Okay grins This chapter was written on my own, this morning as the pounding of remodling went on, so I hope it's okay and that you all alike it!
Disclamer: Again... I don't own Harry Potter or the usual characters but any new characters are copywritted to Me... don't use without permission grins not that you would but... yeah....
Chapter 2: Golden Feathers"Oy... Harry... hello?" Ron whispered in his ear to get his attention. The lecture had begun but not in the usual way, or about the usual subjects. The students were use to this by now however. Professor Harin had told them at the beginning of the term that she would be teaching them the most important bit of wizarding history, and it was not about Goblins or any other magic creature. "She's telling us about the rise of You-Know- Who..." Ron finished and nodded towards the Professor.
"I was about your age when Voldemort first became know to the wizarding world," Professor Harin was saying when Harry finally took his attention away from the golden perch. "In fact... I was in my fifth year here at Hogwarts when the first muggle attack happened. It was half way through my seventh year when the dark mark appeared in the sky. Of course most of what occurred outside of the school was kept from us for obvious reasons, but in that moment... when wizards began to die... Dumbledore decided we all needed to know what was going on. We all needed to be prepared to defend ourselves when we left this school."
Harry looked around the class to see that the entire class was riveted on what the professor was saying. For most of the hour Harry watched her as she recounted many of the tales of the dark times in wizard history. Most people were frantically taking notes as if these stories were going to be on the test rather than stories to alert them as to what was to come. Professor Harin was the same age that Harry's mom would have been if she had lived this long. Her blonde hair was cut short and her blue-grey eyes were warm yet Harry could have sworn he'd seen them before. Her demeanor was quite different than most of the teachers they had come across. She reminded him of Sirius, in that mischief-maker way. Sirius, how much he missed his god-father. Somewhere inside him he knew his dream couldn't have just been a dream, it was too real. The puzzle then became just who had been the women in the dream.
A sudden familiar song echoed around the room and interrupted Professor Harin as she was recounting the facts leading to the death of Harry's parents. "Contrary to what the Ministry would have you believe Sirius Black-" She was saying just before she looked up at the ceiling. There above her head a red and gold bird circled several times before she extended her arm towards the perch. "Come now Pele... I'm teaching a class at the moment, settle there and I'll introduce you." Professor Harin said gently and the bird descended onto the perch in the far corner, but not before dropping a letter on the desk.
"Well I guess we'll finish the tale next time, for now I'd like you all to meet my friend." The golden bird preened on the perch and sang the phoenix song softly. It was so soft and full of happiness and love as it echoed about the room filling the students with warmth. "This is my phoenix and long time companion... Pele. I'm sure a few of you have seen a phoenix before for Albus Dumbledore has one himself." The bird crooned again and took flight. Circling the room slowly before settling in front of Harry and Ron, it waited patiently for them to stroke her soft feathers.
"Another phoenix!" Ron exclaimed as he reached out to stroke the red gold feathers. Pele cocked her head to the side and nipped affectionately at both Ron and Harry's hands. "Aren't they suppose to be really rare Professor?"
"Indeed they are Mister Weasley, but Pele was a gift from my father when I was young and we formed a very strong bond." Professor Harin said with a smile. "Now who can tell me an important role that the phoenixes had in the history of Wizards?... Yes Miss Granger."
"Legend has said that the tears of the phoenixes have great healing powers," Hermione said in her oh so knowledgeable way. "It's also been said that the greatest wizards of all time have had phoenix feathers in their wands. Bonding with a phoenix is an eternal thing, separated only by the death of the wizard or witch that is bonded to one. After that the phoenix, out of grief, will no longer be reborn from it's own ashes but will grow old and die."
"Correct Miss Granger, 20 points for Gryffindor!" Professor Harin said with no small grin. It was common knowledge that Professor Serendipity Harin was a member of Gryffindor house and gave added points to Gryffindors at every opportunity. She gave minimal points to Slytherin, however, and only when they greatly deserved it.
"Is it true about the phoenixes Hermione?" Harry asked as they walked down the hall. "That they die of the wizard they bond to dies?" He sounded most eager to know this information and Hermione looked at him funny.
"Course it's true Harry... I read it in Mythical Beasts of the Ages." She explained mater-a-factly. "Why do you ask? It's not like Dumbledore or Professor Harin are going to die anytime soon you know... I don't think you have to worry about that."
"It's not that... Look I had that dream again. You know the one where someone is trying to get Sirius out of the Veil... Well when I went down to the library the other night I found a book on Veils and there was a spell..." Harry said before explaining all that he had found in the book about Valkyries.
"Oh Harry!" Hermione squealed excitedly. "We have to find out more information on these Valkyries. I know I read something about them in Mythical Beasts of the Ages!" They ran quickly to the dorms and Hermione ran up to the girls' dorms to grab her book so they could find out what they wanted to know. A moment later she came tearing back down the hall, her face white as she clutched a couple of books to her chest. "Look!... Look what I found on my bed!" She said shakily as she handed them a red covered book with a golden feather embossed on the front. The title read in red gold lettering across the top, The Valkyries of the North.