Chapter 16: Blood and Phoenix Fire
After a long trek through various dead ends, fighting his way past bogarts and minotaur alike, Harry finally made his way to the center where the cup was located.
Just as he reached the small clearing and the cup, he saw Cedric come out of the maze on the opposite side.
They were the only ones there, and Harry felt that if they both got the cup, that it would be better. Sure he had found it first, but cedric was supposed to be the only champion for their school.
In the end he managed to convince the older boy, and he would live to regret that decision.
For as soon as they both touched the cup, they felt a pull behind their navels, and they were whisked away to another place.
Landing in a heap they were just setting themselves to rights when Harry felt his scar explode in pain. They were in a cemetary it seemed, and everything was looking more and more foreboding as time passed. He turned to Cedric in time to see the boy being stunned by a spell. Turning to see who had cast it, Harry himself was stunned, and as he watched Peter Pettigrew walk up towards them, a small bundle in his arms, Harry knew just what it was.
The next few minutes were a blur, compounded by his beaming headache.
He was unable to move from the stunner that hit him, and as he stared helplessly, Voldemort and Pettigrew spoke. His forearm was gripped harshly, and a dagger sliced through his flesh, ripping his blood from his body. He wanted to fight it, and as he heard the ingredients of the ritual he wished he would have just offered his arm so it wouldn't work.
Bone of the father unwittingly given, blood of the enemy forcefully taken, flesh of the servant willfully given... all three items were there, and as Peter tossed his newly severed hand and the small ugly form of Voldemort into the cauldron, Harry knew that life would never be the same.
He watched helplessly as out of the cauldron came and even uglier version of the pale serpentine man, if a man he could be called.
In only moments he lost a friend, his first crush, the boy who helped fuel his awakening, and an overall good person. "Kill the spare" those were the only words spoken before the killing curse was shot at Cedric, and Harry could do nothing.
The older boy was struck dead with two simple words, one spell, and no remorse. Voldemort then went on to brag about how he would always come back, and soon Harry was unstunned. Appearing around the newly resurrected Voldemort was a group of people in black with white masks over their faces. They stood around the snakelike man as he taunted Harry, trying to rile him up.
He wanted the boy to join him, but when Harry refused, he decided to make Harry fight him properly, so the boy-who-lived would die knowing the true power of Lord Voldemort, the power he had denied. However the mans plans were ruined, as Harry's and his wands were brothers and could not be used against one another.
Voldemort used Avada Kedavra, Harry used his go to Expelliarmus, the smells met, and in a clash of raw power, the two spells merged, pushing back towards Voldemort and causing the lost souls killed by his hands to come back.
Harry saw the faces of people he'd never known, as well as faces and voiced he had never thought hed see or hear again... he saw his parents, and Cedric. he was almost too stunned to move, but as they spoke to him, he realized that this was his chance. His parents said they loved him, and that they were proud of who he became, and Cedric said it wasn't his fault and asked for his body to be taken back to Hogwarts. They told him that they would buy him enough time, and after that was said he let the spell go.
He wanted to speak with them longer, get to know them, and apologize to Cedric for getting him killed. But in the end he simply grabbed ahold of the still warm body of his first crush, and dove for the cup, amidst several spells being thrown his way.
It wasn't long until the cup brought him and Cedric's body back to the maze, and Harry carried the other boy out before collapsing in tears over his body.
For the third task in a row, silence surrounded Harry, but as he cried he ignored it all. Screams and horror filled whispers broke out amongst the masses and soon Harry was pulled away from the body by Professor Moody, who ushered him back into the castle.
The man went on and on, asking about how Harry must have felt being in the presence of the darkest wizard of their times. How it felt to be near Voldemort as he spoke or to just be there when he used his immense power. Harry was still in the process of his grief, but even he knew that this was not normal.
Moody was advancing on him now, trying to get Harry to 'admit' that he was excited or in awe by the mass murderer. Instead all he got was the Headmaster and Snape barging in, wands drawn on him, and a fading potion in his system.
