Chapter 48

"Harry! Are you coming back on the train with us?" Hermione called out, Ron was already on the train.

"Yes, I have to see the Dursley's." Harry replied, ducking Peeves as he exited the front doors, staff in hand cloak billowing behind him. He slipped through the seething mass of students with effortless grace and leaping up into the train car. He followed Hermione along to a compartment and sat down.

"We'll be getting our OWLs scores in two weeks, I'm so nervous." Hermione said with breathless anxiety, wringing her hands, Ron winced, he too was worried.

"I'm sure you did just fine." Harry told her, he apparently wasn't worried at all, he was leaning back in his seat cleaning the silver, gold, and diamond, emerald studded chain about his neck. It had been splashed with blood in battle with some goblins while back in time on a mission. His silky black hair which fell down to just past his shoulders was tied back away from his face, showing a pale scar running from the back of his ear to the neck where it joined his shoulder.

"Yeah well easy for you to say, you don't have to worry about your grades, War Mage, you've already been through your training." Ron snapped back, Harry paused, then resumed cleaning the chain.

"I need to learn how to live as a wizard would, and wand magic is useful, but I have other things I'm more worried about." He replied, putting aside Ron's words and tone on account of nervousness. "Oh and I brought something for you," he pulled out two practice swords, "keep working at the exercises I showed you all summer, and work out regularly, it'll get you in good shape for next year."

Malfoy did not show up on the train ride, and nor did anyone else, everything was quite, and Harry eventually went into meditation, planning his summer carefully.

** At King's Cross Harry spotted his uncle in a crowd and went over to him, Vernon stopped stiffly staring at Harry. Harry was wearing a white shirt under a long sleeve black shirt with an open front and black pants and shoes, his staff he had shrunk and hidden, but the chain was visible, and he was pleased to note, he was a few inches taller than Vernon now.

"Greetings Vernon, shall we go?" He asked in a cold soft voice, his uncle blinked, then turned and went back to the car, Harry following, his shrunk trunks and broom in his pocket.

** Two weeks after the term had ended those who remained at Hogwarts, Sirius, Severus, and Albus were eating dinner when a snowy owl flew into the room and dropped a letter onto the headmaster's chicken. Albus opened it and began to read, this was the letter they'd been waiting for.

"We're leaving for two weeks tomorrow, we're going to the Palace of the War Mages. We should pack for two weeks and bring our brooms, Harry will be here tomorrow at eight a.m." He explained when he had finished.

"The Palace! That should be interesting, but where could it be if it's close enough to fly to so quickly?" Sirius wondered aloud.

"Use your head Black, we'll probably get there through the Ways." Severus said, looking rather nervous at the thought.

Early the next morning they were outside and ready, at 8:00 Harry flew out of the forest on his broom, with a pair of unicorns, one on each side of him. They took off down to the lake and he flew over to them and landed. Instead of the usual black he wore dark red shirt and pants, both with a thin tracery of silver designs on them, the black shoulder strap going across his chest also had silver designs and held the sheaths of two knives, both made of white dragon bone with silver coated engravings and grips wrapped in black leather. His black hair was tied back from his face so it wouldn't get it the way while he flew.

"Good morning everyone." He said as landed in front of them, they had all shrunk their bags and lightened them for easier carrying.

"Hello Harry, how long will the flight be?" Albus asked.

"Six hours at top speed the whole way, we're going high into the mountains." Harry explained, the four lifted off and flew out over the forest. "Neville will come tomorrow," Harry said as he dipped down into the trees, startling a group of ravens into flight and chasing them about.

They flew high into the mountains, four figures on broomsticks and a phoenix; Fawkes had chosen to accompany them. Harry led the way deep into the mountains, flying high above the trees and slopes covered in boulders between which trees, grass, and flowers attempted to grow.

"Harry.up ahead?" Sirius paused, confused, pointing to the silver, white gold, and white stone gate.

"Yes, through the gate."

"I did not know that the Phoenix Mountains still existed." Albus said with a frown.

"They don't, and they do. They exist like the elven lands, out of this world, with no connection to any place on it. They were created many millennia ago, their own continent, the War Mages made a copy of the entire continent and suspended it, basically. You cannot enter it from any point on this earth, except for this gate. Through this gate I called them back into full existence, and set their power free. In time you will learn how to enter them whenever you wish. You are not yet powerful enough, but once you learn all you will have to do is think of them, and picture one of the three entrances in your mind and it will appear before you. And none but the war mages can enter them this way, though Voldemort.may have some dark magics that would let him, but it is very unlikely." Harry explained to his three apprentices as they flew low, the gate sprang open and they flew through, and into the pass. Harry smiled at their gasps of shock as they exited the pass and found themselves out in the air over the valley.

