The Phoenix Prophecy

Chapter 17: Epilogue – Part 1

Monday — July 21^st

Professor Albus Dumbledore:

It was obvious to me that there were powers at work here that I did not even come close to understanding. Ron and Gretchen’s miraculous recovery was proof enough of that fact. Some higher power had most definitely intervened on their behalf. That this unseen intelligence had the ability to heal human beings was not particularly astonishing. What was astonishing was the child that Gretchen was holding in her arms when she and Ron returned from where ever they had been taken. The fact that Ron and Gretchen were gone from Mystie’s sight for only a few seconds led me to speculate that this higher intelligence possessed the ability to manipulate time. The human body could only be healed just so fast, and no faster. Therefore, it was logical, and necessary, to assume that Ron and Gretchen had experienced a much longer period of time than the few seconds they were out of the elves sight. If my guess was right, they must have lived through a period of not less than nine months in order to grow a fully developed human child. The beings that healed Gretchen and Ron must have discovered in the course of their examination that Gretchen was pregnant, and for reasons of their own decided to keep them until the child was born. Whether this child will hold any special significance for us in our world remains to be seen.

My firm belief that we were being watched over by some unseen intelligence was what allowed me to take Harry and Hermione back to Marcus’ island with a small degree of hope that this intelligence would intervene again, if need be. If it had not been for this belief—and a vivid image of Harry and Hermione defending themselves against a group of Death-Eaters that had flashed through my mind while I was watching the two of them eat their suppers—I might have refused to take them with me. There are many things in this world worse than dying in your sleep. I knew that I was taking a dreadful risk. If I was wrong, Harry and Hermione might pay for my misjudgment with an eternity of suffering and despair.

I decided against telling the others about my reasons for taking Harry and Hermione with me. It would only have served to start a fruitless discussion that would not end satisfactorily. If I was correct in my assumption, Harry and Hermione would soon be back with the others. If on the other hand I was wrong, I could only hope that they didn’t suffer for very long. I had seen too much suffering and agony in my lifetime. I also knew that there would always be suffering and agony as long as people like Tom Riddle and his Death-Eaters desired power over everyone else. It had been my experience that those who craved power always abused it at the expense of those around them. When power descended, unasked and uninvited, on a person’s shoulders that person usually did a reasonable job of exercising their power for the protection and benefit of those around him or her. Harry was a perfect example of the latter case. If he had dwelled on the terrible things that had happened to his parents, allowing his hatred for those that betrayed them to consume him, he would most likely have turned into what he hated the most.

Our trip backwards through time and the journey to the island were uneventful, much to my unspoken relief. Our only anxious moment was when I needed to hide us beneath an invisibility curtain when some of the Dark One’s followers showed up outside Marcus’ bedroom windows. During the time we waited in Marcus’ bedroom, I debated with myself as to whether I should tell Harry and Hermione about my theories. Ultimately, I decided against telling them my beliefs as I thought it could do more harm than good at the present time. They had more than enough to worry about as it was. Looking back on how everything turned out, I am thankful that I made the right choice.

Watching my ‘earlier’ self through Marcus’ bedroom door was a trifle disconcerting. I had not thought of myself as being as old as I looked. To our eyes, the world around us ages, but we still think of ourselves as never changing. I have observed that this feeling is more pronounced the older we become. I knew the moment of truth was quickly approaching and that if I wanted to say any last words to Harry and Hermione, I had better do it soon.

Twice I had to quickly withdraw my head from the doorway as Fawkes turned his head in our direction. I was sure that he sensed something was not as it should be. I could tell from the way his head kept turning in every direction. He always became very restless just before some unforeseen event would happen. Fortunately, he could not leave his position above my earlier self. When at last the rings were joined and the phoenixes had whisked me from the Atrium, I knew that it was time for me to make my move.

Having no time left to even to say ‘goodbye’, I quickly stepped into the atrium and flattened myself against the wall just outside Marcus’ bedroom. On the other side of the doorway was a statue of some person unknown to me. With a flick of my wand, I quickly animated the statue and covered it with a hooded robe of cloth. Under my direction, the statue quickly made its way towards the table where the ‘rings of power’ lay while I made myself invisible.

