Sorry people. Even though I'm so far ahead on this story life has just gotten in the way. I'm now officially a relief teacher… yay me… so that means I don't know what, who or where I'm teaching until I get the phone call 6:00am in the morning. I'm sorry I've been slack…. Just stressed… and somedays I would rather slit my wrists with a blunt icy pole stick than do something productive….
Illeanah
Phoenix Tears Rising
An Alternate Year Six Book
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters associated with his world belong to JK Rowling. No financial gain is being made from this story – only hours of enjoyment.
A/N: Harry is beginning to think of himself as 'Tristian' so I'll be using that name more often to make it less confusing.
Chapter Eleven. When the Hunter Becomes Hunted
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, 26th November 1060
Tristian rather thought both his fathers must be blind to the uneasy tense atmosphere between the three brothers. It had been nearly a week and yet none of them had uttered a civil word to another, even though Tristian had dined with both families. The apparent dislike between the three had the unfortunate side effect of most Gryffindors and Slytherins hating him by default because of Silas' and Axcel's attitude towards him.
Tristian had also found that being a relation of Slytherin that the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students had no desire to 'disturb' him. He had to settle for the rare smile or nod.
So when Godric, rapped on his door one morning and informed Tristian of his idea to better acquaint himself with Axcel and his cohort of followers Tristian nearly choked.
"You want me to go hunting with Axcel?" Tristian exclaimed glancing up at Godric in horror. "But…"
Godric opened the door that separated himself and Tristian before stepping through and closing the gap. "I don't understand the problem. It is a fine day for hunting and a free day for all students. Silas will be accompanying Axcel. It is a perfect opportunity."
Tristian did choke on his tongue. "But… I… I can't."
Godric crossed his arms across his chest a sure sign he was agitated. "Why not?"
How does one tell one's father that his other son hates your guts? The answer seemed simple but ominous to Tristian: you don't say anything against your brother to your father. Unfortunately that meant Tristian stood with his mouth half open trying to find an adequate excuse not to go with Axcel and friends.
"Come, Trist, you've cooped yourself in these chambers far too much this last week. It's time for you to meet some young lads instead of those books you pretend to 'study'." Godric took Tristian's upper arm gently but firmly and steered him out the door. There was no use in Tristian arguing. Godric was determined that he go and get some fresh air and make friends, the later was not likely.
Tristian let his mind wander, not really in the mood to hear his father sing praises about Axcel's many adventures and achievements. It was enough to make him sick.
Godric's conversation died as they approached Axcel, Silas and some other boys from both Slytherin and Gryffindor house. Tristian followed on Godric's heels a little reluctantly.
"What's he doing here?" Axcel whined glaring at Tristian.
"Tristian shall accompany you today, Axcel," Godric said firmly. "It is a good opportunity for Silas to get to know his kinsman." There was something in the founder's voice that added mentally – 'and you your brother'.
"Thank you for your concern, Lord Gryffindor," Silas hissed sneering at Tristian. "But we are distantly related and have no concern to each other."
"Ah," Godric sighed, propelling Tristian forwards towards the other boys with his hand in the middle of his back. "But you are related."
"But father, he has no horse," Axcel whined.
"Then he may take my mare," Godric quipped crossing his arms against his chest in a gesture that clearly stated: do-not-argue.
Axcel sent a glace of pure loathing at Tristian. "Fine," he muttered as he turned his back, "This way then Tristian."
Even the way Axcel said his name made Tristian want to back out. Godric pushed Tristian forwards again and Tristian stumbled after his brother – all the other boys were watching curiously as if waiting for one of the brothers to start cursing each other.
"Quite the favourite, now aren't you?" Axcel muttered angrily when they were alone. Tristian opted not to reply.
"Of all things: father's mare! You've confounded him he obviously can't see what a horrible, filthy, mangy little leach you are. Sucking both of our clans dry with your pathetic drama."
Tristian watched wearily as Axcel roughly saddled and bridled an intelligent black mare. He felt more than a little stupid standing idly as his brother worked cursing him under his breath. Axcel thrust the reins at Tristian when he was done and stormed out of the stall.
"Why do I have the feeling today is going to be the longest day of my life?" Tristian muttered to himself. The black mare snorted indignantly and nuzzled his shoulder.
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Living in the twenty first century meant that Tristian had never had much practice riding horse. In fact this was the first time he had been on the back of a horse. Dudley had ridden on the back of a pony at a farm when he was five and that was as close as Tristian ever got to those creatures.
Therefore Tristian was more than happy to be at the rear of the group, alone and ignored. One of the Slytherin boys, a small ginger haired boy had tried to make conversation with Tristian. One hateful look from Silas however soon shut him up.
"Don't worry," the ginger haired boy had said to Tristian in a whisper before he left. "No one likes me either."
That made Tristian feel so much better about his situation.
