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A/N: Still tweaking :D

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Chapter – 8

AWAKENED

Hermione didn't know how long she was out but she was readily apparent of two things. Based on the cool damp air surrounding her, she was no longer in the 'test room' and her body felt weird. Stretching out her arm, she found that she no longer had hands at all. Turning her head slightly, her human mind was shocked to find a transparent blue tinged wing where her arm once was. A slight turn to the left found the same thing. Instinct seemed to take over and Hermione flapped both of her wings toward the ground, earning a slight upward lift. A few more trial and error sessions later she found herself flying up. She slowly glided down and saw that she was in an ancient chamber of some sort.

The chamber was made of cobble stones and had a dark yet comforting feeling to it. It was oval and there was something sparkling in its centre. Hermione slowly made her way up to it and was surprised to find a beautiful phoenix standing in front of a ornately carved mirror. As if hearing her approach it turned, looking directly at her and Hermione was amazed to find the familiar yet a bit darker emerald eyes gazing at her. The phoenix cocked his head and thrilled a note.

"Harry? " But her sound came out as a soft bark.

The phoenix thrilled once more and then seemed to remember something. He moved aside so that Hermione could look at the mirror. She slowly walked towards it, then, closed her eyes and opened them to find herself looking in the mirror. Her body was a gleaming snow white with a light golden tinge to it. Her eyes were a mix of blue, green and brown. They seemed to glow in the dim light. But the most beautiful feature of her body was her lush tails. Yes tails. She had nine. All of them were the exact colour of her body but towards the end they were a lovely blue. Guided by her instinct, she slowly swished her tails and was surprised to feel a cold draft heading out of her wings.

The phoenix thrilled indignantly. He was shivering.

"Oops, sorry Harry. I didn't know!." Yet once again it came as a soft though amused bark.

The phoenix opened his mouth and blew. Nothing happened.

"Hihi seems it doesn't work for you Harry."

Harry gave her an evil eye. Hermione looked at him bemusedly but then a frown creased her….. ah….face.

" I wonder what this is about?"

She slowly walked around the cave, and then turned around to see Harry priming his feathers. I didn't know Harry was vain. She thought amusedly.

"Crooooo" came an indignant hoot from Harry.

"What are hooting at me for? "

"I'm not priming!"

Hermione looked startled at Harry.

"Did you just talk in my mind?". She asked in a bark.

"Bloody hell Hermione! I can't understand barks"

"Harry; Harry, can you hear me?"

"Hermione?" Harry uttered, but out came the cry of a phoenix again.

"Harry, don't say it, just think."

Harry could not find the source of the sound, or did not understand why he had to think, but he decided to give it a try anyway.

"Hermione?" He thought.

"Yes!" Hermione's voice echoed.

He must be going mad. Or he wouldn't hear Hermione's voice in his mind.

"You are not mad Harry! I can hear you too…"

"What? How could you hear that?"

"I can hear your thoughts silly! And you can hear mine too, but only if you concentrate really hard."

"Yeah, right. So you don't have to be afraid!"

Ignoring the slight, "So what do you think happened?"

"I don't know. I woke up here. After that, suddenly you came out of nowhere."

"Hmmm….. I wonder…."

"How did we end up being a phoenix and mutated wolf?"

"Mutated wolf? I'm not a mutated wolf." Hermione answered annoyed.

"Well you certainly look mutated. What animal would have wings AND nine tails?"

"Kitsune of course."

"Still sound like a mutant…!"

"Of course not stupid. My animagus form, or that's what I think is this, is a Kitsune. It's a legendary creature just like phoenix. "

"You look like the pokemon ninetails" Harry said snickering.

"I'm not. Kitsune is a Chinese fox spirit believed to be mysterious, fascinating and mischievous. Its not a pokemon."

"I didn't know that. Anyway, how did you end up here?"

"I don't know. After the test…"

Suddenly Hermione stopped. She thought about all that she had gone through. She felt as if she was surrounded by the darkness. Feelings of fear and despair washed over her, leaving her shaking with thoughts of being completely helpless. She had never known till then how much afraid she was about being alone. It was terrible to know that there was a chance of being alone.

