Disclaimer: the usual.
A/N: this is the scene that started this whole crazy story in the first place. It was a combination of reading GoF in the middle of the night while listening to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. It set my muse off on a hysterical roller coaster ride that is showing no signs of stopping. It was actually rather fun to write, despite a brief appearance of fluffy bunnies, and I hope you enjoy it. Just believe me when I say nothing is as it seems. *grins evilly*
Chapter 7
Halloween had finally arrived, and all of the Hogwarts students were excited for the masquerade, even those too young to attend. The older ones had spent the last month planning their costumes, combining clothes and makeup with Disguising charms and various potions. Some people went a little overboard, and ended up having to pay Madame Pomfrey a visit to rid themselves of weird transfigurations and colorings.
Theoretically there were no dates for the dance, since the point was to prevent identification, but still couples told each other what their costumes were. Ron and Hermione, however, had refused to tell each other. First because Dumbledore had said not to, and Hermione was still a bit of a stickler for rules, and second so that there would be a mystery to solve when finding a dance partner.
The traditional feast was held at lunch for the whole school, then everyone went off to get ready. A buffet would be served at the masquerade, and Dumbledore had managed to book the Weird Sisters again. Hagrid provided jack-o'-lanterns as big as carriages that floated along the walls overhead, giving off flickering candlelight. Live bats fluttered around the orange and black streamers flying through the air like snakes, and the Hogwarts ghosts flew around in a state of excitement. They loved Halloween, for that was the one day a year they could lock up Peeves in a special closet to prevent him from wrecking more havoc around the castle. Don't ask.
The dance was due to start at 8 pm and last until midnight. Masks were held on by a simple spell that would dissolve at midnight, revealing everyone's true identities. Also, the students were not supposed to use their true names, but one that was related to their costumes. This they were to announce to a professor at the door, along with their house, so that the winner could be announced.
Ron decided to go as the Phantom of the Opera. He had become so bored over the summer that he had actually read the book, which he found in Percy's room, and found the musical adaptation. He loved it. Turned out that wizarding society had a version of the story too, but for some reason the Muggle musical was so much better. Plus the costume automatically came with a mask.
Ron charmed his hair deep black and slicked it back again, then enchanted his voice to sound deeper and more musical. He put on the tuxedo, a wide brimmed black hat, and a long flowing black cloak with a high collar. To cap it all off, he pulled on a pure white half mask, which covered the top portion of his face and the left cheek. Satisfied with his appearance, he joined the rest of his housemates in the common room so they could all go down together. They joined the huge and colorful crowd outside the doors to the Entrance Hall.
At 8 sharp, a witch opened the doors and started taking down names. It took Ron a minute to realize that it was Professor McGonagall. She wore a cat mask, with long flowing dark brown hair, and blood red robes. Her voice had changed; it sounded younger, deeper, with a bit of a purr. It was almost disturbing to listen to the strict professor sound like a hooker in tone. Luckily her diction was as strict as ever.
When he reached the doors, Ron introduced himself as Erik of Gryffindor and swept into the Great Hall. Once the last person had entered, the Weird Sisters made their entrance to tumultuous applause and began to play. Ron avoided the dancing couples, looking for Hermione. Just then a couple of twin girls waylaid him.
"Care for a dance, sugar?" Ron looked them over and his mouth dropped open in pure astonishment. They were gorgeous! One had a fox mask, the other a vixen. Both were fairly tall with long, tanned, shapely legs which were clearly visible beneath the tiny black dresses covered in silver and gold sparkles. These dresses were rather tight, revealing tiny waists and very full busts. Their hair was long and golden blond with cute little ringlets curled about their masks. Eyes twinkled a brilliant blue behind the masks.
Normally Ron would have jumped at the chance to be near such beautiful creatures. After all, he was a teenage guy. But something about these girls gave him the creeps, like what one feels when they know a spider is nearby but is unable to see it. He politely refused and continued his search for his girlfriend.
Suddenly he saw her. It could only be her. She was dressed as an angel, completely in white with gossamer wings on the back of her robes. Even her hair was a brilliant gleaming white, almost silver, that flowed like a mountain stream down to her waist and surrounded her smooth golden mask. Her face was completely covered, but Ron knew that this vision was Hermione. How, he didn't know, but he knew.
He approached her almost reverently, took her hand and kissed it, then inquired, "May I have this dance, my angel?" She giggled and nodded, "You may, my angel of music." And he led her out onto the dance floor, where they found a spot to sway in each other's arms to the music.
After 4 songs, Ron felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see a phoenix standing there. Not a real phoenix, but definitely one of the most elaborate and creative disguises they had seen tonight. Long robes of crimson and gold with stitching that gave the impression of glossy feathers; boots that appeared to have golden talons; a full mask and headdress with real feathers and glinting emerald eyes; long fiery red and blonde hair commingling with the headdress and cascading down his back; and a tiny flame burning at the center of his chest. Ron blinked a few times at this sight. "Yes?" "I was wondering if I could cut in for a dance with the lovely lady." Ron glanced back at Hermione, who shrugged ambivalently, so he agreed, "Okay." He handed his girlfriend over to the Phoenix.
Hermione was a bit surprised but pleased to learn that Phoenix was not only a perfect gentleman but an excellent dancer as well. She followed his lead perfectly during a fast song, and he twirled her around expertly. She was breathless by the time the song ended and switched over to a slow romantic song. Phoenix led her back over to Ron with a bow and a thank you. As the couple danced, they watched as he asked a lovely girl dressed as a peacock to dance.
The evening progressed magnificently, and Phoenix danced with practically every girl in the room, even waltzing with Professor Figg once. The only girls he seemed to avoid, in fact, were the ones trying the hardest to get him. The twins Vixen and Fox kept after him for a dance, but he expertly evaded them each time the song changed. Everyone in the room kept glancing at him, impressed and a bit jealous of his dancing talent and impressive disguise. Indeed, no one knew who he was.
Once Phoenix approached the stage and whispered something to the band leader, who nodded in agreement. He turned and walked over to Hermione and Ron again. "May I have this dance, m'lady?" he inquired, holding out a hand. Hermione took his hand and allowed him to lead her onto the center the dance floor. He nodded at the lead guitarist and pulled her close. The band struck up a fast Irish jig with a good beat, and Hermione frowned. "I don't know the steps." Phoenix assured her, "Don't worry, just follow my lead." With that he began to swirl her around.
