A/N: I consider this my take on the phoenix. I found that they were such a mystery, so I figured that I could explain my take on it, since someone else didn't do it…I hope you enjoy it. Once again, I would thank my lovely beta, Dementor149 for his patience and wisdom.
Okay, we had a character meeting, and they all agreed that I should be the one in control, I'm the superior writer, and they are enjoying their lives so much better, and then some lawyer waltzes in, slaps down the papers on the table and wakes me up…
Stupid reality.
Chapter 29
The Side Trip
Harry stared at the feather for a long time, feeling its softness on his fingers.
"Dumbledore wants you to go to the Alps. We leave this afternoon."
"We?" Harry said, looking up from the feather.
"Yes, I'm to accompany you to a small Wizarding village at the base of the mountain, but after that you will be going to the top without me."
"And how do you propose that?" Harry asked.
"Simple, you walk," Lupin said, straight-faced before winking at Hermione.
Harry closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Please tell me you're joking," he said.
"We should get going," Lupin said as he stood up. "We need to make a stop in Diagon Alley."
"What for?" Harry asked.
"You don't want to be walking in a snowstorm without the proper attire do you?" Lupin asked. "Do you still have the whistle?"
"It's upstairs," Harry said as he got up and made his way out of the kitchen.
Ron and Hermione exchanged glances and Hermione stood up.
"Excuse me," she said before dashing after Harry. She caught up to him as he entered his room.
"Harry! What on earth is going on? Why would Dumbledore say it's time? Time for what? And why can't we go? You might need us! There might be-"
"Hermione, stop!" Harry said as he threw up his hands.
Harry was surprised he was able to stop her tirade; he was not surprised to see her standing defiantly in front of him, arms crossed. Harry sighed, went to her, and took her in his arms. She looked up at him and he could see the fear in her eyes.
"Look, it will be okay. I'm just going to see if I can get Fawkes to come back. Nothing will happen. There's probably some ritual, and that's maybe why you can't come. I'll be fine, okay?"
Hermione leaned her head on Harry's chest, comforted by the sound of his heartbeat.
"If you don't come back, I swear, Harry Potter, I'll never speak to you again."
Harry smiled as he leaned his chin on the top of her head and hugged her close.
"It's a deal," he said, smiling.
****** ****** ****** ******
Harry hated portkey travel, and it seemed that the further the distance, the worse it was. He could honestly say that this was one of the worst landings he had ever had. It didn't help that he was wearing a heavy cumbersome coat as well. He brushed the snow off as he looked around at the Wizarding village they had arrived in. It didn't look that much different from Diagon Alley, with all of its quaint shops.
"Harry," Lupin said, bringing him out of his musings, "I need to talk to the Phoenix Keeper."
"Phoenix Keeper? I thought they were free animals. Do they sell them?" Harry asked.
"No, the Phoenix Keeper is the only one the phoenix will allow to bring people to their lair. In order to see the phoenix, the Keeper must approve of you. I need to request an audience. Stay here and stay out of trouble."
Harry sighed. Why did everyone think he was always looking for trouble? He decided to amuse himself by wandering along the storefronts, avoiding any contact with the villagers. He felt a bit vulnerable being alone, and kept his hand on his wand in his pocket.
He wandered past the shops, glancing at the variety of merchandise available. As he passed an older emporium, a flash of something caught his eye. He backed up to get a better look, but the dust and grime on the window made it hard to see. Harry hesitated a moment, looking for Lupin, whom he saw was engaged in a conversation with a young woman. Harry watched for a moment, and then decided he had enough time to check out the store.
He entered to the tinkling of a bell, as the musty smell of long forgotten trinkets hit him. Harry looked around and didn't see the proprietor, and decided to see what it was that caught his eye. As he neared the front of the display case he saw it held a variety of jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. It was the one ring at the back that had caught Harry's eye. It was a brushed silver ring, with two etched phoenixes on it, chasing each other for eternity.
"Something you like?" Harry heard, and he jumped.
Harry turned to see an old woman watching him. She was bent with age, and Harry figured she must be quite ancient by the lines on her face. As she hobbled towards him, he sensed a great kindness in her. Her eyes held warmth, and her smile had just the slightest suggestion of mischief.
"I was wondering, that ring, can you tell me about it?" Harry said, pointing to the small silver band.
"Ah, yes, got that in an estate sale recently. Family heirloom, they said. Belonged to the matriarch of the family, had it for many years. Seems she got it as a young girl from her gentleman friend as a promise ring. Gave it to her before the big war, promised to come back to her if she would wait. They say that she put it on and never took it off. Ah, young love. So much more romantic back then."
Harry stared at the ring, mesmerized by it.
