A/N: Sorry this is late. Life and the weather got the better of me.
I wasn't certain when the first game of the season is before or after the Christmas Hols, but what's a HP story without a game in it?
Remember, I tend to switch between using Harry verses Firefox as the chapter demands it.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Chapter 24
With the node settling down, Firefox now had time to deal with other issues. Yule was fast approaching. It was the perfect time to deal with the reason why he had sought out the Star-eyed Goddess last spring in the first place.
Still there wasn't much time left, and he really wanted this over with.
The days leading up to the Winter Solstice had Firefox preparing for what he had to do.
During that time, the young mage spent time becoming reacquainted with his former Hogwart friends, or at least he tried to. He just couldn't really relate with them anymore. He was not the same person they once knew.
He wasn't certain he could ever be as carefree as he once had been. Truth be told, too much had happened, and he really didn't want to.
He had missed interacting with Ron and Hermione during his time at the Vale, however now. . . He just couldn't win.
He did enjoy flirting with Luna, much to several people's ire, including Ron's sister. The little Ravenclaw was quirky and fun to tease. He did have to wonder if Luna's quirkiness had to do with her untrained mage sight. Only time would tell.
One evening, Harry sat with Luna in the Great Hall. Again, the topic was on why Harry wasn't attending classes.
With a shrug and to prove a point, he called up a small ball of pure magic from the node. Everyone watching gasped in astonishment.
The ball forming in the cup of his hands was about the size of a grapefruit as he quietly whispered into it. It pulsed before flaring.
Suddenly, in his hands was not a ball of magic but a silvery ethereal butterfly with gossamer wings. Its wings opened and closed for a few moments before taking off in flight.
It hovered for a few moments before landing in Luna's hair, softly fluttering its wings.
The quirky Ravenclaw giggled as she conjured a hand mirror to see her pretty, new hair addition.
Harry stood, gave a slight bow to the silent Great Hall. "And that is the reason why I do not need the classes taught here at Hogwarts."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
As more time passed, Harry found that he missed the Vale, his friends, including his partner in crime, Jendey, from the Ghost Cat Clan. His friend wasn't magical in any sense of the word, but the young clan warrior was always up for a good prank or a bit of mischief. Jendey was also good about beating the snot out of him, when needed.
However, Harry especially missed his fathers. He missed their chats over meals. He missed Silverfox's dry humor as much as he missed Firesong's snarky wit. He missed their sage advice, and he sorely needed some now.
So Firefox started to walk the moonpaths in hopes to find his father Silverfox, who he knew walked them regularly. He hoped that the Star-eyed would allow them to meet. He really did need . . . want. . . to see his father.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Firefox was mediating in front of his fireplace in his tower room. The fire had burned low as he calmed himself and calmly slipped onto the moonpaths.
As he traversed the silvery and glittery path, he stared around, full of homesickness. A familiar cry of a hawk suddenly reverberated across the vast swirling streams that make up the moonpaths. It called to him to hurry.
Harry started running down the paths following that haunting, familiar sound. The gravel crunched under his feet as the hawk circled overhead.
Suddenly, as the mist parted, standing in front of him was a tall well-known figure.
"Father!"
"Firefox?"
The silver-haired teen found himself engulfed in a warm embrace. The comforting scents of incenses, sandalwood, and feathers filled his being. He was in his father's arms. He was home!
How long they stood together in their tight embrace, only the Goddess could tell. But, it really felt good.
Another hawk cry echoed overhead, breaking their stance.
Firefox pulled back to study the lined face of his adopted father. The worry lines seemed a bit deeper then he remembered, but the sparkle was still there. Oh, how he missed those eyes. He opened his mouth to speak only for Silverfox began.
"How you've grown, my son," the aged Kestra'chern commented, tucking in a stray strand of hair away from his son's face. "You seem tired. What's wrong?"
Firefox leaned into the hand for a moment. He really should be protesting the tender touch. He was a man now, after all, but damn it! He missed both of his fathers.
"I am," the teen said with a sigh. "The node under the castle was worse than expected."
He went on to explain what had been going on since he left and how much more he had to do. "I wish Firesong or Starfall were with me. I'm way over my head. I need someone to go over my work to make sure I didn't miss anything."
Silverfox frowned. "What about Salazaar? What does he say?"
"He says I'm doing fine, but he isn't an expert on heart-stones. Remember, he was on the losing side of that war. His family wasn't there when the Star-eyed gave the knowledge of creating heart-stones. The castle's ward-stone is a beautiful piece of earth magic, but it's only a very poor imitation of a heart-stone. It just doesn't have the checks and balances needed to handle the node that was created under the castle."
"I see, my son. I will relay the message to them. However, they both have taught you well, and we both know you will do fine."
Reaching into his tunic, Firefox pulled out a thick envelope.
"Speaking of messages. . . Could you pass these along? I know it isn't much, but I wrote to everyone. Keiryn has been great, even if there are those that treat him like an animal and want to put him in a cage."
Silverfox blinked and paled. "That can't be good." Both knew that gryphons hated being caged.
Firefox chuckled with a shake of his head. "No, it isn't. However, they fail to realize that Keiryn is a mage in his own right. Any of their magic null devices will not work on him, as he can pull on the ley-lines."
The pair talked for a few more minutes when the pull for them to return to their bodies started. Reluctantly, they parted.
"At least now, I know I can find you on the moonpaths," Firefox told his father as he started to return to his body. "That's a huge relief. Wind to thy wings, father. Give my love to Firesong. And tell everyone I miss them."
