Chapter Text
Dear Mr. Phoenix Wright,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Students will be required to report to the Chamber of Reception upon arrival. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
We await your owl no later than the 31st of July.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
The phoenix symbolizes ultimate strength and renewal, but right now, 11-year-old Phoenix Wright wasn't feeling either of these things.
He stared down at the letter in his hands, rereading it for the 6th time that hour.
He had received it from a bright-eyed barn owl when he was out in his yard that morning. At first he thought it was a prank, but there his name was, written on the envelope of the letter in shiny black ink.
His parents had no clue what it was either. It was the first time he'd seen either of them look genuinely stumped.
Footsteps caused him to frantically stuff the letter into his pocket. He didn't have to worry, though, because it was just his friend, Miles Edgeworth.
“Miles!" Phoenix said nervously. Miles took a seat on the swing next to Phoenix, kicking the ground as he sat down. It seemed they both liked coming to the park when they felt down, because Miles looked anything but happy.
“Happy birthday, Phoenix." He said, grasping the rusty chain of the swing like his life depended on it. His knuckles were white.
Phoenix forgot all about the letter in his pocket for a moment. "What's wrong?"
“Has anything happened.. to you today?" Miles asked. Phoenix had never seen him look so hesitant.
“No," Phoenix shook his head. "Why?"
Miles didn't look at him. "I'm switching schools."
“Oh," Phoenix said. "That's okay. We can still be friends, right?"
Miles nodded vigorously. "Of course, but.. it's really far away. I won't be able to see you at all, except for in the summertime."
Miles looked on the verge of tears, so Phoenix did all he could think to do. "I-It's okay! I might switch schools, too! I just got the letter this morning."
“Letter?" Miles said suddenly. Phoenix quickly realized his mistake. Or, mistakes, really. 1, he didn't even know if this school was real, 2, people didn't really get letters to go to different middle schools, and 3, even if it was real, he hadn't discussed going there with his parents. Miles eyes were lit up hopefully. "Can I see?"
Phoenix immediately felt like it was a bad idea to do so, but the hand reaching into his pocket was moving on its own accord. He handed the now crumpled letter to Miles without a word.
Miles looked down at the letter for a few moments, his expression blank. "I can't believe it.." he whispered. "Phoenix, I don't believe it! You're a wizard!"
Phoenix stared at his friend in disbelief. "Huh?"
Miles kept talking. "I was waiting for so long to see if you were like me—but Dad said I couldn't say a word to you!"
Phoenix merely gawked at him, mouth hanging open stupidly. "Slow down.. You're a wizard?"
“Don't you see, Phoenix? Now we can be friends forever!"
-
A phoenix symbolizes strength and wisdom, and 17-year-old Phoenix Wright was definitely not feeling either of these things.
It was September 1st, the first day of terms, and his friend Larry Butz was telling him all about the O.W.L exams they had coming up. They were currently sitting at the Gryffindor table, waiting for the Sorting to begin.
“No, dude, they're going to be so hard. My friend said that his friend's sister nearly passed out when she saw the first question!" Larry practically shouted, making a few Gryffindors turn in their seats. Phoenix flashed them an apologetic smile.
Larry Butz was a pure-blood, something Phoenix didn't know was a big deal until he'd arrived with Miles his first year.
He shook the thought out of his head as Dumbledore took his place in front of the podium.
Professor McGonagall burst through the door, the first years following timidly behind her.
“They get smaller every year, don't they, Nick?" Larry stage-whispered to him.
Phoenix wasn't listening, his mind was caught up on an old memory.
“Could you explain the houses thing again?" Phoenix asked Miles as they climbed into one of the boats together. He was nervous.
“When we get there, we'll be sorted into 1 of 4 houses based on our personalities." Miles replied. "My dad was in Ravenclaw, so that's the one I want to get into."
Phoenix thought for a moment. "Then, I want to be in that one, too!"
Miles smiled at him. "I hope so."
The entrance hall was beautiful—there were floating candles over the tables and the ceiling looked just like the sky outside. Phoenix's eyes were drawn to the man standing in the front of the hall, at the head of the podium. He had a long, silvery beard and half-moon glasses. He looked exactly like what Phoenix pictured to be a wizard.
The man gave a speech, but Phoenix was only half listening—he was starting to grow nervous with all of the older students' eyes on him. He was suddenly snapped out of his own thoughts when the professor that took them over the lake brought out an old, tattered rag. It took a few moments before Phoenix realized that it was a hat, and it was singing.
The professor began listing off names in alphabetical order, which meant that Miles would be sorted way before he was. The thought made him even more nervous.
A boy with light brown hair was sorted into Gryffindor, then a girl with dark hair was placed into Ravenclaw.
“Edgeworth, Miles." The professor called.
Phoenix flashed Miles a smile as he walked up to the stool and took a seat. Miles returned it nervously, and squeezed his eyes shut when the hat was placed on his head. The hat thought for a while, and shouted, "Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaws cheered as Miles rushed to go sit at their table. He was handed a tie by one of the older students.
Phoenix couldn't hear the rest of the names being called, he was so focused on his own that he almost missed it. There were only 2 other people left when the professor called:
“Wright, Phoenix." He gulped.
“Fey, Maya." The name snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked to the stool, and caught a young girl with black hair hop onto it.
He glanced to Mia at the Ravenclaw table—a friend he'd made in his 3rd year—who was looking at the young girl with a proud smile.
That must be her sister.
“Gryffindor!" The hat yelled.
