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Lily and James Potter smiled as they looked into bassinet that held their one year old son, Harry James Potter. They were at St. Mungo’s, getting his first round of magical inoculations. They were happy, eager to help their son grow into a fine young man, even in these dark times. Their wands were out when they felt a burst of heat, but their wands were quickly gone when they heard the soft trill of arrival from the phoenix that caused it.
“Ah, it’s you, Albus.” James said, Dumbledore smiling at the man. “Hello to you as well, Fawkes.” He said, and the bird trilled in response and then was gliding over to land on the edge of the bassinet. His arrival, along with his trill, woke Harry up. However, before the child could cry in distress, he was distracted by the brilliant gold and red plumage of the immortal bird.
“I am afraid this is not a pleasant call my boy. Please, come with me, you as well Lily.” Dumbledore said, and Lily hesitated, so he continued. “I assure you, Fawkes will more than make sure that young Harry is safe.” He said, and Fawkes let out a soothing trill, having hopped into the bassinet, so that Harry could touch his plumage.
“Not too long, now. We want to get Harry home.” Lily said, and Dumbledore nodded before taking them off to the side. As he told the new parents about the prophecy, and what it meant for either Harry or Neville, Fawkes let out soft, playful trills to the young Potter heir. Harry managed to sit up, after divulging himself of most of the blankets keeping him down, and hugged the perfectly comfortably heated bird, getting a musical trill for his trouble, and a hug with the wings of the large creature.
Lily and James, somber from the news, had their spirits lifted softly as they came back to the sight of Harry sleeping peacefully once more, with Fawkes lightly preening him.
“Phoenix’s do love children, from what I know. They love new life, to watch light and goodness grow.” Dumbledore said, getting soft nod from the parents. He looked into the eyes of his companion, and blinked as a set of emotions and flashed images came to him. “It seems he wishes to not only take you three home, but ask permission to visit young Harry.” The older male said, and a soft nod from the large avian confirmed that.
“Well of course he can!” James said, and Lily nodded with a smile of her own. “You’re always welcome at Potter Manor, or any other place we call home.” He said, and magic accepted this as a magical oath, not that any present, except the immortal creature himself, realized.
“Shall we then, Mr. Fawkes?” Lily asked, and an amused trill followed before the Potter’s were gone from the room they had been in. Dumbledore chuckled, and then made his way out of the room, letting the passing nurse know what happened. A few sweeps of spells for confirmation had her nodding, and closing the file for the Potter visit.
~ASB~
All of Godric’s Hollow was plunged into sorrow when Fawkes arrived and saw the carnage that was left by the attack on the Potters, because of an upstart dark ‘lord’. He had been recovering from a burning day when the Potter’s had been attacked, and he wept for the lives lost. It was then he realized, he felt it in his bones, that there was one Potter left. The young child, the sweet thing that had hugged him so heartily and warmly. He trilled with renewed optimism and disappeared in a wash of flame from the destroyed house.
~ASB~
Petunia Dursley huffed and wrinkled her nose as she changed her son, before setting him off in his little walker to have him run off into the house. Her eyes then narrowed and she huffed as she picked up the… boy, to change him. He was not as odorous as her son, but then again he didn’t get as much to eat, not like he deserved it. She was about to wipe that stupid little smile off his face when she let out a soft scream of fear when a burst of fire appeared overhead. Harry gasped and giggled, clapping animatedly, at the appearance of the magnificent bird that appeared.
“Pet! Why did you scream?” Said her husband, Vernon, as he entered with a bat in his hands. At the sight of the brilliant bird, he blinked and looked at her confused.
“It just appeared, nearly scared me half to death, Vernon.” Petunia said, before huffing and righting herself. “That’s a phoenix, creatures of… that world.” She said, grumbling softly.
“I see.” Vernon said, before looking at Fawkes. “Go on then, leave. You’re not welcome here. We will have more of the freakishness in this house than needed!” He said, as if that was that. By this point Harry had gotten up, shakily so, to his feet and was hugging the bird with a look of utter contentment on his face.
