Harry never again learned to like Professor Blair in the days following. If anything, his opinion of her worsened. Not only, did she not seem to care the Neville had gotten hurt; she seemed to have enjoyed the fight with Snape. He was however, curious about her. So; during free-time he would linger in the hall around her room, sometimes with Ron; but Hermione made her opinion very clear on this matter.

"I am not going to go spy on a teacher! Besides, what if she gets angry or does something crazy to you? I have more valuable things to do with my time then waste it stalking some easily irritated woman."

They never asked her again.

§

"Who gave you the note again?" Ron asked over breakfast.

"A first year, but she didn't say who it was from." Harry replied, looking over the loopy-writing.

Harry,

Come to my new office after classes today. It is the empty classroom by the Room of Requirements. Hope to see you soon!

"Well we can all go; I don't think it is a trap; but it is better safe then sorry." Hermione said firmly.

So, they went through their classes. Professor Trelawny ranted on about how the stars foretold of a great chaos, and then Ron blew something up in Potions, loosing ten points from Gryffindor. Defense Against the Dark Arts was spent by students questioning Professor Blair on how she fought Snape, and Charms was was cut short by Neville turning his partner into a dark shade of blue instead of making them feel sad.

All in all, Harry was more then willing to go to the strange classroom by the end of the day.

§

"Wonder who it is," Ron yawned.

Hermione knocked politely on the shut door and a muffled voice replied, "Come in."

The trio entered, and Ron gasped in surprise.

"Professor!" Hermione said with a smile.

Lupin smiled back at her. "I guess you forgot I was coming then?"

Harry turned pink and gave a rueful smile. "Sorry"

"Nothing to worry about. I only finished unpacking today. I must say, I didn't expect so many guests. Tea?" Remus asked as he waved three chairs into existence for the trio to sit on.

"No thanks," Harry said quickly.

"Well, I assume you still remember why I am at Hogwarts don't you Harry?"

"You mean, your not going to take the place of that dreadful woman?" Hermione asked, disappointed.

Lupin looked surprised. "It was my understanding that all the students liked Blair."

"She got into a fight with Professor Snape; honestly she has the maturity of a three-year old!" She continued to rant.

Remus gave a small smile and spoke softly. "Well then I am glad that there is one student at Hogwarts that can see through her."

Hermione blushed, and Harry added; "I don't like her. I did before but... she threatened Professor-"

"Albus knew what she was like before hiring her." Lupin cut him off. "Blair does not bother him."

"Why did he hire her?" Ron asked.

The ex-professor gave them a searching look and then waved his wand at the door. They heard it clink shut.

"Professor Kryeen came to Dumbledore with a proposition. She said that he could either give her a spot in the school, as a teacher; or she would join... you-know-who."

They all skipped a beat in surprise.

"She is... a very powerful witch." He went on. "Her fight with Snape did not show it; that was only a game to her." His face darkened.

"So we have heard." Hermione muttered icily.

"Albus can tell that her power is very ancient, not even he can fully understand it; but he knows that is it better to have her play her games at the castle instead of doing any real harm with the enemy." He finished.

"I knew she wasn't exactly perfect, but..." Ron struggled to say the name.

"Not even Dumbledore can understand her power?" Hermione questioned, a small glint in her eye.

"Do not go meddling around with her; any of you." Remus warned when he saw Harry and Ron exchange glances. "I do not understand her, but I do know that Professor Blair is dangerous. She is not a witch to be crossed. Promise me that you will never give her a reason to harm you."

"We promise," They said in unison.

He looked relieved, but still wary. "Alright, well the hour is late now. You had best be off, or else Filch will catch you."

The trio slowly made their way to the door.

"Oh, and Harry;" Moony added. "Your next lesson is tomorrow, during Divination."

Harry gave him a smile and whispered, "Thanks professor."

§

"Tomorrow, we are going to the library." Hermione announced as they stepped into the empty common room.

Ron groaned. "Why?"

"Since, we can't bother Professor Blair; we will just have to find other ways of learning about her."

"What are you going to do? Look for her name in a book?" Ron demanded.

"Yes, but if that doesn't work then I am checking out everything to do with phoenix." Hermione replied tartly.

§

Days of searching brought up nothing on the name Blair Kryeen, not even in the student files. After much work on phoenix mythology and facts the trio found an article that seemed to match their fiery teacher.

A local fable from the small town called Rilke, says that a strange woman appeared sometime in the past month. The townsfolk said that her head was on fire, and her eyes were the very gates of hell. With a single touch, she could turn you to ashes by boiling your own blood. They said that 'it' was called Lady Phoenix, for she had wings of fire on her back, and sharp silver talons. The Lady Phoenix came one night and bought a room in an inn, ending up killing half the village for 'fun.'

