Posted: September 9, 2004
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Harry Potter and am not using this story for financial gain.

The Bonded

Chapter Two

Harry plopped into the chair with a loud explosion of breath. He had finished his martial training a year ago and had moved on to the school of subterfuge. This is not to say that his training was no longer physical, merely that it was no longer focused on open fighting. There was nothing honorable or fair about this type of combat, the ideal being to strike lethally from ambush. Surprise and speed were of the essence: a foot broke a leg; an elbow, a rib; a stiffened hand crushed the windpipe.

Combat was supplemented with various other aspects. As the months had passed he had learned to make a fire without magic, catch food, and survive in a forest. He learned to climb sheer rock walls using his fingertip, toes, knees, and elbows; to walk a rope suspended in the air; to survive extended submersion by separating oxygen from water.

But all this training was a tool, not an end in itself. Harry was taught that real foundations of his success in this subtle art must be concealment and deception, not combat. If he had to use his fighting skills, it meant that the enemy had detected him and that was next door to failure. Being detected was not, as Harry's teachers put it, elegant, even if he got away unscathed. It often went like this:

"Harry! What is the pinnacle of excellence in the art of subterfuge?"

"That I act without being detected, so that the enemy does not know who has carried out the attack against him. He is befuddled and does not know whom to blame."

"Wrong! You are lax in your studies! It is that the enemy does not know there has been an attack, until he discovers that his strength is dispersed, his defenses nullified, and that he is suddenly in the hands of the enemy. Your ramblings, however, has an element of virtue, tell me why!"

Harry paused to consider before voicing, "Because, in the world as it is, the pinnacle is the ideal and therefore difficult to achieve. Thus, while I should always strive for the ideal, I must not always disdain the less elegant solution. To strive too high, is to invite disaster."

Harry had prided himself on answering that correctly and the spymaster even gave him a rare voice of approval. He quickly learned that this approval didn't equate with less work and Harry found himself worked to the bone over his original incorrect answer. This was why he found himself exhausted in a comfortable chair in the study that Ginny's Grandmother owned.

Ginny had been reading a rather large, old tome in the coach across from him and lightly closed it when Harry collapsed in the chair. She looked at him with an amused smile on her face. "How was practice?"

Harry groaned lightly, "I made the mistake of answering a question slightly incorrectly. I thought I had managed to redeem myself but no such luck. Practice was extended by an hour."

Ginny giggled at the pained look on Harry's face. She set her book aside and lightly padded across the room, stopping behind Harry's chair. She gently began to massage Harry's shoulders, an act that had been repeated many times in the past after Harry's practices. "You know the only reason she pushed so hard is that they have great faith in you, all your teachers do, and they want to see you succeed."

Harry winced, "I know, I just wish they would be less…enthusiastic about it.

"You'll live," Ginny laughed that bright, tinkling bell laugh that Harry loved so much. He sat back and enjoyed the feeling of relaxation that Ginny's massage was causing.

Ginny continued to work in silence enjoying the companionship the two shared. There were few friends that were as close as Harry and Ginny, sometimes they could even sense what the other was thinking and feeling, an aspect that had helped more than once when they were fighting multiple opponents. A stray thought seemed to flit across her mind and Ginny double checked the calendar on the wall.

"Harry, your sixteenth birthday is next week, what do you want to do?"

Harry shrugged, even after having five birthdays while here in Phoenix Tower the concept was rather alien to him. The Dursleys had made certain that Harry's birthdays were anything but pleasant. "I don't know," he said softly. "Maybe just a small little gathering with Dazna, your grandmother Cynthia, and you in attendance. That would be a fine birthday."

Ginny sighed exasperatedly; the last five times she had asked that question his answer had always been the same. Well, this year she was determined to plan something different and exciting for Harry. She would talk to Dazna about it later. The minutes passed by, Harry's head rolled down and his chin touched his chest. The movement caused the back of his shirt to shift slightly and Ginny's eye caught something strange.

"Harry," she whispered. "Where did this scar come from?" She ran her fingers lightly across the faint line that ran from his left collar bone to the base of his neck. It looked ancient and she was sure that he hadn't gotten it while he was training here.

"Hmm?" Harry mumbled, seemingly coming out of a daze. "Oh, that's just an old scar from when my parents died in a car crash. I don't pay it any heed and it's not that obvious like the one on my forehead. Why?"

Ginny was too shocked by his answer to respond right away. She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to make sounds come out. She managed to choke out, "Car…crash?"

Harry nodded, "That's why I was staying with my Aunt and Uncle before I moved in with Dazna." He paused and turned in his chair to look at her. "Haven't I told you this before?"

Ginny couldn't believe it; Harry thought his parents died in a car crash? Why hadn't anyone ever told him? The most famous person in the wizarding world did not even know that he was famous. She gulped slightly and looked at Harry with a pained look. She didn't want to be the one that told him but he deserved to know the truth, not whatever fabricated stories his Aunt and Uncle had filled him with.

"We need to talk," she was unable to keep the warble out of her voice.

Harry looked worried now, "What is it? Is something wrong? Are you alright?"

Ginny shook her head, "I'm fine but…"

"But what? What's wrong?"

Ginny drew in a deep breath and held it, drawing up her courage for what she was about to do. "Harry," she began slowly. "A long time ago, about eleven years ago in the outside world, there was a dark wizard that went by the name of Voldemort. He was a very, very evil man and he killed a lot of people to get what he wanted. He believed that pureblooded wizards were the only true humans and he worked to erase everybody else from the face of the planet."

Harry nodded, "Like Hitler in the second world war."

"Yes, like that. Now he was opposed by a lot of people and the wizarding world was at war, some of the people that opposed him were your parents."

Harry jumped up, "My parents were wizards?"

Ginny nodded, "And from what I heard, they were very powerful wizards at that. Voldemort was after them Harry, and they knew it so they went into hiding. But Voldemort found them and…" Ginny choked up slightly, "And then he tried to kill you Harry but for some reason he couldn't and in that moment he died."

"He died?"

"Yes and all the people of the wizarding world were at peace once again. Voldemort had been defeated and you were credited with his defeat." She stopped and looked in his eyes. "Harry you are the most famous person in the wizarding world. You're a celebrity."