Gryffindor? Phoenix might not have been the most knowledgeable of wizards, but he at least knew that families typically ended up in the same house.
He noticed all too late that the younger Fey was running up to him at his table, despite all the room for first years at the end.
She squeezed herself between him and Larry. The prefect handing out ties had to walk all the way over to give hers to her.
“Are you Phoenix Wright?" The girl asked, absentmindedly putting on her tie.
“You know this kid?" Larry asked, trying to get comfortable in his new seat.
“Uhh.." Phoenix looked from the girl to Larry, then back. "You're Mia's sister, right?"
"Yes. Maya Fey," she said, eyes sparkling. She held out a hand for him to shake. "Pleased to meet you."
Phoenix was starting to see why she'd been placed into Gryffindor.
He shook her small hand once. "Phoenix Wright."
"Mia Fey?" Larry asked, eyes drifting to the Ravenclaw table. Phoenix followed his gaze and watched as Mia laughed at a joke someone beside her told her. "Ohh.. she's cute, right?"
Phoenix's eyes trailed over to the boy across from her. The glasses were new—Phoenix noticed idly—and his expression was stony as ever.
Maya spoke up. "I guess, but she has a boyfriend, you know."
Phoenix whipped his head back to look at her. "Who?"
Maya smirked. "His name is Diego."
“Oh.” Is all Phoenix said.
Maya opened her mouth to speak again, but before she could, dinner appeared on the table. Phoenix didn't even blink when it happened, but Maya stared at the food in disbelief.
"This place is amazing!"
"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted.
Gryffindor? Phoenix looked to Miles, who had a sad expression on his face. Phoenix felt as if he'd let him down.
Professor McGonagall gave him a little push towards the Gryffindor table, which he took a seat at in stunned silence.
"Phoenix, right?" A boy with light brown hair asked him as he sat down.
Phoenix nodded, and the boy clapped him on his shoulder. "I'm Larry, Larry Butz."
"Nice to meet you."
"Phoenix is kind of a mouthful, isn't it? How about I call you Nick instead?"
Phoenix opened his mouth to agree, but suddenly full platters of food appeared onto the table. There was turkey, chicken, soups of all kinds, fruits, vegetables—Phoenix couldn't even begin to count them all.
"This place is amazing!"
-
"Phoenix." A voice called to him in the hall as he was heading towards Potions.
"Mia." He greeted, and waited for her to catch up. "Do you have Potions next?"
"Yeah," When she caught up, they began walking together. "How did you manage an Outstanding in Potions?"
Phoenix laughed. "It's because I really believed in myself, you know? I only got an A in Transfiguration so she's not letting me take it this year."
Mia laughed, but most likely out of pity. She probably had O's and E's in every subject, knowing her. "What'd you think of Maya?"
"She's.." Phoenix paused, trying to find the right word to describe the girl.
"A lot?"
"Well, I mean—"
"Don't worry, she gets it a lot." Mia laughed again. "She was just so excited to meet you."
They turned the corner together.
"..You never told me you had a sister."
"Really?" Mia looked off into the distance, as if trying to recall a time when she mentioned it. "I'm pretty sure I have, you just don't pay attention."
"Very funny." Phoenix said dryly. "..Were you surprised she wasn't put in Ravenclaw?"
"Not really." Mia shook her head, as if she'd come to terms with it ages ago. "She's an incredibly determined little girl, there was no doubt in my mind she'd be recognized for it."
Phoenix hummed in response.
Mia smiled, but it wasn't her usual polite one. It was graceful, like there was a mature wisdom hidden in her words. "You kind of remind me of her."
"Me?!" Phoenix sputtered, stopping in his tracks. Mia kept walking, so he ran to catch up to her. "Me?"
"Yes. There's a reason you're named that, Phoenix. You're strong. Brave. A little hot-headed."
Phoenix thought back to the fireball of energy he'd met yesterday. "I guess?"
Mia didn't speak until they'd reached the Potions classroom.
"You'll take care of her, won't you, Phoenix?" She asked, eyes sparkling. Phoenix could see the resemblance between her and her sister now—it wasn't through appearance, but the mystical look they were able to give to make everyone agree with anything they were saying.
"Of course."
"You'll take care of her, won't you, Phoenix?"
Miles asked hopefully, holding a cage in his hand. There was a barn owl inside, small and brown and flittering happily.
It was his 3rd year. Just before Christmas.
He and Miles were standing at the front entrance of the castle, saying goodbye before the holidays.
"Of course," Phoenix replied immediately, eyes welling with tears. "She's so cute."
Miles looked down at the owl, pride in his tone now that Phoenix had shown interest. "Dad and I saw her in Diagon Alley a week ago. She flew right up to me, reminded me of you."
Phoenix beamed, but it was quickly lost when he looked down at the gift in his hands. "I got you something, too, but it's not as good."
Miles shook his head. "Anything from you is good."
Phoenix handed him the bag, and watched intently as Miles took out the item inside. He stared at it for a few moments.
"It's beautiful," he breathed.
"Mia helped me make it."
It was a snowglobe of the Hogwarts castle, bewitched to change seasons when tapped with a wand. On the steps of the front entrance were two young boys, one with a blue scarf, and the other with red.
"It's us!" Said Phoenix.
Miles beamed. "Thank you, Phoenix."
Phoenix grinned sheepishly, then glanced at the owl again. "What are you going to name her?"
“Me?"
"Yeah, I want you to name her."
"Phoenix, that's a lot of pressu—"
"Come on, Miles."