"So did he…the gentleman, did he return?" he asked quietly.
The old woman smiled at him, leaned over and took out the ring. She handed it to Harry and he could feel the coolness of the silver in the palm of his hand.
"Not only did he come back," she said, "but they lived on to have their happily ever after."
She turned and hobbled back to her stool by the counter, sitting down with a grunt. Harry followed her, still clasping the ring.
"Lived up on the hill just outside of town, they did," she continued. Her eyes glazed over as though she was seeing the house in front of her. "Been there for many generations. It was the great, great, grandson who sold it to me. Not a romantic bone in his body, that one, shame really," she said with a snort before turning back to look at Harry.
"They say that it was the thought of returning to spend his life with his soul mate that kept him alive. They say he seemed…empowered by it."
"How?" Harry asked.
The old woman shrugged. "Don't rightly know, dear. My guess would be that it was his love for her, and her love for him that kept him alive."
"Who told you all of this?" Harry asked.
The old woman smiled and her eyes twinkled.
"Now if I told you all of my sources of information, who would I have to talk to? You'd be running to chinwag with them. An old lady can get lonely," she chuckled.
Harry smiled and handed her the ring.
"I'll take it," he said as he pulled out his pouch.
"Now, dearie, what makes you so sure that you are deserving of this ring? I can't just sell it to anyone who walks through my door," she said with a twinkle in her eye.
Harry smiled. "I'm hoping I am. There's this girl…"
"Pretty?" she asked, leaning forward, eager for a story.
Harry nodded, looking down at the ring. "Inside and out."
"And you love her?" she asked.
Harry looked up to see her staring at him intently. He shrugged, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "I…I think so," he said quietly.
He was surprised at her speed as she grasped his face with her gnarled fingers. She turned his head to the left and right, scrutinizing him.
"Hm," she grunted as she let go and moved over to the ancient cash register. Harry followed, wondering what she saw.
As the door closed to sound his departure, the elderly woman clumped to the front of the store to watch him out the window.
"I presume he bought it?" She heard behind her.
She turned and frowned at the picture.
"Course he did, Albus. I wouldn't have been in this business as long as I have if I didn't have the powers of persuasion. Seems a nice young man. Why are you interfering in his love-life?"
"Not interfering, per say, just supporting. He will need all the help that he can get."
"And you think that he and his loved one are worthy of this ring? As I said, the great, great grandson was not. That's why it was in my possession."
"Don't worry on that account, my dear. They are more than worthy."
****** ****** ****** ******
Harry tucked the velvet pouch with the ring inside it into his invisipouch. It was something he didn't want to share with anyone right now. He wasn't quite sure why he bought the ring, maybe to give it to Hermione as a Christmas gift. He wanted to think on what the old lady had told him. He saw Lupin wave to him, so he hurried over to where he was standing.
"Harry, I would like you to meet Luisa. She is the Phoenix Keeper that will take you to the meeting point."
Harry turned and saw the most beautiful girl standing before him. She had long red hair that curled around her face and cascaded down her back. She had a soft smile and the most intense blue eyes he had ever seen. She was wearing pants and a jacket made out of dragon skin that did nothing to hide her figure, and Harry vaguely wondered how she kept warm. Lupin nudged him and Harry was brought out of his musings.
"Uh…hi," he said awkwardly.
Luisa walked all around Harry, scrutinizing him. She stopped in front of him and took his hands in hers, examining them.
"Hmm, a flyer. Fast too."
Harry looked down at his own hands, wondering where she had seen that in them. Luisa took hold of his face and looked into Harry's eyes, tilting his head left and right. Harry was starting to feel like a slab of meat. Did everyone in this town treat strangers this way?
"I agree," Luisa finally said. "But, only him."
She stepped back, and cocked her head to the side, taking in his bewildered look.
"Do I meet your approval?" Luisa said as she smiled serenely.
Harry just nodded dumbly while wondering if she was part Veela, like Fleur. When she spoke, it was like listening to a phoenix song. She captivated him.
"We must go if we are to make contact before the end of the day," Luisa said.
"Behave yourself, Harry, remember what we are here for," Lupin muttered.
Harry flashed him an annoyed look before turning to follow Luisa. They didn't talk as they walked towards the outskirts of town and Harry silently mused as to how far they would have to hike to find Fawkes. After a few minutes though, Luisa stopped.
"You have side-Apparated before?" she asked.
"Yes," Harry said.
"Good. We will leave from here. Hold my arm please," Luisa instructed.
Harry took her arm and closed his eyes to prepare himself for the sensation of being squeezed through a tube. He was surprised however, by the sensation of slipping through warm water. Before he could figure it out though, they were at their destination. Harry looked around, trying to get his bearings. They were in a cave, that much he could tell, and he could see the snow blowing just outside the opening.
