An excerpt form the New and Improved Quibbler Guide to Magical Animals 2049 edition by Aquarius Lovegood-Scamander:
The reason the Crumple-Horned Snorkack and the Phoenix are attracted to Muggles as well as magicals is because both creatures are in fact born from Muggles. I do not mean that Muggles literally give birth to them as some of my detractors (like my no good untalented narrow minded brother) seem to think. I mean, when certain Muggles die their essence is reborn as a Crumple-Horned Snorkack or a Phoenix. That is why we have never seen a Crumple-Horned Snorkack or a Phoenix mate, even thou they have two distinct genders. A Crumple-Horned Snorkack is born when a great Muggle writer, one with true insight and vision, dies. A Phoenix is born when a Muggle, who is able to sing/write/play his or her soul into the music they perform, dies.
The reason the Phoenix can bond to magical and Muggle when the Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't is because the Muggle that a Phoenix is born from is Half-magical. That is not to say that he or she is a Half-blood wizard. Being a Half-magical Muggle is somewhat like being a squib. Both can feel the magic around them and can almost touch it. The difference between a squib and a Half-magical Muggle is that the Half-magical Muggle can do magic, but only in the form of art.
Italy, 2002
Again the Phoenix had trouble finding his bonded. Perhaps because of its unique song. It was only in that moment when a human realized that they must defeat their ego that the Phoenix could attach to them. So onwards he flew.
As he flew over a small town, the Phoenix heard something. It was wonderful, beautiful, it almost made the Phoenix cry for joy. It was his song he heard, the one that his last Muggle bonded wrote down. Someone was singing it, some wonderful voice, almost Phoenix like. He flew down, looking for the singer. He found a big, dark haired man singing his song. His eyes closed as he sang, a tear falling down his face with the emotions of the song.
He knows! The Phoenix thought with joy. He knows what my song means. He is the one! He is Muggle, but that doesn't matter!
The Phoenix let loose a joyous note as he flew around his new bonded. Crooning with the man as he sang. The dark haired man heard the sweet notes of the Phoenix song and stopped singing suddenly, opening his eyes.
"What…what kind of bird are you? What kind of bird sings opera in tenor?" He asked in shocked surprise.
He is a Muggle…how can he see me? Unless… The Phoenix wondered in surprise then went closer to check out the man. He sat down on the man's shoulder, quirking his head to look into the dark haired man's eyes. The Phoenix gave a high clear note as he looked into the man's eyes.
Who? Magical? No wand? The Phoenix sent his thoughts to his bonded.
"What? Who's talking?! Who's there?" The man asked in alarm.
Me. Your bonded. The Phoenix told him.
"My…what…where are you?" The man was getting more upset as he searched for the voice.
On your shoulder…are you blind dark haired man? The Phoenix said getting exasperated.
"The bird…you say you're the bird…that a bird is talking to me?" The man said gaping at it.
Yes. Haven't you ever seen a Phoenix before? Where is your wand? The Phoenix demanded.
"My wand? What do you mean, I'm a singer not a conductor, I don't need a wand. Then again, I'm talking to a bird, a mythical bird apparently. I may not be a singer much longer, I may just be going crazy." The man said in some confusion.
You're not a wizard? The Phoenix cocked it head at him in confusion.
"No…"
But you can see me? It said reasonably
"Yes…but then, if I'm going crazy I could see anything." The man retorted.
You're not going crazy…you are just unique. The bird said positively.
"Really? You know, if I were going crazy, I expect that I would tell myself that I wasn't…" The man said with a bit of convoluted logic.
Trust me dark haired man, your are not crazy. You're just a Half-magical. The Phoenix said with certainty.
"A Half-magical am I? So, a magical bird that I can only see tells me that I can actually do magic? Right, yeah, the stress of all that press from that book has gotten to me. I must be having a nervous breakdown."
No dark haired man, I've already told you you're not. Haven't you ever wondered why you can sing so well? It asked.
"Because I practice." He said with a snort.
Well, yes, but don't you notice that when you sing people are moved in a different way than when other's sing? That when you sing a song it reaches people it never would have if someone else sang it? The Phoenix said trying to get the man to understand.
"Well…yes…people have said that…but it is just because I am good my little tenor bird." The man said.
Yes, you are good, but you're Half-magical too. When you sing, your soul goes into the song. You are truly unique dark haired man. Only a few half-magicals are born every generation. Those Half-magicals that discover their soul music are called Maestro. The bird told him proudly.
"So…I'm not going crazy you say?" The man said skeptically.
No. The bird said firmly.
"Well…seeing as I'm only talking to a bird and no one can hear it but me, it doesn't seem like a dangerous crazy thing." The man sighed in resignation then asked the bird, "So my little tenor bird, what is your name?"
I have no name of my own, I am what my bonded names me. For you, I am Tenor Bird. The Phoenix said smugly.
"Is that so? Well, I am Luciano Pavarotti. But as we are, as you say, bonded, you may call me Luci." The man said with a grin.
Will you sing again Luci? That is my song you know, my last Muggle bonded wrote it. The bird begged the man.
"Your last bonded? That means you knew the great Puccini?" Pavarotti asked in surprise.
Yes…he was a visionary. It was the last song we composed together. I sang my song for him before he died. The bird said simply.
"I will sing it for you, my Tenor Bird and what is a Muggle?" Pavarotti asked.
A Muggle is a non-magical person. Tenor Bird told him.
"Am I a Muggle?" Pavarotti asked curiously.
No, you are a Half-magical. Tenor Bird corrected him.
"I...well, alright. Will you sing Nessun Dorma for me Tenor Bird?" He asked.
No. It is my soul-song, and a Phoenix will only sing its soul-song when its bonded is about to die, or just after they have. Tenor Bird said firmly.
"Ah, well, in that case, let us refrain from having you sing it for now." Pavarotti said hastily.
Yes, good idea. Tenor Bird agreed.
Italy , 2007
Luciano Pavarotti was dying and the Phoenix knew it. Luci and his Tenor Bird had only had five scant years, but they had been powerful ones. Somehow Luci's singing had gained a new dimension, it reached even more people than before. As his twilight years came to dusk, Luci asked his bonded for a song.
"Will you sing Nessun Dorma for me Tenor Bird? I think it is time." Pavarotti asked softly.
Yes my Luci, it is time. Tenor Bird said sadly.
And so the Phoenix sang. And so the Maestro died.
Some time later two melodies could be heard near the grave of Luciano Pavarotti. One melody was Nessun Dorma, the other was a new sound. It was a sound that conveyed a pure joy in being able to sing. It was the sound of a new Phoenix and its soul-song.
A/N: Other stories by me can be found at my LJ under myene 01, at any of the Sycophant Hex archives, the fanfiction .net archives, and at the hpfandom .net archives. At and at My LJ will have all my fics, the other archives are spotty.
A/N: The book Luciano Pavarotti refers to is The King & I a book tell-all book written by his estranged former manager, Herbert Breslin.
Luciano Pavarotti died Sept. 6th 2007. With his death Opera lost a voice, and the world lost a Maestro. Nessun dorma became his trademark song. With his wonderful voice he made the world cry when he sang it.
Pavarotti once said; "Penso che una vita per la musica sia una vita spesa bene ed è a questo che mi sono dedicato." ("I think a life in music is a life beautifully spent and this is what I have devoted my life to.").
Beta by ulyferal