-Excerpt from the Quibbler, October Edition of 2001

§

"Harry, Harry wake up."

The boy-who-lived gave a moan and rolled away.

"Up!" Ron hissed, tugging the blanket from under him.

"Aw!" Harry exclaimed as he his the hard wooden floor. The clock by his bed read 3:26.

"Ron why are you waking me up at three in the morning?" He asked angrily.

"You have an owl." The freckled red-head replied.

"What?" Harry murmured wearily as he put his glasses on. He saw that Ron was right. He did have an owl, a large barn owl that was hooting and flying around annoyingly.

When it saw Harry get up, the bird flew over to him and dropped a letter with a sharp peck to his wrist before flying off.

"Gee, thanks." Harry called out the window sarcastically.

"Well, open it." Ron added eagerly.

With a small sigh, the last Potters slid the letter open.

Harry,

We really have to think of a better name for you. This letter could be intercepted. Never mind, we have more important things to discuss. Blair was spotted at a Death Eater meeting. Our source says that she is re-entering the school. We fear that she may try to do something to you. Please take some people and go up to Fawkes's lair, but make sure you like rainbow nougat.

-OotP

§

"And why are we going out in the middle of the night to see Dumbledore again?" Ron asked.

"Fawkes's lair, that is his office." Harry replied as they strode up the stairs.

"But we don't know the password." Ron groaned as they reached the gargoyles.

"Yes we do, rainbow nougat." Harry said quickly.

The gargoyles hastily jumped out of the way as the two teens climbed.

Harry panted as he knocked on the door.

"Come in." A calm voice called from inside the office.

§

A window creaked open softly, and in the gentle moonlight a crimson cloak passed through. Standing to her full height, Blair Kryeen surveyed the empty corridor with all-seeing golden eyes. Then, she took long strides across, a playful smile on her features.

What a fun night this was.

§

"Severus, please calm down." Albus Dumbledore instructed firmly.

The Potion's teacher took three deep breaths, his black eyes smoldering.

Harry and Ron watched in silence as Snape began his tale.

"I was called to another meeting. I gave the Dark Lord some false information, and was learning of some of the reports just as usual." He spotted the two silent teens glaring daggers at him.

"Headmaster I really do not think that they..."

Dumbledore waved him down. "I trust them. Please continue."

With a look of pure loathing at the two; he continued.

"Then she came; strutting in as if she ruled the place of course." He added hotly.

"Blair?" Albus clarified.

He nodded. "One of the Death Eaters tried to kill her on the spot, but she avoided the attack and snapped the man's neck."

"Do you know who it was?" The wizened wizard asked.

"I am afraid not Headmaster." Snape said silkily. "The Dark Lord was impressed and interested by her talent. He asked Blair her name, and she laughed; telling him that he could call her whatever he wanted. At first, I thought she had come to betray you and join the Dark Lord, but when he asked why she was here the whore replied, 'To have some fun."

"Severus, your language please." Dumbledore said forcefully.

Snape bowed and muttered, "I apologize. I forgot we were in the presence of... children." He gave Ron and Harry a withering glance.

"Severus, continue please." Dumbledore cut through a possible fight with a sharp voice.

With another nod; the teacher continued. "She proceeded to flick her wand at Peter Pettigrew and lift him into the air. The Dark Lord was not angry, but wanted to ensure she knew who was in charge. He released Wormtail and apparently that angered Miss Kryeen. She told him that no one controlled her and proved her point by lifting Wormtail back into the air. The Dark Lord became furious and nearly crushed Peter in an attempt to get him back to the ground. Blair, however managed to hold him inches in the air. Everyone was startled, naturally that anyone could best the Dark Lord. He commanded all the Death Eaters to leave so he could have a private chat with her. I came straight back here after contacting you Headmaster."

No one spoke for a time and then Dumbledore murmured, "She has even more power then I first assumed. Let us just hope that Voldemort does not convince her to join with him."

Suddenly, Fawkes gave a single musical note.

"She has returned."

§

A few minutes later Blair Kryeen stepped up into the office. She had a smug look on her wild features, and her hair was matted with dirt and blood. Still, the inner fire seemed to radiate from her every pore. It added intensity, power, and an electric beauty.

"Filthy wretch!" Severus hissed at her.

She gave him an amused glance and replied, "Good night to you as well, over-sized bat."

"Where you at the Death Eater meeting?" Harry had jumped up before reason stopped him. He felt a strange fury build up at the sight of her, so obviously playing with everyone.