"B-but I don't remember doing anything like that," Harry protested. "I can't be famous, I-I…" Harry seemed to deflate and Ginny couldn't help but feel for her friend. Throughout her childhood she had been told stories about Harry and his victory but Harry had just had the news dumped on him all at once, with no time to get used to it like she had. She couldn't imagine what it must be like.

"Harry?" she asked tentatively, worried by what she might see in his eyes.

Harry raised his head and Ginny stepped back at the frightened look that she saw in his eyes. "This…this won't change anything will it? I-I mean you'll still be my friend right?"

Ginny couldn't resist and she wrapped him up in a tight hug. "I'll always be here, Harry," she whispered softly in his ear. "I'll always be here with you." Harry responded to her hug and words and Ginny could feel the tension drain away from him. They sat like that for a few minutes before he pulled away and thanked Ginny.

"Thank you, Gin. You don't know how much that means to me." Ginny blushed slightly at the nickname. She never let anybody call her that but coming from Harry's mouth, she found she liked it. Harry looked at her with a twinkle in his eye and she let out a soft groan. She knew that look. He wore it every time he had something on his mind and wanted to…

"Let's spar," he said.

Yep, that was it.

"Alright Harry, let's do this again." Ginny crouched defensively before her opponent. Harry's only response was to tighten the grip on his wooden tai-chi sword. Harry and Ginny had become regular sparring partners his first year here and this scene had been repeated many times before this. Harry had been nervous at first about fighting Ginny but a quick demonstration of her bo-staff and the finer points of attack on a human, Harry, quickly changed his mind.

For long moments the two simply stood unmoving - each waiting patiently for the other to make the first move. Dazna, their current supervisor looked on bemusedly as the two settled into a somewhat fruitless staring match - years of training together unfortunately had resulted in their styles coalescing with each other - and both were of the opinion that it was far more advantageous to let the enemy strike first in a sparring match.

Finally, Ginny gave in and tested her opponent's defense with a light fore swing using her bo-staff. Predictably the staff tip reached its designated target an instant too late, and Harry was in addition returning a swift slash.

The observing master took the moment to reflect upon Harry. He had grown much in the past years - good food and constant exercise having developed him into fine handsome man. The years of malnutrition and mistreatment by the Dursley's had left their mark however and Harry's stature would never top five six. Harry would never let that stop him though and continued to advance leaps and bounds in the martial arts.

Ginny, too, had grown. She was still petite and looked as though she would top out at five feet two inches and used it to her advantage. Slipping through openings and getting closer to her opponent than most could. Her kicks were particularly devastating. Over the years of constant training and sparring, Harry and Ginny had developed their own personal styles of combat based heavily of adaptation. Analyzing their fighting style had proved no small headache for their tutors - it formed a very fine integration of Dazna's unarmed and armed combat, Cynthia's energy attacks, even some of the moves they had seen the elders perform had been taken into their style.

Returning to the duel before him, Dazna winced as Harry's spin kick managed to connect with Ginny's lower jaw. That would certainly leave a bruise. Holding her mouth tenderly the redhead angrily protested, "HEY! That's my move!"

Mildly amused, the alleged plagiarizer commented, "And where is it written that 'Ginny's special kicks' are patented unto herself?"

Playfully infuriated the young woman flipped herself to an upright position, using her staff for a prop; the lady launched a rapid fire series of twisting foot punches, hoping to dislodge Harry.

Harry knew better than to try to break through Ginny's fancy footwork - a single kick could temporarily disable a limb. Instead, he chose to retreat in a reverse back leap, keeping his sword directed to counter the expected offensive. A two fingered jab from the hilt, a tossed energy blast, and a light series of punches quickly put the black haired youth in the advantage. Ginny cautiously receded, bo-staff rapidly stabbing to keep her partner fighting from a distance.

From the sidelines, Dazna continued to observe with an impassionate facade. "Ginny reverse your hold, you'll have a better grip…..and Harry, stop swatting - your sword is an extension of your arm - not a baseball bat." Silently he noticed that another master had joined him in the spectacle.

With a light voice, Cynthia mentioned, "Every time I show my granddaughter a new combination to employ in the next duel - I find out that you have taught your own protégé a counter to that move plus another three forms. The repetition is getting damned annoying I tell you."

Dazna smiled at the woman's mock frustration. "It's alright - young Ginny doesn't take the defeats personally - she accepts that Harry is her better, and appreciates the challenge."

"You'd better watch out or Harry might get cocky with all those victories."

"At least once a day, I have a sparring match with Harry to remind him of where his skills lie in the grander scheme of things." Absently he rubbed at a fading bruise on his temple "Although it gets harder these days to beat him without reverting to special techniques." As if in agreement, Cynthia presented a narrow discoloration along her left waist - courtesy of a stray punch from a bo-staff. Dazna continued on, "Ah, the pain we masters must endure for the sake of the mages."

Wryly, she commented, "Your bemoaning fools nobody - least of all Harry. He knows you take pride in every strike that breaks through your defense."

"That is so, but that doesn't make the pain any more bearable."

Cynthia sighed wearily as a series of painfully heavy slaps generated by high speed wood striking flesh pronounced the conclusion of the duel. "Ouch." Ginny groggily picked herself from the ground. "I think that makes victory number one thousand and….." she paused whilst consulting a very well-worn notepad, "…forty six. I now only have……let's see…… four hundred and fifty-nine…no make that fifty-eight wins to equal your score." Smiling brightly she added, "I'll get there eventually."

Ginny had taken to tallying their battles sometime after the first month or so - and despite the ever increasing numbers had continued to maintain that notepad almost doggedly. Harry helped Ginny to her feet and checked all of his hits to make sure that there would be no lasting damage. "You were fighting well there Ginny, that overhead jab really rocked me off my feet there."

"Yeah, I thought I had you there," she sighed while Harry checked the bruises on her face. "But it seems the resident God of the Mages lives to hold his title for another day."

Harry blushed brightly and mumbled something about not being that good when Dazna decided it was time to intercede, "Very good Harry, Ginny. You have both improved a fair amount. You should go shower and change. You need it. Cynthia and I will see you to tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Okay, Dazna," Harry replied and turned to Ginny. "Last one there cooks the other's favorite meal!" and with that, he bolted out the door.

"Hey!" Ginny cried out. "That's not fair!" and rushed after the rapidly fading back of Harry.

