The Phoenix, the Dragon, and the Thunderbird

Chapter Two
In Wiltshire

Draco Malfoy was having his first good summer in years. He was beginning to feel that maybe having Harry Potter in the wizarding world may not be such a bad thing after all. "I mean, really. Anyone foolish enough to attack the Ministry on the orders of that madman deserved to get whatever the sentence was handed down." He thought. "At least I don't have to worry about being flogged or getting hit with the Cruciatus for having my own mind." For the first time in years, Draco was able to relax during his summer. Not having to deal with his idiotic Slytherin house mates was an added bonus. "Now maybe I can get some descent sleep." He muttered, as he closed his eyes to get some much needed rest.

Unfortunately for young Draco, the dreams that came to him this night were anything but restful. ("Where am I , and why do I feel so much pain?" He asked himself in the dream. Then he could hear the things that were getting close to where he was hiding. He felt like he had been running for years, without stopping. And the things were almost on top of him. "Have to keep going, Father is with them and he will let them kill me if I get caught. If he doesn't kill me himself" Looking around in the dream, he could see the faint light of a campfire in the distance. "Got to warn them so they can get out of here and maybe they can get word to Potter." He thought, "Please Gods, don't let me be too late." With his lungs burning from running for so long, and bloody from all the branches that kept grabbing him, he knew that he was about to fail to reach the clearing ahead. "No, I have to get there. Have to warn them." he panted. Finally reaching the clearing, he could see the hope of his world sitting atop a fallen log talking to his friends, and a man that Draco did not know, Reaching the end of his strength, he stumbled into the clearing and called hoarsely "Harry, run! They are going to kill us all." Falling with exhaustion, Draco could go no further. Panting in terror, he looked back and saw his father raise his wand and start the killing curse. "Oh Gods, NO!!! " he screamed, throwing himself in front of the one person he had hated for all the time he had been a school, Draco saw Harry reach for him and smile. With the other hand Harry waved into the air, and suddenly there was a domed shield over the clearing, and none of the things out there could get in. "Harry, you don't understand. You have to get out of here and be safe." he sobbed. With a gentle smile, Harry told him, "It's alright, Draco, they cannot get in here. You're safe.Hmmm, I see that your father is here as well, this will be fun." At this Harry grinned, and turned to the others in the clearing with them. "Ron, give him some of that healing potion, will you?" he asked. Grabbing Harry around the knees, Draco could hear himself sobbing in pain and fear, "Harry, get out of here, please."

"We will go in a moment, but I have a few words for Lucius, and he is not going to enjoy the experience." Walking to the edge of the barrier, Harry spoke with the voice of thunder. "Lucius Malfoy, you will never touch him again. He no longer belongs to you. and I warned you what would happen if you ever chose to cross me. I think I will take your wand now, and then mete out your punishment." Harry waved his hand and Draco could see that his father's wand was flying into Harry's grip. Barely giving the wand a glance he muttered "Reducto" and the wand turned into dust. "And now for your punishment, Lucius. I take out all of your magick. You are not even a squib." Hearing this, and knowing that the elder Malfoy could not do magick without a wand, the creatures around him decided that if they could not have the son, they would take the father. Turning back from the terrified Lucius, Harry walked back to the center of the clearing, lifted Draco up into his arms, and whispered,"He will never hurt you again, Draco, you are free." After giving Draco a very strong hug, Harry helped him over to the fallen tree so that he could sit.

Draco began to wake up, feeling all of the hurts that he had in the dream, and one that he did not understand. It was an empty, hollow feeling that he had never had before. "What am I thinking, it felt good to be hugged by Potter?" "He is too much the Gryffindor for that to happen, but it felt right?!"

Lookong out the window, he decided that there was enough time to get a few more hours of sleep. With that thought, he turned over and fell back into the arms of Morpheus.

Many miles away, in the home called the Burrow. Ron Weasley and his girlfriend, Hermione Grainger were having one of their famous arguments. "Honestly, Ronald, I have no idea where you come up with this kind of notion. But I will say this much, if Harry wanted us to know about his personal life, he would tell us!" "Oh come on, Hermione, we have to help Harry find someone. It's our duty as his best friends. And besides, I think that Ginny would make a really good match for him. Don't you?" While they were talking, they made their way into the kitchen of the Burrow where the rest of the family was getting ready to eat. As they entered the room, the twins looked up and turned to their sister,"Ginny, dear, we suggest that you run to the hills. Ronniekins is going to try to marry you off!" The youngest of the siblings glared at her brother and told him " I really do not care that you think so little of me, but leave poor Harry alone!" Molly gave a scathing glance to her youngest son, and growled, "If Harry wants to be with anyone, he will make the choice. NOT YOU!!!"

