Flame of the Phoenix
Child of the new Dawn
Disclaimer: don't own don't sue
A/N sorry for the late update, I was in NJ with my aunt and her family, but I'm back in time for my birthday! The 26th. Anyway hope you enjoy.
POLL: Who should be Head Boy? Captain of the Gryffindor Team? Who should be Head Girl?
Bad Omens
Most of the campfire stories muggles tell always start with a stormy night and a rickety old house no one uses anymore, Harry's haunted house however, had a bright red door with polished marble and wooden floors. To Harry, the gloom of Grimald place, had simply been given a fresh coat of paint and been polished. Number 11 Godric's Hollow had become Harry's version of a haunted house.
The wards around the house changed with the 'waves' of magic that existed in this ghost town. Moony had tried to explain it to Harry, while resting from his now numerous trips to 'other places' whose names he would never tell. His explanation was when Voldemort had attacked Harry's parents and the killing curse had backfired, the curse did not fulfill its purpose of killing anyone so its magic simply wonders aimlessly, waiting to be directed. Dumbledore took advantage of this and directed a large proportion of the magic into the wards. Due to the waves, the wards would often cover the entire town or large parts of it.
During those times, the trio was allowed to go out and fly, provided they didn't leave the town and were under some supervision. Harry shivered unpleasantly as the now familiar feeling of the hairs of the back of his neck rising and an uncomfortable tingling spread through his body. He couldn't help but think it wouldn't be as bad staying in this dead town if Remus was with him, but he was always out gathering information, meeting someone, or doing some kind of order mission and was rarely around for more than a few hours. After another unpleasant tingle washed over him, Harry dived quickly and landed in front of headquarters.
So far the only information they had on the Nightghasts was the description Ashon had provided. The order managed to unearth more books dealing with the Nightghasts, but they were all written in the same dull tone, Professor Binns, the History of Magic teacher and only ghost teacher, droned on about Giant Wars.
The one good night sleep, Harry had gotten the day he had visited his parent's graves, was short-lived and was soon replaced by disturbing dreams with shadows and a dull roar of voices, that always ended with the veil in the Department of Mysteries.
Ron and Hermione had noticed his darkened mood almost immediately and confessed more or less the same feelings about the town. "There's just something wrong, like a sense of foreboding the minute you enter," Hermione described the town thoughtfully. Harry had often looked up at the hill were his parents were buried, but had not gone up to see them again.
By the week's end, Harry was far from sad that he was leaving this place to return to Tiernan's castle. Unfortunately, Remus could not join them, having other 'things' that needed to be done. He stopped in long enough to give Harry a quick one-armed hug and shake hands with Tiernan before he was off again. Lady Kali was also not accompanying them, busy with her own research. With a sad goodbye to Ron and Hermione and promises to write more often, Harry grabbed hold of the book portkey and was pulled forward.
The twins were asleep when they arrived, so Harry went up to his room and dumped his things on the floor, before flopping down on the bed. He skimmed through the pile of Daily Prophets that had been delivered while he was gone. One title caught his attention, 'Fudge Calls For Re-election' with a big picture of ex-minister Fudge puffing out his chest and speaking to several reporters. Harry skimmed the paragraph and sighed, Fudge was going to try to get re-elected and would make a speech on it in November to request a new election after the New Year.
He skimmed the rest of the newspapers and then tossed them next to his trunk. Harry yawned and pulled on his pajamas, before getting into bed. He buried his face into the pillows and hoped the distance of Godric's Hollow would prevent the disturbing dreams.
Harry's morning began early with the twin's usual wake up call, namely jumping up and down on the bed with him still in it. To ward off questions about Godric's Hollow, Harry sent them off to breakfast with a Lemon Drop each.
As soon as the Twins shut the door, Harry flopped back onto the bed and closed his eyes. While he hadn't had any dreams, he felt like he had simply blinked and morning had come. He ran a hand over his face and groaned when he felt little bristles on his chin. He had been shaving for most of the summer, if you could call cutting your face up shaving, but now at least he could use a spell Remus had told him about after his first few attempts.
