A/N: Yes I am evil, I thought we established that already? Thanks for all the reviews!
Chapter Thirty-Five: The Problems of Uni-Sex Names
The room was silent after Ron's statement. Ginny had stopped crying and looked enraged.
"Neville? It was him all along? Why?" she asked her face flushed with anger, her petite fists clenched at her sides.
Luna looked solemn. "The answers lie in him." Hermione nodded, her face pinched in fury.
"We'll just have to wait until we meet him tonight." she said and Harry started.
"We? I don't rememberer saying that we were all going for a nice little romp in the woods tonight. I'm going alone."
Ron scoffed. "Harry, this is a trap. And besides, when was the last time you did anything alone? Don't answer that." Ron pointed a finger at Harry, who had opened his mouth to say that there were indeed many things he had done on his own. "You're stuck with us. When you go to tonight, we've got your back."
Harry looked at his friends. They had a certain kind of fire in their eyes, even Luna, who normally had a dreamy gaze. They were coming with him and he wouldn't have it any other way. The Elemental Veela looked at his watch.
"We have four hours until midnight. Everyone meet back here at eleven thirty. I want you all to go back to your Common Rooms and wait. It'll look suspicious if Neville, Hermione, Ginny and Ron are gone, as well as myself." He explained as his friends began to protest. "Luna can take my invisibility cloak. I don't need it and you three can Disillusion each other. If you're late I will leave without you."
The four nodded and departed, Luna folding the cloak and hiding it in her robes all not knowing that the very group they were planning on rescuing, had been watching the whole time.
The nine had been amazed with Harry's display of power. What made Longbottom think he stood a chance against that?
Sirius was banging his head against the bars of his cage. He seemed to be torn between relief that Harry was coming to get them and worry that Harry was coming to get them.
"Neville's got to have something up his sleeve if he's so confident about fighting Harry." Draco said to the pale wizard who looked up in surprise. "He's obviously sane enough to act normal in public.
The blond looked to his mate's face on the 'screen'. He was sitting in front of the fire, a determined look on his face. Draco had never felt so wanted, so cared for, so loved, in his whole life.
Remus shook his head. "I'm correct in assuming you've only completed the first bond right?"
Draco nodded, looking at the werewolf in worry. Remus sighed.
"Harry only knows that you're too far away from him right now with this bond. If Neville had to tell him you're dead, say right in the middle of a duel, it would throw his concentration. He'd be vulnerable and easy for anyone to kill. Harry also taught the boy Defense Against the Dark Arts last year. Who knows how long he's been in league with Voldemort. What Neville Longbottom knows is a mystery right now."
Snape kicked his bars in frustration. "That does not comfort the boy, Lupin."
"What's going on?" Narcissa said suddenly and all eyes turned toward the screen.
Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, had suddenly appeared on Harry's knee.
Harry had been staring at the Common Room fire for the last hour, watching the flames dance and change before him, thinking about Draco. The fire reminded him of Draco and moments they shared siting on the now toasted love seat and just getting to know one another, the fire the only source of light. Those times had usually turned into make-out sessions with the blond but Harry hadn't minded.
Now he missed the blond's presence. Harry regretted the words he and Draco had had while they fought earlier that day. He regretted not telling his mate about the prophecy as well. Draco had deserved Harry's honesty, trust and faith and the Elemental Veela's last words to the boy were about how he wasn't ready for this... they could both die tonight and Draco would think that he wasn't Harry's everything.
No! Harry shook his head, trying to clear away the depressing thoughts that were forming. Draco deserved Harry to be at his best when eh got him back and get him back he would. He was going to throw everything he had at Neville, so that his grandmother wouldn't have enough to put in a match box when he was done with him.
Suddenly the air around Harry was shifting. The Elemental Veela narrowed his eyes and saw magic beginning to congeal just above his left knee. Lifting his hands, Harry was prepared for anything that would come his way.
Instead of some freaky enemy that looked like something out of a muggle sci-fi movie, Harry was pleasantly surprised to find Fawkes resting gently on his knee. The bird only came when he needed help. The phoenix looked at him with sad eyes.
"Do you know anything that could help me tonight?" Harry asked as he stroked the bird's red and gold plumage. It was soft and shiny. Fawkes was obviously at his prime right now.
To Harry's shock, the phoenix nodded and took off, flying around the room in a circle. At the hidden door he paused, hovering and looking back at the Elemental Veela. It was obvious he wanted Harry to follow him.
The Elemental Veela sighed and got up, his arse numb from sitting in that one position, and followed the creature curiously.
The Phoenix's tail sparkled in the dark passageway like a beacon for Harry to follow. The phoenix represented more than just hope for the young man but a second chance to right what he'd done wrong.
Outside the portrait Harry misted out of sight. It was easier to avoid the students still out roaming about like this than with his cloak. Fawkes must have done his won magic as no one noticed a fiery bird flying the corridors.
