Hello and welcom all to the fifth chapter of Harry Potter and the Phoenix Fire. Thanks again to Laura, my woderful BETA. Also thanks to all my reviewers:
K, W, G, T, B - Harry and Draco's sleeping arangement wont have any noticable impact on the story, though it will lead to something, that will lead to something, that will lead to something, that will be important in the sequel! Hope that makes sense.
KatBel - You truly are a strange one...
Zoomaphonethepirate - Remus and Sirius? Errr, ummm, i never thought of them when i wrote that secition of the storie, damn, no i feel ive made a mistake, oops.
I also wanna remind people that Hermione and Ron wont play much in this story, not until the sequel.
Some one also reviewed 'Special Two' my first song fic, and um, said i was a great authoress', well, blushes - kinda male here! lol.
Heres the storie
Harry Potter and the Phoenix Fire
Chapter 5 – The Fauxian
Harry and Draco spent breakfast the next morning seated next to a grumpy Severus Snape at the teacher's table, much to the rest of the student's amusement. Ron even had the nerve to laugh at them, which had made Draco furious.
From the moment they sat down the blonde struck up a conversation with his Godfather about potions, and tried to get Harry involved, but no matter how hard he tried, neither Harry nor the Potions Master would speak to each other and it almost ended in Draco chucking a tantrum there and then, and had Professor Snape not excused himself to prepare for the mornings class, the scene could have been disastrous. So it was a moody Draco Malfoy that dragged Harry to potions that morning.
The Draco Malfoy Harry had known for the past five years was indeed a different boy then the one who was now sitting next to him in Advanced Potions. The old Draco was annoying, arrogant and self-centered and while this Draco was the same he was also funny, smart, caring and childish. Harry decided he liked this Draco a lot more and although he missed Ron and Hermione he was glad for the boy who he now considered as his best friend.
"Quiet Down!" Professor Snape snarled as he stormed into the classroom from his private chambers, robes billowing behind him. "This class is Advanced Potion's" he mocked sarcastically. "How some of you came to be in this room is of some surprise, though I am thankful for the notable absence of certain students." He finished as he eyed the room looking for any sign of red hair.
"Today we will be brewing the remembrance potion. Ms. Granger, what pray tell are the main ingredients?" He asked as he eyed Hermione disgustfully.
"Wolfsbane, Toadstool, Rabbit Hair and Lilly seeds Sir." Hermione recited proudly from her seat next too Lavender Brown.
"Ten Points from Gryffindor." Snape said delightfully. "I believe it to be Lilly Pollen, Ms. Granger. Of course I suppose you could only fit so much rubbish in that head of yours that you would forget the more important things." He finished amongst many snickers from the Slytherin's.
"You will partner up and collect you ingredients. NOW!" He snapped.
Half of the students seated rushed to the potions storeroom to collect their required ingredients that now appeared on the blackboard. Harry had opted to gather them as Draco set up the workspace. He thought that today, with Draco's help, he would likely get good marks in potions.
"Harry, pass the toadstool." Draco asked from over his cauldron twenty minutes before the end of the lesson.
Harry did as he was asked and marveled at the way Draco finely chopped, diced and stirred his potion ingredients. He was indeed an exquisite potion maker.
"You're really good at this you know?" Harry said admiringly as Draco added the final ingredient into the cauldron.
"You would be too," Draco whispered. "If you paid attention."
"Hey no fair! I was listening."
"Harry, do you even know the name of the potion were making?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes! It's a...um...it's...something to do with remembering things?" He said shyly.
"How ironic." Draco giggled
"Hey I resent that!" Harry said in mock outrage.
"Mr. Potter!" Snape snarled as he towered over the boys in the front of the class. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for talking in the middle of a lesson. Now everyone bottle your potions and bring them to my desk. NOW!"
Everyone made their way to the Professor's desk, potions in hand, none of which were the clear blue color of his and Draco's.
"You are all dismissed. Now get out of my sight!" Snape hissed at the class, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, a word."
Harry watched with foreboding as the rest of the class left for lunch and he packed up his things and made his way with Draco over to the teacher's desk.
"Mr. Potter." Snape drawled, "I had the pleasure of reading your holiday assignment during the lesson."
Harry's heart dropped. "Y-yes S-sir." He stuttered.
"I am quite surprised on how well you did, one of the best in the class." He said, somewhat cheerfully. "Then again," He snapped, "I'm aware that you spent some time in the company of Mr. Malfoy here. Tell me Draco, is this Mr. Potter's own work?" He asked waving Harry's assignment around in the air.