After a bout of Veritaserum and some questioning they found out that Barry Crouch Jr. Had been portraying the image of Alastor moody throughout the whole year. The real Moody was locked in a sevel layer trunk in the classroom, where he was found alive that same day.
Harry was not allowed a reprieve however, as after this he had to recount the whole ordeal to the Headmaster and his mentor.
The school year ended with Voldemort being back on their plain of existence, Harry finding himself in a bit of a depression, and the ministry denying every word he or the Headmaster said about Voldemort's return.
He also had to contend with the media, up until Hermione found out that Rita skeeter was an unregistered beetle animagus, and they blackmailed her into keeping Harry out of her articles unless she wanted it to get out. And a kiss from Cho. The girl was in tears and she had been speaking to him about how she didn't think it was his fault, and suddenly they were kissing. It was wet and uncomfortable, and he knew she didn't mean to do it, so he just held her afterwards and that was that.
So, after his fourth and most horrific year yet, Harry Potter, Undesirable No. 1, was sent off on the Hogwarts Express to another summer that should have been amazing, but was now only a blip in his mind.
His new family was trying to keep his spirits up, and Hollen was helping him work through the issues he was having mentally, but even with a resident mind healer, Harry withdrew from them all. He took up drawing again, trying to take his mind off of the reality he found himself in. He ignored half of his letters, only opening a few at a time, and he stayed in his room for the most part.
The media was trying to go crazy with his name, and how he and the Headmaster thought Voldemort was back. The Ministry put in a statement that Harry only wanted attention and Dumbledore was crazy enough to indulge it.
The Dunhill's were fighting that statement, and gave an interview challenging how the Ministry came to that conclusion and if they had any evidence to back it up.
Harry could even hear Rowan getting angry on his behalf, saying that if the Minister took the time needed to do things correctly, he wouldn't have so many criminals breaking out of prison, or innocent people being prosecuted for crimes they'd never committed.
She raised the suspicion on the Ministry again, and for that Harry was grateful.
The woman came up to his room later that night to coax him down for dinner, and he decided that he owed her at least that.
He came into their lives and then turned everything upside down in the blink of an eye. He should at least show them he's grateful by acting a bit more put together than he was.
At dinner, he sat between the twins, and tried his hardest to eat something. It was slow going but after a while he managed to eat a bit then excuse himself, thanking everyone for basically still being with him. And that was how his summer continued.
He spoke every once in a while, and made appearances outside, he let his sisters do his hair and spoke to Silas. He drew, each day getting better than the day before, and he tried to forget.
But as it was with most things Harry tried, he could only push it away for so long.
Soon, two days after his birthday, which he spent partially in silence and partially coming back to himself, he woke up in pain.
It wasn't a slow ache or a small jolt of pain, it was constant and it pushed down on his body like a ton of bricks. He screamed for a moment before stifling it, but it was too late. Half of the house had already heard him and as the parents and Hollen came into his room, he knew there was no hiding whatever was wrong with him.
He was scared, downright petrified of what the pain could be from, and as it got worse, he bit his lip and grabbed at his sheets to keep from screaming anymore. The pain was travelling downwards and as it reached his abdomen, he lost the fight with his voice and screamed long and loud. His scream sounded more like a wail, almost as if he were a full siren pulling innocent people towards their deaths. Or like a banshee who was warning the masses of an upcoming death.
The rest of his siblings rushed in, some standing in the hall since the door was being blocked, others rushing to the bathroom to grab wet towels and help clean the sweat from his forehead.
Harry was feeling a distinct ripping sensation just below his genitals, and the pain was unlike anything the Dursleys had ever done to him. It was coming from both inside and out and he could actually track the pain as it literally ripped through the lower half of his body.
Soon Leo came rushing in, as he nor Brianna lived in the family home anymore, and he began running diagnostic spells on Harry. As he waited for the results, he gave him a general pain killing potion and assured his little brother that they would find out what was wrong with him.
Harry had tears in his eyes as his mouth opened in another haunting wail. He could still feel his body changing, and it didn't help that the potion could only numb his pain. He wanted it to stop, and unknowingly he begged for it to stop in parseltongue.