Harry had no idea where he was being lead but he followed faithfully. Fawkes hadn't done him wrong yet, so it was odd when the bird stopped at the gargoyle that lead to Dumbledore's office.
A trill from the magical creature and the stone guardian jumped aside. Harry just stood there in shock
"Dumbledore's not there Fawkes! He can't help me this time!" Harry hissed after looking around to make sure he was alone. The phoenix just trilled at him. If what Harry thought was true, Fawkes wanted him to break into the office of the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
But would he really be breaking in if his pet let him in? Harry wasn't sure, but hat Dumbledore didn't know couldn't hurt Harry, so the Elemental Veela followed his feathery friend up the rotating stairs.
It was a dark but thankfully short trip before Harry and Fawkes stood at the door. Expecting it to be locked and guarded with some sort of spell, Harry was surprised to see that entrance was possible if the person was of good intentions. Misting back not sight, Harry opened the door.
Inside was dark as well, the torches unlit until the Headmaster returned. Harry saw the sparkles of magic were dimmed without Dumbledore's presence. Most of the little silver instruments were back, tinkling and whistling away as puffs of smoke rose form their spindles. The case in which held Dumbledore's pensieve glowed a bluish silver, lighting Harry's way, but the Gryffindor ignored it.
Fawkes flew silently over to a glass case and landed on its surface. He trilled loudly, waking up many of the portraits gasped at Harry, Sirius's cousin muttering loudly about untrustworthy teenagers. Harry glared at them.
"Fawkes let me in alright. Blame him." He whispered as the talking stopped.
"Fawkes, you say?" asked Dippet, the Headmaster of Hogwarts when the Chamber of secrets was first opened. "That is a very rare occurrence."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
A woman spoke up next, her silver curls pressed tightly to her head.
"Fawkes is a phoenix. He symbols rebirth and a new beginning. He is the guardian of the school and thus connected to its will. For him to have come to you, you must have been in need of guidance. For him to bring you here means that the wheels of fate are in motion. He's going to give you a gift."
Harry looked over at his friend who trilled at him and twitched his head in a 'come here' motion.
"See? I told you it wasn't my fault." Harry mumbled as he walked dover and looked in the case. What he saw brought back many memories.
It was Godric Gryffindor's sword, it's rubies and diamonds shining as brightly as Harry remembered form that night down in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry touched the glass. It called to him now, like never before and the words slipped out of his mouth before Harry even registered what he was saying. "Mine."
Fawkes trilled and the sword glowed a brilliant gold. The glass case around it flickered, like a hologram before disappearing completely, making the phoenix take off for his perch. The sword hovered in front of Harry, waiting like his broom did, for its master to claim it.
Slowly, Harry stretched out a hand before quickly withdrawing it when the sword glowed more brightly. A nervous giggle escaped his lips before Harry straightened his back, pulling in all his Gryffindor courage, and grasped the handle.
Just like his Second Year it fit perfectly, like it was merely an extension of his arm. The sword flashed brightly once before it returned to normal. Taking a step back, Harry gave the weapon an experiential swing and was shocked to hear the sword whistle through the air. Narrowing his eyebrows in concentration, Harry gave it another swing and was surprised to see somewhat of a pattern in his movement. It seemed an Elemental Veela had another weapon than just it's body and it's magic.
"In time of need, the Sword of Gryffindor appears, given to the heir it hold the power to stop fate and change destinies." said another former headmaster and Harry looked up.
"What does that mean? I'm getting nervous at the words, fate and destiny."
"It means," came a feminine voice that sounded like tinkling bells. "That whatever you are doing tonight will affect your destiny."
Harry turned around in a circle, looking for the intruder. All he found was Fawkes sitting on the desk right behind him.
"Where are you?" The confused elemental Veela asked and the voice laughed. That's when he realized it was in his head and not outside of it that Harry began to worry.
"At ease, Little One. I have been waiting along time to talk to you. I felt your un-matured magic when you first entered my school and have been waiting for five years for this moment."
Harry blinked. "Fawkes? Is that you inside my head?"
The bird nodded. "I see you have caught on. You are quicker than Severus seems to think you are."
Harry's eyebrows had risen to dramatic heights. Fawkes was a girl?
"I see the question of my sex was a surprise to you. Many assume that Fawkes means male and treat me so. Albus also has yet to discover the truth."
Harry snickered. Dumbledore thought his phoenix was a boy. Wait until he found that one out!
"Why do you not just tell him?"
A sigh drifted across his mind and Harry smiled at the feeling. It just felt as though the phoenix was whispering in his ear, not like the painful possession that Voldemort had taken of his mind.
"Alas, I am not gifted with the ability to speak to humans. Being immortal has its price as i can only speak to other magical beings. That is the reason for my excitement about your arrival. You're mother would drag your father and godfather up here to Dumbledore just to visit me sometimes. She was a very sweet girl, but feisty as well. That's what kept James potter coming back for more."
Harry grinned. He was getting more like his mother every day now. It was nice.
Suddenly Fawkes' voice took on a serious note.
