Harry's training was getting more and more difficult. So was his homework. Hermione helped him on it but it still didn't make sense to him. Hermione also no longer needed training in Quidditch. She was getting just as good as him. The match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw was to be after vacation and Harry wouldn't miss it. Who would miss the game between the two girls that Harry liked?
The snow began to fall early December and Harry felt like he was back at the Dursley's. Trapped and nowhere to go. His trial wasn't going very smoothly as wizards were protecting that Harry Potter would be accused of such things and there were several mistrials. Harry just wanted everything over with. Christmas was in two weeks and he never thought he would be released.
Harry was bored one day and he couldn't do his homework (it would just make him worse) and he sat in front of the mirror. He looked at his parents but then decided he couldn't depend on the mirror all the time. He would find himself sitting there all day, crying, and never moving. Hermione and Ron stopped coming. They only came on weekends. Not even them. They to were at the trials arguing his case. His fate was to be decided this day and he knew it wasn't going to be good. Sirius came in and Harry was in no mood to work.
"I can't do this. Just go away," Harry said as Sirius entered. He didn't want to be bothered.
"Harry...please..."
"Just go away!"
"Snap out of it, Harry! Look at you! You're a mess! This is your day, Harry and you are just going to sit there?"
"The day for what? To be put into Azkaban? Think about it! It's like I'm already there! Dementors outside my door! No visitors! Locked away and forgotten!"
"Hermione and Ron would never forget you! Nor will Dumbledore or I! All your friends and teachers! The whole wizardry world would never forget about you! You are talking nonsense! Wake up!"
Harry broke down at that moment. He just wanted to be normal. To have a normal life. Not be blamed for this and that, and have to look over his shoulder to see if there is someone behind him or trying to kill him. He realized if he were sent to Azkaban Hermione would die. And so might everyone else. He had to be strong.
"Are you ok, Harry?" Sirius asked. He put his arm around Harry. Harry noticed the ring was there but the stone was gone.
"I have to change today. I can't wait any longer." He slowly walked away from Sirius. He concentrated with all of his might, his feelings, everything he had, and he became a phoenix. His tail was rainbow and when he stretched his wings they were also. He looked much different than Fawkes and he flew as if he had all of his life. His scar was still visible. He perched himself on the mirror of Erised as Sirius transformed into his dog self.
"Excellent, Harry! That's all you needed! Perfect! Absolutely amazing!"
Harry let out a shriek and then the door swung open. Hermione and Dumbledore came in laughing and smiling. Dumbledore had Fawkes with him, who flew over and perched next to Harry.
"You're free, Harry! You're free, my boy!" Harry flew off and perched on Hermione's shoulder. His green eyes were brighter than usual and he looked into Hermione's chocolate ones. "Harry?" she whispered and he nodded. Ron came in moments later.
"Harry! This is unbelievable! You're free at last! You can play Quidditch again! Uh...Harry? Where are you?" Harry flew over and perched on Ron's shoulder.
"Harry? Is that you? Wicked! The scar's there, too. Double wicked!" Harry flew off and transformed back in midair.
"Cool, huh? Too bad I don't exactly need it now, but hey. It's a good skill to have though. Could help me some day." Hermione ran to him and hugged him, then kissed him. "Did you miss me?" Harry said jokingly and she hit him. He hugged her again, "It's going to be great to be back up there."
"Yeah, it is," Hermione said squeezing him tighter.
"Let's get partying," Dumbledore laughed as all of Harry's things disappeared
Everyone was there for the party, even Malfoy. He kept giving Harry evil looks and looking at Hermione evilly. Harry pretended not to notice. There was a huge feast and music and Harry headed back to the common room, before the party was even close to ending. Hermione followed. He put on his heavy robes and walked outside into the snow. He walked passed Hagrid's hut, walked around a bit, and went toward the pond.
He sat down looking at the frozen water and how the moon was reflected off of it like a mirror. He was happy to be outside and enjoying the fresh air. He looked back at the castle and smiled.
"Harry, are you ok?" The voice startled him.
"Hermione? What are you doing out here? You'll catch cold!" He wrapped his robes around her and they both sat down by the lake.
"I'm sorry for not coming anymore. Some things happened and..."
"It's alright. I'm ok," he said as she leaned her head on his shoulders.
"Are you sure? A lot's happened."
"I'm just relieved that Cedric can now rest in peace. He didn't deserve to die, Hermione. It's all my fault. It's like I did murder him. I..."
"Stop. It's Voldemort's fault. No one else's."
"He's part of me and I'm part of him. It's the same. WE are the same."
"NO! I refuse to believe that. You are stronger and you are too nice. And besides you are protected! He can't touch you! Right?" Harry hung his head. "I'm right aren't I? Harry?"
"My blood made him. He's part of me. I'm not protected anymore. He can touch me. He can hurt me. It's over."
"Harry...why didn't you..."
"I didn't want anyone to worry or try to protect me. That's why. People get all worked up and do stupid things to protect me." They got up slowly. Harry looked to Hermione, who had tears in he eyes and her turned away. They entered the castle and walked to the dorms.
