Disclaimer: Any characters you recognize from the first 6 books in the Harry Potter series by J K Rowling belong to the aforementioned J K Rowling. I am simply playing with them for my amusement, and to see what kind of reaction I can get.
(27) Caledfwlch
Hermione and all the others had been watching with great interest when they saw the two Phoenixes appear in the portraits and subsequently transform into Godric and Merlin. Minerva had said that Fawkes had belonged to Godric, but hadn't said anything about him being an Animagus. Hermione remembered being told that James had once suggested to Sirius that he should make the change to Padfoot, his grim form, permanent, but Sirius had declined the offer stating that he hated the fleas. She wondered if that was what Godric and Merlin had done.
Harry turned and asked, "Rowena do you know what artefacts from the four or five of you are out in the world? Items that Tom … Voldemort … could find to use for horcruxes? I am specifically thinking of something of yours and something of Gryffindor's."
"Most of our belongings were brought here after our deaths … well, Godric and Merlin never actually died … exactly. They both were Animagus Phoenixes and they made the change permanent before they died. Let' see …" Mumbled Rowena, "I can think of three items of Godric's that are missing, his shield, longbow, and a gauntlet from his suit of armour. All of my belongings are accounted for … except … my wand, I lent it to Markus Ollivander about five hundred years ago to display in his shop. There are quite a number of runes carved into the shaft to aid me in some rather obscure and difficult spells. I do hope it hasn't become a horcrux, it's quite unique.
"The current Mr. Ollivander is missing and presumably has been kidnapped by Voldemort, his wand shop is boarded up. We should retrieve the wand for safe keeping and bring it back here. Do you have any idea where Godric's missing items might be?" Asked Harry.
"You should ask him" said Rowena as she turned to speak to the lordly lion, "Godric, this young fellow needs to know where your shield, bow and gauntlet are." She then turned back to Harry and said, "Now that you know there are two white Phoenixes, you might want to determine which one is to select the leader of your order."
"Merlin's Beard!" exclaimed Harry.
"No … Merlin's Phoenix more likely," said Rowena, "his name, by the way, is 'Caledfwlch', it's Welsh … and he gets very mad if you don't pronounce his name exactly right. Easier to call him Merlin, and much safer."
Hermione and Remus started walking over to Merlin, Godric and Salazar as did Harry. Merlin carried a staff in the same concept as Salazar, however, instead of a serpents head at the top there was a luminous silvery-white ball held in a spider web like grip. Merlin and his staff reminded Hermione of the image she had of Gandalf, the wizard in 'The Lord of the Rings' {by J. R. R. Tolkien}.
As they approached the famous wizards, Godric watched Harry very closely while Merlin split his concentration between Hermione and Harry. Merlin could sense something familiar connecting the pair and smiled at them while trying to remember back to a time long ago.
He realized that he shared a similar connection with his first wife for over five hundred amazing years until she was killed. Never since had he felt such a connection between two people. His next six wives he had loved dearly, but they never had the same tight bond as he had with his first wife. Unlike Godric, who had a school to mind when Merlin showed him how to make the change to a Phoenix permanent, Merlin was a flighty bird that followed its whims and fancies unless summoned.
Hermione interrupted Merlin's musings with the question, "Which one of us is supposed to select the next leader of The Order of the Phoenix." Merlin looked at her in confusion until Hermione said in clarification, "We are both white Phoenixes."
"You all gave Albus a wonderful cremation and memorial service … Godric and I were both there, I'm certain everyone heard us, though we kept out of sight." Responded Merlin. "Albus had asked me a while ago to scout around for someone to take over for him and if there was an actual battle currently going on then I would have spoken up sooner. There is no one person I would recommend, however, there is a group of three friends that combine strategy, power and intelligence. When you spoke up in the Headmistresses office, I left well enough alone and I have no reason to cause controversy now."
"Why don't you perch on Godric's shoulder, I want to take a close look at you to see if you have any markings so that others can tell the difference between us, then you can take a close look at me if you wish."