Hermione relaxed and let the music flow through her, and just enjoyed the dance. Neither partner noticed everyone circle around them to watch, as her wings sparkled like diamonds and his robes flashed with fire. The other students clapped with the beat, while the professors all sat in their seats and watched, very impressed. They made a beautiful dance couple, and Hermione gained confidence, improvising some steps of her own at one point, and she could swear Phoenix grinned at her.
The song finished, and Hermione blushed, unseen behind her mask, as everyone whistled and cheered. At Phoenix's urging she curtseyed as he took a bow, and he spun her back to Ron for the final dance of the evening, a sultry romantic ballad. Peacock grabbed Phoenix for the dance just as Vixen and Fox approached. They looked a bit frustrated, but quickly grabbed their own partners, a dragon and a griffin.
The last long note sounded from the cello and everyone applauded. Dumbledore mounted the stage and grinned cheerily at them. "Now it's time to announce the winners of the Masquerade. The professors have chosen based on creativity, detail, craftsmanship, and above all, lack of identification. It is now 5 minutes to midnight, so you will soon be able to see for yourselves just how good these disguises are."
He cleared his throat as McGonagall handed him the first slip of paper. "In third place from Ravenclaw, Wendelin the Weird!" A girl climbed up on the stage, dressed in the spitting image of the famous witch who, among other things, enjoyed being burned at the stake. Much laughter was heard, and she grinned and bowed.
"Second place goes to Vixen and Fox, from Gryffindor, for their matching costumes!" The two girls joined the Ravenclaw on the stage, winking and blowing kisses as the boys issued catcall and whistles.
"Finally, the grand prize of the Masquerade . . . . . . . . from Gryffindor . . . . . ."
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(A/N: I could just leave you in a cliffhanger, but I haven't written enough yet. Besides, I bet you know who is going to win. *sighs* yes I'm predictable. For now.)
"PHOENIX!"
The hall erupted in cheers yet again. He stalked up to the platform with an easy grace, his cloak billowing about him like tongues of flame. He took a bow with a showman's flare and shook Dumbledore's hand.
It was now just 30 seconds to midnight, and the students started a countdown like it was New Year's Eve. At zero, all masks and disguising spells fell off revealing everyone's faces. Peacock turned out to be Ginny, and Dragon was Draco. (Big surprise!) The Ravenclaw turned out to be Padma Patil, who smiled at her twin sister Parvati, an eagle. The majority of the guys had been staring at Vixen and Fox, waiting to see who these beautiful visions of womanly perfection really were.
Suddenly there were yells and screams among the male population as Vixen and Fox were exposed to be Fred and George Weasley.
The twins were rolling on the stage in hysterics at the look on everyone's faces. Several of the guys who had danced with them and drooled while impure thoughts ran through their empty skulls now turned a sickly green, and at least one fainted dead away. The professors looked highly amused. Lupin and Snuffles were both laughing so hard they were crying, which looks very strange on a dog. Arabella had fallen out of her chair and lay snickering on the floor. McGonagall couldn't suppress the grin that spread across her face. Ron was very glad he had refused to dance with them. Hermione smirked and kissed his now bare cheek, then turned back to see who the mysterious Phoenix was.
Surprisingly, Phoenix still had his mask on. When he realized that the eyes of the whole Hall were on him, he shrugged and slowly removed his mask, keeping his face covered for as long as possible. It finally came off and he shook his head, the cascading waves of hair darkening to raven black as it swung into his eyes. He brushed it back with one hand, exposing a jagged lightning-shaped scar over his right eye, and gazed around the Hall with brilliant emerald eyes sparkling with mischief, a slight smirk on his face.
"HARRY?!?!?!?!?!?!?"
Ron and Hermione, plus every other person in sight screamed in complete disbelief, and goggled at him with wide eyes. He simply laughed and nodded. In an instant he was tackled and mobbed as the Hall erupted in pandemonium. His friends fought their way through the mob to grab him in a crushing fierce hug, which he returned.
The yelling and noise level attracted the attention of the Aurors stationed outside, who came running in with wands drawn. Finding no Death Eater and not getting a coherent response from anyone as to what was going on, they pushed to the crowd rushing the stage and struggled forward, demanding to know what was going on.
As Dumbledore tried to make himself heard, the mob parted a bit, revealing Harry Potter in their midst. The Aurors stopped and stared, then one grinned and began to clap. Soon the Hall rang with applause for their returned hero.
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Eva watched the spectacle in the Great Hall and sighed. Then she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder reassuringly, and she turned to find Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, and Merlin all standing behind her. Lily and James Potter were also there, watching the portal from off to the side. Godric had his hand on her shoulder.
He spoke softly. "Don't worry. You are the best trainer we have, and you've succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. He's ready. You should be happy." Eva nodded. "I am happy. He was great to work with, but still presented a challenge. I still can't believe that he learned it all in less than 16 months. He has amazing talent and a real thirst for learning. A teacher can wait a whole lifetime and never meet another student like that. I'm not worried about that."
"Then what is it child?" She hesitated. "It's just that . . . I hate having to keep secrets, especially big ones. I was so straightforward and blunt with him on most of his history, but I couldn't tell him the most important part. He's been lied to for most of his life, certainly as far back as he can remember. He's going to be hurt."
Rowena stepped forward gracefully. "I know, but some things in life are inevitable. Harry will survive this. But there's something else bothering you." Eva silently cursed her for being so perceptive. She sighed and turned back to the screen, wrapping her arms around her. Her thoughts were in turmoil, and eventually she whispered, still barely loud enough for them to hear,
"I also never told him . . . . that I love him."
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Eventually Dumbledore managed to restore a semblance of order in the Hall. "Everyone, off to bed with you now. Teachers, please escort your houses to their common rooms, and then join me back here. You three," he pointed to the Trio, still entangled in a hug, "go change and be back down here in half an hour." They nodded and followed their classmates out. After they had all left, he sighed and signaled the Order for an emergency meeting. It was going to be a long night.
