Chapter 4:

Rise of the Marks

The next three weeks passed at Hogwarts quickly. Each day seemed to bring news of more attacks by the Death Eaters. Rare was the day when the front page of the Daily Prophet didn't contain a picture of the Dark Mark over someone's home or business. Luckily there had been few deaths, but the news that the Dementors had abandoned Azkaban and let all the captured Death Eaters go free was horrible enough news. Herminoe, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna came to see Harry everyday as his recovery continued along. They chose not to discuss the attacks with Harry, but he was receiving the Daily Prophet himself, so he knew about them nonetheless. Finally, it was time to allow Harry to leave the Hospital Wing, but before they did so, a team of psychiatrists came in from St. Mungos. They spent several hours with Harry, and questioned him endlessly. Dumbledore was concerned that there was a problem, because Harry had seemed very different over the last three weeks. His facial expression bordered something that you would expect to see on the face of Severus Snape, not Harry Potter. Dumbledore had also seen that maniacal glint in Harry's eye a couple more times since the first night that he woke up.

The head psychiatrist, Julius Erhart, came outside the Hospital Wing to speak quietly with Dumbledore. Dumbledore asked, "So, what do you think?"

Erhart sighed, "I must say that I am surprised, I would never have expected him to have recovered this well from such an ordeal. I think it would be fine for him to return to the student body, and resume his classes. However, I think that it would be prudent for you to keep a very close eye on him. The pain and prolonged torture that he was exposed to have marked and scarred him considerably. He will most likely be more volatile than he was before."

Dumbledore shook his head sadly, "In other words, he is more likely to attack a student or Professor that antagonizes him than he was before."

The Healer nodded his head in the affirmative, "Yes, I still don't think that he is overly dangerous. It is most likely that he will attack physically than to actually use his wand to hurt someone. People who are subjected to extreme amounts of the Cruciatus Curse rarely have the desire to use it, unless they were inclined to do so before they were subjected to it. So, I don't think that is a worry."

Dumbledore patted the Healer on the shoulder, "Thank you for coming, Julius. I will go inform Mr. Potter that he may return to his dormitory and begin class in the morning."

The Healers departed as Dumbledore entered Harry's room. Dumbledore handed Harry his wand and said, "Well, it seems, Mr. Potter, that you have been given a clean bill of health. You may return to your dormitories, now." Dumbledore waved his wand at the bed and conjured clothing and robes for Harry to change into.

Harry picked up the clothes and walked behind a screen to change. Then, he stepped out with his clothes on and dropped the Hospital Wing pajamas onto the bed for Madam Pomphrey to retrieve. She came out to get them, and Harry caught her arm. Then, he bent slightly to the short woman and placed a kiss on her cheek. He smiled, "thank you for taking care of me, Madam Pomphrey." Then, Harry turned and walked from the Hospital Wing.

Poppy looked over at Dumbledore and said, "Albus, he's never done anything like that before."

Dumbledore nodded, "I know. I'm not for sure if I should be worried about the change in personality, or happy that he showed some affection."

Harry entered Gryffindor Tower, and an impromptu party sprang up as the Gryffindors celebrated their hero's return. Parvarti and Lavender turned on some music, and there was quite a bit of dancing. Harry turned out to be quite a good dancer now that he was over his nervousness at the concept, and he danced with practically every girl in Gryffindor. He even gave several of them pecks on the lips to thank them for dancing with him. This included Ginny Weasley, who almost squealed in delight at the kiss. It also included Hermione, which mad Ron's face turn almost purple with envy and rage. Ron, then went upstairs to be early.

The next morning, Draco Malfoy sauntered over to the Gryffindor table at breakfast. Ron looked up immediately, "Get lost, ferret face!"

Harry patted Ron, "Now, now, Ron, is that any way to insult a ferret?" Then, he turned to Draco as Ron, Neville, and Ginny laughed, and Hermione quirked a small grin over the book she was reading. "Now, Malfoy, what can I do for you this morning?"

Malfoy sneered at Harry, and threw the morning copy of the Daily Prophet on the table. It was a picture of the Dark Mark over the remains of the Burrow. "I just wanted to let you know that your little fan club won't be safe from the Dark Lord for much longer. Unfortunately, none of the Weasels were home, but the Dark Lord will find them soon enough."