Hermione transformed into her white Phoenix and flashed onto Godric's shoulder. Harry, Merlin and Godric examined her closely and the only discernable attributes they could make out were here brown eyes until Harry spotted a slightly pink, diagonal streak across her chest. Hermione returned to human form while Merlin took her place on Godric's shoulder. Caledfwlch was pure white with no discernable markings, although his eyes were sky blue as were Merlin's. Caledfwlch returned to being Merlin. Soon they were all sitting around the table discussing various topics related to Animagus transformation until Salazar reached out and summoned the locket/horcrux that was on the table. The discussions soon abated to silence as Salazar examined the horcrux carefully. Harry was able to understand the revealing spells that Salazar enunciated in parseltongue although he didn't understand the results that Salazar got back.
"There are a few protection charms on this before you get to the actual soul fragment. Godric's sword would be up to the task of destroying this easily and safely as Rowena explained and that might be the best way. I could teach you how to recognize and remove the protections that are on this one, but there is nothing saying the next one will have the same protections." Said Salazar. One of the curses on this will burn you to a crisp slowly if you try to damage it, the other one will capture your memory into the soul fragment and then Obliviate you."
Until they stopped for supper, Salazar taught Harry and the others various revealing spells and showed them how to identify what was being revealed. Hermione and Luna voraciously took notes of everything Salazar said. Just before they broke for supper Salazar showed Harry how to remove the curses from the locket and the spell to destroy the horcrux. He didn't allow Harry to perform the spells inside Rowena's portrait, he recommended doing them outside and away from the castle in case something went wrong.
- - - - - - - -
As supper wound down, the six teens and Minerva were the only ones remaining in the Great Hall. Minerva asked Hermione what they were doing after the meal.
"Well," she said "Harry has a horcrux to destroy, Salazar recommended doing it outside the castle …"
"Salazar, Salazar … pray tell where did you find him?" interrupted Minerva. The other teens looked on to see how Hermione was going to explain it.
"You remember the five portraits in Rowena's … Common Room?" Minerva nodded and Hermione continued, "Well … Harry summoned Salazar to come out of his portrait using Parseltongue, then Salazar emerged from the portrait and conversed with Harry for a minute or two … again in Parseltongue, Rowena appeared completely shocked."
"I don't suppose you summoned any more founders that I might be interested to know about … maybe Helga Hufflepuff or Godric Gryffindor?"
"Actually … yes, Salazar summoned Godric and Merlin … something about the bond that formed or is forming between Harry and me. Apparently it is as strong as, or stronger than any wedding bond. Would you be able to explain that and the implications to us … assuming there is something we should know?"
"Have you and Harry talked about marriage or a wedding?" asked Minerva.
"Not exactly," Hermione drawled out, while trying to think of what to tell the Professor. "I … overheard … well, to be exact … My dad was grilling Harry in one of those 'What are your intentions with my daughter' conversations and I was peeking through Harry's mind at the time because I could sense that he was very scared and nervous … he asked my father for permission to ask me to marry him after graduation. When Harry's mind registered the okay he got from Dad, Harry's mood changed from nervous anxiety to blissful happiness. I got all caught up in it … I ran into the room and hugged them both."
"You weren't even in the same room with them? Did you have eye contact with Harry at the time?" Minerva was starting to become more interested in the details.
"No, I was in the kitchen talking with Mum … they were in the living room, around a couple of corners and well out of sight."
"I think we had better continue this later and in private, I have a few things to look up before I can give you a clear answer about the implications, and I will have more questions as well." Said Minerva as she got up to leave. "Good luck with the horcrux, do you want me or Poppy there … for any reason?"
"You are both welcome to come," replied Harry as Minerva got up and prepared to leave. "Oh … I have to see Professor Slughorn I think for some fast acting snake venom."
"You had best bring the antidote along as well," suggested Hermione. There was a brief pause as Minerva and Harry left.
"So … Harry hasn't actually asked you …to marry him yet?" Ginny asked Hermione in what appeared to be a normal, curious voice. She expected little more than a nod or shake of Hermione's head until Ginny heard a faint 'no'.
"Not with all the words … not yet … It's only a matter of time and timing." She sighed. "Anyway, we need to spend some time together … and he did say to Dad that he would ask at the end of the school year, besides when school starts, we'll try to appear to be 'just friends' like we have been for years. We have our own Common Room for getting cozy in private. Hopefully the junior Death Eaters won't pick up on our new status.