Harry held his friends back a bit so the vast chattering crowd was forced to pass them by, leaving them in relative peace for the moment. He spoke quickly and softly, "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you two again. I'm going to explain to Dumbledore what has happened, and I'll make sure you guys are there for the whole story. This is probably the last chance I have to speak to you privately for a while." He grimaced. "Just keep an open mind, some things I have to say are a bit . . . shocking."
Ron and Hermione nodded and led the way up to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She started at the sight of Harry. "So it's true! You've finally returned, young one, and oh, everyone is so happy!" Her tone changed. "Where have you been? Your friends and the professors have all been worried sick to death about you!" she scolded. Ron just rolled his eyes and said, "Godric," so she had to swing the portrait open.
There was a tremendous blast of noise. It seemed the whole of Gryffindor House was waiting for them. Harry leaned over to Ron and muttered, "By the way, congratulations," indicating Hermione with a flick of his eyes, "I never knew you could sing." He winked and stepped through to instantly disappear into the cheering crowd. Ron stood there for a second, blinking, and then followed with his girlfriend.
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It was exactly 30 minutes later that the three friends disentangled themselves from the rest of the House and went back down to the Great Hall. They found all the teachers waiting for them around a single round table, thankfully in normal clothes. Ron and Hermione both wore casual clothes suitable for weekends, but Harry was something of a surprise.
Harry was dressed in black pants, a white sleeveless top that showed off his lean muscled chest and arms, and black dragon hide boots. His long hair was tied back into a long braid, except for a slight fringe of bangs that still hid his scar. The teachers seemed a little stunned at the change of attire, since all they had ever seen him in was either the school robes or Dudley's oversized hand me downs.
As he sat down, the doors opened again, and the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix trooped in, a bit disgruntled at the lateness of the hour. They stopped and stared when they caught sight of, and recognized Harry. Mrs. Weasley screamed his name and enfolded him in a strangling hug. Bill pulled her off when Harry began to turn blue from oxygen deprivation. She sat down next to her husband, smiling warmly through her deep blush.
Dumbledore began the meeting. "I know it's late, but I believe you will excuse me as you all know the reason why we are here. Now, Harry, would you care to explain what has transpired since July 31st?" Harry glanced around, muttered a quick incantation and a faint red sheen appeared around the whole gathering. He settled back in his chair as everyone stared at what he'd done. Casually he explained, "It's only a modified Shield charm with a Silencing spell. I don't want to be overheard. The walls here have ears."
Indeed the portraits in the Hall now looked quite indignant at being shut out of the conversation.
Harry took a deep breath, and began to relate the events leading up to his disappearance, an absolute silence descending over the group as he spoke of the abuse and the arrival of the Death Eaters. When he told them about the light and the globe and the image fighting the Death Eaters, though, Dumbledore interrupted with a frown.
"Wait. Magical image projections cannot do magic themselves, and they are not physically material. They are more like ghosts than anything. We saw you, well it, being carried by Wormtail." Snape interjected, "It even left bloodstains on his robes." Harry nodded; Eva had explained it to him.
"It wasn't a regular projection. It was more like an extension of myself, a clone if you will, same powers and abilities but no soul and therefore no autonomy. In a sense it was me, because I was the one unconsciously controlling it. Once Voldemort Apparated, the clone was recalled, leaving them empty-handed."
"Not quite," Sirius interjected. His story had been explained to the teachers, so he was allowed to transform back to his human form for this meeting. At Harry's inquiring look, he produced the parchment Snape had brought from the fortress and handed it over. "Wormtail was recruited to be messenger boy for Voldemort's telegram." Curious, Harry opened it up, took one look at the rude sign and started laughing so hard tears sprang to his eyes. Sirius grinned. *Exactly my reaction.* "We should get this framed!" his godson choked out, as his friends giggled too.
Snape glared at him, but there was a twinkle in his black eyes. "So this wasn't your doing?" Harry shook his head in denial, trying to suppress his laughter, and finally managed "No, I had no idea. Eva never told me she left him a love note." Dumbledore jumped in with another question. "Who's Eva?"
Harry explained, "She's the one who rescued me from the house, and has been training me since then. She also explained a few things about my ancestry and answered a few questions you kept avoiding." Here he glared at the headmaster briefly, who opened his mouth presumably to defend himself before Harry waved it off. "I know, you couldn't tell me until I turned 15. I still had to give you a hard time about it."
Seeing the puzzled looks directed at him, he revealed his heritage of the founders and therefore Merlin, then described in brief his training and new powers. Very brief: in fact he neglected to mention several things, like being a magical Animagus. His description led in turn to questions about the parallel dimension, its time flow in relation to this world, and Eva. Sirius finally asked, "So, what's she like? Is she cute?"
Harry gave him a sidelong glare and chuckled. "Oh, she's good-looking all right. She can also kick your arse physically, mentally, and in a prank war." Sirius'eyes widened in interest. "Really? What else?" Harry furrowed his brow, trying to find a good description for the complex person he still had trouble figuring out.
"Eva has the bravery of Gryffindor, the loyalty and steadfastness of Hufflepuff, the wits and cleverness of Ravenclaw, the cunning of Slytherin; more mischievousness and prank ideas than the Weasley twins and the Marauders combined, more sheer ego than the cockiest American brat, and backed by the strength of a lioness and utter fearlessness." He smirked at the expressions on their faces and continued. "Mix over high heat, add estrogen, multiple personalities, a touch of insanity, and a master's knowledge of literally hundreds of fighting styles, weapons and spells. Toss in an obsession for Irish drinking songs and explosives, let simmer, then pour into a feminine body perfect for dancing or kicking your arse without breaking a sweat."
Ron gaped at him in astonishment. "That sounds like a recipe for disaster. You can't possibly be serious." Harry shook his head. "I'm not. She's ten times worse than that." He grinned. "You really have to meet her to appreciate her. She's . . . unique. Takes a little getting used to. Incidentally, she was responsible for the exploding pumpkin juice at the Welcoming Feast."
For a few minutes there was silence as everyone mulled over all they had just learned, then Ron asked Harry about his tattoo. "Which one?" He smiled at Hermione's shocked look when she spluttered out, "You have more than one?" "Yep." Harry slipped off his shirt to reveal the ones on his back, which he then proceeded to detail the origin and significance of. Dumbledore inquired about the matching runes on his shoulder and hand. "They seem familiar, but I can't place them." Harry grinned. "Knew you'd ask about those. These are the emblems of the Phoenix Lord."