But that was not the worst. At least it felt like a nightmare. But then, when she was offered everything she ever wanted, the most wonderful dream, she couldn't take it. She was once again forcefully separated from Sirius. Fate has a awful way of making things desolate. Thinking about Sirius brought another tear to her eye. It slowly rolled down through her fur.

Hermione was brought up from her reverie buy a nudge from Harry.

"Don't cry" he mind-whispered, concern and despair shining through his eye.

Hermione smiled sadly at him.

"What happened in your test?" she asked fearing his answer.

Suddenly she was bombarded with memories of Harry. She felt his disbelief and happiness seeing his parents healthy and alive. She felt his anger at the deatheaters for trying to take them from him once more and then his intense despair and helplessness when dementors took them away. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Sirius alive and happy, again. She unknowingly cried out seeing lily's and James's mutilated bodies. She shared Harry's grief over Sirius's death. And at last she admired his courage and determination, standing up to all those dementors.

By the end of both their memories, tears were falling down freely. It was like tearing open a particularly painful wound; again and again. Their happiness for winning the test was nothing compared to what they had to live with now. Both unknowingly wished for this never to have happened to them. All of a sudden, both of them started glowing. Slowly, they morphed in to their human bodies. As soon as they got their bearings, they hugged each other tightly, vowing silently to be there for each other, no matter what. Then they noticed a door that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Both looked at each other and Hermione raised an eyebrow, in a silent question. Harry shrugged and took hold of her hand and walked towards the door.

The door opened to what seemed to be a very spacious room, paved with shining black marble, and with half of the walls covered in windows, through which a very bright light was piercing in. it highly contrasted to their `earlier atmosphere of a dreary cave. There were three crystal chandeliers on the ceiling, all of them in a perfect straight line. But what captured their attentions were the four smiling people, though one necessarily looked like a grimace, standing at the other end of the room.

" The Founders " Hermione whispered.

"Took them long enough," came a snide voice from Salazar. Harry turned and was floored by what he saw. Standing there in all his glory was Salazar Slytherin. His face was handsome, and his eyes a deep seeded green a few shades darker than Harry's. He was clad in a forest green robe with silver and black trimming, the hood lifted over his head partially casting a shadow over his eyes.

"What are you gawking at boy," Slytherin snapped at Harry, causing Harry and Hermione to back away a bit in fear.

"Leave the boy alone," came a more reassuring voice from behind him, directly left from Slytherin. Harry turned around again and saw the Lady Hufflepuff. She was slightly heavy set with golden hair tied in some sort of a twist. She was smiling affectionately at both of them.

This is bizarre. The founders can't be alive. Hermione thought desperately.

"No, we are not alive. We are merely memories, though a bit more advanced, preserved in this chamber. The Founders have left us so that we could guide our heirs in the right path."

This answer to her thought came from Rowena Ravenclaw. She was very beautiful to look at. Not the drop-dead gorgeous look. She had a classical beauty to her. Her quiet confidence spoke of elegance. Her eyes were the colour of a calm ocean, calming their racing hearts.

Much like how Hermione looks these days. Harry thought with a start. Lady Ravenclaw smiled at Harry, hearing his thought.

"It's good to see you lot. Not many could have gone through what you have and still stand here with strength. " Came another deep voice from the tallest of the bunch. He was handsome enough with auburn hair that had streaks of blonde through it. He wore a robe of deep red that had golden trimming. Somehow it didn't clash with his hair.

"How…. What….." Harry stammered. What was someone supposed to say when the most powerful wizards and witches of ages stood before them?

They smiled at him pleasantly, well everyone else but Slytherin. He was scrutinizing Hermione and she was, from her posture, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.

"Do not be frightened of us, my dear. We mean no harm. " Helga told Harry gently.

Suddenly both of them felt invisible presences in their mind. It was similar to when Snape had used Legilimency on him, but different. Rather than the violated feelings that Snape brought forward, it was sort of reassuring, like a cool breeze on a hot summer day.

"So young yet suffered so much. They had been through much for one so young yet there is a good mind here despite their difficulties. "Lady Ravenclaw intoned amazed.

