Celestial Guidance
by Flying Pixie (Lady Lyssa)
Disclaimer: All the Harry Potter characters belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. I am not making any money doing this (unfortunately) and am doing it for the sole purpose of having fun and improving my writing. The plot andthe characters who you do not recognize belong to me! The quote is by Wayne Gretzky.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you to my betas TwistedFlames and Nimbirosa. To my most loyal fans, I present the fifteenth chapter. Enjoy!
Mind speech is done in Italics! So are Harry's thoughts, but that is mind speech, in a sense!
Cella Idoneus
- You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.
Wayne Gretzky
As Hufflepuff left him, Harry was left to examine his surroundings. He was standing on a grass clearing with grass greener than he had ever seen before. A hundred meters away to the left, a forest began suddenly, tall trees reaching high above him. Unlike the Forbidden Forest, however, this forest had a soft, calming effect on him. To his right was a beautiful lake. Not for the first time, Harry wished he knew how to swim properly.
The sun shone high above in a crystalline blue sky, and Harry found it hard to believe that none of this was real as he allowed the sun to soak through his body. Not seeing any sign of Ryder, Harry took the chance to lie down on the lush grass. He wished more than anything that he had his Firebolt with him. With a pang of sadness he realized that it was still locked in the dungeons, and remembered the lifelong ban that had been placed on him.
A sudden shadow passed over Harry. He looked up, the realization dawning that Ryder was standing above him. Harry took slowly to his feet, trying to act calm and collected, unable to believe that he had not heard the elf approach.
He scoured the grass stains from his black robes with a quick charm, thankful that he had remembered to change from the multi-coloured robes he had 'designed' before any other members of his Celestial Council had seen him. Gryffindor would have had a laugh had he seen them…
Harry's eyes moved back to Ryder, realizing that this was the first time that he had seen the elf up close. Harry was once again reminded of the elves in his History of Magic textbooks. Ryder stood tall, with pale skin and mesmerizing blue eyes that held a hint of mischief. He wore his long, blond hair tied loosely back to keep it from getting in his eyes.
Ryder had, of course, the pointed ears of his kind. Harry could not help but stare for a few seconds before he realized what he was doing and looked away. He hated it when others stared at his forehead, and he assumed that elves felt the same way about their ears.
As Harry examined the elf's magic, he noticed that the elf had more magic than did most of the other humans Harry had encountered, save Dumbledore and Merlin. He also had more Natural Magic, Healing Magic and Transfiguration Magic than wizards, presumably because of his heritage.
Realizing that someone of Ryder's might want to be acknowledged formally, Harry bowed just enough to show respect. At least, he hoped that was what he was showing. At times he wished he were better at handling these types of situations.
Laughing openly, Ryder signalled for Harry to stand straight.
"Now that we are on the topic of introductions, my name is Ryder Galahad," he said in a carefree tone, bowing as he spoke. He stood straight quickly.
"My name is Harry Potter, very nice to meet you," Harry answered, bowing once again.
Ryder sat on the grass, and motioned for Harry to follow suit. As Harry sat, he examined the elf's clothing. Ryder wore simple brown pants, and a plain green shirt. Over them he wore a brilliant cloak of green and brown hues, of a material that Harry had never before laid eyes on. The cloak's colours swirled and coalesced as the elf shifted positions.
Seeing what Harry was looking at, Ryder explained, "This is a cloak made by my kind, the Forest Elves. It makes it nigh on impossible to spot us when we are in the forest."
Harry nodded, satisfied with the explanation.
"Harry, as you are already aware, I am to be your mentor and train you in the ways of Animagus Transforming. You must understand that this will not be easy work, but I have been assured that you are up to the challenge."
Suddenly, he felt Ryder searching through his very core. As the odd presence left, Harry saw Ryder smile at him.
"The road ahead will not be easy for you. If you continuously strive for perfection, however, you will do wonderfully."
Not leaving Harry time to wonder the meaning behind his words, Ryder continued, "Before you can start training to become your Animagus form, you must figure out what your form is. Enter a trance just like Merlin taught you."
In less than a second Harry had done as told.
"Excellent. Now, you must search deep inside of you and discover what your form is."
Harry sat peacefully, trying to figure it out. After half an hour of sitting and searching, however, he became impatient.
"Can't you give me better instructions?" Harry paused, realizing his words were a bit too harsh. "What exactly am I looking for anyway?"
"You will know it when you feel it," Ryder said vaguely, before entering his own trance and meditating.
How helpful, Harry thought. Diligently, however, he went back to work. Ryder had not been kidding when he had said that Harry would have to work hard.
An hour later, Harry found himself in front of Merlin's chambers. He had not, to his great disappointment, been able to find anything useful to help him discover his 'inner animal', but Ryder had not lost faith. He told Harry to practice during the day, and that he would discover it when he was ready.
Ryder had offered Harry another potion, but he had declined. He did not feel that drained and decided it would be better if he became accustomed to using magic without being replenished every hour. Ryder smiled, almost as if expecting Harry's explanation, and quickly put the potion away.
Training with Merlin was straightforward this lesson. Wanting to strengthen Harry's reflexes, magic, and duelling techniques all in one exercise, Merlin challenged him to a Wizard's Duel, without Seconds.
Rather than duelling in the normal arena, Merlin decided that simply duelling in the empty room Harry had used to first unleash his magic would be better, as it would give them more freedom. Before beginning, Merlin changed into a twenty-year-old version of himself. Harry looked on, stunned, as Merlin's infamous beard disappeared, and the white hair was replaced with sandy brown locks. He grew several inches taller, making him taller than Harry. His face lost his wrinkles, and his eyes held a lot more energy.
Seeing Harry's questioning gaze, Merlin spoke, "You can't very well expect us to duel with me as a two-hundred and fifty year old, do you? As much respect as I gain in my old age, nothing can match the energy of a young adult."
