Harry Potter Fan fiction (so people, I no own!!!)

Disclaimer: err, see above. The world, characters, etc, all belong to another. I am only

borrowing them. The plot is the only thing I own, along with any

characters I choose to introduce.

Warnings: Who knows? Will start out angst, will undoubtedly get darker later.

Summary: Harry Potter is at a crossroads in his life, and now must face trial by fire in

order to determine exactly who he is…and why.

Chapter two: And then there was fire…

So let the fire burn, please let the fire burn,

Burn away all of the world tonight,

I've got nothing left to live for, nothing left to learn

And no reason now, to fight…

So Harry made his way down the street -further and further away from home- totally unaware that he was being followed.

Well, by the strange shadowy thing, anyway.

He couldn't miss Tonks, who in typical Tonks fashion stumbled her way along opposite Harry with all the grace of a drunk elephant. He did give her points though, for not cursing out loud when she impacted head on with number seven's mailbox and somehow managed to tumble completely over it without breaking it, or losing her cloak. That was impressive.

It was also the stunt that convinced Harry beyond any shadow of a doubt that it was Tonks following him. Only someone with an intimate, first-name relationship with the ground could have managed so gracefully.

But really, did the order expect me to not notice? I really hope not…

So some slack should be cut for Harry, who could possibly notice small, sneaky followers when more than adequately entertained by loud, un-sneaky ones?

He left Privet Drive and headed away-vaguely to the park-enjoying the sunshine and somehow managing not to laugh outright at his entourage.

I should get out more often…

It was a warm, sleepy Saturday. There was no hint, no clue at all, that strange and dangerous happenings would soon occur. Predictably, of course, centred around the youth with messy hair, almost unnaturally green eyes, and a peculiar lightning shaped scar.

Changes occur every day, every day is a change in itself, and at the end of it nothing is ever the same.

Of course, most of these evolutions are small and gradual. Little life lessons.

Then there are the other changes, the big, dangerous, life changing and often endangering changes.

The park wasn't quite deserted, but either way Harry didn't care. Anyway, given a couple of minutes to notice the dangerous criminal Harry Potter, most of the kids would retreat whimpering home. All to the good. The less people around, the less innocents to be hurt. Plopping onto one of the logs that made up the play area's boundary, he stretched out his legs and admired the warm, sleepy day with a sigh, using the movement to cast a quick scan around him for anything unusual.

Like dementors.

Tonks seemed to have hit neutral, and wherever she was, was actually using some stealth. An amused green eye rolled to the side, slitted against the bright sky. Almost on cue, a girl shrieked nearby and tangled herself up in her own feet before fleeing.

He moved smoothly despite weeks of constant inactivity, wand arm shifting slightly to face the disturbance and caught only a glimpse of muddy brown braids flying from a tiny head disappearing rapidly around the corner.

He was impressed by her speed, but really, he didn't look all that scary did he, despite the Dursley's claims?

This from a youth that admitted he looked like a vampire.

Harry shifted back into a more comfortable position slowly. He was on edge. He did have every right to be, considering that the darkest wizard of all time was trying to kill him and those opposing him were dropping like flies. There was a rustle to his right and Harry shot forward, dropped and rolled, coming up facing the sound a short distance away, suddenly wondering if something else had driven the girl to flee.

He stared blankly into bright, empty sunlight.

"Uhh, Tonks?" He beseeched quietly.

"Harry, don't move." It was Tonk's voice, and it was becoming from behind him.

Ignoring her unintentionally, Harry's head raised slowly, and he peered over the log he had been sitting on. I am never coming to this park again, I swear, this place calls trouble.

His wand was held painfully tight within his hand, and he raised it alongside his jaw.

He stared down, and froze. He was staring at a, a, what the hell?

It was shadowy and black, and every sense snapped on alert. Pettigrew! Then common sense kicked in, for this…shadow thingy… in no way resembled that murdering, traitorous rat. He stared at it, totally dumbfounded, while Tonks cursed behind him, jumping forward as if to tear the two apart.

Then Harry made the mistake of meeting the creatures eyes.

They burned, they drew him in, there were flames deep within it's eyes, that seemed to be the source of the allure, the light in darkness that drew the light in and changed it.

It was at this point that Harry knew he'd done something very, very stupid. He reached forward a trembling hand, inwardly screaming at himself but unable to stop, and his fingers lightly grazed the inky dark fur of the creature.

It's eyes blazed brighter/darker yet, with sadness?anger?joy? For an endless moment, the youth and the magic stayed locked together, riveted, and then without a word, sound, or even flash, both disappeared, as if they had never been.

Tonks thudded into the ground painfully, one hand outstretched as she stared through the spot the boy and the animal had occupied. She blinked, swore almost in a wail, and whipped out her wand, muttered something and then she too, was gone.

Not too far away, the wards of Privet Drive hummed on undisturbed. It was a warm sleepy Saturday, just verging on lunchtime. A sleepy looking boy strolled easily onto his lawn and yawned in the sunlight before grunting and disappearing inside again. No-one knew that the Boy-Who-Lived had disappeared-again-or that very soon the area would be flooded with aurors, all searching for clues.

…-…

Harry blinked back to awareness, then bolted upright with a groan of horrified disbelief as he took in the darkness surrounding him. What on earth have I done now?

One moment park, next moment…

He tightened his grip on his wand, then stared at it, disbelieving his own eyes.

