Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the other elements of the Potterverse. I don't make money from this.
Chapter 25: Rise of the Phoenix
Jan 19
After returning to the Headmaster's office by floo, Harry sat numbly in one of the squashy chairs, carefully cradling a strange looking chick, covered in ashes. Fawkes looked at him interestedly, crooning a comforting song. Hermione enlarged the chair with a wave of her wand and tucked herself into Harry, also comforting him. Meanwhile, Dumbledore opened the small vault where he was keeping the Horcruxes they had already obtained. The small vault had several heavily warded boxes, each containing one Horcrux separately. The vault itself was heavily warded. The Headmaster was taking no chances. After he finished, he called out,
"Timmy?"
With a quiet pop a Hogwarts house elf appeared.
"Master Dumbledore called?"
"Yes, Timmy." Dumbledore said, "Could you please bring lunch for me and my two students?"
"Right away, Master Dumbledore!" with a quiet pop, the house elf was gone.
The Headmaster settled into his chair with a sigh. The day had shifted from a fairly calm meeting with the Goblins to a meeting with the Head Goblin and then a brief but nearly deadly fight on Diagon Alley. The consequences were confusing at best.
"Harry?" Dumbledore asked in his most grandfatherly voice, "Are you alright?"
"Sir, I don't know!" Harry said, "We were just walking to the bookstore when suddenly we were in the middle of a fight. I actually didn't think I'd feel that shaken up about the fight. I dropped into my normal dueling mindset…but Bellatrix launched the Killing Curse as the very first thing! I didn't expect that. Voldemort toyed with me in the graveyard; I guess I expected the other Death Eaters to do the same. I froze. My mind was moving at a million miles an hour, but my body wouldn't turn fast enough. The memory of my mum dying went through my mind again and I thought I was going to lose Hermione this time. I couldn't think, couldn't decide whether to block with an object or dodge and didn't do either. Hedwig threw herself in the way and then I all I could think about was killing Bellatrix for killing Hedwig. Now Hedwig is like this and I don't know how to feel. I thought I was becoming a good duelist. I'd started to think maybe I had a chance against the Death Eaters, but how can I face Voldemort and all the Death Eaters I saw in the graveyard if I can't even face three without freezing?"
Hermione tightened her grip on Harry and sent soothing thoughts his way.
'It's ok, love. It's ok. I'm alive. I didn't die. She cast at you, not me and we're both ok.'
Fawkes continued crooning the soothing and inspiring phoenix song. Harry finally began to calm.
"Harry," Dumbledore said, looking straight at his apprentice and speaking in a very serious voice, "I have been in conflicts over many years. I never wanted to be, I always saw myself as more of an academic. I mean I have always had some interest in dueling, but more along the lines of an interesting athletic pursuit to keep me physically and magically strong while I built up my mind. However, I never planned on facing the Dark Wizard Grindelwald. It was a very circuitous route that led to our meeting, but I assure you, after my first real fight, I lost the contents of my stomach. I did not develop anything approaching steadiness under fire for many, many fights after that.
"You have faced Voldemort more times than anyone should have to. As a baby, then in your first year, your second year, and most recently at the end of your fourth year. During your third year you had the relative break of nearly dying by having your soul removed by Dementors. I am sure you feel you should be used to this by now, am I right?"
"Yes!" Harry almost shouted, "Why do I feel shaky and scared now?"
"Well, I have a few theories about that." Albus continued, "You have more to lose now than you ever did before. You were afraid Bellatrix was going to attack Hermione. Knowing how you feel about her that had to be very frightening, especially when she used the Killing Curse, a spell you have unfortunately had a terrible experience with."
Harry nodded his head, his eyes shining.
"You have organized your memories with occlumency, which normally helps control your emotions, but very few have memories such as yours. I think that after today, you need to revisit your memories of your initial encounter with Voldemort and your parents' deaths. If you choose to do so tonight, tomorrow you may consider visiting their graves. I do not know why I never took you before, but this may be the time now, perhaps let you come to terms with the experience in whole."
Harry took some deep cleansing breaths, trying to keep from breaking out into fresh tears.
"You saw your friend, Hedwig, die. I know how important she is to you. After the terrible childhood at the Dursleys', she will always have an important place in your heart. That loss, despite being followed by some miracle, which I am still not sure of, would traumatize any normal person, especially someone with a heart like yours. Finally, you faced the thought of yourself as a killer. I was able to see this part of the fight, although I was not yet close enough to really intercede. You have trained hard and have an incredible natural aptitude as a duelist. You were about to avenge Hedwig. After my experiences against Grindelwald and later, Voldemort, I realized I never wanted to kill again. I have tried to impart this in you, but others, particularly Master Auror Moody disagree with me. I do not deny they have a point and we take a chance every time we stun a Death Eater that they will be revived. When we imprison a Death Eater in Azkaban, we risk their escape, as Bellatrix escaped."
Harry nodded, paying close attention to his mentor.
"Harry, you will need to make your own decision. You may be faced with killing or, by choosing not to, you may face the deaths of someone you love because you chose not to kill. Whatever your choice, you need to be at peace with it. No matter how much you prepare, you will be shaken if someone dies by your hand. Quirrell died at your touch and you didn't realize what would happen, but you're older now and if you kill someone, it will be because you meant to kill them. By preparing ahead of time you will not eliminate that reaction, but you may prepare for it enough that you can continue to function.
"Each time before when you were placed in these situations, afterwards you woke up in the Hospital Ward. So, while this seems like a greater reaction, I present to you the thought that at least you're conscious."
Harry chuckled slightly at that, as Dumbledore had obvious intended.
"Thank you, Professor." Harry said quietly, "I thought I was beyond this."
"No, Harry, don't regret what makes you human." Dumbledore said, smiling, his eyes twinkling.
"So…what's with Hedwig?" Harry asked, looking down at the little chick in his hands, who was looking up at him with shining eyes and making cute little cheeping noises.
"Harry, one of the qualities of a truly good student," Professor Dumbledore sighed, "is that they often ask questions that are not easily answered. Perhaps we can figure this question out together."
Hermione released Harry and moved just slight apart from him, so she could look down at the chick.