Ron and Ginny both started to rise with their wands drawn, but Harry grabbed their arms and pulled them back down into their seats. Then, Harry gave Malfoy a sneer that Snape would have envied. He said, "Since you seem to be so good at ferrying messages, Malfoy, I have one for you to send back to your father. Tell him that the followers of the Dark Lord should fear, because Voldemort's worst nightmare is about to rise. His mark will rise in the air just as the Dark Mark does, except that it will rise above the homes of Death Eaters. The rise of this mark will begin the fall of Voldemort and his followers, so I suggest that you beware, Malfoy." Harry held up the copy of the Daily Prophet, "Atrocities of this nature will not go unpunished. So, watch the news for the turn, and the mark." Then, Harry threw the paper into Draco's face before standing up and exiting the Great Hall in a swirl of robes, leaving everyone that had heard his message gaping in shock.

McGonagall leaned over and whispered to Dumbledore, "He didn't attack malfoy, so this is encouraging."

Dumbledore shook his head, "I don't know yet. What did he mean by all the things that he just said. I know Harry well enough to realize that he doesn't make idle threats. He's either planning something, or he knows something, and either way, I'm not sure that it is a good thing."

McGonagall sighed, "Albus, until he does something wrong, though, we have to trust him."

Albus shook his head, "Until I know that he is okay, and that he isn't going to do anything rash, I will continue to watch him."

During Transfiguration class that day, Harry showed a slight aptitude for conjuring that was somewhat unexpected by McGonagall. She gave Gryffindor twenty points, and awarded Harry with one of her rare smiles. After class, Harry approached her and asked, "Professor, I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor?"

McGonagall raised her eyebrows in surprise, but motioned for Harry to continue. Harry smiled, "I would like to become an Animagus, and I was hoping that you would train me."

McGonagall smiled, "I will have to ask Professor Dumbledore what he thinks, but I don't suspect that he would have a problem with it."

Harry nodded, "Good, because I don't relish the idea of figuring it all out by myself, like Dad and Sirius did."

"Are you suggesting that you would become an unregistered Animagus if I won't teach you?"

Harry nodded, "Of course. I need every advantage that I can get, and I think that having another form would help me a great deal in the battles to come."

"Very well, Potter. You may go, and I will speak to the Headmaster about this."

Harry smiled, "Thank you, Professor." Then, he left the classroom.

Later that evening, Harry went to bed early claiming that he was tired from his first day back to classes, and went up to the dormitory. He grabbed his invisibility cloak, and the Marauder's Map. He cast an illusion spell to make it look and sound as if he were in his bed. Then, he swirled the cloak over him, and made his way down, and out the portrait hole. He went to the statue of the one-eyed witch, and tapping her hump gave the password, "Dissendium." Then, he slipped down the passage and made his way to Honeydukes, and up through the store and used their Floo connection to get to the Malfoy Manor. He crept stealthily through the house until he found Narcissa Malfoy in another room conversing with Lucius Malfoy through another fireplace.

She said, "Lucius, I don't think it wise for you to use this fireplace. The Ministry is highly suspicious that I am a Death Eater as well. If they discover that I am still in contact with you, then my credibility will be shot, and I will no longer be of any use to the Dark Lord as a spy."

Lucius smiled cruelly, "Do not worry. We have made certain that the Ministry cannot monitor this fireplace, so we will be able to use it to send information back and forth. It is far more reliable than using owls to pass messages along. The Order will be attempting to disrupt and steal our communications just as we are doing so to them. Now, that I have the information that I need, I will be going. Tell Draco to keep his nose clean at school. The Dark Lord would be displeased if we lost his spying abilities because he was expelled."

Then, Lucius' head disappeared. Narcissa leaned back into her chair, "Well, I hope that the Dark Lord is pleased with this information."

Harry flipped his cloak off, "What information with that be, Narcissa?"

Narcissa leaped from her chair and drew her wand, but Harry was ready for her. He shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Narcissa's wand flew towards him and as he caught it, he yelled, "Stupefy!" The red jet of light hit her, and she dropped to the ground stunned. Harry conjured shackles on the wall, and fastened Narcissa to the wall, and then he lazily pointed his wand at her, "Enervate."

Narcissi snapped back to consciousness and eyed Harry with malevolence, "What do you want, Potter?"

Harry smiled evilly, "Information. What was it that you just told Lucius? What do you hope that Tom is pleased with?"

Narcissa spat, "I will never betray the Dark Lord, Potter."

Harry sighed, "It's a shame that I don't have any Veritaserum. I will have to see what I can do about procuring some. That way the next Death Eater I capture, I can at least get something useful out of them before they die." Harry eyed Narcissa, "You really are a Death Eater aren't you?" Without waiting for an answer, Harry waved his wand at the woman, "Accio, clothing."