"Yes Severus, it is. I merely helped Harry understand the assignment; every thing he wrote was his own, honest." Draco said. And it was true. During their stay at the Leaky Cauldron, Draco had explained to Harry all about Magical Fungi and Their Properties, something he was immensely grateful for.
Severus Snape studied the two in front of him. It was indeed a strange sight, a Malfoy sticking up for a Potter; it was laughable, but here they were. "Very well then," he said calmly, "Keep this up Mr. Potter and you might just get somewhere in this class. DISMISSED!" he shouted.
Harry quickly scrambled from the room and Draco followed at a leisurely pace, giving his Godfather a wink, to say thanks, on his way out.
"Did Professor Snape give me, Harry James Potter, a compliment?" Harry asked Draco dumbfounded, as they exited the Dungeons.
"He'd surprise you Harry, he is not as cold hearted as he makes out to be." Draco replied.
"Yeah right, to you maybe," Harry started sarcastically as he reached for the doors of the Great Hall for lunch, "You're his godson and you're a Slytherin. I bet the compliments just roll of his tongue for yo-..." Harry was cut short as a sudden gasp filled the Great Hall as they walked in.
"What the hell...?" Draco whispered to himself.
At the entrance of the two boys every head snapped up from their lunch to stare at them. They gave the two boy's looks of fear and disgust. The teachers were watching the boys sympathetically and Dumbledore was shaking his head.
Harry swept his eyes over the crowd of students again. Something seemed familiar in this scene, like Déjà Vu. Then it struck him.
"Aww crap," He mumbled angrily as he proceeded over to the Ravenclaw table and snatched the Daily Prophet out of a terrified first year's hand, causing all those around him to slide down the table further away, as if he was contagious.
He barley noticed Draco come up behind him to read over his shoulder as he read the front page.
Boy Who Lived, the Next Dark Lord?
Harry Potter, otherwise known as 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', famous for defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has recently been branded the next 'Dark Lord.'
Students at Hogwarts School Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Mr. Potter currently attends, have brought forward incriminating evidence that Harold James Potter, son of Lily and James Potter, has his mind set on becoming the new Dark Lord. Mr. Ronald Weasley has this to say:
"Potter and I use to be friends. I admit that I was once oblivious to his unsavory nature, but now I understand what his future goals are. In our second year he revealed to the school that he was a Parselmouth after setting a snake onto a Hufflepuff student. Ever since first year he has been sharing dreams with You-Know-Who, and would often wake up laughing like a mad man. In our fourth year he returned from the Triwizard Tournament, after tricking the Goblet of Fire I might add, with the dead body of another student in his hands. No one ever found out the real story about his death.
In our Fifth year he got his own godfather killed at the Ministry of Magic and now he is enjoying spending the money he was left from him. Just last week I saw him waltzing down Diagon Alley, with Draco Malfoy, wearing the same clothes. Then Malfoy had the nerve to jump me and beat me. I honestly think he is killing You-Know-Who just to finish were he left off."
As our readers know, the ability to speak to snakes has long been regarded as a Dark Art, and our source inside the Ministry of Magic informed us that Mr. Potter was also recorded of having used one of the Unforgivable curses himself, whilst in the Ministry.
Sources also placed Mr. Potter in Diagon Alley only a week ago in the company of Draco Malfoy, who's Father, Lucius Malfoy had just been released from Azkaban Prison, on Harry Potter's request after a minor technicality. Lucius Malfoy is a known Death Eater, one of You-Know-Who's followers. Can his son, Draco, be any better? The Daily Prophet says not.
So what is to be done with The-Boy-Who-Lived? Our opinion is he should be sent to Azkaban as soon as he has defeated the Dark Lord. Surely Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, cannot deny the fact that his Golden Boy, our Savior, will one day indeed turn against us.
Harry felt the paper crumble under his hands as he looked up into the eyes of the students around him. He could see the fear in their eyes, and it made him furious. His gaze swept the hall and landed on the certain redhead at the Gryffindor table. Ron was watching, a smirk plastered across his face. He could feel him taunting him with his eyes, and then he remembered what he had said in the Prophet. 'In our Fifth year he got his own Godfather killed at the Ministry.' He could hear the words swirling around his head. He had blamed himself for Sirius' death for so long, but how dare anyone else blame him, especially Ron. He was there after all.
He could feel the heat and the rage inside him as Ron silently started laughing in his hand. Oh god, how he wanted to strangle him. He looked back to Dumbledore; he could feel himself shaking with rage. Everyone in the hall was watching him, awaiting his reaction. The sparkle that was usually in Dumbledore's eyes was now gone. He could see the pity and anguish the man was feeling. He could feel Draco wrap his arm around his chest, either in comfort or to hold him back. He could feel everything. He felt the walls shake, saw the plates on every table tremble; he heard the sound of glass goblets shattering as he shook with rage.
