Harry Potter and Gaining Momentum
Burning
“Always
did love this side of the mountains,” Albus said taking a great whiff of the
air and breathing deep. “It’s just really relaxing.”
“Headmaster,
the ward,” Snape said rolling his eyes at Dumbledore’s antic and droning on.
“Yes
Severus, I’ll keep you no longer than necessary. Harry have you looked the
spell over?” Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded. “Right then wands at the ready,
Harry you use your staff.”
< Harry
waved his hand muttmuttered the morphing charm and the staff grew in his hands
until the shaft touched the ground and the jewel was about the height of his
chin.
“Oh
that is most impressive,” Professor Flitwick squeaked
in a delightful tone. Snape gave him a look of utter loathing.
“Yes,
I was just telling him yesterday that I’ve never seen a staff that carried both
grace and strength like his did,” Dumbledore said conversationally.
<
“The
wards,” Snape reminded sneering at Harry. Dumbledore cleared his throat as if
that’s what it took to get his thoughts back to the work at hand.
“Right,
you all know the incantation, so on the count of three men.
One---two---three---.”
“RECTIS
CONCEALIUS BINDIS!” the three men shouted together pointing at the wall of the
ward before them. There were four blinding flashes of light at the same time,
Harry and Albus’ being the brightest and biggest. The staff in Harry’s hand
seemed to radiate with power. Harry was flushed with heat. For the first time
that morning, he felt warm. He breathed a deep breath relaxing in the feeling
and closed his eyes.
“Harry?”
Albus said putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Hmm?”
he said opening his eyes and turning toward the older man. The older man took a
step back.
“Harry,
are you feeling alright?” the Headmaster asked.
“Better
than alright. I’ve been oddly cold all morning and I’m finally warm, why?” he
said looking at Albus strangely.
“Your
eyes were a different color for a moment,” Albus said slowly in thought.
“What!
They weren’t red were they?” he asked quickly. He knew from past experience
that Voldemort possessed him if they were red.
“
“He
clearly has not been practicing his Occlumency,” Snape sneered at him harshly.
cla class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'> “I
don’t need to practice, my walls are thick and tight; there’s no reason,” Harry
said to Albus and refusing to let Snape rouse his temper.
<
“If
that was true then why did your eyes flash red last night in my office when you
came to ask me about Draco?” he drawled.
“I
don’t know, but it wasn’t Voldemort. I haven’t had a twinge in my scar or a bad
dream in ages,” he answered finally looking at Snape.
“Then
the Dark Lord has found a way to get past the Occlumency without alerting you.
I have to suggest isolation Headmaster. The boy could be a danger to us all,”
Snape said almost grinning.
“Wait,
Draco said that he thought my eyes were blue for a moment last night also. Why
are they turning different colors if not because Voldemort is doing it?” he
asked.
“See
even the boy agrees. He must be sent away until he puts his walls back up.
Stronger and thicker than before,” Snape said urgently.
“Send
me away? Is that really necessary? Why can’t I just stay y doy dorm or
something?” Harry asked in a pleading voice.
“Do
you actually think that Voldemort couldn’t get out of a measly dorm if he
needed to?” Snape said rolling his eyes at Harry. Harry was looking at Albus
for help, but evidently Dumbledore hadn’t heard anything the two of them had
said because he was so deep in thought. Actually, Harry had a feeling he’d
heard, but he was just ignoring them.
“Perhaps
you could test his walls Severus, just to make sure that’s what it is?”
surely You-Know-Who could.”
“
guard, but it didn’t work, actually the connection seemed to work in reverse.
A
young boy was being yelled at by his father---a greasy-haired teenage boy was
talking to a girl that laughed in his face and walked away---the young boy
again was being approached by men in black robes and black white---the
greasy-haired teenager was hanging upside down while someone who looked a lot
like Harry laughed at his expense---
“
knees. The spell hit Harry directly in the chest but he only stumbled while his
staff morphed quicker than it ever had into its ring form and bound itself to
his finger.
“So
his walls are fine?” Dumbledore finally spoke up looking intently at Harry.
“More
than fine, fierce,” Snape spat in Harry’s diron. on. “If anyone tries to get
into his mind, they will automatically be revealing their own fears to him,”
Snape panted and got to his feet.