Miles thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "How about—"
"Amarin." Phoenix called to the owl standing in front of him. He had just sat down for breakfast, and it was time for all the owls to bring in packages and letters. Amarin stuck her foot out, and allowed Phoenix to take the letter from it.
"I didn't know you had an owl!" Someone to his right yelled in his ear. Phoenix jumped, which startled Amarin into flying away. "Oh! I'm sorry!"
Phoenix turned, and greeted the girl next to him with a sigh. "Maya."
"Your owl is so cute! What's its name?"
Phoenix pocketed the letter he'd gotten, then took a bite of his toast. "Amarin."
"Amarin? Weird.." Maya began looking around the hall, not even trying to sound interested.
"I didn't name her." Phoenix supplied, as though that would make it any better.
"Who did, then?" She asked. Phoenix realized she hadn't touched a bite of her food, and remembered his promise to Mia.
"Nobody. Eat your food."
"Why are you all grumpy today?" She asked, but she did start eating.
Phoenix did have to admit that he had been a bit snippy, but he wasn't going to tell her that it was a memory that made him that way. "Sorry, I already have so much work to do. An exam in Charms on Friday, an 8 page essay in Potions due tomorrow, and I have to study for my O.W.Ls."
"Oh." Maya swallowed a bite of oatmeal. "I learned how to pick up a broom yesterday."
Despite everything, Phoenix laughed. "Good for you."
"Good for you!" Larry shouted. "Nick, you did it!"
Phoenix stared down at the broom in his hand. He.. he did it! He actually did it!
"Up!" Miles grunted in frustration next to him. His hand was hovering lamely above his broomstick. "I can't do this."
Larry laughed, having already caught his 10 minutes ago. He was twirling it absentmindedly in his hand now. "We found the one thing Edgey is bad at!"
Madam Hooch blew her whistle at Larry. "Stop fooling around! 5 points from Gryffindor."
Larry dropped his broomstick to the ground again.
"Well, at least I know how to follow the rules." Miles laughed as she walked away.
"Shut up—" As Larry said the word, his broom flew up and whacked him in the arm. "Ow!"
Phoenix was thrown into a fit of giggles.
"Stop laughing! Nick, it's not funny! Nick—"
"Nick? Why does Butz call you that?" Maya's bright grey eyes were suddenly in front of him.
Phoenix blinked, looked down at the paper he'd been writing, and noticed there was a pool of ink where his quill had been resting.
He picked up his wand and muttered, "Evanesco." The ink disappeared. Maya smiled.
He was in the common room, trying to finish his essay for Potions. It was dark, and there was a cozy fire in the fireplace.
"So?" Maya prompted, taking a seat across from him without permission.
"You can call him Larry, you know."
"He's a 6th year! How could I?"
Phoenix looked at her for the first time since she'd sat down. Her feet didn't even touch the ground in her chair, and her hair was all the way down today. She looked so small in the moment that Phoenix began to realize how weird this was. None of his 6th year friends had 1st year friends, unless they were siblings or something.
"I'm a 6th year." He replied.
"But you're different." Maya suddenly sat up, eyes fierce. "And you didn't answer my question!"
Phoenix rolled his eyes, then leaned back in his chair. He wasn't getting this essay done, he knew that much. "I don't know why he calls me that, he just does."
"Can I call you that, too, Phoenix?"
"If you want to, sure."
"Okay, Mr. Nick!"
Phoenix laughed. "That's way too formal."
"Okay.. Nick." Maya paused for a moment, then blurted, "Do you have a crush on anyone?"
Phoenix stared at her in disbelief. "Uh—no, I don't." He hesitated a moment before adding, "Do.. do you?"
This was weird. Too weird.
"No." Maya shook her head. "I was just asking because of the ball."
"The ball?"
"You don't know?"
Phoenix shook his head, and Maya looked as if she were about to scream. "How do you not know? Were you at dinner?"
"No. I've been working on this since lunch."
"The old guy announced that there's going to be a ball in October!" Maya shouted, turning the few remaining heads in the room.
"His name is Dumbledore—"
"It's only for upperclassmen, though." Maya said as she sighed dramatically. "I've decided that since I can't go, I'm going to help you."
"You help me?"
Maya's posture straightened rather proudly. "Yes."
Phoenix crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "No."
Any sense of pride from Maya was vanquished and replaced with defiance. "I'm finding you a date, and that's final!"
Phoenix began packing his stuff into his bag. "No."
"Do you have a type?" She asked, pulling out a paper out of god knows where and scribbling something down.
"Nope." He said as he climbed the stairs to his dorm room. Maya called after him, but it was too late.
He plopped onto his bed after changing and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
"Nick, wake up!"
Phoenix groaned, then forced one eye open.
Larry was standing at the foot of his bed, already dressed. "Wake up, man!"
Phoenix looked around at the unfamiliar scenery, and quickly remembered that he wasn't at his house anymore. It was the first day of terms after Christmas break, and Phoenix had arrived at Hogwarts late last night. So late that he hadn't had time to speak to Larry or Miles.
He groggily put on his uniform and walked to the dining hall with Larry, who was surprisingly chipper that morning. Phoenix instinctively glanced at the Ravenclaw table, expecting to wave to Miles, but he wasn't there. Phoenix looked all over the hall, but Miles was nowhere to be seen.
He walked up to Mia, despite Larry's pleas to sit down. "Mia? Have you seen Miles?"
"Good to see you, too, Phoenix," she joked, but her expression turned serious when she sensed his worry. "No, I haven't seen him. Maybe he's just sleeping in?"
