Outcomes – Chapter 11
The Phoenix Lord's Apprentice
"Now remember Caleb they may and most likely will use your past against you." Sirius warned his adoptive son as they strode through a set of tall wrought iron gates. "It's in their nature to make you as weak and vulnerable as possible. It is also part of your training to be able to shrug it off and grow stronger. Earn their respect and they will back you for life."
"I know dad, it's something I have to do, something I am fully prepared for." Caleb replied
"Are you sure?" Sirius asked his concern for the boy he had raised from five years of age creeping into his voice at last.
"Yes. I am fully confident that I can do this… but I am not going to get cocky or over-confident as they will both lead to the death of me too!" Caleb replied truthfully. "Dad I know you're worried and all, but I can do this! And I will do this!"
"Alright, I'll wait out here then." Sirius replied. "Good luck son!"
Caleb entered the Grand Conference Room of Elders.
The meeting room for beings that wished to seek an audience with the Elders of all the magical ruling races. Everyone but the wizards were represented, the Elves, Centaurs, Fairies and Pixies, event Bowtruckles and Dragons had a representative present for the meeting and major decisions. Wizards no longer even believed in the Elders Council, centuries before hand they had declared themselves the ruling body of the magical world as they had the largest 'sentient' population and decided that anyone or thing was below them. Only certain wizards that still practices the 'lost arts' knew about the Elders Council, some of these wizards were the Phoenix Lord, his heirs and students and similar schools and Lords, Nicolas flammel and his wife, as well as Cross-breed wizards and both of their parents. All in the entire list was small compared to the number of wizards alive.
Caleb walked to the centre of the chamber and stood in the circle provided for visitors of the council. It wasn't the most pleasant atmosphere, but at the same time it wasn't totally hostile either.
"Mister Irvine, or is it Potter?" One of the elders began once he had taken up his position in front of them.
"I can assure you Honoured Elder, it is definitely Irvine."
"Why are you here young one?" Another Elder asked.
"I
am here to ask of you………"
A/N:
guess you all would kill me if I left it there huh… Now, now no
need to throw a tantrum… or that set of knives at me… or those
throwing stars… backs away slowly ok, ok I'll keep writing!!!
"So how long until our daughter can transfer schools?" Mr. Granger asked of Albus Dumbledore as they sat in the Granger's home living room.
"Soon, soon. Are you sure you want to do this Mr. Granger? Mrs. Granger? I feel Hermione is doing excellently where she is" Dumbledore replied.
"Well she doesn't and that is what counts. She wants a challenge Mr. Dumbledore, and this new school is where she feels she will find one. Besides the point that, well I believe that, she only stayed at your school because of the education she was receiving. She never came home happy on holidays and never looked forward to the train ride back to school. She talks about the school and the homework but never her friends, only ever the bullies and users." Mrs. Granger replied. "I, for one am glad she won the right to go on the exchange trip to this academy, she came back with true friends, that helped her with her homework and talked to her and included her in everything they did. Your students however never did that. So, sir I suggest you hurry up the process of her transfer or I will find a way to come down to that school and transfer her manually myself!"
Even Dumbledore could tell she was angry and fed-up with him, his obvious stalling of her daughters transfer and the fact that he had never cared about her general well-being whilst she was at his school.
"I will see…" Dumbledore's voice dried up at the majestic elf that appeared in the Granger's living room beside the fireplace.
"Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Albus Dumbledore. I am here on behalf of my Lord Ryder, to deliver a message for him and the Council of Elders." The elf began after bowing low to the ground. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger your daughter is as we speak being transferred and settled into the Phoenix Lord's Academy as she wanted."
"Ummm, thank you?" Mr. Granger replied unsure of how to handle the latest guest.
"You are most welcome. Now Albus Dumbledore I am here to deliver a warning from the council. The warning is, 'If you continue down this path you will not return. If meddle any further the consequences will be your own. The one you declared is not the one fate chose.' Horribly cryptic I know but they believed you would understand it all. Now I bid my leave! Adieu!" The elfin man finished with another low bow and disappeared into thin air without a sound.
The council sat patiently talking to one another for Lord Ryder's main man-servant (or in this case elf-servant) to return from delivering the required messages. The young Phoenix heirs case had been short and easy to hear, his evidence was compelling and when the council deliberated and decided to check on Albus Dumbledore the wizarding world's glorious 'leader of the light' and saw first hand his meddling in trying to stop a key member of the upcoming war that fate had warned them of from receiving her necessary training they knew that interference was needed and immediately took steps.
Horren, Lord Ryder's man-servant, returned from his mission and with a quick, low bow to the council and a murmured "It is done!" he returned to his place behind and slightly to the side of his master.
"Master Irvine, or would you prefer Caleb? No matter, it is done. When you return to your Master's school she will be there. Train her well as her influence and knowledge is going to be invaluable in coming times! You have our full support behind you young one, and don't ever fear your past embrace it as it is still a part of what has crafted you into the person you are today! Continue to move forward, but don't forget the past when you need it most!" Said the Council's Head.
"I thank you for your words Honourable Elder, and your support! I will take heed of your warnings hidden in your words when preparing for the coming war sir."
Caleb exited the Council room and quickly moved to meet his father outside the entrance hall on the front steps.
"How did it go?" Sirius said before Caleb even fully cleared the doors.
"She should be there when we return." Caleb replied moving past Sirius and out onto the driveway. "Can we go home now? I'm exhausted! That took a hell of a lot emotional and mental strength and sheer will-power to stand there, be critised and move past it all to win the argument. It may have been short but it was painful!"
"Did you learn anything?" Sirius asked.
He still remembered coming before the council with Craven as his companion and stating the argument for them to cover up most of his release so that he could live in peace. Their only condition was that he was to teach at Craven's academy, he had agreed without hesitation!
"Maybe………" Caleb replied softly.
"CALEB!!!! You won't believe who just got here!" Jessie yelled excitedly as she ran across the entrance hall of the school main building.
"Who just got here Jessie?" Caleb asked in a weary but good-natured and cheerful voice.
"Hermione silly! You missed all the theatrics!" Jessie said with a pout as she drew him along at a now increasingly fast pace.
"Ok Jessie, I'm coming just please calm down and slow down before my arm falls out of its socket!" Caleb begged.
Sirius watched as his son was dragged away by his girlfriend and sighed. He had always wondered what the Potter's had been thinking to treat their first born child, their son and heir not to mention their flesh and blood, they way they had. It had taken the family, because as weird and eccentric as they were they were family, a long time to draw Caleb out of his protective shell. He had been highly intelligent for a 5 year old, too intelligent almost. Hell who was Sirius kidding? He'd known from the moment of Harry – now Caleb's birth that the boy was exceedingly special and James and Lily had fervently agreed they doted on the child. The reason they had tried for a second child so soon was so Harry could have a sibling to play with, but everything went to hell the night Voldemort attacked. His friend's outlook on both of their children had changed and they had even had him imprisoned on false charges.
Sirius' eyes lit with a curious fire as something's clicked into place in his head, new pathways of thought opened themselves up in his mind and he saw a new reason for his ex-best friend's behaviour.
With his eyes burning with a curious new fire Sirius set off to find the adults of his family to discuss an interesting new theory on the betrayal of Lily and James Potter, their two children and Sirius himself.