Black Phoenix
by
Draco's Daughter
Disclaimer: If I actually owned Harry Potter then I'd be very rich right now. Unfortunately, I'm not soooo. All original characters belong to me though, unless otherwise stated.
A/N: I'm upping the rating by one because of some content in this chapter. And because Sirena is a very, very naughty girl! I needed to anyways cause of the fight sequences coming up in later chapters. I promise that Siri will be in the fic! It'll just take some time to get around to his part, but the Journey is half the fun, right? Right? Guys? Helloooooo?
Chapter Three: Siren of the Woods
With cat-like grace, a beautiful form leapt from the tallest tree. She landed behind Jamal and was hugging him from behind. Harry and Josh pulled out their wands and pointed them at the new figure. She was still laughing somewhat.
"Look at what I have caught in my web! A Light Elf, Two wizards, two hippogriffs, a griffin, a winged horse, and an imp! What a menagerie!" She said, smiling.
"Sirena, let us pass. We have urgent business to get to," Jamal said. Sirena only tightened her grip on him.
"Awwww. Jamal, you're no fun these days. I've missed you, especially the fact that there's an empty spot in our bed," Sirena said. She licked the very tips of Jamal's pointed ears. Jamal flinched a bit but relaxed. Her voice held a purr. Josh lowered his wand.
"You can relax Harry. Sirena is harmless, annoying, but harmless," Josh said, pocketing his wand. Harry only let his wand arm relax, he didn't trust this 'Sirena'.
"Awww, little Josh! You've grown up! Are you bored with being all alone, when I'm done with Jamal I can come 'entertain' you as well," Sirena said, she ran a slender finger under Josh's chin trying to entice him.
"Your tricks don't work on him, Sirena. You're fighting a loosing battle there," Jamal said, leaning against a tree. Sirena leaned up against on along the path and looked like she needed someone to come over there and 'comfort' her.
"How do you know, I've already won our war, if you recall. Twenty years ago you would have gladly come at my call now you are cold and harsh like deep winter," Sirena said. She swung around the tree she was against like it was a pole in a strip club.
"Twenty years ago, I made many wrong decisions," Jamal replied. He pulled out a hidden sword. "Now, if you aren't going to get out of my way then I'm afraid I'll have to do what I should have done all those years ago!" Sirena tensed somewhat at the sight of the sword. She pulled out her own and blocked the path once again.
"I'm afraid that I can not let you pass until you pay the toll," Sirena said, all playfulness gone. Her expression of want had turned to that of hate. Harry put his wand up. Josh did the same. Sirena did not flinch nor draw away. She sighted and then hummed something. She sheathed her sword and pulled out a flute. She played a few notes and the growls of the Hippogriffs were heard they reared up like great horses and stomped the ground. Suddenly, the earth beneath Harry, Josh, and Jamal began to shake uncontrollably. The whole forest seemed to be rising at Sirena's call. The ground split apart and Harry fell. He fell for what felt like forever and then landed, blacking out. Distant cries sounded above him but he didn't hear a singe word.
It was an hour later that Harry woke up. Directly opposite him was a man in a long blood-red robe.
"Welcome back to the waking world, Harry Potter. You've been out cold for a while now," He said, he was inspecting a yew bow. All Harry could see of him was his deer skin boots and the lower half of his face, the rest was covered by the cloak.
"Who are you?" Harry asked.
"Someone who cares, please follow me Harry Potter, there is much we have to speak of," The man said, rising. Harry stood and followed the man through a natural archway in the cavern. In the cavern beyond was grand mural depicting all kinds of Fantastic Beasts and wizards. Harry marveled at it. "Long ago, this was carved by the Druids who ruled this land. They understood the harmony and balance created by the teamwork of Wizards and Fantastic Beasts. Many Druids became 'riders' of a certain creature. They could tame, understand, and ride a certain type of Fantastic Beast. When wizards from France and Rome brought order to this land, the Druids' practice of 'riding' was dismissed as mere folklore and was made into the stuff of legends. Soon, the Ministry of Magic became the ruling power and the Druids died off, taking with them the secrets of Riding. The Council was known then as the ruling power and they never forgot what the Druids had showed them. Soon, four descendants of the Druids erected Hogwarts: Godrick Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Each knew of the Druid's teachings and realized the importance of them. Gryffindor was the one to suggest placing extra security by recruiting the Griffins of his homeland to come to Hogwarts and live in the Forbidden Forest. Slytheren brought forth the Basilisk to his secret chamber. Hufflepuff brought the Unicorns, both beautiful and dangerous. Then Ravenclaw brought the centaurs. All was well among the creatures of the Forest while peace at the school reigned. But when Slytherin betrayed the others he also brought forth division among the creatures. Do you understand my words, Harry?" The robed man asked. Harry looked at him.
