Disclaimer: I don't own anything created and owned by J.K. Rowling. There, you happy?
DARK ANGEL

Prologue

Healing Powers
At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it is drawing closer to summer break. The clear blue skies are cloudless, allowing the sun's rays to flow about the Earth freely. Everyone in the school is spending their last week playing Quidditch Free-For-All games, and playing out in the sun. It was just plain too hot to be inside! Who would be crazy enough to not be enjoying this fine, sunny day?

Three fourth year Gryffindors, that's who. If Hagrid, the gate keeper, were to go looking for them inside the massive castle, he would have no luck in finding them. Where are they you ask? Deep below the school grounds, where it's dark, mysterious, and, at times, dangerous. In a small chamber, lighted only with torches, the three are gathered.

"Oh, this is just lovely!" Ron Weasley muttered as he helped lugged an arm load of jars and plants. He couldn't see why Hermione wouldn't let him use magic to float the stuff down to this lifeless looking place. The red-head didn't like the way the torch light would play with the shadows. 'I hope there aren't any spiders,' he prayed.

"Ron! Can you ever stop complaining?" the brunette girl groaned in annoyance. "There isn't anything dangerous down here! Get a hold of yourself!" She walked over to the center of the room, where a huge, elongated wooden coffin laid, placing her share of the ingredients for the spells down on it.

"Hey, I think I saw a huge spider over there," came the voice of an amused Harry Potter.

"Where?! Where?!" his friend looked about in a wide, horror-struck, panic. Walking over to Hermione for protection.

As Ron's anxiety rose, Harry bent over and slapped his knee, burst out laughing. "Oh, man.you should've seen the look on your face!" Once he got a venomous glare from both of his companions, he stopped for his safety to prevent a beating match from Ron. "Sorry, Herm, I forgot, what do we do now?"

Hermione turned her head to look at him, then threw her arms up in defeat. "Can't you two ever remember anything?" She shook her head in shame. Okay, no time to vent over this, she needed to focus. It was really important that her group had everything needed for this spell to work.

These last couple of months had been interesting, for her, mostly. Since the teachers had been whining down their lessons and work load for the end of the year, the students had been allowed to do whatever they want, and ask about whatever they want. Most of the kids asked about spells they had seen magicians do. All dumb questions really. She had asked Magonnagel about any famous or known wizards and witches of the past that they need to know about. Make it, haven't heard or wouldn't learn about. Hermione had been reading a book on ancient wizarding history once, and came upon a name of a strange witch. Since there was barely anything there about her, the young witch decided to ask if she knew anything about "Fiore."

After class that day, Magonnagel told Hermione that she didn't know much herself about this Fiore. It was no use to keep a secret from this young woman, she'd somehow find out eventually. All she knew was that the ancient witch had died a very long time ago. Make that nearly 700 years ago by a modern wizard's calendar. According to an ancient one, it was 6,000. Fiore had died young. She had been pretty, talented, and a great wizard in that time. The transfiguration teacher wasn't sure if the witch had been a famous healer or not, probably just a rumor. Sadly, to the girl's disappointment, that's all the elderly lady knew of her.

Once Hermione absorbed all that information in, she became determined to find out more. By accident, looking at Harry's Marauder's Map a while back, she found another chamber. And guess what it was called? Fiore's Last Breath. Excited about her discovery, she soon had the boys help her search for incantations and spells to bring life back to the witch resting there.

Wouldn't this all seem crazy for a girl who, normally, likes to follow the rules? Hermione and her companions knew this was, by far, the most outrageous thing that they could do. It had sadden her deeply when remembering how young and intelligent the witch had been before death took her. Plus, the young witch had many questions for her to answer. Hermione really destested it when she couldn't read up on everything possible, or solve something.

Once they had scrolls of spells, ingredients, and map in hand, the determined Gryffindor lead the small fellowship down to the deep chamber. Leading to where they are now. Having the guys stand back, gripping a broom's end, she made lines in the dirt that formed a triangle with circles at its points around the coffin. Then, Harry took a jar of white, unicorn's horn powder, carefully pouring it over those lines. Powdered unicorn's horn is raw, pure magic in physical form. She had Ron sprinkle white rose petals about the coffin and ground near it. Hermione, after crushing the herbs and leaves of athelas, sprinkled half on the coffin's top, and the rest went to fill the inside of the circles. When that stage was complete, Harry handed all of them bracelets made of Fawkes' phoenix feathers.