Even in the low light, Dazna could still recognize the solid black seal with the pair of swords crossed over a magnificent Phoenix. There could only be one sender of this letter though why he was sending any letters at all had Dazna worried. The last time he had received such a letter, it had contained his orders to start training Harry. While he was glad for the opportunity to train someone as talented and with as much potential as Harry the reasons for him starting his training at the time had not been pleasant ones.

Dazna grimaced as he recalled the fact that Harry's Uncle had been a child beater. It had taken all his willpower and a missive from the council to keep himself from destroying that fat oaf and leveling the entire household to the ground. He had been very upset at the order to not intervene and had taken that anger out on a poor tree that happened to be nearby. Needless to say, it had seen better days.

But now here was another letter from the Phoenix himself and as Dazna silently perused the letter, he hoped that the circumstance would be more forgiving than they were previously.

Elder Dazna,

I hope that this letter finds in good health and I wish you success in all your achievements. It has been seven years since our last communiqué and I bear much happier news than the last message held. Harry and Ginny have been trained under your and Cynthia's watchful eye for the last six plus years and both have flourished greatly. And under your tutorship they have reached the time for a test of rights to become full and active warriors of the mages.

Now Dazna was surprised. Most students did not take the test until they were twenty-five years of age. To have one, let alone two students take the test at such a young age was unheard of. Dazna didn't doubt Harry and Ginny's abilities but the test was a difficult one containing a practical exam by the elders.

Under most circumstances this test is to be taken individually but circumstances that are even now taking place call for a change in this policy. Harry and Ginny are to take the test together and, upon the completion of this test, Harry is to take the test of the Phoenix's Accession.

A strangled cry of exclamation caught in Dazna's throat and came out as a hacking cough. The Phoenix's Accession? he thought in amazement. He must be joking.

I must stress to you the importance that this test is kept strictly secret aside from you four. Actually…allow Kyle to privy to the information as well. It will help things go smoother and it will surely twist the old coot's beard. But be wary, there will come a time in the future when this test and Harry's successful completion of it will be of profound impact.

Until next time old friend,

Phoenix

Damn, he wasn't joking. Dazna reread the part about the need for secrecy and let out a soft snort of amusement. If Harry did indeed successfully complete the quest for the Phoenix's Accession then he would be the commander of the mage forces, the leader of the council and city. Most of the mages would fall inline behind him and Cynthia if they backed Harry but there would be some hard heads that would not follow one so young. Kyle would help in that aspect he could garner a lot of support from the citizens despite Harry's young age. Nobody had ever taken the test this young before but if the current Phoenix told him that Harry was to take the test, than Harry would take the test.

Dazna just hoped he would survive.

Ginny and Harry sat in two comfy chairs by the crackling fireplace of the library. This room was a favorite of both of them and they often joined each other to chat or just sit in companionable silence. Night had fallen and the city was asleep but they simply sat, watching the logs crackle and pop as the fire caressed its bark. Even though it was late July, the weather on Phoenix Island was always on the cold and Harry had grabbed a couple of blankets to keep them warm as they sat.

"Harry?" Ginny spoke softly, her voice swallowed up in the night's abyss.

"Hmm?"

"I'm really sorry you know," she said. "About your parents and all. I didn't know that no one had ever told you what happened and I thought that you deserved to know. I hope you don't hate me for it."

Harry stood up from his chair and silently walked over to Ginny. The years of training showed as he made his passage across the floor without even the slightest whisper of sound. When he reached her he kneeled down in front of her and took her hands into her own. "Ginny," he looked at her. "I will never hate you. For as long as I can remember, you have been my only friend. Sure Dazna is one too but he falls more under the category of mentor. You have stood by my side and I by yours for the past five years here and I will never let something stop that."

He smiled and gave a little squeeze to her hands. "Besides," he shrugged. "It's not like I really care about being famous and I never knew what my parents were like. I wish that things could have been different but they aren't and I won't dwell on wishing for things that I can't have."

Ginny smiled back at him, "Good, I wouldn't want to have to beat some sense into you if you did but I would if I had to."

Harry laughed, "I'm sure you would." He continued to kneel there, simply looking at Ginny for a few minutes before he rocked back on his heels, standing up in one fluid motion and pulling Ginny up with him. She looked at him questioningly but he remained silent and held his palms against hers, parallel to their bodies, equidistant between them. Slowly, he pushed his right hand against hers before lightly giving way to the return force in her hand.

Throughout the many years that it has evolved, Tai-chi has always had one constant. The act of Pushing Hands, T'ui shou. It is an essential act in the way of knowing yourself, and in the way of knowing others. It cultivates the harmonious movement of mind, body and spirit in the art of fighting, exercising the internal energy that gives you power. The continuous, circular movement balanced the body both physically and mentally, allowing the Yin and the Yang to operate harmoniously with one another. It was a calming and relaxing act. Both of them allowed their energy, their jin, to flow around them, adding to the beauty of the dance. It ebbed and flowed about them reacting with their bodies and moving with their intentions.

It was an act they had both done before. In training to become a Warrior Mage, one had to focus on the passive arts as well as the aggressive. While styles such as kempo and karate were fine going against someone close in strength and size, Tai chi chuan was perfect when facing opponents much larger and stronger than you. It also served to relax them. After a long day of grueling workouts and classes, T'ui shou allowed them to wash away the hours of pain and stress. It was something they both enjoyed doing immensely.

This time, it was far more intimate than ever before. In the relaxing calm of the library and comforting feel of the fire, Harry and Ginny let their conscious thought leave them and merely reacted to the sensations around them. The pure white aura around them both began to mix, no longer pushing or pulling at each other; they began to trade bits of energy. The auras mingled, jostled and then joined in a bright flash of light, becoming far more powerful than either Harry or Ginny could achieve on their own. Reacting to feel of the increased power, Harry's eyes flew open, widening slightly before they locked with Ginny's.

Harry saw himself living in a crowded house that seemed to have been slapped together and held up by magic of some sort. He was playing with some dolls when one of his older brothers rushed by and a great cry rang through the household. "FREDRICK WEASLEY!"

Ginny was weeding the backyard when her over large cousin walked up behind her and pushed her in the dirt. She pulled herself up from the ground while his pudgy voice threatened. "Not a word, freak."

He waved to his brothers as they boarded the shiny train on their way to Hogwarts. Oh, how he wished he could go with them but he was still too young yet. "Bye Fred, George, Percy!"

