AN: You gotta admit, the delay wasn't nearly as bad as it has been. In fact, I think I did quite good knocking this chapter out. Unfortunately, it forced me to put aside musings over Memories of You... so those DBZ fans might coming angrily wielding frying pans. You have been warned. :D
Same deal as usual. Hopefully I'll be able to publish another Gathering Starlight chapter at the same time I publish this... they do go together after all. So be sure to check it out. Huzzah for summer! Enjoy.
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The Hogwarts doors creaked open later that night. A nearly silent, invisible figure slipped out and hurried across the lawn toward a hut on the edge of a great menacing forest.
A hand reached out and knocked upon the wooden door. As the large wild head opened the door suspiciously, a hood was thrown back and three faces grinned back at Hagrid. Fang barked inside, and Hagrid hurriedly let them in.
"Hope yer not wantin' me to help you with yer Magical Creatures homework," the giant-man said with a grin as he set a pot over the fire to boil. After a moment, his duty as professor returned to him. "Wait a minute, what're you three doin' out of bed! Security's ben upped, ya know, and it's fer yer own good 'n' safety!"
"We need your help, Hagrid," Hermione said quickly. "We think we have a paper with Lunalingua on it, and we need to figure out what it means."
"Luna- wha'?"
"Lingua. Professor Osaka said it could be understood when read through moonlight."
"Ah, that stuff. Well, the moon's ben slow in risin' lately, but it shouldn't be too much longer till it's over the Forest. 'N' yer lucky cause it's been a clear night so far, though I hear that there's rain comin'."
The trio politely declined Hagrid's homemade treats as they waited, insisting that they were quite full. Harry absentmindedly rubbed Fang behind the ears. Hagrid seemed to be chatting about something, but inside Harry was so impatient to understand the strange markings that the conversation meant nothing.
Hagrid's little dragon clock chimed 11PM. "The sky does seem a bit lighter," commented Hagrid. "Let's go see where she is."
The four trekked out into Hagrid's garden. The moon still wasn't in sight, but a shaft of moonlight reached over the top of the forest to the corner of the garden. Harry hurriedly headed over to the corner and pulled out the paper.
The parchment seemed to glow under the silvery white light. The strange markings- Lunalingua runes, Harry corrected himself- seemed to jump out of the paper, sparkling with a silvery coloring.
Yet though the symbols seemed to dance, they still remained illegible and unknown. Harry sighed in defeat.
"Ho now, what's this?" said Hagrid, the last out of the cabin. "If I remember my lessons right, ye need more than a bit of moonlight. Try the big orb, up there."
Harry turned and looked up. The moon was riding high in the sky, having just cleared the roof of the Forest. Harry lifted the parchment high, holding it so that the moon was behind the paper, shining through. The four held their breath as they waited for something to happen.
Then slowly something else appeared on the scrap of parchment. The action was so unobtrusive that if one hadn't paid the utmost attention, he wouldn't have noted a difference.
Yet now distinct Roman letters stood out on the parchment. Harry allowed himself to breathe again and scanned his eyes over the now legible delicate lettering.
"I show not your face but your heart's desire," he read slowly. "Out of the ashes, I will rise from the fire."
His face scrunched as he brought the paper down. "What is that supposed to mean?" complained Ron. "It has nothing to do with anything, just a load of hogwash! And a horrible poem at that!"
"A piece of a poem," said Hermione slowly. Her face was confused, but she was thinking hard. "No, a piece of a riddle. Osaka read the beginning of it from her piece of parchment. This continues the riddle."
"But what is it?" asked an exasperated Ron again.
No one answered him. Instead, Harry held the paper up to the moon again and stared closely at the writing.
"The first line makes no sense of course," he said, "but the second... Mione, is it only me, or does that sound just like the description of a Phoenix?"
Hermione smacked herself on the head. "Well of course! How could I not have seen it! It's the most notable aspect of any Phoenix- that after bursting into flames at death, it will be born anew out of the ashes."
"But the first line doesn't sound anything like a Phoenix," said Ron, still confused.
The trio was silent, unable to comprehend what the strange jumble of words might mean. Would this direct them to a certain Phoenix? Would it tell them what not to do?
"Maybe it's not about the Phoenix at all," said Hagrid at last, "but about some other thing entirely."
Hermione's face brightened. "That's it! Osaka's riddle, that was just the introduction! But this, this is about finding the actual eight seeds. Well, two of them. Each line must be a clue for a certain seed!"
"Well tha's all fine an' dandy," said Hagrid roughly, "but why are ye searchin' fer these seeds er whatever ye call 'em?"
"It's an ancient Legend," began Hermione slowly.
"And we think it's crucial to save Hogwarts," added Ron eagerly.
Hagrid looked skeptical. "C'mon," said Harry. "Let's go back inside and we'll explain what we know."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
It was long after midnight when the Trio snuck back into their dormitories. Even then, none could rest. Harry and Ron stayed up long into the morning, whispering in their pajamas. Naturally, none-- even Hermione who did attempt to sleep-- were rested in the morning and the three were utterly exhausted. Naturally, they had Double Potions first on Tuesdays.
The three arrived in the Dungeon room grumbling. Snape made some usual sarcastic remarks to Harry, which sent the Slytherins into hysterics, but Harry was too tired to defend himself.
