Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix

Chapter 5 – Phoenixes and Prophecies (this is the updated one)

Disclaimer: It just dawned on me that I should use one of these. I don't own any of these characters, the canon herself JK does…or maybe Warner Brothers does…maybe Scholastic…who knows? Anyways, it's not me, and I am not here to make any money.

"Professor…did what I just think happened really happen?" said a breathless Hermione.

"Miss Granger, your knowledge surprises me sometimes. Not very many people can say that they have seen this occurrence. I, myself, have only seen it once, oh so many years ago. Tell me Harry, did you feel anything when the phoenix burst into flames on your shoulder?"

"No, Professor. In fact, it felt oddly reassuring. I didn't feel any of the heat that I would have expected."

"Then it is just what I thought. Tell me Harry, what is your phoenix's name?"

"YOUR PHEONIX?" shouted an astounded Hermione.

"She told me her name was Corning. For some reason I was able to understand something that she was singing, and that she has chosen to serve me in my battle against evil" said Harry ignoring Hermione's outburst.

"Mr. Potter, it looks like that we will be including some training for you and Corning in addition to your course on Lord Voldemort. Having a phoenix choose to serve you is a remarkable event. Right now, there are no more than three phoenixes that have chosen to be of service. I must say that it is not surprising one would choose you after watching your behavior with Fawkes over the past years," spoke Professor Dumbledore as he began to look for something in his desk, "and it seems that Fawkes definitely approves. This is the first time I can recall ever seeing two phoenixes interact before."

Fawkes had flown over to the newly reborn Phoenix and Fawkes began to sing Corning.

"Professor," said Hermione, "I was doing some reading over the summer about phoenixes and nowhere did they have documentation of two phoenixes interacting before."

"That doesn't surprise me at all Miss Granger. Two Phoenixes in the same century is a rare occurrence, two in the same room is unheard of."

"Ok professor, what should I do?"

"Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore handing Harry a book, "take this book on Phoenixes. The only other person I know of to have a phoenix gave it to me. Please read through this book throughout the day, so you can be prepared once school starts tomorrow. "

"Sure Professor."

"Professor! Is there any way I could read…"

"Miss Granger, your thirst for knowledge is insatiable. If you wish, after Mr. Potter has finished, you may borrow it to read as well. Now, moving on to more pressing matters, I assume you had something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Oh, yes professor," and Hermione decided to dive head first into all of her ideas, with a few of Harry's intermingled, and started speaking very rapidly to Professor Dumbledore. Harry, who wasn't really paying attention to Hermione babble on about the DA class, couldn't believe that he got a phoenix.

I got a phoenix! Merlin's Beard! A phoenix decided to help me out on my path to fight evil. I saw what Fawkes did for Dumbledore at the Ministry of Magic…he managed to swallow the Killing Curse! I wonder if there's any more about what a phoenix can absorb in the book Dumbledore gave me. I remember only a couple of things Dumbledore told me about phoenixes…very loyal, carry heavy loads…I remember when Fawkes lifted Ron, Lockhart, Ginny and me out of the Chamber of Secrets…and Fawkes took Dumbledore out of the office after he took the wrap for me for starting the DA. Wow…I'll have to get back to my room and conjure her up a perch…I wonder if I should keep her in my trunk or in my dorm…wouldn't it, well, freak out all my dorm-mates? I really should ask Dumbledore…

"…right Harry?" asked Hermione. Whoops, thought Harry, I really should have been paying attention.

"Sure Hermione…Professor I have one more quick question about Corning…where should she stay? In Gryffindor Tower? In my room? In my trunk? In here?" asked Harry eagerly.

"Harry, I think it would be best to wait and decide after you get a clearer picture of what Corning would like. Fawkes decided it would be best to stay in my office, and he is the one who decided where to put his perch. From what I remember, Fawkes sat on my shoulder for the next day or two to see where would be best to set up his perch and did it all his own. So, don't worry about it quite yet."