“Well,
you have certainly reached your master level then. It is unusual for someone so
young to have such a strong mind, but being as you learned the craft as young
as you did and given your experiences, I don’t think we need an explanation,”
Dumbledore said loftily.
“So
what’s making my eyes changes colors?” Harry asked. “Do you think it’s
something bad?”
“I’ll
look into it and speak with Madam Pomfrey about it. Until then, let’s refrain
from setting up the other wards until we do figure it out. I don’t want to put
you in danger because of it,” Albus said.
“But
it didn’t hurt me just now, why would it hurt me otherwise?”
“It’s
just a precaution Harry. Try to refrain from doing magic with your wand or your
staff. If it can’t be achieved wandlessly, don’t do it at all. We’ll put off
the wards until we have a better idea of what’s going on, until then, let’s
return to the castle,” Albus said taking out the goblet and holding it at arms
length so everyone could place a finger on it. The hook-in-navel pull was
issued once a and and they all found themselves in the Entrance Hall of
Hogwarts castle. The heat was gone again, and Harry was now freezing cold once
more.
“Thank
you for your assistance Severus, Filus,” he said as
he took hold of Harry’s shoulder and guided him away from the other professors.
They
made it up to the office without incident and Harry sat, shivering, into the
chair before Dumbledore’s desk.
“Cold
again Harry?” Dumbledore asked looking at Harry over his half-moon spectacles.
“A
bit,” he lied pulling his cloak tightly around him. He was actually freezing.
Though his fingers and toes weren’t going numb, they felt like ice.
“Dobby!”
the headmaster said in a slightly raised voice and in the next moment there was
a ‘pop’ and Dobby the House-elf was standing between Harry and the Desk.
“What
can Dobby or Gor Great Dumbledore Sir?!” he asked happily.
“Could
you please pop over to Madam Pomfrey and request a warming potion for Mr.
Potter. He’s dreadfully cold,” Albus said smiling down at the small creature.
“Oh!
Harry Potter Sir!” Dobby squealed turning around now noticing Harry in the
chair. Dobby hugged his legs before crawled up into his lap and placed his
hands on either side of Harry’s cheeks, efficiently averting Harry’s gaze from
anything but the little elves saucer green eyes. “Is Harry Potter sick sir?” he
asked whispering in horror.
“Maybe
just a little Dobby, no need to worry,” Harry managed to get out between
squeezed cheeks. Dobby looked skeptical for a moment before he climbed down and
said in an important voice.
“The
Great Harry Potter will not be sick on Dobby’s watch
sir!” Dobby said in a determine voice before he did a kind of solute and ‘
“Another
member of the Harry Potter fan club I see,” s tes teased trying to keep a
straight face at Harry’s scowling.
“I’m
sure Professor Snape would love to have heard that,” Harry said as
sarcastically as he could while shivering. Dumbledore gave a chuckle.
“Sir,
do you think this is Voldemort’s doing, or do you think it’s just me?” Harry
asked not meeting the Headmaster’s eyes.
“I
can’t be sure really, what do you think? Instinct is everything sometimes,”
Albus prompted.
“I
feel anxious, like I’m waiting for something, but it’s neither a good or bad
feeling,” Harry said thoughtfully.
Pop!
p clp class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'> “Harry
Potter Sir!” Dobby yelled joyfully upon return. “Dobby has brought Harry
Potter’s medicine and some chicken soup to help warm you him up!”
“Thanks
Dobby,” Harry said gratefully as he gulped down the contents of the warming
potion.
“If
Harry Potter needs Dobby, all Mr. Potter must do is call for Dobby and he will
come,” Dobby said giving Harry a reprimanding look. Harry had the distinct
feeling he was going to have to call sometimes for petty stuff whether he liked
it or not or Dobby was going to be unbearable.
“I
understand Dobby.”
“Good,
Harry Potter must rest too. It does not do good to walk around in the damp
castle sick. Dobby will tell the other elves to make sure all the fires stay
heated to keep Harry Potter from getting sicker. Good-bye Harry Potter Sir,”
Dobby said very hastily before leaving with another ‘pop’. Dumbledore was,
again, almost red in the face with suppressed laughter. Harry scowled at him
again.
