"Yes Professor, " Elora said, pulling Harry into the class.
"Glad you could join us Harry." McGonagall said while closing the door behind her. "I have something to say to the both of you. Especially Elora, but Harry, you're in this too."
Elora let go of Harry's hand, and sat down on a chair near the desk. "Harry," Elora looked up to Harry; "I've been keeping something from you. Something from everyone and... Something from myself."
Professor McGonagall walked over to her desk and sat down, waving her hand to command Harry to take a seat between her and Elora. "Okay." Harry said sitting beside them. He looked over to Elora, who twisted the bracelet around her wrist. The flame design sparkled with red and white colours against the golden metal as the silver stripes along it wriggled around it.
Elora held out her hand to Harry, palm up. Without saying a thing an orb of fire grew in her hand. Harry's eyes widened at the fire orb, swirling and dancing in Elora's hand. His trance broke when Elora spoke.
"Harry, remember the time I disappeared in the Upper Years room? You saw everything I did, and finally I remember it all. I know why the fire chose you to come with me, and it's not just because Voldemort touched both our lives."
Harry suddenly took his eyes off the orb, "What? Voldemort? You saw him too?"
Professor McGonagall burst in, "Elora's grandmother died at the hands of Voldemort when Elora was just a child. Elora and her parents escaped and that's why her parents shielded her from Hogwarts... and the rest of the wizarding world."
Elora, with her left hand, touched Harry's arm, "Harry. My grandmother, whom I was named after, just before she died, gave me some of her power, and with it some of Voldemort entered me as well. I can't explain it Harry, but I know you'll understand." She held the fire orb a little higher, "Harry. We have to go back to the place we saw the fire dragon. I don't know why, but I know we have to."
"But but..." Harry studdered. Looking into Elora's eyes he saw a small fire flickering, but he also saw a darkness trying to overcome the fire, distinguish it. Harry nodded, "Okay. I'll go."
Elora smiled and wrapped her arms around Harry, "Harry. I promise you won't regret it."
"I never do, do I?" Harry whispered to himself.
"What was that Harry?" Elora asked him with a smile fading as she stood up.
"Oh nothing!" Harry smiled back at her, rising from his chair, and Elora's smile grew.
Professor McGonagall rose from her chair and addressed Elora, "Elora. I'm not ever so slightly worried about Harry. But you, Elora, you must be careful."
Elora burst in, her arms folded across her chest, "Professor McGonagall! We're just going to meet the dragon. It's nothing - "
"Elora!" Professor McGonnagal shouted, then quieted her tone, "You don't know what you'll come across. So please, keep the Fire Guard around your wrist, and keep your senses open."
Elora snorted, "I will." and she touched the Fire Guard around her right wrist. Looking to Harry, she said "Harry, ready to go?"
Harry nodded and asked, "How are we going to get there? Do we have to go back to UY Room?"
Elora shook her head, "We won't have to. It was my power that took us there, and with a little concentration I could probably do it again."
"Could?" Harry gulped, "What do you mean?"
"I'm still training Harry. This is the first, well, second time I'm doing this. So hang on!" Elora said, and rose her right hand (wand hand) as a spiral of fire appeared from her hand, circling around them.
"Wait!" is all was heard from Harry before they disappeared. Professor McGonagall walked over to the door, just as Snape entered the room,
"Can I -" He noticed a small fire in the middle of the room disappear. "What was that?" Snape tried to say.
Professor McGonagall pushed him out of the room and closed the door behind her. "It was nothing Severus, what is it you want?"
Continued: Chapter 8 - The Maze