The Order members gasped and stared at Harry with even more scrutiny than before, as if seeing him in a whole new light. The teachers and teenagers however simply looked perplexed. Dumbledore covered his slight shock and explained, "The Order of the Phoenix was originally created by the war mages as a group of the most talented Light warriors to defend against the rise of the dark arts. They are chosen by a phoenix and led by the most powerful war mage, called the Phoenix Lord. However, there hasn't been a Phoenix Lord in more than a millennium, since the war mages all died out. Now the phoenix chooses the leader, not necessarily the most powerful but the one most suited to the task."
Now everybody was staring at Harry open-mouthed, who was feeling discomforted under the intense scrutiny. He sighed, held out one hand to the side and his staff appeared in his grasp. As eyes nearly popped out of respective heads, he told them, "I am trained as a war mage, a grand master of the highest level with Elemental abilities. When I mastered the training I took on the responsibilities of and was marked as the Phoenix Lord. This endowed me with a few extra gifts."
At this point Ron burst out, "Good gods Harry! With all these extra powers and 'gifts,' you might as well declare yourself a deity! Then you can have all the people kissing your feet all the time! Bet that's what you wanted the whole time, huh? More bloody attention! Oh no, it's not enough to be the Boy Who Lived, now you gotta be the Phoenix Lord, All-Powerful War Mage, and the bloody Boy Who Kicked You-Know-Who's Arse!" By now he was really worked up, almost foaming at the mouth, five years of jealousy breaking through the dam. "You disappear for months without a trace, then come waltzing back into our lives expecting us to welcome you with open arms. You're even more arrogant and selfish than that git Malfoy. Maybe you plan to get rid of You-Know-Who just so you can take his place and conquer the world!"
Several looked shocked at this outburst of hate-filled ranting, and Molly Weasley opened her mouth to give her son a vicious diatribe more scathing than the one he just gave his best friend. A low growl from Harry stopped her before a single word was uttered. He slowly stood, his jade green eyes flashing with an angry fire while he visible tried to calm himself before he blew the red head through the far wall. His voice was a soft hiss.
"You little insufferable prick. Why don't you use that brain that's supposedly hidden behind that huge gaping hole of a mouth? You think I actually wanted all of this? All the fame, all the attention. Let me tell you what it has gotten me. Because of my heritage, which I have absolutely no control over, a megalomaniac serial killer murdered my parents and tried to kill me. Because he failed I ended up having to live with the biggest set of goddamn Muggles you could find anywhere, who hated me and used me as their personal house-elf and punching bag. I finally escape them to find out I'm famous for something I can't even remember and it wasn't me, it was my mum! People stare at me all the time and expect me to be able to correct all the world's wrongs. How would you like it to have all the expectations of everyone on your shoulders at age 11?
But because I'm different they blame me for everything too. Second year everyone swore I was the heir of Slytherin and was setting the basilisk loose simply because I can speak Parseltongue. It's not my fault I can speak it. Everyone is so worried about my safety and my sanity, it's impossible to live a normal life. I can't go anywhere without being watched by someone! Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?
You're jealous of me because of my abilities. Well, let's take a look at what you have and compare. You have a family who loves you and cares about you and what happens to you. You have a girlfriend who loves you for who you are, not what you are. You can walk around and be yourself, not having to put on a mask wizarding society has prescribed. You don't have nightmare every night of where Voldemort kills everyone you care about in front of your eyes, in horrible detail. Or the visions, which are worse because you know that you have a front row seat to horrific massacres and you can't do a damn thing about it!
With great power comes great responsibility. What they never mention is the sacrifices in the soul. I had to leave all of you behind so I could learn to control these powers before they killed me. I have very few friends because they could become target for my enemies. I cannot ever fall in love, I'll never have a family. I'm doomed to wander the earth alone, and wander is right, for I can never be at peace in one place. You're still young and innocent. I'm only 15 physically and I have blood on my hands. I may seem omnipotent to you, but I'm still mortal. One day I will fail, and that failure will come at a great price. My death will be the least of it.
Why don't you stop brooding on your petty jealousies and learn to appreciate what you have. I would give up all my supposed 'superpowers' to have what you were born with and receive freely every day. Love. Love is what saved me from Voldemort the first time, not any special abilities. That's the one thing I seemed destined to live without. So just piss off, you lucky bastard."
Harry's voice had never raised during his whole tirade, which made it seem even more intimidating than if he had shouted and yelled. Everyone stared, silent with their jaws touching their knees as Harry stormed out, hair streaming behind him like a comet's tail.
Snape was the first to recover, and he took the opportunity to glare poisoned daggers in Ron's direction. "You are very fortunate, you bloody idiot. He could have blasted you through the wall without a thought. Clearly someone taught him to control his emotions and it sure as hell wasn't you."
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A/N: okay, I had to respond to a couple of reviews. You don't have to read this, but please review the rest of the chapter.
Harry will not have a girlfriend in this fic. You have already seen the majority of the romance. I don't like it, and I don't like writing it either. I hope this little speech has made that clear. While I occasionally enjoy a couple of good pairings, I am into bachelor Harry. *shrugs* I am not JK Rowling. I have been to Scotland, it's a lovely country, but I am currently a college student with a laptop in America. But thanks anyways. Your praise means a lot. *grins* Slytherin Angel: as you can see Harry is not going to get a hair cut. I think he's had enough of those from the Dursleys to last a lifetime. Even though I also prefer short hair. You will find that I put everything in my story for a reason, whether as a plot point or a symbol. Sorry, I'm an English freak and all my writing has symbolism in it. It will be explained later. Cricket: You continually remind me of one of my dear friends. I love your reviews. You hunt me down? Yeah right. *snickers strangely with and evil gleam in her eye* That would be even worse for your health than my cliffies. For your information I do like Newsies, I have just never read any fanfic. Might have to try it. You might have noticed that each of my chapters are getting longer. I just had a couple of really good cliffies in the first couple that I just had to leave. This one is 11 pages typed, but 10 pages handwritten. At times I'll stop because my hands get tired, but other than that you can usually expect updates probably every 2 days. Don't kill me if it's longer though.
