This is another long chapter, sorry about that.
"Come out wherever you are, Bird Brain." Dudley's voice called. Phoenix and Harry hid in a utilities closet, Phoenix didn't let Harry see her grab the doorknob and whisper to it before she shoved him in. They kept the door ajar just in case any adult came by. "When I find you two," Dudley punched something that made a resounding smack in the empty hallway, "I'm making lunch meat out of you two." As Dudley got closer, Phoenix and Harry held their breaths. Maybe he wouldn't notice the slightly opened closet door and just walk by them. As luck would have it, Dudley waddled past muttering swears too advanced for a ten-year-old.
"You didn't have to do that." Harry whispered, slumping back against an empty spot in the wall.
"I couldn't let him bully you like that," Phoenix whispered back, she stepped closer to Harry and brushed some vegetables out of his hair, "it's not right, Harry. You should tell someone."
"No one listens." Harry argued.
"I listen." Phoenix frowned. School had been a nightmare for Phoenix, the very first day she walked in and cheerfully said hello to Harry. Since then, people had been avoiding her like she was a plague. Harry's cousin, Dudley, had made sure the entire school did not show an ounce of kindness to Harry or anyone who associated with him. So, when Phoenix had casually tried to make friends she was quickly shot down.
"You can either hang with us, or him," A girl had said in a rather snotty voice, "you can't have both."
"Why not?" She'd asked.
"Because," another answered, "that's the way it is."
So, Phoenix slumped off to her seat in defeat. She wasn't going to ignore Harry. He was the first friend she'd made in her new home. He quickly became her best friend. Her only friend. Phoenix looked at Harry, over the two months she had lived on Privet Drive Phoenix learned that the Dursley's-Harry's Aunt, Uncle and cousin-were horrible, nosey, rude people.
"But I should be brave." Harry argued, bringing Phoenix back to their present situation. "I should stand up to him. Like you do."
"Me?" Phoenix asked. She didn't feel as though she was doing anything noble. She just didn't think Dudley had a right to push Harry around.
"You're like a brave warrior from those stories we read in class." Harry explained, "And I should be brave, like a knight! That way I can protect you." Phoenix blushed bright red.
Phoenix shook her head, "You don't have to protect me." She told him. "Come on," Phoenix opened the closet door with caution, "we should get going before anyone comes in." She took Harry's hand and ran out into the hall.
This scenario was almost predictable by the time Christmas break rolled around. Dudley began picking more and more on Phoenix the more she defended Harry. It got to the point where one day Dudley had brought in a snowball and shoved it down the back of Phoenix's sweater. She screamed out in shock and turned to face a laughing Dudley with tears in her eyes.
"You're going to be sorry you did that!" Phoenix threatened. Outside, snow that had been gently falling began to whip around.
"Sorry?" Dudley shoved Phoenix back, she knocked into a desk, the corner jabbing into her spine. "The only sorry thing here is your sorry face." Before Dudley could reel his fist back the windows shot open, snow whirling around in an angry windstorm around the room. Children began screaming and Phoenix could feel the sting of the wind on her wet face.
"What is going on in here!" The teacher finally came in, he looked upon his students in shock. They were all screaming with fear at the shuttering and slamming windows, all shivering and holding themselves in a pathetic attempt to keep themselves warm. He trudged his way through the snow that was already beginning to pile up. With some brute force he was able to close the windows. "What," he panted, looking back at his students, "happened?"
"I-it was Phoen-n-nix. Sh-she's a f-f-freak!" Dudley shivered, pointing a quivering finger at her.
"Me?" Phoenix whirled around to glare at Dudley, "How could I open the windows from here? Why would I open the windows?" she started yelling, "You're the one who brought a snowball into school! You probably loosened the windows before class so they would open!"
"Now, Phoenix," the teacher walked over, "remember what we said about using the "I" method?"
"But it wasn't her!" Harry said, shivering at his desk. He's defense went ignored by the class.
"Harry, sit down, this doesn't concern you." The teacher said. "Now, Phoenix. Remember the "I" method." He instructed.
Phoenix's cheeks grew pink as her classmates laughed at her, "I think," Phoenix began, and Dudley looked proud of himself for getting Phoenix scolded, "you're a fat mommy's baby who is also dumb and useless!" she pounced on Dudley, easily knocking him down by catching him off guard. "You pick on everyone and get away with it," she grabbed his shirt and shook him, not caring that his head whacked against desk legs and the floor, "You're a cruel devil monster!" she screamed. Suddenly someone much bigger was scooping her up, she began kicking and screaming, hot tears running down her cheeks.
"Miss Macdonald!" The teacher pulled her out of the room. She struggled against him, kicking, screaming, and crying the whole way down to the Dean's office. Once there she was plopped down roughly in a chair and told to wait.