The group stopped for lunch and bum sore and grumpy Tristian slipped from the mare's back and fell in a heap. The other boys snickered at Tristian's poor attempt but Tristian ignored the jibes.
"He's from a derelict part of the Slytherin clan in Wales," Silas sneered to the other boys. "Came with absolutely nothing, relying on my grandfather's generosity… heard from grandfather that he is not very intelligent either."
"There is nothing wrong coming from a poorer family," Tristian snapped thinking of his friend back home: Ron, whose family never had much money to splash around. "Hardship builds character."
"You are hardly living in hardship, serf," Axcel snarled. "You've fallen in the lap of luxury by sheer dumb luck."
"Exactly," Tristian snapped taking the reins of the black mare. "You don't know what you have."
Tristian tugged on the reins of the black mare but she stood stubbornly still. "Fine," Tristian snapped at her as he stormed off in a huff. He didn't storm too far; he wouldn't put it past Axcel and company to leave without him and to fend for himself. So he sat nearby on a rock and started to have a good sulk.
Unfortunately said sulk was cut short by someone knocking him unconscious.
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The first thing Tristian noticed when he come back to the world of the living was that he was already standing up. He yawned and blurry opened his eyes. Darkness met him he blinked and then realised with a jolt that it was already early evening. He tried to lift his hands to rub his eyes but found he was complete immobilised.
For the next few minutes Tristian struggled against his invisible bonds in a panic. Axcel and friends had thought of something more mean spirited than just leave him – they had effectively super glued him to a tree. And Tristian knew there would be nothing he could say to elevate Godric's anger when he tramped home late: that is if he ever escaped the hold of the tree.
"Why me?" Tristian whined to the stars. "Why is it the fates seem to have it in for me?"
"Indeed," a voice answered.
Tristian groaned and started to struggle futilely with his invisible bonds.
"What have we here?" a cloaked figure stepped out of the clearing and Tristian only struggled even more for his bonds to release him. Tristian recognised the figure instantly of Malic: the insane werewolf who attack him just over a week ago. It wasn't a face Tristian was going to forget so easily.
"Struggling doesn't seem to be helping you boy," Malic whispered maliciously. Tristian stared at his grandfather's enemy through his dark fringe.
"Did your dear Uncle Saladin tell you about me?" Malic to a menacing step forwards and Tristian suppressed a shudder of fear.
"You're trembling my lad, tell me are you afraid?" Malic was now nose to nose with Tristian. Slowly the werewolf traced the contours of Tristian's jaw line. Tristian froze his mind had seemed to have gone to putty.
"Such young sweet blood is pumping through your veins." Malic tipped Tristian's chin to the side expose the white of his neck. Tristian watched out of the corner of his eye, helpless as Malic grinned and readied himself to snap his neck in two. "Dogs and wolves always bite the neck of their pray, boy. Should be relatively painless after the initial bite."
Tristian shivered in revulsion and happened to glance over Malic's shoulder where movement caught his eye.
"Now we say goodnight…" Malic's menacing eyes lit up. Tristian gasped and wrench his neck out of werewolf's grasp at the same time a great black something charged.
Malic had been so preoccupied with scaring Tristian before killing him only realised the danger he was in too late. He darted to the side with amazing agility as a much larger creature charged.
Tristian gasped as he made out the black bicorn that he had seen on two occasions already. The stallion for his part ignored Tristian as he lowered his great crowned head and charged at Malic who had his wand out and was spewing hexes and curses. But the bicorn continued with his deadly charge and Malic had to stumble and jump out of the angry creatures path.
The bicorn was not to be deterred from his path however, he bellowed angrily and continued chasing Malic mercilessly until it was quite sure the werewolf had left for good.
Tristian watched opened mouthed as the large bicorn made its way over to him. Its sea-green eyes watched him accusingly.
"Erm… thanks?" Tristian hazard uncertainly still struggling somewhat.
The bicorn was still eying him sternly but nudged his shoulder gently. "I'm fine only freezing," Tristian said.
The bicorn snorted in Tristian's face covering him with horsy but warm breath.
"And I'm pretty much stuck here," Tristian added for good measure.
Tristian could almost see the bicorn raise his eyebrows at his last statement. The bicorn however continued to lower his great horned head and slashed at the tree much to Tristian's consternation. Whatever the clever creature did loosened Tristian so that he fell in an undignified heap on the floor.
"Aw," Tristian complained rubbing his sore muscles. The bicorn merely stamped his feet in impatience and lowered himself to his front knees.
"Oh no," Tristian said shaking his head. "I've had enough of horses."
The bicorn looked affronted and roughly nudged Tristian's shoulder so that he fell over again. Tristian eyed the bicorn. The bicorn eyed Tristian.
Needless to say the bicorn won and Tristian scrambled onto his back a moment later. Tristian only had a second to grab onto the black masses of mane before the bicorn took off at a heart racing gallop.