Narcissa's clothing was ripped from her body, and sailed across the room to Harry, where he let them drop to the floor. He eyed Narcissa's naked body for a moment, and then looked to her left forearm. Sure enough, the Dark Mark was burned into her arm. Harry then returned his gaze to her face, "Well, Narcissa, I am surprised to say that you have an impressive body. Under other circumstances, I might have been attracted. Having sex with you would most certainly be entertaining."

Narcissa drew her lips into a thin line, "I don't suppose that a bargain would be in line?"

Harry crossed his arms, "What bargain would that be?"

She replied, "I could fuck you for my life."

Harry raised his eyebrows, "I could fuck you anyway. You would be able to do nothing to stop me if I were so inclined."

Narcissa nodded, "True, but the pleasure would be much greater if I were a willing participant."

Harry smiled, "Perhaps you are right. He waved his wand and the shackles disappeared. "Now, let me see what you can do."

Narcissa made her way over to Harry, and kneeled down in front of him. Then, she pulled his robes aside and slid off the pants that he was wearing underneath. She pulled down his boxers and slid her mouth over his throbbing dick. She suckled him at a pace that gradually increased in speed until he burst within her, and she swallowed the load that came forth. Next, Harry lay back on the bed, and Narcissa straddled him, and began to bounce up and down on his re-hardening dick. She did this until she felt that he was about to cum again, and then she leaped off and took him into her mouth again to swallow the load of cum that burst forth.

Harry stood up and eyed Narcissa. Then, he said, "Stupefy!" She fell to the ground stunned, and Harry reattached her to the wall. Then, Harry put his clothing back on and began his search of Malfoy Manor. Several hours later, Harry had found what he was looking for, and he enervated Narcissa once again.

She looked around, "I thought that you were going to spare my life for fucking you."

Harry snorted, "I intend to, but that doesn't mean that I am going to let you go until I have what I came for. I also need to Obliviate your memory."

Narcissa scowled, "So, I won't remember doing this."

Harry smirked, "Oh no, you will most definitely remember being attacked, and having slept with your attacker to spare your life. You just won't remember that it was me. I can't let my little secret get out just yet."

Narcissa attempted to gain some more information, "So, what did you come here to look for?"

Harry laughed, "Do you really think that I am that stupid? My what fantasy you Malfoys have. Now, I am going to Obliviate you, and then release you. I have set one of the magical bombs that I located in Lucius' belongings to blow the house, so I suggest that you run as soon as I let you go."

Harry pointed his wand at Narcissa, and said, "Obliviate!" Then, he swirled the cloak over himself. He pointed his wand at the shackles and muttered an incantation, and they released her. Narcissa immediately ran for the door. Harry stepped outside on the balcony and muttered a time release spell for his mark to go up, and then he flipped Floo powder into the fire and went back to Honeydukes to make his way through the secret passage back into the castle. Between the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility cloak, Harry made his way back to the dormitories, and slipped into bed without anyone knowing that he had ever been gone.

A short time after Harry left, the Malfoy Manor exploded and a mark of a bright red sinister looking Phoenix blossomed in the air. Underneath it in writing made of flame were the words.

Beware all who oppose the Dark Phoenix

Followers of Voldemort be wary

For Justice now has an avatar

And his wrath will destroy you.

Aurors from the Ministry, and members of the Order were on the scene in minutes. The Aurors had captured Narcissa Malfoy running around naked babbling about an attack. Dumbledore met with Kingsley and Moody as soon as he arrived. He took one look at the mark hovering above what was left of the manor, and shivered. He turned back to the two Aurors and asked, "What happened?"

Moody shrugged, but Kingsley replied, "Narcissa Malfoy claims that someone broke into the manor, and captured her. She had sex with her captor in trade for her life. He set one of Lucius' own devices to blow up the place and told her to run. She did. Apparently, whoever it was knew that she was a Death Eater."

Dumbledore paled, "Narcissa was a Death Eater as well?"

Knigsley nodded, "When we found her, she was completely naked. The Dark Mark was perfectly visible on her left forearm."

Moody asked, "Does she know who the attacker was?"

Kingsley shook his head, "No. It's apparent that whoever it was performed a Memory Charm on her. We were going to try and break it, but it became apparent almost immediately that whoever put it on her was extremely powerful. We would shatter her mind to break it, and then we would get nothing from her."

Dumbledore nodded, "We will have to put some serious effort into discovering who did this."