"Having seen the whole sequence, it looks like Hedwig intercepted the Killing Curse meant for Harry and reacted like a Phoenix would, being forced into a burning day." Hermione said, "There are documented instances of the same in Fawkes, since the Killing Curse was something of a specialty amongst the Death Eaters in the war."
"Very good, Hermione. Ten points to Gryffindor for your usual academic acumen." Dumbledore said, "That is very similar to my theory, but then we reach the truly difficult question…how did Hedwig, an owl, do what comes naturally to a phoenix?"
They all sat and looked at Hedwig and then the two children looked back at Dumbledore.
"So…I'm on shaky ground here, Headmaster." Hermione said, the unease of approaching knowledge she wasn't completely certain of, an unusual position for her, clear in her voice, "However, I have never found it clearly documented how phoenices originated. Were they born, created, or are there only as many now as there will ever be? Given that the only other known domesticated phoenix, Sparky, is a mascot for a Quidditch team, there is very little information available!"
Fawkes made a somewhat rude noise, although it was unclear whether he was objecting to be called domesticated or whether in derision for a phoenix who chose to be a team mascot.
Hermione smiled up at Fawkes, "No offense meant, Fawkes. So, my theory is that perhaps phoenices are not born, but arise from certain very special circumstances. Basilisks, for example, are hatched from chicken eggs hatched beneath a toad. After Quirrell's death, you discussed with Harry how the death of his mother when she voluntarily sacrificed herself to save him created a very powerful ancient magic protection on him that would protect him from Voldemort. Perhaps Hedwig's sacrifice invoked similar magic and transformed her into a phoenix?"
The other two listened carefully to her theory.
"That is a very solid theory, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, "Not every sacrifice invokes the ancient magic. The motive must be very pure, the sacrifice must be completely voluntary, and it helps if the sacrifice is a powerfully magical person or perhaps in this case, an animal. In this case, the sacrifice was between the familiar of the most powerful wizard of his age who sacrificed himself for that wizard. There's already more ancient magic around you than anyone in history due to your mother's sacrifice and the prophecy. I think this may be the first observed instance of the origin of a phoenix."
"Maybe not the first, Headmaster." Harry said, "Hermione mentioned Sparky. Maybe it's not so weird that a phoenix is a team mascot. Maybe he was already a familiar of one of the players who sacrificed himself for his witch or wizard and became a phoenix. Sparky may not be a mascot at all, but just like Fawkes, he continues to be the familiar of his chosen wizard. If this is how phoenixes form, maybe it's usually seen by the one who the phoenix saved, but none of them have ever talked about it."
"Phoenices, Harry, it's Latin." Hermione corrected, "I can see why they wouldn't. Can you imagine how many terrible wizards would be trying to throw their pets in the way of Killing Curses to try to change them into a phoenix? It would be awful!"
"Headmaster, how did you and Fawkes end up together?" Harry asked.
"Fawkes joined me during my quest to defeat Grindelwald." Dumbledore answered, "I have never known him as anything other than a phoenix and he has been my companion ever since. I will teach you what I know about the care of a phoenix. If that is indeed what Hedwig has become, you will need to know. For now, know that she will be very weak until she grows up a little bit, but that happens fairly quickly. If you look with your auramancy, you will note the bond between you and Hedwig. She is also bonded to Hermione, through you. As your bond strengthens and comes to completion, that bond will become more and more powerful."
"I actually suspected you might at some point end up with a phoenix companion." Albus continued, "There are so many parallels between you and I. Fawkes came to me during my opposition to Grindelwald. I wondered whether you might have a similar companion. It's why I have waited to begin your training towards the animagus transformation. You have seen how magic can influence magic. Your father's animagus form shaped his patronus. In that same way, I hope that your familiar may shape your animagus form. There are many animagus forms, as you have observed. Insects, rodents, large mammals… the least common are magic forms. Sirius is one of the few, transforming into a Grim. I hope with the influence of your familiar, you may have a similar magic form. Even when not transformed, you may benefit from the magic of your animagus form. Eventually we will see."
Timmy had popped in quietly and set up trays of food near each of them. The smell was beginning to be a distraction.
"Ah, very good, thank you, Timmy." Albus said, wafting the vapors from a delicious bowl of soup towards himself, "Please, eat, and then perhaps spend the rest of the day relaxing. Harry, I encourage you to reexamine your memories of your parents and the night of their death. If you want, tomorrow I will take you to their graves. I must discuss today's confrontation with an auror. Kingsley Shacklebolt agreed to perform the interview. Before you leave, if you would let me extract your memories of the fight, I think we can perhaps avoid you needing to be questioned."
They ate and then before they left, Albus extracted copies of the memories of the Diagon Alley fight, placing them in his pensieve.
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January 19
Wearing their best black robes and cloaks, cleaned from the day before, Harry and Hermione again trekked to the Headmaster's office, a virtual repeat of Saturday morning, but with a more emotional air. Harry carried a very young fuzzy white phoenix tucked into his shirt pocket. Dumbledore met them in his office, dressed in very dignified dark purple silk robes with a heavy texture and a subtle hint of golden thread shining through in places. His beard was gathered in a golden ring and he wore a cap, similar to those worn by graduating scholars in the Muggle world.
"Hello, Harry." Dumbledore said, "Hermione. Are you ready?"
"I am, Headmaster." Harry nodded, Hermione offering her support right next to him.
"I do not know why I postponed this." Dumbledore said, "I think I might have wanted to avoid the deaths of your parents being the defining event of your life. I much prefer you being thought of as Harry the Quidditch player than Harry the orphan. Then I will admit it may have slipped my mind. I have accumulated a number of responsibilities and it can be difficult to maintain each of them. I offer no excuses; however, I only hope that this will help you now."
Albus held out a portkey. Harry, with a glimpse at Hermione, touched it and they disappeared. They reappeared on a small village lane. Hermione pressed herself as closely to Harry as she could, offering her support and in the winter chill, her body heat.
"Harry, the first thing I wish to show you is your house." Professor Dumbledore said.
They walked along coming to a ruined stone cottage, separated from the lane by a low stone wall. A small sign explained it had been left as a monument to the Potters. Harry looked in silence, exploring his memories. Hermione looked over the cottage, trying to memorize every line and angle. Her fiancée, her best friend, her soul mate was born here! Despite the relatively modest size, the cottage had a huge significance in her life and in wizarding history. Even with the years since the confrontation, powerful magic still lurked.