“Oh
come Harry, it’s loyalty beyond all others. I myself have a habit of befriending
those who are usually the underdogs. You’ll see later in life that it is these
friendships you treasure the most when in a time of need,” Albus said
cryptically. Harry just narrowed his eyes at the old man and went on drinking
his gaping bowl of broth. atedated that twinkle. Out of the corner of his eyes
he saw a flash of flames and Fawkes came swooping down to the Headmaster’s
shoulder carrying a parchment in his golden beak.
Dumbledore
took the letter from him and unfolded it reading intently. His face became
grave once again and he put the letter down and looked at Harry. The old
wizard’s eyes were once again showing their true age as he breathed a heavy
sigh.
“Another
attack,” he said gravely shaking his head. “Just outside Ottery
St. Catchpole.”
“The
Weasleys,” Harry said gravely going pale.
“
around the area are not. There was a small school just off the main street that
was seized by Dementors and all the children were affected. There was another
message for you: Hope you doing well Harry Potter. The letter was from Arthur
Weasley,” Dumbledore said taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his
gnarled hands.
“They
were all kissed?” he asked, Dumbledore nodded. “How many?”
“About
two hundred, much less than last time, but still too many,” Albus said.
“Why
is he attacking schools?” Harry said furiously as Fawkes gave a few flaps of
his wings and landed on Harry’s shoulders calming him.
“Why
not? It is the most opportune spot is it not? Masses of Muggle children in one
area, I supposed it’s just too much of an opportunity for Voldemort to pass up.
I am also sure he wanted you to see how close he can getthosthose you love,”
Dumbledore said shaking his head.
“I
suppose so,” Harry sighed as he sat back in thought. “How did you do it?”
“Do
what Harry?”
“Defeat
Grindelwald in 1945,” he replied as if it were obvious.
“Harry,
as much as people boast about that, I must say it was probably the worst day
and feeling in my long life,” he said slipping his glasses back on.
“Could
you elaborate Professor?” Harry asked.
“Yes,
I supposed I could. ini initial war began when the Muggle world war two did.
Grindelwald took advantage of the situation of chaos and began a reign of terror
on Muggles. It was perhaps the most treacherous time I’d ever seen. The war
only got worse with his influence see. Every time he would strike a group of
Muggles, another group of Muggles would get suspicious or blame another group
of Muggles. It was quite cunning to tell you the truth. He turned the Muggles
against each other and the war only grew much worse with each passing day.
Grindelwald knew that there were too many Muggles for him to exterminate alone,
so he used them against each other. Of course, no one but the ministry knew,
because the Muggle world can’t know about us, but they were having to turn a
blind eye to it to keep from exposing the wizarding
world to the Muggles.”
“After
a time, Grindelwald was running out of followers because he was placing them in
strategic positions in the war to make sure no peace was found between the two.
He needed more followers. He decided it was the younger the better, he wanted
to be able to mold them into slaves more or less and if it’s one thing I hate, it’s
using children to do ones dirty work. I had just started my time here at
Hogwarts as Transfiguration teacher and was just years from my one hundredth
birthday. There was rumor’s that he was going to attack Hogwarts in hopes that
he could capture some of the older children to become his followers. I heard of
the attack from the ministry and told Headmaster Dippet,
but as I’ve told you before, my warnings went unheeded as if fallen onf
ef
ears.”
“It
was around May when another attack happened just on the other side of Hogsmeade
on a small Muggle village. Grindelwald was hopping to set up a kind of camp
there so to train the children he got from this school. I knew about the
prophecy the Diviner had told me about already and so I went to see what was coming
of the camp. When I arrived there, I was immediately captured.”
“You
see Harry, Grindelwald was much like Voldemort. They both had very big egos
that needed to be fed for them to feel powerful. The more people graveled, the
more powerful they felt. But the thing no one ever takes into account is:
though they think and act powerful, they usually are not. It was once said that
if a man allows his ego to consume his head, he’ll be left blind. Well, that
was Grindelwald’s problem. He, like an idiot, challenged
me to a duel. He told me that if I won then he’d let me go, and if I lost,
obviously I’d be dead. Now, Harry, I’m certain about one thing and one thing
only. As long as I have my wand in hand, I will always stay on my feet. Unless
I’m disarmed, I’m confident that I’ll not be undone. It is not my ego, but my
certainty. As being a specialist in Transfiguration, I know that as long as
there is a will, there most certainly is a way, you see?” Harry nodded at this.