Dumbledore looked shocked, but it didn't matter. Harry was feeling rage beyond rage. He could feel his mind slipping, could feel the magic around him, he could feel the flames in his body, waiting to burst out of him, he could also feel the tingling sensation as a drop of something wet slid down his forehead and onto his cheek. He watched as Dumbledore rose from his seat his palms resting on the table, studying Harry with piercing eyes, he saw the lightning crack through the dark clouds of the enchanted ceiling, he could hear the thunder roar, but it didn't matter; he wanted to lash out at everyone, for he knew almost everyone believed the article. But most of all, he did not want to be here.
He saw the smoke rising in front of his eyes and felt as Draco clung to him harder while Dumbledore's eyes widened in fear. He felt the fire erupt inside him spill out of every pore in his body. He felt as the warm flames licked at his body and heard the students through out the Great Hall let out ear piercing screams. He felt extremely light, like there was nothing around him, then his eyes closed and his mind went blank and Harry Potter vanished from the great hall in a whirlwind of fire taking Draco Malfoy with him.
Albus Dumbledore stood upright from the teacher's table as he watched Harry and Draco vanish in a hurricane of flames. A thousand thoughts whirled through his mind and rested on one conclusion, 'But how is it possible?' he thought to himself.
The students in the Hall were still screaming; it was almost ear shattering. He saw what remained of the lunchtime meals. Plates had cracked into pieces, food was thrown everywhere. The edge of the Ravenclaw table where Harry once stood was now a charcoaled mess. Glass littered the tables where goblets of pumpkin juice had shattered and the glass from the overhead windows now littered the floors. He thanked the Gods that the roof hadn't shattered as well, but the once clear blue sky was now black as night and the lightning spread its finger throughout the clouds.
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore's voice rang out through the Great Hall, making all the students go promptly quiet.
He turned to the stricken looking Transfiguration teacher to his left. "Minerva, you will have this mess cleaned up and students calmed for their next class." And without waiting for a reply he turned and left the Great Hall.
"WHAT THE HELL!" Draco exclaimed as he pulled himself away from Harry, falling down onto his arse. He looked around the room his was in. It was familiar. They were in Harry's bedroom.
"Harry, what the Hell happened?" he shouted at the raven-haired boys back, "HARRY? AWNSER ME!"
Harry turned around. His eyes were flashing red and blood slowly trickled down his forehead from the lightning bolt scar, dribbling down his cheek.
"Harry?" Draco squeaked, "Oh god Harry! Are you ok?" He asked jumping up to his feet. "Harry, answer me. What happened, what's wrong?"
Harry didn't reply, so Draco did the next best thing. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed off the bedroom walls as Draco brought his hand across Harry's cheek; he felt bad doing it, but it worked.
"Draco? What the fuck?" Harry asked angrily as he brought his hand up to the place were Draco had slapped him.
"I'm sorry Harry, but you weren't answering, you looked like you'd gone mad. What the Hell happened?" Draco asked as he mopped the blood from Harry's forehead with the sleeve of his robes.
"I-I don't know, we...I... Dumbledore!" Harry exclaimed.
"Dumbledore? Harry, what?" Draco asked confused.
"Dumbledore, he was there, he saw, he knows." Harry said quickly stringing words together.
"Harry, you're making no sense." Draco said, fearing for the boy's sanity.
"We need to go to Dumbledore, he will explain." Harry said.
"Explain what?"
"What happened, come on!" Harry exclaimed as he grabbed Draco's hand and dragged him out of the room.
Albus Dumbledore had fled the Great Hall and was now currently situated at his desk with his head over a rather thick book, his usual favorite past time, but not today. He could not believe it possible; there hadn't been one in over six hundred years, even before his time, but it all made sense, and besides, he should have learnt by now not to underestimate the boy.
Dumbledore knew he was getting old, he knew that he didn't have long left, but every time he looked into the smiling faces of those students around him he knew he had to bide his time, just long enough to see Harry through this war. He understood Harry's life, he understood it more than Harry did himself, he couldn't hide anything from the aging wizard, no one could, and many knew it. Nothing escaped him and there was almost nothing he didn't know, but one thing eluded him. Harry being able to do what he can now do was easier to comprehend, but there was that other thing, it made no sense; this required more research and he would have to keep a closer eye on the boy.
His head shot up from the book he was emerged in as the boy in question and his new counterpart burst into the room. Any other teacher would have given the boys detention for how they had entered but given the circumstances and who it was who had so rudely entered the old man couldn't help but smile.
