Chapter 90: Brainstorming

As the four of them headed towards Gryffindor tower, Phoenix couldn't help but think of what happened in the forest. She looked over at Neville, hoping he would be quiet. 'Draco is who I'm most worried about.' She thought, wincing when Hermione placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, alarmed.

Harry and Neville stopped. Phoenix looked at the boys with a tired smile, "I'm fine, just a scratch from a tree branch." She said, shrugging it off. "I'll put a bandage on it. I believe I have some in my trunk."

Harry looked at her, then turned back around along with Neville.

"Now is it really a scratch from a tree branch?" Hermione asked quietly. Phoenix eyed her. "What really happened in the forest between Draco, Neville, and you?" she asked.

Phoenix sighed. She knew Hermione wouldn't let it go. She waited till the boys were further away before answering. There wasn't much time left before they reached the common room. "I don't know how, but demons shimmered into the forest. They started attacking, and I got grazed by a fireball. Later I saw two more shimmer behind the hooded figure that attacked Harry. They were the same demons that attacked my sister and me on our birthday."

Hermione's eyes were wide. "This is serious," She said. "You need to tell someone."

"No, if I do, then mom might pull me out of Hogwarts."

"Phoenix, at least tell Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall."

Phoenix stopped, "no." She looked at a worried Hermione. She sighed, "if it gets any worse, then I'll consider it."

"How much worse than being attacked?"

Phoenix smirked, "that was normal. My question is, how did they get on Hogwarts grounds? Who are they helping?"

Hermione pondered, "The protection around Hogwarts isn't against your type of magic. I mean, even your double got inside."

"True, but who are they helping? Shaelyn made it sound like they are working with Voldemort to get the Stone for a higher level demon."

Hermione shrugged, "Do demons work like that?"

"Lower level demons sometimes work with upper level demons to make a name for themselves."

"Do you think they will get into Hogwarts?"

Phoenix shook her head. "Even if they could, I don't think they would. They would have already done it. It feels like they are waiting."

Before they could continue further, the portrait was ahead of them. Hermione looked at the cut on Phoenix's robes. "Are you going to get that looked at?"

Phoenix shook her head. "I don't think Madame Pomphrey would believe me."

They walked through the portrait, Neville headed to bed and the others found Ron. Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry told them his version of what had happened in the forest. Phoenix would throw her version when he took a break, leaving out the demons.

Phoenix noticed Harry wasn't able to sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaky. "Snape wants the stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

"Again, it could be Quirrell. Maybe he is helping Voldemort." Phoenix pipped up.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Stop saying his name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as is he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Harry wasn't listening. "Snape is the only logical choice. He fits with everything going on."

"So can Quirrell. Just because Snape doesn't like you or Gryffindors doesn't mean he is working for Voldemort!"

Harry stopped to think, then continued, not listening to Phoenix's theory. "Firenze and Shaelyn saved us, but they shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me…. I suppose that's written in the stars as well." He looked up and looked at Phoenix. "I don't understand your part. Shaelyn called you Charmed Daughter. Not sure how that goes with Voldemort's plans."

"Will you stop saying his name!" Ron hissed.

"So, all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the stone."

"Or Quirrell." Phoenix added.

Harry went on feverish, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… well, I suppose Bane'll be happy. And we need to figure out what they mean about Charmed Daughter Phoenix."

Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort. "Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one you-know-who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, you-know-who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic. As for Charmed Daughter, I have heard nothing like that in my readings." She finished looking at Phoenix.

"Charmed Daughter, As in the Charmed Ones?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged, "they didn't mention Charmed Ones. They only said Charmed Daughter." He looked at Ron with interest. "Who are the Charmed Ones?"

Phoenix took a nervous gulp, watching the smile and wonderment in Ron's eyes. "From what I can remember, they are the most powerful witches in the world." He looked up in thought before continuing, "I think they are three sisters. Mom mentioned them sometimes when we were younger, especially to Ginny."

Phoenix looked nervously at Hermione before looking back at Harry. Harry seemed to think over what Ron told him. "Do you know if they are alive or have passed?"

Ron shrugged, "honestly I thought they were stories mom made up or children stories. I never thought they were real."

"There must be some truth if the centaurs brough up Charmed Daughter." Harry looked up to no one in particular. "Charmed Daughter must mean a descendent of a Charmed One," He looked over at Hermione and Phoenix, "what do you two think?"

"I..I ..don't know." they both said.

Harry didn't pay attention to the awkward response. "Hermione is there anywhere in the library you haven't read?"

Hermione glanced at Phoenix nervously, "I haven't come across anything mentioning Charmed Ones or daughter while looking for information on Nicolas Flamel. If it is a children's book like Ron said, the library wouldn't have it."

Harry looked defeated. Phoenix knew he wanted to say more, but Ron gave out a loud yawn and the sky had turned light as it shined through the windows. The four of them decided it was best to head to bed and think on what they talked about later.

"You are going to need to talk to Harry about you being a Charmed Daughter. You know he won't let it go and no, let's not use your dust." Hermione mentioned before Phoenix and she went to sleep.