Miles didn't sleep in, Phoenix was sure of that.
Despite knowing, Phoenix waited.
And waited.
And waited.
He waited for nearly 2 years before he saw Miles' face again, but it wasn't the same Miles he'd grown to care so much for.
Some days it felt like he was still waiting.
-
Larry took his seat next to Phoenix in Defense Against the Dark Arts. How Larry managed an E on any of exams was a mystery to Phoenix.
"You going to the dance, Nick?" Larry asked, placing his book on the desk.
Everyone had been talking about the dance. It had been the only thing he'd heard for weeks now, and he was growing sick of it.
"I don't think I will."
"Dude!" Larry's shout made Phoenix jump. "You have to go!"
"Why?" Phoenix asked, glancing up to see if the teacher was there yet.
Larry couldn't think of an answer. "Because—! I'm going, with Dinah!"
Phoenix didn't ask.
He did think about it, though, but only for a moment. He had so much homework, and he didn't really have anyone to go with.
Maya seemed determined to solve the second problem, though. "Nick!" She called as he was heading back to the common room. She had to run to keep up with him. "I've found the perfect candidate to be your date to the ball!"
Phoenix stopped in his tracks. "You asked someone? For me?"
Maya stopped too, and stared up at him. "I haven't asked her yet. Just observing, you know?" She made binoculars with her hands. "Her name is Dahlia—"
"Maya." He said sternly. "I don't need you to help, okay? I'm not going."
"But if you'd just give her a chance—"
"Why are you doing this?"
Maya blinked, then put her hands on her hips. "Mia told me to take care of you, and I'm going to do just that."
"Mia.. asked you to take care of me?"
Maya nodded proudly. "She trusts me."
Phoenix paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. "Your sister.. she's really something, isn't she?"
"She's really something, isn't she?" Larry whispered. He, Phoenix, and Miles were sitting together in their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class of their 3rd year.
They were working on defense charms. Mia was obviously the most skilled, and was attracting the attention of nearly everyone.
"She's in my Potions class. Good at that, too."
Phoenix was up next. He gulped as Mia readied her wand.
"Expellia—"
"Protego!" He shouted, and squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, his wand was still in his hand.
"Nice job." The teacher said. Phoenix had yet to learn her name.
Mia came up to him after class. Phoenix gestured for Miles and Larry to go on ahead without him. "Hey, good job. It's Phoenix, right?"
Phoenix nodded, feeling a tad intimidated. Mia must have been the same age as him, but the way she held herself made her seem so much older than she really was. "I'm really.. not that great with magic."
Mia shook her head. "Don't say that. Do you want to know the trick to magic?"
Phoenix gawked at her. How could a 3rd year know the trick to magic? "Of course I do!"
"It's confidence, Phoenix. All you have to do is believe in yourself."
Surely it couldn't be that easy.
"I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it works."
Phoenix didn't know why, but he really did trust her.
-
Phoenix sat down at the breakfast table a week later. It was early, so very few Gryffindors were eating at the time. The Ravenclaw table was a tad fuller—Phoenix noticed as he waved to Mia—yet the Hufflepuff table was nearly barren.
He began to eat in silence, and after a few minutes, Larry sat across from him.
"You got a date for the dance, yet, Nick?" He asked.
"No. I take it you do, though." Phoenix sighed, lifting a piece of toast to his lips. Larry scrunched up his face in confusion as he shoveled a bite of eggs into his mouth.
"What do you mean?"
Phoenix struggled to remember the name of the last woman Larry had "snagged"—Larry's words, not his own—so he remained silent.
He didn't have to wait long, because Larry answered his own question after a moment. "Oh! You mean Dinah? Nah, man.. she left me two days ago."
"Sorry to hear that, Larry."
"It's cool! We can be single together, right, Nick?"
Phoenix decided he'd rather die than hear that again.
Just as the thought popped into his head, something plopped down next to him with the energy of a thousand suns. Phoenix barely had time to register what was going on when a voice spoke up.
"Nick."
"What's wrong, Maya?" She was staring straight ahead, not looking at Phoenix at all.
"Keep your voice down!" She whispered, glancing around to the other tables like she was on some mission. When she deemed it safe to continue, she went on. "I know how to get you a date for the dance."
"Maya, I've told you a thousand times—"
Suddenly Maya was pressing something into his fingers from under the table. He reluctantly opened his hand, and allowed her to slip whatever it was into it.
He pulled it out from under the table to inspect it further. It was a small, delicate vile that barely fit in his palm. It was full of a pinkish-pearl colored liquid that swirled around the glass in beautiful spirals. "What is this?"
"Smell it."
Phoenix hesitated a moment before uncorking it. Before he could do anything, the smoke swirled out of the bottle in a spiral, disappearing into the air almost mystically. He slowly brought it to his nose.
The smell.. the smell was captivating. Despite only taking a single whiff, the smell completely drowned him from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head. It enveloped his entire being, somehow making him feel the scent.
It was fresh parchment, warm tea, freshly done laundry, and a hint of mint all rolled up into one. Utterly delightful, really. "What is it?" He asked again, though his voice sounded foreign in his ears.
"Amortentia.”
Amortentia? Where had he heard that before? Amor.. like love? Love..
"Maya—!" Phoenix pressed the vile back into Maya's hand as if he'd been burned by it. "No! That's horrible!"
"What's horrible?" Larry asked. Phoenix had nearly forgotten he was there.