"Harry, Draco, please take a seat." He said as he pointed to the leather sofa in front of him. The red faced panting boys crossed the room and sat down, somewhat forcefully, in front of the Headmasters desk, neither of them an inch apart from the other. 'Yes,' he thought with a knowing smile, 'a closer eye indeed.'
"Professor!" Harry exclaimed as he and Draco found their way to the seat, "What the Hell happened back there?" he said motioning in the general direction of the Great Hall, "I know you know."
The twinkle in Dumbledore's eye only got stronger and the smile grew wider. Of course Harry would be blessed with this gift; he was too hot headed not to be. "Well Harry," He started, "Since your miraculous disappearance minutes ago I have been researching just that."
"So you don't know then?" Harry said somewhat displeased in the Headmaster's knowledge, or lack thereof.
"Do not jump to conclusions my boy. I do indeed know what happened. It is a marvelous thing, don't you think? Tea before we start anyone?" The aging wizard asked in order to lighten the mood in the room; the boy was clearly scared.
"Marvelous?" Harry almost screamed, "I don't call setting yourself and your friend on fire, then disappearing in a puff of smoke marvelous! Tell me what happened."
"As you wish Harry." Dumbledore sighed, "It seems, Harry, that you are Fauxian."
The room instantly fell silent after his short discovery. The confused look on the two faces that watched him made the Headmaster want to laugh, if the situation hadn't been so serious of course. He watched as the cogs in the young Malfoy's head began turning and then realization dawned on him as he let out an audible gasp.
"But Professor," Draco gapped, "That's impossible, there hasn't been one in…"
"Over six hundred year's, Mr. Malfoy" Dumbledore finished.
"But sir how is it possible?" Draco whispered. "I mean, he and I, and the wards, it isn't possible."
"Umm, Hello?" Harry said loudly, "I'm still in the room, can some one tell me what is going on? What exactly is a Fauxian?"
"I do apologize," Dumbledore nodded curtly. "Allow me to explain. You see, Harry, a Fauxian is someone that holds a rather rare gift. The gift of the Phoenix. As I said earlier, there hasn't been a Fauxian in existence for over six hundred years, closer to seven hundred if I'm not mistaken."
"The gift of the Phoenix sir?" Harry asked confused, "I don't understand, how could I be one of these Fauxian's? Wouldn't someone have known?"
"First of all, Harry, a wizard is not born Fauxian, it is not an inherited gift, rather a wizard is chosen to become one." Dumbledore explained. "Obviously you were chosen because of your immense power, as you displayed earlier by destroying half of the Great Hall." He finished with a smile.
"I'm sorry Sir," Harry said shamefully, "I didn't mean to, I just got so mad."
"It is ok my boy, no permanent damage has been done, though I fear some of the first year Ravenclaw's will be missing the rest of the classes due to shock." The headmaster laughed.
"So what are Phoenix' gifts?" Harry asked drawing the old man's attention back to the matter at hand.
"Yes, right, well first of all there is what was known as 'peragro ignis', roughly translated to mean 'Travel through fire,' or as was once more commonly know, to 'Fire Apparate'." Dumbledore explained. "It is the ability to Apparate, the only difference being that it is done by the means of fire. You could say it is a mixture of Apparation and using a Floo network." He finished describing the best way he knew how.
"But sir?" Draco announced some what confused, "As I tried to say before, there are wards disabling people from Apparating in Hogwarts, aren't there?"
"Quite correct Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore continued, "But you see, this form of travel is not actually classed as apparition, therefore, there is no way to prevent it."
Draco just nodded his understanding before another look of confusion crossed his face. "Professor, I know very little about Fauxian's, mainly from what I have read, but how is it that I didn't burn?"
"Burn?" Harry exclaimed. "What do you mean burn?" He asked worriedly, gazing from Draco to the Headmaster, seeking an answer.
"Well, you see Harry," Dumbledore said, "Never in all of history has a Fauxian taken someone with them. It has been attempted countless times of course but each resulted in the non-Fauxian burning alive. The fact that young Draco was able to travel with you is a complete mystery, even to me. "
Harry was shocked. "I-I could have killed him?" He stuttered, "Burnt him alive?"
"Yes indeed Harry," Dumbledore continued gravely, "No one was to know, but the fact that Draco is sitting next to you right now is still somewhat of a mystery, one I intend to research more on. It seems that young Draco is, for lack of a better word, special."
Draco beamed at this. Harry nodded, "So why did it happen, I mean what happened, why did I Fire-Apparate when I did?"