He
was too certain that now as long as he still had his wits about him, he had
every chance to defeat Voldemort. He was fluent in wandless magic unlike
Grindelwald, Voldemort, and Dumbledore; therefore, as long as he could still
wave his hand, he would stay alive. Dumbledore continued.
“Grindelwald
was so used to causing terror, that he thought my methods of dueling were
elementary when actually, his were more draining and powerful, and mine were
acute, and quick. We dueled for perhaps an hour before he began to loose
energy. His spells stopped coming as fast and his physical endurance was a bit
to be desired.”
“After
an hour and a half of dueling, I was still able to throw relatively powerful
hexes and curses due to using small less energy needed one at the beginning.
This is when the tables turned. As he started reverting to smaller spells, I
stepped mine up a few notches. The duel began going my way and his followers
that were there were about to intervene when he told them not to. Again, his
ego got the better of him. He saw no respect in getting help, he though he was
all powerful, so he continued to duel me as he weakened. Finally, I used an
energy draining spell, which I’ll teach you as soon as you are more comfortable
with your staff, and he became merely powerless. He then resorted to hexes a
third year student would use to try to stay afoot, but it was useless. I hit
him with a binding curse that broke straight though his shield and struck him
hard. I threw up a barrier around us so that no one could interfere and asked
him to surrender. He refused.”
“I
bound him and banished him to the gates outside Hogwarts where I Apperated to
then called the ministry to escort him. We all knew that we couldn’t send him
to Azkaban because of the influence he might have had on the Dementors, so they
had me escort him to the Death Chamber that now presides in the Department of
Ministries. It was unanimously decided that he would be given the Veil.” Harry
stiffened at this.
“The
Veil had actually been confiscated from his own quarters after he fled from a
ministry raid so he knew what was coming. He tried to pled, to ask for a second
chance, but for once in my life I saw no return for a wizard that had sunken so
far into the Dark Arts that they would steal children to do his bidding. After
the vote, he somehow got loose of his bonds. Seeing how the room was full of
wizards that were important to both our ministry and the German ministry (which
was working hard with ours at the time), I could only see one solution to the
situation; I cast the Avada Kadava
on him. He died instantly. While the others in the room called me a hero, I
felt like a murderer. I had always sworn to myself, after I had seen so much
death in the world, I would never use an unforgivable curse, and I did. It may
have been merited, but it doesn’t change the fact that I did it. I have since
to use one. The ministry shoved his body through the veil so that he couldn’t
be brought back through Dark Arts and I went on my way,” he ended. He wasn’t
crying, but Harry thought he looked very close to it. He looked like death
warmed over as his voice quivered and his hands shook.
“The
Avada Kadava, what’s it
feel like to cast it?” Harry asked almost whispered.
“It
takes a piece of you with it---a piece of your good side,” Dumbledore said
finally looking up from his pruned hands to meet Harry’s eyes.
“I
don’t care how much anyone tells you you’ll have to, if there is at all any
other way to defeat Tom Riddle, please refrain from using that curse. It makes
you feel empty and alone all at once. Nothing good comes from the killing
curse. It’s why most Death Eaters have no feelings other than the negative
ones: Hate, eanceance, jealously, anger,” he told Harry.
“It
certainly makes sense. How am I supposed to kill Voldemort without it?” Harry
asked.
“As
I’ve told Tom before Harry, there are other ways to defeat a man other than
death. Strip him of his magic, suppress his freedom, or give him the Veil.
Nothing merits killing in my opinion, nothing,” Dumbledore finished in a
whisper.
“Do
you think ill of me for what I did to Wormtail? I know I didn’t really kill
him, but I tried,” Harry asked.
“Were
you meaning to kill him? Did you throw the shield meaning to behead him?” Albus
asked.
“Not
really. Yes, I wanted it to hit him. He had just thrown the killinrse rse at me
and I used the shield to block it. It sent vibrations through me so hard that I
just wanted to get rid of it and stop Wormtail at the same time. It wasn’t my
intent to kill, but I wouldn’t have been too upset if I injured him badly,”
Harry said trying not to let the disgust through in his voice.