A/N: this is the scene that started this whole crazy story in the first place. It was a combination of reading GoF in the middle of the night while listening to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. It set my muse off on a hysterical roller coaster ride that is showing no signs of stopping. It was actually rather fun to write, despite a brief appearance of fluffy bunnies, and I hope you enjoy it. Just believe me when I say nothing is as it seems. *grins evilly*
Chapter 7
Halloween had finally arrived, and all of the Hogwarts students were excited for the masquerade, even those too young to attend. The older ones had spent the last month planning their costumes, combining clothes and makeup with Disguising charms and various potions. Some people went a little overboard, and ended up having to pay Madame Pomfrey a visit to rid themselves of weird transfigurations and colorings.
Theoretically there were no dates for the dance, since the point was to prevent identification, but still couples told each other what their costumes were. Ron and Hermione, however, had refused to tell each other. First because Dumbledore had said not to, and Hermione was still a bit of a stickler for rules, and second so that there would be a mystery to solve when finding a dance partner.
The traditional feast was held at lunch for the whole school, then everyone went off to get ready. A buffet would be served at the masquerade, and Dumbledore had managed to book the Weird Sisters again. Hagrid provided jack-o'-lanterns as big as carriages that floated along the walls overhead, giving off flickering candlelight. Live bats fluttered around the orange and black streamers flying through the air like snakes, and the Hogwarts ghosts flew around in a state of excitement. They loved Halloween, for that was the one day a year they could lock up Peeves in a special closet to prevent him from wrecking more havoc around the castle. Don't ask.
The dance was due to start at 8 pm and last until midnight. Masks were held on by a simple spell that would dissolve at midnight, revealing everyone's true identities. Also, the students were not supposed to use their true names, but one that was related to their costumes. This they were to announce to a professor at the door, along with their house, so that the winner could be announced.
Ron decided to go as the Phantom of the Opera. He had become so bored over the summer that he had actually read the book, which he found in Percy's room, and found the musical adaptation. He loved it. Turned out that wizarding society had a version of the story too, but for some reason the Muggle musical was so much better. Plus the costume automatically came with a mask.
Ron charmed his hair deep black and slicked it back again, then enchanted his voice to sound deeper and more musical. He put on the tuxedo, a wide brimmed black hat, and a long flowing black cloak with a high collar. To cap it all off, he pulled on a pure white half mask, which covered the top portion of his face and the left cheek. Satisfied with his appearance, he joined the rest of his housemates in the common room so they could all go down together. They joined the huge and colorful crowd outside the doors to the Entrance Hall.
At 8 sharp, a witch opened the doors and started taking down names. It took Ron a minute to realize that it was Professor McGonagall. She wore a cat mask, with long flowing dark brown hair, and blood red robes. Her voice had changed; it sounded younger, deeper, with a bit of a purr. It was almost disturbing to listen to the strict professor sound like a hooker in tone. Luckily her diction was as strict as ever.
When he reached the doors, Ron introduced himself as Erik of Gryffindor and swept into the Great Hall. Once the last person had entered, the Weird Sisters made their entrance to tumultuous applause and began to play. Ron avoided the dancing couples, looking for Hermione. Just then a couple of twin girls waylaid him.
"Care for a dance, sugar?" Ron looked them over and his mouth dropped open in pure astonishment. They were gorgeous! One had a fox mask, the other a vixen. Both were fairly tall with long, tanned, shapely legs which were clearly visible beneath the tiny black dresses covered in silver and gold sparkles. These dresses were rather tight, revealing tiny waists and very full busts. Their hair was long and golden blond with cute little ringlets curled about their masks. Eyes twinkled a brilliant blue behind the masks.
Normally Ron would have jumped at the chance to be near such beautiful creatures. After all, he was a teenage guy. But something about these girls gave him the creeps, like what one feels when they know a spider is nearby but is unable to see it. He politely refused and continued his search for his girlfriend.
Suddenly he saw her. It could only be her. She was dressed as an angel, completely in white with gossamer wings on the back of her robes. Even her hair was a brilliant gleaming white, almost silver, that flowed like a mountain stream down to her waist and surrounded her smooth golden mask. Her face was completely covered, but Ron knew that this vision was Hermione. How, he didn't know, but he knew.
He approached her almost reverently, took her hand and kissed it, then inquired, "May I have this dance, my angel?" She giggled and nodded, "You may, my angel of music." And he led her out onto the dance floor, where they found a spot to sway in each other's arms to the music.
After 4 songs, Ron felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see a phoenix standing there. Not a real phoenix, but definitely one of the most elaborate and creative disguises they had seen tonight. Long robes of crimson and gold with stitching that gave the impression of glossy feathers; boots that appeared to have golden talons; a full mask and headdress with real feathers and glinting emerald eyes; long fiery red and blonde hair commingling with the headdress and cascading down his back; and a tiny flame burning at the center of his chest. Ron blinked a few times at this sight. "Yes?" "I was wondering if I could cut in for a dance with the lovely lady." Ron glanced back at Hermione, who shrugged ambivalently, so he agreed, "Okay." He handed his girlfriend over to the Phoenix.
Hermione was a bit surprised but pleased to learn that Phoenix was not only a perfect gentleman but an excellent dancer as well. She followed his lead perfectly during a fast song, and he twirled her around expertly. She was breathless by the time the song ended and switched over to a slow romantic song. Phoenix led her back over to Ron with a bow and a thank you. As the couple danced, they watched as he asked a lovely girl dressed as a peacock to dance.
The evening progressed magnificently, and Phoenix danced with practically every girl in the room, even waltzing with Professor Figg once. The only girls he seemed to avoid, in fact, were the ones trying the hardest to get him. The twins Vixen and Fox kept after him for a dance, but he expertly evaded them each time the song changed. Everyone in the room kept glancing at him, impressed and a bit jealous of his dancing talent and impressive disguise. Indeed, no one knew who he was.
Once Phoenix approached the stage and whispered something to the band leader, who nodded in agreement. He turned and walked over to Hermione and Ron again. "May I have this dance, m'lady?" he inquired, holding out a hand. Hermione took his hand and allowed him to lead her onto the center the dance floor. He nodded at the lead guitarist and pulled her close. The band struck up a fast Irish jig with a good beat, and Hermione frowned. "I don't know the steps." Phoenix assured her, "Don't worry, just follow my lead." With that he began to swirl her around.
