Phoenix language

Chapter 22: Allies

Harry's eyes closed. When he reopened them, he felt a little dizzy. He noticed he was in strong arms, but he grabbed onto them to help steady himself.

"Can someone stop the room please." He whispered. "I want to get off."

His hand went to his mouth. Lily understood the action and summoned a basin just in time for Harry to get sick in it.

"You're awfully warm." James stated feeling his son's forehead.

"I don't feel good." Harry stated as he leaned on James' shoulder.

"Relax." James said rubbing his son's back. "What powers?"

Harry didn't answer. James looked at his son and found that Harry had fallen asleep.

"Why won't he tell us?" Lily asked.

0000

A few weeks later,

Harry was back up and sitting in Charms getting weird looks from his classmates.

"Correct again, Mr. Potter." Professor Flitwick told him when Harry got a question right for the tenth time in a row. "Oh. Look at the time. Class dismissed."

Everyone started packing up.

"Bloody hell mate." Ron swore. "You've been around Hermione too much."

"Hey!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Today's class was just easy." Harry defended.

"That's what you said about Herbology, DADA, Transfiguration, AND Potions." Neville told him.

"What's even more interesting," Hermione stated. "Today's your first day back since that night we tried that Potion. You haven't been studying."

0000

In Dumbledore's office thirty minutes later.

"I'm telling you Dumbledore," Flitwick said. "I've NEVER seen Harry Potter like this."

"He's turning into his mother at the rate he's going." McGonagall added. "Remember how Lily used to be like Miss. Granger?"

"Oh yes." Professor Sprout said with a smile as she remembered Lily.

"I'm beginning to wonder if he had been placed in the right house." Flitwick admitted.

"Of course he was." McGonagall told him. "Where's Professor Snape?"

"He had some business to attend to." Dumbledore told her. "He's already voice his…concern considering Mr. Potter."

"Professor Dumbledore!" Hagrid said as he quickly entered the room. "Something odd just 'appened."

"What might that be?" Sprout asked.

"Well," Hagrid stated. "Harry and his friends were visiting me after classes. Suddenly, Harry looked out the window towards the forest without saying a word. I asked what was wrong, but he just left the hut and broke out into a run. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and I followed and found him a few minutes later coming back. We asked what had happened, and he said to just wait."

KNOCK KNOCK

"Enter." Dumbledore said.

Harry came in.

"Professor." Harry said calmly. "The centaurs would like a word with you."

All of the professors in the room looked at each other as Dumbledore went to go talk.

"Stay here, Harry." Dumbledore instructed.

The door closed.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything." Harry apologized to the Heads.

"Not at all, Mr. Potter." Professor Sprout said.

"Well," Hagrid said. "I'll be off. Got some baby unicorns to tend to."

The half-giant left.

"I was really impressed with your participation in class today." Flitwick told Harry as he started to leave so he could grade papers. "Good job."

"Thank you." Harry said.

"I must be getting off to." Sprout said. "Keep up the good work, Potter."

"You'll be an auror in no time." McGonagall added as she left.

Harry was left alone in the office with Fawkes.

"So that's what Ravenclaw meant by knowledge." Harry said to himself.

They'll find out one day.

"Who said that?" Harry asked.

I did.

Harry looked and saw Fawkes spread out his wings.

"And that's what was meant by language." Harry added to himself before turning to the bird. "Should I tell them?"

You should probably wait until further into this war if not after. The less people who know, the more you have the element of surprise.

"True." Harry agreed. "Just as long as the centaurs don't tell. Fawkes, what other creatures in the area do you think could help in the war.

The merfolk would be of help. Despite they are limited on movement, they do have the advantage of being able to breath underwater. Also their voices can distract the Death Eaters. They are vicious warriors when needed.

"Tell me about it." Harry said. "Any others?"

There are the fairies. They aren't as brainless as wizards make them out to be. Some can be quite clever. One in particular. His name is Puck. However, if you wish to speak to them, which you are the only human who can, you are much better off speaking to the King and Queen.

"Where can I find them?" Harry asked.

The door opened and Dumbledore walked in.

"I don't know WHAT you told the centaurs, Harry." Dumbledore said. "But whatever it was worked. They have agreed to aid our cause in the fight against Voldemort."

"And all I had to do was remind them that Voldemort can wipe out a herd with a flick of his wand." Harry said.

You can find the King and Queen in the Forbidden Forest on the first full moon of Spring.

