that takes the form of another: I have heard such stories of beings imprinting themselves on another form, but this one…it seems to be wild, untamed…darkness-incarnate. I suspect that a recent event may have strengthened this dark creation and, if it is true, then this is why we must bring Harry back in the manner I described.'

'No darkness will control MY son while I live and breathe,' Jean snarled, her eyes now glowing with an image that was similar to golden-coloured flames; around the spot where she and Charles were doing their best to help Harry, a few items in the lounge started to levitate off the floor, the roaring flames now being extinguished by a powerful breeze that blew around the room. Where this power met certain objects, the objects in question – a shelving unit, a leather chair and a few framed images along the wall – suddenly became lost in the psychic blast and were turned to shrapnel and scrapped material, the remnants of those items blowing around the room as though they were caught in a whirlwind.

"What's wrong with Jean?" asked Remus, he and Sirius managing to protect the others with a shield conjured by the wolf while Sirius still held tight to Hermione.

"It's the Phoenix," Scott explained, lifting his hand to shield his face from the onslaught, "Something about Harry's troubled situation must have brought it out again: it's empowering her psychic abilities, but, in counter to that, it's drawing on the energy from the room around them. Jean did this when she returned from the beyond at Alkali Lake; the water shot into the air and she managed to harness that energy. Since then, whenever she's gotten really agitated, angry or vengeful for any true reason, the Phoenix has drawn out her power and enhanced it."

"What…what could have done it this time?" asked Hermione, watching as the fiery-like glow that had filled Jean's eyes now covered her body, the flames dancing over Jean's hands and entering Harry's body and mind.

"It must be this darkness that Stephen talked about," Scott reasoned, watching as Xavier was forced to release his own hands from Harry and Jean, the mentor of the X-Men now keeping Stephen and the others back with mental protections against the power, "Because it's not allowing Harry to come back to us and, in essence, trying to control him, Phoenix must see that as a threat against its…well, its child: it's chick, as a normal phoenix would call something like Harry."

"Oh my god!" gasped Hermione, the others now following her gaze to where Jean was now hovering off the ground, Harry still held in her psychic embrace; at the same time, her aura had flared up and, as the power reached its highest peak, the aura materialised over Jean's head, forming the image of an actual phoenix, which flew down and seemed to place itself into Harry's heart, the screams of the young mutant falling silent while, as Jean and Harry were levitated to the ground again, a soft voice whispered to the assembled members of the group.

'The danger has not yet passed,' the voice was soft and melodious, almost like the song of the creature that Jean was named after, 'There is but one thing that I can do to shield my child for now: the options that you have are limited, Sorcerer Supreme. But if you wish to help and protect the young one, then there is one decision that you must make: Jean Grey and Scott Summers made the choice once before…can they put their son, the child of my power and blessing, through the same fate?'

Then the voice was gone and Harry lay still and calm on the floor, his body still protected by Stephen's shield while, nearby, Jean and Scott shared a worried look at the words of the deity that had now protected their son…

ChildOfThePhoenix

"A Bond?"

"Yes," answered Scott, gathered in the kitchen with Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Jean, Charles, Logan and Dr Strange, "The words of the Phoenix made me realise what it meant: the fate that Jean and I share and would we be willing to put our son through the same? It was talking about a bond of fate and destiny: a psychic bond…just like ours."

"The bond is one way that the excess energy and mental shards of Harry's mind can be repaired and controlled," Stephen explained, though he didn't look to any of the people in the room; instead, he glanced to the door where his young student, the boy that he would call his apprentice, was lying as still as a corpse. "But the bond must be between two willing, compatible souls that are more than willing to spend the rest of their lives together."

"You mean like a bond of love?" asked Hermione, earning a smile from Stephen: Sirius had said that she was known as the brightest witch of her age and now he knew why.