They slowly walked on. They came to the graveyard and walked through the gate. Dumbledore led them to a single headstone of gleaming white marble.
"I will leave you." Albus said, "Stay as long as you want."
Harry read the gravestone. It had both his parents names, dates, and a quote,
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
"It's from the bible, Harry." Hermione said, "She did it. She defeated death not for herself, but for you. I can't imagine how she felt, how much she loved you."
"I wish they could have met you." Harry whispered, "I used to wish that I remembered them, but now with occlumency and a pensieve, I have relived every memory of them. They really did love me. I just wish they hadn't had to die."
"I'm so sorry, Harry." Hermione said, squeezing him, "They'd be really proud of you."
"I think they'd be really proud of me when they met you." Harry said, looking down into Hermione's brown eyes. Her curly hair fell over the shoulders of her fine winter cloak. Her cheeks were red with the cold and her eyes were bright. All the love she felt for him as apparent in her eyes as her aura almost radiated love, support, and protectiveness.
"Mum, dad," Harry said, clearing his throat and addressing his parents' graves awkwardly, "this is Hermione. We're engaged. I'm going to marry her this Spring. You'd like her, she's the smartest witch of her age, everyone says so. I think she's a lot like you were, mum. I wish you could be here and know her, but I hope it helps knowing I'm in good hands."
"Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Hermione said, speaking clearly and unembarrassed, "I wish I had met you. I almost feel like I have through Harry. You'd be so proud of him. He's a great wizard… he's taught me so much about friendship, about bravery, and about love."
She trailed off as she cried a little, mourning for her other half and the life he should have had. Strangely, her emotion seemed to settle him and he comforted her until she stopped.
"I'm sorry…" Hermione started.
"Stop," Harry said with a hint of a smile, "thank you. You knew I couldn't, so you cried for me. You always know what I need. Come on, let's go. I got what I needed here."
Hermione gestured and a wreath of white roses and lilies formed against the headstone.
"They won't freeze and they don't die." She said, "They'll be there until someone moves them."
"Thank you."
They walked on, moving to where they could see Dumbledore. He didn't seem to notice them as they walked up. He was kneeling in front of a stone marked Kendra and Ariana Dumbledore. It too had a quote, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Harry eventually cleared his throat, not wanting to spy on his master.
"Ah, Harry." Dumbledore said sadly, "Did you have a good visit?"
"I did, Professor." Harry said, "You were right. This helped."
"I thought it might." Dumbledore said, "I come here from time to time, myself. It helps me remember my priorities."
He stood, dusting off the knees of his robes.
"Well, then, let us be off." Dumbledore said, his voice thick. Harry and Hermione decided silently not to breach his silence, although both noticed. They each seized the portkey and returned to Hogwarts.
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January
Hermione, having finished the Horcrux map project, focused on the Harry-Horcrux problem. Given how little information was available on Horcruxes, it was difficult to proceed. She had been granted access to the Headmaster's private library and she had gotten Dumbledore's permission to speak to Bill Weasley, as Horcruxes were thought to have originated in the Middle East or Northern Africa, so his knowledge of the dark magic of that area would be invaluable. He might also be able to get more books without arousing the same suspicion that Dumbledore or Hogwarts as an institution would.
Harry spent much of his time outside of class working with Alex and Moody. As an experienced professional duelist, Alex was above auror-level in his knowledge of wizarding combat, but he had focused so much on single combat that he had a bit of a weakness when it came to multiple opponent encounters. Mad-Eye, as a Master Auror with a legendary reputation, was less focused on single combat against other well-trained opponents, but had endless experience fighting handfuls to dozens of street thug-level dark wizards. Harry had to learn both, because he'd be facing Voldemort one day, one of the best trained and most powerful dark wizards ever known, but to get there he had to go through Voldemort's minions. Most of the Death Eaters were poorly trained, despite some exceptions like Bellatrix Lestrange, who'd benefitted from the Black Family wealth, tutors, and extensive library of the dark arts. However, while poorly trained, the Death Eaters had numbers and Moody's intelligence was that Voldemort was busy recruiting while the Ministry hid their head in the sand.
The two skilled combatants took the time to fill in Harry's weaknesses. Alex had exposed that Harry wasn't good at dispelling transfigurations wandlessly, which was one way he'd beaten him during their first session. He quickly corrected that. Moody taught him to spread out spells, so they hit weaker, but over a greater area. A powerful wizard could cast a wide-area stunner to drop multiple opponents who weren't shielding. Nobody was powerful enough to spread the Killing Curse, or the death toll would have been unimaginable.
Watching Alex and Moody argue over the finer points of combat was itself a learning experience. Both were extremely knowledgeable and after a brief period when they tested each other, both quickly showed respect for the other. However, that didn't mean they blindly agreed. Arguments ranged the gamut from what shield was best to whether it was better to fight with two wands simultaneously or to keep the spare as a hidden backup. Harry would sit and watch them, learning more from their disagreements than he ever had from DADA class, even with a real professor.
After seeing the brief fight in Diagon Alley in a pensieve, Flitwick assigned a drill where Harry had to levitate stones in the way of stinging hexes cast to be similar in power to Killing Curses, so they required the same thickness of stone to block. He showed Harry how to levitate, summon, and banish stones almost instinctively. Dumbledore taught Harry how to conjure or make stones from thin air, to insure he always had a way to block. It was a very power intensive method, but for someone of Harry's innate power, not impossible and very, very useful. Given how often Death Eaters seemed to lead with the unblockable unforgiveables, this drill quickly became the most constant of their practices. Hermione joined in every time, determined that if a Killing Curse could be blocked, it would be.
DADA itself was like a siege. Harry didn't submit to Umbridge, but neither could he force her to teach. He and Hermione had quickly memorized the assigned text, as worthless as it was, but he continued to receive failing grades on his theoretical essays, even though they were well-written and then carefully edited by Hermione. Harry didn't care, as he knew that Dumbledore would eventually fix it without letting him fail. It would be too ridiculous to for the Headmaster to be teaching him as an apprentice towards a defense mastery, but then allow one of his professors to fail him on fifth year DADA. Something had to give.