She spit out some blood as she glared defiantly back up at her Uncle. He had come home drunk again and decided to take the loss of a customer out on her. "It's all your fault!"

He was amazed at the amount of power this new inductee to the order held. How could he stand controlling that much energy all at once? It was amazing! "I give you your new peer and mage, Harry Potter!"

She watched as the redhead came closer. She looked to be the same age as her and hoped that she would be her friend. She had scarce few of those. "Hi, I'm Ginny!"

He watched warily as the black haired youth across from him took up a stance that emphasized speed over power. Once again the two of them got ready to join in combat. "Alright Harry, let's do this again."

She slipped past the multiple strikes from her opponents bo-staff and slid under the follow up kick aimed for her chin. She sliced to the left with her sword and landed two strikes in rapid succession. "Ouch."

They sat in front of the fireplace, her hands cupped in his. They could feel the connection between them and it felt as if they were made once again whole instead of half. "You have stood by my side and I by yours for the past five years here and I will never let something stop that."

They could feel the magic throbbing against their skin and they felt it envelop them completely. It coursed through them like a tidal wave and they dimly made the connection to the same feeling as when they were inducted only with out the intense pain. Then, somehow, the whiteness began to fade away, bit by bit. Through their fogged view, they could see the last bits of energy being drawn into both of themselves.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked her. Before she answered he already knew that she was. He could feel all of her emotions and the sensations that she was experiencing. It was comforting. Even as she was nodding Ginny could feel Harry's concern for her and the relief that flared in his mind when he knew she was unharmed.

"W-What's going on? Why can I feel what you're feeling?" Even as she spoke it, Harry could feel the worry that she was feeling. He didn't know what was happening either but he tried to project a feeling of reassurance towards her, to calm her down.

Ginny gasped as the calming wave of reassurance warmed her from the inside out. She looked over to Harry and saw a determined look on his face and knew that this reassurance was coming from him. It touched her heart to know that he cared enough about her to try to reassure her this way and for some reason she found herself blushing ever so slightly.

The room around them was still bathed in white and they glanced around trying to make sense of what was happening. Standing up slowly, Harry walked over to where Ginny was sitting on the floor, her knees folded up underneath her. He held out his hand and helped her up from the floor glancing around furtively to make sure there was no one threatening them. The air about them continued to hum with power before a deep voice spoke clearly, coming from all around them.

"And of these two bonded, the first born shall battle he who calls himself the Dark Lord devoid of assistance. Two of the Gems shall preserve the evil one from conventional means of annihilation to the despair of the first born and at the final confrontation a choice upon the powers shall be made. It is in that choice that The Dark Lord will perish…or rule all that is."

The voice was painful to the ears and both of the teens covered them to ward off the agony. The words spoken by the voice were etching themselves into their brain like a painful brand. Falling to their knees, the teens endured the pain until it became too much and they welcomed the sweet emptiness of unconsciousness.

The door slammed open and Dazna and Cynthia rushed in, ready for battle. "We felt the energy gathering in here. What happened?" Cynthia asked worriedly. It wasn't until after she had asked that she realized that the inhabitants of the room were currently passed out on the hardwood floor. She quickly ran to her granddaughter's side and checked for vitals. Once she was assured that her grandchild was alive and well she looked up to Dazna who was performing the same check on Harry.

Dazna caught Cynthia's look and nodded softly, "He's fine. Let's get them into bed." He picked up Harry's limp form in his arms and walked him into the guest room. It was one of the few times that both of the adults were thankful that their charges were so light and small. He sat Harry down on the left side while Cynthia set Ginny on the right. "Alright then," Dazna stood straighter. "Cynthia, you're better at tracing magical energies than I am, go see if you can work out what happened in that room. I'll stay here and perform some scans to make sure that they really are okay." Cynthia nodded and left the room quickly, hoping to figure out what was going on before the magic trails faded.

"Okay then," Dazna muttered. "Let's do this." Dazna quickly brought his magical aura up around him, letting it bath the entire room with his energy. It was easier to interact with other's energies when they were outside the body. Holding one hand up, the ceiling of the room began to grow a bright white. As he slowly lowered his arm, a sheet of white light descended, razor thin, like a stretched out piece of paper, the light washed over each of them before disappearing once it hit the floor.

Dazna was surprised to see that both of the teens' power levels had risen considerably since he had last scanned them a month ago. But despite that, he could detect no problems among their energy field. Better safe than sorry, Dazna thought briefly before he muttered the incantations to a stronger more detailed scanning spell. Tracing through Harry's energy pathways Dazna felt as if there was something just on the edge of his senses, like a shadow that was always behind him and no matter how fast he turned he couldn't see it. When he started to scan Ginny he got the feeling once again, a flicker on the edge of his eyesight.

Pulling back from the scans Dazna looked at the two sleeping youths with a tinge of worry. That uncomfortable feeling was within both their magical cores but he didn't have a clue of what it was. The closest thing he had ever felt to it was a…a death bond. "Of course," he spoke softly. Initiating the scan once again, Dazna concentrated on both Harry and Ginny this time, looking for the connection he was certain that was there. Sure enough, a bond had formed between glowing brightly to his magic enhanced senses.

Dazna frowned as he looked closer at the bond. Common bonds, like life depts., were magically binding, siphoning a little magic of each of the witches or wizards to form the bond. But Harry's and Ginny's bond wasn't being fueled by their magic, Dazna's eyes widened…it was being fueled by their very souls. He spun around to the door just as Cynthia burst in. "Cynthia," he shouted.

"Dazna," she too shouted.

"They're soul-mates!" The elders yelled out together. Each blinked owlishly at the other before Dazna spoke up, "What did you find?"

"I don't know how they initiated it, the magical backlash from what ever they did washed out all former traces of magic. But I do know that the spell somehow pulled both of their magical and life energies out of their bodies and then combined them. After that, it separated and both Harry and Ginny received the newly combined energy back. The only possible way this could have happened…was if …"

"They were soul-mates," Dazna finished for her. "I detected the bond after a couple scans and found that it's not being feed by their magic but by their very souls." Dazna paused for a moment and put a finger up to his lips. "Apparently, Harry and Ginny were meant to be together and what ever spell they created in there was strong enough to tug on that small bond that already existed between them. Now, it is stronger and will definitely be noticed by them but since they are pretty much married now anyways I doubt that either will care."

