Reign O'er Me

cts

Story Summary:
This fic picks up from where OotP ended; unlike many fics dealing with this period that are angst-ridden, this fic explores a different direction - what might happen if Harry should instead start to get his life together.

Chapter 27

Chapter Summary:
The professors are worried, Harry learns more than he'd like about Necromany, Perenelle answers some questions, Draco returns home... Jamie sees another vision, and Voldemort is clearly planning something.
Posted:
03/29/2005
Hits:
2,484


Chapter 27 - Amazing Journey

A vague haze of delirium
creeps up on me.
All at once a tall stranger I suddenly see.
He's dressed in a silver sparked
Glittering gown,
And his golden beard flows
Nearly down to the ground.

His eyes are the eyes that
Transmit all they know.
Sparkle warm crystalline glances to show
That he is your leader
And he is your guide.
On the amazing journey together you'll ride.

- Amazing Journey, The Who


"And now, finally, it appears that the other shoe is about to drop," Dumbledore said, as he took the thick parchment from the Ministry eagle owl. "I am surprised that it took this long."

Dumbledore and the Flamels were in the drawing room at Grimmauld Place. They had returned to the house together with the others, after the feast in the Great Hall, and had settled here to talk.

Dumbledore unrolled the parchment and read. "It seems that the Minister desires to meet with us tomorrow morning, Nicholas, regarding a most urgent matter. It does not go into specifics."

"Can there be any doubt as to the subject?" Nicholas asked. "Do you read anything into their requesting my presence?"

"The only possibility that occurs to me is that they not have rejected Voldemort's offer out of hand," Dumbledore replied. "I had hoped Amelia would not have felt it necessary..."

"How could she not at least appear to weigh such an offer?" Perenelle asked. "The pressure must be considerable. There are always those who will opt for appeasement in the short term with no thought of the morrow."

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed; it was not unexpected, though I had hoped the experience of the last war would have been sufficient for all concerned."

"Regardless, the book is beyond their reach," Nicholas said. "It is beyond the reach of anyone other than a few within these walls."

"Even so, I would prefer not to deal with turmoil at the Ministry in addition to our other cares. I am also concerned that Voldemort may attempt to influence others as he has Harry and myself." Dumbledore reached into his robe and placed a round object on the table. He waved his hand over the device, and they watched the images play.

"Brian... of what did Cassandra speak?" Perenelle demanded, her eyes drilling into Dumbledore. "Grindelwald did not bargain."

"No... he did not. Her words made little sense to me at the time. I have long pondered her meaning... until now. Voldemort would not have chosen to send what he did had he suspected their meaning." Dumbledore paused and then looked at Perenelle. "You have often told me that prophecy is perilous. I did not tell anyone of what she said until yesterday, when Harry chanced to see the recording."

Perenelle nodded. "I fear this shall prove to be a grave temptation to Harry."

"I do not believe that Harry would ever treat with Voldemort," Dumbledore said.

"He did, as you told us, reject such an offer in his first year. But since, he has seen the shades from the Priori Incantatem, and has now been given reason to consider what might be possible. And what if Voldemort should raise the stakes? We know he possesses the Egyptian codex of spells to restore the body; he would have been able to resume his original form had he been able to recover even the smallest fragment of remains. What if he should offer more? And while I too believe Harry would never bargain with Voldemort, that is not his only option, Brian." Perenelle looked between Dumbledore and her husband. "Do neither of you see it? What if he were to choose to take the offensive instead?"

"Harry would not..." Dumbledore began.

"Are you certain, Brian? Are you truly sure? The boy has known loss, but he has not experienced failure! Whatever he has attempted, he has achieved. When Sirius was lost, he stood alone against everyone -- and prevailed." Perenelle slowly shook her head. "If he were to decide to confront Voldemort now -- could we stop him? Would we dare if we could?"

"That is why I removed that book. I fear that confrontation will come all too soon, without anyone attempting to provoke it earlier. Fortune favored the foolish in that Hermione had not yet stumbled across it."

"They are capricious, Brian, but not malleable. I do not believe mere mortals could provoke them," Nicholas said. "And they will find a way despite whatever we may do, or fail to do. You heard the Sorting Hat."

"There will be questions..." Dumbledore began.

Perenelle cut him off with a sharp laugh. "There are already questions... many of them. Including questions that I cannot put off answering any further. Harry knows which phoenix gave the feathers for those three wands, even if he knows little more than a name thus far."

"I have pondered that as well. Ollivander now knows. Why would Praetor reveal his presence in such a fashion...?"

"Because there are only two brother wands, his -- if if a staff can be called a wand -- and mine," Nicholas said. "That is not the case with Pymander. There are other wand cores besides the ones in your wand and Perenelle's."

"But why did not Fawkes or Pymander give the feathers for Ginny's or both of Jamie's wands?" Dumbledore wondered aloud.

"We may already possess the answer to that," Perenelle said, gently. "Is that why you have accompanied us here, instead of remaining at Hogwarts."

"I did not wish to be there should the Minister have chosen to come to us... Our meeting must take place openly at the Ministry." Dumbledore sighed. "And yes... perhaps, that as well."

"We must also give consideration as to how this will impact on Jamie," Perenelle said. "Her formative years taught her that the safest thing to do was to run from problems, and she is still far from being able to defend herself."

"It would not serve her well to attempt to run under the circumstances," Nicholas said. "Were she to be discovered unprotected, the best we could hope for is that she would be killed outright rather than captured."

"We must endeavor to see that she is not left unprotected," Dumbledore said. "It would be better if we could wait until she were more accustomed to our world, but I do not believe Harry would countenance that."

