A/N: Hi all, pant (dragging beta unwillingly along, watch out for scratch marks on the floor), I am back again with another chapter, "oh come on. I promise, no more 8000 word chapters" "promise?" "Yes, Skydancinghobbit, I promise⦠for now." I am so happy that there were those that reviewed for the last chapter. I am so glad that they liked it. I know I am now bribing the beta with chocolate " yum!" to beta again, almost as bad as the time I mentioned the spiders, grin, oh well. Hope you like my next offering to you all.
Chapter 8
Minions unite!
Prince had not anticipated that his summer would get any more exciting than it already had when he had been called upon to drive off a small herd of bachelor stallions in pursuit of Hermione before he conceded to the herd stallion Severus. He had assumed that his life would go back to the way it was before when the four of them, including Lucy would roam the castle grounds and into the forest for the summer.
About a week after he had conceded to Severus he was lead away from his stall by Winky the bug eyed turnip and waited by the castle doors, which was something he considered to not be out of the ordinary. What was strange though was the fact that Severus lead the herd to the gates of the grounds and then through them. Then he was surprised when after covering Lucy's eyes he disappeared with a huge crack of sound and energy, followed by a secondary crack of energy when a strange looking bird nearly fell out of the tree overhead and also disappeared. He recognized slightly the disappearing of Severus as similar to what the bug eyed turnips that took care of him could do, but it startled him that it could also affect Lucy in some way as well.
Soon and with another crack of energy Severus returned before him and advanced on him. He knew something was going on, but did not really think much about it until it was too late and his eyes were covered. He felt as someone wrapped their arms around his neck and with a feeling of being wrenched from his own shoes he was hurtled through space to land with a jolt as his hooves hit turf again and felt as grass brushed his cannon bones. Still effectively blinded he could do nothing, but stand at uneasy attention as he heard Severus speak softly too him, soothing him before the towel was removed. With a startled snort he tossed his head surveying the landscape around him uncertainly. It was a completely different place than he had ever seen. He rolled his eyes in fear and uncertainty, but Severus' calming voice continued to wash over him and he calmed down enough to be lead to a rail in the center of the clearing.
Soon after another bug eyed turnip appeared as seemed normal for them, appearing apparently out of thin air. He was unsaddled and the bug eyed turnip disappeared with it. Severus then stepped away from him and with another crack was gone from the clearing. Looking around again he noticed a large red and gold bird sitting a few feet away from him on the rail, looking back at him with an intelligent eye. Reaching out his nose he sniffed.
"I recognize that smell." He nickered softly, almost to himself.
"Really?" The bird said back, whether it was in his mind or out loud he was not sure. But the part about it that astonished Prince was the fact that it was something he could understand and it seemed that this other creature would be inelegant enough to converse with, at least to some degree. He was intelligent enough to understand some of the speech of humans, but he could in no way communicate back. (Prince has the intelligence and communication powers of perhaps a three to five year old because of the added benefits and side effects of the Phoenix tears.)
"Yes, you smell like Severus." He nickered back. "You smell like power and almost like a breath of fresh air on a hot day. You are strong, far stronger than I have ever been, or perhaps ever will be." He told the bird. "I have only ever smelt what you smell like around Severus and when I was being bottle fed by Hermione. Why do you smell like that?"
"Ah, so you are Prince." The bird chuckled. "I must say that you have turned out well. I am Fawkes. I am a Phoenix, a powerful magic creature that has bound myself to Severus and provided my tears to help you grow strong and powerful. I suspect that we are able to have this conversation in part because of my contributions to your formula bottles when you were younger. I must say that I have heard a good deal about you through various sources. You have put up quite a fight to keep everyone but Severus away from Hermione."
"He was the only one who has a power equal or greater to Hermione's. He will also be a good herd leader; he will treat her with care and respect. He is a herd leader that I could step aside and let take Hermione to be his mate, since I know that I am not capable of filling that role." Prince told Fawkes. "Why have I not met you before if you indeed had something to do with the bottles I was fed as a youngster?"
"I have been in the castle; I have had no reason to really explore the grounds. I only knew you were on the grounds last year when you met Severus for the first time. I know I certainly heard about how you protected Hermione against everyone else that you saw as a threat.
As you might already know, Hermione also has a Phoenix of her own. They were bound together a few days ago. It is likely that you will have not detected too much of a change in her smell just yet, but she will smell similar to the power that Severus exudes. We are their protectors in a manner of speaking as well."
"I do not plan on stepping down from my role as her protector, if that is what you are suggesting." Prince snorted. "I will continue to protect Hermione from other males that would try to take her from the herd, especially when Severus is not present. I know that there will be times when I am around that he is not. I will continue to be herd stallion when he is not around. What can a bird like you do to protect her from those that are unworthy?"