Harry entered a trance, trying not to seem too thrown off by the young Merlin. They circled each other a few times, each waiting for the other to attack first. Merlin shot a stunner at Harry. Expecting this, Harry dodged and shot two of his own. They traded shots back and forth, testing each other's speeds. Harry knew that, though he matched and even slightly surpassed Merlin for speed and agility, he had nowhere near the same magical prowess.
Quickly growing bored of the simple exchange of spells between the two of them, Harry's mind began coming up with a strategy. Before he could implement it, however, he sensed a stunner coming up from behind. He quickly threw himself to the side, and stood up. Two identical Merlins were standing in front of him, both with magical auras. Harry had no idea which was the real Merlin, and which was a magical clone.
With sudden inspiration, Harry knew what to do, though did not know if he had the strength to pull it off. He pulled twice as much magic as he normally did, and focused hard on sending the magic in not one, but two separate directions. Concentrating hard, he unleashed the magic.
Grinning, Harry saw the magic spread out and diverge into two separate courses, each aimed at a different Merlin. The magic hit the fake Merlin, who disappeared as soon as it came into contact with the magic. The other Merlin – the real one- dodged the spell. He, too, wore a smile on his face.
"Excellent. You have improved much, though there is still much more to do." Merlin said. He bowed again, indicating the end of the duel.
After teaching Harry how to create his own magical clone (who did not want to appear for more than a minute or two at a time, much to Merlin's great amusement and Harry's great annoyance (repetition doesn't work unless it's for real effect)), Merlin informed Harry that their training time was over, and reminded him that he would not improve without serious practice.
With a wave of Merlin's hand, and a quick shouted "Good luck in joining the Order!" from his Mentor, Harry left the Dream World.
Harry opened his eyes blearily and sat up in bed, running a hand through his messy jet-black hair. Remus was awake in the bed across from him, deeply immersed in a novel. Sirius, on the other hand, was deep asleep in the bed next to him.
Harry suddenly noticed an unusual weight around his neck. Looking down, he noticed that he still wore the Dragon Stone, despite being in the real world. Realizing that its presence would raise questions, he stuffed it inside his shirt hurriedly. Thankfully, Remus had not yet noticed that he had awoken.
"What time is it?" Harry asked groggily, alerting the older man.
"Almost ten o'clock."
"Good morning."
"Good morning to you too," Remus said, quickly putting his book away.
The two looked down on Sirius' supine form, and looked back at each other, both wearing identical malicious looks. They slipped quietly out of bed and towards Sirius.
"You can have the honours, Harry," Moony said, grinning from ear to ear.
"It would be my pleasure."
With a quick wave of his wand and a few choice words, buckets of water began pouring themselves onto Sirius' sleeping form. Sirius jumped up from the cold, awake in seconds.
"I'll get you back for this Harry, mark my words!"
"Funny, that's what I thought you said last time," Harry said, remembering the broom incident.
When Remus looked puzzled, Harry explained how he had transfigured the brooms, careful not to mention the wandless part.
"Great work Harry; that is very high level magic! I take it you have been practicing," Remus laughed. "Score two for Harry, score zero for Sirius! Sirius, you are a Marauder, you are giving the rest of us a bad name, you know."
Remus winked at Harry, and the two of them ran down the stairs, a drenched Sirius running after them. Harry smiled freely, happy to have Sirius back, and happy to see Remus so alive again.
The two of them bounded down into the kitchen, Sirius hot on their heels. Tonks, with her trademark bubble gum pink hair, Shacklebolt and Dumbledore already sat at the table. Mrs. Weasley was busy flipping pancakes.
"Good morning! Sit down, all three of you. Breakfast is almost ready. Harry dear, Mr. Weasley should be bringing Ron, Fred, George and Ginny along in about an hour. You'd best eat and clean up before they arrive."
She served all six at the table, with double the portions for Harry. Harry couldn't believe he was going to see his friends again! He ate Mrs. Weasley's delicious pancakes quickly, before running upstairs. Embarrassed by his ugly cast-offs, he changed into one of the nicest pairs of clothes that he had with him (which in truth simply meant whichever fit him half-way decently). Dumbledore had had his clothes magically transported to Grimmauld Place. Harry hoped that the Hogwarts' Headmaster was still in the dark about the changes to his room.
Harry had turned to open his door to wait for his friends downstairs when it opened of its own accord, and his bushy-haired friend attacked him.
"'Mione, please," Harry managed to choke out, hardly able to breath.
Grinning, she backed down, mumbling an apology. In the doorway behind them stood Ron and Ginny. Ron went up to him and patted his back awkwardly. As Harry examined his best friend's aura, he noticed more purple than in any of the others he had yet seen. Harry tucked that piece of information at the back of his mind for later use. Ginny walked in confidently, hugging him lightly in greeting before pulling back gracefully, blushing only slightly.
Harry smiled at Ginny before turning his attention back to Hermione.
"What are you doing here, Hermione?" he asked.
"Several members of the Order are adding protective wards around my house for the next few days, so my parents and I are staying here in the meantime."
Without warning, the Weasley twins, energetic as always, bounded into the room.
"Harry, we heard the great news."
"We're really happy for you mate."
"Where is the good ol' man anyway?"
"The 'good ol' man' is right here, thank you very much, and would like to tell you that he does not like being referred to as such," Sirius said, walking into the room.
"SIRIUS!" exclaimed the Weasleys, all happy to see the man they had presumed dead. Hermione seemed happy as well, though did not show it as much as the others. She did not seem extremely surprised at his entrance, and had obviously been 'briefed' on her way there.
When Sirius and the twins left to help Dumbledore summon the Order members to Headquarters, Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Harry all sat on the floor. After Harry quickly explained to Hermione what was happening, they all exchanged their disbelief of what Harry was about to do.
Ron whistled. "I cannot believe that mum hasn't chained you to the floor to prevent you from joining the Order. Mum hadn't even allowed the twins to join until they were out of Hogwarts, and they were of age!"
