Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters and story affiliations mentioned in this fan fiction all belong to JK Rowling and legal associations. I own nothing of it nor am I profiting from it now and planning too in the future in any way. The only exception of profit is to my self for literary improvement.
Author to Reader Note: I would like the readers to know that Harry does NOT die. He is in contact with something, which will be revealed later. This is about his recovery.
Revised 6/30/03
Harry Potter and the Turmoil Within
Chapter 4
From the Ruins
Ron and Hermione were motionless and the world was still.
The great museum once stood proud in its guard of evil now only a pile of mountainous rubble. Sounds came back into the world as cries of pain and shouts of confusion filled the air. People were calling out names trying to find their families and friends. Hermione sank to the ground but Ron stood frozen. They knew the answer to the question pondering their minds but not yet ready to accept it.
Ron pulled out his wand...
"The hell with rules," he said through gritted teeth.
He headed for rubble and began using magic; blasting the stone while trying to dig into it until he found the person that was still inside. Hermione joined him but even their magic combined did little to the enchanted stone. They resorted to using their own hands moving what they could. Neither spoke but continued on with all effort against the heavy stone bearing little success.
As their fear grew and their strength faded a familiar sound broke through the crowd. It was a strange musical like sound and the two turned to look. A mist surrounded the grounds but a light penetrated the mist and forth came a red bird that was the source of the song.
It was a beautiful phoenix emerging from the mist and not alone.
Through the mist followed familiar professors of Hogwarts lead by Albus Dumbledore with Ministry people among them. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape, with a look from Dumbledore, moved to join the nurses and doctors followed by floating trunks most likely filled with potions to aid the injured. Professor McGonagall led others to the crowd to help the unsorted people to reunite. Dumbledore continue his way towards the rubble, he said quick comments to anyone who came to him. He definitely had a purpose to finish first.
Dumbledore withdrew his own wand.
In a firm but soft voice Dumbledore spoke, "Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley move behind me now."
Ron and Hermione wanted to argue but a look in Dumbledore's eyes changed their thought. His eyes, though usually kind, were filled with a strange anger. He was serious and now was not a time to question him. So they did as told.
"Fawkes, if you please."
The phoenix, which had been circling about singing its calming tune, then changed its direction and soared high into the air above the rubble. It hovered, flapping its wings and gave off a strange sound. A moment later, the phoenix swooped up again even higher above the clouds until it was barely visible. A whistling sound reached their ears and Fawkes came into view again. It had changed its flight nearly straight down holding its wings together against the body. As the magnificent bird plummeted at amazing speed towards the rubble, its whole body glowed and then became engulfed in flames. The phoenix had made itself into an elongated fireball and smashed into the stone. A faint sound of the phoenix's song could soon be heard.
"Right then," was all Dumbledore said that could be understood.
He pointed his wand and began a slow murmur. Hermione and Ron watched in confusion. The stone could not be affected easily by magic. The air around them drew thin. It became a slightly difficult to get a full breath. Dumbledore closed his eyes and continued murmuring. The tip of his wand was sparkling with a rose colored light. Dumbledore opened his eyes and said one last word that no one heard due to the devastating sound that followed.
A roaring spiral of wind unleashed from Dumbledore's wand. Many had to fight to keep their balance from the recoiling force. The spiraling wind hit the stone and dug through it casting the stone away like pebbles. It cut a path in the rubble quickly and easily like a butcher's blade through a ripe tomato, encountering little resistance.
When roaring wind stopped, a glowing light emanated through the holes of piled stone. Without asking or considering, Ron and Hermione ran through the new path and pulled at the stone. It gave away and revealed its hidden contents.
Fawkes was laying on something crumpled. The bird looked tired but gave a welcoming chirp to their arrival. Ron reached in and carefully picked up the bird holding it gently. Being shorter than Ron, Hermione creped into the dark hovel revealed by Dumbledore's magic to find a terrible site. Harry Potter with his face bruised, glasses broken, trails of blood were fresh from his ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. From the point of his scar there was also a trail of blood flowing down his face. His leg lay twisted, probably broken, and his hand where he held the orb was black from being burned. Thankfully his chest slowly rose and fell with the action of breathing. Harry Potter still had life in him.
Ministry people quickly bustled in, shooing Ron and Hermione away as they went to work on retrieving Harry from the rubble entrapment. They went back to Dumbledore who looked winded but happier. Ron handed Fawkes to the Headmaster who cradled the bird in his arms. He stroked the weakened friend and whispered his gratitude to the creature.
The ministry medics were slowly bringing Harry out on a floating stretcher. They were pouring potions on him and waving their wands around speaking their spells. Ron moved to approach but a medic gave a menacing look indicating him to stay away.
Dumbledore spoke, "Like a phoenix from the ashes… he rises from the ruins."
Hermione furrowed her brow at his odd comparison and asked, "What did you mean by that?"
Dumbledore didn't look at her but allowed his eyes to follow Harry and responded, "Only something I have wondered may be true."
Elsewhere…
There was light but nothing seemed to have shape, it was dim place. Surprisingly though, the place was warm and comfortable. Harry felt as if nothing including himself was solid. His thoughts echoed about him.
-Is this what its like to be dead? - He thought. - Not bad... but I thought you were suppose to meet people or something. -
No young one, by your will with the strength and fortitude of others you still live.
A strange voice came from all around him.