"Nothing," he replied immediately, then turned back to Maya. He tried to keep his voice down this time. "Where did you get that? It's banned."
Maya's expression didn't change. "A magician never reveals her secrets. Anyway—do you want it or not?"
"No." He said sternly, then slung his bag over his shoulder with a huff. Phoenix stood, then looked around before he leaned in to whisper, "No more of this stuff, okay? I don't want to be the guy that forces a person to love me."
"You don't?" Maya repeated, then a devilish grin spread across her face. "I see."
Phoenix left for his Charms class with a pep in his step, glad Maya was finally understanding.
-
It was the day of the dance. All of the upperclassmen were going, and would not shut up about it.
Larry had somehow managed to find someone last minute, so even he was going.
"Sure you don't want to come, man?" He'd asked, straightening the bow of his dress robes.
Phoenix shifted on his bed. "I'm sure." He wasn't.
He worked on his schoolwork for about an hour before the silence finally got to him.
Phoenix idly kicked a rock as he walked out to the castle grounds, pulling his sweater a little closer. He hadn't wanted to go to the ball.
Well, he thought as he looked up at the full moon shining brightly, maybe I did, a little.
Everyone else in his grade had gone, and Maya constantly badgering him about going hadn't helped either. He wasn't lonely, per se, just.. a tad jealous, if he was going to admit it.
Phoenix reached a small tree by the edge of the lake not too far from the castle. He hadn't been too sure why he'd come out here, but he might as well enjoy it, right? He took a seat on the grass, breathing in the night air.
He'd get over it.
Crack.
A twig snapped behind him.
"Lumos," He instinctively said, spinning around and holding out his wand. The moon was shining brightly enough to see pretty far in the distance, but he felt safer with it out like this. "Hello?"
A hunched over figure slowly came into view. Phoenix's blood ran cold, and the wind that had felt so good earlier turned ice cold in his lungs.
The figure clutched its stomach as it came closer. Phoenix stood up from the grass with his wand at the ready. "Who's there?"
With the words, the figure's head whipped up. Phoenix quickly realized that it wasn't some monster, but Miles Edgeworth.
"Miles?" He asked incredulously. "Nox."
Miles began to teeter where he was standing, and Phoenix rushed to catch him without much hesitation.
"You okay?" Phoenix asked, letting Miles lean heavily on his shoulder.
"Phoenix.." He muttered, then turned his head so their faces were inches apart. Phoenix's face went red.
"Y..Yes?"
Miles reached up to brush a strand of hair behind Phoenix's ear. "Phoenix.. my love."
Phoenix nearly dropped him at the words, but quickly adjusted his grip so that he was holding onto Miles' torso. "H-Huh? Are you drunk?"
Miles smiled, then shook his head with a laugh. "Drunk on love.." he breathed, leaning in even closer.
Phoenix stiffened. What the hell is going on?
"Phoenix." Miles muttered again, digging his fingers into Phoenix's collar. "Phoenix, I.." Miles looked up into Phoenix's eyes, and only then did he realize that his eyes were incredibly glassy and dazed.
He didn't smell like alcohol, so Phoenix wasn't sure what was wrong. Miles clearly wasn't in his right mind; his skin was pale and sickly and he was incredibly touchy-feely, something that he would have never done as kids.
Maybe a spell gone wrong? But who would've just left him like this? Or a potion—
Oh, shit.
"Miles, come with me. We're going to.. um, get you some help, okay?" Phoenix put Miles' arm around his neck and left his free hand hold onto his torso. Miles was still leaning heavily onto him.
"Anything for you." Miles replied, voice sickeningly sweet. It didn't sound right at all.
It was, surprisingly, incredibly hard to drag Miles up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room without anyone noticing. Especially with Miles having no concept of what was going on and him whispering pet names into Phoenix's ear as they went up each flight of steps. He was sure his face was completely red by the time they got to the portrait.
"Dilligrout." He said to the fat lady. Luckily, she hadn't been paying attention and let both of them inside. "MAYA!"
The common room was relatively empty, save for a few first years that wouldn't dare tell on him for bringing another student in.
“Yes?" A voice called at the top of the stairs. Phoenix said nothing as Maya popped her head out from the railing, then noticed the slumped over Miles. She ran down the steps two at a time. "Edgeworth?! What happened?"
"So you do know him."
"No—I! He's Mia's friend!"
"What did you do?" He asked through gritted teeth, painfully aware of the fact that the first years were staring at the three of them.
“Maya?" Miles asked softly. "Do you.. love her more than me?"
"M-Maya!" Phoenix sputtered, begging her for help.
Maya looked incredibly confused, but after a second, realization donned on her. "..I'll tell you if you promise not to get mad."
Phoenix considered the deal for a moment, then glanced at the first years again.
He gestured for Maya to follow him to his dorm. It would certainly be empty; all of them were at the dance.
When they reached the room, Amarin began flittering around her cage in a frenzy.
Phoenix carefully sat Miles down on his bed. Now that they were in the light, he could see a faint dusting of pink on his cheeks. Miles giggled.
It was so.. uncanny. Miles was smiley as a kid, but ever since that, he'd looked.. blank. People would whisper in the hall that he was a loner who turned down confessions and only cared about his schoolwork. This was the man they were intimidated by?
Phoenix rounded on Maya as soon as Miles was settled down. "Tell me."
"Uhh.." Maya said her next sentence without taking a breath. "I made chocolates for Mia with love potion in them so you could take her to the ball but I found out this morning that her and Diego were not broken up like I previously thought and she must've given them to Edgeworth because he clearly ate them and is in love with you—"
Phoenix opened his mouth to speak, but Maya cut him off before he could. "You promised you wouldn't get mad."
And, yeah, he did, but he didn't know it was this bad.
"First of all, I didn't need you to help me get a date, I didn't want to go in the first place. Second of all, you need to fix this." He gestured to Miles, who was now pulling at his tie down to his collarbone. Phoenix choked on his spit.
"Whoah—!" Phoenix placed his hands over Miles' without thinking.
"It's hot." Miles said, almost whining.
Phoenix ignored him. "We can just take him to Madam Pomfrey, right?"
"Amortentia is banned, isn't it? I don't want.." For the first time since Phoenix had known her, Maya looked scared.
"Hey, don't worry," he reassured, letting go of Miles' hands, which made him mumble something under his breath. "Can't we just say that we don't know who gave it to him?"
Maya looked like she was on the verge of tears. Phoenix stiffened, suddenly feeling very out of place.
"But I stole the ingredients from Snape's closet—what if they trace it back to me?!"
Maya.. Phoenix inwardly groaned. You couldn't have just bought it like a normal person?
"How long does it take to wear off?" Phoenix said instead. He looked back at Miles, who was grinning at him with a lovestruck look in his eyes.
"Nick." Miles giggled. "My darling."
Maya faltered for a moment. "It depends on how many he ate.. how attractive the giver is.. his weight.. I think."
"You think?"
"I don't know!" Maya shouted.
Miles looked up at the sound. Phoenix sat down next to him on the bed, and turned to him with a nervous smile. "Miles.. will you tell us how many chocolates you ate?"
"I'll tell you," Miles chuckled softly. "If you kiss me."
Phoenix sighed. He didn't really think that would work, anyway.
"What are you waiting for, Phoenix?! Kiss him!"
"H-Huh?" He sputtered, glancing back at Maya, who still looked frightened.
"The sooner this is over, the better! The dance should be wrapping up soon and Mia will kill me if she finds out what I did."
"I'm not kissing him, Maya. He's vulnerable, not in his right mind—"
He was cut off by the feeling of someone tugging at his tie. He turned, he tip of his nose brushing against Miles', which he quickly leaned away from. As he was doing so, he caught a whiff of mint, then Miles spoke again. "Then, tell me that you love me."
Phoenix felt the blood rush to his cheeks for the millionth time that night.
"You can do that, right?" Maya asked, her voice suddenly soft.
He coughed nervously, then shook his head. "Does it really matter? Can't you make the antidote?"
"The antidote?" Maya said, as if she hadn't considered it up until that point. "Um.. yeah, I guess I could."
Miles placed his hand on Phoenix's. He didn't bother moving it. "Do you have all of the ingredients?"
Maya thought for a moment, then smiled brightly. "Actually, I think I do!"
Phoenix let out a breath. This kid was going to be the death of him. "How long will it take?" He asked, suddenly aware that he would have to be alone with Miles now.
"Not long—wait here!"
Maya dashed out of the door with incredible speed, muttering to herself as she left. Miles didn't hesitate to place his head on his shoulder before she'd even gotten down the steps. Phoenix stiffened, able to feel Miles' breath on his throat, but didn't make an effort to move him. He was painfully aware of the fact that Miles' shirt and tie had been tugged down to reveal his collarbone, pale and pronounced in the dim lighting.
Phoenix tried focusing on other things, but his heart hammering loudly in his chest was the only thing he could really hear. "..What have you been up to?" He asked, trying to keep his mind off of things.
Miles sighed, the air hot against his neck. "Missing you."
Phoenix laughed nervously. "I missed you too." The words spilled out without any thought, though Phoenix quickly realized they were genuine. He really had missed having Miles around. Happy Miles, not the one that had returned in the 5th year.
Phoenix thought for a moment. "Why did you stop talking to me?" For real this time.
"Hm?" Miles hummed, snuggling closer. "Because I fell in love with you."
Phoenix supposed he knew he wasn't going to get the truth out of him.
"How's your family?"
"Why does it matter, Phoenix?" Miles wrapped his arms around Phoenix's neck, essentially trapping him there.
"Because.." Phoenix let out a chuckle. "I kind of miss talking to your dad."
Miles' voice was suddenly serious, and for a moment Phoenix wondered if the potion had worn off. "He's dead."
"Oh." Phoenix fidgeted with his hands. The awkward silence that filled the room after the statement seemed to stretch for miles, but it seemed only Phoenix was effected by it.
Miles' voice startled him when he spoke up again. "Amare."
"Huh?" Phoenix said, then realized was looking over his shoulder at his owl. “That’s.. not her name.”
Miles opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off by the sound of Maya bounding up the steps with the same intensity as always. She rushed to Phoenix's bedside, wordlessly handing him a bottle full of colorless liquid. She looked worried as Phoenix stared down at the bottle. "Miles? Could you drink this for me?" He asked, handing him the bottle and untangling himself from him.
Phoenix took a seat on the chair next to his bed, and watched as Miles uncorked the bottle, then downed the entire thing.
His entire demeanor changed. His posture straightened, his expression turning from dazed to stoic over the course of two seconds. He blinked, taking in the room around him with utter confusion in his features.
"Edgeworth?" Maya asked timidly, standing next to Phoenix's chair. "Don't be mad, but—"
"Where am I?" There was a note of panic in his voice.
"The Gryffindor dormitory." Phoenix replied. This answer did not soothe Miles in the slightest.