They went their separate ways and Hermione watched Harry slowly ascend. She walked up her staircase and she turned around and whispered to herself, "I'll protect you, Harry. I won't let him hurt you." She started to walk into her dorm, holding tightly onto a little box that Sirius gave her that night.
The snow began to fall early December and Harry felt like he was back at the Dursley's. Trapped and nowhere to go. His trial wasn't going very smoothly as wizards were protecting that Harry Potter would be accused of such things and there were several mistrials. Harry just wanted everything over with. Christmas was in two weeks and he never thought he would be released.
Harry was bored one day and he couldn't do his homework (it would just make him worse) and he sat in front of the mirror. He looked at his parents but then decided he couldn't depend on the mirror all the time. He would find himself sitting there all day, crying, and never moving. Hermione and Ron stopped coming. They only came on weekends. Not even them. They to were at the trials arguing his case. His fate was to be decided this day and he knew it wasn't going to be good. Sirius came in and Harry was in no mood to work.
"I can't do this. Just go away," Harry said as Sirius entered. He didn't want to be bothered.
"Harry...please..."
"Just go away!"
"Snap out of it, Harry! Look at you! You're a mess! This is your day, Harry and you are just going to sit there?"
"The day for what? To be put into Azkaban? Think about it! It's like I'm already there! Dementors outside my door! No visitors! Locked away and forgotten!"
"Hermione and Ron would never forget you! Nor will Dumbledore or I! All your friends and teachers! The whole wizardry world would never forget about you! You are talking nonsense! Wake up!"
Harry broke down at that moment. He just wanted to be normal. To have a normal life. Not be blamed for this and that, and have to look over his shoulder to see if there is someone behind him or trying to kill him. He realized if he were sent to Azkaban Hermione would die. And so might everyone else. He had to be strong.
"Are you ok, Harry?" Sirius asked. He put his arm around Harry. Harry noticed the ring was there but the stone was gone.
"I have to change today. I can't wait any longer." He slowly walked away from Sirius. He concentrated with all of his might, his feelings, everything he had, and he became a phoenix. His tail was rainbow and when he stretched his wings they were also. He looked much different than Fawkes and he flew as if he had all of his life. His scar was still visible. He perched himself on the mirror of Erised as Sirius transformed into his dog self.
"Excellent, Harry! That's all you needed! Perfect! Absolutely amazing!"
Harry let out a shriek and then the door swung open. Hermione and Dumbledore came in laughing and smiling. Dumbledore had Fawkes with him, who flew over and perched next to Harry.
"You're free, Harry! You're free, my boy!" Harry flew off and perched on Hermione's shoulder. His green eyes were brighter than usual and he looked into Hermione's chocolate ones. "Harry?" she whispered and he nodded. Ron came in moments later.
"Harry! This is unbelievable! You're free at last! You can play Quidditch again! Uh...Harry? Where are you?" Harry flew over and perched on Ron's shoulder.
"Harry? Is that you? Wicked! The scar's there, too. Double wicked!" Harry flew off and transformed back in midair.
"Cool, huh? Too bad I don't exactly need it now, but hey. It's a good skill to have though. Could help me some day." Hermione ran to him and hugged him, then kissed him. "Did you miss me?" Harry said jokingly and she hit him. He hugged her again, "It's going to be great to be back up there."
"Yeah, it is," Hermione said squeezing him tighter.
"Let's get partying," Dumbledore laughed as all of Harry's things disappeared
Everyone was there for the party, even Malfoy. He kept giving Harry evil looks and looking at Hermione evilly. Harry pretended not to notice. There was a huge feast and music and Harry headed back to the common room, before the party was even close to ending. Hermione followed. He put on his heavy robes and walked outside into the snow. He walked passed Hagrid's hut, walked around a bit, and went toward the pond.
He sat down looking at the frozen water and how the moon was reflected off of it like a mirror. He was happy to be outside and enjoying the fresh air. He looked back at the castle and smiled.
"Harry, are you ok?" The voice startled him.
"Hermione? What are you doing out here? You'll catch cold!" He wrapped his robes around her and they both sat down by the lake.
"I'm sorry for not coming anymore. Some things happened and..."
"It's alright. I'm ok," he said as she leaned her head on his shoulders.
"Are you sure? A lot's happened."
"I'm just relieved that Cedric can now rest in peace. He didn't deserve to die, Hermione. It's all my fault. It's like I did murder him. I..."
"Stop. It's Voldemort's fault. No one else's."
"He's part of me and I'm part of him. It's the same. WE are the same."
"NO! I refuse to believe that. You are stronger and you are too nice. And besides you are protected! He can't touch you! Right?" Harry hung his head. "I'm right aren't I? Harry?"
"My blood made him. He's part of me. I'm not protected anymore. He can touch me. He can hurt me. It's over."
"Harry...why didn't you..."
"I didn't want anyone to worry or try to protect me. That's why. People get all worked up and do stupid things to protect me." They got up slowly. Harry looked to Hermione, who had tears in he eyes and her turned away. They entered the castle and walked to the dorms.
They went their separate ways and Hermione watched Harry slowly ascend. She walked up her staircase and she turned around and whispered to herself, "I'll protect you, Harry. I won't let him hurt you." She started to walk into her dorm, holding tightly onto a little box that Sirius gave her that night.