He kept speaking and screaming alternatively for the next twelve minutes as his body went through some type of spell or physical change, he didn't know.
It wasn't until the pain stopped that his body relaxed, falling back onto his sweat and blood soaked bed and his eyes rolled back as he passed out.
No sounds came through to him for the next two hours and when he finally woke up again, he was clean, his bed was clean, and everyone but Leo was gone.
In his hands was a long piece of rolled up parchment, and he was clutching it heavily.
The man didn't even seem to notice that his patient was awake, until Harry tried to speak.
Bringing the smaller boy some water, Leo smiled, then started by asking Harry where his pain originated from and if he had read everything about his inheritances.
Despite the lack of connection between the two questions, Harry answered that the pain first started in his back and chest, and went down until it stopped just between his legs. He didn't have the energy to be embarrassed, and he supposed that was a good thing.
Leo's second question he answered with a no. He had read through the book on sirens his mentor had given him, but he hadn't finished the one on dragons.
The older wizard simply sighed and took Harry's hand in his as he explained what he found.
"Your draconic inheritance came early. This is because you now have siren blood, foriegn blood so to speak, in your veins. Your body is trying to work through two separate creature inheritances as well as your magical one. Some dragon kin experience their inheritance at 16, others are a bit early like yourself, but most dragon kin, will gain extra features."
Harry kind of understood where his brother was going with the information, but his breath was evading him. "Extra features like what??" He begged to know.
"Many will gain either wings, horns, slitted eyes, a forked tongue, or an extra set of reproductive organs." Leo took a deep breath and squeezed his brothers hand. "In your case, you have gained the wings, and a second set of reproductive organs."
Harry blushed and hoped for the best, which was; "So I have two p--"
Leo cleared his throat and shook his head. "No, you have one male system and one female system. In other words, your body has formed a vaginal canal, womb and ovaries."
Nothing could stop Harry from passing out yet again.
HPSSHPSSHPSS
In his own home, Severus felt a sudden jolt of dull pain. His first thought went to the dark mark on his wrist that had darkened after Harry got portkeyed away from the tournament. But this was not that pain. This was Harry's pain, and as he sat up, to get ready to check on his gem, he realized what it might have been.
His little mate was going through his first inheritance. He knew the changes his little mate would take on, and while his brain supplied him with many images, he knew that now was not the time.
The bond he shared with Harry was already starting to become that of a mate bond, and he wanted to be there for the now adult dragon kin, but he knew that his presence would only cause more confusion for his treasure. The bond was too new, and he wanted to court his mate before they gave in to their baser instincts.
But he knew. Oh just from the phantom pains being projected to him by his little mate, he knew what changes were happening.
He went about his day, trying hard to keep his mind from thoughts of what Harry looked like at that moment, as he brewed. His mate would need a potion for his pain, one that not many would have on hand, and Severus was starting late enough as it was.
Four hours passed him by, and as soon as he decanted the potion and had it in a large vial, he called his house elf, Princie, and had her bring the potion to the Dunhill residence. She was to let them know that having a dragon around this soon after his inheritance would cause an early heat that would do more harm than good for the boy.
The only instructions he had was that Harry had to eat after drinking the full contents of the vial, then go to bed. He would sleep until the next morning, but by then his body should have gotten used to the new changes.
At the manor, Harry had just awoken from his second bout of fainting, when he was passed a large vial of a potion and a bowl of oatmeal with honey.
Leo explained that the potion was a heat suppressant and pain killer that he had to drink all of before eating a full meal then getting some rest.
The eldest sibling helped him to sit up, and as he moved Harry felt a disconcerting gushing feeling. His body tested up and he asked to use the bathroom first.
His eldest brother lead him to the bathroom, where Rowan was waiting for him. She helped him into the room and onto the toilet, where he pulled down his sleeping pants and saw a lot of blood and a piece of white fabric or something attached to his briefs.
"What--" he cut himself off, looking into the eyes of his adoptive mother. He looked so young and scared, and the tears in his eyes made the woman pull him into a hug.