Cynthia was wringing her hands together slightly, "Married? Dazna, do you have any idea what Molly will do to me if I bring back her only daughter married? Not only married, but married to The-Boy-Who-Lived? She'll kill me, mother or not!"

"I'm sorry, Cynthia," Dazna spoke softly. "But I don't see that there is anything that we can do. Soul-bonding is permanent, we'll just have to help them in anyway we can." He waved one hand over the two teenagers and their clothes became pajamas. Another wave and the covers came up over them. The two adults turned and quietly walked out of the room leaving the two new bonded alone in their dreams.

Ginny slowly awoke to a warm comfortable bed. I could get used to waking up like this, she thought sleepily. She was currently waking lazily in bed with a young man's arms wrapped around her. As the memories of yesterday drifted slowly back to her mind she snuggled closer to the young man. So we are bonded, she contemplated. It could be worse, much worse. At least I already know everything about him and from that trading of memories I'm willing to bet he knows everything about me as well. Ginny remembered reading about the ancient practice of soul bonding one time; the book had mentioned that it was a ceremony done after marriage.

Truth be told, Ginny had a crush on Harry for the longest time now, she just didn't know if she should act on it or not. I guess now it's a moot point, considering we are all but married. That brought another problem into play though. She may be almost sixteen here on Phoenix Isle but when they returned to England they would both be masquerading as eleven year olds. And eleven year olds can't be married.

A slight shifting of his arms told Ginny that Harry was awakening. He pulled Ginny closer to him before his eyes shot open and his entire body tensed. It seemed that the happenings of yesterday came back to him as well and he slowly relaxed, though he never released his hold on Ginny.

"Ginny?" he asked softly.

"Hmm?" Ginny mumbled into his chest, unwilling to leave his warm embrace.

"Did you get my memories yesterday like I got yours?" Ginny just nodded in affirmative. "This all just seems so surreal," he continued on. "Whether it was intentional or not we've shared things with each other that we've never shared with anyone else, things that we intended to never share with another soul living or dead are now known by another person. I guess I got lucky that in this case the person that I shared them with happens to have a good heart as well as being darn cute."

Ginny blushed at the praise and looked up into Harry's face. "I feel that way too. I know it's going to be strange but since we have already bonded to each other can we at least see if this will work between us? We can always find a way to break the bond later."

"I can't think of anyone that I would rather share this bond with than you. If you can stand me, I'll try to make it work." Harry pulled Ginny into a tight hug and the two just lay there for the better part of an hour, enjoying each other's company. Finally, Harry broke the silence, "I think it's about time that we found Dazna and your Grandma and asked them about what happened yesterday."

Ginny nodded and regretfully extracted herself from Harry's embrace. She turned and placed her bare feet on the floor and stood up stretching her arms above her head, relieving the slight tension that had built up in her muscles over the night. Turning, she saw Harry waiting for her by the door. She walked silently across the floor and joined him. "Let's go."

As it turned out, they didn't have far to go as both Cynthia and Dazna were sitting in the kitchen, sipping on some tea. The conversation they were having cut off as soon as they saw the two teenagers making Harry extremely suspicious over the contents of that talk. Both of the adults watched them for a moment before Dazna spoke up.

"Sleep well?" he asked with hidden amusement in his voice.

Ginny nodded, "Better than ever." It took a moment for her to realize what she had just said and she blushed a bright red.

Cynthia chuckled, "Of that, I have no doubt. What brings you two out here? I'm sure there are more…constructive things you could be doing with your time."

This time Harry blushed along with Ginny at the obvious innuendo. "Actually," he said. "We wanted to talk about what happened yesterday. We don't know what we did, but now we can feel each others emotions. Do you know what is going on?"

Cynthia answered, "Well from what we can tell…you two have somehow managed to bind yourselves to each other in a way that we have not seen before."

Dazna sat his cup down and nodded, "We don't know all that much actually. Most of the knowledge about bonding between two people has been lost for thousands of years. The only thing we know for certain is that it appears to be permanent and that most couples experience an awareness of each others emotions." He held both his hands up in a helpless gesture. "Other than that I'm not sure what I can tell you other than for the bond to even happen in the first place, the couple must be soul mates. It's the only way for their magic to be that compatible."

Ginny gave Harry a look, apparently they did not know about the exchanging of memories. Then the last of what Dazna said hit her. "S-Soul mates?" she managed to stutter out.

Cynthia nodded happily, "Isn't it great? You found the man you were meant for and you didn't even have to look very hard."

Ginny rolled the idea over in her head a couple times and she felt a little faint. Harry must have noticed because he quickly led her to a chair to sit down in. "Soul mates?" she said again. It was hard for her to not be amazed. It was very rare that soul mates ever really found one another. There was just too many possibilities on the planet and most people were constrained to the places they lived.

That wasn't to say that married couples couldn't love each other totally and completely, just that they hadn't found the exact person to match their soul. It rarely ever mattered to them though. And here she was with the man that was her perfect match and the one who she was destined to love standing right next to her. "What about that voice?" she asked.

"What voice?" Dazna questioned.

Harry answered for her, "Well…towards the end of the…well…the binding, there was some voice speaking to us and it told us about a Dark Lord and a fight, something about some gems too. I'm pretty sure there was a bit about a choice of some sort."

Dazna perked up and looked slightly worried, "What were the exact words? Can tell me?"

"Sure," Harry shrugged, "Just give me a moment. Let's see…" Harry brought one hand up and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It went something like this…'And of these two bonded, the first born shall battle he who calls himself the Dark Lord devoid of assistance. Two of the Gems shall preserve the evil one from conventional means of annihilation to the despair of the first born and at the final confrontation a choice upon the powers shall be made. It is in that choice that The Dark Lord will perish…or rule all that is.'"

Cynthia gave Harry a surprised look, "It went something like that?"

Harry shrugged, "I have a good memory."

Dazna was frowning to himself, his forehead furrowed in thought; Ginny thought this made him look much older than he normally appeared. "This is not good," the dirty-blonde haired man mumbled. "This sounds too much like a prophecy to be ignored. Did you get any sense on what this choice might be?"

Ginny spoke up, "No…but I don't understand this whole thing any how. Who are these people?"