Hermione relaxed and let the music flow through her, and just enjoyed the dance. Neither partner noticed everyone circle around them to watch, as her wings sparkled like diamonds and his robes flashed with fire. The other students clapped with the beat, while the professors all sat in their seats and watched, very impressed. They made a beautiful dance couple, and Hermione gained confidence, improvising some steps of her own at one point, and she could swear Phoenix grinned at her.
The song finished, and Hermione blushed, unseen behind her mask, as everyone whistled and cheered. At Phoenix's urging she curtseyed as he took a bow, and he spun her back to Ron for the final dance of the evening, a sultry romantic ballad. Peacock grabbed Phoenix for the dance just as Vixen and Fox approached. They looked a bit frustrated, but quickly grabbed their own partners, a dragon and a griffin.
The last long note sounded from the cello and everyone applauded. Dumbledore mounted the stage and grinned cheerily at them. "Now it's time to announce the winners of the Masquerade. The professors have chosen based on creativity, detail, craftsmanship, and above all, lack of identification. It is now 5 minutes to midnight, so you will soon be able to see for yourselves just how good these disguises are."
He cleared his throat as McGonagall handed him the first slip of paper. "In third place from Ravenclaw, Wendelin the Weird!" A girl climbed up on the stage, dressed in the spitting image of the famous witch who, among other things, enjoyed being burned at the stake. Much laughter was heard, and she grinned and bowed.
"Second place goes to Vixen and Fox, from Gryffindor, for their matching costumes!" The two girls joined the Ravenclaw on the stage, winking and blowing kisses as the boys issued catcall and whistles.
"Finally, the grand prize of the Masquerade . . . . . . . . from Gryffindor . . . . . ."
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(A/N: I could just leave you in a cliffhanger, but I haven't written enough yet. Besides, I bet you know who is going to win. *sighs* yes I'm predictable. For now.)
"PHOENIX!"
The hall erupted in cheers yet again. He stalked up to the platform with an easy grace, his cloak billowing about him like tongues of flame. He took a bow with a showman's flare and shook Dumbledore's hand.
It was now just 30 seconds to midnight, and the students started a countdown like it was New Year's Eve. At zero, all masks and disguising spells fell off revealing everyone's faces. Peacock turned out to be Ginny, and Dragon was Draco. (Big surprise!) The Ravenclaw turned out to be Padma Patil, who smiled at her twin sister Parvati, an eagle. The majority of the guys had been staring at Vixen and Fox, waiting to see who these beautiful visions of womanly perfection really were.
Suddenly there were yells and screams among the male population as Vixen and Fox were exposed to be Fred and George Weasley.
The twins were rolling on the stage in hysterics at the look on everyone's faces. Several of the guys who had danced with them and drooled while impure thoughts ran through their empty skulls now turned a sickly green, and at least one fainted dead away. The professors looked highly amused. Lupin and Snuffles were both laughing so hard they were crying, which looks very strange on a dog. Arabella had fallen out of her chair and lay snickering on the floor. McGonagall couldn't suppress the grin that spread across her face. Ron was very glad he had refused to dance with them. Hermione smirked and kissed his now bare cheek, then turned back to see who the mysterious Phoenix was.
Surprisingly, Phoenix still had his mask on. When he realized that the eyes of the whole Hall were on him, he shrugged and slowly removed his mask, keeping his face covered for as long as possible. It finally came off and he shook his head, the cascading waves of hair darkening to raven black as it swung into his eyes. He brushed it back with one hand, exposing a jagged lightning-shaped scar over his right eye, and gazed around the Hall with brilliant emerald eyes sparkling with mischief, a slight smirk on his face.
"HARRY?!?!?!?!?!?!?"
Ron and Hermione, plus every other person in sight screamed in complete disbelief, and goggled at him with wide eyes. He simply laughed and nodded. In an instant he was tackled and mobbed as the Hall erupted in pandemonium. His friends fought their way through the mob to grab him in a crushing fierce hug, which he returned.
The yelling and noise level attracted the attention of the Aurors stationed outside, who came running in with wands drawn. Finding no Death Eater and not getting a coherent response from anyone as to what was going on, they pushed to the crowd rushing the stage and struggled forward, demanding to know what was going on.
As Dumbledore tried to make himself heard, the mob parted a bit, revealing Harry Potter in their midst. The Aurors stopped and stared, then one grinned and began to clap. Soon the Hall rang with applause for their returned hero.
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Eva watched the spectacle in the Great Hall and sighed. Then she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder reassuringly, and she turned to find Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, and Merlin all standing behind her. Lily and James Potter were also there, watching the portal from off to the side. Godric had his hand on her shoulder.
He spoke softly. "Don't worry. You are the best trainer we have, and you've succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. He's ready. You should be happy." Eva nodded. "I am happy. He was great to work with, but still presented a challenge. I still can't believe that he learned it all in less than 16 months. He has amazing talent and a real thirst for learning. A teacher can wait a whole lifetime and never meet another student like that. I'm not worried about that."
"Then what is it child?" She hesitated. "It's just that . . . I hate having to keep secrets, especially big ones. I was so straightforward and blunt with him on most of his history, but I couldn't tell him the most important part. He's been lied to for most of his life, certainly as far back as he can remember. He's going to be hurt."
Rowena stepped forward gracefully. "I know, but some things in life are inevitable. Harry will survive this. But there's something else bothering you." Eva silently cursed her for being so perceptive. She sighed and turned back to the screen, wrapping her arms around her. Her thoughts were in turmoil, and eventually she whispered, still barely loud enough for them to hear,
"I also never told him . . . . that I love him."
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Eventually Dumbledore managed to restore a semblance of order in the Hall. "Everyone, off to bed with you now. Teachers, please escort your houses to their common rooms, and then join me back here. You three," he pointed to the Trio, still entangled in a hug, "go change and be back down here in half an hour." They nodded and followed their classmates out. After they had all left, he sighed and signaled the Order for an emergency meeting. It was going to be a long night.