"Usually when someone comes into their powers, around puberty, their emotions run high and this usually triggers the apparation. The sense of anger, joy or fear mixed with the wanting to be anywhere else at the time usually causes it." Dumbledore recited from the book in front of him. "Tell me Harry, what were you feeling at the time?" He asked.
"I-I was angry, scared, annoyed and sad, all at once. I couldn't believe Ron would say such a thing about Sirius to the Daily Prophet; I was scared because people believed it, and then there was what they said about Draco. I couldn't stand the people looking at me, I wanted to run." Harry confessed.
"Yes, yes, of course. I will be having a word with the Minister about that article." Dumbledore said, his eyes flashing briefly with anger until they softened once again. "Alas I cannot do anything about Mr. Weasley's involvement as it seems he did the interview before school started."
"Don't worry," said Draco protectively as he placed his hand on Harry's knee causing the boy to blush, "He will get what is coming to him."
Dumbledore knew a threat to a student when he saw one, but considering the circumstances he ignored it. It was not his place to solve school rivalries, and the comment Ron had made hurt him almost as much as it did the boy in front of him. Then again, he could not condone bullying. "Mr. Malfoy, I ask you not to do anything rash. Many pranks have been pulled on students in the school before, but I remind you that violence is not accepted," Dumbledore said hoping that the blonde would catch his double meaning about the pranks.
"So," Whispered Harry who had obviously not controlled the flush in his face as he studied Draco's hand as his thumb rubbed small circles around his knee, "What else can I do, Phoenix powers I mean." He said as the lump made its way up his throat. Draco obviously did not know what he was doing to the other boy.
Dumbledore watched the scene in front of him with amusement. Draco was oblivious to the fact he was making Harry squirm, he guessed that Draco didn't even know what his hand was doing, for he was watching Dumbledore is his usually demeanor. Harry, on the other hand, was blushing profoundly; he guessed that Harry had never had this sort of simple yet intimate touch before, a touch that could only mean love, loyalty and the complete ease Draco obviously felt around the dark haired boy. It was amazing that after five years of hatred and two weeks of friendship that two people could be such good friends.
He of course knew all about their sleeping arrangements. Just the night before he had summoned the mermaid from the boy's room and asked how they were doing. She had told him that no more then ten minutes after they had gone to their rooms that Draco had confessed, in not so many words, that he could not sleep without the other boy beside him.
He also knew that Draco had given up his room at the Leaky Cauldron over the holidays and had had his belongings moved into Harry's suite for the remaining two weeks. Tom, the innkeeper had told him this. He feared that the 'Malfoy boy' was up to something, and had alerted the Headmaster when he had come to check, discreetly of course, that Harry was safe and well.
Dumbledore did not believe that their relationship was sexual. Not yet anyway. He knew that since Harry's friends had turned their backs on him that Harry had sought comfort in the one person that had given it to him, Draco. He believed that neither of them thought of their friendship as anything more than that, friendship. How long, he wondered, would it be before they found more in each other than either could dream of? Perhaps this was the reason that Draco was able to share his gift?
"Well Harry," Dumbledore said at last, pretending he had been contemplating Harry's question. "Besides the Apparation, not much more is known. Some Fauxian's have had the same reaction with tears that a Phoenix has, meaning the power to heal. Most of the resemblance to the Phoenix is more in the wizard's characteristics, immense loyalty, bravery and the willingness to do things that make others happy.
"It has also been noted that a Fauxian's animangus form is usually that of a Phoenix, so once your new training starts Professor McGonagall will be taking both of you through the process of transforming."
"What about Voldemort sir?" Harry asked feeling Draco beside him tense up and remove his hand from his knee, causing Harry to shiver more than he thought possible from the lack of contact. "He is bound to know now that I am Fauxian. I mean I did it in front of the entire student body."
"Yes Harry, it is a shame that we discovered your new ability's in such a public place, but what's done is done." Dumbledore assured, "It is neither here nor there really, if Voldemort knows. Your new powers, to be honest, are not something you could really use to your advantage in the war, except maybe for a quick getaway. So either way, just enjoy them I suppose." He finished with a shrug.
"But what about Draco sir?" Harry asked looking worriedly over to the boy next to him, "I mean was it a fluke? Or is he immune?"
"I do not believe it to be a fluke Harry, though until we can train you into your new power we cannot be sure. There is a way to find out, but as I said, until you can harness the power, we will not know." Dumbledore sighed, wanting to know whether his hunch was right about it not being a fluke, "But until then boys," he said more cheerfully, twinkle maximizing, "I do believe your Transfiguration class started fifteen minutes ago. Don't want to be any later."
Well? hehe