"Well," Harry said inching towards the door. "I have to go find the others."

"Harry?" Dumbledore asked. "Is there anything you wish to tell me?"

It was déjà vu for Harry. Last time he refused to tell Dumbledore, the Headmaster had been sent away and Harry was left to deal with the killer basilisk by himself.

"No sir." Harry said.

Better him face the basilisk than someone else and have them killed.

0000

At the lake a few minutes later,

"Are you SURE this will work?" Hermione asked as Harry took off his shirt

"Fairly certain." Harry told her as he took off his shoes and socks. "I still remember where they live, so it shouldn't take me as long. With my animagus form, I should get their faster."

He walked midway into the water before submerging.

POP

"Give me that." Ron said taking his best friend's shirt away from his little sister. The way she was holding it worried Ron.

"I was merely holding it for him." She defended looking out over the lake.

"Do you think it worked?" Neville asked.

"I hope so." Hermione said. "We WOULD have an advantage with the merpeople."

"Hey kids!" a familiar voice called.

The Golden Group turned and saw James Potter coming in his disguise.

"Quick." Luna said. "Hide Harry's things."

They placed Harry's shirt, shoes, and socks in his bag and covered that with their bags.

"What are you kids doing here?" James asked when he joined them.

"Just…relaxing." Ron said. "And thinking."

"Where's Harry?" James asked.

"Harry?" they asked.

"Harry who?" Ron tried.

"Your best friend." James reminded Ron

"Oh. THAT Harry."

"Yes, THAT Harry." James told him.

"Well," Hermione said looking around. "He's CLEARLY not here, but we'll tell him you're looking for him."

"I'll wait." James said taking a seat near the edge of the water and looking over the lake.

"You know." He told the kids after a few minutes. "The last time I sat here, I was just a year older than you guys."

"Really?" Ginny asked.

"Well, two years older than you and Miss. Lovegood." James told her. "This is where my wife and I shared our first kiss."

Flashback

A 17 year old James Potter was sitting on a rock next to the water's edge just looking out over the lake.

"There you are." Lily Evans said as she walked up behind him.

He turned to her, but didn't smile. He just looked back out towards the lake.

"I never thought I'd say this," Lily said. "But I'm beginning to miss the old James Potter."

James didn't respond. Ever since his parents' deaths, he had been in a huge depression. He only spoke when it was absolutely necessary. It was the beginning of November, and he hadn't even pulled a prank yet that year.

Lily joined him on the rock and looked over the lake.

"It's beautiful." She said.

James just blinked.

"James. Please." She begged. "I know you're hurting. But…would your parents REALLY want you to do this to yourself? You hardly speak to your friends. You have YET to ask me out this year. You haven't even jinxed Snape. I'm worried!"

James turned to her in shock. Since when had Lily Evans been worried about him?

"Since when did you care?" he asked her looking at the lake.

"Even though I told you two years ago that I would rather date the squid, there ARE things about you that I like."

"What?" he asked almost harshly.

"Well," she said looking at his face. "I like the fact that you are very intelligent. You just put your brains to a different use. I also like the way how devoted you are to your friends."

"But not my family." He interrupted. "if I had been devoted, they'd still be here."

"Or maybe you WOULDN'T be here." She told him. "James, your parents gave their lives to save you. You obeyed your mother when she told you to leave. If that's not devotion to your family…James, what are you thinking about?"

"Two things." James said. "How long it would take for me to drown if I jumped in."

"Never." She said. "Because I'd jump in after you and pull you out and then drag you to Madam Pomfrey and have her strap you to a bed."

"That brings me to my second thought." James said still looking at the lake. "Why do you suddenly care?"

"Because," she said inching closer to him. "I've had a crush on you for ages. I was just waiting for your head to deflate. And it did."

James turned to her just to feel her lips touch his. After a few minutes, she pulled away.

"I'm sorry." She said getting up.

"Ev…Lily!" James called as she was halfway to the forest. She turned.

"Thanks." James told her "For caring."

"I'm not the only one who cares." She told him. "There are the teachers and your friends as well. If you ever need to talk…we share the Head's dorm."

End Flashback

SPLASH

James was soaked from head to toe as a wave of water hit him.

"What the heck…." He asked getting off the rock.

He looked out and saw a figure dive under the water. It looked like one of the merfolk.

"Crazy creatures." He said as he went up to the castle.

The merboy surfaced after James left.