Just as I expected, the Dark One was waiting and watching for someone to move inside the atrium. I had been fortunate that the outer wall around the atrium was not visible to the Dark One from its’ vantage point high above the atrium. My plan was quite simple really. While the Dark One focused its’ wrath on the animated statue, I would stealthily gather up the rings and separate them.

I should have realized from years of experience with ‘simple plans’ that nothing is ever simple. Before I could make my way to the table, Harry and Hermione erupted from the bedroom and streaked past me—I being invisible to them and the Dark One—to the table just two steps in front of me. I think Hermione actually brushed against me as I felt myself being shoved sideways and she seemed to be knocked slightly off her course. Harry managed to grab the rings and separate them in two blinks of an eye, but not without being noticed. The look of triumph on his face was instantly wiped away as he and Hermione were engulfed in an enormous fireball.

The heat from the fireball was so intense that it forced me to back away. I was completely powerless to do anything for them. The realization that I had led them to this horrific end was just starting to settle upon me when two blinding flashes of brilliant white light surrounded Harry and Hermione’s flaming torsos, shrank to pinpoints of light, and winked out.

At the same moment, the animated statue, that was still flaming, fell into the pool in the center of the atrium and was quickly extinguished if a hiss of steam and boiling water. The rage from the Dark One was immediate as it bellowed a stream of fire high into the air above the atrium. While the Dark One was venting its’ anger, I quickly made my way back into Marcus’ bedroom and then to the adjoining bathroom. I needed to find some answers as to why things had transpired the way they did. And the only way to do that was to travel farther back in time so that I could use Marcus’ pensieve. I was sure that Marcus would have placed a great deal of information in his pensieve for safe keeping. Hopefully Marcus had not placed a spell on his pensive that would prevent me from viewing his memories.

Thinking of Harry and Hermione, I could only pray that I had been right about a higher intelligence watching over us. As things stood now, I was entrusting Harry and Hermione’s fate to the same force that had healed Ron and Gretchen. The spheres of light that had snatched their flaming bodies from the Dark One’s fireball were definitely not the product of some twisted, dark magic. I knew this because during the instant that the spheres were visible, I felt a sense of peace and calm wash over me. I never felt that way when danger and treachery were afoot.

I pulled the time-turner from inside my robe and slipped its’ chain over my head. I needed to return to a time before we had arrived here earlier today. I hoped that Time-turned still had enough power left in it to carry me back to early this morning. Drawing in a deep breath, I turned the hourglass over sixteen times.

At the ninth or tenth subtle change in my surroundings, a flash of light momentarily blinded me and I sensed a feeling of movement as if I had just apparated. My vision slowly returned as the intensity of the light diminished to normal. I was no longer standing in Marcus’ darkened bathing room. I found myself standing in the middle of a large meadow covered with the most beautiful wild flowers that displayed all of the colors imaginable. The meadow was encircled by a forest of ancient trees that easily reached two hundred feet into the sky. Beyond the forest, I could see mountain ranges that rose to meet the top of the cloudless sky. The sheer majesty of this place was overwhelming. I felt an incredible sense of peace and tranquility, the likes of which I had not felt in a great many years. I suddenly realized that I also felt more energized and alive. I closed my eyes and just stood there soaking up the energy that the meadow seemed to sending my way. For the moment, I didn’t have a care in the world as to where I was or what was happening. I just wanted to feel this way for as long as possible. I am sure that I would still be standing in the middle of the meadow to this very day if it were not for the fact that a vaguely familiar voice had called out to me.

“It is good to see you again. I trust that you are well.”

I opened my eyes to look at a person standing several feet in front of me, wearing robes that looked identical to the ones I had seen in the projection of Marcus’ island. I had to look twice, to make sure I was not mistaken.

“Athene, it is good to see you again as well. I must say you are looking much better than when last we met.”

“Yes, I daresay that I am,” she replied, a warm smile spreading across her face.