"Ok, thanks professor."

Both Hermione and Dumbledore were looking at Harry like they were waiting for Harry to say something. Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye, broke the uncomfortable silence with "Well Mr. Potter, since you appear reluctant to leave as Miss Granger suggested, do you have something to ask me?"

"Oh, yes I do professor." Merlin, how can I word this without Hermione knowing too much, in case he doesn't think I should tell her? "Err…"

"Oh Harry if it was something you wanted to ask Dumbledore in private, you should have just said so. Ill meet you back in the common room later. I want to put in some quality time at the library before everyone gets back."

"Ok Hermy…thanks."

As Hermione left, not without glaring at Harry for using her "nickname," Fawkes flew over to sit on his perch behind Dumbledore's desk and Corning, which due to the burning looked rather young and featherless, flew to sit on Harry's shoulder.

"Ok Harry, how can I help you?"

"Professor, I want your opinion on this subject. I want to know your thoughts on telling others about the prophecy? It's driving me insane not talking to Hermione and Ron about it, and I need their friendship and their support. Keep in mind professor, I am merely asking your opinion for this, because I want your guidance. In the end, I feel that I can make the decision either way since it's my life, but I wondered your opinion."

"Harry, that was a wise comment beyond your years, and I thank you for asking my opinion. Harry, my first thought would be that this prophecy is dangerous. You saw the lengths Voldemort went to in order to attempt to find out what it said. As of right now, the only people who know the details of the prophecy are only you and myself. Even the Order does not know the details, only what it vaguely mentions. On the other hand, I can understand the need to tell your closest friends so you have a way to cope with the information. My advice you be to tell your best friends Ron and Hermione, if you feel the need, the basics of the prophecy without using the specific words. For instance, you could tell Miss Granger that the prophecy talked about the fall of Voldemort, and that you are the one destined to do it. That would be vague enough to hide the details of the prophecy, but contains the essential information" spoke Dumbledore sagely.

"Professor, I believe that I will follow your advice. I know it has been hard for you these past years and I thank you for allowing me to make the decisions dealing with my personal life on my own, although I will always ask for your advice."

"Harry, we both have a lot to learn in these upcoming years."

"Yes we do professor, and thanks for the advice. If you'll excuse me, Corning and me have some reading to do."

"Of course Harry, and congratulations on Corning"

And with Dumbledore's last comment, Harry left Dumbledore's office back to the Gryffindor Common Room. On the way, Corning was looking around, apparently trying to absorb her new surroundings, occasionally singing softly.

When Harry arrived in the common room, he sat down in one of the chairs by a window and Corning began to fly around getting used to the new surroundings. Harry thought that this would be the perfect time to start reading the book Dumbledore lent him on Phoenixes.

So You've Been Chosen by a Phoenix, by Godric Gryffindor.

Revised by Nicholas Flamel

I can't believe I am about to read a book written by Godric Gryffindor! It doesn't surprise me at all that he had a phoenix. Oh, this section looks interesting.

You may be wondering why out of all people, a phoenix has chosen to serve you. History shows us that phoenixes choose only to serve wizards that fight for the Light. The first recoded phoenix chose to serve Merlin; the mythological references to a bird similar to the phoenix have no proof associated with them, although it is possible if not probable that Phoenixes existed pre-Merlin.

Phoenixes only appear to a new master at the beginning of dark times. At one point in history, the entrance of a new Phoenix into the world was seen as bad omen by various seers, although that belief seems to have diminished.

Since a phoenix has chosen you, dear reader, you must be prepared to fight against the dark times. Phoenixes have only chosen those they believe they can aid in the battle against evil, and phoenixes only remain with their chosen ones as long as they remain committed to fighting against evil.

A noise from the entrance to the common room caused a pause in his reading, and after Hermione came into the common room, Harry decided that it would be the best time to tell Hermione so he could get it off his chest. He figured he could tell Ron tomorrow when he sees him.