"Where are we?" Harry asked.
"You do not need to know," Luisa replied as she lit a fire.
"Come. Sit by the fire. We need to wait for the wind to die down."
Harry sat on the bench and watched as Luisa stoked the fire. She joined him on the bench and held her hands out to catch the warmth. Harry took off his gloves and copied her actions. He glanced sideways at her, watching as the dancing flames illuminated her features. She was really beautiful, and he admired her curvaceous form. Luisa caught him looking at her, and he quickly looked back at the fire, embarrassment staining his cheeks. Luisa smiled to herself.
"Your friend said you were trying to contact Fawkes?" Luisa asked after a while.
Harry nodded. "We need him to come back."
"Fawkes is a great bird," Luisa said, "but you do know that they only chose one person to bond with; I do not think he will come back since Albus left this Earth."
Harry was confused. "Then why would Dumbledore say that it was time?"
Luisa shrugged. "Perhaps he told you more? Explained his message?"
Harry shook his head. "No. He didn't say anything. I found he used to do that a lot when he…" he trailed off. Even in death Dumbledore had a tendency to keep him in the dark as to his plans.
Luisa laid a hand on his arm. "He was a great man Harry. There are not as many joyful songs being sung since he left. There is a bond that has been broken prematurely. Until that bond has been healed, there will be great sadness."
Harry looked down at where Luisa was touching him. "I don't know what I am supposed to do to heal that bond. Half the time I don't know what is expected of me, and I feel like I just stumble around until I find the right solution."
Luisa slowly slid her hand up Harry's arm, and to Harry, it felt like she was blazing a trail wherever her fingers had touched. He looked over at her in surprise to see her sapphire-blue eyes staring at him intently.
"You know Harry," she said as she leaned towards him, "Perhaps it is time for you to let it all go. Start thinking about yourself. Let someone else carry all the weight. We could have some great times together."
"Uh…we could?" Harry stuttered.
"Yes, I could show you things you've never seen before," Luisa said as she trailed a finger down Harry's cheek.
Harry was finding it hard to think as she assaulted his senses. He was finding hard to remember to breath.
"Let me show you," she whispered as she pulled his head down to her, capturing his lips.
Harry felt like white-hot flames were engulfing him, and for a brief moment, the outside world disappeared; nothing else mattered. As Luisa pulled away, Harry slowly opened his eyes to look at her.
"Let's go somewhere warmer Harry," she said as she stood up and held out her hand.
He slowly placed his hand in hers, wondering about what she had to offer.
`It couldn't hurt, could it? Just for a moment. It would be nice to not have to worry about Horcruxes and Voldemort, if only for a moment…'
Harry stared, trance like, at her for a moment before shaking his head to try and clear it. As he did, bushy brown hair and chocolate colored eyes suddenly came to mind.
"Hermione," he whispered.
He couldn't do that to her.
Harry jumped up and moved away from Luisa, putting the fire pit between them.
"Um…Luisa, I'm sure you're really a nice person, and um… I'm flattered, really, but I'm already seeing someone, and…and…" he trailed off as he watched her stand serenely and look at him.
"Look, perhaps I should get someone else to take me to Fawkes," he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair in embarrassment. "This is really important, I made a promise that I would finish this."
Harry watched the dancing flames, his eyes reflecting the light. He was talking more to himself than Luisa.
"As much as I would like to walk away, I can't. I need to finish what I started. I have too many people relying on me," he looked up apologetically at her. "I'm sorry if I hurt or misled you in any way." He seemed to have a way of doing that with women.
Luisa smiled at him and gracefully spread her arms out wide. With a burst of flame she disappeared, only to be replaces by a golden phoenix. Harry stumbled back in shock, as he watched her soar gracefully around the cave, her red plumage flowing out behind her, before coming back to land and transform into her human form once more.
"You're…you're an animagus!" Harry said in disbelief.
Luisa nodded her head and smoothed down her coat.
"It is a great honor that has been bestowed on me, and I am very protective of the nest. I am, as I said, the Phoenix Keeper, and only those who are most honorable, trustworthy and loyal shall pass."
"You mean…that was a test?" Harry asked incredulously.
Luisa smiled and nodded her head.
"I am sorry to have deceived you, but we must be sure of the person who is to meet with the phoenix."
"And, uh… If I didn't pass?"
"We wouldn't be having this conversation and you would have no memory of coming here. Nor would you be allowed to come this way again."
Harry nodded in understanding; he knew what it meant to protect those you cared about. As he stood there pondering what had transpired, Luisa walked to the mouth of the cave.
"Come, Harry," she said. "The storm has passed and the phoenixes are waiting."
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