Ginny and Harry laughed, and Hermione smiled.
"I know! I couldn't believe it myself! She was mad, of course, but she seems to trust Dumbledore's decisions. I can still hardly believe that I am finally allowed to join!"
Silence reigned for several seconds, everyone's minds on what the future would hold.
"Guys…" Harry started off slowly, unsure of how best to phrase his words. "At the end of last year … what you did for me at the Department of Mysteries… I am so glad to know that I have friends like you that I can count on." Harry paused briefly. "I want you to join the Order as well. We have all been through more than some of the men and women that call themselves members, and we all deserve to join. I know you want to, so what do you say?"
At first Harry had not wanted to involve them in any way, wanting to keep them sheltered from the pain and suffering caused by war. However, they were too close to him not to become involved, and he knew that once he told them about the prophecy, they would want to help more than anything. They deserved the chance to help out, and in some ways he felt that they were even safer in the Order than out.
Ron laughed, "Sorry Harry, but as much as we would love to join, there is no way that we would be allowed in."
Harry did not laugh. "I have no doubt that Dumbledore will let you join, if I ask it of him. Suffice it to say that he owes me one. Don't worry about having permission; I just want to make sure that you are positive that you want to join."
"Definitely. I would never dream of missing an opportunity such as this," Hermione said, smiling broadly.
"Bloody Hell! I have always wondered what it would be like to join the Order. Of course I would join! We know what will be expected of us, and we will do our part," Ron said, showing particular maturity. Or stupidity.
"We are with you until the very end Harry."
Ginny's words touched everyone in the room. Little did they know that it would not be the last time that those fateful words were uttered.
Merlin strode into the Fates' abode. The three sisters were working as usual, their job never ceasing. Even as Merlin entered, Clotho did not stop forming her threads, Lachesis did not stop her weaving, and Atropos did not stop her cutting.
"Hello Merlin. As always, it is a pleasure to see you here," Atropos said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"How long do you expect me to keep Harry in the dark? He deserves to know everything. He has questions, and my Council and I are not going to be the ones to answer them. When are you going to contact him? You gave me your word," Merlin said.
"Straight to business, as always, I see," Lachesis said. As she turned around, Merlin noticed faint, but visible, stress lines on her forehead and around her eyes. She had been working hard to ensure than the Tapestry kept Sirius in its folds, and to add protective measures to make it even more difficult for Voldemort to change it. Merlin knew that the lines would fade, in time, and prayed that things would go smoothly for them in the future.
"You must not worry so much Merlin, we will contact him when the time is right. Do not question us," Clotho added, as she saw Merlin about to speak.
Wordlessly, Merlin opened a Portal and stepped into the Dream World. How many days did he have to prepare until Harry came back? Not for the first time, Merlin found himself wishing that time could speed up until his next lesson….
Remus and Sirius strode through the bedroom door without knocking, Sirius' loud footsteps alerting the occupants of the room to their presence long before they had entered.
"It is time Harry," Sirius said in his best 'omnipotent' voice.
Remus and Harry traded glances, and both began laughing madly, not even bothering to hide their amusement. Sirius grinned as well, always able to laugh at himself. The Marauders led the others down the stairs and into the entrance hall. The six of them could hear the loud voices coming from downstairs, making it hard to hear anything. Just how many people are in the Order?
"Careful of that vase Hermione," Ron said in warning as they crossed the dark hall.
"What did you say Ron?" Hermione asked.
She turned her head to look at Ron, and bumped into the black china vase sitting on a pedestal against the wall. Reflexes quick as ever, Harry jumped to catch the vase before it crashed to the floor. He put it atop its counter once more, hearing Sirius mutter something that sounded awfully like 'Pity! Always hated that one.' under his breath. The others, who had heard Ron's first comment, first looked shocked, and then began to laugh at the disbelief present on Ron's face.
Sirius led the way down the flight of stone steps, the others following closely behind. Further thoughts of vases and coincidences were cut off when Harry entered the kitchen. He had not been prepared for what he next saw…
"Have they been able to locate the Shackles?"
Voldemort laughed, a high-pitched malicious laugh that resounded in the chamber, as he saw Pettrigrew kneel before him, quivering with fear. How he enjoyed his power!
"They have not yet been able t- to trace the Shackles, m-m-Master," Pettrigrew said, trembling. He knew that his Master never liked to be disappointed.
"It would seem that I have been too lenient with you, Pettigrew. Perhaps another dose of the Cruciatus would help that."
Pettigrew braced himself for what was coming, though that only made it worse. Voldemort cast the curse without any remorse, actually taking pleasure in hearing the worthless scum at his feet scream.
After a few minutes, Voldemort lifted the curse. Pettrigrew lay on the floor, still writhing in pain.
"Get out of my sight. I expect better reports next time. I cannot afford to lose this war because of your incompetence."
Pettrigrew scrambled to his feet as fast as he could.
"Yes, my liege," he responded, before all but running out of the stone-cold room.
Nagini hissed athim before curling around her master.
"Yesssss Nagini. Ssssoon we will have the Ssshackless, and everything ssshall be ourssss," Voldemort spoke to her in Parseltongue.
Voldemort banged his fist on a nearby table. Why were so many of his followers so inefficient? The air crackled dangerously in the room, and even Nagini seemed frightened by it. He fingered the Chain of Saberitus hanging on his pale neck. He had been using the Chain's power to store some of his own, and to help him control the powers he had. Voldemort had yet, however, to unlock the full potential of the object. Why was it being so evasive?
Voldemort had searched through every single Dark Arts textbook he could find, but none described how to wield the object's power. He could be patient, however, if it meant winning the war. And so, he continued his search for clues on how to use the Chain and the Blood Raven Crystal to their full potential.
Voldemort's thoughts brought him to the third and final object he would need to win the war. The Astral Shackles were legendary objects, first discovered by the Atlantians. Research on them had been easy; it had been locating them that was – and remained – the difficult part.