He still had his wand, then. Well, with it, totally disregarding the Minister's rules of course, he had a chance of getting out of here. Wherever here is… And what of the dark magic thing, that had resembled-slightly-a small fox? Had it simply been used to bring him here? He cautiously rose to his feet, fully expecting Death Eaters or Voldemort to spring out at him at any second. His eyes adjusted, and he thought, that perhaps he saw light, somewhere to his left. With the equivalent of a mental shrug, he shifted towards it, holding his wand in one hand, and the other outstretched for obstacles.

How could I have been so stupid? He thought bitterly. Had to look, didn't I, had to touch it like a right fool. Had to totally ignore Tonks, who has to know way more than him of what the thing had been. And now look at where I am, stuck in the dark in Merlin-knows-where.

He thudded against something he couldn't see, biting back the curse that sprang immediately to his lips. He froze, looking around to see if anyone or anything that might just be hiding in wait had heard the impact. He strained to hear, but all he could hear was his own heartbeat thudding in his ears. He reached out cautiously and felt around carefully, his fingers tracing a large, solid outline-and rattled against the bolts on one side. Again he froze. A door, he thought wryly. So much for the light he'd thought he'd glimpsed. He shrugged mentally, then holding his breath, slid the bolts back towards himself.

The din was incredible. He threw caution to the winds, flinging himself blindly through the door, slamming it shut with a scream of tortured metal. Panic filled him with the sound of his own heartbeat. Breathe, Harry. It's okay, just breathe.

Yeah right! Not even the dead could have missed that!

But then…why wasn't there death eaters swarming him? Where was that high, cruel laugh? The mocking taunts?

Their was nothing but silence. Harry's eyes widened. What if Voldemort wasn't here?

What if this had absolutely nothing to do with him? He scoffed, scrambling to his feet, despite everything feeling happier than he had in awhile. He was doing something, his blood was pounding and despite it, it was brilliant. Flushed, he turned brilliant eyes around again. Suddenly alive, filled with purpose, Harry set out again, even if it was to walk into a wall. Rubbing his nose, he glared at the blackness and lifted his wand slightly. Everything was silent, the kind of silent found in a tomb where the air is heavy and doesn't move.

"Lumos," he whispered softly. A soft white light blossomed from his wand tip obediently, casting a soft white glow around Harry. He stared at what he could see, shadows flickering into strange shapes around his circle of light. He hesitated, then brightened the light, until he could see everything in the…room.

Okay, not room. Hall. Huge, colossal, enormous hall. It made Hogwarts hall look small. He was standing at the beginning of the long passage that led down into what appeared to be a circular room.

He looked down, where an incredibly dusty carpet stretched away. He raised his eyes to the unlit torches lining each wall, intercepted every couple of metres by dusty squares that just might have once been tapestries. He dropped his eyes again in astonishment, scraping his sneaker sideways, creating s puff of dust and the faintest trace of colour. Ten galleons this was once red. Suddenly he knew exactly where he was. Well, okay, not where, exactly, for all he knew he was on the moon, but this was definitely a throne room.

He began to walk forward, awed by the sheer size of his surroundings, his progress silent thanks to the still-thick carpet beneath his feet and a handy inch-thick layer of dust. He held his wand high and scanned everything he could see, his fear lost for a moment in amazement.

Even coated in what must have been the dust of centuries, this place was incredible.

Ignoring an internal voice telling him not to touch anything, he reached out a hand and traced his fingers over the dull metal that made up an knight's armoured breast plate. The suits of armour along the hall shifted as one, bringing a lance down to bear before them. Leaping back, eyes huge, Harry held his breath and stared into the shadows behind the visor that made up the knights eyes. Yeah, brilliant move…

Nothing else happened. Okaaaay. Freaky. No more touching anything, Harry.

Still with his eyes trained on the knight Harry took several slow, cautious steps back and to the right. Releasing his held in breath with a rush, he shook his head wryly.

Really, Potter, you almost deserved to be skewered. He cast the armour one last wary look, then slunk past and continued following the carpet. Yellow brick road, except, well, not. He was nearly at the end of the hall now, and no suits of armour had jumped out at him, which was good. He really, really wished Ron and Hermione were with him, Ron distracting him with comments like-wow, bloody awesome, and Hermione babbling on and on in a breathless fashion about exactly were they could be, and what an important find it was, all intercepted by worried comments about why they were there, and how they should be really, really careful.

He shook his head. They weren't here, and it was best to pay attention to his surroundings as best as he could. And not on the underage magic I've just used…

Cautiously, but with a great deal of curiosity, Harry peered out at the huge circular room he had come to. He first scanned for other exits, because if there were Death

Eaters running about trying to kill him, he really didn't want to be trapped. Then all of these sensible and smart thoughts flew away and took up residence on a deserted island. Because his eyes had been drawn to the dais in the centre, where the-uh, golden glowing thing-happily floated. It was beautiful, whatever it was, all wrapped up in brilliant light that hid it from eyes. He was unconsciously pacing towards it, entranced in a similar way as he had been to the shadowy creature.

Which made sense, as the two were somewhat related and Harry didn't know that way above him, wound about a support beam, said shadowy creature was watching him intently, swaying as if caught in a breeze.

Completely ignoring the riches and treasure he was quite literally wading through, Harry had eyes only for the golden light and the mystery within it. As he reached out, and in retrospect he should have known better, the light flared incandescently and seemed almost to be purring. As his hand penetrated the light, high above the dark creature cried out in equal amounts pain and ecstasy, unwinding from it's perch and plummeting towards youth and light.

Eyes wide, Harry touched the centre, which morphed rapidly from book, orb, and something too beautiful to be named, then beneath his hand was silky fur and something twisted to bring shining, reflective eyes to meet his own.

And then the world exploded into flame.