"Wind to thy wings, my son, and I will."
0o0o0o0o0o0o
Silverfox came out of his meditation with a sigh. Reaching into his tunic, he could feel the envelope against his heart. Normally, you can't take anything onto the moonpaths or away, unless the Star-eyed willed it. They were in the spiritual realms for a reason.
But by the Star-eyed! She knew how homesick and how damaged Firefox had been. She must be very pleased with him so far, to allow this transfer of news to happen.
Sending up a silent prayer of thanks, the kestra-chern went looking for his life-mate to share the news and messages.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The next day, Firefox was leaning against Keiryn as they rested against the stone wall of the Ravenclaw Tower balcony, watching the Quidditch game happening some distance away on the school's pitch.
He felt renewed, now that he had a chance to visit with Silverfox. Most of his homesickness was alleviated.
"What isss the meaning, again, of thissss game?" Keiryn asked, watching the game keenly.
Neither he nor his human friend were hampered from watching so high and so far away from the stadium. As a gryphon, Keiryn's sight was beyond that of humans. Firefox just used his mage sight.
"It's a game of skill and chance," the teen explained. "See that single player that is higher than the rest, and seems disinterested in the game around him? He's the team's seeker. Right now, he is looking for a golden winged ball, no bigger than my fist. If he finds and grabs it, the game is over."
"You mean that golden ball over there?" The gryphon's head moved to point towards that tiny glint of gold hovering above the crowd.
Firefox grinned and nodded. "Just so." Trust the sharp eyes of a gryphon to find the tiny golden ball.
When the snitch was caught a half hour later, Keiryn stood and stretched before launching into the afternoon sky. The game hadn't lasted that long.
Firefox grinned as he knew what his friend was about to do. It sounded like fun, and he did miss flying on his broom.
However, running across the massive trees in the Peligir Forest was almost as close to flying that the teen had gotten, but nothing beat a broom.
He went to grab his firebolt and join his friend in a bit of fun.
0o0o0o0o0o0
The staff and students, as they stood to congratulate the winners or offer condolence to the losing team, heard a piercing cry from above them.
Keiryn swooped in to grab the quaffle that was still in the air, and with an expert snap of wings and talons, barreled through the air. Screams of fright erupted as the gryphon moved away from them.
Spells started to fly after the gryphon, the staff thinking that their students were in danger only to have the creature evade them.
Suddenly, a second figure entered the pitch on a broom.
Then what followed was the strangest game of catch the school had ever seen.
A pair of red-heads soon joined the fun by letting loose the bludgers. Several other players, still tired from the game but still didn't want to give up playing, joined as well.
Many of the students and staff returned to their seats to watch. It wasn't quite quidditch, but it was entertaining, in its own way.
Albus sat in the stands, stroking his beard, frowning. He had been trying to get that blasted creature out of his school. As the gryphon had snatched the quaffle, he thought he now had the means, but watching this strange game of tag, his plans were up in smoke. This move was a very Slytherin move of good will.
Looking down at his blacken hand, Albus Dumbledore sighed, as he knew time was running out.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
That night as Firefox, now energized not only by his visit from his father on the moonpaths but also that afternoon's game of tag, started thinking of how to deal with his other menace. He knew what he had to do, but when and how was the problem.
Firefox had a week and a half before Yule. He needed to solidify his plans. But would Tom take the bait? How would the headmaster interfere with his plans?
It was clear to him that Dumbledore just didn't understand how powerful Firefox truly was and how far out of his control the young wizard was.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Tom Riddle, self-styled Lord Voldemort, the most feared Dark Lord in a century, was worried. The news coming out of Hogwarts was very troubling.
Harry Potter has returned, but he was now more powerful than before, even the ministry was worried about how powerful the boy was.
Then there was a gryphon. A being out of legends has returned. Think of the potion ingredients that could be harvest from that creature, but no one was willing to capture the beast.
Speaking of potions! Severus Snape was now refusing to answer his summons. The last report, the man was trapped at Hogwarts, due to the castle being unstable and was needed to help protect the students.
Hogwart castle wards were fluctuating wildly. Rumor had it that it was all Potter's fault. How could an untrained brat cause such chaos?
Several of his spies had reported a cat claiming to the reincarnation of his ancestor – Salazaar Slytherin. Blasphemy! Even if this was true, why hadn't his ancestor joined him in his quest to cleanse the world of the filth that had infested the Wizarding World? Why would his ancestor remain under the thumbs of that old muggle-loving fool?
By Merlin and Morganna! He needed answers, and he wanted them now!
Suddenly, a scroll appeared by his hand. How could that happen? The wards were set to war status and mail redirect. No owl could've delivered it! HOW!?
Greetings, Tom Riddle, aka self-style Lord Voldemort,
I, Harry James Potter, do hereby challenge you to a wizard's duel on the eve of the Winter Solstice at dusk on the Hogwarts' quidditch pitch.
Come with only one other wizard as your second. NO others.
I await your reply at Hogwarts.
Failure to come, failure to abide by these terms will show everyone that you are a shadow of your former self, a coward, a has been.
By Magical decree, so mote be.
Harry James Potter
Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter
Lord of the Ancient and Noble House Slytherin
Heir to Myddin Abryosis
0o0o0o0o0o0
A/N: I know I am leaving you with another cliffie. Rest assured the next chapter is written. This story is almost done. It has been a very emotional ride for me.