"We could do some boyfriend swapping every few weeks to keep them confused," suggested Ginny with a sneaky grin. "Of course, we'd need Harry's and Neville's permission."
"No thanks Ginny, but thanks for the offer," Hermione said in a slightly sarcastic tone, "I'll take my chances, Harry has just left Slughorn, we might as well head outside." Hermione said as she hefted Godric's sword that Harry had left behind hidden under a disillusionment charm.
"What are you carrying that's so heavy?" inquired Ginny as she watched Hermione hold something invisible that was making an impression across her stomach. Hermione blinked her eyes and appeared to concentrate for a moment and the sword became visible. Ginny gasped when she saw it and asked rhetorically, "I've never held a sword … that's the one Harry had in the Chamber of Secrets isn't it? May I?"
After a moments consideration, Hermione changed her hold to only the scabbard and positioned the grip in front of Ginny, stating: "It's sharp as a razor, be careful where you swing it.
Ginny quickly inspected the grip before taking it with both hands and slowly pulling it out of it's' scabbard and pointing it straight up to inspect the blade. "It's lighter than I thought it would be."
"There are several charms on it including one to make it lighter and another to keep it sharp." Said Hermione, "Do not give it to Luna or anyone who isn't a Gryffindor. It will attack anyone that's not a Gryffindor and appears to be taking it." Hermione looked at Luna and she nodded as if she already knew not to handle it. The five teens slowly made their way to the front doors, arriving almost even with an out of breath Harry.
As the teens were making their way down the front steps of the castle Poppy and Minerva came through the main doors following them. They made their way to a stone pedestal in the middle of the turnaround that the Thestral drawn carriages used and Harry placed the locket on it. Harry had no idea what the definition of a safe distance was so he had everyone stand back about five meters. Harry removed the two jinxes that were on the locket then checked it to be sure they were gone using the parseltongue spells that Salazar had taught him. The next step was the tricky one, he had to undo the horcrux spell that bound the soul fragment to the locked and destroy the soul fragment as soon as it became free. If he didn't do it exactly right, the soul fragment could bond with him since he was the closest to it, and a natural container for a soul. Hermione could sense his nervousness at this point and sent her suggestion that he use the sword and snake venom since it might be safer.
Harry considered his options, there was after all no rush, he didn't have to do it right now. In the end he went with the spell, feeling that this was probably as safe as it was ever going to get to attempt it and he would at least have practice with it if he was forced to use it in the future. The charm to release the soul fragment went smoothly enough, however his first try to destroy it failed when he was too slow. He had to dodge and block the souls attempt to enter his body until his third attempt to destroy it succeeded. There was a dazzling light show and explosion when the soul fragment detonated. Harry was supposed to be at least 2 meters away when he destroyed it to avoid being caught in the blast and give him time and space to put up a shield.
Harry, as usual, woke up several hours later in his favourite hospital wing bed, with a concussion being the only lasting damage. Hermione and Madam Pomfrey had healed his minor cuts and bruises that he suffered when he got the concussion after landing several meters away from the explosion. Hermione was furiously pacing back and forth beside Harry's bed muttering under her breath that if he ever woke up she would kill him herself.
Harry, after he did wake up, managed to keep his eyes mostly closed and a smile off his face as he watched and listened to Hermione call him everything from careless to idiotic and a stupid moron before threatening to kill him. Then Hermione made the mistake of crying, "Why me? … why do I have to be in love with him? … these stupid stunts are going to be the death of me."
She was quiet for a few seconds when Harry responded, "I love you too, but why does my head feel like it was hit with two bludgers … repeatedly?" Moments later Hermione yelled for Madam Pomfrey as she leaned over Harry and kissed him gently on the lips then watched his eyes slowly open and try to focus without his glasses.
"Ohhhh … now I know what you're feeling." Hermione said, "I'll try to have some sympathy for you if you tell me you learned something from that experience."
Poppy bustled up to the bed with a large tumbler of some pinkish liquid that was smoking over the rim. She ran her wand up and down Harry, muttering spells under her breath before saying, "Drink this and you'll need to stay here until morning. Miss Granger, you can use the next bed over if you feel you must, but he needs to sleep. Any monkey business and I'll petrify both of you, do you understand?"