“Then
no, I wouldn’t think ill of you for it. As wizards on the light side, it is our
duty to show those of the Dark slide what real defeat is. Resorting to their
methods of defeat only makes us more like them,” Dumbledore said. “Oh, would
you look at the time; you need to get to Potions Harry. Here take this pass and
hurry before you miss too much.”
Harry
glanced at the clock over the Headmaster’s head and saw that, indeed, it was
five minutes into his second period. He took the pass and hurried out of the
Headmaster’s office. He ran down the corridors and up the stairs to the
Gryffindor tower to get his potions kit and his books. While he was there he
grabbed one of Ron’s Weasley sweaters (because they would fit over his due to
being bigger) and sprinted down the stairs and into the dungeons. He took a
second before entering to compose himself and control his breathing, then
walked in.
Snape
stopped mid-sentence and narrowed his eyes at Harry.
“Twenty
points from Gryffindor for being late Potter. You will get no marks for the day
and---,”
“I
was with Professor Dumbledore, he gave me a pass Sir,” Harry said before Snape
could get too far into his ranting to come back to Earth.
“Convenient
as always to have someone in your back pocket Potter,” he said rolling his
eyes, “Well, what are you waiting for, take a seat!” he barked. Harry gave him
a look that meant ‘my are we overly rude today’ but none-the-less, he took his
seat next to Hermione.
“Twenty
points to Gryffindor for keeping your temper with Snape,” Hermione whispered
once he had his cauldron set up. Harry grinned at her.
They
spent the remainder of the lesson brewing their potions, which, Harry incidentally
had not problem with. He had read a potions book that came from the
Headmaster’s trunk that told of the potion, properties, and how to brew it.
Convenient indeed, Harry thought as he cast the unbreakable charm on it and
handed it in without even looking at Snape.
“Harry,
you have to have like four layers on today, are you feeling alright?” Hermione
asked as they left potions.
“Besides
the fact that I’m freezing and a little slow physically today, I’m fine. I had
to run down here today and it was killing my joints. Dobby brought me broth and
a warming potion, but the only thing that has warmed me up all day was when I
cast the spell for the new ward up around the grounds. But even then, my eyes
turned gold for a moment. Snape said they turned red yesterday, and Draco said
blue. I’m not allowed to do any magic unless it can be done without my wand or
staff until Dumbledore figures out what’s going on,” he said to a worried
looking Hermione.
“Harry,
this could be serious,” she said.
“Hermione,
it’s probably just some hex I was hit with when I wasn’t paying attention. It
will wear off soon or the Headmaster will find the counter. I’m sure it’s
nothing to be afraid of,” he said logically.
“I’m
not so sure. Harry, eye color changing is transfiguration. Sure there are
spells for that, but it would have to be very strong for it to turn your eyes
more than one different color. You would have felt a spell that powerful hit
you,” she said as if it were obvious.
“Listen
Hermione, just stop worrying about it. It will work its self out, you watch,”
he said quickening his strides to get to Healing faster.
The
day went as usual and up until dinner in the Great Hall that night, no one even
mentioned Harry’s odd behavior. Dobby had personally made sure to add chicken
broth to the table in front of Harry, and saw fit to tell him in front of the
other Gryffindors which prompted questioning once again.
“So,
you still haven’t figured out what’s causing it?” Ron asked taking a drink of
his pumpkin juice. Harry just shook his head trying to divert the conversation
or change it completely. “Well mate, you welcome to wear the sweaters as long
as you need, but I really think you should go see Madam Pomfrey,” he voiced.
“I’m
fine. If I’m still like this in the morning, I’ll go see her, but for now, just
let me be,” he said exasperated. He and Hermione just nodded.
“I
can’t wait till DA; everyone’s been asking me about it all day. I haven’t told
them a thing. I want them to be surprised when you tell them your going to
teach us all Occlumency,” Hermione said gushing.
“That
reminds me, I have to go see Professor Moon real quick. I’ll meet you in the
Room of Requirement in twenty minutes okay?” he said they all nodded vigorously
before he set off.
***
It
was about fifteen till when the students started arriving to the Room of
Requirement. Harry had patiently waited, while sitting on top of a trunk, for
the room to fill. He noticed that the majority of all those who were there last
year were there, of course, excluding Cho and
He didn’t mind this in the least; he just wished Zacharias Smith hadn’t shown
up. He was a boy from Hufflepuff that liked to question Harry’s every motive.