Fawkes, for his part, was not concerned with the non-magicals in the house. He nuzzled Harry softly, trilling soothingly, enjoying the hug. He finally looked up when he heard a snapping of fingers, trying to get his attention. His pitch black eyes centered on the large, human, male in front of him, and made said male back up. His trill was soft, but it was basically asking ‘WHAT!?’, which was clear enough for Vernon to discern.
“I said get out of this house, bird. Shoo! We have to deal with one freak in here, we shan't deal with another!” Vernon said, nodding in finality again. His reward? A near ear splitting shriek directed right at him, from the agitated bird, before he grasped Harry firmly, and then in a wash of fire, they were both gone.
“Good riddance!” Petunia managed after looking at the scorched table, huffing and moving to clean it. Vernon lightly messing with his ears, trying to get his hearing back. He agreed with his wife, though, good riddance.
~ASB~
Fawkes and Harry appeared in the room of the latter, at Potter manor. Almost immediately after, three house elves appeared. They were quickly recognized by Harry, and he babbled at them as only a child could.
“Elbes!” Harry said, clapping at them, only for him to giggle as she was picked up with magic and hovered down to them. They each gave him a hug, and then checked him over. One huffing and getting a chair while another got him some food. He giggled happily and ate with no issue, the last elf looking up at Fawkes and bowing.
“Jipsey be thanking you, fire-bird. We were very worried for little Harry, he be safe here now.” Jipsey said, before she was given images and emotions. “Yes, yes. We lock down the manor, only youse and Mr. Blacks and Lupin be allowed in.” She said, and Fawkes nodded before vanishing again after letting off a musical trill. Harry was in good hands, and he had things that needed to be done.
~ASB~
It took Dumbledore a good week before he realized that his little instruments, the ones that monitored young Harry, were all stopped. Well, except the one that told him the young child was alive and healthy. That did not stop him from getting up in alarm though, and going over to his instruments.
“No, no. The wards…” Dumbledore said, nearly in distress, and even the soft trill from his companion did little to quell his stress. He was about to turn on his heel to apparate, when he felt Fawkes on his shoulder. “Ah! Yes, much faster, I think.” He said, smiling softly. “You know where I must go, do you my old friend?” He asked, and was surprised at the gently trill that was full of a sort of denial.
He was about to ask Fawkes what he meant, when he got the images and emotions that the large bird used as communication. He saw flashes of Harry happy, healthy, and being well cared for. He saw the young child being nuzzled by a familiar dog, and cradled by Remus Lupin. He came out of the quick flashes and the like from the mind of his companion, and let out a soft sigh.
“You would not steer him wrong, I thank you for doing what I could not, my friend.” Dumbledore said, going to sit back down, banishing all but the one functional trinket. He sighed again and this time the soothing trill from his friend did just that, and his stress melted from him.
~ASB~
Sirius Black yawed as he got up, looking at the calendar with a blink and a smile. It was his godson’s sixth birthday. That meant cake, and presents, and fun. Harry had a good amount of friends his age, and they were over often, so it was not just him surrounded by two adults all the time. That was good for the growing boy. He got up and crept over to his godson’s room, peeking in to see a mostly familiar sight. Fawkes was there, but he was not asleep as he usually was at the head of Harry’s bed. Instead, he was nudging a rather adorable fledgling phoenix around the covers, to help it hop and move.
That was… well, if it was what he thought it was, it was one hell of a gift. Did Fawkes get Harry a phoenix to be his companion? It’d made the broom that was waiting in his closet for the boy nothing my comparison, not that he was trying to compete. He’d grown past that, he just wanted Harry to be as happy as possible, no matter what that entailed. He came in, looking to see if his godson was there, when he noticed that it was just the two fire-birds.
“Uh… Fawkes?” Sirius asked, not quite eloquent as he was still waking up. “Where’s Harry?” He asked, after getting attention from both birds. Fawkes took a deep breath and let out a sound that was so incredibly beautiful that Sirius could not help but cry a bit, he’d admit that. He wiped his tears and then in a soft burst of fire, the fledgling phoenix turned into his godson.