"Harry! I still can't believe you got a Phoenix! I tried reading all I could in the library but there just wasn't that much information…you need to hurry and finish it so I can read it already!"

"Hermione…calm down. I want to talk to you for a minute" Harry said softly.

"Sure."

"Hermione, last night I blew up at you for a variety of reasons, and one was that you mentioned the Prophecy."

"I know…I also really shouldn't have commented that I knew what you ere going through…I was just saying that to make you feel better. I can't imagine loosing Mom and Dad…I'm so scared Voldemort is going to go after them" interrupted Hermione.

"I understand Hermione…but please let me finish…this is hard enough to say without interruptions. I know you were injured and couldn't see the final battle, but it was a scary fight between Voldemort and Dumbledore. I'll describe it to you later, but the prophecy was smashed as you had heard, so Voldemort was out of luck. After Dumbledore portkeyed me back to his office, he showed me in his pensive what the prophecy was all about. It turns out that Prof. Trelawny is the one who gave the prophecy, and Dumbledore was the one that heard it. One of Voldemort's minions overheard part of the prophecy, but not all of it…" Harry's voice had dwindled off.

"Harry…its all right…you don't have to tell me any more if you don't want…"

"Hermy, I have to get it off my chest. I heard the prophecy, and it talked about the only way for Voldemort to fall. It's me. I have to kill Voldemort or he will kill me, and there won't be anyway to stop him."

"Oh Harry…everything just seems to happen to you. I want you to know you can talk to me about anything at all, and I will stand by you no matter what…but I can see why you were upset…Merlin's beard…I'm even having trouble processing it. You said Trelawny is the one who gave the prophecy…are you and Dumbledore sure that its not, well, as fake as her normal ones are?"

"YES WE"RE SURE" yelled Harry. "Sorry for yelling Hermy, its just that there were some other details in there that have already happened, and also she gave it in the same manner that she gave the one predicting Wormtail's escape and the return of Voldemort."

"Harry…are you going to tell anybody else?"

"The only other person that I will tell is Ron…you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. If this information got back to Voldemort…well it would be a nightmare, and your injuries and Sirius's death would be for nothing."

"Ok Harry, I promise I won't tell anyone."

Corning flew back to Harry's shoulder and began to sing, and it looked like she was about to cry.

"Thanks Corning…but I don't think your tears will be able to heal this type of pain."

A/N and responses to some of the reviews: Sorry for the grammar mistakes…I go to Georgia Tech, a school not known for it's high verbal ability. Corning got her name from one of my best friends (its her last name.) Yes, Dumbledore does switch from Harry to Mr. Potter…it's not a mistake. And I know I keep saying how floored I am by your reviews…but its true! Also…yes Lupin will be back as you will be seeing shortly…Sirius's death was unexpected, I swore up and down that it was going to be Wormtail killing Lupin with his silver paw. I think OoTP was one of the best books in the series, if not the best, because it shows Angry!Harry and if I was going through all of that I know I wouldn't have been a perky person. It takes quite a while to get over the death of a parental figure (speaking from experience) so he may lash out at random times (speaking from experience ;-) As for the password for Gryffindor Tower…Dumledore thought it would be a tribute…You can expect this to come up again. Luna will be making an appearance…I firmly believe JKR wouldn't have introduced her so in depth if she didn't play some role in the future…I just don't know what that role will be quite yet, same with Tonks. As for the inevitable question of romantic pairings…patience :-) My summer classes are wrapping up (had one final today, last one is next week) so I will have more time to work on this (only other commitment I have is my research job, but that won't interfere.) Thanks again for the amazing reviews! I swear I was blushing at the screen when I read them all! I swear I won't abandon the story until its finished (and with those reviews, of course I'll continue) and I really like stories that are at least 60K words as well…it'll just take a little time :-). Thanks Again - LeTimbo