The Defense Association or Dumbledore's Army was progressing well. As everyone got better, Harry found he had more time to devote to tutoring those who were lagging behind. The dueling portion became very popular and motivated the more competitive members more than Harry's feedback could. The teenage boys had become fanatical about the dueling rankings, tracking it as closely as Quidditch statistics. The girls were surprisingly also into it, too, but they seemed to use it to settle social disputes. While it wasn't segregated by gender, it seemed boys tended to challenge each other and girls challenged each other. Harry ruled the young men's standings and Hermione the women's, both undefeated despite some brave challenges.
Harry explored the bond with Hedwig. The soul bond between he and Hermione was, after the fact, predictable. They had been completing each other's sentences almost since they'd known each other. Again, in hindsight, the bond between Harry and Hedwig was just as predictable. He'd always been able to communicate with her when she was an owl. Now, as a phoenix, that communication was even clearer. Not the same as with Hermione, but he found he could easily communicate with Hedwig and his friendship with his first companion continued to grow.
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Feb 1
"Hermione," Harry said, "are you awake?"
They were together in a vast four poster bed in the Room of Requirement.
"You know I am. You can feel my mind." Hermione answered, looking up from where she'd been pillowing her head on his bare chest, "Why so nervous?"
"You'd think I'd be better at this, since I have a connection directly to your mind, your feelings, but I guess you can only do so much…" Harry said, "I want to do something special for you for Valentine's Day, but I don't know what to do."
Hermione smiled, "That's really sweet, Harry! You've been as busy as I was third year and you don't have a time turner. I half thought you'd forget Valentine's Day."
"Well, at least I didn't screw up that bad!" Harry laughed, "I just don't know what to do. I asked around and a lot of the older guys think girls like Madame Puddifoot's, but I looked in it last time we were in Hogsmeade and it looks silly. I don't think you'd like it at all."
"Well, that's romantic, right there." Hermione said, tracing lazy circles on Harry's chest, "Knowing what I like and don't like shows you actually care about me and don't just lump me in with all the other girls. You'll come up with something and I'll like it. Just don't plan it to be all day. I've scheduled time with Rita. I want her to be seen interviewing you. We need to hide that we've worked with her in private and she's almost ready to release her story. She feels the time is almost right and the Lovegoods agree."
"Ok, when is that?"
"At 1 p.m." Hermione said.
"So we've got all morning?" Harry said, talking about the fourteenth, but with a cheeky reference to their current morning as well.
"Yes, you've got all morning." Hermione smirked.
"Good!" Harry said, flipping her over.
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Feb 14
Hermione woke to the smell of roses, heavy in the air of the fifth year girls' dorm. She looked around and there were dozens of vases, hundreds of roses on every surface around her bed. A handful of vases floated along under their own power, like the candles in the Great Hall. She felt a huge smile as she realized how much effort it would have taken to sneak that many flowers in to the girls' dorm without being caught by someone with which you share a mind link.
"Are all those yours?" Lavender asked.
"I think so." Hermione offered, "I mean, they are around my bed."
"You're so lucky." Parvati said, "Harry is so sweet!"
"I thought everyone thought he was a nutter, lying about Voldemort?" Hermione asked with a smirk.
"We ARE Gryffindors." Lavender said, "There may have been a few that wondered for a while, what with all the Prophet said, but of all the things that boy is good at, lying isn't one of them and he's never really seemed to be fond of attention, despite what Snape says."
"Good to know." Hermione said with a genuine smile.
She got out of bed, stretched, showered, dressed, and carefully brushed her teeth before casting a wandless non-verbal teeth cleaning charm. She knew that one or the other was probably plenty, but old habits die hard. She walked down the stairs, only to see a certain messy raven-haired boy with the most penetrating emerald eyes standing at the bottom in his nice robes with a single perfect red rose.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione!" Harry said, smiling, "This rose is everlasting. It will always be fresh and new, like my love for you. I have to admit, I copied your charm, but I think I did a good job with it."
"It looks like you did it perfectly." Hermione said, smelling the single perfect red rose, noting it had a delicious smell, very noticeable but not cloying.
Harry hugged her and gave her a sweet kiss, not too much to embarrass her in the common room, but enough to whet her appetite for more. He took her hand in his and waited for her to walk with him down to the Great Hall.
"Oh, Harry, you did well!" Hermione said, beaming, "You're definitely getting good at this."
"Well, I have to admit, it's harder to be uncomfortable around a girl I share my head with." Harry said with an endearing lopsided grin.
They walked out of the portrait hole. Harry missed the sighs of the other Gryffindor girls, but Hermione heard and smiled a bit wider.
They walked hand in hand to the Great Hall. Their normal seats stood out from the surrounding House table due to a fine white linen tablecloth someone had placed ahead of time. There were three vases sitting empty. Harry handed her to her seat, holding the vase so she could put her rose inside.
"What are the others for?" Hermione asked.
"You'll see." Harry grinned, "I didn't want to make my mates look bad. Neville helped by growing the roses. Ron…well, Ron provided moral support."
Hermione looked around and saw Neville walking with Ginny, a similar rose in her hand. She smiled brightly when she saw the table and happily sat, placing her rose in the vase in front of her accustomed seat. Ron walked in last, with Luna. She didn't always sit with them, since she was a Ravenclaw, but she sometimes crossed house lines and did this morning.
"Good morning," Luna said happily, "I decided I like getting flowers. They may attract Wrackspurts, but today they remind me of Ronald and that makes me happy!"
As they were settling down to eat, an owl dropped a card, likely a Valentine, for Ginny, quickly followed by another bearing a card for Luna. Hermione felt a little disappointed that Harry hadn't gotten her a card too. Suddenly there was a flash of fire and a white phoenix with just a trace of black on the underside of some of her feathers appeared.
"Hedwig!" Hermione squealed, as the phoenix dropped off a card for her and trilled an uplifting and vaguely romantic song.
All the girls in the Great Hall sighed. An owl bearing a card was romantic, but a phoenix bearing a card, that was godlike.
They finished breakfast and the six of them walked outside. One of the Hogwarts coaches was harnessed and a young wizard stood next to it. When he saw them approaching, he opened the door.
"Harry, how did you manage to get one of the horseless carriages of Hogwarts?" Hermione asked in awe.
