I finally finished this f*cking chapter! It wasn't just life getting in the way — though the heat, post-exam depression, and a bad break-up with my boyfriend — but also a brilliant, in my opinion, idea that refused to let itself be written down. I've rewritten the second part of this chapter about a dozen times, all different scenarios and timelines, before it finally worked out.

Thank you, all of you, for your patience and reviews. I hope I came through for you.

On a sidenote, someone commented on my therapy scene of Harry. I want to apologize if I offended anyone because I'm not always able to convey my exact meaning in my not so perfect English. I was sexually assaulted as a child and my now ex-boyfriend lived through a similar childhood as Harry did with the Dursleys. So I do take assault and abuse very very seriously. I hope do justice to the subject and if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Enjoy and leave a review on your way out!

Chapter 26: Rising from the ashes

Her plan had not entirely gone as she expected, but Agnes was no less pleased with the results. To think that the man she'd once loved with all her heart wasn't a man at all! That…being must have cast a spell on her, because she would have never fallen for a magical Creature otherwise. Well, he was in Azkaban now and couldn't enchant her anymore.

That left only his children. The girl had been dealt with, but had most likely only inherited her mother's foul blood. She was the only blonde in a line of redheads. Her brothers on the other hand…Agnes needed to come up with something creative for them.

Humming, Agnes placed the amulets that supported the enchantment securely around the house. Suddenly her husband bellowed and irritated she hung up the last one. When she arrived downstairs, her husband informed her they were to leave for the continent immediately. Irate, she tried to change his mind. However, he was too smart for her this time as he evoked the family magics to bind her to his will.

She had thought him too stupid to make use of that particular detail in their marriage contract, now she had to pay for her trust in his lack of intelligence. No matter how hard she pleaded, manipulated, bribed, and tried to blackmail, for once Gilbert stood firm in his decision. Within hours their trunks were packed and the house sealed.

As Agnes looked back one last time to Godric's Hollow, she swore this was not the end. She'd come back and destroy the line of Dumbledore. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Ariana woke up alone with a start as screaming tore her from her dreams. She was still sitting on Marvolo's lap, his arms keeping her tight against his chest, allowing her to feel the tension in his frame. Slowly, she began to make sense of the voice shouting at them, or rather Marvolo.

With barely concealed surprise Ariana observed Aberforth raging at her soulmate. "You bastard! Defiling my sweet, innocent sister!" She blocked out his foul language in favour of taking in his appearance. While his magic was all Abe, he looked so old! At 114 he shouldn't look like he was at death's door!

And then she felt it. His fire, already barely contained and crackling just below his skin, slipped from his control and took the glamour with. It was absolutely breath taking as it swelled around them, filling the hospital wing. It was wild and unrestricted, but didn't burn anything it touched. To Ariana it felt like home.

When Marvolo saw the younger Dumbledore brother's control slipping, his only thoughts went to his beloved, sitting on his lap and therefore partially shielding him. He didn't expect the flames that whirled around them, warm instead of hot, soothing instead of burning.

Nor had he anticipated Dumbledore's now birdlike features and sudden youth. His mouth and nose had transformed into a beak. His face was free of wrinkles and his hair replaced by red and golden feathers. His nails had become a claws and wings flared behind his back, pieces of ripped cloth decorating them.

For once in his life, Marvolo's brilliant mind faltered. He was too stunned by this latest revelation — and why did it always have to do with the Dumbledores? — to really process what was going on.

An inhuman shriek tore him from his stupor and for a moment it looked like Dumbledore would lunge for him. But then his beautiful mate interfered. In less then a second she had freed herself from his now slack arms and had the bird creature by the ear.

Undaunted by the piercing eyes and furious squawk, she started scolding her older brother. "Aberforth Dumbledore, you will calm down immediately! Marvolo is my soulmate! He had every right to hold me in his arms!"