POP

"I'd thought he'd never leave." Harry said "The leader of the merpeople wasn't too far away. He was much easier to convince than the centaurs."

"Have you ever thought of working for the ministry?" Luna asked.

"Yes." Harry said conjuring a towel and drying off. "But I'm not so sure now."

0000

That night,

"Okay." Neville said opening the window. "Ready?"

"What's going on?" Seamus asked as he entered from the bathroom.

"I thought you and Dean were taking your showers." Ron asked.

"Did that earlier." Dean told him. "Why is the window open?"

"What do you guys think?" Harry asked Ron and Neville.

"Fresh air." Ron and Neville answered.

"We don't have much time." (Telepathy)

"I have an idea." Harry said out loud.

"When they mention this, deny it. Say that they had been dreaming."

POP

Seamus and Dean starred with open mouths as they witnessed the fairy that had once been their roommate fly out the open window.

"Wh…wh…DID YOU SEE THAT?!" Dean asked.

"See what?" Ron asked.

"Harry…he…fairy….window…flew…" Seamus stuttered.

"The window flew?" Neville asked him.

"Harry!" Seamus corrected.

"Well, he IS the Gryffindor seeker." Ron told him.

"No broom." Dean stated.

"How can someone fly without a broom?" Neville asked. "Are you two feeling okay?"

"You saw him." Seamus told the other two.

"Saw who?" Ron asked.

"Harry!" the two non-Golden Group said.

"What about him?" Neville asked.

"He turned into a fairy."

"No he didn't."

"Maybe we were dreaming." Dean said to Seamus.

"The same thing?" Seamus argued

Dean closed the window and locked it before going to bed.

0000

After Harry had his meeting with Titania and Oberon, he was feeling quite pleased with himself. The fairies were very interesting creatures who would be interesting to know more about. Oberon understood Dumbledore's position and the royals agreed to aid Harry. They had just never offered to help because the fairy language had been lost to humans.

Harry found a dilemma when he flew up to his dorm room. Someone had locked the window.

Harry said down on the windowsill and thought about how to get into the castle. The last Astronomy class had left, so that entrance was locked. So, he flew around the castle until he found an open window with the lights still on.

Harry flew to the window and into the room landing on the top of the wardrobe to rest his tired golden wings. He almost had a heart attack when he found out whose room he was in. And the occupants had company.

"You had a rough day hadn't you?" Lily Potter said to her husband.

"Yeah. Splashed by a merboy; Spica had a false alarm that got Sirius worked up; what next? Remus admitting he's going to be a dad?"

"Well." Remus said with a guilty tone "Now that you mention it…"

Melissa put her hand on her stomach and smiled sweetly.

"Remus?" James asked. "Not you too. Am I the only Marauder who DIDN'T elope."

"You were young." Melissa said holding Remus' hand.

"And what are we?" Sirius asked her.

"Behind." Remus told his friend. "We were just catching up to Prongs."

"You won't be fully caught up until your kid is married." James said.

"Harry's married?" Sirius asked.

"No." Lily said. "At least, he BETTER not be."

KNOCK KNOCK

"Who is it?" James asked.

"It's me." Ginny's voice came.

Lily opened the door to reveal Ginny Weasley.

"How may we help you at one in the morning?" James asked.

"I had a nightmare." She said. "I normally go to Hermione about these, but…I don't think she'd be of any help."

"What was the nightmare?" Spica said.

Harry flew over to the dresser and hid behind a perfume bottle to listen closer.

"We were in the Department of Mysteries." Ginny explained. "Me and Harry. Harry was battling Voldemort. Suddenly a basilisk came from behind the veil. Voldemort used some spell to move me directly in the path of the snake. Harry pushed me out of the way just in time for him to get bitten by it. He then used what strength he had left to finish off Voldemort. After the fight, I ran to him. He whispered something before he…"

She started crying at this point.

"Shh." Lily comforted. "it was only a dream."

"That's the thing though." Ginny cried. "What he whispered to me…I NEVER want that to be a dream! Everything else BETTER be."

"What did he whisper?" Sirius asked.

"That he…" she mumbled something.

Harry couldn't be so sure, but he could have sworn Ginny said, "loved me."

"Sorry to bother you." Ginny said. "I just needed to get it off my chest."

"That's what talking about nightmares does for people." Spica said.

Harry flew after Ginny before she closed the door.

"Did you see a fairy fly after Ginny?" Remus asked.

TBC