Ron was feeling depressed, didn't anyone want Harry to be part of the family? "But Mum, I thought that you loved Harry like one of us!" he wailed. At this, the patriarch of the family stood and gave his judgement "Ronald Bilious Weasley, your mother and I could not love Harry any more if he was of our blood.! Now young man, I want your Wizard's Oath that you will drop this subject and never bring it up again. Is that understood?" Arthur weasley had never spoken to his youngest in this tone, and Ron decided that the very best that he could do is to just give in. "Alright Dad, I promise that I will let this go and not talk about it again." "I just want to know, is Harry coming here for his birthday?" At this question, his father smiled. "Yes son, according to the Headmaster, we will be having a very big turnout for Harry's seventeenth birthday. Even Hagrid is coming" Hermione piped up,"We have less than a week til then, what are the plans? And can we help?" "At least we won't have to worry about him ever having to live with those awful people anymore. Is he going to be kept safe from them until his birthday? Where is he going to live?"

Arthur Weasley gave a fond glance to his youngest son's girlfriend, she really was a bright little thing. "Hermione dear, Harry is being picked up from Privet drive as we speak. I believe that Hagrid will have him here in time for supper. As far as the party, the plans are made and everything is going to be wonderful. Fred, George, you know what to do. No Pranks, young men. Or else!!!" Fred and George gave their father a viscious grin and replied, "Dad, we have everything ready, including a very special present for our little brother Harry. The only thing that could possibly cause a problem is if our little Ronniekins goes mental on the whole deal. So we have decided to let Ginny be in charge of keeping the peace. Ginny luv, you know what to do?" Turning to their sister, they gave a huge wink and a nod. She smirked at them with evil glee, " If nothing else, " she grinned, "Bat Bogey, or Eat Slugs should do. I'm sure that I can think of something." Giving her brother an evil leer, she continued. "Besides,there is not a woman alive that could hold Harry's interest. We have too many bumps."

Picking his chin up from the floor, Ron turned to his sister with a red face, "Ginny, what are you saying?" "What I am saying, you dense clod, is that my Blood Brother Harry DOES NOT LIKE GIRLS!!!!!!!" Drawing in a breath, she continued. "And if you do Anything to mess up Harry's birthday, the only way that Mum and Dad will ever have any grand-children out of you is if you carry them yourself!" Glaring around the table, Ron muttered, "She's gone completely mental, she has." "Are you trying to tell me that Harry is gay?" He squeeked. "Sorry, little brother, but that is just the way of the world." commented Fred. George cut in with "Not to worry, he is not into red-heads, now blonds, yah I can SEE that. Or rather one blond." Ron knew that when his twin older brothers said things in that way, it would be best for him to just let go of whatever he was wanting to do. But this was Harry! The one that was supposed to marry Ginny and have a bunch of red-haired, green eyed children. The one that was supposed to be his brother-in-law. And now the whole family is telling him to just let it all go? "You are all nutters." he started, "remember, he dated Cho Chang in fifth year." he claimed , with triumph. "Yes he did, Ron. But do you remember how he described the ONLY kiss that they ever had?" asked Hermione. "He said it was "wet",now does that sound like the thing that a straight boy would say?"

Unfortunately for Ron, when things were not going according to his view of 'How Things Should Be', began to get very angry at his family. It was at times like this, that his temper would cause him much more trouble than if he would just be calm and think. "So you are all telling me that my best friend is a worthless sodding poof, like that poncey git Malfoy?" Ron tried to draw another breathe to continue his rant, but froze in horror at the sight of his entire family looking at him with rage and disgust. Just before he found himself hurling back from the force of the slap that his mother gave him. "I am ashamed at you!!! How dare you say things like that about Harry. If you know what is good for you young man, you will change your attitude about his sexuality or you will LOOSE your "Best Friend". Now, if I Ever hear anything like that has come out of your mouth again, you will not sit for at least a month! Do I make myself clear?" Molly Weasley was a force to be reckoned with when it came to the welfare of children. But little Harry Potter had taken a special place in her heart. And she was not going to let anyone ruin the birthday party that she had planned.

Ginny looked on in awe "Gosh Mum, did you reach all the way to Dover for that one?"