Sir Willow watched as he made students run through an obstacle course. "Good afternoon, sir." He turned, wand at the ready, but was confused to see one of the Hogwarts professors. "I understand you push the body to match the magical limits it has."
"Yes, señora." He returned his wand to his pants pocket. "Disculpe,"
"Weasley. Phoenix Weasley." The woman smiled. "My son," she nodded across the room, where Ricky was struggling to pull Neo out of pool filled with exceptionally angry grindylows. "Is in your class."
"Ah, yes." Willow's eyebrows furrowed, something about the boy had always put him off, how he was simultaneously jumpy and in control, how he was always present, but absent-minded. "With his strength, he would make a great auror." Willow clasped his hands behind his back. While he meant it as a compliment, he noticed how Phoenix's face fell. "Is there a problem, señora?"
"Is he too exceptional?" Phoenix suddenly turned to him, her cool eyes filled with fear. "Does he seem too powerful for his age?" She asked.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Willow looked at her, one eyebrow raising curiously. "Why do you ask?"
"Just," Phoenix watched Ricky for a moment, "making sure he's doing his best." She nodded and thanked him for his time before suddenly taking her leave. As Phoenix wrapped her cloak tightly around her, and pulled her gloves farther up her arms, she walked to the castle with her head down.
"So?" George was beside her, having waited outside the hut for her.
"He says Ricky would make a great auror." Phoenix shook her head against the cold winter wind. She scoffed to herself.
"Yeah, so does Harry, but the man gets winded after eating." George joked. Phoenix huffed a laugh out and continued her march to the castle.
"I'm worried, dear," Phoenix whispered to the first snowflakes of the day. "Allie and Ricky's emotions have been wild and crazy." She stopped walking and George stood in front of her, "She came to me the other day saying she's not sure why her emotions are all over the place, but that it's gotten to the point she's not sure if she should continue her schooling."
"Well, why's that got you worried about Ricky?" George asked.
"Because," Phoenix looked around the grounds, "he can change other people's emotions."
"Like how you and Draco do to each other," George nodded, connecting the dots.
"You don't think Ricky is making Allie do things? It's almost the same as with Phoenix Genio." Phoenix hugged herself. "I don't want Ricky going down a bad path."
"Allie's always had a thing for Ricky." George shrugged it off. "Try," he grabbed her shoulders, "to not let it stress you too much."
"I need to figure out how Ricky can control his emotions," Phoenix ignored George, "If he can control his, maybe then he can control influencing other people."
"Who knows," George snapped Phoenix out of her rant, "maybe the kid will make a great Minister one day." Phoenix gave a short laugh, "But," she looked up at him. George was reminded of Egypt, the confusion, fear, and adrenaline in her eyes, in the way she gripped his arms with her pale hands. "If you are really that worried, maybe you should ask McGonagall if Dumbledore left anything on this." Phoenix's eyes lit up and George was reminded of why he loved the little bird so much.
"George, that's brilliant!" she grinned. She was a little bird that'd been taken from her nest, and he gave her a new one.
"I know." George waved it off. He walked her back to the castle, talking her down from her fears, the snow flurries had picked up, so George knew she was still worried, but he gave her a peck on the cheek as the clocks chimed the end of the class period, and turned at the castle doors to leave.
"Dad?" Minnie called.
George turned, Phoenix had already disappeared somewhere in the ancient halls, but half running, half skipping towards him was his little girl, pulling another little girl with her. "Minnie! My baby bird!" He kneeled down in time to be tackled by his daughter.
"What are you doing here?" she hugged him tightly.
"Oh, I was just out for a stroll with your mother." George pulled back.
"Oh!" Minnie stepped back, "Dad, you didn't get to meet my friend at the ball last week," she took hold of the little girl that had stood silently beside them while they hugged. "This is Bird. She's blind. She's in Gryffindor."
"I can tell by her robes," George smiled, "Hello, Bird."