"Well," Harry drawled. "We have to assume that this 'first born' is me. 'Of these two bonded,' I am older than you Ginny, first born. Unless there have been any new Dark Lords turning up from underneath their rocks, I think it's safe to say that Voldemort is the Dark Lord I'll be battling."

Dazna nodded in agreement, "I think your right, Harry. Voldemort will be your opponent."

"But I thought Voldemort was dead?" Cynthia asked. "He can't just comeback from the dead."

Dazna leaned back in his chair, his eyes alight with speculation. "Nobody really knows what happened that night. For all that we know Voldemort's soul could be wandering the earth right now even though he lacks a physical manifestation. If that was the case, there are several ways he could regain physical form if he had the right items and help from a physical manifestation in this plane of existence."

"A servant," Ginny stated.

Dazna nodded, "While most of the Deatheaters went underground or did some fast talking to get out of jail, it's safe to say that there are still a few out there that would be willing to help him. They would just have to make the connection and then find his spiritual materialization."

"Whatever he does," Harry continued. "It seems like these stones are going to protect him somehow when we do end up fighting. And from the sounds of it…I don't think swords and normal battle magic are going to be able to do anything. I will have to see what I can find out about these gems before we decide anything further."

"That's right," Dazna spoke clasping his hands together. "So that being said I think that you'll be able to get some help."

This got Ginny's attention, "What do you mean, Dazna?"

"What I mean," answered Dazna, taking a deep breath and bracing himself. "Is that you and Harry are to take the test for full mage status tonight and after that Harry is to take the test of the Phoenix's Accession. It will help you gain access to more materials."

"What?" both Ginny and Cynthia yelled. This was new news to Cynthia and she made her opinion clear. "What do you mean Harry is going to take the Phoenix's Accession? He is far too young for such a thing! For crying out loud he will be the youngest attempted in all of history. I mean what? The last test was a hundred some odd years ago…by a wizard in his nineties? And Harry is supposed to take the test at sixteen? Not to mention that if he actually passes the test he will be the new Lord Phoenix and I doubt the hard heads on the council will allow it."

"That's assuming he even survives the test," Ginny cut in. "Dazna, the probability of death in that trail is four of five! I will not allow my soon to be husband risk his life like that!" Ginny didn't even realize they she addressed Harry as her soon to be husband and continued on berating Dazna. "I can't believe you would even think about letting Harry take that test. What is wrong with you?"

Dazna held up his hands as if to ward off the fiery redhead's temper. "It's not my choice," he pleaded. "This is an order from the current Lord Phoenix himself. Besides, if Harry does pass he won't assume leadership until several more years."

Harry held up his hand as if he were in class. "Um, what are you all talking about?"

Ginny stopped herself from going on another rant about how stupid the idea was and turned towards Harry. She drew in a deep breath, held it for a second, and then let it all out in an explosive puff. "The Phoenix's Accession is the final test of any mage to become the Phoenix." As if in anticipation of Harry's next question she continued, "The Phoenix is the leader of the elder council and basically commander of all the mages in the world. He, or she, is the top of the totem pole so to speak."

Cynthia spoke up at this point, "Actually, the Lord Phoenix speaks for all magical beings. When Ginny says, 'the top of the totem pole,' she means the very top. In any magical government, the Lord Phoenix is the highest position available."

"Which is why," Dazna interrupted. "That anybody can take this test with approval from their government or the current Lord Phoenix. Right now the Phoenix was a wizard and twice before that they were sorcerers."

Harry nodded his head in understanding, "I see. But why do they want me to take this test. I'm still young for such a position."

"I can guarantee that you won't actually take up the position for at least five more years," Dazna said quickly. "As for why you are actually going to take the test…I don't know."

Harry contemplated the events going on for several minutes before simply saying, "All right."

Ginny couldn't believe it, "But…"

Harry held up his hand, "If I have been ordered to take this test than I will take the test. Besides," he said smiling now. "This may be beneficial in the future somehow and I doubt they would send me without good reason. We'll need all the help we can get if it means I'll be going against Voldemort again. Being the Phoenix may help me garner the support I'll need."

Ginny looked like she wanted to protest the idea further but she felt the determination coming from Harry and lowered her head in acquiescence. "Okay…"

Harry saw how despondent she was and he cupped her chin in his hand. "Look into my eyes, Ginny." He raised her head up until her warm brown eyes meet his cool green ones. "I promise you that no matter what happens I will come back to you. Not even hell itself could keep us apart. I will return." It was strange to feel this strongly towards her when a short day ago he would not even think such emotions were possible. But with the bond and their subsequent sharing of memories he felt that he had lived with Ginny his whole life, not just the last five years.

Ginny looked deep into his eyes and she felt the tears well up in her eyes. She grabbed him into a fierce hug and cried silently into his robes. "I-I just don't want anything to happen to you. You mean the world to me Harry." And she realized that it was true. She could no longer imagine her life with anyone else other than Harry. It was this realization more than anything else that told her how much he meant to her.

Cynthia and Dazna merely sat and waited for the moment to play out. It was amazing to see how much devotion to each other the two teenagers had. Both of the adults had read about the bond but to see it in real life was something beyond amazing. There was an almost tangible connection in the air and they hoped beyond hope that Harry would survive his test so that the bond would continue on.

Slowly, Ginny pulled away from Harry and dried her tears with the back of her hand. Her other hand firmly clasped in Harry's who had no intention of letting it get away. The couple turned towards the two adults and looked up with new determination in their hearts. "What's next?"

It took a great deal of training to become a warrior mage, the career that both Harry and Ginny had chosen to follow. While they may have been influenced slightly by their guardians, being war mages and members of the council themselves, the choice had been predominantly theirs. As far back as Harry could remember he was always fighting and resisting evil. Of course, evil for an eight year old had been the village bullies, his cousin Dudley. It was as if fighting was Harry's flame and he the moth. Even when he was just practicing he felt at home with the moves he would do and the attacks he would initiate. Dazna would often comment on his ability to pick up and adapt moves to his style in a very short amount of time. "It's as if it is in your very blood," he would say.

And Harry often felt that Dazna could be right with that statement. When ever he was sparing or merely practicing katas, he felt as if his blood was on fire with energy. Energy that had only increased as he adapted magic into his style. When the choice of a career was offered there had really been only one choice to make.