"Okay.," Hermione spoke up, a bit nervous. "Let's all go stand on a circle." Each of them did so. "After you put on those bracelets, raise your hands and face them towards the coffin's lid. This will help keep a connection between us. Making it strong enough for the healing ingredients to heal and call back her soul." The boys raised their hands, following her examples. "Okay.We all have to say the incantation together, or it won't work. Concentrate, and focus on pushing the energy and the sound of your voice at the coffin. It'll help her body absorb the healing powers these plants hold, so that when her soul arrives, Fiore's body can have her soul returned and firmly intact."

"Hold it!" Ron interrupted. " 'When her soul arrives.' When exactly is it going to get here?" He asked, waving his finger about in the air in her direction.

"Hmm.," the latter thought for a moment. "According to my calculations, we won't meet her until we're fifth years."

Whistling to express his shock, "Gosh. That's sure a long wait til then!" Then, Harry checked his watch, "We better get a move on before midnight! I don't want to get another detention from Filch." In urgency, he swished his arms back into ready position, as did the rest.

Looking into their eyes one by one, "Are you all ready?" Hermione asked. They just nodded, not moving their eyes away from their target. "Okay, here goes nothing." She took a deep breath, then exhaling as she readied her hands into alinement with her friends'. Then, all of them speaking loud and clear:
Fragments of earth, wind, and fire

I summon you spirits of the light and sky

Upon these powers bestowed upon us

To summon you to grant us our wish

The power to heal

The power to feel

Bring back the soul we so desire

Bring back to us the being of hope

In the form of a sun's ray

Be attached to this body once more
As they chanted, the coffin began to glow anew, with the fire dancing about the walls. The glow continued to get brighter, then fade. The light of life simmered as soft, red, phoenix feathers fluttered to it's surface. When it was gone, the group of three let their arms swing down to their sides.

After a moments silence, "Is it over? Did it work?" asked Harry curiously. Once the speechless girl nodded, he rubbed his wrists. They felt warm to the touch from the flow of light and energy that they had projected into their target. Also, noting that he felt tired, "I'm beat."

"Me, too. But, that's no surprise. Looking at how late it is. Plus, we had given Fiore some of our life force." She answered, then noticing the worried look on his face from that last statement. "Oh, don't worry! You are not going to die! Your soul and magical blood will refill that in due time."

"I don't know about you two, but I'm ready to hit the hay!" came Ron's sleepy voice, yawning it out. With his arms up in the air in mid stretch, "Are we supposed to clean this mess up or not?"

"NO! That needs to stay there! The mixture is supposed to create a force to summon the soul here! Do you want all my, I mean, our efforts to go to waist?!"

"Whoa. PMS!" Harry and Ron cracked the line simultaneously. They were rewarded with hard bonks on their heads before they had the chance to laugh. "OW!"

"Please, can't we just go to bed and let everyone be none the wiser?" she begged as she headed for the exit. Her companions followed her, stifling a laugh. Hard to place Hermione and a bad mood together.

When the door was shut and foot steps could be heard outside, in the chamber, the powder pulsated blue-white. Casting glittery light to the heavens, as their signal. Desperately reaching out for what their masters had desired.
~TO BE CONTINUED.~
~Author's Note~

The spell, chamber, and history of the ancient witch, Fiore, do belong to me as my original creations. If you want to borrow the spell, please ask first! I'm still not sure if you can though, use it. Don't let me find you stealing it! ~lol~

My apologies on how the time passed. Going from day to night.

One more thing, when I was describing the blue lights, think of the way White Lighters orb from place to place in the show Charmed. With the spell and ingredients, I also wanted to give a Charmed feel to it.

So, how was this chapter? Good, bad, ugly? Please send me any feedback you want. I'm open to comments and suggestions. Thanks for reading this and continue to do so with upcoming chapters ^.~