"Wright?" Wright? Were they not on good enough terms for first names? Miles suddenly ran an anxious hand through his hair. "Oh, god.."
"Do you remember what happened?" Maya asked, seemingly not wanting to overwhelm him.
"I remember.. your sister giving me chocolates—which I refused—but.." Miles paused. After a moment, Miles blushed deeper, then glanced at Phoenix. "Oh."
"I'm so sorry, Edgeworth!" Maya cried, startling both of the men. "Phoenix wanted a date to the dance so I tried to set him up with my sister using Amortentia but I didn't have the ingredients so I sto—"
Phoenix lightly elbowed her in the side, blushing pink. "Maya. He's a prefect."
Maya looked ready to explode.
"It's fine." Miles said, a tad shakily. "Just, please.. tell me what's going on."
So they did. The version they told was a tad watered down, though. Maya kept trying to give full details, but Phoenix thought it'd be best if they spared Miles' feelings. Despite this, Miles' cheeks grew even redder the longer the story went on.
"And then you said you'd tell us how many chocolates you ate if Phoenix—" Phoenix didn't have to cut her off on this one, because the sound of a bird chirping downstairs did that for him. Maya immediately reached out for the small canary as it flew into the room, letting it land on her finger with a soft expression on her face. It quickly vanished with a plume of blue smoke.
"I have to go tell Mia goodnight. Thanks for being so cool, Edgeworth. And bye, Nick!" Maya left before either of them could get a word in. Phoenix quickly realized he was alone, with Miles, again.
"Wright." Miles said, his usual tone returned. Phoenix hated the last name change, but if Mi—Edgeworth didn't think they knew each other well enough, then so be it. "Is.. all of it true?"
Phoenix took the easy way out. "You don't remember?"
Edgeworth placed his hands in his lap, fidgeting with them anxiously. "Bits and pieces.. it's fuzzy. I remember walking out to the castle grounds, being pushed up the stairs.. and coming in here, but nothing definitive. It feels like a dream, really."
Phoenix decided to pry. "You don't remember anything else?"
He was really asking if he remembered the conversation about not being friends anymore, about his dad, but Edgeworth seemed to take it the wrong way. His cheeks turned red, looked to the side, and said, "Of course I do. I thought we were sparing each other's feelings."
Before Phoenix could reply, Edgeworth stood.
"I'll have to be going, now. You and Fey messed with my prefect duties, so I have to report to Professor Flitwick."
Phoenix resisted the urge to smile. "You might want to fix yourself, first."
Edgeworth looked down at his exposed collar and loosened tie, blushing red. He fixed it with a grimace, then left without a word.
Phoenix slumped down onto his bed.
He fell asleep fully clothed, exhausted out of his mind.
-
Phoenix could get what Edgeworth had said out of his head.
"He's dead."
He didn't know if it was the potion that made him say it so casually or if he'd already come to terms with it long ago, but Phoenix hadn't known.
Was that why he'd left school?
Phoenix sat down at an empty table in the library, opening his Quintessence: A Quest book in the hopes of getting some studying done.
He barely got through the start of chapter 12 when he noticed someone walking towards his table. He looked up, and Miles Edgeworth sat himself down at the seat across from him.
All Phoenix could do was mumble an awkward, "hello?"
Edgeworth crossed his arms over his chest, then took a deep breath. "Wright," he started, "Yesterday, I realize I said.. some things that were not true to my character.. and I want to know.."
It wasn't Miles, it wasn't the boy Phoenix spent days and nights with playing together under the stars. It was Edgeworth, cold and prone to abandoning his friends. "English, please."
"I want to know what I said last night." He muttered. "You kept cutting Fey off when she tried to tell me, I noticed."
"Oh," Phoenix said. Yeah, maybe he wasn't happy with Edgeworth right now, but.. "Are you sure?"
Edgeworth nodded, but his eyes were not on Phoenix's.
Part of him was glad Edgeworth didn't remember the conversation they had while Maya was brewing the potion, but part of him wanted to know why he'd left.
Curiosity won him over in the end.
"You.. said the typical stuff in the beginning. But when we were alone, you told me that your dad passed away." Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck.
Edgeworth's shoulders sagged. He seemed.. disappointed? "That's it?"
"Nothing of note, I guess." Phoenix wasn't going to admit that he'd asked why they weren't friends anymore. "So it's true?"
It took Edgeworth a moment to understand what he was asking. With great hesitation, he said, "Yes. It's true."
'Is that why you left?' hung stagnant at the tip of his tongue. Instead he said, "I hadn't seen you in forever."
It was good, casual, neutral. If Edgeworth wanted to tell him why they weren't friends anymore, then that would be on his own accord.
Edgeworth's lips upturned into a small smile. It looked almost menacing. "You haven't changed."
"What does that mean?"
"You're not subtle, Wright. Never have been."
Phoenix insides squirmed. "You've changed."
Edgeworth's eyes met his.
Miles' eyes met his.
"Why didn't you say you were back?" Phoenix felt his voice crack, but he didn't care anymore. His best friend left for nearly 2 years, came back, and didn't even say a word to him. There wasn't a letter, a note, or any kind of indication that he was still alive.
"I'm not allowed to be friends with you." Miles said, voice completely steady. He was no longer looking at Phoenix.
"What?!" Phoenix demanded.
"I'm not allowed.." he repeated, but this time, he couldn't finish. He pressed his lips into a hard line. "Why?" Tears spilled down Phoenix's cheeks, hot and frustrated and scared.
Miles never gave him an answer.