He started giving them an aerial tour, starting with the six springs bursting forth from the cliff, then down to the woods and the meadows and the lake, then across it to the Palace. Below Diablo's war cry rang out as he spotted them, the huge paint was running below them with the other horses, their long manes and tail streaming behind them and flickering and flashing in the sun. Diablo reared, flailing with his hooves, screaming at the intruders, until he caught the scent of his master on the breeze, at which he quieted instantly.

"Wow, it's beautiful!" Sirius said, staring at the high pale gold towers, arched walkways open to the breezes, and halls. On the tops of all the buildings were long gutters, filled with soil, form these grew long emerald tendrils of ivy, which were covered with pale/dark purple flowers. The ivy grew so that they didn't cover any windows, perfectly placed to show off the wondrous carved pillars, statues, and elegantly decorated windows and walkways.

Behind the Palace was the golden forest, seeming to pulse with its odd faint glow, the scent of the trees and rustle of leave were on the breeze as the flew over it. Above the canopy they could only vaguely see the twisting marble walkways through it and the fountains. In front of the palace and about it, or tucked away in corners were fountains and gardens. Splendidly carved statues of rearing horses, war mages, and other animals were visible, they circled down to land in front of the main doors.

Harry walked to the doors and opened them, they were no longer locked, there was no need, and no one besides the war mages could have opened them anyway.

Harry gave them a thorough tour of the Palace, showing them their rooms first, he led them down a long hallway, over an arched walkway and into a small hall. Ahead of them was a huge reddish wood door, on either side was a long staircase, both curving up to where they met on the same balcony. From the balcony were two long hallways. Harry led them down the elf ton and into the third door on the right. Actually it was hardly a door, merely an opening with a thick blue satin curtain hanging cross it. Inside was a small lounge, a fire place, two couches, three armchairs, and two small tables, with four doors coming off of it. On each door was a symbol, the green and gold leaf with a tree above it for the Earth Warden, the red and gold flame surrounded by a ring of orange, red and gold flames for the Pyromancer, the blue and silver water drop in a circle of dripping water of different blue colors for the Water Wizard, the thin silvery symbol for wind surrounded in a thin white ring that was not quite flame and not quite solid for the Air Guardian. Their names were written in shiny black under each symbol.

"Oh I like this!" Sirius exclaimed looking into his rooms, there was a front room with a few chairs and a table, then a large bedroom, and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi. The walls were red with reddish colored wood trim. The wood trim was carved into flames with gold in them and tiny slivers of rubies. There were two pale gray stone fireplaces, one in the front room and one in the bedroom. There were torches, unlit, on the walls, a the chandelier in the front room was made from elk antlers and covered with tiny candles, rubies hung from it. It also had a small balcony, the black railing carved with flames, which were inlaid with gold.

Severus's room had dark blue walls, it was the same as Sirius's, except it had only one fireplace, in the bedroom, and three fountains, one in the front room and one in the bed room, and one of the balcony, here the black railing was carved as if water was running off of it, as was the goldish wooden trim, which was set with sapphires. All the fountains were pale stone with sapphires of many different shades in them. It too had a few torches, less, and the chandelier was also of elk antlers, but hanging form it were beautifully carved sapphires.

Neville's room was in dark green with dirt colored wood trim. The trim was carved into a leaf pattern and set with slivers of emeralds. The balcony railing had a small plant box attached to it and the ivy, which grew from the roof, enclosed it. Emeralds hung form the elk antler chandelier, and plants hung form pots along the walls and a small tree grew from a huge pot on the floor, one in each room, even the bathroom.

Albus's rooms were more airy, larger more ornate windows, the bedroom had wall along the balcony, stone pillars supported the roof, silver and purple curtains hung, tied back with silver ribbons to the pillars. In winter they could be tied shut and charmed not to let the heat form the single gray stone fireplace out. The chandelier was hung with diamonds, the dark purple walls had torches of a silvery wood, the same as the trim, which was carved with elaborate symbols for air, set with silver. It had a skylight in the main room and bedroom and faced the direction the breeze normally came from.