With very little experience of horses Tristian gritted his teeth, closed his eyes and clung as tightly as he could to the bicorn's neck. He had no idea how the animal knew where he wanted to go but sure enough he soon saw familiar sights when he was brave enough to open his eyes.
The bicorn's pace did not slow once they had reached the edges of the Hogwarts wards. They careened through the gardens until they reached the dark courtyard.
By the time Tristian slipped from the back of the bicorn his elbow was grabbed harshly and he was spun around. Godric stood over him anger gleaming in his dark eyes.
"What possessed you to run off alone like that?" Godric snarled shaking Tristian sharply. "Have you no concern for your family… you've had the whole castle in an uproar boy!"
Tristian gasped desperately wanting to shake Godric's grip off him and painfully aware of Axcel smirking at him from the archway.
"But I…" Tristian started.
"Silence! I will not have this insolence, pup!"
Tristian's eyes darted back to Axcel whose look of victory was enough to make him want to curse the other boy to the moon and back.
"Your selfishness has caused your brothers great distress."
Tristian could not help but scoff at Godric's words he only realised his mistake when Godric's palm smacked him hard against his cheeks and sent him sprawling. Shock was the first emotion that Tristian registered. He reached out and touched his cheek in unbelief at what had just transpired.
"Don't you dare even think of showing me such blatant disrespect again, boy. And I suggest you start finding your place in this family. Salazar's right you have not done yourself any favours this past week."
Godric swept away leaving Harry on the cold hard ground. Axcel stuttered up to Tristian grinning widely. "Lovely evening isn't it?"
Hand still over his stinging cheek Tristian glared up at Axcel.
"Aren't you going to answer, brother of mine?"
Angry, embarrassed and ashamed that he had allowed Axcel to get one up on him, Tristian got to his feet and made an attempt to pass his brother. "You're not my family," Tristian snarled clenching his fists.
Axcel smirked and shook his head. "And I was so concerned about you, brother."
Furious Tristian took the bait. "I've never meet a Gryffindor who has disgraced himself as much as you today. You have no honour. You left me there to…"
Tristian could see the furious glint in Axcel's eye. He was aware his brother was going to punch his lights out but he just didn't care.
"To bed with both of you." Saladin Slytherin stood on the other side of the courtyard and stared sternly at the two arguing boys. "NOW!" he roared when neither made a move to obey him.
With one last murderous glance at his brother, Tristian swept past and determinedly walked away. When he reached the safety of the corridors he bolted so that no one would catch his tears of righteous anger.
Hitting the door of his chamber with a loud bang he wrenched the door open and slammed the door behind him.
Sidonius, who had taken up sleeping on Tristian's pillow, lifted his delicate diamond head and flicked his tongue.
"Squishy?" the snake asked, using Tristian's pet name.
"I'm okay," Tristian mumbled back with a sob. "I'm just so angry…"
Tristian walked towards the bed and flopped down and brushed his tears on the softness of the pillow silk.
"Someone is coming Squishy," Sidonius hissed into Tristian's ear before diving under the covers. Tristian ignored the snake and attempted to bite back the tears.
The door opened slowly. "I've brought you some supper, young master." Ulrich's quiet voice cut through Tristian's sobs.
Not wanting to be seen crying, Tristian dried his eyes and indicated to the table silently. Ulrich stepped further into the room pointedly ignoring Tristian's tears as he placed the food on the side table.
"Lord Slytherin said that Malic was out tonight," Ulrich stated looking perturbed. "Did he hurt you master?"
"No. But he is in a foul mood anyway," Sidonius hissed from his hiding place.
"No," Tristian replied slowly trying to look innocent as Ulrich tilted his head to the side as if listening for something. "But I was scared."
"Only a fool wouldn't be scared," Ulrich said comfortingly. "What is it young master? Why are you so melancholy?"
Tristian sniffed. "I want to go home."
Ulrich sighed and sat on the bed beside Tristian. "Your grandfather thought as much. But this is your home now."
"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything but… I miss my family and friends."
"Family and friends?" Sidonius hissed from under the covers. This time Ulrich's head definitely tilted. "What about me? Eh? Or as Squishy forgot me now he can't see me underneath all his bed clothes? Eh? I thought I was your friend? Why do you hide me ? Are you ashamed of me?"
Sidonius in his anger slithered from underneath the covers and flickered, his tongue at Tristian in rebuke. Ulrich paled somewhat and glanced from the snake to Tristian and back to the snake again.
"Oh my," Ulrich gasped. "You're a…"
"Please don't say anything," Tristian pleaded grabbing Ulrich's sleeve. "Please."
"You mistake me young master."
"Please…" Tristian pleaded. "I don't want to anger anyone."
"But Parseltongue runs in the family. Lord Slytherin would be so pleased to hear…"
"Please, I'm not ready for another revelation about me. And I don't need another reason for Silas to hate me."
Ulrich considered for a moment before nodding. "You should be in bed," the servant said before leaving Harry with his supper and insulted snake.
