Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong
Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.
Harry became soon distracted, when his friends returned to Hogwarts that evening. To his amazement, most of his friends had been made prefects. Hermione and Teddy were the Ravenclaw fifth-year prefects, Draco the Gryffindor prefect, Ginny and Theo the Slytherin prefects and Neville the Hufflepuff prefect together with Susan Bones.
The thought 'I wonder if I'd have been made a prefect if I had been sorted into a house' crossed his mind, while he absentmindedly watched the Sorting ceremony from the Slytherin table; however, he decided to quickly dismiss the thought, as it was no use to ponder something that was never going to happen.
HP
When Harry returned home shortly before curfew, he made himself comfortable on the sofa together with a very sleepy Lucy.
"Dad, do you have any idea how I'd be able to steal the ring back from Dumbledore? Isn't he even wearing that thing?"
Severus let out a deep sigh, before he quickly explained to Regina what it was about.
"I know the story of the three Hallows from my childhood," she admitted, smiling.
"He must have worn it at least for a certain time for the curse to affect him that much, but I don't think that he's stupid enough to still be wearing it. I didn't notice the ring on his finger either."
"If he kept it somewhere in his office, I might be able to sense Marvolo's magic from it." He remained pensive for a moment. "The question is how to get into his office without him noticing."
Severus let out a small scoff. "Don't tell me you're going to try stealing the ring right from under his nose."
Harry shook his head. "No, if I try to get it from his office, provided that he has it in his office and not in his private rooms, I'll do so during a staff meeting."
"Wouldn't Fawkes or any of the portraits of the former headmasters give you away to him?" Regina cast him a concerned look.
Harry remained pensive for a moment, before he slowly suggested, "Perhaps, Felix could distract Fawkes and ask him to play together for a while. You know how Fawkes loves to play with us in our phoenix forms."
Severus nodded. "That might work."
"As to the headmasters' portraits, I could simply turn myself invisible before popping right into his office."
"You're the only person who would be able to do such a thing." Severus smirked. "Everyone else would end up in front of the gargoyle."
"I don't think so. Wouldn't the Unspeakables be able to pop right into the office, too?"
"Ah, that might be. Do you know how to cast a sleeping spell?"
Harry grinned. "Oh Dad, believe me, the Unspeakables have taught me all kinds of useful spells. Yes, I will cast a sleeping spell at everyone and only wake up Godric, so he can advise me if necessary."
To his relief, his parents agreed that it might be a good plan. "Perhaps, you can do it on Sunday during the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix," his father suggested. "If the headmaster for some reason leaves the meeting, I shall warn you immediately."
HP
On Sunday afternoon, while Severus was attending the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix and Regina was looking after the children, Harry suggested to Felix, "Why don't we go flying in our phoenix forms for a while?"
"Yes, yes, yes." Felix excitedly transformed into his green wind phoenix form.
"Let me ask Fawkes if he'd like to come."
#Yay.#
'Fawkes, would you like to go flying with Felix and me for a while?'
An instant later, the fire phoenix flashed into the Princes' living room. Harry transformed into his phoenix form, and the three birds headed out onto the grounds for a flight in the warm and sunny autumn day. After a while, before they flashed back home.
#I just have a quick errand to do. I'll be back in a little while,# Harry informed Fawkes and his brother.
#We'll be here.# Fawkes' voice was reassuringly calm, so that Harry did not worry about the phoenix possibly following him.
Receiving nods of understanding from the two phoenixes, Harry transformed back and retired to his own room, where he turned himself invisible, before he popped right into the headmaster's office.
He swiftly cast a sleeping spell at the headmasters in their portraits, before he enervated Godric, knowing that his great grandfather would always be on his side.
He concentrated on Marvolo's magic, feeling certain that he should be able to sense it coming from the ring he was looking for.
'It's in the top drawer of the desk,' he realised. However, when he tried to pull it open, he inwardly groaned. 'Of course, it's locked, but where will he hide the key?'
'Godric, do you perhaps know where he keeps the key?'
'No, I don't, but what are you doing here anyway?'
'I want to take the Gaunt ring back, which he stole from Marvolo.'
'Ah, that's all right then.'
Harry pondered the predicament for a moment, already readying himself to spend a few weeks in the spy chamber of the founders' quarters to observe Dumbledore, when he was alone in his office, when an idea struck his mind. With a flick of his hand, he turned the outside of the drawers invisible. 'It's in the top drawer,' he confirmed and quickly tested if the second drawer was locked as well. He smiled upon noticing that he could easily open it.
'Nothing easier than that, considering that the Unspeakables have taught me all their tricks,' he thought, as he made the bottom of the top drawer disappear, so that all the contents fell down into the second drawer. Carefully opening the second drawer, he took out the ring and quickly slid it into his robe pocket. He closed the drawer and turned the outside of the drawers back to normal, confirming that everything looked like before.
He swiftly woke up the other paintings, before he hurriedly popped right into Marvolo's living room, turning visible as he arrived.
"I've got it." He placed the item on the nearby table. "Sorry, but Felix and Fawkes are waiting for me. I need to go. Bye."
With that, he returned home and transformed into his phoenix form, before he flashed out into the living room to once again join his brother and Fawkes. While they played together, Marvolo's thought of gratitude penetrated his mind.
tbc...
Thank you so very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter.