There were few things that could truly fight the Nexus.
But one of the only things that could actually defeat it, was it's own host. Countless times over the years, the Nexus had survived almost overwhelming odds, only to be forced out by the being hosting it becoming greedy and demanding more power.
And Earth was no different, when the Nexus had arrived on Earth and taken on the name 'The Phoenix' as the closest Earthen equivalent for it's species, it had chosen the near-death 'Jean Grey' as its willing host. Thriving in Jean Grey's mind, the Nexus found itself concerned with the darker aspect of her mind that was growing within the girl.
Directing its power to keep this side of Jean Grey subdued, the Phoenix didn't recognise the presence of another psychic until it was too late.
Finding a large percentage of the power it could access while in a host severely limited, the Phoenix allowed itself to drift back into Jean Grey's subconscious, content to remain quiet and watch her life play out. Watching as she herself thrived at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, the Phoenix subtly nudged her towards one of her fellow Mutants, a man whose heart and soul resonated at the same frequency as hers.
This was what the Phoenix lived for. Life. Not for power like some of it's previous hosts believed. Jean Grey was perhaps one of the Phoenix's best decisions in the past several thousand years.
And then She happened.
The Dark Aspect of Jean Grey's mind broke through the barriers Charles Xavier had erected around it, wielding the power that the Phoenix had lost trying to subdue Her. And then She dared called herself 'The Phoenix', in a mockery of the Nexus dwelling within Jean Grey. She turned the Nexus' own power against it, locking it away with a mental sneer, the Nexus only barely able to preserve a small part of Jean Grey's mind.
Thankfully that was all they needed. The small shard of Jean Grey managed to break through, she managed to reinstate the Nexus' dwindling faith in Humanity with a mere two words.
"Save Me".
And with both Jean Grey and Her dead, the Phoenix absorbed Jean Grey's consciousness into its own like usual, and cast Her into the afterlife to suffer. It was glad to accept Jean Grey as part of itself, despite all that had been against her the vibrant woman had been just so full of life and joy.
Unfortunately however, with Jean Grey, it meant the Phoenix no longer had a host. And without a host, the Phoenix couldn't remain on Earth any longer, or its sheer power would destroy the planet as She had wished to do.
Before the Phoenix could leave the planet however, Jean Grey's mind surfaced from within the mass of minds that made it up it's conscious. Before the man's death, Charles Xavier had been following the progress of a developing Mutant in what Humans called England. Gifted with the potential to match Jean Grey's strength, the boy was everything Jean Grey was, and yet was so much more.
It hadn't taken the Phoenix long to decide. Harry Potter was a perfect candidate for being the new host of the Phoenix. For now however, the Phoenix would need to leave the planet, to give Harry Potter the time to develop naturally.
It would return when Harry Potter was ready, which wouldn't be long considering what was happening up in Scotland right now.
The last thing Harry had expected when he'd dove into the Veil after Sirius, was to be standing in an unending expanse of white.
Looking around for his Godfather, Harry almost sobbed in relief as he spotted the man lying there limply, darting forward to fall to his knees beside him. "Sirius! Sirius wake up!" he begged, rolling the black-haired man over onto his back and shaking his shoulders quickly.
Glancing over his shoulder at the black archway behind him, Harry briefly wondered if there was some kind of time limit for him to drag Sirius out of this place. Freezing as the sound of a strangled cry echoed through the white, Harry looked around slowly, eyes locking onto what looked like a shrunken shrivelled house elf without the ears. Looking between the demon-creature and Sirius, it didn't take any thought at all for Harry to refocus his attention onto his Godfather.
"Sirius, come on Sirius! Wake up!"
"He won't wake"
Biting back the urge to groan at the ethereal voice, unable to stop the flashback to the Chamber of Secrets, Harry instead scrambled over his Godfather to stand between Sirius and the spirit-being-presence he could sense in front of him.
"I will not harm you Harry Potter"
"Thank you," Harry bit out slowly, hands flexing as he realised that he no longer had his wand on him. "I'm sorry to disturb you, I'll just be taking Sirius and leaving if you don't mind".
As the words escaped his mouth Harry blinked in shock, wondering when the bloody hell he'd started speaking like Malfoy of all people. Stiffening as a haunting laugh echoed through the white, Harry watched as a swirl of unearthly fire-like power appeared where his whispering magic claimed the spirit was located, the power taking a humanoid form before the fire died out suddenly and left a familiar person standing in it's place.
"Mum?"
"No, Harry Potter" the spirit denied simply, "This form is that of my previous host, a Human woman by the name of Jean Grey"
Swallowing painfully, Harry just nodded, not knowing what to say or whether he should say anything that all. "Where am I?" he blurted, the sound of the creature beginning to cry again pulling both his and 'Jean Grey's' attention aside for a moment.
"You are beyond the Veil. A gate to what Humans call a pocket dimension, inhabited by a Beast, a Devourer of Souls," Jean Grey explained, "We do not have long, for the Beast has surely sensed your presence by now, and will be on its way to the door".
"What?" he hissed, quickly stepping over Sirius again and trying to lift him up, a whimper escaping his lips as he realised it felt like someone had used a sticking charm on him. "Please, can you help me?" he exclaimed, looking up at Jean Grey as he hoped his luck would hold out and she wasn't this Beast she spoke of.