"So, you're saying that I need to learn of the Druid's wisdom to use it against Voldermort?" Harry asked.
"Yes, and no. This is greater than the struggle with Voldermort. The world has been awaiting the return of the Riders. Only then can it be healed fully, only then can evil truly be rooted out," The man replied.
"How can I learn all of this if all who knew are dead?" Harry asked.
"Look inside yourself Harry Potter, you will find the knowledge you seek," The man said. "Now you must leave me."
"But how?" Harry asked looking around, there was no way out except the way they had come.
"I find that when one hits the bottom, the only way to go is up," The man said. He pointed at the ceiling where a good-sized hole existed. If Harry could only reach it then he would be free. To his amazement, there stood the Imp from before. It waved at him and Harry waved back.
"Harry! We believed you lost! You fell down big big hole created by evil siren lady. I go get Jamal and Josh! Griffer, Shadowbane, and de Hippogriffs are under Siren lady's control!" He said.
"Thanks! Go get them!" Harry shouted back. The Imp nodded furiously and scampered off. "Oh yeah, thank you?" Harry asked. He looked around and found there was no one there. 'Where did he go?' Harry thought. He looked back up to the carving and saw a figure of a young man leaning down to a Griffin. The boy's hand was outstretched to the Griffin's paw. Harry cocked his head and looked at the rest of the carving for an explanation, there was none. Suddenly a rope fell into the cavern. Harry looked up and saw Josh holding it and Jamal waving. Harry grasped hold of the rope and began climbing. Josh also began to pull the rope, hand over hand. Finally, they pulled Harry out of the hole.
"Before we're through with you, would have developed plenty of upper body strength," Jamal said, laughing. Josh and Harry shared the moment.
"Hey, Jamal, what do you know about the Rider Druids?" Harry asked. Jamal thought as he helped the young wizard up.
"Let me see, they ruled England when I was very young, yes, I was young once as well. They learned from the Elves how to tame beasts but the learned how to ride them without getting eaten on their own and shared that with the elves. I was too young to know at that time and I never learned because the French and the Romans banned the practice. The Druids finally died off and their knowledge was locked away from humans. Why do you want to know?" Jamal said.
"There was a robed man telling me about it in that hole and there was a huge carving," Harry replied. Jamal cupped his chin in his hand.
"I wonder. It's a far fetched idea but, I'll need some proof," Jamal said, wondering out loud.
"If and when you feel like telling us, we'll be ready to hear it," Josh said as he rolled up the rope and shouldered it.
"Anyways, we need to get our beasts back from Sirena," Jamal said. They all nodded and ran off down the road. The imp was close at their heels.
Doby led the way through the passage. It took them outside of the castle. They looked around, the Nundus that had been chasing Harry were lounging at the gate, guarding it. They were nearly asleep. At the edge of the forest stood a Unicorn. It's tail swished as it pawed the ground impatiently. Doby and the group went to it. To Hermione's surprise, it spoke in a light and mystical voice.
"I've been awaiting you. We must away right at this moment before we are caught," She said. Silently she moved into the trees and the four followed. Doby waved goodbye as he raced back to the passage.
"Hermione, how can a unicorn talk? We've been around them loads of times and they never spoke," Ron said.
"Maybe its because you never listened close enough," Came a new voice. A centaur stepped out from between the trees. His long silver hair matched his dapple gray horse body. Hermione remembered the last time she ran into a centaur and became very tongue tied.
"Are you Doby's friend?" She asked timidly. The centaur inclined his head to say that he was. The unicorn began pawing the ground again. Her impatience was growing. Finally they all continued on.