It seemed Edgeworth was remembering the same thing, because he flinched. "I'm so sorry."
Phoenix's voice was quiet when he spoke again. "Why'd you do it?"
Edgeworth seemed to be debating on whether or not to tell him. "When my father passed, I was.. taken under a new wing. He didn't allow me to have any friends.. so I'd focus on my studies."
"Why didn't you just say so?"
"I was.. scared of him. I didn't have anywhere else to go."
Phoenix swallowed. "What changed?"
Edgeworth blinked. "Huh?"
"Well, you're telling me now. What changed?"
Edgeworth thought for a moment. "I guess.. I'm not afraid of him anymore."
-
"Do you know Edgeworth, Nick?" Maya asked as he flipped a page of his Charms book the next day. They were in sitting in the stands of the Quidditch pitch. Phoenix came out here to study, but Maya followed him for some reason. She was playing with Amarin on the steps of the stand.
"I used to. Why do you ask?"
"He seemed to know you." She teased, crouching down and petting Amarin under her chin. "What happened, though?"
"We were friends for a long time, but one day he.. he stopped talking to me. I only found out recently that it was because of his adopted dad."
Maya turned to look at him. "You're not friends anymore?"
Phoenix grew uncomfortable. The question was so innocent, and Maya looked sad again. "Well, uh.. I suppose we could become friends again.. sometime?" How would even go about that?
"Good. I'll make sure of it."
Phoenix didn't know what that meant, so he changed the subject. "Did Mia find out about what you did?"
Maya laughed. "Oh, for sure. She yelled at me for hours."
Phoenix couldn't picture Mia yelling at anyone, really. "How'd she find out?"
Maya blushed. "Um.. well. I felt guilty about lying to her, so I told her everything as soon as I got the chance."
Phoenix laughed. "I can see that."
"She didn't know you two knew each other either." Maya seemed to realize something. "Hey! Why don't we ever hang out together?"
Phoenix shrugged. "Mia and I have classes together, and you and I are in the same house. They don't really overlap."
"Let's eat dinner in the library. Together!"
Phoenix didn't think that meant Edgeworth, too, but he was sitting next to Mia when Phoenix walked into the library for dinner. Maya was on his heels, as per usual, but tonight she'd seemed a tad nervous coming down with him. It was when he caught Edgeworth's eye that he found out why.
Maya sat down across from her sister, and patted the seat next to her. You planned this! He wanted to shout, but didn't, as that'd make him look like a lunatic. He sat himself and his plate down in silence.
Mia, ever the only sane person, broke the silence. "Phoenix." She greeted.
"Hey, Mia." He snuck a glance at the boy across from him. He was looking to the side.
Maya giggled, but was quickly shut up by a look from Mia. "How'd your Charms test go, Maya?" She asked sweetly.
All the color drained from Maya's face. "Uh.. well... I can do this!" She pulled out her wand, which was honey-colored and elegantly twisted at the handle. It was simple, warm, and small, and only now did Phoenix realize how much it suited her. Or at least, the calmer side of her. "Wingardium Leviosa."
A piece of broccoli on Mia's plate began to hover, albeit a few inches. But it was impressive.
Mia smiled proudly. "Well done, Maya."
Maya beamed, looking a little more confident. "I'm better at Potions."
"We're well aware." Phoenix said.
Edgeworth chuckled, and Phoenix felt himself smile. He hadn't heard that in such a long time.
"I said I was sorry.." Maya mumbled.
The silence returned, and they all looked down at their plates. It seemed everyone was thinking of what had happened the night of the ball.
Maya cleared her throat. "..Did you guys know that Phoenix has an owl?"
"Amarin?" All eyes went to Edgeworth. "How.. how is she?"
There was a softness in his eyes, something Phoenix hadn't seen since he'd given Miles the snow globe all those years ago. And maybe Edgeworth wasn't the same kid he'd become friends with, but he was beginning to notice that there were slivers of him that shone through. He saw Miles in the way he laughed, like he didn't want to but couldn't help it, in the way his voice went soft when talking about things he cared about, in the way he glared, with a sharpness in his eyes that could cut glass.
Maya answered for him. "She's the best! How do you know her name?"
Phoenix hesitated for a moment, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks.
Maya gasped dramatically. "You named her?"
"I did, yes." Came Edgeworth's smooth reply.
"Why is it so weird?"
"Maya!" Mia snapped.
"Sorry." Maya mumbled, slouching in her seat.
"It's fine. I suppose it is kind of weird, but the reason for that is a tad embarrassing."
Phoenix snapped his head up to look at Edgeworth. Embarrassing? Edgeworth had never told Phoenix what it meant—this was news to him.
"You have to tell us now!" Usually Maya's nosiness was unappreciated, but now, he was grateful for it.
Edgeworth's cheeks were dusted pink. "Well, uh—"
"How did Franziska do on her Charms test?" Mia politely asked Edgeworth.
Maya huffed. Edgeworth looked taken aback. "..Perfect. As always."
Phoenix loved Mia, but he really wanted to know—
Wait, does.. Edgeworth have a girlfriend?
"Who's Franziska?" He asked, hoping it sounded casual.
He wasn't expecting Maya to answer. "Edgeworth's sister! She's in some of my classes."
"Adopted sister, but yes." Edgeworth corrected. He seemed a tad more comfortable now.
"Is she in Ravenclaw?"
"Heavens, no. She's in Slytherin, just like her dad."
"We should invite her next time!"
Phoenix liked the idea of there being a next time.