Anything that rings a bell belongs to JK Rowling

Chapter Thirty Nine: Epilogue - Phoenix Accession

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Harry glared back at Ky as she took the photo out of the Polaroid camera. She stared at it. You couldn't see the bottom of his face as it was obscured by cream. Fred and George still hadn't stopped laughing and Mi handed Harry a tissue with a suppressed grin. Ron was on the floor, cackling at the damage he had done.

Harry didn't take the offered tissue, grabbed Ky, and pulled her to his face, wiping the cake onto her hair. Thankfully the blush that resulted from his body against hers was blocked by her dark strands. Ever since the other night, they both found every excuse to touch each other, but neither making the effort to explain just what these touches meant, knowing there was a transparent Cedric shaped elephant in the room that talking made visible.

"Hey! That's cheating! You had a chance and you missed!"

"I did not! I was ambushed! And stabbed in the back by my best friend."

Ky managed to wriggle out of his grip and quickly hid behind Ron, who finally managed to compose himself.

"It was his idea!" She pointed at Ron, who gasped at her and then looked back at Harry.

"Mine? Mate you know me, would I do that to you?" Harry glared at Ron and then softened.

"Yeah. It's not your style at all." Ron sighed and looked back at Ky with a smug grin,

"See I told you he'd take m-"

Ron couldn't finish the sentence as his mouth, nose and ears were now filled with cake, he turned and looked at Harry who smirked back at catching him unaware.

"OK! Enough! I'm sure Kinky worked really hard on this cake and you lot are just wasting it."

Ron shrugged and dug a chunk out of his ear and tossed it into his mouth, "Whose wasting Mione? Right Harry?"

Harry shook his head at him and wiped himself with a towel.

It all started when Kinky brought Ky a Birthday cake, and they took it to the boys' dorm, and Mi insisted on formalities.

After she had said a very touching speech, Fred and George lit the candles (which of course where Dr Filibusters' that blew up half the cake). Ky then made a wish and Harry kindly offered to help her cut the cake, and Ron insisted on feeding her the first slice.

She heard him and Harry whisper together moments before, so this sweet act stunk of sabotage, positive he was going to mess her face with frosting rather than actually feed her. Whilst Harry was busy slicing up the dessert, Ky managed to convince Ron that he should smush Harry with cake instead. He'd never see it coming, afterall.

There was a light knock on the door, and they all turned to see the missing Hogwarts Weasley. She hovered on the threshold. Ky then realised everyone was looking at her.

"Come in." Seriously, after all the crap that happened, were people honestly going to expect her to hold a grudge against Red here.

Ginny assessed the room as she walked in and then their eyes met. Her brown eyes had a determined glint, and her jaw was tight. She looked like she was trying to down something that tasted nastier than Nessie's attempt atchicken ala king. She opened her mouth and then closed it again. There was only one thing that was so hard for a stubborn girl to do.

"It's OK."

Ky didn't need the apology. In light of everything that happened, a few slanders against her character was nothing to bitch about.

"No, it isn't Ky, I was wrong and I-"

"Yeah, yeah I know, learnt your lesson. Here have a piece of cake."

Ky held out the saucer for her, but she put her hand up, "No Ky, let me apologise. I feel terr-"

"I know. Just chill. It's all good. Here."

Her face flushed pink, "No. Let me get this off my chest. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have-"

"Said all that crap, yeah I know. I'm cool with it. Cake."

"Why won't you let me apologise!"

"Why do you want to so badly! I'm doing you a favour, just drop it."

"I don't need favours from you! I'm man enough to say sorry on my own, ok?"

"Look Gin you don't have to convince me on your manliness. Your arms say enough-"

"How dare you! You're one to talk with those hands!"

"My hands? Just because you have unnaturally small hands for a human being Miss T-Rex, does not make my hands manly!"

Ky was stopped by a cloud of chocolate descending on her. She wiped at the cream on her face and looked around the guffawing people for the source.

"Well, someone had to do something about you two. You're being ridiculous. Ky, Ginny is sorry for what she said about you. Ginny, Ky is sorry for not letting you apologise." Mi wiped the left-over cream from her hand with a no-nonsense look on her face.

Ky looked back at the redhead, cream dripping from her strands. Their eyes met and they turned back to Mi,

"Group hug?" Ky asked, smiling innocently.

"Of course…after you lot clean that mess off your-"

Ginny and Ky already had Mi in a tight hug as the room, already messed with cake, echoed with her screams of surrender.

-x-x-x-

"Happy Birthday Kitten."

Ky looked up from her cauldron. She was released from the Hospital wing that morning, and once she extricated herself from Harry, Ron and Mi, she came down here. Theodore Nott tossed her wand at her, and she caught it. She smiled at the familiar smooth feeling; he must have gotten it from Barriston Blishwick when he knocked him out. Ky tossed his to him.

"How did you find out it's my birthday?"

"I make it my mission to find out everything about you."

"Is that so? Thank you." He knew what it was for, and he smirked.

"Thank you, this bump was just what my head was missing."

Ky climbed on the stool to get the valerian sprigs, "I thought it was the safest option. He would have killed you if he found you helping me."

"Probably. Who knew that idiot Blishwick could be related to someone that powerful." He started chopping up the poppy roots.

"With him gone now, whatever would you do with your time? You were doing such a good job of protecting me from Barriston…until the very end there."

He laughed, stopping his work on the roots due to the excessive movements of his shoulders, "Caught in the act. You didn't work it out till the very end though, admit it. You'd be amazed how determined that little fucker was to exact revenge. Following you all over the place once you got back from…wherever you were those months. Luckily I had my father's invisibility cloak, I could keep an eye on him, keeping his nasty eyes on you."

"Don't worry; I didn't let anyone know what a hero you are. Best not risk it getting to your father's ears…I assumed he wouldn't be happy to hear you helped me?"

"I don't really care what dear old Travis thinks of me. But, yes, that was some sly thinking, Kitten."

"Well, considering you decided to take a turn at being brave… I thought I'd take a leaf out of your book."

Ky added the root and sprigs to the cauldron and swirled it.

He smirked, "There you go again."

"What?" Ky looked up, getting lost in the perfect purple swirls of the potion.

"Being bizarre. Aren't you going to ask why I did all of this?" Theodore leaned against the table, his eyes shining with…amusement?

Ky turned to face him, "I don't need to, I know why."

"Is that so? Humour me." An accompanying grin for his amused eyes flittered across his face.

"Because you're a good person." Ky held his hazel gaze, determined for him to see the sincerity in the sentence.

The grin turned to a smile, "That does humour me actually."

"It's the truth, you are. Now tell me what bizarre reason you cooked up."

"You don't bore me. I like having you around. Blishwick's and my interests were conflicting."

Ky laughed at that, "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Teddy Bear."

"What? Kitten, don't call me that."

"Call you what, Teddy Bear."

"I'm beginning to regret saving your arse."

-x-x-x-

"Kyrianna…."

"It's Ky." She snapped whilst turning around. Her face fell, noticing it was the boy that had called Cedric that day.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know. Err…. here."

He shoved a package into her hand, and she looked at him quizzically.

He looked down shyly at his feet, "He was…. he was…he was supposed to give it to you on your birthday. It is on the 30th right?"

Ky looked down at the neatly wrapped light grey package, "I don't understand."

"It's a gift…a birthday-"

"I know…I mean…we only…that day."

The feel of the smooth package was distracting her, the familiar grey absorbing the words that she struggled to get out.

"Oh." The boy held her gaze, a sad smile on his face. "He was going to break up with Cho soon whether you went to him or not. He had that wrapped since…November, I think it was meant to be a Christmas gift. I know he would want you to have it…"

"I don't deserve it." Ky held the package out to him, her eyes stoically pointing to the floor. He gently pushed it back,

"Don't say that. Cedric cared for you. I've never seen him happier than when he spoke of you…I like to remember him like that…the Ky smile."

Before she could look back up at him…he was gone…leaving nothing but the soft taps of receding footsteps in his wake.

Ky looked at the package. She undid the ribbon and a large bronze number seven shone up at her. She picked up the small piece of parchment,

I never thought it possible to fly without a broom…. you proved me wrong. You took me to places higher than this Jersey has, but even if I win this tournament, nothing will make me prouder than to see you sporting my name…C.