Blair seemed surprised at his sudden boldness, and smiled wider. "Yes"

"HOW COULD YOU! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A PROFESSOR! YOU BLACKMAILED DUMBLEDORE INTO GIVING YOU THIS JOB THEN YOU GO AND HELP VOLDEMORT! YOU ARE A DIRTY LIER!"

She laughed, but she fixed him with a deadly stare and stepped toward him with the poise of a predator who has found prey.

"I do not care what you or any of the other students think Harry." She whispered.

Dumbledore was out of his seat, wand drawn.

She was mere inches from his face, and Harry could feel her spicy hot breath. Then she backed away and roared with laughter.

"I have no honor Harry Potter. Honor is to restricting. I am above all of your pathetic morals."

Ron pulled him down before he could yell back. His freckled face was ghastly pale.

Albus raised his voice to boom over the circular office. "ENOUGH!"

Silence fell, but Blair was giving Harry an amused look still.

"Miss Kryeen, did you join with Voldemort?" He suddenly sounded very old and tired.

She gave a shrug and replied, " Don't feel like telling you tonight." Then she walked out the door.

§

§

News of Professor Kryeen's late night excavations spread through the school like wildfire. By Monday morning the rumors were more imagination then truth.

"I heard that Professor Kryeen killed he-who-must-not-be-named!"

"I heard that she slept with him!"

"Your both crazy, she only went because her finance is a Death Eater!"

Hermione, of course, knew the truth. She grumbled that they didn't wake her up when Ron pointed out that the stairs were enchanted.

§

"We have Divination today." Ron groaned as he walked with Harry to the Great Hall.

"Great, I wonder what horrific death will befall me today." He replied dully.

" I don't know how you put up with that old bat." Hermione muttered.

"Well she gives Ron a passing grade, which is new." A familiar voice came up to them.

Ron muttered under his breath as Ginny came to sit by him with Luna.

"Did you here about Professor Kryeen?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, we talked with her. All she said was she went to 'have fun.'" Harry replied.

"How much fun can you have at a Death Eater meeting?" She asked, outraged.

"Her fun is not our fun." Luna spoke in her misty voice.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked as Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Her fun is messing with people; either that or she was bit by a Snorkeling Gobblegit."

"A what?" Harry said.

"They are tiny bugs that are really hard to see, but if they bite you they can control your mind." Lovegood explained.

Hermione covered her mouth to keep from laughing.

Harry highly doubted that Blair was bitten by a magical bug, but the way Luna described her idea of fun seemed right.

§

Entering the dim Astronomy Tower, Harry and Ron immediately knew something was wrong. The smell of incense was twice as powerful and the soft cushions were toppled and disarray. Among all the chaos Professor Trelawny was running about frantic.

"No, no I cannot see... It is hidden... Who dares to hide it from me... An entire month... fog, splatters, no stars.. blind..." She yelled, peering into a crystal ball, then looking into several cups of tea.

"Er... Professor Trelawny is everything... alright?" Harry asked.

"NOTHING!" She screamed, looking mad.

"Pardon?" Harry blinked.

She ran over to him, pointing dramatically at the table behind her filled with various fortune-telling instruments.

"All month, I have seen nothing! There are times when my inner eyes is clouded, but never this long. The crystal balls are fogged, the stars are covered by clouds, the tea leaves reveal nothing but blobs! Not one of my students can see anything! Blind, blind! This is dark magic I tell you! Someone is interfering with the cosmic forces! Beware all!"

"She's finally lost it." Ron whispered to Harry.

He nodded, but somehow it seemed deeper then that.

"Go away! Go all of you, and beware! I will stay in my tower and battle these forces alone!" She waved dramatically.

"Professor isn't there anything we could do?" Lavender asked shyly.

"No, no children. You must only watch yourselves, dark times ahead when the seers see nothing." She slammed the door on them.

Ron shook his head. "What was that all about?"

"I- I don't know." Harry admitted, but brightened a bit. "But we have a free class, lets go down to the Quidditch pitch and practice."

§

"I am going to give her a piece of my mind today!" She grumbled as they walked to the Defense Against Dark Arts classroom.

"She might take of piece of your body as payment." Harry muttered darkly.

"Hm, I just think she is a stuck-up two year old who likes to scare people." She insisted.

"You were the one who didn't want to bother her before!" Ron pointed out.

Hermione shut up, but glared at him the rest of the way down the hall.

§

She walked in, normal as usual... well as normal as Blair Kryeen could be. She still had her preferred muggle attire peering from under a pale golden robe. Today it was lose black pants with gold embroidery and a dark satin green shirt. Her classic smile still hung, and the aura of confidence and power washed from her. The necklace peeked over, an article she wore everyday and it was even rumored she slept in it. The black stones contrasted the white as the long phoenix feather dangled down.