Harry held his friends back a bit so the vast chattering crowd was forced to pass them by, leaving them in relative peace for the moment. He spoke quickly and softly, "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you two again. I'm going to explain to Dumbledore what has happened, and I'll make sure you guys are there for the whole story. This is probably the last chance I have to speak to you privately for a while." He grimaced. "Just keep an open mind, some things I have to say are a bit . . . shocking."
Ron and Hermione nodded and led the way up to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She started at the sight of Harry. "So it's true! You've finally returned, young one, and oh, everyone is so happy!" Her tone changed. "Where have you been? Your friends and the professors have all been worried sick to death about you!" she scolded. Ron just rolled his eyes and said, "Godric," so she had to swing the portrait open.
There was a tremendous blast of noise. It seemed the whole of Gryffindor House was waiting for them. Harry leaned over to Ron and muttered, "By the way, congratulations," indicating Hermione with a flick of his eyes, "I never knew you could sing." He winked and stepped through to instantly disappear into the cheering crowd. Ron stood there for a second, blinking, and then followed with his girlfriend.
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It was exactly 30 minutes later that the three friends disentangled themselves from the rest of the House and went back down to the Great Hall. They found all the teachers waiting for them around a single round table, thankfully in normal clothes. Ron and Hermione both wore casual clothes suitable for weekends, but Harry was something of a surprise.
Harry was dressed in black pants, a white sleeveless top that showed off his lean muscled chest and arms, and black dragon hide boots. His long hair was tied back into a long braid, except for a slight fringe of bangs that still hid his scar. The teachers seemed a little stunned at the change of attire, since all they had ever seen him in was either the school robes or Dudley's oversized hand me downs.
As he sat down, the doors opened again, and the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix trooped in, a bit disgruntled at the lateness of the hour. They stopped and stared when they caught sight of, and recognized Harry. Mrs. Weasley screamed his name and enfolded him in a strangling hug. Bill pulled her off when Harry began to turn blue from oxygen deprivation. She sat down next to her husband, smiling warmly through her deep blush.
Dumbledore began the meeting. "I know it's late, but I believe you will excuse me as you all know the reason why we are here. Now, Harry, would you care to explain what has transpired since July 31st?" Harry glanced around, muttered a quick incantation and a faint red sheen appeared around the whole gathering. He settled back in his chair as everyone stared at what he'd done. Casually he explained, "It's only a modified Shield charm with a Silencing spell. I don't want to be overheard. The walls here have ears."
Indeed the portraits in the Hall now looked quite indignant at being shut out of the conversation.
Harry took a deep breath, and began to relate the events leading up to his disappearance, an absolute silence descending over the group as he spoke of the abuse and the arrival of the Death Eaters. When he told them about the light and the globe and the image fighting the Death Eaters, though, Dumbledore interrupted with a frown.
"Wait. Magical image projections cannot do magic themselves, and they are not physically material. They are more like ghosts than anything. We saw you, well it, being carried by Wormtail." Snape interjected, "It even left bloodstains on his robes." Harry nodded; Eva had explained it to him.
"It wasn't a regular projection. It was more like an extension of myself, a clone if you will, same powers and abilities but no soul and therefore no autonomy. In a sense it was me, because I was the one unconsciously controlling it. Once Voldemort Apparated, the clone was recalled, leaving them empty-handed."
"Not quite," Sirius interjected. His story had been explained to the teachers, so he was allowed to transform back to his human form for this meeting. At Harry's inquiring look, he produced the parchment Snape had brought from the fortress and handed it over. "Wormtail was recruited to be messenger boy for Voldemort's telegram." Curious, Harry opened it up, took one look at the rude sign and started laughing so hard tears sprang to his eyes. Sirius grinned. *Exactly my reaction.* "We should get this framed!" his godson choked out, as his friends giggled too.
Snape glared at him, but there was a twinkle in his black eyes. "So this wasn't your doing?" Harry shook his head in denial, trying to suppress his laughter, and finally managed "No, I had no idea. Eva never told me she left him a love note." Dumbledore jumped in with another question. "Who's Eva?"
Harry explained, "She's the one who rescued me from the house, and has been training me since then. She also explained a few things about my ancestry and answered a few questions you kept avoiding." Here he glared at the headmaster briefly, who opened his mouth presumably to defend himself before Harry waved it off. "I know, you couldn't tell me until I turned 15. I still had to give you a hard time about it."
Seeing the puzzled looks directed at him, he revealed his heritage of the founders and therefore Merlin, then described in brief his training and new powers. Very brief: in fact he neglected to mention several things, like being a magical Animagus. His description led in turn to questions about the parallel dimension, its time flow in relation to this world, and Eva. Sirius finally asked, "So, what's she like? Is she cute?"
Harry gave him a sidelong glare and chuckled. "Oh, she's good-looking all right. She can also kick your arse physically, mentally, and in a prank war." Sirius'eyes widened in interest. "Really? What else?" Harry furrowed his brow, trying to find a good description for the complex person he still had trouble figuring out.
"Eva has the bravery of Gryffindor, the loyalty and steadfastness of Hufflepuff, the wits and cleverness of Ravenclaw, the cunning of Slytherin; more mischievousness and prank ideas than the Weasley twins and the Marauders combined, more sheer ego than the cockiest American brat, and backed by the strength of a lioness and utter fearlessness." He smirked at the expressions on their faces and continued. "Mix over high heat, add estrogen, multiple personalities, a touch of insanity, and a master's knowledge of literally hundreds of fighting styles, weapons and spells. Toss in an obsession for Irish drinking songs and explosives, let simmer, then pour into a feminine body perfect for dancing or kicking your arse without breaking a sweat."
Ron gaped at him in astonishment. "That sounds like a recipe for disaster. You can't possibly be serious." Harry shook his head. "I'm not. She's ten times worse than that." He grinned. "You really have to meet her to appreciate her. She's . . . unique. Takes a little getting used to. Incidentally, she was responsible for the exploding pumpkin juice at the Welcoming Feast."
For a few minutes there was silence as everyone mulled over all they had just learned, then Ron asked Harry about his tattoo. "Which one?" He smiled at Hermione's shocked look when she spluttered out, "You have more than one?" "Yep." Harry slipped off his shirt to reveal the ones on his back, which he then proceeded to detail the origin and significance of. Dumbledore inquired about the matching runes on his shoulder and hand. "They seem familiar, but I can't place them." Harry grinned. "Knew you'd ask about those. These are the emblems of the Phoenix Lord."