"Both of them are loyal almost to a fault. They are ready to die for each other and more." Lady Hufflepuff said.

"His courage runs deep," Gryffindor continued, making his own assessment about Harry. "He has faced danger and he has faced it alone. When no one else believed him he stood firm and stayed by his ideals, loyal and true." Harry knew they were talking about the events of the previous year when everyone believed him to be liar.

"She feels the pain of loss," came Rowena's calm voice. "Both of them feels it deeply. His parents were taken from him long ago...and more he has cared for have died. Her love was left unfulfilled."

"She is fiercely ambitious and has definite streak of cunning and subtlety in her person. She recognizes, deep down in her heart, even if she has not admitted it to herself, that there is more to the world than the light and dark. She knows there are shades of gray. She herself is a shade of gray." Slytherin gave his bit reluctantly.

"We have judged your character. Your spirit. We are ready to render our verdicts, Helga, if you will begin."

Hermione didn't know what to think. This was going too fast for her liking. Harry turned to the shorter Hufflepuff, he being her heir and gazed into her strange yellow eyes. It was oddly soothing to him.

"Your loyal heart and quiet strength of character have joyed me greatly. I, Helga Hufflepuff, do hereby judge you as worthy to accept my ancestral line." Harry's eyes went wide with the notion. He had passed at least one of the Founder's tests.

"She has much to learn but her potential is far too great to ignore. She is studious and intelligent." she said, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "I Rowena Ravenclaw, do hereby judge you as worthy to accept my ancestral line." Hermione smiled happily, his mind swimming with possibilities.

"I, Godric Gryffindor, do hereby judge you as worthy to accept my ancestral line." Like a true Griffindor, it's Founder without much ado, directly came to the subject.

Hermione turned towards Salazar. Her final test. He was silent for a minute. Then smiled reluctantly and said "I cannot find a flaw with her. She is a true Slytherin. Certainly not like the last ones to come before us. I, Salazar Slytherin, do hereby judge you as worthy to accept my ancestral line."

Harry and Hermione turned towards each other and smiled in relief. It was done. They can finally save the world or die trying.

"Harry James Potter, Hermione Jean granger" Godric Griffindor continued. "You have been judged worthy to receive the ancestral lines of all the Founders Four."

"In addition," Godric continued, "You shall be bestowed with three gifts each in total: One from each of your ancestor and one from us collectively to both of you." He looked at Hufflepuff, a gesture followed by Harry, who smiled at the elder woman.

"To you my heir I grant you the power of healing, so you can heal and protect those you care about"

"To you my heir," Ravenclaw began, "I grant you the gift of Empathy. It's a lost art in this era, yet you will be highly benefited from it."

"To you my heir I grant the power of teleportation. No ward or barrier can stop you from reaching your destination. "Griffindor continued.

"And to my heir," Slytherin continued, more than a hint of joy in his voice at the mayhem this was likely to cause "I grant you the gifts of tongues. You will speak the ancient tongues of the serpents, goblins, the tongues of the elves long since departed from this world, and many other races including all bio-life forces. Also I give you the power of plant manipulation. All plants will hence forth, remain as your friends."

Hermione and Harry stared dumbfounded. God! This was overwhelming.

"In addition to this, you both have the gift of control, over your mind and emotions. Both of you, as witnessed earlier, have the power of Animagi and can talk telepathically to each other." Lady Ravenclaw told them.

"And now for our joint gift, here forth, your grief over the death of your loved one will be contained to the day he died. When you have moved on, the grief will too"

Hermione didn't know what to think of this. She didn't want Sirius, for they were surely talking about him, to become a memory to be remembered once a year. That was disrespecting him. Harry too was thinking in the same lines.

"No my dear, he is not ever going to be a memory in your mind. Your love is too deeply ingrained for that to happen." Lady Hufflepuff told Hermione gently."And Harry your godfather almost a father to you. You will never forget his love and affection, no matter what."

"Yes, this was given to you because your grief should not hinder your goal. You must save the wizarding world from ruins. That can be only done if you can properly focus on your quest. Besides our tests for you have painfully reopened the barely healed wounds in your mind. This is our way of apologizing." Lady Ravenclaw continued.