Her teacher went into a different office and Phoenix sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her sweater sleeve. A few moments later her teacher reemerged and pulled her to her feet. "Go on," he pushed her gently inside and closed the door behind her. The office was small and dark. There was just a desk, two chairs, and a small bookshelf occupying the space. A brass nameplate reading "Dean Collins" sat on the large oak desk. A woman sat with her hands clasped on the desk, she looked dark and imposing in her large, black, leather chair. There was a single window behind the Dean, and the wooden blinds were twisted closed, hiding the growing snowstorm behind them.
"Miss Macdonald," The Dean nodded to a chair, she seemed composed, but disappointed. Phoenix sat down, slumping and crossing her arms. "Mr. Radford tells me you knocked another student down, called them names, and beat them up."
"He shoved a snowball down my sweater, pushed me around, and accused me of opening the windows!" Phoenix argued.
"There is no excuse for attacking another student," She said sternly, "you should have gone to an adult-"
Phoenix groaned, slumping further down in her chair, "I have," she drawled, "no one does anything," she sat up on the edge of her chair, "I've been trying to tell Mr. Radford that Dudley bullies Harry all year!" She threw her arms out as if showing how long she'd been trying. "He doesn't do anything about it! Everyone always sides with Dudley!"
"No, everyone does not always side with Dudley." The Dean scolded. "Miss Macdonald, you have a history of being a good student. I would hate to see you throw that away all because another student calls you names." She picked up her office phone.
"It's not just names!" Phoenix argued, "He pushes me, he throws food at me, he steals from my desk and backpack."
The Dean was no longer listening and instead addressed who she had called, "Yes Ms. Macdonald? This is Dean Collins. Hello, how are you?" Phoenix's blood ran cold, if she'd been shivering before, she was worse now. She began shaking her head at the Dean, "Well unfortunately, Phoenix is in my office for attacking another student. I understand this is interrupting your class time, but could you," The Dean paused, "Thank you very much, Mary. Okay, bye-bye." It seemed like seconds after the Dean hung up the phone that Mary was in the office, looking like a wild animal gone rabid.
"Phoenix Lucille Macdonald," Phoenix shrunk back in her seat as her mother stood over, "attacking another student?!"
"Thank you for coming, Mary." Dean Collins said with a sickly-sweet smile. Mary paused her scolding, one finger up ready to disapprovingly wave at her.
"Heather, I am so sorry," Mary placed her hands on her heart, looking at the Dean with sorrow, "I swear to you, this is not a normal thing." Dean Collins raised a hand to silence her.
"Phoenix's records are clean of any aggressions." Dean Collins stroked her hands across the width of her desk, like laying out facts, "she'll be let off with a warning, and she will have to stay home from school for the rest of the week. From there," she sat back, crossing her legs and wrapping her clasped hands around her knee, "Dudley's parents will decide if they will press charges. If they don't then her record will stay clean." She smiled, "if not," she dropped her smile, "it will have to be marked down."
"I understand," Phoenix looked at her mother in confusion, she was unusually calm for the situation. Then, Phoenix saw her mother turn her arm behind her back and press two fingers to her palm. Dean Collins eyes glazed over, "Phoenix came to you for a bully problem, Dudley is a notorious liar and you've promised to look into his bullying." Mary said evenly. Phoenix watched as Dean Collins blinked the haze out of her eyes.
"I'd like to apologize again, Mary," Dean Collins said, "we've had problems with Dudley in the past, and I promise we will be looking into this situation." Dean Collins smiled sweetly at Phoenix, "I'm sorry it's come to this, sweetie. You can head back to class whenever you feel ready."
"Thank you again, Heather." Mary snatched Phoenix's hand in a death grip and smiled tensely as they walked out.
"What did you do?" Mary hissed quietly once the door clicked shut. She looked murderous and Phoenix had never been so scared of her mother in her life.
"I-I," Phoenix tried to defend herself, but Mary quickly let her go and stepped back, placing her fingertips on her temples.
"Never mind." Mary shook her head, "you can tell me when we get home tonight, but don't think for one second you aren't out of trouble." She turned and began walking towards Phoenix's classroom, "now I have to alter everyone else's memories, and if the Ministry gets wind of this," she was mumbling under her breath.
"Ministry?" Phoenix asked. Was there a magical ministry? People who made magic laws and did magic jobs? Phoenix looked up at her mother excitedly.
"I am not getting into this with you right now." Mary snapped sharply. Phoenix flinched, her mother had never been so angry before. Outside Phoenix's classroom, Mary once again touched her wand, always hidden in her sleeve. "Everyone saw Dudley attack Phoenix. Mr. Redford escorted Phoenix to Dean Collins so she could report the bullying." They waited a few seconds and Phoenix wondered if it worked.
Before she could contemplate on it for too long, Mary knocked on the door. Mr. Redford answered, "Oh! Mary, what a pleasant surprise." He looked down at Phoenix and a haze left his eyes, "Miss Macdonald, how are you feeling?"
"Better." Phoenix squeaked after Mary gently pushed Phoenix before her and tightly gripped her shoulders.
"Good, I'm sorry about what happened," Mr. Redford smiled sympathetically, "are you ready to come back in?" Phoenix nodded, but before she could step forward, Mary gripped her shoulders once again.