The Order members gasped and stared at Harry with even more scrutiny than before, as if seeing him in a whole new light. The teachers and teenagers however simply looked perplexed. Dumbledore covered his slight shock and explained, "The Order of the Phoenix was originally created by the war mages as a group of the most talented Light warriors to defend against the rise of the dark arts. They are chosen by a phoenix and led by the most powerful war mage, called the Phoenix Lord. However, there hasn't been a Phoenix Lord in more than a millennium, since the war mages all died out. Now the phoenix chooses the leader, not necessarily the most powerful but the one most suited to the task."
Now everybody was staring at Harry open-mouthed, who was feeling discomforted under the intense scrutiny. He sighed, held out one hand to the side and his staff appeared in his grasp. As eyes nearly popped out of respective heads, he told them, "I am trained as a war mage, a grand master of the highest level with Elemental abilities. When I mastered the training I took on the responsibilities of and was marked as the Phoenix Lord. This endowed me with a few extra gifts."
At this point Ron burst out, "Good gods Harry! With all these extra powers and 'gifts,' you might as well declare yourself a deity! Then you can have all the people kissing your feet all the time! Bet that's what you wanted the whole time, huh? More bloody attention! Oh no, it's not enough to be the Boy Who Lived, now you gotta be the Phoenix Lord, All-Powerful War Mage, and the bloody Boy Who Kicked You-Know-Who's Arse!" By now he was really worked up, almost foaming at the mouth, five years of jealousy breaking through the dam. "You disappear for months without a trace, then come waltzing back into our lives expecting us to welcome you with open arms. You're even more arrogant and selfish than that git Malfoy. Maybe you plan to get rid of You-Know-Who just so you can take his place and conquer the world!"
Several looked shocked at this outburst of hate-filled ranting, and Molly Weasley opened her mouth to give her son a vicious diatribe more scathing than the one he just gave his best friend. A low growl from Harry stopped her before a single word was uttered. He slowly stood, his jade green eyes flashing with an angry fire while he visible tried to calm himself before he blew the red head through the far wall. His voice was a soft hiss.
"You little insufferable prick. Why don't you use that brain that's supposedly hidden behind that huge gaping hole of a mouth? You think I actually wanted all of this? All the fame, all the attention. Let me tell you what it has gotten me. Because of my heritage, which I have absolutely no control over, a megalomaniac serial killer murdered my parents and tried to kill me. Because he failed I ended up having to live with the biggest set of goddamn Muggles you could find anywhere, who hated me and used me as their personal house-elf and punching bag. I finally escape them to find out I'm famous for something I can't even remember and it wasn't me, it was my mum! People stare at me all the time and expect me to be able to correct all the world's wrongs. How would you like it to have all the expectations of everyone on your shoulders at age 11?
But because I'm different they blame me for everything too. Second year everyone swore I was the heir of Slytherin and was setting the basilisk loose simply because I can speak Parseltongue. It's not my fault I can speak it. Everyone is so worried about my safety and my sanity, it's impossible to live a normal life. I can't go anywhere without being watched by someone! Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?
You're jealous of me because of my abilities. Well, let's take a look at what you have and compare. You have a family who loves you and cares about you and what happens to you. You have a girlfriend who loves you for who you are, not what you are. You can walk around and be yourself, not having to put on a mask wizarding society has prescribed. You don't have nightmare every night of where Voldemort kills everyone you care about in front of your eyes, in horrible detail. Or the visions, which are worse because you know that you have a front row seat to horrific massacres and you can't do a damn thing about it!
With great power comes great responsibility. What they never mention is the sacrifices in the soul. I had to leave all of you behind so I could learn to control these powers before they killed me. I have very few friends because they could become target for my enemies. I cannot ever fall in love, I'll never have a family. I'm doomed to wander the earth alone, and wander is right, for I can never be at peace in one place. You're still young and innocent. I'm only 15 physically and I have blood on my hands. I may seem omnipotent to you, but I'm still mortal. One day I will fail, and that failure will come at a great price. My death will be the least of it.
Why don't you stop brooding on your petty jealousies and learn to appreciate what you have. I would give up all my supposed 'superpowers' to have what you were born with and receive freely every day. Love. Love is what saved me from Voldemort the first time, not any special abilities. That's the one thing I seemed destined to live without. So just piss off, you lucky bastard."
Harry's voice had never raised during his whole tirade, which made it seem even more intimidating than if he had shouted and yelled. Everyone stared, silent with their jaws touching their knees as Harry stormed out, hair streaming behind him like a comet's tail.
Snape was the first to recover, and he took the opportunity to glare poisoned daggers in Ron's direction. "You are very fortunate, you bloody idiot. He could have blasted you through the wall without a thought. Clearly someone taught him to control his emotions and it sure as hell wasn't you."
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A/N: okay, I had to respond to a couple of reviews. You don't have to read this, but please review the rest of the chapter.
Harry will not have a girlfriend in this fic. You have already seen the majority of the romance. I don't like it, and I don't like writing it either. I hope this little speech has made that clear. While I occasionally enjoy a couple of good pairings, I am into bachelor Harry. *shrugs* I am not JK Rowling. I have been to Scotland, it's a lovely country, but I am currently a college student with a laptop in America. But thanks anyways. Your praise means a lot. *grins* Slytherin Angel: as you can see Harry is not going to get a hair cut. I think he's had enough of those from the Dursleys to last a lifetime. Even though I also prefer short hair. You will find that I put everything in my story for a reason, whether as a plot point or a symbol. Sorry, I'm an English freak and all my writing has symbolism in it. It will be explained later. Cricket: You continually remind me of one of my dear friends. I love your reviews. You hunt me down? Yeah right. *snickers strangely with and evil gleam in her eye* That would be even worse for your health than my cliffies. For your information I do like Newsies, I have just never read any fanfic. Might have to try it. You might have noticed that each of my chapters are getting longer. I just had a couple of really good cliffies in the first couple that I just had to leave. This one is 11 pages typed, but 10 pages handwritten. At times I'll stop because my hands get tired, but other than that you can usually expect updates probably every 2 days. Don't kill me if it's longer though.