"Shh... I know this is new and extremely frightening for you, but you are not alone in this." She assured him, taking his hand in hers as she sat on the edge of the tub near the toilet.
She did not look down, letting Harry have his privacy as she instead explained about periods and pads, pantiliners, and tampons. Harry was actually mortified after the first section of the talk, but when Rowan went on to heats, suppressants, birth control, and pregnancy Harry had to stop her.
It was bad enough that he was bleeding from a place he didn't have yesterday, but now he had to worry about getting pregnant?! He'd just got over the fact that he was gay, but now he had to deal with this on top of it?
Rowan simply calmed him down and explained that even if he hadn't have gained the new parts, that even men could get pregnant with enough raw magic or with the help of potions.
This did calm Harry a bit more, but how was he supposed to deal with these newest changes, if he hadn't fully dealt with the ones before it?
In the end all he could do was listen to Rowan as she explained how to change the pads and when, and that she would make sure he knew exactly what to expect during these times of the month.
Harry left the bathroom feeling like a circus attraction, but he made it back to his room and took the potion that was waiting for him. As he ate his late breakfast, he began to get very tired, and realized that the potion worked a bit faster than he was anticipating. So he ate as much as he could, then settled down to sleep.
HPSSHPSSHPSS
Now, this year that came up, was one full of pushing and pulling. Harry was, for some, the crazy boy who kept getting crazier as the years past, or he was the misunderstood hero that needed their protection.
Those who thought he was an attention seeker only justified their thoughts and actions by pointing out his wings-- which he had yet to learn how to retract. However those on the opposing side seemed to understand that he couldn't control his inheritance.
On top of it all Ginny was starting to get bold in her advances. She sat next to Harry during meals, tried to touch his oversensitive wings and even tried to press herself against him every chance she got. She was subtle about it, but Harry still didn't like girls, and he surely knew that he didn't like her.
Hermione tried to help, but even with her help, the only way he got Ginny to really back off when he turned her down, was by finally saying that he didn't like her because he was gay.
They were in the dining hall, and lunch had just started to end. People were standing up to leave, and others were sitting back down to see how this new episode of drama would play out. Harry had just pulled away from the Weasley girl, and kept a hand out so she wouldn't try to get closer.
Ron was frozen, just finishing up a bit of his food when his best friend dropped that information on his head.
The girl scoffed at that, and pointed out all the girls he had dated, and he retaliated by saying that they all knew.
"How could they all have known?! Half of them are standing here looking just as shocked as everyone else! And if you didn't like me you could have just said so!!"
Harry looked around and laughed, though it bordered on a fit of giggles. "Half of them? I've only ever gone out with Cho, Hermione, and Luna, and that's all because they found out about me and were trying to help me keep it a secret for a little longer. I've never even met half of these girls, lest alone gone on a date with them. I'm sure you're all nice in your own right, but I truly could not date any of you if I tried." He fully stood up and moved away from the now fuming girl.
Here he sighed as rubbed his temples. "Ginny I've been telling you nonstop for the past month that I do not like you. I will never like you. So please leave me alone." With that final statement, Harry Potter, aka the boy-who-constantly-shocked-the-masses, walked out of the dining hall. He called to Silas, who was on his shoulder, and told the now three headed Hydra to stay with Hagrid for the next few days.
He had a feeling that this time he would have some retaliations to withstand and he didn't want his familiars to get any part of it.
And he was unfortunately right, the professors tried to help as much as possible, and his mentor even found ways to give most of them extensive detentions for disturbing his class or just affronting his eyes with their childish pranks, but Harry was still being targeted when no one else was around.
He didn't let it get to him, keeping his head up and doing what he needed to do, even with Umbridge and the whole inquisition, he knew who he was and he knew his own mind better than most tried.
His mentor had taught him how to retract his wings, and channel his own flames, which seemed to be a branch off from his magical core. In doing so he found out that he too could do a half shift, which included the forked tongue, slitted eyes, scales, and sharp nails he'd seen his mentor with.
All things considered, he was actually doing ok.