Ky ran her hand over the lettering, dark yellow spots forming on the jersey, seeping, and spreading. She quickly pushed it back into the wrapping and turned as she heard footsteps, wiping her face quickly. Mi emerged from the library; her arms ladened with books.

"Sorry for making you wait so long. I couldn't decide whether I needed Tattersons or Molworths and then I realised we have more potions assignments than transfiguration, so I had to make room for Jiggers. They really should allow us more books to borrow from the library over the holiday…it really isn't fair…"She trailed off when she saw the package in her hand.

"Another birthday gift? Is it Ron's? Mr Weasley was so excited to go on a mission to buy muggle clothes. Do you like the tee? I think John Len…"

She had taken the package from her limp hand and removed the wrapping. She ran her hand over the large bronze seven and his name on the back of the sweater. She looked up at her, tears welled in her eyes, dammed only by her eyelids, one blink away from spilling.

"Ky…"

Ky took back the package and shrunk it and placed it in her pocket, knowing what needed to be done. She smiled at her friend and that seemed to scare Mi more.

"So, I am famished! Why don't you go ahead and meet Harry and Ron at the feast, and I'll catch up with you, I need to see Nonno about something quickly."

Ky turned and walked away quickly, ignoring Mi's shouts. She took the stairs two at a time until she reached his office. Before she could knock the doors opened to reveal Nonno and… his parents.

They looked shocked for a second, and she quickly looked down. It was strange, but for a boy he took most of his features from his mother. The hair. The eyes.

"Kyrianna…"

She looked up quickly and met them again. Those dark grey eyes. Powerful clear swirls. His mother looked back at her, a sorrow that could not be described etched on her delicate features. Ky reached into her pocket and felt the cold paper of his note. Ky didn't deserve this. She should have it. They both should. Not her. Yet her fingers froze on the cold wrapping, and she couldn't take her hand out of her pocket. Nonno looked at her and then at the Diggory's. It was his father that spoke first.

"Hello dear."

He smiled down at Ky, and she was so wrong. He was his father's son, the smile was an exact replica albeit laced with pain, that tugged at her chest. "Well, we better be off Albus. Thanks again…for everything."

Nonno muttered to them and they left his office. Just before Mrs Diggory walked down the stairs, she turned, staring at Ky. It must be mother's intuition. Could she know who she was? Ah…Cedric had written to them asking about Ky, she must have an inkling that they were at least friends…Nonno and Ky remained silent, waiting for Mrs Diggory to speak, but she didn't, following her husband down the stairs.

"May I escort you to the feast?"

She walked into Nonno's office, "May I please stay here?" She didn't want to go to that feast and watch…it all. She didn't want to hear it all. She didn't want people.

Nonno nodded solemnly, he walked towards her and patted her head affectionately. "Anything."

Ky nodded, a weight descending on her shoulder, and she ran her hand through his silky feathers, Fawkes weight nothing in comparison to the one lying on her heart. She heard the soft click of the door has Nonno made his exit…Ky walked to the fireplace, running her hand across the stone…

"May I ask you a personal question, Kyrianna?" She gulped at that, did Madam Pomfrey say something about finding her in Harry's bed this morning…of course they did nothing but sleep together, but they had been holding each other, and it was barely appropriate.

"Sure." Ky muttered, waiting for the awkward question, hiding her face by staring at Nonno's many magical contraptions as she walked around his office.

"Has anyone, to your knowledge, managed to perform legilimency on you?"

Ky snapped around… that was not what she was expecting. "Hmmm, I don't know. Is that something I would know?"

"Not always…Linus, Severus and I have never managed it." She cocked a brow, "I apologize, I know it's rude. It was when you were unconscious and we were looking for clues as to who attacked you, and of course, when you first entered the castle. Linus says he has never been able to."

"Is that weird?" Ky asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"Not weird at all." He rose from his seat with a comforting smile, "It's been theorised that those with a gift of sight have natural defences against such things. Was your vision of Mr Diggory and Harry the first to happen whilst you were awake?"

Ky thought about that for a moment, "Yes, I think so. To be honest, I don't think I've had any visions since before starting school. I don't think so at least."

"Hmmm." He looked on, contemplative, "Foresight is a very unreliable branch of magic. There are so few true seers, there are great gaps in the knowledge on the subject."