"I can do quite a bit." Fawkes assured him. "As well can her new Companion who is called Emerald. We are far more powerful than it seems you can see, we just don't use it very often. We can protect our Companions in ways I am sure that you could never imagine, but that is beside the point. I am not asking you to give up any of your self appointed leadership positions, but know that there are also other protectors as well. We can help and supplement each other perhaps. Besides we are with Severus and Hermione much more that you will be, due to the fact we are allowed into the house while you are not." Fawkes pointed out to him.
"You make a good point." Prince conceded, something he did not do often. "I suppose that I have little choice but to agree. Besides I recognize your smell and that there is a great deal of pure and unmarred power behind you. I suspect that as you are a Companion of Severus than you are qualified to become a protector of Severus and Hermione when I am unable."
"Good." Fawkes said and then hopped up off the rail and landed on his back to sit contentedly. "I hope you don't mind, but it is much more comfortable to sit on your back than the tie rail. The cold iron is not very pleasant under my feet."
"I suppose I can't stop you, but you are not heavy, so I shall not worry too much."
From behind them there was another crack of power and sound and Severus and Hermione appeared together in each other's arms. A few moments later there was another, smaller sound and a green streak appeared above the two that were still locked in an embrace, though they had turned too look at them while Prince and Fawkes were content to watch them back. Then Prince turned his attention back to the green streak that had materialized into another bird like Fawkes only green and silver instead of red and gold. Reaching out with his nose he almost touched the other bird before it noticed and then made quite a show of fluffing up and yelling at him.
"Hey! What do you thing your doing?!" She squawked in surprise, ruffling her feathers and unknowingly dropping a tail feather in the grass below.
"Just wanted to say hello." Prince said carefully. "I did not know you were preoccupied."
"I have to get back in order of things; yes I am a bit preoccupied. But since you have already interrupted me, what do you want?" She was a bit cross with him, but he suspected it had to do with being nearly scared out of her wits.
"I'm Prince. Who are you and why are you here?"
"I am Emerald, I am Hermione's Phoenix."
"So you are like my new friend Fawkes?" Prince asked.
"Something like that." Emerald nodded. "I have not been with Hermione quite as long as he as been with Severus though." Emerald told him. "What has my friend told you about us Phoenix?"
"Something along the lines that you are also a friend and Companion of my Misteress Hermione." He told her.
"Something like that." Emerald agreed.
"Well then I shall agree that you have a better chance of keeping her and Severus protected most of then time, when I don't see them. I will not back out of my roll as protector when I am around though." Prince told her.
"That would not be asked of you." Emerald said after a moment of thought. "Just don't attack me, that is all I ask."
"I wouldn't, you are more of the class of protector than threat." Prince reassured her. "If you want you can sit next to Fawkes."
"Thank you." Emerald said and hopped, flapped her way onto his back.
After a few minutes of silence with Prince watching as Severus and Hermione still stood almost impossibly close to each other where they had appeared. "How long are they going to stand like that?" Prince asked with a snort.
"They have been practically inseparable since they were bonded three days ago." Emerald said.
"Took them long enough." Fawkes commented with a slight chuckle. "They have been dragging their feet and misunderstanding each other for like the last four years. It has finally dawned on him that he is worthy of her love and that he is capable of giving love in return. They will be quite a strong match and their children will be powerful, woe to anyone who gets in their way." After another minute or two they finally seemed to come to the realization that they would have to move in this century and turned too look at the three of them.
"You can go to the house now; we should be along before dark. Fawkes you know where your stand is, it should be big enough for both of you for now. I will make it bigger when I get back to the house." Severus told the two Phoenix.
"Come on Emerald, I believe you will much approve of the color scheme of the house. We will see you later Prince." Fawkes called and hopped into the sky hovering for a moment so that Emerald could catch up and then they headed towards the house a distance away from the apparation point.
Prince was more than happy to carry both Hermione and Severus across different paths that Severus pointed him down, content to follow his lead until he dropped them off in front of the house and was lead to the exceedingly nice stables to be reunited with Lucy later that day.
A/N: hope you all liked the chapter, I know I could not go without something from Prince's view. I know a few of you wanted to know how or what would happen when Prince and Fawkes meet. Well I figured there wouldn't be a big war, and I hope it lived up to some of the expectations you had about the meeting.
I must thank my beta Skydancinghobbit for her wonderful skills and the idea that I didn't have, now embedded somewhere in the chapter, it will certainly prove useful later in the chapter, kudos who ever can figure out what it was. Grin.
Don't know when I will be able to post again, I am moving next week, and I don't expect that the next chapter will be up before then. I have to do a little bit of research before I can write the next chapter, it's a Draco chapter. I also have to get inside his head again- kind of scary. Anyways, thanks for all the support you guys have given me so far and I hope to post again soon. Don't worry, I will, just it will be a while. In the mean time check out my other fics, my wonderful beta Skydancinghobbit's or check out my favorites list- if you want a real laugh read Fruit Loops, it is one of my super top favorites! Until I can post again, enjoy the fanfiction around you and have a happy new year!- Dragons Quill