"Okay Phoenix," Mary said, "don't forget what I told you." Phoenix swallowed hard and nodded. Back in the classroom, everyone gave her sympathetic looks, excluding Dudley who looked like a mix between petrified and furious. There was still snow dusting the classroom, but most of it had melted leaving dirty puddles around the room. Mr. Redford wiggled his finger at Dudley, summoning him up. Phoenix watched with awe as Dudley stood up and dragged his feet over to Mr. Radford.
"Deans office. Now." He told Dudley in a flat voice.
Phoenix could not believe Dudley was finally getting retribution for all these months of tormenting Phoenix and Harry. "Speaking of," Phoenix glanced back at Harry who was trying hard not to laugh or look too excited at Dudley stubbornly walking out towards the Deans office. She smiled at Harry, he smiled back. Any water or snow that remained in the room evaporated, and the angry storm outside had gone back to a gently dusting.
That afternoon Phoenix shuffled in place outside the school, waiting for her mother to pick her up. Harry stood next to her, shivering from a lack of a coat. Phoenix frowned, his aunt and uncle were worse than she'd originally thought. Harry would likely freeze to death if they didn't get him a coat. Mary pulled up and looked pointedly at Phoenix.
"Oh no," Phoenix mumbled, she'd forgotten that she wasn't out of the doghouse just yet.
"Harry?" Mary rolled the front window down, "Is someone coming to pick you up?"
Harry shivered and looked back at the school, "I don't think so." He admitted.
"Come on," Mary nodded to the car, "hop in you two." Phoenix awkwardly climbed in the car and across to the far side so Harry could climb in after her. "I don't know what your aunt and uncle are thinking." Mary said, waiting until they were both buckled before she took off, "letting you come to school with no coat."
"I'm fine." Harry lied through his clattering.
"It's not fine." Mary said, not taking her eyes off the road. "Phoenix," Phoenix looked up at her mother, would she really scold her in front of Harry? "We're having a visitor later, so I want you on your best behavior, okay?"
Phoenix looked at her mother with confusion. Her mother never had guests over, why now? Did it have to do with what she'd down to alter people's memories? Did it have to do with Phoenix? Maybe she did open the window with her magic? Was she not allowed to use magic? Would the magical ministry come to lock her up? A thousand horrible thoughts knotted her stomach and she could not wait until they dropped Harry off to ask her questions.
"Could I actually stay over today?" Harry asked.
"I'm sorry, sweetie," Mary frowned, "today isn't really a good day." Harry looked at his lap with disappointment. They pulled onto Privet Drive in silence, the street was dead-as usual-but felt even more intimidating with the snow covering almost every surface. "Are your aunt and uncle home?" she asked, looking at the Dursley's house.
"I think they're at school with Dudley." Harry admitted.
"Very well, do you think they would mind if you stayed with Miss Figg?" Mary asked.
"Why can't he come over?" Phoenix asked, if Harry could stay over then perhaps her mother wouldn't scold her.
"Today isn't a good day," Mary gave her a pointed look. Nope, she wouldn't be getting out of this scolding.
"I can stay with Miss Figg." Harry said, more confident this time, "I don't want to intrude on anything you two have going on."
"Thank you for understanding, Harry." Mary smiled back at him and drove to the other end of the street where Miss Figg lived. Harry opened the door and thanked Mary for the ride, the cold wind whipped inside and Phoenix shivered under her coat. They both waved goodbye as Harry trudged through the snow up to Miss Figg's house. Mary waited until Miss Figg let Harry inside, the two women waved at each other and Mary drove back to their house.
"Who's coming over?" Phoenix asked.
"I'll explain inside." Mary sighed, sounding tired all of a sudden. "Come on," she turned the car off and the cold began to seep in. Mary opened the back door for Phoenix who hopped out, wanting to get inside quickly. They quickly shuffled up to the door, snow still falling at a steady rate. Mary unlocked the door and ushered Phoenix inside.
"Coat." Mary said, slipping Phoenix's backpack off her shoulders. Mary helped Phoenix wiggle out of her thick winter coat. Phoenix took her coat and hurried to the cupboard under the stairs, hanging her coat up.
"So, care to explain what today was about?" Mary asked, shrugging her own coat off. Phoenix tensed up, hoping she could have just skipped over the conversation about to happen.
"Dudley shoved a snowball down my sweater," Phoenix began, "and then he pushed me into a desk and hurt my back," Phoenix absentmindedly rubbed her back, she hadn't noticed before, but it felt bruised now. "And then he pulled back like he was going to hit me," Phoenix mimed out Dudley's movements, "and then the window crashed open and the snow came in like," Phoenix puffed out her cheeks and blew out a rush of air. Her lungs burned from the change in temperature, but Phoenix continued, telling how she finally snapped at Dudley after dealing with months of his bullying, "and that's what happened." She concluded.