From his extensive research, Voldemort had gathered that the Astral Shackles were employed using an ancient blood charm. The Shackles consisted of three oval pieces of gold, with barbs on the flat sides. The curved sides were encrusted with highly carved pieces of quartz. Intricate Ancient Rune carvings were carved onto the flat side, in between barbs.
Whenone of the Shackles was placed on someone's neck, and the other two on their wrists, the bards would break the surface of the skin and magically attach themselves to the person. The blood of the person would flow through the intricate carvings and fuel the blood magic. The barbs would then send the magic through the person's blood and bones, and anchor the charm to the person's entire body.
Once done, the Astral magic bound to the Shackles would take effect. Thick webs of Astral threads would erupt from this charm, and envelop the person from head to toe, resulting in the wearer losing all contact with time and space. Their soul trapped without possible escape in the Astral Planes, their body would be left under the full control of whomever had placed the Shackles on the prisoner.
Best of all, in Voldemort's mind, no one could remove the Astral Shackles unless either the Astral threads surrounding the person were broken, which Voldemort knew to be impossible, or if the Shackles were removed by whomever had placed them on the imprisoned one.
Voldemort smiled maliciously simply thinking about the great power the Shackles held, his attempt at a smile distorting his snake-like face even further. He could not wait to wrap his hands around them, and put them personally on his enemy…
Though Harry had been laughing seconds before, completely carefree and uncaring, fear and uncertainty began to creep through his body as he looked around the room. Sirius, who had been in the lead, stopped short, taking a good look around the room. Harry heard sounds of shock and whispered curses coming from behind him.
The kitchen had been transformed. Gone was the dingy, gloomy, cavernous room with the dreadful stonewalls and cramped seating. Gone were the menacing shapes of swinging iron pots and pans, hanging from a ceiling that could barely be seen through the haze of smoke, like the battlefields after a long, hard war.
Someone decided to do a bit of late Spring Cleaning, Harry thought to himself sarcastically. The room looked like nothing he had ever before seen, muggle or wizard. In front of Harry was a circular table, at which were seated sixteen men and women, reminding Harry of the pictures he had seen at his elementary school of King Arthur's Round Table. Seats were positioned all around the room in a hemisphere, beginning and ending with the exit through which he had just walked.
Harry could hear whispered murmurings coming from around the newly transformed meeting room. When Ron had told him the previous summer that he had met twenty Order members, but thought that there were more... it had been the understatement of the century.
Mentally calculating in his head, Harry guessed there to be over one hundred people in the room. What's happening? Is this all for me? Despite the good lighting, shadows were eerily cast over the back rows.
Suddenly, strange voices rushed unbidden into his mind, some in English, others in tongues he had never before heard. He groaned, trying to block them all out. Heck of a time for my Sodalite powers to kick in, Harry thought to himself. As he concentrated on forcing the voices out of his mind, they slowly faded, only to be replaced by Hermione's cries for his attention.
"I'm okay 'Mione," Harry said, despite feeling a headache coming on. A few voices lingered behind, belligerently refusing to go away. It was bearable, at the very least.
"What happened Harry?" Hermione asked, sounding nervous.
"Nothing. I'm okay, honest."
"Was it You-Know-Who?" Ron whispered, concerned.
"No! Really, it was nothing."
Harry gave them a look clearlytelling them that now was not the time, and they backed down quickly, though Hermione and Ginny still had looks of apprehension in their eyes.
Sirius, giving Harry a quick look of concern, led them towards the large, circular, wooden table at the center of the room.He transfigured three seats from thin air for Hermione, Ron and Ginny, who were obviously unexpected. As the chairs were about to materialize, Harry quickly played with the magic of the spell to create a nicer, more comfortable seat, satisfied to know that he was now able to enter a trance quickly. Merlin had been a good teacher...
Sirius, looking aghast when he saw chairs that he knew he had not meant to conjure, looked over at a smiling Harry and grinned.
The others, not having noticed, quickly took their seats. He waved to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Emmeline Vance, Shacklebolt and Tonks. They all waved back, though the Weasley parents looked less than pleased at the prospect of their children being there as well. Mundungus was fast asleep at the table, and Harry wondered what he was doing at the center table.
Snape sat next to Mundungus, looking asthough he would rather be in Voldemort's chambers than sitting next to the alcohol-smelling pile of rags beside him. Harry mentally noted that Hagrid was absent, and wondered what mission he was completing for the Order. The other nine people at the table he did not recognize.
Harry ignored his malicious Potions' professor and quickly sat between Remus and Sirius, still in disbelief over the number of people in the room. When Harry motioned to them, Remus began to explain in whispered tones.
"Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards and witches brought into the Order as possible, in order to extend its spheres of influence and power. Dumbledore can be very diplomatic when he wants to be. Since news of You-Know-Who's attack at the Ministry of Magic spread, Dumbledore has tried to convince wizards from around the globe to join the cause.
"He cannot go directly to the Wizarding leaders of the countries, of course, because Fudge would become suspicious again, and Dumbledore does not want his actions reaching Voldemort's ears.
"However, Dumbledore, with help from many others, has managed to branch the Order over all seven continents. Though, in the last war, England was left to its own devices (with very little help from Ireland), the other nations have learned their lessons, and many people are very eager to help us."
At Hermione's quizzical look, and when Harry asked how it was possible to have recruited people from all Antarctica, Remus explained that wizards had developed many populated communities in Antarctica. Unlike their human counterparts, who had been both unable and unwilling to survive in large numbers in the harsh environment, wizards of the early twelfth century were quickly able to develop the spells necessary to survive there.
Ron whistled loudly, ignoring glares from Hermione. Harry could not agree more. He had had no idea that the Order was that expansive. Of course, it made only sense when he began to think about it. From what he had learned of the First War against Voldemort, Voldemort had commanded huge armies, consisting of his Death Eaters, witches and wizards he had bullied, bewitched or forced, and a large variety of Dark Creatures of all shapes and sizes.