“Welcome
back,” he began once everyone was situated on their cushions. “I think that
first we need to discuss a few things, and then I’ll tell you what I have
planned for the first term.”
“The
first order of business icruicruiting, do we, or do we not? There are two
reasons I’m putting this to a vote. The first is that if we don’t, we won’t
have to spend much time reviewing and we’ll be moving on to new things in this
meeting. The second is if we do, we won’t be moving on to new things for about
two to three weeks. We will continue the charmed parchment contracts that whatever
happens in this room stays in this room. This is a private club whether it’s
allowed or not, so if any of you have a problem not talking about this,” his
eyes flickered to Lavender and Parvati, “then I suggest you leave now. I have
it on strict regards that we will be helping the professors should the castle
ever be attacked, no matter how far from the actual danger of the situation,”
he said.
“What
will we be expected to do?” the annoying blond headed boy said.
“No
more than you’re willing,” he answered. That seemed to shut him up.
“I
want everyone in here to be able to cast a Partonus as sos pos possible, and
then I’m going to make you face a life like Dementor when you get good enough
at it. This chest,” he kicked the trunk he was sitting on with the heel of his
foot, “has a Bogart in it and I can make it turn into a Dementor. Everyone will
have a go, but not until we know how fast we’re going to be moving on, which
brings us back to if we’re recruiting or not. So without further ado please raise
your hands if you think we’ll do good to have a larger number of members,” he
said standing on the trunk to count hands. “Fifteen,” he said to Hermione how
wrote it down on the corner of the parchment she was taking notes on.
She seemed to want
to have an account of all the meetings so they could refer back to it when
needed. She told him earlier that she was going to charm it so that the log of
the meetings could only be read by the leader, and person writing the log. She
even went as far as to take a page out of Rita Skeeter’s
book and purchased a Quick Quill to write faster and more detailed than she
did, though it still wrote in her writing.
“Now,
all of those opposed to having new members?” he asked. He again counted and
reported to Hermione, “Ten.” That was it then, they would be recruiting.
“Alright,
now we need to make rules as to who to recruit. We don’t want someone who will
tell anyone what were doing obviously but we also want those who are formidable
enough to keep up. It wouldn’t do to have members that we’ll have to take extra
time out on though it’s up to you whether you help them outside this club,”
Harry said. “This is what I have in mind. Hermione, Ron and I will be sending
out letters to those who are nominated tonight in the morning. The letters will
have a memory charm on them so that if they choose not to join, they will never
remember they received a letter because it will burn as soon as the charm is
used. Those who wish to join will receive further instructions on the letter
telling them to see Hermione, Ron and I and we’ll do a small interview to make
sure they have no evil intentions. Hopefully, by the next meeting, we’ll have
all the interviews done and will be able to begin.”
“How
are you going to find out if they have evil intentions?”
“Who
is doing the charm work for you, I never heard of a memory charm in a letter.”
“What
if the room becomes too small for alose ose nominated?” the question were
shouted out hastily.
“Harry
has a way of being able to see what people are thinking. No, he’s not a mind
reader, but as close as one can train themselves to be,” Hermione said
confidently.
actually, I intend to teach those of you who would like, how to block me from
doing this and from anyone reading your mind, but it’s tedious and takes
patients,” Harry added so everyone didn’t think he sat around all day rooting
through peoples heads. “As for the charm work, I’ll be doing it all on my own.
I’ve acquired a bit of strange magic of late and this is just the sort of thing
it’s used for. After everyone has signed the new parchment when the new members
are present, I’ll shou hou how it works as well as some other skills I’ve
acquired,” Harry said grinning at the group. They looked absolutely blissful at
the fact that he was going to demonstrate for them.
“Nfor for the nominations. Hermione will write everyone’s name down that has been
chosen, and we’ll hopefully be able to get their letters to them by tomorrow
morning. Let’s begin,” he said.
“Sally-Anne
Perks!” Ernie Macmillian suggested.
“Are
you sure she can be awfully snobby,” Susan Bones said.
“Just
because she’s snobby doesn’t mean that she’d squeal,” Ernie argued.
“Point
taken,” Susan subsided and her name was the first on the list.