Knowing the twins would come back up soon, Harry pulled on some clean clothes and got ready for breakfast.
Meanwhile, a few miles away, where the Tiernan had allowed the forest to thicken, Ashon sprinted toward a clearing. Of all the things that could have gone wrong, Ashon had not expected this. They had almost been certain the Nightghasts would attack Hogwarts or the Ministry, but not this.....
Willing himself not to look back to the sight that had made his blood freeze moments earlier, Ashon reached the clearing. A theastral, one of Dumbledore's or Hagrid's really, was tethered to a tree with a long length of rope. It turned its large eyes toward him, no doubt smelling the blood from the small cuts of the underbrush Ashon had to run though. Cursing softly as he fumbled with the rope, Ashon swung himself onto the giant horse and took off into the air. Clutching the beast tighter with his knees, he risked a look back.
The Nightghasts were about to attack Tiernan's castle and there was nothing they could do about it.
It was screams of fear that greeted Harry as he reached the final stair. He hurried forward to a group of werewolves who were all talking worriedly.
"What's going on?" Harry asked stepping toward them.
"Potter," one man, whose name Harry didn't know said, "gather the children and take them down to the vampires' rooms, keep them all together."
"Why, what's going on?" Harry asked looking at all the fear filled faces of the adults.
"Nightghasts," was all the answer he got, before they turned back to their whispered conversation.
"Harry!" A bedraggled Ashon gasped, "Get those who can't fight and get to safety now!"
One look at Ashon's state was enough to get Harry moving. He hurried to the Twins' room and found them huddled in a corner, nearly hidden by a large blanket. It took some coxing, but before long Harry managed to discover Larentia had gone to get the other children.
The door opened and Larentia came in with about seven other children, none older than nine. With Harry's help, though he protested at the idea of staying with the children and hiding while others fought, they got the young ones to the vampires' room.
Larentia was hesitant to look around for any remaining vampires, most had disappeared with Kali for some reason Harry had not figured out, so it was left to Harry to roam about looking for any covered sarcophagi.
Finding none, Harry returned to Larentia and the others in the castle that could not fight. After about the second explosion that shook the castle walls, Harry almost couldn't take it. Knowing that leaving now would only expose the others was the only thing keeping him below, but Harry still paced wishing he could be more useful and annoyed that he was still considered a 'child'. The pain came suddenly; as if a force was trying to cleave his head in two and along with it a sense of great amusement. Harry fell to the floor and remained still for a few moments, before the pain abated slightly and Harry threw up his mental shields.
Harry sighed and lifted his head to look into the concerned golden eyes of Keane, "You okay?" he asked softly.
Harry nodded grimly and stood up, brushing himself off as he looked upward toward the ceiling. It was quiet now. Harry sighed and the sense of uselessness returned along with frustration. He flopped back onto the floor and leaned against the wall with one knee up against his chest.
After a few moments of silence, Harry could feel the rising tension and fear coming from the others and knew what was going through their minds, 'Is it over?' 'Why is no one coming for us?' 'Is anyone alive?' 'Should we go and see?' 'What if they are in pain and need help?'
Larentia was the first to rise, and approach the door. All eyes turned toward her as she simply stared at it, as if looking for an answer. "Harry," she said finally, breaking the silence and turned to look at him, her face grim and set, "Look after the twins, I know you can fight, but I must go first. Should anything happen....." She trailed off and looked at Harry expectantly.
His mouth too dry to speak, Harry nodded and glanced in the corner where the twins' eyes were glued onto their mother wide with fear.
Larentia took a breath and climbed the stairs, there was a pillar of light as she opened the door and left it open slightly.
In the minutes that passed, it seemed no one dared to breathe, until the door was flung open and the deatheaters entered.