Mary had ushered her to the dining table, sitting at opposite ends of the table and levitating premade mugs of hot cocoa towards them. Mary took a sip of her hot cocoa and Phoenix mimicked her, hoping her story was enough to convince her mother not to punish her. "Okay," Mary nodded after a few agonizing minutes of silence, "I don't approve of your actions," she said, "but those Dursley's need a wake-up call as to how rotten their son is." Mary looked over her shoulder to where the Dursley's house sat. She looked back at Phoenix, "so I'm only letting you off with a warning, and no sweets for a week."
"A week?" Phoenix repeated, she looked at her hot cocoa, wanting to savor its warmth and sweetness.
"Five days." Mary broke down, "And no less." She took another sip of cocoa, ending the conversation.
"Okay," Phoenix conceded, she stubbornly drank her own cocoa, "So? Who is visiting?" Phoenix asked, suddenly remembering that they'd have a visitor.
"An old professor of mine." Mary admitted.
"From your magic school?" Phoenix turned quickly. Her mother's avoidance of the magical world made this news more exciting than any gift Phoenix had ever received.
"Yes, from my magic school." Mary said, "but before he gets here I want you to work on your homework."
Phoenix rolled her eyes and dragged her backpack upstairs to her room, "Call me down when he gets here!" she made her mom promise. Phoenix ducked into her room, pulling out her homework as she plunked down on her bed. Chica, her toy owl, let out a wave of warmth as Phoenix settled down into her homework.
Phoenix could hardly focus on her homework, she glanced at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time, her heart racing in her chest. What would this man be like? He was a professor, so Phoenix imagined him to be wise and old. Would this man ask her to join the wizarding world? Would her mother let her? Her excitement made her want to bounce around her room. Phoenix kept reminding herself to work on her homework, if it wasn't done by the time the man got here her mother wouldn't let her meet him. She had to be on her best behavior.
"Unlike earlier." A voice nagged at her. Phoenix excitement quickly turned to dread. What if this man was actually here because of what Phoenix had done earlier? Would she be charged as a criminal? Would she be banned from becoming a witch? Phoenix found the motivation to finish her homework, if she behaved and did her homework like a good girl maybe he would go easy on her. Phoenix moved to the floor, spreading her homework out around her as she moved from page to page.
Before Phoenix could make up her mind on if the visitor was good or bad, Mary was knocking at her bedroom door. "Knock-knock." She smiled, "He's here." Phoenix looked up from her homework with dread, her earlier shivers of excitement turned to shivers of fear. "Phoenix, meet Professor Dumbledore." Mary stepped inside her room and let a man in behind her.
"Well," Phoenix thought, "he is old." Professor Dumbledore was indeed very old, and wearing long periwinkle and maroon robes with shimmering silver stars. He wore a tall, pointed hat, the hat was almost as tall as his grey beard was long. He wore half-moon spectacles, and his blue eyes twinkled with a mischief that didn't fade with age.
"Good evening, Phoenix." Dumbledore greeted with a slight bow of his head. His voice felt warm, gentle, and knowing. "I hope I'm not disturbing something," he reached out and laid a hand on Mary's shoulder, motioning to Phoenix's homework papers scattered around her room with his other hand.
"Oh, of course not, Professor," Mary insisted, "you're almost done, aren't you, Phoenix?" she asked. Phoenix nodded her head vigorously, still in awe of Dumbledore.
"Are you really a wizard?" she whispered, then quickly covered her mouth in shock of asking her question out loud.
Dumbledore gave a gentle smile, "yes, I am." He nodded slowly.
"Wow." Phoenix breathed, her face turning red. She was finally meeting part of the wizarding world, and he was everything she expected and more. Phoenix felt like crying, if Dumbledore was just a professor she couldn't imagine what plain everyday witches and wizards looked like.
"Wow indeed," Dumbledore raised his eyebrows cheekily and winked at her.
"Anyways, professor." Mary interjected, "your letter seemed urgent."
"Ah yes," Dumbledore clapped his hands together lightly, "Although, I do wish we had some tea. Would you?" he motioned for Mary to leave. Phoenix looked at Mary, surely, she wouldn't just leave Phoenix alone with a stranger. Wizard professor or not, Mary was too paranoid to leave her alone with people Phoenix didn't know. However, to Phoenix's surprise Mary tightly smiled and walked out.
(line break)
Dumbledore waited a beat before turning back to Phoenix, "do you practice magic often?" he asked, folding his hands behind his back.
"No, sir." Phoenix shook her head, "This is it," Phoenix thought, "I'm going to be banned from becoming a witch." Dumbledore could read her thoughts like a book, Mary had really kept the girl in the dark all these years.
Dumbledore laughed and he could tell Phoenix feared she'd said blurted out her thoughts again, "I should have guessed so." He looked around her room, "Mary did leave us all behind rather suddenly. Remus was distraught when he'd found out."
"Who's Remus?" Phoenix asked. "Was Remus my father? Why did Mary leave him?" Phoenix's thoughts echoed in Dumbledore's mind. Dumbledore smirked, this would surely cause trouble later after he left. But, he needed Mary to teach Phoenix more about their world. He needed Mary to teach Phoenix to control her magic.