Ron:

Staring into Gawain’s face, I heard the clock chime for the eleventh time. At that instant, I felt my balance momentarily falter. After the clock chimed for the twelfth time, Gawain spoke to us.

“Friends, it is good to see you again. I trust that you are all well,” he said, smiling warmly.

“You can’t be Marcus,” Sirius said before anyone else could speak. “You’re dead. We cremated your body just three days ago.” It was obvious from the sound of Sirius’s voice that he was unwilling to accept the person for whom he appeared to be.

“You are quite right,” Gawain replied, his smile replaced with a look of seriousness. “The individual spirit that you knew as Marcus, or Gawain, has passed on to the afterworld. “I am merely using his form so that we may communicate. I do not wish to alarm you.”

“It’s too late for that,” Sirius quickly replied, a touch of sarcasm in his voice.

While Sirius and Gawain were talking, I had retreated several steps in Gretchen’s direction. She met me halfway and stood next to me, holding our new baby girl in her arms.

“Please do not be alarmed, I am not here to cause you any ill will. I have come because it is time for all of you to understand what has happened this day.”

“What has become of Harry and Hermione?” I suddenly blurted out.

“They are fine and you will be joining them very shortly,” Gawain replied, a warm smile returning to his face. “I see that you are getting on just fine with your new daughter.”

“Yes, we are,” Gretchen answered quickly, a trace of defiance in her voice.

“Gawain, would you mind explaining how we have come by our baby?” I asked, cutting Sirius off as he started to ask something.

“I will be happy to answer your question, and the many other questions that you all have,” Gawain replied. “But first, I would like to suggest that we join your missing companions. They are waiting for you through that door.”

Gawain was pointing to the door we had used to enter the room. For several seconds no one moved or said anything.

“Perhaps you would all feel more comfortable if I led the way,” Gawain said after it was apparent that no one was going to move.

“I think we would all feel more comfortable,” Madelyn said, as she placed her hand on Sirius’s arm.

“We need to awaken our children,” Walt added, but before he or Martha could take a step in their direction, Gawain glanced at the bed and immediately Alec, his sisters and Nicole began to stretch and yawn.

As soon as everyone was completely awake, Gawain led the way to the door. As soon as he opened the door, I knew by the amount of daylight steaming in through the door that we were no longer in the land of Lemke’s home. If we were, it would have been dark outside because it was the middle of the night. I heard Gretchen catch her breath when she noticed the light coming through the doorway. For a moment, she seemed hesitant to move.

“I’m sure everything is going to be all right,” I said to her as I place my arm around her shoulder. “Don’t ask me to explain it, but I trust this person, who ever he is.”

“I’m sure it will be too,” Gretchen answered, smiling up at me. “I’m probably just being over cautions because of the baby.”

“Dear, I would expect nothing less from you, at least where the welfare of our daughter is concerned,” I replied with a grin. Gretchen reached up with her free hand and pulled my lips to hers. After we broke from our quick, but not too quick, kiss we followed the others through the doorway.

The sight that greeted us was truly something to behold. We were standing on the edge of a meadow surrounded by a thick forest of enormous trees. Standing in the middle of the meadow was Professor Dumbledore. As glad as I was to see him, he was not what drew my attention. Professor Dumbledore was talking with a woman dressed in the same robes Gawain was wearing. I had no idea who she was, but the way she and the Professor were talking, I felt sure that he must have known her.

“This place is incredible,” Gretchen said to me as we walked farther out into the meadow. “I feel so alive and full of energy.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I answered as we followed the others to where Professor Dumbledore and the woman were standing.

When we reached the center on the meadow, a movement off to my left caught my eye. For a brief moment, I thought my eyes were playing a trick on me. Harry and Hermione were walking towards us, hand in had, as though they were just out for a stroll. Suddenly they noticed us looking at them and broke into a run, closing the distance between us in a matter of a few seconds.

“Gee it’s good to see you two,” I said enthusiastically and gave them both a big hug.

“What happened to us?” Hermione asked as soon as I let go of her.

“All of you have many questions,” Gawain replied before I had a chance to say anything. “If you would be so kind as to take a seat on the ground I will be happy to answer all of your questions.”