The Order of the Phoenix, as the largest defender against Voldemort that Harry knew of, needed to have enough men to stop Voldemort from taking over. As Lupin had pointed out the previous year, it was not as if Voldemort was planning on over-taking the Ministry with a dozen wizards at his side.
Harry turned from his thoughts, realizing that Remus had continued talking.
"Yes Hermione, you are right yet again. As intelligent as I remember from my year of teaching! Many in the Order have worked very hard at trying to recruit as many creatures as they can before You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters get to them first. Yes, we have recruited from many different erumpent herds and griffin clans. And of course, we can hardly forget the dragons!
"I do believe that we managed to recruit two Chinese Fireball lea'chans, loosely translated as 'family' or 'tribe' in the dragon tongue, one Hebridean Black lea'chan, two Norwegian Ridgeback lea'chans, and we have come very close to persuading two neighboring Romanian Longhorn clans to join our cause.
"Kaelin Linwelin and Haldamir Telemnar, two elves of the Order during the First War, are helping us to recruit many of their peoples. Their magic would be an infallible anchor to us. They have ancient knowledge that would – "
Remus suddenly let off, realizing to whom he was talking. Sirius wore a wolfish grin.
Remus continued, though he did not follow his previous train of though, "I believe that Dumbledore tried convincing the centaurs to listen to reason as well, but it did not amount to anything as far as I am aware of. Now, of course, there are no representatives here tonight from the larger creatures, but I believe I saw several elves at the back of the room."
That would explain the strange languages Harry had heard upon entering the room! It must have been the elves. Harry hoped that Ryder would teach him some elfish customs. It might come in handy in the future...
Hermione shook her head, disbelieving. "Professor, what you are saying does not make any sense. How was the Order even able to talk to half of these creatures, let alone manage to convince them to join us? Dumbledore would not drop down to Vol- Voldemort's level, would he?"
"No, of course not," Remus answered, shaking his head. "Dumbledore hired two men, oneby the name of Okapi Karna, the other Ryu Takahashi. Both are naturally gifted Beastmasters. Ry –"
"Beastmasters?" Harry interrupted, having never heard the term.
"Beastmasters are able to converse with animals. The more profound the talent, the more animals the wizard is able to speak to. Parseltongues, for example, are one of the many types of Beastmasters recorded in history, with their ability to speak to snakes." Hermione started off in a lecturing tone. "However, I still don't understand it Professor; most Beastmaster talents died out four centuries ago."
"A very good point, Hermione. The talent seems to have re-emerged in the past thirty years. Several known cases have been recorded in North America, northern Europe, southern Africa and East-Asia. Of course – "
Further explanations were cut off as everyone in the room began to stand. The sounds of seats scratching the floor, and people rustling aboutfilled the room for several seconds. Harry and his friends stood up along with the Order.
Within several seconds, not a sound could be heard in the room. Before long, the subject of everyone's attention came into view. Dumbledore, head of the Order of the Phoenix, walked into the high-ceilinged room.
Never before had Harry seen his headmaster look as majestic and noble as at that moment. Dumbledore wore fluid robes of deep purple, with amethysts inlaid around the collar. The robes were decorated with charmed constellations, and when he moved the stars came alive and moved in the syntillating, striking patterns of the night sky.
When Dumbledore reached the center of the table, he went to stand in front of the bare seat. "All sit," he said in a booming voice, the Sonorus charm enabling him to be heard throughout the room. People quickly took their seats yet again.
Dumbledore glanced at Harry's three 'unexpected' guests. He gave Harry a knowing look before addressing the Order.
"I call this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix to order. I greatly appreciate that all of you were able to arrive on such short notice. It has been far too long since all of us have been together, and far longer since the entire Order of the Phoenix has been united. For obvious reasons, these past four months have been too hectic to provide chances for all of us to come together. There have been many recent events of which you must be made aware, before you return to your respective regions and spread the news to the rest of the Order members there. First and foremost, I would like to welcome Sirius, who is back among us," Dumbledore said, still under the effects of the Sonorus charm.
Those who had been in the first Order of the Phoenix and knew him clapped, but many others remained silent, still unused to the idea that he was not the mass-murderer they had previously thought him to be.
The leader of the Order continued, "I would also like to take this time to introduce you to several knew members of the Order. It is a pleasure for me to present Kaelin Linwelin and Haldamir Telemnar, representatives of the Elvish Sector of the Order, who are here today. Kaelin Linwelin is of the Blue Water Elves, and Haldamir is of the Green Forest Elves."
Clapping was heard throughout the room as Kaelin and Haldamir stood from their seats at the circular table. Both bowed to the people, and many bowed back, Harry included.
Kaelin wore a pale blue gown that ended at her ankles. Sapphires decorated the wrists of her long sleeves and the hem of her high collar. She wore beautiful, majestic sapphires in her hair, which reflected the light above. Kaelin wore her long, flowing blond hair down, reaching her waist. She had an air of royalty about her, her back straight, her chin slightly raised. Her sharp eyes looked at everyone around the room, lingering slightly longeron Harry.
Haldamir stood tall, though not quite as tall as Ryder. He had sharp features, short brown hair and dark green eyes, very similar to Harry's. Haldamir wore simple brown pants and a light auburn shirt. Much like Ryder, over his simple clothes he wore the cloak of his kind, its different shades of green and brown swirling and coalescing as the elf moved. His broad, muscular shoulders contrasted sharply to Kaelin's light form.
As soon as the two elves had been seated, Dumbledore continued, "It pleases me greatly to introduce to you two new members of the Order. They joined only five months ago, and their help and skills have been invaluable to our cause. Let me present Okapi Karna and Ryu Takahashi."