"My name is Colt Greymantal. I will assist you in any way I can," He said as they walked. He walked with a slow, steady gait. Finally, they reached a clearing in the center of small stones.
"Is this the spot Colt? I've never been to the Council before," the Unicorn said, urgently. Colt looked to the overcast sky.
"Yes, Halimah. This is the transport circle. We will all go to the Council," Colt said, turning to the four. "But, the Circle can only transport four at a time. That is why I summoned Ryoko." On cue a new elf appeared. She had the look of a Japanese woman about her.
"I'll stay," Neville said. He stepped out of the circle.
"I'll stay too," Ginny said following Neville. "Besides, Harry needs you two most of all. Besides, Hogwarts needs at least two people conspiring against Voldermort. We'll send messages to the Order of the Phoenix and help some other members of the DA out of the castle." Ron and Hermione nodded and they stood the circle. Colt nodded and Ryoko held Ginny and Neville back.
"By the power of the Centaurs I call upon this Transport Circle to take us to the Plaza of the Heroes!" Colt cried. The stones that made up the circle glowed bright white as the light shot up and made a column of light. The light became brighter and brighter until Neville and Ginny had to look away. When they were able to look again, the four that had been standing in the circle were gone.
"Where are they?" Ginny asked. She entered the circle and there was no trace to where they had gone. Silently Ginny stood in the spot that Ron had stood before.
"Come, there is much to do to defeat the villains who have taken control," Ryoko said. She beckoned them away from the Transport Circle and away into the forest.
Harry and Josh looked in the window of the stone building Sirena used as her base and fortress. Two maticores were tethered on either side of the door. Jamal was flipping very quickly through a book the Imp had brought him.
"Soooo. Anyone know how to kill a manticore without getting killed ourselves?" Josh asked. Harry shrugged and Jamal threw down the book frustrated.
"Arrrg! There's no known way to kill them! The only successful slaying of one ended in disaster," Jamal said. The Imp ran on top of Josh's head and looked at the Manticores. He cupped his chin in his hand and gave a great "hmmmm". Quickly he ran in front of the Manticores and made faces at them. They roared all their lion might. The imp coughed like he had been blasted with exhaust from an old car.
"Ewwwwwwww. Lion breath," he complained as he waved his hand in front of his nose and made a face. He turned and shook his butt in their faces. They roared even more and began to tug at their tethers. They roared their complaint and annoyance at the little creature in their faces. Finally, the leather tethers that had held them to the iron rings on either side of the door broke and they raced to eat the little imp. He ran like mad, screaming gin delight, away from the building and the three companions.
"So that's how!" Josh said. He leapt from his hiding place and ran to the doors. Jamal and Harry followed him. They opened the door and were poised for more Fantastic Beasts. The room they had stepped into was dark and a great twittering was heard above them. They looked up to see a gigantic Roc and several Harpies, all asleep. The Roc's head was tucked under its gigantic wing. And they could hear the light snores of the Harpies.
"Creatures Sirena has under her power. That flute of hers is more powerful than any other charm I know of," Jamal whispered. They snuck past and looked in on the main chamber, sunk into the earth. Sirena lay asleep in a shell-like suspended bed. It was supported to two tall columns and chains, it had to be at least ten feet from the ground. Below her were several Hippogriffs, two Basilisks with their eyes sewn shut, a Swedish Short-Snout curled was curled up in one corner, some Erklings slept in a nest atop one of the columns, fairies had entwined themselves in Sirena's long hair, two Fwoopers rested upon the room's rafters, a sphinx watched as two Leprechauns fought over a pile of gold, and two Chimeras guarded the stairs down into the room.
"Sirena has control over all of those creatures!" Harry said, his eyes nearly bulging at the seemingly impossible room they had to tackle. Griffer, the two Hippogriffs, and Shadowbane were smack dab in the middle of all of those creatures.
"Apparently so, that flute has to have some kind of power to be able to put such large and dangerous creatures under her power," Jamal said as he looked down.
"This is an 'imp'ossible mission. Let's get the Imp to do it," Josh said. On cue, the very imp in question raced up on Harry's shoulder. He looked somewhat battered and beaten.
"What did you do to those Maticores?" Harry asked out of curiosity. The imp just grinned widely as he looked at the chamber below. He cupped his hand in his chin and whistled. At least ten other imps materialized in the darkness.