"Never mind," he shrugged off her question easily, "what do you know about magic?" he asked, he walked past her and pointed at her bed, "May I sit?" he asked.
Phoenix nodded, she sat up and twiddled her thumbs, "I just know about transfiguration, potions, and charms." She admitted. Dumbledore sat on the little girl's bed, noticing how Mary had charmed the bed and toys to give off warmth.
"No defensive spells," Dumbledore noted to himself. Before he could ask another question, Mary returned with tea. "Ah, thank you, Mary." He took his cup from her gently. Mary pulled her wand out of her sleeve and Dumbledore watched as Phoenix's eyes lit up. The toy chest at the foot of the bed turned into a lounge chair and Mary pulled it out in order to look at Dumbledore while she sat.
"So?" Mary asked, handing a third cup to Phoenix, "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Just checking up," Dumbledore looked around the room. It was what he expected to see in any young witch's room. Mary had outdone herself by spoiling the girl. "And yet," Dumbledore thought, looking at Phoenix, "she has turned out the exact opposite of her brother." Dumbledore sipped his tea. It was sweet, and yet, Mary must have remembered he liked lemon due to the slight sourness that lingered on his tongue.
"Sure." Mary looked him over, she didn't trust him. He didn't blame her.
"How are Phoenix's lessons coming along?" Dumbledore asked nonchalantly as though asking for the weather.
"They come when necessary." Mary glanced at Phoenix who was looking between the two adults.
"Lessons?" Phoenix asked, she looked at Dumbledore, "like magic lessons?"
"Yes," Mary answered before Dumbledore could get a word in, "magic lessons." She gave Dumbledore a pointed look.
Dumbledore leaned forward, "Mary," she looked up at him through her eyelashes, "I do not fear his return." Mary gave no indication of a reaction, "but I do believe it is inevitable." Mary blinked and looked away, leaning back in her seat farther. "You do remember our arrangement, yes?" He knew she remembered, why else would she have run away and stayed away for all these years?
"I remember." Mary said, and Dumbledore noticed a slight twitch of her hand. Glancing at Phoenix he saw her eyes glaze over and flutter shut. "But she did not sign up to die when you kidnapped her." Mary argued.
"I've seen her grow close to Harry," Dumbledore admitted.
"You've been watching me?!" Mary accused through her teeth.
"You don't think she would gladly lay her life down for him?" Dumbledore asked over her.
Mary sat back, "This is why you sent us here." She mulled over his words, "why did you do this?" she asked gently, tears forming in her eyes.
"Voldemort will return," Dumbledore leaned back, "I am sure of it. And when he does, Harry will have to make the same choice as Phoenix." Mary covered her mouth with her hands, trying her best not to cry out. "Who would you save? The son of your best friends? Or the child that isn't yours?"
Mary shook her head rapidly, "Don't you dare say she isn't mine. Not when you dumped her into my arms at my house. Not when you expected me to raise her as my own. Not when I've brought her up like she was mine. Don't you dare make me choose between them."
"I'm afraid you already have made that choice." Dumbledore said, he'd trapped her in a corner. Any mother would immediately save their own child. But, Mary's love for Lily and James was just as strong as her love for Phoenix. Mary's eyes widened as she realized what she'd done.
"No." She whispered, tears now freely falling down her rosy cheeks, "No, I can't."
"You have to come back." Dumbledore laid a hand on Mary's knee. She was quivering, her eyes rapidly moving around the room like prey looking for an exit. "You know what needs to be done." Dumbledore waved his hand at Phoenix, who came out of her sleep like hypnosis.
"Good gracious," Dumbledore stood suddenly, startling Mary and Phoenix, "it seems to be getting late," indeed, when he had first arrived the sun was still in the sky, but now it was beginning to kiss the horizon goodbye. "It was a pleasure to meet you, miss Macdonald." Dumbledore bent over enough to shake hands with Phoenix, who looked at him with confusion.
"You're leaving so soon?" she asked.
"I'm afraid so," he smiled sadly and stood up, "but I hope to see you again, soon." He looked at Mary who only stared right back at him.
(line break)
Phoenix watched as her mother walked Dumbledore out of the room. Her head felt heavy, and she couldn't recall much of what was said. "Maybe it was just boring adult talk," Phoenix thought, "I must have fallen asleep." She yawned. Moments later, Mary reemerged from the hallway.
"How's your homework?" she asked, leaning on the doorframe.
"I think it's done?" Phoenix looked at the papers scattered around her. Why couldn't she remember anything?
"Are you ready for supper?" She asked, Phoenix nodded. Perhaps some food would make her feel better. "How does soup sound?" Mary asked, Phoenix following her out of the room and down the stairs.
"Soup sounds good." Phoenix mumbled sleepily.
Mary said nothing as the kitchen got to work, Phoenix watched the street. Empty as usual, save for the snow covering the ground. Strangely undisturbed. "How did Professor Dumbledore get here then?" Phoenix wondered to herself. Suddenly, all the lights on the street came on. "Funny," Phoenix looked at the grey sky, "shouldn't they have come on a while ago?" She tried to look at Harry's house. A car was parked outside, "hopefully Harry got home. I hope he didn't get in trouble for getting a ride from mom."
