Chapter 10

~The Order of the Phoenix~

                  So, when Ron and Harry arrived in the stifling Divination classroom, they decided to try out Hermione's advice and listen to Professor Trelawney.

                  Professor Trelawney was a thin witch who regularly wore shawls and several bangles around her skinny wrist and neck. Her large, round glasses amplified her strangely dreamy eyes.

                  Everyone was seated around the tiny, circular tables which occupied the crowded classroom, waiting for the Professor's usual, dramatic entrance. And, as it always did, it came. Professor Trelawney swept in the room so noiselessly that it gave Harry the impression she was floating.  She walked, or rather, glided around the tables, leaving a trace of strong perfume that made Ron sneeze loudly.

                  "I am sure dear, the you would have been able to hold that sordid sound in. It is disturbing our fragile senses to have the ability to See." she said, looking austerely at Ron. She continued, looking around the small classroom and sighing loudly. "My poor dears…"

                  "What's wrong Professor?" Lavender asked urgently, sitting on the edge of her seat.

                  "That time has come again…the time when Saturn has been lined up by the Gods…"

                  "Lined up with what, Professor?"

                  "Earth my dear…Earth."

                  The class looked dumbfounded. Professor Trelawney carried on.

                  "As I looked into my Crystal Ball at dawn, My Inner eye immediately noticed that Saturn is in procession with Earth. Not only that my dears, but  the moon as been positioned by the respectable Gods…"

                  "Where is it now Professor?"

                  "Underneath Earth, my dear child. Right below us at this very instant."

                  "So? What does that tell us?" Ron blurted out.

                  "It means, my dear, that dreadful and depraved things will soon be occuring…" Professor Trelawney trailed off, looking very dramatic. There was a sharp intake of breath from the class.

                  "But once the terrible happenings have passed, immense happiness will come and the trouble will be finished."

                  "How do you know this Professor?"

                  "The planets have informed me, Miss Patil…for not only has Earth been lined up with the odd Saturn, but Neptune has also been acting strangely."

                  "Oooooh! Professor, do you think that maybe You-Know-Who will die at last?" asked Lavender.

                  Harry's stomach plummeted. He hoped that this didn't mean he would have to fight Voldemort. Then again, he thought sadly, it probably did.

                  Their next lesson was Care of Magical Creatures with their half-giant friend, Hagrid. Ron, Harry and Hermione ran down together to the cheerful Hogwarts grounds where they found Hagrid waiting patiently for his class. On his shoulder, perched, was--

                  "Fawkes!" Harry cried spotting the scarlet and gold phoenix. Fawkes flew down to him, sat warmly on his shoulder and clicked her beak happily.

                  "Hi there you three…how are yeh all?" Hagrid greeted them, his beetle black eyes shining under his matted hair.

                  "Good thanks, Hagrid," Hermione answered. "I guess we're learning about phoenixes today then?"

                  "Righ' yeh are. Beautiful creatures, phoenixes." said Hagrid, then seeing the rest of the class running towards him, he yelled, "Hurry up there! Got a great creature ter show yeh all."

                  "Is that a phoenix?" came the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

                  "Well done, Malfoy. Ye'r smarter than I knew yeh were."

                  "Father doesn't agree with those creatures," Malfoy said, looking sour. "Thinks they're foul. He says that they always think they're better than their masters."

                  "What's he talking about? Anything's better than him!" Ron whispered in Harry's ear.

                  "Phoenixes aren' ordinary creatures. When they star' feelin' tha' they're going t' die soon, they go buildin' themselves a nest, burn it an' jump 'n it. Now, from th' ashes, a new on' will be born." Hagrid explained, ignoring Malfoy's rude comment.

                  Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown both cooed. "Look at it, it's so pretty!" They were both saying, pointing at Fawkes on Harry's shoulder.

                  "Faithful creatures too, phoenixes. Carry heavy loads an' all. Tears have healin' powers. Sing beautiful songs too…" Hagrid continued.

                  But Harry wasn't listening. He was looking over the top of the green forest trees. Something was glittering there, hovering just a few metres off the leaves. He squinted at it, struggling to see what it was. Then it hit him. It was a phoenix. The rainbow coloured phoenix. Harry wondered why he wasn't feeling sleepy—maybe you had to be close to it to hear its song.

                  Then, the phoenix flapped its great wings. It flew swiftly towards his direction. Fawkes, seeing the phoenix, flew from Harry's shoulder. The rest of the class pointed then ducked as it soared through the air and landed on Harry's head.

                  Harry yelled and waved his arms wildly trying to get the phoenix's sharp claws away from his scalp. One moment, he was thrashing about, next moment he felt drowsy and heavy eyed. He relaxed, gradually sinking to the ground.

The pleasant song filled his ears once more and this time, it was strident. It took a longer time for the volume of it to decrease…but it has started to…then the words that jerked Harry awake…tonight.

Harry opened his eyes, abruptly got up, asked to be excused, called Ron and Hermione to follow him and they ran towards the entrance door of the castle. Once they were in the Common Room, Harry told them what he had heard.

"So, put the words that you've heard together and you get—" Hermione said, but Harry finished her sentence for her.

"Voldemort, his laugh, kill him, see your parents again and tonight." he reeled off, counting on his fingers.

"So basically that says…"

"Harry has to kill You-Know-Who to see his parents again…" there was a pause. "And he has to do it tonight." Ron finished.

The two of them gaped at Harry.

"You aren't going to, are you, Harry?" Hermione asked, her face white.

"Don't risk it Harry…you'll probably die if you duel You-Know-Who again. It's not worth it Harry—"

"Not worth it?" Harry felt angry. "Not worth it? How can you say that, Ron? I've never seen my parents or even talked to them…and now you're saying it's not worth it? How would you feel if your parents were murdered and you never even saw them?"

"Harry, calm down…" Ron said, giving Harry an apologetic look.

"No, I'm going to that forest tonight and there's nothing to stop me."

"But—"

"Drop it, Hermione." Ron told her.

"Okay, but we're coming with you."

"No! You're not coming. He'll finish you two off before me!"

"It's best if we do Ha—"

"No." Harry said, so seriously that Ron and Hermione remained  quiet. "All I'm taking is my wand and my father's Invisibility Cloak."