"Yes Ma'am, no monkey business."
"That potion should knock him out in a minute, so say good night quickly, then off to the other bed." Said Poppy.
Moments after Poppy left Harry was in a dreamless sleep. Ron and the other teens came to check on Harry and Hermione explained all she could, and they would all get together in the morning. Neville gave Hermione the locket and told her it had been checked out by Salazar himself and was now safe. Harry had removed all the jinxes and the soul fragment was dead and gone.
Wed July 09 1997
- - - - - - - -
Thurs July 10 1997
The next morning after breakfast Hermione started them all learning Legilimency while Harry went to help Professor Slughorn with the various potions that Poppy had requested as well as a few he was making for class demonstrations in the coming year. In the process of bottling various potions Harry received an overview of the ones he had not yet learned. The two that interested Harry the most were the Felix Felicis that was still in progress and the male contraceptive potion that Poppy had somehow found a recipe for. Shortly before noon Harry volunteered to take all the bottled potions up to the Hospital Wing to Madam Pomfrey. In the meantime Harry had talked Horace out of six small bottles of Felix that he would be able to collect mid way through September.
- - - - - - - -
Hermione, in the meantime, was able to teach the others the basics of Legilimency and, using what she had read previously in the Occlumency text was able to keep the others out of her mind whenever she had the inclination. Apparently it was just Harry that could get into her mind anytime, though he seldom did and almost never without her permission, well almost never.
At noon when they all met for lunch in the Great Hall Harry whispered to Hermione," I have several vials of 'the potion'." Hermione smiled back at him and nodded her head approvingly, but he could sense several different emotions making their way through her mind. Happiness and relief were two he could relate to easily, but there was still concern and a little fear in her mind. Exactly what she was afraid of he couldn't be sure unless she told him or he entered her mind, and he wasn't about to do that. They would have to talk … later.
After lunch the teens all learned Occlumency and practiced their Legilimency trying to break through the others Occlumency shields. Some did better than others, however it was something they could practice in pairs for the most part. Harry and Hermione found they could keep the other four out quite easily though it was impossible to keep each other out. In one of Hermione's attempts to block out Harry, Harry was able to get a glimpse of her fear about the potion and it gave him something to think about.
- - - - - - - -
Wed July 30 1997
Over the next two weeks Harry found out that Dudley and Vernon had their days in court. In what Harry thought was fitting compensation; Dudley was sent to St. Brutus's Secure Centre for incurably Criminal Boys for two full years and would never be allowed to be a boxer or fighter of any sort … ever. Harry and most of the kids that Dudley and his Gang had beaten up, and their parents as well as school teachers, testified against him to show that he had been out of control for years. That contributed to a further two years of Probation after he was let out of St. Brutus's. Vernon was given two years probation for knocking Harry out and although Harry could have brought many more examples out in court he didn't want the attention or the press coverage that it might create. Vernon was fired from his job at Grunnings and Petunia wouldn't allow him back in the house or her life. Vernon's company car of course was taken back by Grunnings and that left Vernon with no house, no wife, no car, out on the street with a trunk full of clothes and a very arrogant attitude that he had to control lest he end up back in jail.
Petunia had become much nicer to Harry over the last few weeks, though Harry wasn't certain if she had a motive. He wanted Petunia out of the house on Privet Drive following his seventeenth birthday since he was fairly certain that there would be a Death Eater attack once the wards and protections had fallen. Harry sent Petunia on a cruise for the month of August as well he gave her a few days in a hotel near her port of departure in the last few days of July. She knew he was going to move the contents of the house before she returned because he felt she would be in danger if she remained there, so she would be living somewhere new when she returned.
As Remus and Tonks were packing up Petunias possessions and owl tapped on the window. Remus flicked his wand and the window disappeared to allow the owl in. The message turned out to be advising Harry that he was being charged with many violations of underage use of magic as well as violations of the statute of secrecy for using magic in front of muggles over the last few hours. It also further advised Harry to remain there as Aurors would be arriving soon to take him into custody and snap his wand. This note was signed by none other that Delores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic. Tonks immediately contacted Gawain Robards, her boss, and Head of the Auror Department indicating that she would need his help as she and her boy friend were expecting to be attacked imminently at Harry Potters residence.