It was an odd voice, not exactly human rather a deep metal like sound. Though he had never heard it before there was something uniquely familiar and comforting as well.
"Where am I," asked Harry?
You are nowhere but with yourself.
"What," inquired Harry?
It does not matter... I call to you to forge again a union long since lost over time… an old enemy has been freed from imprisonment after many years... I held back its power while the evil that wielded it was defeated... but now it has returned… as was promised.
Said the strange voice explaining something Harry didn't understand.
"Voldemort," whispered Harry in affirmation.
No… this is an older evil but from the same source.
"Then what does it have to do with me," replied Harry.
That which has freed it is hunting you... their powers combined will make a formidable force against you… alone… only one whose blood is same as that which brought me forth centuries ago came call upon me again... together we can overcome this evil… as you and I have done before and can do again.
Harry called out, "I don't understand. Who are you? When did we do anything together?"
Soothingly it spoke one last time.
Do not be worried, that time is still far to come and I will not burden you with it now... you know me already but understanding will come in time…you are needed elsewhere by others, specifically one in particular.
At that there was a flash and all went dark as Harry opened his eyes in a dark room.
His whole body ached horribly like one muscle in pain. While his body was sore his scar tingled in heat. He brought his hand up to message it. For a brief moment he felt a gooey substance touch his forehead when he placed his hand on the scar but it was only for that moment. When he moved the fingers, a searing surge of intense hot pain scoured through his arm into his spine making his brain scream in agony, which his throat voiced out.
A few seconds later there was a chorus of thumping as numerous feet came into the room. Voices were overlapping each other until a single familiar voice called out with fierce command.
"EVERYONE QUIET THIS INSTANT!"
It was the voice of Mrs. Weasley Harry recognized but he couldn't see her or anything. The room was still completely dark devoid of all light.
The searing pain in his hand had dimmed to where it was bearable but still throbbing. All the voices had stopped but Harry could still hear the rustling of clothes and feet moving around him. He heard slight whispers and the movement of people near him but still not see them.
"Harry," spoke a familiar voice, "Its Ron... do you know where you are?"
He tried to think only to discover that his brain hurt like his arm. His head felt empty and more he tried to think the less he could seem to remember. He caught bits and pieces of things in his mind and tried to answer.
With a raspy voice Harry replied, "Burrow?"
"Yeah, you're in my room," exclaimed Ron's voice.
"Harry," spoke another familiar voice, a higher pitch to its tone, a female voice and asked, "Do you know who I am?"
Harry searched his mind no matter how hard it was but all he could think of was a brown bushy hair, books and an orange cat. A name came to mind but he had trouble saying it.
"Harm… Harman…"
He took a breath and thought again.
"Hermi… Hermione"
"Yes," said a choked voice belonging to Hermione.
A new voice entered the conversation, "Harry, do you remember what happened?"
A hand gently took hold of Harry's painful arm and guided it into something gooey that enveloped it. All the pain stopped completely and Harry felt himself relaxing now as he continued to strain on the question.
Harry's raspy voiced continued and he followed the images in his mind. His head continued to ache and it was becoming increasingly more difficult to remember anything.
"Um… a building… museum… an earthquake… everything breaking… I got something… broke the wall, "Harry stammered out the understanding he had and his head hurt so much that he placed his other hand to his forehead.
"Good enough, you can stop, this is enough to show that he's coherent and his mind is still intact if not shaky for now. Since he recognizes all of you, I'll let you do the explaining while I send an owl," said the familiar unknown voice, "But keep it simple."
A sound of something clicking brought an image of a door closing in Harry's mind.
Hermione voice spoke to Harry again," How do you feel, Harry?"
"Sore…" came his struggled answer," Can't see."
"Oh, there's a hex on your eyes to keep you from seeing any light. The doctors didn't want you to wake up to bright light until you were ready."
Something pressed to Harry's lips. It was wet and his body wanted it badly so he just let instincts take over. He felt cool refreshing liquid past through his dry mouth and down the throat into a welcoming stomach. A moment later, he started feeling better and the ache in his head became less dulling.
Harry took a deep breath and feeling better spoke up.
"So how'd… my stupidity… work out?"
Hermione replied,"Not much more than a few broken bones otherwise everyone was… saved."
"How did I get here," asked Harry?
Hermione and Ron took turns, surprisingly without arguing, about how the building collapsed and that Dumbledore arrived.
"After that you were shipped to St. Mungo's hospital. Mum nearly hexed the whole place before one of the doctors finally came out and said you were okay physically except for your hand and… other stuff. They wouldn't let anyone see you... not even Hermione or me. Finally the doctor said that for now you needed was rest and you were lucky to still be alive and that we wouldn't know any more until you woke up. So Dumbledore said you should come here and be around familiar people when you woke up," finished Ron.
Hermione and Ron had left out a few details, especially the one of Harry's scar bleeding when they found him.
"Here have some more water and then try to sleep some more," suggested Hermione.
Harry drank from the glass that was pressed to his mouth. It had a refreshing taste again and his body welcomed it again as well. Harry lay back with the guidance of, which he was sure, was Ron's hands and went right to sleep.
Ron sighed with relief that his friend would be okay. They left the room as quietly as possible, Hermione in deep thought with her furrowed brow.
"What is it," whispered Ron?
Hermione looked at him and answered, "Some thing Dumbledore said."
"What?"
"Like a phoenix from the ashes… he rises "spoke Hermione, "From the Ruins."
Next Chapter
The Theft