"Nixy, soup is ready." Mary called, Phoenix pushed herself away from the window over to the dining table. Mary had already brought over two bowls of soup, and was waiting patiently for Phoenix to sit down. Phoenix dug into the warm, cheesy soup, not caring if she burnt her tongue. "Nixy," Mary began, not touching her soup, "do you remember how I told you that you can control your environment with magic?"
Phoenix nodded, "Like you do with the kitchen?" she asked.
"Well," Mary began cautiously, "sort of. You see," she laid her hands flat on the table, and looked into her bowl of soup, "our magic is very different." Mary motioned between herself and Phoenix.
"Because you're an adult and have a wand?" Phoenix asked. How could their magic be different? She'd never heard of such a thing.
"No," Mary shook her head gently, "I have standard magic." She began explaining, "but you," she reached over and grabbed Phoenix's hand. Phoenix stopped eating and looked at her mother, "you have a special," Mary looked around the room, thinking of her next choice of words, "rare kind of magic."
"Rare?" Phoenix could feel her heartrate slow. Everything seemed to slow, the clocks, the air, the snow falling outside.
"Yes." Mary nodded, "today, for example. The snow in your classroom?"
"I actually did open the window?" Phoenix asked. She was a freak, just like Dudley had been telling her.
"Well," Mary looked around the room, "You have what's known as weather magic."
"Weather magic?" Phoenix asked, "that sounds fake." How did some people have weather magic? What other kinds of magic were there?
"Some people are naturally skilled at certain types of magic." Mary explained, "Do you remember reading the 'Fantastic Beast' book?" she asked. Phoenix nodded, she had always wanted a pet and that book was as close as she could get to having one. "Did you know Newt Scamander was an animal wizard?" Phoenix could feel her eyes widen so much they nearly popped out of her skull.
"Really?" she whispered, like it was some big secret.
Mary nodded and leaned back in her chair, finally letting go of Phoenix's hands. "But, like with every specialty, you have to be careful."
"Why?" Phoenix asked. She picked up her bowl and gulped a mouthful of soup which had cooled off.
"Some people might try to use your special magic for themselves." Mary looked at Phoenix sadly, "they might try to hurt you."
"Oh," Phoenix thought about every time the weather had suddenly and inexplicably changed. Was she the reason her mother left the magical world? Was she the reason they moved so often? Phoenix put her spoon down and pushed the bowl away from herself.
"Nixy?" Mary laid a hand on her shoulder, "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah." Phoenix lied, scooting her chair back and gently pushing her mother's hand off her shoulder. "Just tired." She pretended to yawn.
"A lot has happened today," Mary brushed Phoenix's hair back, several chunks having escaped from her braid. "Go on," she nodded towards the stairs, "I'll take care of the dishes." Phoenix smiled and hugged Mary goodnight before running up the stairs. Phoenix looked out her window at the snowy neighborhood. Did she cause this?
Christmas break was quiet, just as it always was with Mary and Phoenix. Phoenix only received gifts from Mary, usually a small trinket, book, or some clothing. Phoenix, having no money, and not allowed to shop without her mother's permission, usually ended up making gifts for Mary. However, she had begged and pleaded with her mother to let her buy one thing for Harry. "Please, please, please!" Phoenix begged, bouncing on the ball of her feet. "I know they won't get him anything!"
"But what if you can't get it to him on Christmas?" Mary asked, her hands were in the pockets of her coat, she was shifting from foot to foot in the cold, "You can't keep it."
"I'll give it to him at school." Phoenix tugged fervently at Mary's coat.
"One small thing." Mary finally relented. Phoenix had decided on a medieval toy set. There were knights on horses, knights wielding maces, knights with swords, knights with bow and arrows, two kings and two queens. "That is not small." Mary pointed out as Phoenix waddled through the toy store with the box slipping out of her arms.
"But!" Phoenix peeked over the box, refusing to set it down for fear of never being able to pick it up again, "If they take one set from him!" she tried her best to point to where the box read '2 sets!' and stumbled as the box began to tip backwards over her, "He'll have another."
Mary sighed, "Very well. Who can argue with that logic?" She laughed before bending over to help Phoenix with the box.
Phoenix glanced at the wrapped gift under their tree. She hoped the Dursley's would let her give him the present. She felt a bond with the boy next door. The only family Phoenix had was her mother, and the only family Harry had was his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin.
Phoenix remembered asking long ago what happened to Mary's family. "They're all gone." Was the sad, and only reply Phoenix ever got.