Needless to say they were all delighted, Harry showed them the huge set of pools, saunas, hot tubs, fencing courts, archery ranges, and workout rooms, which were through the door beneath the two staircases in the hall outside their wing. In the same area there was also a room full of specialized pools and water systems for the water wizards to use, another filed with flamer throwers, torches, etc. for the pyromancers, a small tower that was completely hollow, and the staircase led up the outside, for the air guardians, and a set of greenhouses for the earth wardens.

Neville arrived early the next day, Harry had gone to get him around seven and they had taken a portkey to the gate, his grandmother had been very proud, and quite shocked to hear that he was an elemental, a first class one at that. No one else had been told and she had sworn secrecy until such time as it was needed to be revealed.

The apprentices quickly found that life training at the Palace was very different from Hogwarts. Harry had them spend almost all day learning. He taught them the fighting arts, the ways of the wilderness, the animals, and the mountains. He taught them the history of the war mages, and of course he taught them to use their elements. He made the training enjoyable as possible, but he worked them hard. He finally removed the enchantments, enabling them to use their element all the time, and with the constant training they improved quickly. Here in the valley the cold, distant, terrifying war mage vanished and was replaced by a humorous, kind, and understanding Heron who, while he could be very stern with them, was always ready to help and have fun. Though they all knew that the cold, merciless, warrior was just under the surface, waiting until it was needed.

Heron gave his Agents time to relax over the holidays, but he kept them on guard, listening and watching. Malfoy did his best to listen in on his fathers meeting, those with parents in the Ministry kept their ears open, and those who live din areas with lots of magic folk about watched for anything unusual.

Heron strolled through the garden, maintained for centuries by complex enchantments it was beautiful, with large ornate statues everywhere. But Heron was oblivious to it all, outwardly he was as alert as ever, but he was in deep thought, his eyes slightly unfocused, planning. Voldemort had to be removed, though it did not necessarily have to be at once, and a devious cunning plan had been forming in the war mage's mind, a plan that involved help from an old friend.

** Harry walked silently through the back streets of a small town, seeming to glide, leaving no evidence that he had ever been there, this was not a place to get caught my the muggle gangsters that ran the town. It was just after twilight here in the US, though it was dawn at the Palace. Finally he stopped in front an gigantic old Victorian house, more like a mansion, that had seen better days, the tan, pale green, and red paint was peeling off, two windows were boarded up, one of the railings was perilously close to falling off the steps up to the porch. But the floor was solid and firm, and thr roof held well. It faced a tiny driveway that curled all the way around the back of a small convenience store, on the other side was a tall brick building with no windows on the side facing the house. The side that faced the street was boarded up and a rickety tan fence ran around the front. He walked up the steps and knocked firmly on the door.

It was opened a few minutes later by a figure, Harry could not see the figure, for the lights inside were only soft lgihts along the hallway, and the figure's back was to them. But Harry, dressed in elaborate dark red and silver and black, was clearly visible. With a small gasp of shock the other dropped to its knees.

"Master." Harry frowned, but in the light of the lights inside his emerald eyes flickered with a sort of annoyed amusement.

"Enough of that, really I'm sure you do that just to annoy me." The other rose in a soft rustle of cloth.

"Not at all Heron, please come in." It stepped back out of the way and led the way down the hall and into a large study on the left.

While it may have looked shabby outside inside the old mansion was in splendid condition, wondrous works of art were on the walls, and inside the study an antique desk stood in one corner with a highly valuable antique lamp on it. The chairs were probably nearly a hundred years old, and the rug was certainly three times that. The table in the center had Heron thought, knowing the owner of the house, probably served the king of Spain at some point, or maybe even one of the Roman emperors. The bust of a warrior's head that stood in a wall niche had certainly originated form the Roman Empire. And at least six of the books along the walls Harry knew came from the great library of Alexandria; he had given them to his old friend as a gift.

Now visible the other faced him, he was a tall man, about thirty years old. Long wavy black hair hung closely down his back, his eyes were golden amber, looking almost liquid, his skin was very pale, as if it had never seen the sun, he wore black slacks and a long sleeved black shirt, buttoned up the front with black buttons, the cuffs of the shirt were large and a little frilly, way out of style by over a hundred years, not that the other cared in the least.

