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Part 21
Lucius Malfoy stood there looking furious. A little house elf was crouching behind him. "Dobby?" Harry asked. Erin and Dumbledore had come out of his study behind the desk by now. Erin was looking at the poor little thing. "So this is the family you serve…the Malfoy's."
"I'll deal with you, later." Lucius hissed at the elf. He cowered looking scared. "So you decided to return."
"Yes, it seems that they heard that Ginny Weasley had been killed by the creature, they saw it fit to reinstate me and curiously, Lucius, a few of them were under the impression that you would curse their families if they did not agree with you in the first place."
"How dare you!" Lucius said.
"Pardon me?" Dumbledore asked.
"My concern has always been for this school and its students." He looked at Harry contemptuously. "So you have stopped the attacks."
"We have."
"Well?" Lucius asked. "Who was it?"
"The same person it was last time. Voldemort."
"Oh." Lucius said looking a little less cocky.
"Only this time he chose to work by the means of this diary. Let us hope no more of Lord Voldemort's old school things fall into innocent hands."
Dobby looked at Harry and nodded to the diary and then to Lucius. "I see, well let us hope that Mr. Potter is always there to save the day."
"Don't worry, I will be." Harry said.
"I will make sure of that." It was probably for the first time that Lucius realized that Erin was there. He swallowed a little. "I will always be there, Malfoy, and no one is going to stop me."
Lucius swept from the office and kicked Dobby forward. Erin's heart went out of the poor house-elf. "Come, Dobby, we're leaving."
Harry looked at the diary. "Sir, may I have that."
Dumbledore nodded. Harry hurried after them. "Erin…"
Erin was about to go after Harry but stopped when Dumbledore said her name. "Yes, sir?"
"I wish to speak to you." He said.
Erin nodded and sat down again. "Yes, Professor?"
He sat down at his desk. "Erin, I want to hear your version of the events."
She sighed but spoke. "I pushed Harry out of the way of the rocks and when I came to I managed to get out and I found Riddle, Harry and Ginny in the Chamber. Riddle was over Harry, who was on the floor, dying from the wound the Basilisk inflicted and Ginny was unconscious dying from the energy Riddle was taking from her. I confronted Riddle and told him who I was…who I really was and the truth behind his downfall and then I kicked the diary over to Harry. I fought with Riddle keeping him away. When it was over I was injured…inside…my soul felt like it was ripped and bruised…I don't know how else to describe it…and then Fawkes healed me."
Dumbledore nodded. "Erin, there is more that I want to tell you that I could not tell Harry…not yet, someday you will tell him though. Erin, do you know why Voldemort wanted you dead?"
Erin shook her head. "I don't, sir."
"He didn't."
Erin looked at him surprised. "But then…why…"
"He wanted you, yes, but not dead. You're mother knew this and saved you from him. It was because of a prophecy made very long ago…my Rowena Ravenclaw. "Blood of the nobles, blood of the Lions, blood of the Dark Oaths…one day shall mix, one day be made pure in a daughter of noble blood…and be ware for the blood of the Snake…if a child be born of these three bloods…he will never have an equal… One day a Dark Lord be born of Snake and he will have but one equal…the blood of Half, the pure be that of the ancient house of the Broom…the daughter of noble blood will be born to love him and no other…if the Snake interferes…the world be damned…"
Erin listened. "What does it mean, sir?"
Dumbledore sighed. "At that time there were three wizard families that were of the very best. Slytherin, Blace and Lyan. Blace became Black and Lyan Lyancomp. It was forbidden for Slytherin to ever mix with these two families…you see very few knew the prophecy when you were born. I remembered and I knew that he would try to take you, because he found out about the prophecy during that same time. I won't tell you how, but he did. And he realized that the prophecy spoke of you. A daughter of noble bloods the blood of the Lions and the Dark Oaths…the Lyancomps and Blacks. If a child is born of the three bloods then that child, a son, will never have an equal. A Dark Lord was born of Slytherin, the Snake, and that was Voldemort…he would only have one equal and that would be a Half-blood, descended from the house of the Broom, or the Potters…it could have also meant another descended from that house…but now is not the time. The daughter of noble blood would be born to love that Half-blood and if Voldemort interfered the world would be destroyed."
Erin just looked at him. "He wanted me…so he could have a child with me?" Erin asked. She couldn't believe it. "He wanted to take me from my parents and what…?"
"He intended to raise you until you were a woman and then you bear his child." Dumbledore said.
"But I was meant to love Harry…" She had never really said that aloud before.
"You were and you do."
"I do." Erin said. "I've always loved him and I always will…"
"And one other thing, Erin, it seems that Fawkes has taken a liking to you…" Erin looked up at the man wonderingly. She knew that she liked the Phoenix and he liked her…but was that so unusual? "I should say more than likes, Erin…it seems Fawkes has chosen you to be his next 'owner'."
Erin blinked. "What do you mean?"
Dumbledore stroked the bird's head and neck. "Fawkes has chosen you. Phoenix's choose their owners, not the other way around. And Fawkes has chosen you. I knew it when Harry said you drank Fawkes' tears and when he came in sitting on your shoulder. I believe he has sensed that I do not have that many years left." Erin opened her mouth. "No, I have to face reality just as everyone. I am old, Erin, and I know that I will not live that many more years. When I am gone Fawkes will pass to you and be your pet."
Erin nodded. "I don't have a choice in this."
"No, you do not, but is it that bad of a predicament?" Dumbledore asked his eyes twinkling.
"No." Erin said smiling. "I would be honored to have Fawkes."