Ginny too had no hesitation in wanting to become a warrior mage. While not as pronounced as Harry's, she had a definite affinity for the combat arts. But for her, there was no greater joy than when correctly learning and perfecting a new energy attack and adding it to her already vast repertoire. With almost out thought, she could rein vast amounts of destruction from afar with a spoken word or simple gesture. Together the two made an excellent team, Ginny providing ranged support and Harry taking on combatants up close for hand to hand. Neither had ever really discussed any type of a strategy, they just did what came naturally to them. Fortunately for them, it was a combination that few could stand up to.

The Council hall had been prepared for the event. The large oak table that normally sat in the center of the room had been removed. All along the walls and in front of the plush benches were green emeralds, pulsing with power. They had been charmed as a sort of protective net of sorts, protecting the people and walls behind them from any stray energy that may fly around. The cold marble floor was covered with mats to slightly lesson the pain of falling but firm enough to provide sure footing to the combatants.

Harry and Ginny stood off to one side, garbed in black tank tops and camo pants. Their feet were bare and bodies unprotected. In this test, to even the playing field armor was not worn and weapons left on the sidelines. The danger was still there though, energy attacks were still allowed and medics were on standby just in case. The pair was going through some stretching exercises, no words being exchanged between them. Across from, the entire war mage army stood…all twenty-two of them.

It would be unfair to state that all Mages were warriors, it too extreme of a statement. While it was true that every mage went through combat and physical training, it was only for about a period of two to three years. In the lifespan of a mage it wasn't really that long. Only warrior mages went through the extensive training that lasted for the better part of a decade. The rest of the mages went on to do whatever job that they so wished. Whether it was a teacher or a painter, a cook or a lawyer, even simply being a scholar like Kyle, pawing through books all day in an effort to learn something new and possibly create something new while you're at it. For only five hundred people there was a diverse amount of jobs on, and some off, Phoenix Isle.

But even looking at the twenty-two Lieutenants, Lieutenant Commanders, a Major, and a General, one could see why Mages were such a feared fighting force. Each and every one of those twenty-two had been fighting enemies for many, many years in real life combat situations. The warrior mages of Phoenix Isle had learned quickly that during a time of peace there was substantially less things for them to do. Training was continuous as always, and the roving patrols and escorts that protected the civilians of Phoenix Isle took up some time, but after that their schedule was fairly clear.

Until someone got the idea to hire out mage services to wizards and sorcerers under the guise of being mercenary wizards. It took sometime before the magical community began to utilize these 'mercenaries' but after the first few successful missions, the mages began to make a name for themselves. Over the next few decades, the success only continued to grow and the mages formed a company front to base their operations out of. The business Scarlet Phoenix was doing rather well for itself and had world-wide recognition as the having the best professional soldiers for hire for any task, ready for any type of combat thrown at them.

It was combat that had hardened soldiers like Jill Stephens, Lieutenant Commander and sword master, or Ryu Tanaka, Lieutenant and master of hand to hand combat, even Cynthia had participated in missions and perfected her use of energy attacks. Theses were the mages that Harry and Ginny would be facing today…well if the could get high enough that is.

As the last of the spectators filled in the benches Kyle came out to the middle of the mats and waited for silence before beginning. "Ladies and Gentlemen of Phoenix Isle!" he called out in his deep voice. "Today we are to see the advancement of our two newest mages to full warrior status. A feat that they will perform at the young age of sixteen, let's all give them a round of applause." The crowd roared in approval and cheers and whistles sounded throughout the room in encouragement. Kyle held his hands to call for silence once more. "As eager as you all are to have the match start, bear with me for a moment," he continued on. "In today's test, the duel will be in groups of two, Harry and Ginny against two of the Phoenix Army."

The test itself was difficult. It involved one on one combat with the members of the Phoenix Army until knockout or a 'lethal' wound is given. If the tested falls, the test ends and that is that. If the warrior mage falls than the next steps in and takes his or her place and combat resumes. This continued until the tested drops or makes his way up the ranks from Lieutenant up through the General. Most lost to the first three Lieutenants, age and experience beating youth and fresh training, but every so often there were a few that were expected to advanced much higher that that.

Harry and Ginny were two of these people.

"The format of the duel is normal," Kyle was explaining the rules even though everybody already knew what they were. "Upon knockout or submission, the combatant his removed from the duel. In the case of Harry or Ginny falling…" There were some scoffs in the crowd at this. Kyle smiled lightly and went on, "then the remaining combatant must fight two on one." Kyle turned to look at both the mage army and Harry and Ginny. "Are you ready?" he asked and upon receiving affirmative nods form both parties he looked to the crowd once more. In the front sat the council. "Are the judges ready?" Judging was really just a formality, anybody that took the test was ready to become a warrior mage, the trainee's teachers having made the decision already but having the council involved in the process gave it more formality.

The judges gave their okay and Kyle moved away from the middle of the floor and took a seat with the rest of the council. "When the gong strikes," he called out. "You may begin."

Harry stepped onto the mats moving forward to just off the center, Ginny remained further back, closer to the right corner. The first two Lieutenants came forward as well standing equidistant from each other on their side of the mat. Nobody moved for a second and then a deep resounding gong filled the room. The battle was on.

Before the gong had even finished ringing Harry was moving. He leapt forward and punched one of the combatants in the gut, making him fold up around Harry's arm. Beside him, the other was taken out by a quick blast from Ginny and in an instant two of their opponents were already out. The rest of the mages blinked at the speed before two more jumped onto the mat. Muttering a quick banishing charm the two fallen opponents were sent to the edge of the mat and Harry prepared for the next confrontation.

He slipped into a loose combat stance and waited for his opponents to make the first move. The surprise attack that Harry and Ginny had down was successful but could only work once. The rest of the mages were now aware of their speed and would be prepared for it. Even now, the next Lieutenant was charging Harry at close to the same amount of speed he himself had just displayed. Dodging a right hook, Harry dropped to the ground and swept the legs out from under his opponent, out of the corner of his eye he could see Ginny dealing with the other warrior mage. Tumbling to the ground, Harry's adversary rolled back and popped to his feet, immediately unleashing a high kick towards Harry's head. Harry once more dodged and swept the legs out from underneath the man, this time following up and punching him solidly in the solar plexus…a 'lethal' hit, the man was out. Harry once more dodged and swept the legs out from underneath the man, this time following up and punching him solidly in the solar plexus…a 'lethal' hit, the man was out.