"It has been a long time since I last saw you Heron, it is good to see you again. You don't look like you've aged a day." The other said in a deep rich voice with a slight accent, of what Harry had no idea, his friend picked up new accents constantly.

"It has not been nearly so long for me, my apologies for not visiting sooner, but you are right, I haven't aged more than a year since we last met." Harry said with a smile, the other grinned back, showing perfect white teeth. The other man turned and, from a rack of wine bottles, selected one and two glasses.

"Care for a drink Heron?" His tone was dead serious, but he eyes shimmered with amusement.

"No old friend, I don't think so." Harry said calmly, his own eyes glinting, this was an old game. "Whose is it?" He asked as the other poured himself a glass, the liquid, which they both knew very well was not wine at all, splashed into the glass, blood red and just slightly fizzy.

"It once belonged to the.ah let me think," the other paused for a moment as he put the bottle back. "Czar Nicholas actually, not so terribly old, quite good though." He raised the glass to his lips, drinking, watching Heron with an amused expression as Heron reached for his own glass, with a flick of his finger it was filled with a bubbly pale purple drink. Made from the flowers of the ivy, which grew about the Palace, it was slightly tangy and sweet.

"How did you find me?" The other asked as he set his glass down and sat across form Harry who was already seated.

"You have improved at hiding your mind, and form any of your own kind it is certainly adequate, they could not find you, even those older than yourself. But it is not enough to hide your presence from me." Harry said with a grin at the others obvious disgruntlement at this news, another old game of theirs.

"I had guessed I might be seeing you soon, I've heard the rumors Heron, Voldemort has returned, I can feel his power growing." Now the other man's dark eyebrows frowned worriedly at Heron, who nodded slowly.

"He is back, and yes I do plan to kill him. But he is powerful, you were there when he rose last, you know, and he may be even more powerful now."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." The other quoted the War Mage saying, Harry nodded.

"Indeed, and as you may have guessed I know that your kind will join him, the young ones at least. Tell me, can I trust the older ones to stay out of it?" The other one paused to think, Heron stood and walked to the window silently. His mind reaching out and setting up some quick efficient enchantments against their conversation being overheard by anyone.

"Oh yes, some of them may not even notice. But many will join you if you ask them." Was the final reply, he looked back to his friend.

"I may, does that mean you will help?" Heron asked, knowing the answer already.

"I'm yours to command my master, you know I could never stay out of this." Harry turned back to the window with a snort.

"As much as anyone could ever master a vampire? Whatever Arai. And thank you, I will need your aid in keeping the younger ones form turning to Voldemort." The vampire stood, sipping form his glass with a frown.

"Why not kill them? There are to many young vampires anyway, I find them bothersome, though they do not even know of my existence there are six in the general area, too many. I will hunt them down soon enough anyway."

"I won't kill them all, only those who would join with Voldemort. I'm not going to be nice Arai, I will simply question them and kill them, I will not take any chances with this. As for those who would aid me, they will live, though they will of course have to find another hunting ground, there isn't room in this area for more than one really." Arai nodded.

"Agreed, but you know that I cannot search for them anyway but by going myself, if I were to seek them with my powers I would be revealed to the others and to Voldemort, I am one of the oldest of my kind, he would want me dead or on his side." The vampire put down his glass and crossed the room.

Most people would have been terrified to suddenly have a vampire standing next to them, but Harry did not even blink, he could sense Arai's curiosity as to what he hadn't told him yet. Vampire's had an almost insatiable curiosity and they could tell when someone was keeping something from them.

"However I know you, you did not come just to talk about the vampires, there is something else you've got planned, what is it?" Harry smiled this was going to be amusing.

"Real reason I need your help Arai, I have a plan to remove Voldemort, and it will require your painting skills."

It had the desired effect; Arai took a step back, staring at him as if he'd just sprouted an extra head. It was rare to see the vampire lost for word, but now he was shocked silent.

"My.my painting skills?" He asked incredulously, Harry nodded, his emerald eyes dancing with amusement.

"You heard correctly, your painting skills, give me a few years Arai, and I will get Voldemort to be dancing outside the Vatican, naked, drunk, and without any of his supporters around, while I kill him." Harry said with al seriousness, Arai sat down hard on a convenient stool staring at Harry as if he were slightly insane. Harry walked back to the table and took a drink for his glass, calling up everything he had to keep himself from dissolving into laughter. Finally Arai found his tongue.

"Okay Heron, start talking."





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