"That is one such result that could happen," Stephen explained, "Though love is not necessary to trigger the bond, it may be an outcome that could be beyond the control of the two involved. When I spoke of pure souls, I meant two that were compatible and able to, in Harry's case, hold off the energy that such a bond would produce. Remember, my friends, he is not only a mutant with exceptional power and command of said powers, but he is also a wizard and, once we do whatever it is we will do, he will be my apprentice: the student of the Sorcerer Supreme. Such power and magnificence within a soul is not so easily commanded by any ordinary person."

He made a good point: but the words of the deity known as the Phoenix hung over the heads of everyone in the room; if Harry was to become one part of such a bond, it would change everything and not only for him. Whoever he bonded with would more than likely become a part of his destiny and a closely-trusted member of his family; on top of that, Harry himself would have to adjust to the thought that there was someone out there whose fate was tied to his own and, more than anyone, Sirius, Remus and Hermione all knew that he wouldn't just accept that.

However, according to Scott, Jean and Dr Strange, this was the only way possible that they could not only contain Harry's power so that it was back under his control, but also relinquish control over his powers from this dark creation inside his mind and give it back to Harry. Also, as much as Harry would hate it, they knew that he wanted to be with his family and, without creating this bond or enforcing it in any way, he'd be stuck in the psychic stasis that he'd been put in by the combined powers of the Sorcerer Supreme and the Phoenix.

"Seems like we have just one question," Logan remarked, glancing to the other members of the room, "Who will be willing enough to bond their lives and their abilities to our little cub?"

"I will."

The answer came so quick that not even Charles had expected it; with shocked expressions, the assembled adults all turned to look at Hermione Granger, the young witch now standing tall and proud as she looked back at them, "I'll go through the bond with Harry."

"Hermione…" Sirius gasped, his eyes wide with shock, but, at the same time, the Marauder understood her loyalty to his pup: this was something that she had decided, but, all the same, what would her parents say?

"No, Sirius," Hermione argued, "I owe this to Harry: he's saved my life and risked his neck for his friends so many times that I think, no, I know that this time, someone else needs to do the same for him. Dr Strange said that this bond doesn't have to be based around love or anything like that, but I can't deny that I care about him. I didn't have to stay here with him, but his invitation and his will to trust me with more than just my time here, but his secret as well: all that and more gives me a reason to help him. Besides, he risked his neck to avenge me against the Basilisk and down in the Black Lake, not to mention the troll that I can't really say no."

There was silence following Hermione's little speech, a few shocked faces while Jean looked thankful and Scott, though his eyes obviously didn't show it, looked a little concerned.

However, it was another voice that stopped them all:

"You can't…but we can." Glancing to the door, Hermione's eyes widened with surprise when she saw two people enter the kitchen accompanied by Storm, one of the two, a middle-aged man with dark-brown hair and intense brown eyes, glancing to her while his companion, a middle-aged woman with blonde hair and sharp grey eyes that were currently filled with a mix of pride and shock, smiled at the sight of Hermione, the man continuing, "You may owe him a lot, but at the end of the day, you forget that we're still a part of your life, Hermione."

"Mum," Hermione remarked, surprise and delight echoing in her voice before it was replaced by determination, "Dad; I'm glad to see you made it here, but, I'm sorry, this time I'm making my own decision: I'm going to help Harry."

Hermione's parents, who would later be introduced as Dan and Emma Granger, were shocked to hear their daughter talk back to them, her voice showing how serious she was about all of this.

Through their emotions of shock, anger – in Dan's case – and compassion – in Emma's case – the Grangers couldn't deny one particular feeling that bubbled inside them;

Pride.

Chapter 4 and a big coincidental meeting there: Hermione choosing to repay a debt to Harry and her parents being introduced just in time to say no, to which she doesn't listen: but how will Harry take all this and what effect will the bond have on Hermione?

Also, does the darkness in Harry have anything to do with the dangers faced for the Phoenix Child by both worlds?

Keep Reading to Find Out…

Next Chapter: Hermione undergoes the process for the bond, but Harry's not so willing; plus, Harry and Logan have a little talk about what Harry knows and Remus is given an offer by Wolverine;

Please Read and Review…