"Hello." Bird's voice was soft, she held tightly onto Minnie with one hand and her cane with the other.
"I ask Ricky and his friends all the time to watch out for her, or else!" Minnie joked, but Bird quickly snatched her hand away.
"Ow, Minnie, that was hot!" Bird frowned. George watched wide eyed as Minnie shook her hand that had been holding Bird's.
"Are you okay, baby bird?" George asked.
"Yup!" Minnie looked at him cheerfully, her hands behind her back, "Well we've gotta get to class, bye dad!" she hurried, giving George another hug before ushering Bird off suddenly. George stood up slowly, watching his daughter till she was around a corner.
"Focus on your emotions." Phoenix whispered to Ricky. They were in her office, her orbs once more in orbit, Ricky sat in a chair facing the door. "What's it like?" she asked.
"My emotions are all over the place. I see no end." Ricky had his eyes closed, his body was slumped yet rigid. As if he were forcing himself to relax.
"Try to find my emotions." Phoenix said calmly, keeping an eye on the orbs that circled her room. Violet chirped in the corner and Phoenix let out a small chuckle. "I don't think Violet enjoys you probing her emotions."
"Sorry," Ricky wheezed, his shoulders tense.
"She'll be fine," Phoenix grinned at the old bird who was seemingly glaring at her. "What do you see when you see my emotions?"
"I see," Ricky frowned, glad his mother couldn't see him, "A blue-grey."
"And what does that mean?" Phoenix asked, leaning forward, placing her interlinked hands on her desk.
"Almost as if you're sad, but numb." Ricky tried to poke his emotions towards hers, but her emotions recoiled. Dumbfounded, Ricky pulled out of his dream-like state. "How did you pull-" Ricky turned in the chair, "I mean, how did you know-" he sat, holding the back of the chair, looking at his mother with wonder and worry.
"I know you can manipulate other people's emotions with your own." Phoenix said calmly.
"How long have you known?" Ricky asked, "And you make it sound so bad."
"Since you had your little fling with Phoenix Genio." Phoenix gently said, "And it's not a good thing." Ricky's body deflated a little. "Ricky," Phoenix frowned and stood up. She walked around her desk and kneeled down in front of Ricky. "You are not a bad person, okay?" Ricky could feel her emotions tugging her in separate directions.
"Aren't I, though?" He asked.
"No, sweetie." Phoenix shook her head, taking his hands. He pulled them away. Upset, but determined, Phoenix scooted closer, laying a hand on the chair, "But, people's emotions are not toys."
"I'm not a child." Ricky snipped.
"I know." Phoenix sighed, "I'm just telling you, don't manipulate other people's emotions anymore. You don't know what kind of effect that'll have on them, or you." Ricky looked at his lap, Phoenix laid a hand on his knee. "I want you to live as normal a life as possible. I don't want you to think you have to manipulate those around you to like you. You're funny, sweet, kind," Phoenix tweaked his nose, "You don't need to use your powers so much."
Ricky's orb had turned into a stormy sea. "Have I been manipulating my friends this whole time?" Ricky asked aloud.
"No, sweetie, your friends truly love you." Phoenix reassured him.
"How do you know that, though?" he asked.
"Because they support you." Phoenix reasoned, Ricky rose and Phoenix was quick to follow.
"But how do you know that I didn't MAKE them support me?" He demanded, "Have I-am I," Ricky began to pace, his orb was nearly a hurricane once more. "Am I a freak? Am I a monster?"
"Ricky," Phoenix grabbed his shoulders, her eyes on his orb, the wind died down, "I've fought monsters." She said quietly, "You are no monster."
"How can you be so sure?"
Just a quick blurb before my biology quiz. Wish me luck.
So! We start to see a little bit of a darker side to being a weather wizard (especially one as powerful as Ricky. Now you get why Voldemort wanted Draco and Phoenix (well actually just Draco-but still)).