“I did It! I’m like Fawkes now!” Harry said, and Sirius was standing there, gawking. “I was trying hard, I want to fly with Fawkes, now I can!” He said, coming to his godfather and hugging him tightly, getting one right in return.
“Merlin’s beard, pup!” Sirius said, kneeling to hug his godson properly. “You’re… you’re a phoenix!” He all but whispered, and Harry nodded, hugging his godfather again before yawning heavily.
“I did a bad, though, padfoot.” Harry said, blearily blinking. “I didn’t sleep, I was trying so hard.” He said, and Sirius huffed and tugged him into his arms, before going over and tucking him into bed.
“We can’t have that, pup! You get to bed, sleep as much as you need to.” Sirius said, giving his godson a kiss on the forehead. He watched Harry settle into bed, and then he was asleep. He then looked at Fawkes, who looked pleased as punch. “We’ll have to keep this as much a secret as we can, right?” He got a soft nod from the bird after his question, and he smiled. “That’s fine with me. Good lord's, what a way to start the day.” He said with a chuckle, Fawkes hopping to his shoulder. “Breakfast then?” A soft trill had him chuckling once more before they were off to the kitchen.
~ASB~
It took a few more months, but soon Harry was about half the size of Fawkes, and was flying with him every spare moment he got. He was a natural in the air, and even when he was on the broom with Sirius, he was doing tricks and the like that almost gave the man a heart attack a few times. Remus was in the same boat, yet he was so happy that he could be around the two most important people in his life, at all times. On full moon nights, Harry was there in his phoenix form, and even Moony knew that he was no harm, no threat.
Harry had a different color about him, and it suited him rather well, if the adults in his life were perfectly honest with themselves. He was a light blue with emerald accents about his plumage, and his eyes might as well have been gems, they were so bright and glinting. His trills were just as beautiful as Fawkes, and it translated into a marvelous singing voice when he was in his human form. All in all, it was a wondrous thing for Harry and those in his life.
~ASB~
It was time for the annual meeting of the professors at Hogwarts, and they were all gathered in Dumbledore’s office, when they were treated to a rare sight. Not one, but two phoenix’s appeared in flashes of fire. One fire was more blue than normal, and when it appeared it stumbled just a bit, trilling in amusement as it squeaked afterwards and clamored to the floor.
“My, my!” Prof. Sprout said, moving to help the bird off the floor, getting a thankful trill in return. The second bird blinked, and then flapped up onto Dumbledore’s desk, on the opposite side of Fawkes.
“You gained another companion phoenix, Albus?” Prof. McGonagall asked, in slight awe at the mere thought of it. In return she got a soft chuckle from the man, and a slight shake of his head.
“I assure you, Minerva, I have never seen this one in my life.” Dumbledore said, and she nodded, with Fawkes trilling in soft amusement at those words. “A friend of yours, Fawkes? Perhaps a mate?” He asked, and that had both birds letting out what could only be described as laughs from the creatures.
“It seems a little young… perhaps an apprentice?” Prof. Flitwick said, and Fawkes and the other bird nodded softly, smiling. The light blue phoenix hopped over to the quill on Dumbledore’s desk, and with one of his talons he gripped it, and then wrote something. It was very much a scrawl, he was a bird after all, but it was enough.
“Ventus?” Dumbledore said, looking at the bird. “Is that your name?” He asked, getting a happy trill and nod from said bird. “Ah, well, marvelous! A pleasure to have you here.” He said, and the bird shuffled softly in pride. “I mean no disrespect, however, in saying that we are having a meeting. I am sure Fawkes can explain it to you, yes?” He asked, and Fawkes did just that. They gave each other soft trills, and then with a nod they both got out of the way, before flashing back to… wherever it was that phoenix’s went.
“Marvelous. I have never seen two in the same place at once, I dare say it even lifted Severus’s spirits.” Prof. Flitwick said, noticing the small smile on the normally dour professors face, only to see it vanish with a huff.
“You had to say something, didn’t you, Filius?” Prof. Sprout said, playfully teasing the smaller male, and the dour one as well whom was now frowning again.
~ASB~
The people of Diagon Alley were treated to a sight of something that had not been seen in… centuries, at the very least . An elf was sitting at a table outside of the Fortescue’s ice cream parlor. Not a house elf, but a Highborn elf, one thought to be lost to the ages. He was wearing robes of gold and red, with some silver thrown in. His orange hair was short and spiked, with red highlights and tips, and to top it all off? He was sitting down, enjoying a bowl of ice cream with the boy-who-lived himself, Harry Potter.
They were talking about Merlin knows what, and Harry himself had short, spiked hair, with light blue highlights and tips. His robes were the same blue, accented with emerald accents and some black trim as well. He was laughing gaily at something the older elf had said, and then the elf chuckled at a reply from Harry. The lovely, candid moment was broken in the most tasteless manner possible, by one of the most tasteless people of Wizarding Britain; Rita Skeeter. She swooped in like a bothersome gnat, sliding right next to Harry and smiling with her sweet, oily smile.
“My, my! Harry Potter! Why, it’s been years since anyone has seen you.” Rita said, placing a hand on his arm, and stroking the fabric of his robes. “Such elegance, opulence. Are you saying you picture yourself a pureblood in these peaceful times?” She asked, and just after she did so, she took out her quick-quill, a garish, vomit green, and a notepad. Before Harry could utter a word, it started jotting things down, taking anything and everything out of context, and not a syllable was uttered from the young child.
“And you, good sir! Are you the mentor of Harry Potter?” Rita asked the elf, grinning brightly. “Are you teaching him the finer arts of pureblood society? Perhaps lost, elven arts?” She asked, looking for anything to go off of, this story would bring her galleons for months!
“I do believe, Ms. Skeeter.” The elf said, his tone was as elegant and regal as a male of his look entailed. He was, however, agitated beyond belief. “That you are interrupting a rather enjoyable moment with me and my young apprentice.” He said, and Rita’s eyes glinted with eagerness, her quill going a mile a minute. “We were enjoying time to ourselves, I would appreciate it if you did us both a favor, and left.” He said, and she let out a huff and a wave.
“As delightful as you are, Mr. Elf, I am not entirely here for you.” Rita said, waving him off as if he was unimportant. She turned back to Harry, about to speak, only to see his eyes ablaze with his own ire.
“I will have you know, Ms. Skeeter, that you are being incredibly rude.” Harry said, and though he was only nine years old, he spoke with his own elegance, as if he too were royalty. “I would ask that you leave me, and my Master, alone.” He said, and nodded sharply, turning back to who he knew was Fawkes in human form.
“Master, you say? Have you tricked young Harry here in-” Rita started, trying to get something juicy, but she was interrupted by the snarl from Fawkes.
“How dare you fling such terrible accusations, witch! Did I just not say he is my apprentice! ” Fawkes said, his aura, red and pulsing, starting to come into the heated, visible spectrum. “Years have I lived, and I have yet to meet someone so caustic and antagonistic as you. I ask again, as has my apprentice, for you to leave!” He hissed out, and with a soft wave of his hand her quill and notes were up in flame, gone in an instant.
“And should one letter of anything that transpired here be in the Daily Prophet, we shall have words with you, and your editor.” Harry finished for his friend, growling himself, eyes near glowing with his own heated power.
“Yes… yes of course.” Rita simpered, smiling softly and then getting up from the table, and scampering away. The crowd that had formed turning tail themselves, at the furious glares from the two sitting males, though a few lingered around just for more glimpses of Harry. Harry, for his part, hummed and went back to his ice cream, Fawkes doing the same shortly after.
“I swear, the nerve of some people.” Fawkes said, before they picked up on the topic they had been interrupted from.
~ASB~
Dumbledore leaned back in his office chair, listening to the Minister ramble on, and on… and on about the appearance of the boy-who-lived in the middle of Diagon Alley.
“... and how can he be in an apprenticeship, Dumbledore? The… the boy is barely five!” Fudge said, and Dumbledore blinked softly, before looking at his calendar.