There was no other family to help Phoenix and Mary around the holiday season. No one to watch Phoenix as Mary tried to Christmas shop, and none to pay for the gifts Phoenix wanted to get her mother. Phoenix had managed, however, to make a few pieces of jewelry from art supplies littered around the house. Mary was currently wearing a necklace made from red string. Phoenix had tied a plastic toy lion to the string and slid made red, orange, and yellow beads around the string to told the lion in place. Phoenix didn't admit it when Mary asked, but Phoenix had seen a flag with a lion on it in Mary's magic room. Admitting that meant admitting to snooping in her magic room. Phoenix had also made a bracelet out of a strap of leather, a button, and two bright turquois feathers. There were other small jewelry trinkets and other oddities that Phoenix had managed to make, but none compared to what Phoenix called her grand finale of gifts.
This year, Phoenix felt she had outdone herself by folding several paper animals. "They're cute." Mary smiled as she laid them out on the coffee table. There was a pink cat, two green birds, a purple turtle, and an orange dog.
"Wait," Phoenix held up a finger. Mary smiled amusedly and cupped her mug of hot chocolate tightly in her hands. Phoenix smiled at her, then focused intensely on the paper animals. Suddenly, the paper crinkled and for a second Phoenix feared they'd catch fire again. But, she was elated to find the paper animals were stretching. The cat arched its back, it's paper tail flicking around in the air. The two birds ruffled their paper wings and groomed themselves for their first flight. The turtle poked its head out of its shell and stood up. The dog stretched quickly before scratching itself behind the ear.
Phoenix gasped, she had hoped it would work, she'd been trying for weeks to get the paper to move freely. She looked at Mary who appeared to be lost in the display before her. The cat and dog began playing with each other, while the two birds took flight and circled their Christmas tree, and the turtle slowly made his way over to the edge of the coffee table. Mary, in awe, absentmindedly held her hand out to catch the turtle. Once it had crawled into her palm she raised it to her eyes.
"Do you like them?" Phoenix asked shyly, "I know you don't think I should learn magic," Phoenix quickly added, "but I really-really wanted to do something special this Christmas." She hadn't remembered in her excitement to try magic that her mother absolutely dreaded Phoenix learning magic. "So-I," Phoenix trailed off, she wasn't sure what she'd been thinking. She hadn't been thinking, truth be told. Mary hadn't said a word, she was just looking at the paper turtle. Slowly she raised her free hand, and Phoenix feared for a second that Mary would crumple up the poor turtle. Instead, Mary gently stroked the paper turtle with her index finger.
"Phoenix," Mary whispered, she looked at Phoenix with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry!" Phoenix quickly stood, "I know how to make them stop! I can make them stop!" She hadn't meant to make her mother cry.
Mary shook her head, "No!" Phoenix paused, looking at Mary, "They're beautiful." She reached out and cupped Phoenix's cheek with her free hand, "I'm so proud of you."
"You are?" That hadn't been the reaction Phoenix was hoping for. She'd half expected yelling, or bemused excitement-the kind adults give when they're not really happy but don't want to upset a child.
"I am." Mary nodded. She gently placed the turtle back down on the coffee table. Eventually the paper animals stopped moving and the two ate a Christmas dinner in content silence. Phoenix was silently beaming and praising herself. She hadn't gotten in trouble for practicing magic, and has even been praised for using magic.
"I think," Phoenix looked over at Mary, startled that she'd started talking out of nowhere, "It's time I talked to you more about Hogwarts." Phoenix dropped her fork unceremoniously on her plate. It clinked and bounced to the floor with a clang. "And about magic." Mary took a breath. She wasn't looking at Phoenix, instead she was looking out at the sunroom. Phoenix looked over and squinted her eyes. The sun was reflecting off the snow, leaving dazzling sunspots in the sunroom. "They wouldn't have." Mary suddenly stood up from the table, knocking into it as she rounded around and went to the sunroom.
"Who wouldn't have what?" Phoenix turned and hopped out of her chair. She followed Mary to the sunroom. Wiping the fog off the windows, Mary peeked out towards the shared fence between the Macdonald's and the Dursley's. Phoenix mimicked Mary, wiping the window off at eye height to look out. There, moving just above the bushes on the Dursley's side of the fence, was a small dark shape, moving away from the house.
Mary moved her hand inwards towards their house, three coats came whizzing out from under the stairs. "Nixy, dear, put on your coat." Mary instructed, her eyes never leaving the fence.
Phoenix grabbed her coat from midair, and began to put it on. "What's going on? What's out there?" She asked. Was this her mother's way of teaching her magic? Was she going to be fighting some horrible, magical beast.
Mary didn't answer, instead as she slipped on her coat she grabbed the third coat and stormed out back. "Mom?" Phoenix called after her. Phoenix tenderly stepped outside, not a fan of how the snow would get her pant cuffs wet.
Mary was standing by the fence, "Harry?" she called.
"Oh!" Harry was on the other side, "Sorry, was I bothering you two?"
"Why are you outside?" Mary retaliated. Phoenix tried to step where her mother had, avoiding the slick snow at all costs.
"I was," Harry fumbled, "asked to come outside." He finally decided to say.
"When there's snow on the ground?" Phoenix looked up at Mary, it was hard to say if her cheeks were red from anger or the cold. "Why don't you come over here?" Mary asked, "is it safe to climb the tree?"