"I just had to talk the Headmaster into giving me a permission slip to borrow the coach, then I hired the driver, he lives in Hogsmeade." Harry answered.
"They're not horseless." Luna said dreamily, "Well, I suppose they're not technically horses, so maybe you could say that…"
Harry and Hermione exchanged a look, then finished getting into the coach. The driver closed the door, then took them to Hogsmeade. Neville and Ginny got out at Zonkos. Ron and Luna went to Honeyduke's. When Harry stayed in the coach, Hermione started to wonder where they were going.
"Ok, Harry, talk." She said with a fake tough-guy look, "Where are we going?"
"You'll see!" Harry laughed, "Don't be so impatient!"
The coach stopped in front of Tomes and Scrolls. The driver got down from his seat and met opened the door.
"How romantic!" Hermione said sincerely, "See, I told you you'd know what to do."
Harry stepped ahead and opened the door.
"Ah, Miss Granger?" said a prematurely balding bookstore clerk. Once she nodded her head, surprised they addressed her by name, he continued, "I am John Scrivener. Please, come this way."
He led her to a backroom, obviously not routinely open to customers.
"Mr. Potter asked to have all the books added since your last visit here for your pleasure. Any you want, just set them here and we'll take care of them." John said.
"Harry!" Hermione said, "Oooh, you do know me! Don't think I'm not going to look out there, though. I may have missed some before."
They spent the morning in the bookstore. Hermione set aside a huge stack of books. Once she was done shopping, Mr. Scrivener shrank them, put featherlight charms, and put them in a tiny bookshelf the size of a single hardback book.
"Once you get back to school, just enlarge the lot. They'll stay on the shelf nicely." John said.
Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand to the Three Broomsticks. As soon as they walked in, they saw Ron and Luna already seated at a table.
"Oi, Harry!" Ron called, "Over here."
Harry gave a nod and walked over.
"Nev not here, yet?" Harry asked.
Luna giggled. "No, I think Ginny wanted him to take her to Madame Puddifoot's. She'd heard it was the most romantic spot from some of the older girls."
"Hmmm…never heard of it." Harry said, "What do you all want? I'll buy."
He came back with a tray full of Butterbeers, handing them to each of his friends. He opened Hermione's for her.
Madame Rosmerta came to their table with a tray of stew in bread loaf trenchers. She brought another tray with roasted chicken wings and legs for the group to share.
"Ron, have you ever had hot wings?" Hermione asked, after eating one of the small roast chicken wings.
"What do you mean? These are pretty warm still." Ron said with his mouth half full.
"No, it's a Muggle thing." Hermione answered, "They're like this, but with a spicy sauce."
"No, but it sounds good. Maybe my mum could make something like that. My dad would love it if you told him the Muggles made it up." Ron said.
They talked and laughed over lunch, but Hermione carefully kept track of time and had Rosmerta take the dishes and give the table a wipe ten minutes until one o'clock. Hermione kept an eye on the door and immediately saw Rita when she walked in.
"Remember, Ron, stick to the message!" she hissed as the reporter walked over.
Despite the fact that they'd planned this for about six months and had already given Rita all the information she needed to write her story, including showing her pensieve memories of all the events, Hermione was still nervously acting like this was the only discussion they would have with the reporter. Her act leant verisimilitude to the overall illusion.
"How have the stories in the Daily Prophet made you feel, Harry? Betrayed? Misunderstood?" Rita said in a too sweet voice that was only tolerable because they had all heard Umbridge's much worse version.
"Angry, Rita." Harry said, "Mildly amused that this is what passes for news in the Wizarding World, but mostly angry. The worst terrorist and Dark Lord of the last five decades returns and instead of using the time to prepare for him, our world is blaming a teenage boy and calling me an attention seeking prat! This is all despite the fact that I'm already much more famous than I really care to be for surviving the Killing Curse and somehow being involved in his disappearance when I was a baby. So I'm angry. I want the Wizarding world to wake up and get ready to kick Voldemort's arse!"
Rita looked almost ill when he said Voldemort's name, but she quickly gathered herself, showing her real talents as one of the foremost journalists of the Wizarding world, such as it was.
"So you stick to your story that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back? You stand by what Dumbledore's been saying, that you were the sole witness?" Rita asked, carefully writing down his answers with her Quick Quotes Quill. Harry noticed Hermione was carefully watching what was written. "Who have you told?"
"Yes, of course I stick to my story! That's what you do when you're telling the truth. I wish it weren't the truth." Harry said, "I wasn't the sole witness. Hermione was there. She apparated from Hogwarts, which dozens of people witnessed, and helped me escape. I told Minister Fudge that same night."
"Oh, wait," Harry added as if he'd just remembered something, "it wasn't even just me and Hermione, either. There were a dozen Death Eaters there at the time, too. Want their names?"
"Oh, yes." Rita said, her eyes alight, "Very much. The headline will read 'Potter Accuses…'".
Harry and Hermione together told the entire story of the night of the third task. Hermione's brain was like a scientific instrument and she had recorded all her observations, despite the terror and stress. With the changes since her bond with Harry and the newfound cool under fire traits she gained from him, she was the ideal combat correspondent. Harry, having gained her recall and mental organizational skills, enhanced by Mastery level Occlumency, was also incredibly detailed with his description of events. Rita looked rapt and all of them noticed others drift by more than would be usual, even in the crowded pub. They were getting the attention they needed.
"The only problem," Rita said once she'd written the entire story down, "the Prophet won't print it. They don't want to portray Harry in a good light these days. It goes against the public mood."
"You mean it goes against Fudge's mood." Hermione said dangerously.
"It amounts to the same thing." Rita whispered, leaning closer, "The Daily Prophet prints what people want to read. Harry as an honest reporter of such a terrifying event is not that."
"My dad thinks it's an awful paper." Luna said.
"Your dad?" Rita asked, "I'm guessing he runs some local newspaper?"
"No." Luna said, "He's the editor of the Quibbler."
"The Quibbler? That's where we're going to publish this story?" Rita said incredulously, "Nobody will believe it then. It'll be the end of my credibility!"
"You have credibility?" Harry whispered. Rita glared at him.