Respectful clapping was heard once more throughout the room as two men, seated at the opposite end of the table from Harry stood. Okapi Karna was a tall, African man in his late thirties. Remus explained to Harry that his Beastmaster talent was the most powerful of the two. He had come from the Bushmen tribes of the Kalahari Desert, where wizards and muggles co-existed happily. He wore simple wizard robes of a light brown color. He wore an easy-going smile, and his brown eyes sparkled with happiness.
Next to Okapi stood Ryu Takahashi, a Japanese man who Harry estimated to be in his late twenties. He wore a kimono with an elaborate pattern of dragons over a dark blue background and a matching belt over it.
The two sat down after a minute, and Dumbledore's voice rose once again.
"Last, but of course not least, it is my greatest pleasure to introduce General R.J. Patton, a great American military leader whose advanced battle tactics will present a great advantage to the Order of the Phoenix."
General Patton rose, applause filling the room for the third time that day. His eyes had the hard look of a man who had seen many battles, and of wisdom gained through ample experience. He had thinning gray hair, and looked to be entering his seventies. He stood straight and proud, wearing the typical military uniform with badges, medals and various militaristic insignias that Harry could only fathom the meaning of.
"A muggle?" Harry asked Remus quietly, curious. It was Sirius, however, who answered his question first.
"Yes. Wizards and muggles fight their wars in very contrasting styles. Dumbledore wants every advantage he can get, and he hopes that General Patton's knowledge can help put an extra, unexpected edge to our fighting techniques," Sirius explained.
Harry nodded. It appeared that Dumbledore was taking many steps to ensure victory over Voldemort's armies. A whole lot of good that will do him! I'm the one who is going to have to beat Voldemort in the end, no matter what happens.
The General sat back down, and Dumbledore addressed the crowd, "I called you here today to present to you these five new members to the Inner Circle of the Order of the Phoenix who, unfortunately, were unable to be presented to you sooner. As the more astute among you will already have realized, another important order of business today is to allow Mr. Harry Potter to join our ranks in the Inner Circle."
Many people in the room began to shout, most, in between crude language, to say that it was unjust to bend the rules and allow an underage wizard into their ranks. A few others said that he was unworthy, though they were quieted almost immediately. Others said that it was dangerous to allow him to join the Order. The shouts went on for several minutes before Dumbledore quieted them with a wave of his hand.
"The Cella Idoneus will decide whether or not he is prepared to enter our ranks, and I have no doubt that he will succeed."
Harry pictured the void in his mind's eye, and entered all of his emotions and feelings into it until he was ready to face the crowd. He rose from his seat patiently, staring Dumbledore in the eye as though he had all the time in the world. It was Dumbledore who looked away first. Harry chose his words carefully; he was, after all, in front of many important people.
"With respect, I would also like to invite Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Ginevra Weasley to join the Order of the Phoenix. If I am to be given the chance to join the Order, then so shall they. They possess all of the necessary qualities. They have shown great loyalty to our cause and our fight against Voldemort."
There were several gasps of surprise at the mention of the Dark Lord's name, but Harry did not even pause.
"They have shown great courage in the face of danger, not even pausing to consider the danger when someone's life was at risk. They deserve to join the Order of the Phoenix ten times over. They may seem young to you, but they are adults in spirit and experience."
Harry let his eyes swoop across the room, focussing his attention on almost every person before letting his eyes fall on Dumbledore several minutes later. Not a single person in the room spoke up. He sat down gracefully, and the room was filled with even more of an uproar than before, the loudest complaints coming from the Weasley matriarch. People had, after all, heard of the exploits of the famous Harry Potter; heard of his bravery in the face of the darkest wizard on the Earth, and were willing toaccept him.Three of his school companions were an entirely different matter.
His three friends, however, were grinning from ear to ear at his proud proclamation.
The room settled down after a few minutes of fueled anger, waiting to see what their leader had to say about the change of events.
"I repeat my previous words. We must let the Cella Idoneus decide their worth. Every current Order of the Phoenix has gone through the chamber, and it is only right to let them have the same chance. Let the ceremony begin."
Dumbledore turned to the four teenagers, his hand motioning for them to stand. Harry stood, as did the others. Hermione, Ron and Ginny wore an expression similar to his: one of sheer determination.
"I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, as head of the Order of the Phoenix, proclaim that Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginevra Weasley and Harry Potter are each, to myutmost knowledge,worthy to join the Order of the Phoenix. They will enter the Cella Idoneus, just as every member of the Order of the Phoenix has done before them, and will continue to do. If the chamber accepts them, then they shall be considered worthy and shall join our ranks."
Harry noted that no mention was made as to what would happen if the chamber rejected them, whatever the chamber was.
"If anyone in this room has any objection to this procedure, as it is written in the Code of the Phoenix, then speak up now or forever hold your peace," Dumbledore said in a very formal matter, unlike his usual self.
No one spoke up, a fact for which Harry was very grateful. Mrs. Weasley, however, looked very put out, and was being comforted by her husband.
"Excellent," Dumbledore said, before turning once more to the four. "The Cella Idoneus is a chamber created by myself and several other members of the Order of the Phoenix to prevent unworthy members from betraying us. This system allows us to root out members who would be – unfaithful to our fight against Voldemort."
So they had learned their lesson. At least one good thing had come from Pettigrew, Harry thought sarcastically to himself.
"I present to you, the Cella Idoneus," Dumbledore said.
With a majestic wave of his wand, and a string of words in an unknown language, an arch appeared in front of them. The wooden arc stood twice his height, and almost every part of it was carved in Ancient Runes. Through it, Harry could still see the Order members from across the room. Where was the chamber?
"The chamber lies through the arc," Dumbledore stated, as though reading his very thoughts. "One must cross the arch in order to enter the chamber. Everybody experiences something different, and it is up to you whether or not you wish to share your experiences with others." Dumbledore paused for several seconds. "Who would like to enter first?" he asked, as if he were asking about the weather outside.
Harry looked at the others. Ron seemed a bit nervous, as if unsure what the chamber might do to him, but was ready to face what was coming. Ginny had an equal look of determination on her face, and Harry doubted anyone could stop her now that she had her mind set on entering the chamber. A trait handed down from her mother, Harry was sure.