It
continued in this fashion for the next hours until every person had volunteered
at least two people. Someone would nominate a person, someone else would argue
the person eligibility out until one or the other gave up and the person was
dropped or added to the parchment.
“Okay
people, that’s almost fifty new members, I think that should do for now.
There’s a spell Hermione and I am going to have to use just to instruct
everybody at the same time, but the out come should be worth it,” he said.
“A
spell?” Hermione said furrowing her brow trying to remember such a spell that
could perform that specific task.
“I’ll
explain later, we don’t want to give all our secrets away just yet,” Harry said
grinning again. Being in the DA was going to be total torture. They were going
to see and know so much, but be able to say nothing about it unless they did so
with other members.
“So,
you’re using Will magic on the letters?” Hermione asked as they made their way
back to Gryffindor tower.
n stn style='mso-tab-count:1'> “Yes
and I was hoping you’d let me borrow your Quick Quill to write the letters,” he
said.
“Oh,
I can write the letters, you just m thm them. You have plenty to deal with
right now anyway,” she said gleefully.
“Would
you also like me to use Will magic on the log book. There’s no counter-curse
for Will magic besides Will magic,” he said.
“Would
you?” she asked.
“Sure
I don’t mind, and I don’t have to use a wand or my staff for it, its no big
deal,” he replied.
“Lions
Paw,” Ron said as they came before the portrait of the fat lady.
Hermione
went straight to work on the letters while Harry read until his part was
needed. Ron too was reading, even though it was a Quidditch book. Ginny, Colin
and Dennis were all in the corner playing Exploding Snap. Dean and Seamus were
both at a table comparing notes to transfiguration. Lavender and Parvati were
giggling and evidently gossipiboutbout something on one of the couches. Neville
was reading a strange Herbology book oblivious to
anyone around him. All the while Harry was sitting mere feet from the fire
under a cloak, two Weasley sweaters, and an under shirt, and was still freezing
cold. Actually, he felt almost ridged now.
“Ready
Harry?” Hermione called from the table she was sitting at. Harry nodded and
motioned for her to come to him so he didn’t have to leave the fire side.
“Harry, you really should be going to Madam Pomfrey to get checked out. This
isn’t healthy,” she said handing him the large stack of letters and envelops.
“I’ll
be alright,” he tried to say convincingly but failed miserably due to his lower
jaw chattering slightly. He felt as if his breath should have been mere
condensation in the air.
He
put the letters on his right and the envelops on his left and held his hand
between them. He concentrated on the memory charm and then sealing the letter.
As he did the gold threads came out of his hand and began to do their jobs. The
letter would glow blue for a second before it would fold and slip itself into
an envelope. The letter would seal itself and float off to the side.
task took all of five minutes to do, but he was thoroughly exhausted when he
was done. He didn’t expect the magic to have such an effect on him, but perhaps
it was his being so cold, or so, that what he told himself.
As
the last letter went into the envelop he felt a stab of pain in his stomach and
doubled over nearly sticking his head in the grate of the fire.
“Harry!”
Ron yelled. He was vaguely surprised Ron was even paying attention to anything
besides the Quidditch book. “What’s wrong?” he asked urgently.
Harry just shook
his head and waved his hand to tell them he’d be fine. That’s when he noticed
that his hands were starting to hurt. He looked down at them and to his horror,
they were turning into claws. He held one out, looking at it with wide eyes and
then looked at Ron and Hermione (who had come running with Ginny and Neville
just after Ron’s shout).
“Let’s
go, hospital wing,” Hermione said in her Perfect Prefect voice. No one dared
suggest otherwise.
They
made it in record time. Neville had split off to tell McGonagall while Ginny
had slit off to inform the Headmaster. All the while, Harry kept sprouting
feathers all over his body. He was dimly aware that the castle seemed to be
growing much larger around him and because Hermione was using the levitating
charm on him, he never noticed that he was missing legs all together.
“Oh,
what have you done now,” Madam Pomfrey shrieked upon their arrival.
“Do
you think you can hold the blame off until after you see what’s wrong with
him,” Hermione bit sharply back at the old matron. The medi-witch
looked shocked and hurt for a moment before she took out her wand and began
waving it around Harry.
In
the meantime, Harry was yet to stop shrinking and sprouting feathers. The feathers
were at first red and gold with black tips, just as his Animagus feathers were.
