"Come home, Fawkes; you have nothing more to seek among humans. Your new home will be my realm, for your soulmate weeps blood-red tears because you are not by his side. He knows that you belong by his side." With that, Ladina ended the connection. Fawkes could hardly believe it; he was allowed to come to her realm to live there for eternity. At that moment, the Headmaster came in and, in a fit of rage, destroyed his office once more.
Fawkes fluttered his wings and then rose into the air, his flames crackling around him. The Headmaster paused and looked at the phoenix. Fawkes pressed against the binding charm with all his might, for it was simply wrong. "You will be silent, you useless beast!" He raised his wand when a shockwave erupted, washing over the Headmaster. He was hurled hard against the wall. "You will do nothing, you cold-blooded monster! I never was, and never will be, bound to you. I am only here because of a human being whom you have on your conscience. I hope you burn. I hope England falls, and I will watch from afar." Fawkes had nothing more to say to the Headmaster and flew out the window.
He landed in the Forbidden Forest and, for the first time in a long time, took a deep breath. Then, he closed his eyes and transported himself to Ladina in a pillar of fire. Ladina opened her eyes when she felt the heat, and when she saw the fire phoenix, her heart ached once more; he did not look well. "What have they done to you, Fawkes?" "I am fine, Ladina; Harry had to endure far more than I." "Then, let us go inside; he eagerly awaits you." Fawkes rose, and together, they went back into the house. Arthur looked at his soulmate with wide eyes as she had a phoenix at her side.
"Harry, I have brought you someone who has missed you." The one addressed looked up with tear-filled eyes, and then, when he saw the phoenix, a radiant smile spread across his face. He turned and opened his arms, and Fawkes flew into the arms of his soulmate. And for the first time, the world was whole for him. Harry hugged Fawkes tightly. "It is wonderful that you have come to me. I have missed you dearly." "Harry..." He looked at Ladina and smiled slightly at her. "Fawkes never belonged by the Headmaster's side. Fawkes, would you please transform, for my soulmate also misses someone."
Harry reluctantly let go of the phoenix, but he did so. He glided to the ground and transformed. A gasp was heard; all eyes went to Arthur, who stared, spellbound, at the man before him. "Hello, Arthur; it is wonderful to see you once more." Tears now streamed down his cheeks. Before him stood the most important person in his life. "Why did you never say what you were?" "The times were different then than they are now. I am proud of what you have accomplished." Harry slowly stood and embraced the man, pressing against him, seeking support. "Hello, my little one; I, too, have missed you terribly. I am also sorry that I could never help you."
"No one could help me; it was my destiny to end up here, was it not?" As he said this, his eyes went to Ladina. "Yes, Harry; the world, especially England, will never be ready to let you grow up to be their king." "What do you mean by king? I am just a freak." Fawkes hugged him even tighter. "Never say that again, do you hear? Had people left you alone, you would have surpassed even Arthur." "What do you mean, Fawkes?" "What he wishes to tell you is that you are my descendant; you have my blood in your veins."
"But I thought your son had killed you." "No, he did not kill me; he lived a good life with his wife, and from that union, two sons were born, whose descendants founded your school." Harry's eyes widened. "You mean Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor?" "Yes, Harry; you are also directly related to them." Harry stared at Arthur with wide eyes. "I did not know that." "No, for no one wanted you to know anything; they were afraid of you." "Why afraid of me?" Ladina had to restrain herself, and her old friend was not faring any better.
"Harry..." He looked up at Fawkes. "If you had grown to adulthood, you would have become one of the most powerful wizards of all time, and a king." "Are you serious about the king part?" "Yes, Harry; you would have surpassed me, for you have much of me, but I also see my son in you, whom I loved, but I was not given the chance to see him grow up. But I wish to see you grow up, together with my soulmate, for we have loved you since the first time we saw you.
We wish to be your parents, to whom you can come at any time, no matter what. We will listen to you, embrace you, and, most importantly, you do not have to prove anything to us to earn our love; you have always had it." Once more, tears streamed down his cheeks. He could not believe that there was someone who loved him as he was, without demanding anything in return.
Arthur and Ladina both knelt and opened their arms. Fawkes let go of him and smiled slightly, for he knew that his soulmate could heal here. He ran into his parents' arms and felt the hole in his heart grow smaller, for he knew that in this place, he had people who loved him as he was.
The Dark Lord sat on his throne, stroking his giant snake, who had her head on his lap, as he looked at those assembled beneath him. When something flew in, he caught it mid-air and looked at it suspiciously. When he realized it was a letter, he opened it.
"To Tom Riddle, for that is all you are. You are the greatest monster that exists, and I already look forward to seeing you burn in hell. I will revel in your pain and suffering, for you were never a Lord. I do not know what goes on in your sick brain, but you only belong to a minor branch of the Slytherin family, nothing more. You have the true descendant on your conscience; you have destroyed that boy piece by piece.
And I look forward to watching you be destroyed piece by piece when you land in hell, for that is where you belong. The Lord of Hell himself can hardly wait to have you. My mate also cannot wait to judge you, for he is the ancestor of Lord Slytherin.
Before I forget in my rage, I am a Death Fairy, and I have, a few hours ago, taken the boy, Harry James Potter, to me in the Realm of Souls, because you are all to blame, you and the Headmaster especially. Enjoy your life while you can, for when you are dead, your hell begins. Oh, before I forget, you have begun to age since you held this letter. Tick-tock. Do what you will with England, for the savior is dead if you have not understood that."
The Dark Lord grew angrier with each line he read. How could it be that such a cheap Death Fairy treated him, the true descendant of Slytherin, like dirt? But he would worry when England was in his hand, for that was the only thing that mattered. He looked up from the letter and then at his henchmen, who had been kneeling before him for minutes. Snape had not shown up, no matter how much pain he inflicted upon him.