"How are we today?" She asked smoothly.

A burst of answers came to her.

"Did you go to the Death Eater meeting?"

"Did you join... him?"

"Are you the new spy?"

"You didn't sleep with him, did you?"

"You killed Voldemort didn't you?"

She laughed and relative quiet fell. "So many questions, it seems my late-night visits go unnoticed by no one. I am touched." Her voice dripped sarcasm.

"Then you did go to..." A Ravenclaw began.

"I went to the Death Eater meeting, yes."

Total silence fell.

"What happened professor?" Neville asked shyly.

"I had some fun." Something about the smile and the glare in her golden orbs made her look sadistic as the words rolled out.

"Is it true that you were able to overpower Voldemort?" Hermione suddenly asked.

Blair shrugged. "Yes,"

An audible gasp went up, but Hermione's eyes glinted steely.

"Prove it."

Kryeen gave her a measuring look. "Is that a challenge?"

The young witch held her chin high to gaze straight into the fiery depth of her professor's eyes.

"It is."

In an instant, Blair's entire person changed. Her relaxed and casually powerful poise became tense and ready to pounce. The inner fire surfaced, and the care-free daring smile became one of cunning amusement.

"Prove to me that you have enough power to best Voldemort." Hermione swallowed hard as Professor Kryeen advanced slowly.

"And if I do? What then?" She breathed down her neck.

Harry and Ron had their wands raised under their desks.

"I will walk into Potions tomorrow and tell Professor Snape that he is a greasy-git and you are twice as better as he is."

Her eyes lit up, vengeance and a haunting fire filled flickered in them. "And if you win I will walk in to Severus and tell him I submit to his superiority. Ready?"

Hermione's palm sweat a bit, but her face was a firm composure as she nodded.

Blair stood tall, her tall frame rigid as she began chanting in some language Hermione didn't know. Yet, it was familiar. The tone was hauntingly beautiful and ringing with power. The melody was smooth and high, like a pure crystal bell chiming out... or a phoenix song.

Suddenly, the fire that lit the room around the ceiling began to dance, trickling toward her open palms. Flames licked her skin without leaving a mark, flowing to her slender hands.

With a fluid movement her palms shifted downward, and the shifting flames pelted at the stone ground with such force that the ceramic stone shattered apart as the stream of heat, ancient magic, and flames cut through dry ground like butter. Then, slowly and certainly she began to play her hands up like a puppeteer, embellishing and chanting with slow movement.

The fiery serpent began to rise again, and in its deadly clutches a large wooden box carried up, tittering in a bed of orange liquid.

Gently, the box lifted higher and higher from the torn gash in the earth. It was engulfed in flames, yet not a single burn mark showed. The flames were obeying her. Following their mistress's whim the deadly fire carried the precious burden into the light of day, and on the unbroken tiles.

With a single slashing movement and an end to the chanting Blair ended it. The flames vanished as if they had been cut with a knife, vanishing into the air. The only traces were a deep wound in the ground, the dark, ebony box; and the stinging heat with pale wisps of smoke.

Walking over in silent boldness the young professor crossed over to the dark black box. She traced the words with her fingers, running the other hand down to check the box for any marks. Perfect. Then she stood up and the victorious look had painted on her face.

"Hermione, please come over here.

Miss Granger, still shocked from the fiery ceremony walked numbly over to the large box. She inspected it.

The box was made of a heavy wood and varnished with black lacker. Intricately painted figures adorned it, jade green snakes curled around the edges and silver lettering written in long, loopy writing engraved on the top. The box itself was rectangular with an oddity at the beginning. It took Hermione only a minute to whiten in shock. It was a coffin.

Harry and Ron walked over to Hermione, and Harry saw the coffin with the snakes. With sudden horror he looked at the silver lettering.

"Ron can you read that?" His voice was hoarse.

"N-no," Ron was shaking as he held Hermione up.

"It is s... some other language." She squeaked.

"It is Parselmouth." Harry's mouth was dry.

"Here lies the Salizar Slytherin, the greatest of the four. On this tomb is inscribed the tale of his demise, the secret of his lair, and the power that was hidden with him. Turn back mortals, some is better left buried. Dare not unleash what lies inside, for the chamber was not his greatest weapon. No, something far darker was already being born as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was being brought to life. Turn back mortals, for some fates are worse then death. Turn back mortals, for the king of snakes will reek destruction upon all. Turn back mortals, for she will come and bring an end to all. Turn back mortals, for hate does not die. Turn back mortals...

§

Redone: 9,10 & 11