"Oh! Please stop being high and mighty. Just accept this. I have other works to do other than comforting two estranged teenagers." Salazar complained loudly earning frowns of disapproval from others that made him promptly shut up.

"Now, of the Founders, do you accept these gifts?" Griffindor finished.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. they made a decision, wondering whether it would lead to greater regrets.

"I do," Harry and Hermione said together, muttering the only words they could.

"Very well...so mote it be." The four founders began to chant in an ancient language that both of them didn't understand, but the words rang through their ears, shaking them to their very magical core and soul.

Suddenly both of them felt absolutely light. They were surrounded by a blinding golden light. When the glow faded, they felt invigorated and strangely free in both mind and body. They turned towards the founders, only to find them slowly fading and becoming translucent. Each of the founders were smiling at them, even Salazar. Suddenly they vanished leaving behind a trail of whispers.

"Good luck" Godric Gryffindor's staid voice brushed past them.

"Make us proud" Lady Ravenclaw's said, in the ever calm voice.

"Don't bother us anymore" Salazar said, though it sounded more mischievous than snide.

"Tell him…." The last gentle coaxing voice of Lady Hufflepuff left Harry confused yet Hermione sighed dejectedly.

Then everything was silent. And abruptly they felt a lurching in their navels, similar to that of a portkey, but a lot more comfortable. Then they were standing before the same door they had come through. They reminisced the sequence of events, starting from Dumbledore's letter to this, that had lead to this.

Suddenly Hermione had a thought.

"You know Harry, Dumbledore called us here to train, right? First we thought it was for battling the approaching dark forces, but…"

"Yeah…. He wanted us to train to improve our new abilities!" Harry caught on.

"Wait! Does that mean he already knew we would pass?" Harry had another doubt which just popped up.

"No, he must've hoped so… Well, he was always four or five steps ahead of everyone…"

"Shouldn't we think about getting out of here now?"

"Yeah, let's go that way." Said Hermione, pointing to her right.

They walked in that direction, and surely enough, there was another huge metal door on the wall.

"Is this the same door that we came through?" Harry was ever so doubtful.

"Let's find out, shall we?"

They both pressed their palms on the metal door, and it swung open, revealing another flight of stairs, but these were also going down, rather than up.

"Harry, we are now leaving the Chamber of Awakening, we have been awakened!"

"Yes, sound's cool, doesn't it?" Harry answered dead-panned.

They followed the stairs, which lead to a small door. They opened it and there they were, back at the great hall, facing the long dinner tables. They had just walked through the back wall of the great hall. In front of them, there was the headmaster's chair. They had entered through a hole at the left of the chair, and they had exited through a door to the right of the chair. The awakening cycle was now complete! From the chair, rose Albus Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"Aah! You're back. How did it go?"

"Very well Headmaster. We both passed!" Hermione spoke up.

"Just what I wanted to hear, my dear. Anyway you both must be so tired… Take rest today, and meet me at my office tomorrow, right after breakfast, what do you say?"

"Of course, sir. Whatever you say." They told him simultaneously.

Dumbledore walked away bidding them good night, and both of them started towards the Gryffindor common room. Both of them were cherishing the moments in their test. Harry was happy to have something definite to work on and was vowing to save the wizarding world, at all costs. Hermione was thinking about the last words of Lady Hufflepuff. She didn't know what to say. But she was happy though. The weight of her grief finally was diminished. Now it was with wistfulness that she remembered, not with heart breaking sadness. It helped her a lot. When it was time for both of them to go to their separate dormitories, Harry turned and asked Hermione.

"Mia, do you know what Lady Hufflepuff meant?"

"I…. I do, Harry. I will tell you tomorrow."

Harry was disappointed but he knew Hermione had her reasons. So he simply nodded and hugged her.

"Goodnight, Mia"

"Good night, Harry" Hermione smiled at him and kissed his cheek. He turned and disappeared around the corner. She sighed deeply and climbed towards her dormitories, hoping Harry wouldn't take the news badly.

A/N : Sorry for the delay. we both are in to our senior years and are really busy. hope you enjoy this chap. plsssssssss review. :)