"Maybe for some," Hermione said, "but not for others. There are gaping holes in the Ministry's version of recent events, such as the Azkaban breakout. We encountered Bellatrix Lestrange and nobody reported it at all. With the gaping holes that already exist and with the events that are likely to happen more and more frequently as Voldemort continues to consolidate his power, it will quickly become obvious that we're telling the truth."
"Well, we'll see." Rita said, "Either this will destroy my reputation or build it above my wildest dreams. Miss Lovegood, I'd like to meet with your father to discuss the publication of my story. I want to insure it is done properly. Would you please convey my request and send me a meeting time and place by owl?"
"Of course, Miss Skeeter." Luna said dreamily, "He'll be happy to meet with you. He's always interested in unusual creatures."
Rita sniffed at that, gathered her things, and departed. Hermione was pleased to see all the eyes in the pub follow her out.
"That went well." She stated confidently.
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Week of Feb 16
The next week went largely according to Harry's new routine with some interesting differences.
Monday, Dumbledore had directed him to accompany Hermione to meet with Professor McGonagall. Harry and Albus had reached the point of Harry mastering very simple conjuration of stone blocks, so they weren't interrupting any of their own work together.
"Come in, come in." Professor McGonagall said, gesturing the two into her office. Sirius already sat inside.
"Sirius?" Harry said surprised, "What are you doing here?"
"Surprised?" Sirius said with his dog-like grin, "You'll soon see why I'm here, pup. Have a seat. Minerva is going to tell you what we're up to."
Harry and Hermione took their seats. Hermione was almost vibrating with excitement. She'd clearly already figured it out.
"The Headmaster has decided it is time for you to start on your animagus transformations." Minerva said, "We had decided to wait for certain semi-anticipated events that have now come to pass. The studies you have both already undergone will make this much easier, but it will still be a grueling path. I have asked Sirius Black to help teach, because he and his friends successfully completed this transformation as students and without formal assistance, an almost unheard of feat."
"More importantly," Sirius said, grinning even wider, "we documented it. We had gotten in the habit of documenting everything we did so we could recreate our best pranks. We very thoroughly documented this process, because it was on the edge of our capabilities and we made many, many mistakes. I hope we can help you avoid those."
"I have reviewed their documentation and made my own inputs. To avoid false humility, I daresay the resulting guide is probably the best work extant on animagus transformation." Professor McGonagall said, "We've gone through the process step by step and decided the best way for you to follow. For instance, we considered having Severus brew the potion in advance, given his skill as a Potion Master, but there is a slight advantage in the subjects brewing their own potions and given Hermione's skill as a brewer, we think this is well within your capability. However, we did have Severus review the recipe and instructions and he was able to optimize that step, as well. We have all the ingredients here for you."
She went on to give them an overview of the process. It was a mixture between careful, almost scientific potion brewing and transfiguration spellcraft and an intuitive inner-process of understanding the self. Their constant learning would greatly assist with the science of the transformation while their work with occlumency and their experience with the bond would help with the intuitive piece. They really were ideally positioned to pursue the animagus transformation.
"I will dismiss you now." McGonagall said, "I want you to read the book carefully. If you were to memorize it, it would not be unjustified, because we have carefully edited it to make it the most concise, most efficient path to the transformation. The only part we could not fully optimize was the inner understanding, because that hinges on you. So read the book, then spend your time tonight before sleep meditating on the transformation."
Harry called Hedwig. Grasping his tail feathers, he and Hermione disappeared only to reappear in the empty hallway in front of the Room of Requirement. With the map, they routinely checked their destinations so they didn't give away their secrets.
Inside, the room was set up for comfortable reading and meditation. They both settled down and were able to quickly read the book. Harry had always been a good reader, but since his bond with Hermione, he was now incredibly fast and retained everything he read, much as she had always done. It helped that this book was very clear, having been written by students before their fifth year and then edited and perfected by a Transfiguration Mistress who had also completed the transformation. The recipe for the Animagus potion was also obviously carefully crafted, including some of the techniques they'd learned in their efforts to perfect their skills. Despite his sometimes poor teaching ability, Snape was indisputably a master of his craft.
"Wow, I thought it would be harder than that." Harry said, as he finished reading seconds after Hermione.
"I think the hard part might be the research." Hermione offered, "Can you imagine having to figure that all out from scattered sources that aren't considered appropriate for Hogwarts students to read in the first place? The other hard part is likely the intuitive piece. If you can't understand yourself, then you're not going to complete that easily, no matter how smart you are. How hard do you think it was for Pettigrew to accept the qualities about himself that led to his form being a rat? Or Rita being an insect? That has to be hard to accept."
"Good point." Harry said, hoping he wasn't going to be a bug or a snake, "I was thinking about the meditation. I think we might have luck if we settle ourselves in our bond with Hedwig helping."
"What made you think of that?" Hermione asked puzzled.
"I don't know." Harry said, "It just feels right."
Hermione tried to think of an objection and couldn't. The song of the phoenix was known to bolster courage and calm anxiety. It might well help them meditate.
"Ok." Hermione shrugged, "It can't hurt and if it does, we just do it next time without Hedwig's help."
They settled down comfortably, holding hands. They were quickly able to drop into the clear mind state that they used for occlumency and open the bond as wide as possible, both things they practiced nightly. They didn't push magic through the bond, not needing the arousal side effects to distract from their meditation.
Harry explored his innermost being. He thought about the things that made him unique. He had always been told he was just like his father and when he'd produced a Patronus that had obviously come out. However, as he thought about it now, he realized that wasn't exactly true. His father loved attention and he tended to shy away from it. They were both leaders, but he wasn't as outwardly confident as his father. He was protective, like his father, a trait that probably contributed to the stag animagus, the guardian of the herd, but he was also a survivor, his entire reputation being based on living through the Killing Curse. Living through the Killing Curse…surviving conflicts with the greatest Dark Lord that no adult Wizard should have survived, let alone a child…each year ending with him in the hospital wing, unconscious, waking after days to return to his usual exuberant good health. He was powerful magically and loved flying. He worried for a few moments that a cockroach might be the perfect form for him, but he quickly realized he was already the human equivalent of the Phoenix, rising to become known as the Boy-Who-Lived from the ashes of his parents' murder. Every year he had a similar near-death experience, only to rise from the hospital wing, reborn.