"Me kin! Let's make mischief!" The imp announced as they all cackled and descended into the chamber. Harry, Jamal, and Josh hid behind a large statue of a siren. The menagerie in the chamber awoke to growls and roars. The imps ran for cover followed by most of the creatures. The only ones that remained were the Erklings, Fairies, Basilisks, and the four belonging to the group. They all descended into the chamber. The imp returned and scampered up to bother the Erklings and removes the pole that kept Sirena's bed high in the air. Harry sighed.
"I wish I had a sword, then I could take out those Basilisks," He said, remembering his second year at Hogwarts when he slew the Basilisk.
"You've experience with one," Jamal said, pulling out his sleek elfin blade and handing it by the hilt to Harry. The young wizard grasped it and slashed the air in front of him, getting the feel of the sword. It was about the same as the one he used before.
"Ok, I can take care of the Basilisks while you to get Griffer, Shadowbane, and the Hippogriffs back. Of course, the first time there was only one to deal with," Harry said. He crept up to there the Basilisk sat, coiled up. The imp 'attack' had not inspired them to leave.
The Imp had finally reached the Erkling nest and as they tried to cry out, the creature had hit their heads against the side of the column and they were unconscious. At that point, the Fwoopers had woken up and had begun to sing shrilly. The Fairies looked up to chatter at the Fwoopers for waking them up but they too saw the imp and began shrieking shrilly and shaking Sirena. The elf simply made a tiny effort to shoo them away but they persisted. Sirena turned over and groaned. The Fairies only kept up their efforts. One finally decided to use their magic and zap Sirena on the butt. She yelped and finally looked up to find the attacker. She noticed the imp and shouted.
"Zuhayr! Paris! Defend your master!" Sirena called. The group heard mighty roars and two Peruvian Vipertooth dragons appeared from the upper levels of the room. Their fangs bared and their yellow eyes dripped hatred for the imp. He yelped and dived, followed closely by the snapping jaws of the Vipertooths.
"Don't let them bite you! Their worse than a Basilisk!" Jamal shouted, both to Harry and the Imp who had never seen a Vipertooth before. The imp scurried back up the column, causing the Vipertooths to soar around in an effort to recapture their prey. The imp cackled and ran across the column, hitting the locking mechanism. Sirena's bed fell to the floor swiftly. The fairies scattered and the bed hit with a thud. Sirena was unshaken by the fall and merely chuckled at Josh and Jamal. She whistled and Griffer attacked, his claws shinning in the candle light. Josh conjured up a shield and Griffer landed on it with a thud. The griffin got back up and shook his head.
Harry had gotten hold of the Basilisk. The other had begun attacking him as soon as he jumped on the fist. Harry began to use this as an advantage. They couldn't see him but his scent was still in the air. Harry swung the sword as they attacked on another. Harry just leapt out of the way in time. They had injected poison into one another and quickly died from the bites. Harry ran over to where Griffer was fighting Josh and Jamal. Josh's shield had proved very useful and they crouched behind it with each new attack.
"Jamal! Here!" Harry said. He threw the elf's sword back at him and pulled out his want. Quickly he used the first spell that came to mind: "STUPIFY!" The griffin was hit with a stunning spell. The beast staggered and then fell over. Sirena go up and glared at them. She threw her hand forward and the two Dragons attacked, this time with Jamal as their target. The elf swung his sword as he yelled something in his own tongue. The force of the air that had come from the sword swing materialized and struck the Dragons across their snouts. The new current caused them to waver off course, no matter how quick they were. Suddenly, Sirena began laughing....
End- Weeeeeeeeeee! This chapter took the least amount of time to write for some reason... I wrote it while watching: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition for the bazillions time. That's kinda why I had all the fighting going on in this chapter. Time to write: Three to five hours. What does that say about my desire to get to the Council scene? That's going to be my favorite! But they have to get there first. Ahhh, Harry wielding a sword.... wonderful, no? Please let me know what you think, ok!
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Moonmage: Thank you very much! I realized that Harry was a little out of it, but it's because he's still somewhat shocked about the whole event. Thanks for voting!
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Coming Soon: Chapter Four: Rider's Heritage