Then some of them started to grow in as blue and white with black tips, then
silver and gold with black tips. The medi-witch was
absolutely beside herself when the headmaster finally arrived.
“Do
you know what’s going on Poppy?” he asked looking down at Harry how was now
clutching his head in pain. The dull throbbing of his scar could have never
rivaled the pain he was feeling at that moment in his head.
“No,
he was at first changing into a red and silver bird, and then the newer
feathers started to come in as different colors. But the most curious part was
his eyes. Every time he opens them they’re a different color.
By
the end of this statement, Harry’s body gave an almighty lurch and he was no
longer sitting their as a teenage boy, but as a blue and white phoenix. With a
second sudden lurch, a sliver and gold phoenix was in its place. Finally with a
third lurch, Harry Animagus body was reverted back to its original form, but
the breathe of relief was only short lived. He started to molt. Harry tried to
talk, or chirp in his case, but nothing came out except feeble croaks. There
was suddenly a phoenix song from somewhere close and Harry began to grow warm.
Actually, he was warming very quickly. It took all of twenty seconds for Harry
to feel as if he was on fire before he saw nothing but flames around himself
and blacked out.
Harry
woke up feeling very gritty. He noticed right off that he couldn’t breathe
sufficiently and started to squirm. It was dark all around him and in noticed
he was buried in what appeared to be sand. He was trying to move but it was
like trying to swim in syrup. Finally he realized that the weight above his
head was lightening so he shook it and light broke through.
To
say he was shocked at what he saw would have been an understatement. Hermione
and Ginny were cooing as Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes. Ron was looking
shocked and worried while Dumbledore chuckled heartily. He looked around where
he was sitting and noticed that he wasn’t in sand, but ash. That’s when it hit
him, he had burned. He had a burning day just like Fawkes did. As the though
entered his head, the beautiful phoenix came swooping into the ward through the
door and landed on Dumbledore’s shoulder. Harry tried to give a chirp to her
but not much came out, though the feeble attempt made Ginny and Hermione coo
even more than they were.
Dumbledore
finally lowered his old pruned hand and swept Harry into it. A very disapproving
and confused Madam Pomfrey started cleaning the bed while Neville finally asked
the question that Harry, and from what it looked, Ron had been wondering.
“Is
he stuck like that?” he asked weakly.
“Oh,
I’m sure he’s not Mr. Longbottom. You see, Harry is
one of the first magical Animagi in a long time. Magical Animagi have to endure
some of the characteristics that their animals do. In Harry’s instance, it’s
his burning, though next time it may be freezing, crumbling, or smoke” Albus
said beaming.
“What
do you mean freezing, crumbling or smoking?” Professor McGonagall voiced, “I’ve
never seen Fawkes do any of those.”
“No,
but a blue and white phoenix, or better known as a snow phoenix does. It turns
into a flurry of snowflakes before it settles as ice dust. That’s its
equivalence to burning. A silver and gold phoenix or Treasure Phoenix crumbles
like rock, or better yet, earth. There are four types of phoenixes. They are
each known for certain characteristics. The fire phoenix, like Fawkes, is the
more common type. It’s known for being very intelligent and brave. The Snow
Phoenix is known for being curious and flying silently. They are only known to
show up once every fifty years and tend to dwell in the more northern parts.
One of the rarest and most mystical is the silver and gold phoenix. Not much is
known about these because there have only been two accounts of them. Merlin, of
course, had one and the other belonged to Godric
Gryffindor. They’re known to come about once every seven hundred to a thousand
years so we don’t know much about them,” he finished.
“You
said four, what’s the other type?” Hermione said catching the blank in his
description. He heaved a sigh.
“Keen
as always Miss Granger. The fourth type is said to be evil. It’s known as the
Shadow Phoenix and is pure black with red eyes. Its virtues are just as well
known as the treasure phoenix and no one has ever had one. They have great
influence over people. It’s not possession, but suggestion and the suggestions
are not usually good ones,” Dumbledore said.
“But
he’ll be able to change back, right?” Neville asked again.
“Oh,
I’m sure after this baby reaches its youthful age he should be able to. Until
then, about two days, he’ll be in my off on a separate perch beside Fawkes’.
Give the little guy some company,” Albus said fondly as he stuck Harry in his
pocket and left the wing to head for his office.