Hermione initially thought she'd be something like an owl. The symbol of Athena and Minerva, the owl represented wisdom. Only as she thought of it, it didn't fit, just like her thought prior to her sorting that she belonged in Ravenclaw was wrong. She was too protective to fit into the house of the detached scholars. She lived to protect Harry. She'd tried to defend Buckbeak and had saved him in the end. She was too fiery, although it was slow to emerge, but she remembered punching Draco in the face when he'd laughed about Buckbeak. Damn, that had felt good! She'd faced the Basilisk, the first to do so purposefully, and while petrified, her knowledge had given Harry what he'd needed to defeat the threat to Hogwarts and she'd come back, as from the dead. She could feel Harry's realization of his own form and she realized that while it might not have been as natural for her, her connection to him made it so. She could never be something different from her mate. She was, like him, a phoenix.
They opened their eyes to see the grin on each other's faces. Hedwig was trilling a triumphant song.
"I know!" they said in unison, the verbal acknowledgement completely unnecessary as each felt the others' certainty.
Looking at a candle they'd lit before they'd started and seeing it almost completely burned down, they realized the process had taken much longer than it had felt like. The Room of Requirement quickly shifted to their customary bedroom and they quickly fell asleep cuddled together.
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Tuesday was a busy day, but they managed to start their potions in the Room of Requirement before going to breakfast. In the break between Double Charms and Double Transfiguration, they added the next components and stirred, before heading on to Professor McGonagall's class. She greeted them with an uplifted eyebrow and both nodded, knowing what she was asking. She came by while they were practicing the raven to goblet transformation, a very difficult transfiguration, but one both Harry and Hermione could do perfectly.
"You realized your inner shape?" Minerva whispered.
"We both did." Harry smirked.
"We're going to be Phoenices." Hermione stated, pleased.
"Very good." Minerva said, "Albus had hoped, but we didn't dare dream it would turn out so well. Excellent, excellent." Then, in a louder voice, "Ten points to Gryffindor for an excellent transfiguration, Potter, Granger."
In care of magical creatures, Harry whispered to Hagrid that he wanted to show him something. After class was over, he summoned Hedwig.
"I thought you might have seen her on Valentine's Day, but I knew you'd want to see her more closely." Harry said, "Do you recognize her?"
"Recognize this 'ere phoenix?" Hagrid rumbled, "Where would I've seen one 'em before, Harry, except Fawkes of course?"
"Do you recognize the color?" Harry asked with a smile, "You bought her for me, after all."
"Hedwig? No!" Hagrid said incredulously.
"Yes!" Harry grinned and told him the entire story, "So in a way, you saved my life again, Hagrid."
"When did I save it the first time, Harry?" Hagrid asked.
"When you took me away from the Dursleys." Harry said, "Trust me."
He had to hurry to reach Herbology without being late, but Professor Sprout wasn't a stickler.
That night, after dueling practice with Flitwick and Alex, they returned to the Room of Requirement and bottled their potions. They set them on a window sill that conveniently appeared for them, as they felt the sunlight during the day and the moonlight at night would strengthen the potions for their particular transformation. Certain specialized ingredients had to be selected after they knew what forms they were going to achieve. Luckily, they had ready access to phoenix feathers now, so powdered phoenix feather and phoenix ash was not a hardship.
Wednesday, before and after the DA meeting they practiced the transfiguration spells that would be required. They were hugely complicated and self transfiguration was very difficult. Using dummy wands to ensure they didn't accidentally cast it, they practiced the incantations and the movements, evaluating each other and striving for perfection.
"Do you feel bad not telling?" Harry asked.
"Not telling who?" Hermione said, "Oh, not telling Ron?"
"Yeah, not telling Ron." Harry said, "He's going to hate us when he realizes we did it without him."
"He's doing a lot better lately. He really does take his oath seriously." Hermione said, "He won't hate us. We'll pass on the guides and help them complete their transformations. For now, I think it's appropriate we do it first. Then we'll be able to help."
"Ok, as long as you don't think we're being terrible friends." Harry said.
"No, I don't think he could keep up with the pace we're doing it on." Hermione said, "He hasn't been working as hard as we have on occlumency. The bond did a lot to help me with my meditation. He definitely won't be able to brew the potion himself. He'd likely get himself hurt if we tried to make him do it at our pace. Or we'd have to slow down to accommodate him. We'll help him. Don't worry."
Thursday, they carefully cast a spell to protect the potions and then put them in the fireplace with a roaring fire going. The essence of the fire would aid their particular transformation, but it was stressful putting that much work on the line when they used tongs to put the vials into the heart of the blazing fire. When they pulled them out, they were glowing a fiery red and didn't lose that characteristic even after the vials had mostly cooled. The potion itself radiated a constant warmth. Without summoning, Hedwig appeared and trilled at Harry. Harry looked at him.
"Really?" Harry asked.
Hedwig nodded insistently.
"Well, I guess I could see how that might help." Harry agreed. He tied the potions onto Hedwig's legs. After they were both securely fashioned, Hedwig disappeared in a flash of flame.
"She's going to transport them around all day. She says it will help." Harry said.
Hermione nodded her head. The more exposure to sources of magic similar to the phoenix, the better and nothing was more similar than the phoenix herself.
During occlumency, Hermione couldn't resist.
"Did you ever try the animagus transformation, Professor Snape?"
"Hmmm…something the know-it-all doesn't know?" Professor Snape hissed, "How unusual. Now, unlike yourselves, I am very good at keeping secrets. It is handy…in my line of work. Of course, you're welcome to try to take the information from my mind if you think you can, Granger."
Hermione just shook her head and continued with their practice. She caught Snape smirking a few times after that, but just let it go.
After their work, she brought out the vials.
"Would you be willing to evaluate these, see if you think they're suitable?" Hermione asked.
Snape quirked an eyebrow upwards. "Did you make them according to my instructions?"
"Of course!" Hermione said.
"Did you watch Potter make his?" Snape asked, with a smirk.
"Yes, not that I needed to." Hermione huffed.
"Then I'm sure they're fine. Despite being an insufferable know-it-all, you have managed to learn something from me. I would almost call you competent." Snape said, "However, for all of our peace of mind, I will test them."
He took a drop from each and went through an elaborate process.