Hermione, however, looked more curious than anything, as if the arch and the hidden chamber was simply another puzzle for her to figure out. Harry doubted that he would ever understand her. Even at that moment she was leaning slightly towards the arch, hoping to go in first.
Harry himself knew that his turn would come eventually, and did not care when it came. Harry motioned for Hermione to go in first, and she happily complied with a smile on her face. Ron looked relieved, but Harry did not see the emotion on Ginny's face change. She really is pretty when she has her battle-face on. Where had that come from? Harry shook his head, focusing his thoughts back on Hermione and the chamber.
Dumbledore had said something, though Harry had apparently missed it. Hermione paused in front of the arch, slightly hesitant about entering. Steeling her resolve, she took a deep breath and walked through.
"How long do you believe it will take you?" Clotho asked her sister.
Lachesis thought a while before answering. "I am not sure. This has never been tried before. The protections we are talking about might take a few straight weeks of work, or even longer."
"Perhaps if we join all of our energies, it will shorten the amount of time. This must be done quickly…" Clotho said, eager to find a solution.
Atropos, always the wisest, spoke next. "True. However, this will require much more magic than we have ever dealt with before. We cannot risk all three of us being incapacitated for even a week's time."
The three sisters thought in silence. Their minds weaved the plan together, thoughts working faster than words ever could, answers coming in a mixture of mental words and pictures. They all came to the same conclusion: a project of this magnitude would require a lot of pure, unguided magic.
Would Merlin's magic be enough alone? Clotho asked.
His powers would help, of course. However, sisters, we need enough power to replace at least one of us, and the magic of living beings is much more flexible. The way I see it, we need Lachesis to guide the magic, because she understands the Pattern of the Tapestry more than the two of us combined. Clotho, you weaved enough of the Threads of Life to last us for a month, and I can weave the new threads well enough not to cause any problems. If any do arise, you can always take over for Lachesis while she fixes the problem. All in agreement? Atropos asked.
Of course, sister. However, we must still deal with who will have enough power to join Merlin, Lachesis reminded her.
We are all aware that there are only three living beings alive with the power we need. With Tom on the Dark Side, however, and Dumbledore too old to handle a spell like this… there is only one who would be able to finish the job properly, Atropos thought.
Their next thoughts were identical.
Harry Potter.
Hermione walked through the arch, and disappeared. Harry tried not to appear shocked on the outside, but inside his mind was racing one hundred words a second. She must be in the chamber! How long is she going to be? What is happening to her in there? I hope she's alright.
The minutes seemed to stretch on for hours, everyone holding their breaths. Suddenly, the arch glowed white, with a slight tinge of blue. A few people in the crowd gasped audibly. People began clapping for her when, after what Harry estimated must have been a little over twenty minutes since she had first entered, Hermione appeared out of the other end.
Her hair was slightly disordered and beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, but other than that she looked unharmed. She had a great smile on her face that Harry recognized from Hogwarts, when she had achieved something difficult and was proud of her accomplishments.
Harry smiled back at her, hoping that she had joined the Order of the Phoenix. They all seemed to hold much faith in what Harry had dubbed the 'chamber method' of deciding who was worthy.
"Congratulations Hermione, and welcome to the Order of the Phoenix. Who shall be next?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling madly.
Ron stepped forward bravely.
"Mr. Weasley, in order to join the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix, you must first enter the Cella Idoneus. Are you prepared to face whatever will happen?" Dumbledore asked Ron.
"Yes," Ron said resolutely.
With a few whispered words of encouragement from Harry, Ron stepped through the arch as well. Harry waited with bated breath, praying that his best mate would make it through.
Twenty minutes later, the arch shone white once more, though there appeared to be a purple tinge to it. Conversations sprung up around the room, as though people seemed surprised about something, as Ron appeared through the other end a few seconds later.
Ron shivered slightly as if remembering having to do something that he had not particularly enjoyed. Ron looked pleased, however, as he joined Hermione on the other side.
Ron, apparently, did not realize anything as his smile grew, and Harry could tell that Ron wanted to jump for joy, and would have had it not been for the room full of Order members. He smiled at Ron, trying to show how happy he was for his friend, though he noticed that Hermione had a puzzled expression on her face, which Harry associated with frequent research trips to the library.
"Congratulations Mr. Ron Weasley, and welcome to the Order of the Phoenix."
Harry looked over at Ginny, wondering which of them would go through the arch next. She seemed to know what he was thinking and volunteered by stepping forward. Dumbledore repeated the words he had said to Ron, allowing her to go through the arch when she answered affirmatively.
By now, Harry knew what to expect when Ginny disappeared and did not instantaneously appear on the other end. He tried not to be nervous about going through the arch. After all, he did deserve to be in the Order of the Phoenix, right? If he was the one who was supposed to defeat Voldemort…
He tried to focus his thoughts away from the prophecy, and back onto the arch. He really hoped that Ginny made it through all right. She deserved it just as much as the others did.
Almost twenty minutes had passed since she had entered the arch when the arch began glowing white, with a soft hint of light indigo and soft pink, indicating that she was worthy, despite her young age, to join the Order. She appeared through the other end moments later, looking a bit disheveled but none-the-less pleased with herself
Dumbledore smiled at Ginny as she joined her best friend and her brother, all three grinning broadly. Ron gave him the thumbs up, but did not appear to believe that there was any chance that Harry would not make it through.
"Congratulations Miss Ginevra Weasley, and welcome to the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling almost ferociously.
Dumbledore turned to Harry and, as impossible as the prospect seemed to Harry, it seemed as if his eyes sparkled even more brightly.
"Mr. Potter, in order to join the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix, you must first enter the Cella Idoneus. Are you prepared to face whatever will happen?" Dumbledore asked him.