Remus asked as he walked up with Arthur Weasley, "Why, Albus? I know that you obviously don't approve of the methods here, but whoever it is, is on our side. They attacked a Death Eater and left a message for Voldemort's followers to beware. This might be just the ally that we need."

Dumbledore asked quietly, "How do we know that whoever this is doesn't want to kill Voldemort just to replace him?"

Arthur sighed, "We don't, Albus, but until whoever this is gives us some reason to assume that is the case, then I'm with Remus."

Moody and Kingsley both nodded their heads. Dumbledore took a deep breath and then let it out, "I see. Well, then I will have to bow to the majority. We will not pursue this individual until their true motives become clear."

The next morning, the Daily Prophet had a report of the attack on Malfoy Manor, and the new mark that had been seen shining in the sky. The headline read,

New Mark Spotted in Sky

Last evening in a surprise attack on Malfoy Manor, a mark other than the Dark Mark was seen in the air. (See accompanying picture) With this mark was an accompanying message that warned all followers of You-Know-Who to beware. Found at the scene was one naked Narcissa Malfoy. It was discovered that she was present at the attack, and fled the household. It was also discovered that Narcissa has the Dark Mark, and has been taken into custody at the Ministry. She was unable to identify the attacker, so the identity of this new foe for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will remain a mystery.

Hermione looked at the picture and read the words that seemed to glisten below the Mark of the Phoenix. She mused aloud, "I wonder who it could be."

Harry shrugged, "I don't know, but I would like to shake their hand. They blew up Malfoy's house, and got his mother captured without her clothes. That has got to be humiliating, and you know Malfoy will be taking some serious teasing for it."

Ron grinned, "No kidding. This is going to be fun."

At about that time, Draco marched across the Great Hall and drew his wand on Harry, "Potter, I know you had something to do with this, and I will not tolerate this insult against my mother."

Harry looked at Draco dismissively, "I don't really care what you think, Malfoy. Hmmm, come to think of it, are you even sure that you are a Malfoy? It seems to me if it is that easy to get your mother out of her clothes, then Lucius may very well not even be your father. The Muggle mailman could be your dad."

Draco swelled with fury as he brandished his wand and shouted a spell. Harry had already drawn his wand, and easily blocked the spell with the Shield Charm, and then countered by conjuring a Muggle baseball bat in his off hand and swung it around to make contact with the side of Draco's head. Malfoy was knocked to the floor unconscious, where a slight amount of blood trickled from the side of his head where the blow made contact.

Harry dropped the bat on the bench that he had been sitting on and waved his wand at it, "Evanesco." Then, he walked out of the room.

A few moments later he heard footsteps running up behind him. He turned to see Ron and Hermione following what appeared to be a very furious Severus Snape. "Potter!" he snarled.

Harry looked back at him with what could only be construed as amusement, "Yes, Professor Snape?"

Snape growled at Harry, "Potter, that will be one hundred points from Gryffindor, and a week's worth of detentions!"

Harry snorted, "I don't think so, Snape. For you see, you are not my Professor anymore, and this incident took place in the Great Hall, so the only Professors that can decide the punishment for me would be my own Head of House or the Headmaster. As you are neither, you can do nothing to me."

Snape snarled, "Maybe not, but I can give you detention and take away points for being disrespectful to me in the corridor!"

Harry laughed directly in Snape's face, "You could try that, Snivellus, but I wouldn't recommend it. I don't know how long you would stay alive if you did."

Hermione gasped, and Ron merely goggled at Harry in shock. Snape advanced on Harry with his wand drawn, "How dare you threaten to kill me, Potter? I will have you expelled for this."

Harry sneered at Snape, "I see that being in Slytherin has gotten you too accustomed to threats. I have no intention of killing you unless you give me no choice. I was merely pointing out that you would have a difficult time staying alive if I were to send Voldemort a little message that let him know about your night job with the Bird Club. I'm sure that he would be very interested in such information."

Snape took a step back in horror, "You wouldn't?"

Harry continued to sneer at the Potions Master, "Oh, I assure you that I would, Severus. You have done nothing for the past five years, but make my life miserable. I think it would only be fitting that I gave you a last day filled with torture before you were murdered. It would be no more than you deserve. So, I suggest that you keep your greasy hair and hook nose out of my sight." Harry turned and spun away with his cloak swirling behind him.

Snape stood there with his mouth working back and forth with no sound coming out, while Hermione and Ron stood behind him aghast at what they had just heard.

A/N: I hope that everyone enjoys this little twist to the story. For those of you that don't, just imagine the confrontation between Harry and Lucius Malfoy. Happy reading.