"Ah, the basic potion was well made. We gave you the finest ingredients and you did a fine job of combining them. Essence of sunlight and moonlight, very appropriate… essence of fire, also well chosen… Phoenix Fire itself, well, I wouldn't have imagined that. Yes, if any potion will serve, this one will serve. I could perhaps have done slightly better, but the fact that it was made by your own hands means more in this case."
Snape handed the vials back.
"Oh and I couldn't tell which you made and which Potter made." Snape said with a less sarcastic quality than usual, "Perhaps he is his mother's son after all."
Harry cleared his throat. "Thank you, Professor."
Snape nodded and waved his hand, obviously dismissing them.
Friday, they had independent study time all day. They asked the Headmaster, Professor McGonagall, and Madame Pomphrey to meet them at the Room of Requirement.
"Are you ready then?" Minerva asked as they all gathered in the Room of Requirement, this time chosen to be a wide open ritual space.
"We are." Hermione said, "I was hesitant to have everyone here for obvious reasons, but we decided the increased chances of success were worth a little embarrassment."
"Probably a good choice, child." Minerva said with a smile.
"Should I summon Fawkes?" Albus asked.
"Yes, Professor, we think that would help." Hermione said, "Do you agree?"
"I think so." Dumbledore said, "Although having two phoenices singing at once is so unheard of that there are no recorded instances, so it's hard to say for sure."
Harry and Hermione carefully inscribed the protective circle for their ritual working using phoenix ash, powdered feather, and a pinch of gold dust for the ink. They had decided to use a single circle due to the bond, which while riskier in some ways would increase the chance for success.
Once the circle was complete, they looked around. The others, each experienced ritualists, had spaced themselves equally around the circle, forming a triangle, each imaginary leg of which was tangent to the protective circle. Albus was at the peak, Fawkes on his shoulder. Hedwig was within the protective circle, having refused to be separated from his companion.
Harry and Hermione shrugged off their robes, wearing nothing beneath. They would have been embarrassed if they weren't so deeply in a meditative state as to be almost unaware of their surroundings. Together they swallowed the potions, which burned more than firewhiskey going down their throats, but generated a warmth in their bellies and a sensation very similar to felix felicis if they'd known what that felt like. They began to glow very slightly a red-gold color.
They'd considered using their spare wands, given they were matched, but they'd decided the phoenix feather core of Harry's original would contribute more to the success than the matched set of wands would, so they were each using their original wand. The discussion had spurred an idea of learning enough wand lore to craft their own wands with Hedwig feather cores or, if they were successful tonight, even cores made from their own feathers. They'd have to talk to Ollivander to learn whether such an idea was practical.
"Ego verto ad Phoenix!" they chanted together, "Ego mutare me ad phoenix. Ego verto ad Phoenix. Ego mutare ad phoenix."
With each incantation, the magical power built. The two phoenices trilled powerfully in unison, seeming to harmonize with each other and the incantation. The magic continued to build around them and the red-gold glow somehow mixed with their own auras, so they looked like they were on fire. The magic was visible even without auramancy. They raised their voices, now shouting the incantations. The phoenices trilled louder. The sounds seemed to increase in strength, reverberating throughout the Room of Requirement and, if they'd realized, throughout the castle with a very quiet sound as if the stones had a heartbeat.
The light became stronger and stronger, eventually causing the observers to squint, unable to look directly at the two in the circle. Hedwig launched herself off Harry's shoulder and flew around the circumference of the ritual circle, trilling louder and louder. The sound grew stronger and stronger.
Suddenly, Harry and Hermione burst into flame.
"What?" Poppy yelled, barely able to see into the bright light, "Albus, we have to stop this!"
"Do nothing!" Dumbledore thundered, his voice far from the kindly grandfather voice he usually used.
With a flash brighter than they'd ever seen, the light died completely. The room settled into complete blackness except Hedwig's white light and Fawkes' golden red glow.
"What happened?" Poppy asked, "Did it work?"
Dumbledore gestured and the room was once again lit. In the circle, there were two piles of ash where Harry and Hermione had stood.
"No…" Minerva said, her tone that of shock and disbelief, "no, it can't have gone that wrong."
"Watch." Dumbledore said, "Remember the magic of the phoenix."
From each pile there was movement. The ash cascaded down and from the center of each pile, a small head emerged. Two featherless chicks stepped out of the piles of ash and shook their little wings.
"They did it!" Minerva shouted.
"Oh, thank Merlin." Poppy sighed, starting to sink down, settling into a chair Dumbledore quickly conjured for her.
The two chicks walked around the circle for a moment. They found each other in the center and bumped up against each other, making little cheeping noises. After celebrating their transformation, they returned to their normal state. With a wave, they each summoned their robes and clothed themselves.
"Wow." Harry said, stunned.
"You can say that again." Hermione laughed, "I feel all new."
"Me, too." Harry said, "I feel better than I've ever felt."
"Is it gone?" Hermione asked, then sighed as she shifted her vision into auramancy and saw the blackness around his scar was still there, "It's smaller, like it's getting worn down, but it's still there. I had hoped it wouldn't be able to tolerate this."
"Don't worry." Harry said reassuringly, "I don't think it liked our bonding at all and I don't think it likes this. You'll come up with a way to get rid of it."
"I will." Hermione said, assuring herself as much as him.
"Well done." Albus said, "All my hopes are coming to fruition. We'll have to see what significance this has, but I think you've done something very meaningful today. Now, I suggest you get some rest. I believe Harry has a game tomorrow."
"That sounds good." Harry said, "It's still early, but I think I can probably sleep til tomorrow."
They separated from the Professors and walked to the common room, since there were too many people to travel by phoenix without causing a fuss. Harry was right. He was asleep when his head hit the pillow and didn't wake until the next morning.
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A/N: Oops, big mistake in my last chapter. I think I put December 18 before the trip to Gringotts, but it should have read January. Sorry!
This is going out without extensive editing so I can get it to readers for the weekend. I hope you enjoy it. Please point out mistakes.
Go read "30 Minutes That Changed Everything" by Radaslab. I wish I could write that well, but I'm so happy some people can and they publish it for me to read!
I wasn't at all sure whether it's ever been documented what Hermione's favorite flower was. If anyone knows, tell me, but I went with roses.