Luckily, he was soon rescued by a timid third-year, who entered the classroom bearing a note from the headmaster. Snape looked at Harry and Ron dangerously, seeming to foam at the mouth, but was forced to let the two boys go. Hermione looked pleadingly after them, hoping the be released as well, but the note was not for her.
The boys arrived at the gargoyle to find Professor Lupin waiting for them with a grim expression on his face. "Fire sticks," he said promptly, without a word to the boys. The gargoyle leapt aside and the three hurried up to Dumbledore's office.
.
The old headmaster was waiting for them, looking more ancient than usual. Ginny was seated in a chair in front of his desk, looking utterly perplexed. "Sit down, boys," he said slowly, "I have some news for you."
Harry sunk into a chair beside Fawkes' perch. The magnificent bird cooed to see him. Harry absentmindedly began to pet Fawkes' feathers.
"I believe that you both recall the location of the Order of the Phoenix?" The three nodded nervously. "Well, we have just received word that the place was attacked." The listeners gasped. Dumbledore spoke half to himself, wistfully, as he continued. "I suppose I should have known better. After all, the one called Wormtail was once great friends with Sirius and would naturally know the secret." Dumbledore shook his head and addressed the listeners once more. "But yes, the house upon Grimmald Place was attacked. Luckily, few were present, as most of us- Aurors included- are currently at Hogwarts. But the house was not empty." Here Dumbledore took a deep breath. "Mr. Arthur Weasley was on guard. He was stunned almost as soon as Voldemort's servants entered the house. He had only enough time to yell to the portraits and warn the others to get out. They escaped. The house was ransacked and destroyed. And Arthur was taken."
.
The room was dead silent. Lupin, standing in the corner, lowered his head in pain. Harry was lost in an inner turmoil. Had he now lost the closest thing he'd ever had to a loving uncle, along with all the rest? But Ron and Ginny's faces matched each others, clashing horribly with their hair- their faces white as ghosts. "Dad," echoed Ginny piteously.
Suddenly, someone else let out a cry. Beside Harry, Fawkes let out a horrible screech and suddenly burst into flame. Harry snatched his hand away from the suddenly heat. All warmth that had given him comfort was gone.
Behind the desk, Dumbledore looked alarmed. "This is unexpected," he said with a hint of worry. "Fawkes should have at least 496 years until the next Burning."
Yet ashes were all that remained of the mighty bird. A tiny, featherless creature poked its head out of the ashes. It let out a tiny squawk and began to search through the ash for something. With another squawk, it found a rock of some sort and began to roll it towards Harry using its head. As the rock rolled, the ash fell away and revealed some type of brilliant red gem beneath.
"Out of the ashes, I will rise from the fire," echoed Ron quietly as Fawkes pushed the gem into Harry's lap. Then Ron closed his eyes in pain and looked away. He struggled to control his emotions. Tears streaked freely and silently down Ginny's face.
The strange gem felt warm in Harry's palm. It seemed to burn with an inner fire, conveying hope and peace not only to Harry, but throughout the troubled room.
"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said at last, his voice ragged and pained. "What about Mum? What about Fred and George? And Percy even?"
Dumbledore held up his hand. "Your mother was the one who sent us the urgent owl. We thought it best to inform her children before the news was all over the press tomorrow. She escaped with no harm, and is currently at the Burrow with all her sons. But they will move soon, as we suspect the Burrow may be a new target for Voldemort's minions. They will be guarded at the new home of the Order."
Ginny and Ron's faces echoed the pain they felt at their father having been abducted, their mother suffering, and now their very home in danger. "Where will the Order go?" said Ron, struggling to form words.
Dumbledore looked directly at Harry. "Godric's Hollow."
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AN: In case you are Harry Potter illiterate, Godric's Hollow is where Harry's parents were murdered, mwhahaha! This meeting will continue next time, on SPELLBOUND! :D Now Review Responses:
Tsuki no Tenshi- heh, well boys can still sneak into the girls dormitory. Maybe. No idea actually, but in my fic they can lol. Naughty boys. :D
himesama16- no, Usa has changed a lot since Remus last saw her. ;D She'll show up eventually, I promise. I'll try to bring more SM stuff in too.
Lady Light- lol, thanks! this soon enough? ;D
Vittaria- Well... just because the Trio thinks they have figured it out doesn't mean that it really will happen that way. They will be expecting Rowena to come back, but will she? We shall see... mwhahaha!
Maiden Genisis- calm down, it's ok. You're not meant to see how they fit in yet, mwahaha! Let's just say, this is different. No one is reborn and strolls into Hogwarts. You might have gotten a hint as to how they'll come back with this chapter. ;D
Seren Lunar Echo- I actually just saw it recently (at a drive-in movie theater! SO COOL!!!). But I was so mad about Lupin. He is supposed to be cute and smart and timid and probably blond-ish. But no. Ark. Don't like movie!Lupin. :(
Black Mage of Darkness- not sure if I'll get to go to Manchester. I sure hope so though!
angelwings6117- Just like Gathering Starlight, there will be a search for the starseeds, as you have already seen begun. And don't worry, Naru is not a senshi. Her relation to all this will be explained eventually... but probably not till towards the end. ;)
Thank you everyone! Hopefully I'll keep up this habit and knock out another chapter before I leave for England in a few weeks... but I wouldn't count on it. w00t! Ja!
-Calli-chan