"I can," Jean Grey confirmed. "I am the being known to Humans as the Phoenix. The Fount of All Life and the Nexus of Psionic Power. It is within my power to take a host, for without one I cannot dwell on a planet for fear of destroying it".
"Wait. Are you asking me?" Harry began nervously, his mind piecing together what she was saying much faster than he normally managed. "I can't be your host, I mean I'm kind of attached to my body. And with Voldemort back I can't just turn my back on my friends".
'The Phoenix' just tilted her head at him curiously, a slight frown gracing her features. "Jean Grey likened it to having a presence within her mind, watching her life playing out, like one would watch a movie or read a book," the 'Fount of All Life' corrected slowly. "It is not my desire to possess your body, only to share it. Your body, and your life would remain entirely yours, I would merely be coming along for the ride".
Harry just stared at her blankly, trying to find a difference between possession and having his body 'driven like a car' by the being in front of him. "Would you fight Voldemort?" he found his mouth asking before he could realise where his thoughts were heading, "If I said yes. Would you fight Voldemort? Or would you hurt people?"
"I would do neither. I would give you the power to fight this 'Voldemort', but like I said, I would merely be a passenger in your body," the Phoenix explained, "I could not take control over your body unless you gave me express permission. I am the Embodiment of Life, after all, it is not my desire to rid you of yours".
Leaning back onto his heels, Harry studied the emotionless face of the 'woman' in front of him. Wondering what the chances were that he wasn't being screwed over by this Phoenix. "With the power boost hosting me would grant you," the Phoenix continued when Harry didn't speak, "You'll have the strength to break through the barrier keeping people from leaving this dimension, you'll be able to escape with your Godfather and stop any more of your friends from getting hurt. You are a very powerful Mutant, Harry Potter, you merely need training and focus".
"Mutant," Harry echoed dumbly, "Those dark creatures with magical powers?" he clarified slowly, thinking back to some of the Daily Prophet articles he'd seen about them.
"Mutants are no more dark creatures than Mages are," the Phoenix sniffed, "Both Mutants and Mages are Human after all, only separated by a single gene. Magicals can manipulate a form of energy Humans call 'Magic', while Mutants have various widespread abilities similar to the 'Magical gene'. Most children with both the Mutant and the Magical gene do not survive to birth, their own genetics fighting over the two genes of power, but on occasion someone can be born with complementary genes like yourself".
"Like myself?" Harry repeated as he slowly stood, "But I can't be a Mutant! It would have manifested by now! We studied Mutants in Defence Against the Dark Arts, I would know by now".
"Unless a certain meddling old Wizard placed suppressing blood wards around the place you were raised," the Phoenix pointed out coldly, a flash of anger crossing her face. "When he realised what you were, he did all he could to suppress it, tying blood wards that drained your magic to block your mutation from manifesting. They didn't work of course, merely slowing the gene from awakening, but they managed to force your magical core to grow larger than expected. Why do you think you've been so angry recently? You're picking up on Voldemort's anger through the psychic link the two of you shared".
"If I give you permission, would you take control of my body and destroy Voldemort?" Harry asked without thinking, "If I give you my body, could you stop him?"
"If you gave me your permission," the Phoenix promised as she strode forward, standing opposite him on Sirius' other side.
"And that's it right?" he asked hesitantly, "You would defeat Voldemort and help me train my Mutation? That's all?"
"I can grant you so much more," the Phoenix offered, "I could lead you to the one whose soul resonates with your own? I could show you how to become rich? Famous?"
"I'm already rich," Harry denied quickly, "And I'm already famous. And I'd rather just have my family back than be either. And I know you can't resurrect the dead," he added hastily as the Phoenix frowned at him. "I wasn't going to ask. I'm just saying I don't want that".
"Are we in agreement then?" Phoenix asked slowly as she stepped forward to offer her hand.
Harry stared at her hand for a moment, taking a deep breath as he glanced down at his Godfather. "Yes. We're in agreement," he agreed, slowly reaching out to grasp her hand which felt like it was on fire, yet didn't burn him.
"In return for hosting me. I will aid you in your war against Voldemort, aid you with your psionic powers, and lead you to your soul-mate," the Phoenix declared formally as the warmth began spreading up Harry's arm rapidly.
"Wait what?" he blurted as he caught onto what she had added on the end of the agreement. Before he could pull his hand away however, the Phoenix was exploding into the same fire from before seconds later, being absorbed into his body as what felt like burning lava spread through his veins and into his mind.
"May I have control Harry Potter? Your Voldemort is standing outside the entrance to this dimension," the Phoenix requested politely.
"Yeah. You can have control," Harry agreed instantly, a wave of dizziness washing over him before he was suddenly looking through his eyes as if he was an outsider. "Make him pay for what he's done".
"So I shall"
TALON OF THE PHOENIX
Inspired by my own preview 'Phoenix Song', numbering Chapter Three of the Lost Files. This is just a re-written version of the same challenge and idea, I happened across the preview in some long lost file on my laptop and couldn't help myself.
The Undercover Operative cannot claim to own either Harry Potter or the X-Men.