Ky nodded, frowning, not sure why there was such a serious tone in her grandfather's voice.

"Kyrianna, I must ask you to not disclose this power to anyone outside of those you have already told." She hesitated, unsure why he worded it in that way. She had told Harry of course, and Ron and Hermione. "Kyrianna?"

"Okay." She promised, understanding this was somehow important to him. She suppose his behaviour would inspire more curiosity if this conversation didn't come right after Linus and Lenzo left. She touched the mantel of the stone fireplace, an unsettling feeling plaguing her.

"I believe that was carved by Gryffindor himself."

Ky turned and looked at Nonno from her spot at the hearth. She could still smell Len's cologne…there was something different about their farewell…

"Where are they going?"

Nonno stood and walked to the window, looking out at his school.

"You know this office was chosen as the Headmaster's because of the view."

Ky stared at the golden swirls on his scarlet robe.

"What do you see Kyrianna?"

Ky looked passed him and out the window, "The forest, the lake, the mountains, the pathway to the gates…"

He placed his hand on her shoulder, when did she walk up to him?

"I see the Weasley twins sneaking into the Forbidden forest on their second night at Hogwarts, I see James Potter and Sirius Black turning the black lake into a pool for a day, I see Remus Lupin howling on the mountain….and I see Harry Potter…walking up that pathway in his first year…his second…"

"You've seen a lot Nonno." She really had no idea where this was going.

"I have Kyrianna. That's why this office is the Headmaster's."

Ky looked up at Nonno, he had a painful expression on his face, "So you can spy on your students." She laughed but it was as forced as her attempt at a smile.

"No…no…" He humoured her with a smile that pained her with its forced nature, "Entryways Kyrianna. The forest…the lake…the mountains and the pathway. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, it is your job to protect your castle and its inhabitants."

Ky leaned her head against his chest, not even reaching his shoulder, "It's not your fault Nonno…"

"This isn't the first time I failed to protect a student, Kyrianna. It is a painful feeling to which I cannot describe and do not wish for you to ever feel. It is a feeling that I will never get used to but a feeling that fuels my power. But this feeling…" He touched his heart, his long fingers caressing her head at the same time, "Is an older, bolder, fiercer feeling. It pains me to fail my students. But it is unbearable to fail my family." She felt a drop on her head, and she didn't dare look up, she could not bear to see her Nonno this way.

"Nonno-"

"I will protect you." It was Dragonstone. His voice. It was unmovable and unbreakable, and it rang with conviction. And it wasn't directed to just her. It was directed to the forest, and the lake, and the mountain and the pathway. To the Weasleys', the Marauders, to Harry…to them all. And that feeling of difference that she felt five minutes ago when her brothers hugged her, she felt it wash all over her from her grandfather.

It was the feeling of a determined heart whose hands held the subject of their affection.

"They're out there looking for Bastian Blishwick, aren't they?"

"Yes. It was no use to try and talk them out of it…the stubbornness of youth."

Ky ran her hand over the fireplace that had taken her brothers away days ago. Sev had said that it was dangerous. But Nonno hadn't stopped them. Stubbornness of youth aside if he thought they couldn't handle it he would have held them here against their will. She looked into the scarlet flames as if hoping…praying…that they would glow green again and bring back her boys.

-x-x-x-

Harry, Ron, and Mi stood on the front steps. The whole school was bustling past them.

"It's so unfair you get to live here; I mean you have the library-"

"Forget the library, the quidditch pitch!"

"Oh Ronald, do you think of anything else."

"What? Of course, I do, I'm a complex mind…."

Ky hugged Ron and tried lifting him off the ground, he wouldn't budge. It did stop the argument. He laughed and hugged-carried her. He placed her back on her feet and then she engulfed Mi. Ky wasn't sad, she knew she would see her soon.

Ky then looked at Harry. She stared into his green orbs and wrapped her arms slowly around him, listening to his heart. She didn't know what the future held…. well not until her next premonition. But she made a choice the other night.

To trust Harry.

To trust this heart and these hands around her.

Because it was this heart that would beat Voldemort. These hands that would avenge.

She let go and they walked away.

Leaving her standing alone on the doorstep, letting her fake smile fall away…. seeing only empty grey eyes.

The End