"Listen now Harry. The pieces are set and the wheels of fate are turning. You have the Seer, listen to her. She is connected to people, places and knowledge even I cannot understand. Use Hermione Granger's knowledge. You may be the leader but she is the brain s of your operation. Plan with Ronald. His ability at chess will be useful beyond comprehension."
Harry nodded but frowned. "What about Ginny. Can't say Blaise and her are a surprise. Something about those two just stuck out about each other."
Fawkes nodded. "All you need to do with Ginny is believe. She has also been soul mated, long ago in the time of some of your most famous ancestors."
Harry nodded before looking at his watch. Two hours. Merlin he was slowly going crazy. He needed Draco beside him now. Harry sat in the comfy armchair before Dumbledore's desk. Fawkes came and rested on his knee.
"Do not despair. Your love gives you great power, something the Dark Lord knows nothing of."
Harry huffed, skeptical. "You're trying to tell me Voldemort doesn't know great power?"
"He knows evil, yes but great power sets you free. It does not confine your ability, your worth or your mind. The dark arts have chained Tom to a world of hatred, torture and murder. You are free to walk away, forget the prophecy and live your life. It's his evil that will not let him continue. His black heart that grounds his soul and makes him weak. Your love gives you wings to fly."
Harry smiled. "And I've always been a natural at flying."
If a phoenix could smile, Fawkes just beamed. "That is the spirit."
The group knew the spell was starting to fade. Harry's image had begun to flicker every now and then. Remus sat in shock, too stunned to believe what he had just seen.
"Once we get out of here, we have got to teach your godson how to follow the rules and not break the law!"
Sirius shrugged. "He's finally doing what the Marauders have wanted to do since First Year. I actually thought you'd be more curious about the fact that it seems like Harry is chatting it up with Dumbledore's phoenix."
"No, even I can do that, to some extent. I only hear whispers though. It's probably because while Harry is a complete magical being, I was Turned, not born like I am."
Sirius made a non committal noise as his gaze turned to Draco. The blond's eyes hadn't left the screen since Harry had sat down in their destroyed Common Room. Harry's face turned sad. He had sat, with Fawkes on his knee, grasping the sword in his hands like it was his saving grace.
"How can you say he doesn't care?" Sirius asked the Slytherin. "He's devastated without you. Harry's planning on walking into the Forbidden Forest to fight a Death Eater and somehow rescue us all from certain death. Talk about your romantic displays of affection."
Draco bit his lip before slamming his fist down into the bottom of his cage.
"It's just so hard! Changing like this! It's ironic I'd be the first one to tell you that life ain't always sunshine and daises and that shit happens. That those who believed in good and evil or heaven and hell or even right and wrong were just fooling themselves. Life was just a game of pleasing he right people at the right time and keeping yourself alive. Now...I'm not sure anymore."
"You're still unsure of your feelings? After four months?" Pansy asked a bit surprised. She had never seen her friend unsure about anything. He never took the risk if the consequences were too high and the reward not worth it.
Draco glared at her. "It's not easy to go from hating each other to having a relationship in one week, let alone being practically married at sixteen and in six months."
"Draco,I know growing up in a household where you were taught that emotions were signs of weakness was not the best place for a child but you understand that it is quite the opposite?" Narcissa asked, her voice hesitant. While his parents were relatively normal in the safely of their own home, Draco could count the number of time he'd heard the words 'I Love You' on one hand.
"What your mother is trying to say is that, you should not be...concerned, with experiencing or sharing your emotions with those you...care about. Malfoys face things head no, even ourselves." Lucius tried to clarify. He received amused looked form Snape and his wife as well as confused glances form Sirius and Remus.
Narcissa sighed. Lucius just had to go and complicate things.
"What Lucius is trying to say is that, we love you. You need not be afraid that if you show us your feelings that we will think you weak, quite the opposite. To reach your full potential you must embrace everything about yourself. Even your emotions. You cannot let a fear of love keep you from happiness." She suddenly smiled slyly. "Besides, Malfoys don't fear anything."
Draco looked down in thought for a moment before looking back up at the flickering form of Harry. He gazed for a long time before a small smile graced his face.
Harry stayed with Fawkes until it was time to meet his friends. She kept him sane for those two hours in which he would have sat and stared at a fire, thinking about how he had failed his mate. The rage at Neville was still present, that wouldn't leave him even after he was gone, but there was also a calm confidence that Harry had never really had going into a fight.
They were all on time. No one said a word, not even about the sword although Hermione did eye it with interest. Misting out of sight the five friends walked silently through the corridors of their childhood home, hoping it wouldn't be the last time they ever saw it again.
A/N: Next Chapter is a fight scene between Nev and Harry. I'm not sure how much fighting there will be. This is my first fic and I'm not a fight scene kinds gal. But I'll try.
Thanks for the reviews!
Oh yeah! I made Fawkes a girl because, well, I've yet to read a fic in which she is female and it's not fair that the fic is already about two hot guys!
S.Tangerine