Harry was on his feet in an instant, flinging curse after curse at them while they were confined in the stairway. He forced himself to ignore the cuts that started to appear on his body, not even flinching when one was made just under his right eye. A sudden burst of light flung Harry off his feet, slamming him into the stone wall. Eyes watering, Harry looked up to see a great dark figure in front of him.
A faceless gargoyle-like creature with a whip-like tail ending in a sharp triangle and bat wings was outlined in the light from upstairs. Its long bloodied claws flexed slightly as if wanting to attack while it studied him.
The twins' screams pulled Harry out of his daze and as the world came back into focus a wave of pain washed over him. A deatheater was grabbing the twins by their hair and pulling them to their feet. With a quick wandless spell, the deatheater fell, stiff as a board to the ground, releasing them. Harry never saw the tail of the Nightghast coil back and smash across his face, nor did he see the twins attempt to get to him cut short by the tail of another Nightghast.
He did not see the destruction of Tiernan's castle as he was carried out by a deatheater. Harry only knew and felt darkness.
Remus' hands shook as he dropped the piece of parchment and watched as it lazily floated to the ground, innocent looking despite the information it held. He buried his face into his shaking hands and then passed them through his graying hair.
Amber eyes looked around as if searching for some ounce of comfort. The apartment he was staying in was fairly small, but comfortable. He was currently sitting in a soft plush chair that sat in front of a fireplace. The apartment had four rooms, a bathroom, a bedroom, a kitchen, and of course the sitting room Remus was in now.
The furniture was sparse but what pieces he did have were comfortable, which was nice to return to after being on his feet all day. Forcing his eyes to stay away from the parchment that still lay innocent on the worn blue rug, Remus stared into the flickering flames, trying not to let the icy grip of fear strangle him.
Breathe.
Tiernan's castle had been attacked.
Another deep breath.
Ashon had tried to warn them, but was now lying unconscious in St. Mungos along with half the other werewolves that had fought. All but those who were killed......
Just breathe...
Ashon had been found with his sword and wand still clenched in his hands. Remus knew his sire would not die without a fight.
Keep breathing.
Harry.....
Remus choked and buried his face into his hands again gripping his hair hard.
Harry had not been found, when the aurors had finally arrived.
Harry had wanted to be an auror, Remus shook his head hard, Harry would be one.
When they had arrived they searched the castle though. There were signs of struggle in the rooms below the main castle, where the vampires stayed. Harry's magic signature had been all over the staircase.
At this Remus allowed a small smile, that was his Harry. The smile shattered, Harry wasn't the only unaccounted. Most of the children, including those little ones who hung on Harry, were missing. Along with Tiernan and a few others.
Remus rubbed his eyes and pushed his feelings back painfully to think logically. Cause and effect, reasons, plans, there must be something behind this.
Tiernan was taken for his information of the order, werewolf resources, vampire contacts, and even order business. They had also taken his brother and his niece and nephew. Bile rose in Remus' throat, if they couldn't torture it out of Tiernan, they would use his loved ones against him.
And Harry.....
Remus didn't need many reasons for Harry to be captured. He too knew order secrets (their new location for one), Voldemort knew of his lineage, and of course the fact that Harry constant escapes of Voldemort's plans gave the wizarding world hope.
Remus looked back down at the letter. Death and pain.... in that one little piece of parchment, so much death and pain.
Haunted blue eyes, a hoarse voice, a skeleton-like figure, were the reminders of Sirius' years of Azkaban, and that was with the light under control.
Remus closed his eyes and felt fury rise in him. Sirius had been innocent. He clenched his fist tightly, Harry is innocent and locked in Azkaban that is in the control of Voldemort. He rose sharply and reached for the pot of floo powder on the mantle.
He would die before he allowed Harry to suffer the same fate.
'Hold on Harry, help is coming......'
To be continued......
A/N hehehehehe! Gotta love that cliffy!! Happy Birthday to me! So lots of reviews and answers to the poll just might sped out the next one!! Hint hint! Review please! Dawn
Thanks to all who reviewed! They mean a lot to me!!!