"I have never been more ready in my entire life," Harry answered, and walked determinedly through the arch.
Harry entered an open expanse of space, one that Harry was not sure would ever end. Bright, white light filled the area, almost blinding him. Half covering his eyes with his hands, he could vaguely make out three humanoid shapes in the distance. Remembering that he had just entered the Cella Idoneus, he entered a trance quickly and had several spells ready to fire, in case of danger.
The figures approached him seconds later, though they were not at all what Harry had expected. Three women approached him. He knew his cheeks were betraying him as he looked to the one on the left; a stunningly beautiful young woman with blond hair and a flowing blue dress. Next to her stood a woman with brown hair, probably about thirty. At the end stood an elderly woman who had aged quite nicely, wearing her white hair in a bun. All three, however, had unsettling eyes that seemed to know all the secrets of the cosmos.
"Harry Potter, are you ready to do everything in your power to stop Voldemort? Harry, do you promise to stay loyal to the Order of the Phoenix, no matter what happens in your life?" the woman in the middle asked him.
"Yes, of course," Harry barely spluttered out, wondering what on Earth was happening. Couldn't anyone simply answer yes to her questions? His question was answered when a bright purple light emanated from her eyes, seeming to search through his very soul.
"Harry Potter, Defender of the Light, Protector of the Defenseless and Liberator from the Dark, you are worthy."
With a flash, Harry was jolted away from the bright light. He took a few steps forward before the white flashes around his eyes from the sudden change in light disappeared. He realized that he was back in the kitchen of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, with Order members seated in a circular fashion around the room, just as he had expected.
What Harry had not been expecting was the shocked expression that everyone around him bore. Merlin, what did I do this time?
A/N: Hey guys! Sorry that this took such a long time. Everything I have been doing has been catching up on me, but I fought through it all. True, I still have lots of homework and stuff to do (sucks, eh?) but I am trying my best to find time to write this thing! (My parents say I do too much... :D) Exams are starting soon, but I hope to have a chapter out by early July (I have decided not to be as optimistic as before...) or even earlier if possible.
Don't worry guys; I will never give this story up. Please be patient, as I am trying to fit in as much time to write as I can. I truly hope that none of you have lost interest during the wait.
(It doesn't help that I lost the first half of this chapter! 4,000 words down the drain, and who knows where they are... cyberspace perhaps? Anyway, that little mishap delayed me by about a month! Ugh... Not to mention that I deleted the next thousand words I wrote because it was pure garbage…)
I have also gotten complaints that the pace of the story is, well, almost non-existent (so to speak)! I know that, and I hope that, now that everyone on the Council is officially introduced, time will begin to speed up! I have tried to write a general layout for myself as to what will happen in this story from beginning to end. I HAVE been trying my best to sort things out, and I hope that within the next three-four chapters the summer will be over! (emphasis on hope)
Harry and Ginny will come eventually. Please be patient all of you H/G shippers out there! Here are some cookies featuring Harry and Ginny on top (in icing)! The picture moves too…
As always, your reviews are what keep me going! I love you guys! On to the review responses:
Nimbirosa: (cough) Sorry about that! I seem to have a lot of trouble typing your name! Don't worry, I made sure to go back and change it for you! Sorry about the sexy part. I swear I removed it, but something happened. (shrugs) Thanks about the 7.5. I hope my ratings improve over time. Thanks for reviewing!
Lady of the Dragon: You see, Harry had already put the pieces together subconsciously, so he did not take as big of a hit when he found out. Not to mention that he hasn't had time to think about it yet! Initial shock and all! Never fear though, the topic will come back! How do I do it all? I really don't know. But the fact that it has been three months must show you how! I apologize once again for the delay, but those last two months were killer… Thanks for the review!
Aishwarya: By the way, just a small point by Ron hoped, but didn't really believe… lol! Thanks for the review, and I'm glad that you are enjoying it so much!
Nogoalielikeme: Well, I'm not exactly sure which of the many jealousies you are talking about, but Ron is getting better!
Lazteug: Not only will he be facing multiple opponents, but he will have to conserve his energy… I won't say anymore on the matter or I would ruin things, but suffice it to say that it will all work out. And yes, it is Occlumency! Thanks for the review! I know that there was not as much interaction as you had probably hoped for, but the next few chapters will be full of it.
Solomanskis: Well, I don't think that saved him from Voldemort, but rather that simply infused ancient blood magic for his protection in first year (at least, that was how I understood it). If not, then wouldn't other kids have been saved by their loving parents as well? It simply doesn't add up…
Dr.Gero: Long review! Thanks! Thanks for showing me that you care about the quotes! I answered the rest in our e-mails so… Thanks for the review!
Schnuff: If you read it carefully, Harry does not spend the entire night in the Dream World (as you pointed out in your review, that would simply be crazy). I wrote it so that he only goes into the World for one-two hours of sleeping time!
MonkeyLover: Hey! I love monkeys too! Thanks for reviewing every single chapter, I appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed my story! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
mike95763: Thanks for the review! Your encouragement means a lot to me. Thank you for the tip. Though I doubt that I will go back and change it right now, I will remember your comment for further use. Thanks! (I wonder how many Mikes there are in fanfiction?)
TwistedFlames: Yeah? Well now I am in the Advanced Karate, which means over seven hours a week, so there! (cough)
Iz: I believe that you should get some credit for all of those rather lengthy reviews, so I took some of my valuable time to write a review response. Though I am too lazy/tired to actually manually go through all of your reviews and respond right now, I can just say that I appreciate that you took the time to read my story despite the fact that you do not like the Harry/Ginny pairing. Your comments bring a lot of insight, and I hope that my writing can improve over time! Glad that you are still keeping up with reading this. At least someone is badgering me to continue writing (mind you, that makes you a hypocrite… :D). Thanks for the reviews! They really meant a lot. And I truly apologize for not doing this the first time around… I think it is because I just went directly to chapter 14 reviews, but you aren't there yet!