“Mr. Potter will be ten in two months, Cornelius.” Dumbledore said, and Fudge blinked, before clearing his throat.
“Yes, well, regardless! He did not go through the proper channels. I do not know who this… ‘Master’ of his is, and neither do the people. You’re going to have to do something about this, Dumbledore.” Fudge said, nodding as if that was it.
“How do you expect me to do that, Cornelius?” Dumbledore asked, not really affected by the bluster of the man in front of him. “His master is an elf, one of the lost Highborn, do you truly believe I can undo contractual magic made by an elf?” He asked, and Fudge huffed and then sat down, frowning.
“I have people, important people, demanding that I get this elf to stand before the Wizengamot, to speak up for himself.” The Minister said, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. “What am I supposed to do about that, Dumbledore?” He all but whimpered and begged, and Dumbledore sighed softly.
“I am certain, Cornelius, that it will be brought up at the next meeting.” Dumbledore said, and Fudge nodded. “It will be a normal meeting of the Wizengamot, so I shall be there. Do not worry about it. Now, I am sure you have other matters to attend to, you’re a busy man, after all.” He said, and the minister nodded before getting up, and then leaving after a farewell. Dumbledore sighed and closed his eyes, when the two phoenix’s appeared in his office.
“Good afternoon, Fawkes, Ventus.” Dumbledore said, getting soft trills from both. “I thank you, I was feeling rather vexed.” He said, and at Fawkes’s head tilt, he chuckled softly. “Cornelius again, I am afraid. He seems to be more and more reliant on the words of others, and while I wish he could do things on his own, i’d rather him come to me than the likes of Lucius Malfoy.” He said, and then got a soft nod from the large bird. He closed his eyes softly, before he opened them again at the new voice in the room.
“Then work with him more so, Albus, so that his less than optimal mind does not fall into tricks.” The elf in front of him said, and he looked around for a moment, before he spoke.
“Fawkes?” Dumbledore asked, and the elf smirked brightly, mischief in his eyes.
“You were always quick, Albus.” Fawkes said, and Dumbledore chuckled deeply. “A recent development, I assure you. It has been millennia since I took this form, but I found myself interested in taking an apprentice, you see…” He said, trailing slightly.
“So you truly are training young Mr. Potter?” Dumbledore asked, and at Fawkes’s nod, he leaned back once more. “He is safe, most assuredly so, with you.” He said, more of a statement than a question.
“That he is, Albus.” Fawkes said, before speaking softer, like a grandfather to a grandchild. “And he is cleansed, as well, my young friend.” He said, and he got a wide-eyed look in return. “Yes, his core is as pure and good as they come. Truly he is a remarkable child. He will be out of the apprenticeship once he starts here, however, I assure you of that. There is very little I can teach him on top of his other studies, it would be cruel to the boy.” He said, and Dumbledore nodded.
“Marvelous… marvelous.” Dumbledore said, before he then blinked. “Lemon drop?” He asked, and they both chuckled, before the aforementioned bowl of candy was indeed made a few pieces lighter as Fawkes and Dumbledore partook. Dumbledore was about to speak again, when Ventus floated from his perch behind Fawkes’s chair, and landed on the floor. He then watched as the young phoenix shifted to that of the young Mr. Potter.
“My word…” Dumbledore said, and blinked when Harry spoke.
“Might I have a piece as well, sir?” Harry asked, gesturing to the bowl of candy.
“Yes, yes of course my boy.” Dumbledore said, smiling softly, offering the candy. Harry took a piece, and then sat down next to Fawkes, who had conjured a chair.
“What is one thing that is universally known about phoenix’s, Albus?” Fawkes asked, Harry looking around the room with a small smile, taking in all the trinkets and the magic surrounding him.
“Well, they are paragons of the light, purity and goodness.” Dumbledore said, and Fawkes gave him a pointed look, before he gasped. “Truly?” He asked, and Fawkes nodded with a smile. “This day keeps getting better and better.” He said, chuckling, before the three started to talk in earnest. Dumbledore was happier than he could remember, and he was looking forward to the new school year, that was for certain.