The next man jumped in. Three down, nineteen to go.

Ginny took down another opponent and wiped her forehead of sweat. Between the two of them, Harry and she had taken out most of the mage force and now there were only a few left. Dazna and Cynthia watched on, the pride on their faces evident, beside them where the next two combatants, Lieutenant Commander Katie Bell and Lieutenant Commander Jill Stephens. Next to Harry and Ginny, they were the two most promising mages to ever become warriors.

Katie Bell was a shadow warrior of immense skill. Like Harry and Ginny, she was short in stature, standing at her tallest to five feet four. She was the last to become a mage before Ginny but had filled all expectations of her and then some. She had a sharp mind for battlefield tactics and made a good leader in combat situations. She choose however to remain a soldier and used her knowledge and skill to target out the leaders of the attacks and make short work of them, cutting of the attackers from their leaders and disorienting them. The remaining mage forces could easily deal with the unorganized remainder.

Jill Stephens was also young for a mage…only forty years old. Her honey blonde hair was wrapped up in a tight braid that hung to her lower back. At five feet ten inches she towered over Harry and Ginny. She, like Ginny preferred energy attacks over physical combat but if things were in a pinch she could dish out just as much damage with her broadsword as her magic. She had been trained by the mage that held the rank of General before Dazna but whom had died in a freak accident while driving to his home in California one day. Together the two worked as a good team and now Harry and Ginny had to face them.

Their action was quick and sound. Katie immediately went forward to keep Harry occupied while Jill went after Ginny with rapid succession of spells. Their strategy was clear, Harry and Ginny were a nearly unbeatable team and by keeping them separated like this they had a better chance of taking at least one of them out so they could then gang up on the other.

With a simple though Ginny erected a shield and rolled to the left. A few of the spells ricocheted off the shield but the rest flew harmlessly past her. She managed to get a stunning spell off but for the next few minutes she was kept on the defensive. Dodging as fast as she possibly could, Ginny managed to avoid most of the spells that Jill was hurtling at her with startling speed. Realizing that she would not win simply by dodging about, Ginny tried to get closer to her opponent in order to engage in some offense.

About halfway to her goal, Ginny noticed something interesting in Jill's attacks. After every fire spell she used, she immediately followed up with a stunning spell. Seeking to turn this to her advantage, Ginny quickly revamped her strategy. Staying a goodly distance away from Jill she waited for that fire attack. She didn't have to wait long for a mere moment later a blazing inferno was sent straight for her. Blocking it instead of dodging, Ginny quickly modified her shield reflect a stunning spell back at the caster. She wasn't disappointed when the undignified squawk signaled Jill's reaction to her own spell being shot back at her.

Using Jill's moment of distraction, Ginny quickly teleported behind the girl's back and grabbed her in a choke hold. Jill struggled for a moment but the lack of oxygen to her brain quickly sent her into the black world of unconsciousness. Breathing a sigh in relief and wincing at the cut that made itself known, product of one of Jill's spells. Standing up on shaky legs, Ginny turned around just in time to see the bright red light of her grandmother's stunning spell before she joined Jill, passed out on the floor.

Harry cursed to himself as he saw Ginny get hit by Cynthia's spell. He was having enough trouble with Katie alone and did not think that adding Ginny's grandmother into the mix would help his situation any. Katie was a marvelous shadow warrior, using invisibility and teleportation spells to their maximum, making it hard for Harry to tell were the next attack might even be coming from let alone defend against it. He knew that he had to get rid of one of the two quickly and then hope that he could survive against Dazna for at least a little while.

…Fat chance.

But he was determined to try. He had one trick that worked well against Shadow Warriors, Dazna had used it one him when Harry had first learned about shadow fighting. But to use it he would have to lure Katie into a false sense of security, which meant letting her get more hits in, more abuse to his body. At this moment however it seemed to be the only thing that would keep him in the fight any longer. Mentally shrugging, Harry began to ever so slightly slow down his reaction times to her attacks.

Dazna watched as his student fought against Katie. In all his life he could hardly be more proud of Harry than he was at that moment. Through everything that Harry had gone through, being orphaned, bullied, abused by his relatives, Harry still continued on and had shown that he had what it took to keep living. Dazna had known people who had gone through less and took the easy way out, becoming lifeless shells of men, giving up all hope. Not Harry, he simply grit his teeth and fought harder.

Even now after fighting off most of the mage force and having to be dead exhausted from all the combat he fought with his all, ignoring his tiredness. A tiredness that seems to be making itself known, Dazna thought to himself as he watched Harry's reaction to Katie's attacks become slower and slower. It looked like Katie had noticed as well from the grim smile that had made its way to her face. She knew too that this fight was almost over. Cynthia also perceived it as she stood to one side, allowing Katie to finish her fight without assistance.

It looks like the only one who doesn't know this fight is over is Harry, Dazna chuckled as he watched his protégé fight off a smirk. It wasn't until Harry, in what looked like an act of desperation jumped back and cast a thick blanket of fog over the area that Dazna understood what was going on. I'll be damned…he shook his head in wonder.

It was really a simple ruse, the key lay in getting the opponent to feel confident, overconfident. Lack of sight was a shadow warrior's best friend and as they had been winning up to that point, they let their guard down the tiniest bit in their overconfidence. But little drop in guard was more than enough opening for any mage of Harry's caliber. Katie was no exception and when her guard dropped, Harry was there with a massive energy attack that hit her dead on, having been unprepared for such a confrontation.

Katie flew through the air like a rag doll before landing painfully on the mats. Medics quickly rushed out to see if she was alright and Dazna waited before stepping out on to the mat to engage Harry. Looking towards the medics, he got a quick nod, showing that Katie would be fine and stepped forward. Beside him Cynthia dispelled the fog with a wave of her hand, revealing Harry, knelling on one knee and breathing heavily. Realizing that he was no longer covered he looked up and saw both Cynthia and Dazna looking at him with looks akin to pity. Dazna nearly laughed out loud as a look of horror passed over Harry's face before being replaced by one of resignation.

"Good job, Lad," Dazna muttered before deciding to take it easy on the poor lad and rushing forward, knocking Harry out with a single strike to the back of the head. Harry fell to the ground in an undignified heap. "Good job indeed…"