"I can always climb it." Harry said, and the two could hear the shimmying of clothes as Harry climbed the tree. Phoenix shielded her eyes from the sun as she craned her neck back to look at Harry in the tree. He wasn't wearing a coat, and his teeth were clicking together as his body shook from the cold.
"I'll catch you," Mary held her arms out. Harry nodded and climbed around the tree as he had before. Phoenix lost sight of him in the branches, but suddenly he was silently falling from the tree. He landed in Mary's arms with a grunt and a wobble. Phoenix held her hand on her mother's back, although it didn't help much. Phoenix watched as time seemed to stop. Mary was looking at Harry as if he were the most precious stone in the world.
"The same way she looked at me earlier." Phoenix thought pressing her lips together, ignoring the fact that Mary held Harry in her arms for a beat too long for her liking. Once Mary had set Harry down, she wrapped the third coat around him.
"Come on in," Mary ushered both children back inside. "Phoenix, don't you have something for Harry?" Phoenix instantly forgot her resentment and ran to the tree once she had shed her coat.
"For me?" Harry repeated, keeping the coat on to warm himself. He'd only been wearing a threadbare sweater, and pants too wide for him. His feet were only protected by large, dirty socks that had been soaked through due to the snow. "But I haven't gotten anything for you two." He sat down at an unused chair at the table.
Phoenix grabbed the big box, sliding it to Harry. Mary was preparing a dinner plate for Harry as Phoenix excitedly danced around the big box.
"Open it! Open it! Open it!" She urged, Harry popped down from the chair. She bounced behind him as he got on his knees and tore into the wrapping paper. "I figured," Phoenix said excitedly, "since you like fairytales so much, and you talk about being brave one day," she shrugged, "I thought you'd like them!" Harry was just looking at the set in silence. Phoenix frowned, "You do like it, don't you?" she asked.
"I love it." Harry finally looked up from the box, grinning from ear to ear. His bright eyes sparkled with joy as he ran his hands over the box, as if confirming it truly was in front of him.
"Here," Mary smiled and set a plate down by Harry's chair, "eat." She sat back down. Phoenix and Harry sat in their chairs and ate. The day was livelier after that.
Phoenix and Harry playing games, and Mary sometimes joining in too. They played hide-n-seek, Chess, Clue, Guess Who, Candyland, and played in the snow outside.
Harry was the best at Hide-n-Seek, being able to somehow find the smallest space possible and fit inside. The best spot by far was when he'd managed to curl up in the cupboard under the stairs with his coat thrown over him to make him blend in. Mary tried to teach Harry how to play chess, but Phoenix thought the game was too hard. She tried to watch and follow along, but ended up just spacing out. They attempted to play Clue next, but Harry and Phoenix didn't quite understand the concept. While Harry tried to understand, Phoenix began to wander away from the game to play with other things. When Harry and Mary saw Phoenix losing interest in their game, Mary left to clean the kitchen the muggle way and leave the two to play Guess Who. Phoenix was better at Harry, having memorized where every person was on the board. Once Mary had finished cleaning they all played Candyland together, with competition getting tight once Mary got to the end but kept getting set back a few spaces. Finally fed up with the board games, they then bundled up and went out back to play in the snow. What had started as harmless snow angels and snowmen building had soon devolved into a snowball fight. Phoenix couldn't recall a time she'd had so much fun, or a time her mother had laughed so much. She never wanted the day to end. And then, Harry hit her ear with a snowball. He apologized profusely, but that just made dumping snow on him all the more fun.
At the end of the day, Mary pulled both children inside to warm by the fireplace. Somewhere, Mary had a Christmas record playing, but Phoenix was sleepily blinking at the fire, blissfully unaware. It had been one of her favorite Christmas's she'd ever celebrated. For once, it wasn't just her and her mother silently going through the day as though it were any other. Several holiday scented candles were lit around the house, and provided the only light for the evening. Phoenix was snuggled under a large, fluffy blanket, and Harry sat next to her, snuggled in his own equally large, and equally fluffy blanket. Eventually, Mary returned to them and gave them each a warm, steaming mug.
"It's hot chocolate, drink it so you warm up." She said, moving around behind them to sit in a lounge chair with a mug of her own. Each mug was topped with a large pile of whip cream, peppermint sprinkles and a chocolate straw. Phoenix smiled dreamily as she cautiously sipped the warm, thick drink. She pulled the mug away from her lips and looked over at Harry. He pulled the mug away from his mouth and looked at her.
"You fool," Phoenix laughed, she reached over with her blanket and wiped Harry's face, "you've got cream on your face."
"Who's to say I wasn't saving that for later?" Harry demanded gently, before taking another big swig of his drink and purposefully smudging cream on his face. When he pulled away he blew his tongue out at her, spitting cream as he did so. Both of them giggled and eventually collapsed into laughter. They drank and made faces at each other, each trying to make a bigger mess without actually making a mess. Sometime later, with the fire still warm, chocolate in their bellies, and music softly swaying, Phoenix and Harry fell asleep. Both wishing the day would never end.