Harry Potter and the Ruby of the Phoenix

Author- SayinShinigami Rating-PG-13 Setting: Fifth Year Genre- Acton/Adventure Disclaimer- I do not claim the rights to Harry Potter or any of the Characters in the series. I'm borrowing them purely for entertainment.

A.N.- This is the part that will have an influence on the rest of the plot, so pay attention! All those not paying attention will lose 50 House Points and have a detention with Snape!.okay, I don't have that power yet, but soon I will! Enjoy the story, and remember this: The eagle may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry awoke the sound of an off key buzzer. Fumbling around for his glasses he put them on located the sad excuse for an alarm. Upon locating the curved throw-off of Dudley's (or should that be "sat-on"?) he turned it off and looked at the time. Six in the morning! He thought incoherently What am I doing up at six? As he lay in bed wondering about the time, it came back to him. He was going to the Weasley's this morning!

After a quick shower and an attempt to tame his wild hair, At least here the mirrors don't tell me it's hopeless!, he went back into his room to check his things. Opening his loose floorboard, he checked every nook and cranny in it for any dropped food or empty bottles. Finding none, he took to pacing and glancing at the curved clock every now and then.

7:58, period why is it the last two minutes feel like two hours? As he sat on his trunk fuming he let his mind wander forward to the Weasley's. Maybe he'd beat Ron at chess this time around (Not bloody likely!). Maybe he could catch the twins with a prank.he'd have to owl Sirius and Remus about that.

Suddenly he felt that now unpleasant tugging sensation behind his navel and was pulled into the whirling familiarity of a Port Key.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry appeared at his destination with a faint pop! Unfortunately, he wasn't at the Burrow. Quickly reaching for his wand he had put in his pocket earlier he looked at his surroundings. It looked like he was in a cave made entirely of gems. Diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and all sorts of precious stones made up the walls, floor, and ceiling. But something was missing, and upon closer inspection Harry noted there wasn't a single ruby in the cave. As he looked around he heard a faint crackling noise, but didn't see its source.

Hearing it get louder behind him he turned, wand held out and ready for any threat. But he didn't know how to react to what he saw coming at him.

It was a griffin. A griffin made out of what looked like fire!

Harry searched his memory for any water spells he knew, but quickly realized anything he threw at that wouldn't be very effective, he could feel it's heat from a fair distance away. It stopped its advance and looked into his green eyes with its white flames.

Welcome, wielder of the Phoenix Fire.

Harry was certain that the.thing.had made no noise, but was positive he heard it. He stared back at it, willing himself not to blink. "Did you talk to me? What are you?"

I am the Guardian of the Fire.

"What do you want? And what is the 'Phoenix Fire'?" To give you that which is yours and will aid you in times to come.

Harry stared at the guardian. Give him what was his? He gave the beast an incredulous look and asked, "What is it?"

This. And with that the Griffin of fire spread its wings and began to glow with unleashed magic power. Then it began to disappear, as if it were being drawn back into something. When the flames were gone, in their place a jewel floated. A ruby shone in the air, making the rest of the cave look dull and dead. Harry walked over to the stone.

"This is mine?"

A faint breeze stirred in the cave, and on it he swore he heard the words claim it.

He slowly reached out and touched the gem. A feeling of pure power flooded into him, but as quickly as it had come it was gone, and he was left holding the ruby.

What now? Harry thought to himself.

Go sit down on your trunk.

What are you? And what are you doing in my head?

I was the Guardian of the Fire, but I've returned to the Ruby.

Oh.

It's time to go. Don't show the Ruby to anybody, it will reveal itself to those who must see it.

What do I do with it?

You'll know when the time comes.

With a bewildered look on his face Harry walked over to his trunk and hesitated before sitting down. He was told not to show the Ruby to anyone, so he quickly opened the trunk, wrapped the Ruby in his father's Invisibility Cloak, and tucked it away at the bottom of his trunk. Sitting down on his trunk he felt the sensation of tugging behind his navel and was pulled into a whiling vortex of color and was soon deposited at the Burrow. He stood up to drag his trunk over to their door only to be knocked over it and sent sprawling with whatever had collided with him.

Feeling a slight weight on his chest he groaned and shook his head. Opening his eyes he met a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes looking into his own emerald ones. Harry wondered why he couldn't break eye contact with her. After all, she was just Ron's little sister right? But upon feeling her body pressed up against his he realized Ginny wasn't so little anymore.

He quickly brought his thoughts back to the present when he heard her clear her throat, "Hi Harry, what a surprise."