The … bird shrieked, as if to defend himself. Ariana remained unimpressed however. "I don't care what it looked like! Magic itself bound us together. Besides...we were fully clothed on a chair! Nothing scandalous could have happened!"

Here Marvolo had to hold back his chuckle. Clearly his beloved was very naïve if she thought a chair and clothes prevented intimate moments. It woke something primal inside him, a beast that was very pleased with its mate's innocence. Carefully he suppressed that part of himself. Now was not the time.

As he watched Ariana calmed down her brother. The flames retreated, as did the beaks and wings, but even without them there was something decidedly other about the man. Well, beside the feathers instead of hair and the impossible youth. When Dumbledore stormed in he had looked double his age. Now Marvolo would estimate him only a few years older than Ariana.

Harry's heart was racing in his chest as he dressed for the Yule Ball. Severus had allowed him and Draco to talk in semi-privacy every time he came back from an appointment with Andromeda. Those meetings always left Harry feeling unsteady and his emotions raw. He hadn't cried since that very first appointment, but having to recount the abuse and trying to give it a place still made him relive the anger, the sadness, the fear, and the shame.

Not to say that the therapy wasn't effective. His nightmares had lessened and he didn't shy away anymore when Severus or Draco touched him. He actually felt better once the session was over. He also became more assertive, able to speak if he didn't want to do something.

So, he was healing. Small steps at a time, but healing nonetheless. The reason Harry was so nervous? He still hated being in the spotlight, and going to the Yule ball on Draco's arm would get him a lot of attention. Also, the thought of having to dance with all of Hogwarts petrified him. The champions had to open the ball with their dates after all and no one else was allowed to dance until the champions had completed the first waltz. It made something Harry had grown to like into a spectacle.

Thankfully Severus and his dogfathers had celebrated Christmas earlier. It had only been an intimate dinner and the exchange of presents. But being in the presence of people who loved him and each other unconditionally had soothed Harry.

Now he was back in the Gryffindor tower, putting on his emerald robes lined with gold. He had allowed Luna to braid the front of his hair back into two braids that combined into one braid on the back of his head. On his temples two additional braids, one on each side, disappeared behind his ears.

To distract himself from his nerves, Harry wondered about the dates his group would bring. Hermione still refused to say anything about her date and necklace. And Ron was no less secretive, despite the constant ribbing of the other Gryffindors. He suspected Fleur had worked things out with Bill, since she had gone from depressed and frustrated to elated in one week. As for Cedric and Viktor… Well who knew? Viktor could be less expressive than a rock when it suited him and Cedric hadn't looked at anyone since Cho had been outed as a bully.

"Thanks again, mate!" Ron called out to him as he put on his own robes, the ones Harry had gifted Ron when he'd seen the…rags Molly had thought sufficient for her youngest son. For once, Ron's ginger hair didn't clash with his clothes. Instead he looked stylish in his black robes with purple accents.

He smiled over at Ron. He had expected it to be a battle and a half to get Ron to accept them as Christmas gift, but the redhead had capitulated surprisingly fast. Harry suspected his date's involvement.

When Neville was dressed as well, they descended to the common room to wait for the girls. Thankfully they didn't have to wait very long. Fleur and Luna had opted to get ready at the Gryffindor tower to help each other with hair and make-up. Harry had to say, they all looked lovely. Together they left the common room to join the others in the Entrance Hall.

As they walked down the stairs, Harry could see Draco already waiting. He was accompanied by Zabini and Parkinson. He smiled shyly at him as Draco walked up to him. Surprisingly Zabini approached Hermione and Parkinson raised a brow at Ron, who smiled sheepishly at her. Huh, he hadn't expected all three of them to fall for Slytherins. Harry'd gotten to know Draco's friends during their study sessions and he actually liked Zabini's laidback attitude and Parkinson's biting wit. Fleur had split off to greet Bill, smiling though toning down her allure. They looked a stunning couple.

Cedric and Viktor showed up just in time for line up. When Professor McGonagall asked them where their dates were, Cedric lifted their joined hands as answer. It stunned Professor McGonagall into silence and they took their place in the middle with no more fuss.

Surrounded by friends, Harry felt his nerves calm a little. As he gave himself a mental pep talk, his hand was squeezed. He looked up to Draco, who smiled reassuringly at him. That helped and when the doors to the Great Hall opened to let in the champions and their dates, Harry was able to walk in with his head held high.

During dinner Harry questioned Bill about possible career choices that centred on Ancient Runes. Bill was willing to expand on a subject they both loved and easy conversation flowed at the champion's table as the others put in their own two cents. Harry would have preferred to sit with all of his friends together, but this wasn't too bad.

All too soon the plates were empty and the tables cleared away with an elegant flick of Lady Malfoy's wand. A podium replaced the head table, the band a favourite amongst wizard folk. According to Draco at least. Harry's nerves were back in full force as they took their place on the dance floor. Only Draco's grounding presence kept him from panicking.

Then the music started. And all Harry's nerves slid away as they flowed into the waltz. It was like they were flying, he couldn't describe it any differently. It just felt right, pressed against Draco's chest, moving to the beautiful music. It was a magical moment, undisturbed by the onlookers.

Harry was actually disappointed when the music ended and he floated back to consciousness. Draco didn't allow him to become self-conscious and instead whisked him away into a fast paced polka.

By the time the group met up at the refreshment table, Harry was exhausted. They sat the next dance out with Hermione, Zabini, Ron, and Parkinson. Neville and Luna were still going strong, while the older members of their group had snuck out into the garden.

After talking, and getting to know the Slytherins a lot better, they returned to the dance floor. It was a magical time for Harry and he didn't want it to end. He didn't want to leave the safety of Draco's arms ever again.

By midnight they started to tire a little. Taking longer breaks in between dancing and talking with other people. At the moment Harry, Luna, and Hermione were listening to Hagrid who was talking about the beasties hidden in Hogwarts' own Black Lake. Apparently the Giant Squid wasn't the most exotic magical creature present. Hogwarts had their own merpeople colony.

"Do they really look like beautiful women with a fishtail?" Hermione asked, clearly thinking of the little mermaid like Harry.

"Nay. That's just what muggles made of them. They don't sing beautifully either, at least not above the water," Hagrid answered.

"Above the water?" Harry wondered.

"Aye. Lovely voices when you hear them under water, but awful shrieking if they come above the surface," Hagrid clarified.

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look, both thinking of the puzzle of the golden egg. Once again, Hagrid provided them with vital information and they couldn't wait to share it with the group. With about two months left until the Second task, tensions were rising high. Still, they agreed to simply enjoy this evening before throwing themselves back into preparations.

Luna on the other hand was giving Hagrid some tips to help win Madame Maxine over. He'd been blundering through their previous dates and it was a miracle the big-boned Headmistress had even agreed to dance with the half-giant. It would probably take more than a couple tips to make up for Hagrid's lack of social skills, but it was a start.

A satisfied Draco escorted Harry to the Gryffindor tower. The ball had exceeded all expectations. His love leaned drowsily on him as they climbed the final staircase. Harry had been relaxed beyond expectations when they started their first dance. He'd been worried that Harry wouldn't be able to let go of his nerves and really enjoy himself, but he'd worried for nothing.

Draco gently shook Harry as they arrived at the portrait of the Gryffindor tower. His love blinked sleepily at him.

"Time to go to bed, love," Draco told him.

"'Kay," Harry yawned.

Draco couldn't help himself. His love looked just too adorable. He leaned forward and softly kissed Harry on the lips. Harry tensed for a moment before melting into Draco. Holding himself back, he ended the kiss after a few moments.

"Goodnight, love," he said as he guided Harry through the portrait hole. He didn't regret kissing Harry, but if they went any further now he would end up scaring his love away.

Ah, well. At least he finally had something to tease Blaise and Pansy with. To think that all three of them had fallen for the Golden Trio.