"As he should not," Perenelle insisted. "She has begun to trust him, but her trust is fragile. That cannot be placed at risk, regardless of what else must give way. Harry is her only anchor in our world. Were that to be lost, and were Voldemort able to gain her trust instead..."

"Should that happen, he might not need book nor spell nor stone," Nicholas said.

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "It is difficult to imagine such a world."

"Alas, not for me." Perenelle's voice dropped an octave. "Let there be darkness!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry carefully untangled himself from Ginny and eased out of bed. He slipped into the clothes he had taken off an hour before, and then moved stealthily out of the room. He listened carefully as he stepped out into the hallway, but the only sounds were the normal nighttime sounds of the old house.

Harry walked down the stairs to the third floor. Again he looked around and listened carefully. It was still quiet, and no lights were visible under the library doors. He walked over to the library doors, listened one last time, and then entered the library.

With a swish of his wand, there was light. He stood looking at the stacks for a minute, trying to decide where to begin. Hermione had said there was no apparent order -- which meant pick a spot and start searching. At least what he was looking for should be easy enough to discern from the title.

Nothing would be found if he just stood here. Harry walked to the far end of the room and started scanning titles. He was reminded of the Restricted Section in the Hogwarts library, though he doubted that Dumbledore or Madam Pince would allow some of these books anywhere near the school.

He finished scanning the first two shelves and had gathered a small stack of books, which he carried back to the table to examine in more detail. The first two books, upon examination, held little of value, but the third, titled Clavicles of Necromantic Evocation, looked more promising, though it would require careful reading. The book was over five hundred years old, and many of the words were unfamiliar. He settled back in the chair and began to read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ginny clawed her way towards consciousness as she struggled to free herself from the tangle of covers. Finally awake enough to realize she had been in the clutches of a bad dream, she reached out... and the bed beside her was empty and cold. She called, "Harry," but there was no answer. She stood up and lit the candles. There was no sign of Harry, and the clothes he had worn earlier -- they were in the habit of leaving something ready at hand -- were gone.

She opened the door; Harry was not in the sitting room. Ginny opened the hallway door and walked the short distance to Jamie's room and peeked in. There was no sign of Harry; Jamie was asleep, with her kitten curled up on her pillow.

Thinking Harry might have gone down to the kitchen, Ginny returned to their room long enough to don a robe. As she started down the dimly-lit stairs, she barely stopped herself in time to keep from stumbling over a figure seated on one of the bottom steps. "Who..."

"Softly, Ginny, softly," Perenelle whispered. "It is late... rather, I should say, quite early."

"I was looking for Harry. I woke up... it was a bad dream."

Perenelle sighed. "The bond you share, chérie, is powerful and operates on many levels. Harry, too, is looking this night."

"I don't understand."

"He is seeking answers, ma petite, answers to the questions that Voldemort has opened."

"Necromancy." Ginny closed her eyes and trembled. "Tom Riddle fancied himself a Necromancer."

"Has he spoken to you of this, Ginny?"

Ginny's response was to slip her hand into Perenelle's.

"So, it is thus, that our birds return home to roost. But even so... it is not selfishness that drives him. And as well, that was a courageous offer on your part, chérie."

"Will you talk to him?" Ginny asked.

"I will offer what advice I may, but the time is rapidly approaching when the decisions will belong to Harry."

"Harry listens to you, and he trusts you. More than even Professor Dumbledore."

"Of late, I have not earned that trust. I have put off answering him several times."

"He told us about some of that."

Perenelle nodded slowly. "I shall not..." she began, but there was a sound from the library, followed by a louder sound of something being slammed down hard. "Come," she said, standing up and holding out a hand to Ginny.

They slipped into the library. Harry was sitting at the table, his head down and resting on a large book.

"Is this the course that you've chosen, Harry?" Perenelle asked.

Harry sat up abruptly. "I..."

Perenelle moved closer to the table, and looked at the book in front of Harry, and then moved one of the piles of books so that their titles were visible. "Non, these are not the books you need, lapin. The one before you is perhaps the most accurate. A dabbler in the Dark Arts compiled it almost six hundred years ago -- largely from second-hand reports. But at Hogwarts, in the scriptorium, there are copies of both the Grand Grimoire and the Necronomicon. If this is the course you have chosen, then those are the tomes you will need."

"This... this was written by... by a dabbler?" Harry looked almost sick.

"It is not by accident that Necromancy is referred to as the Darkest of the Dark Arts, Harry. These, perhaps, are adequate to give you some idea... As you have no doubt learned from your reading tonight, there is a great cost in such magic. A life for a life."

"I... I can't... I won't do this." Harry shook his head wearily.

"Do you still wonder if there is some truth to what Voldemort told you, that there is no good and evil, but only power?" Perenelle asked, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"No. This is evil." Harry said without hesitation. "Pure evil."

"Even Ginny could feel it through your link, Harry. She awoke from a bad dream and came searching for you."

Ginny, standing near the door, registered on Harry's senses. "I'm sorry, Gin. I didn't mean to wake you..."

"Tom... Tom called himself a Necromancer, Harry," Ginny said.

"Ginny, I'm not and I never will be. I didn't know before, really, what it was, other than a word. I do now, and I'm sorry I frightened you, Gin. I should have listened."

Ginny took a tentative step toward him; Harry held out his arms, and she rushed into them. Perenelle rested a hand on each of their shoulders for a moment, and then said, "You have chosen well, Harry, but there is more than one lesson to be learned tonight. Your friends and bond-mate care for you as you do for them. Any time you feel that you must conceal your actions from them, examine your assumptions. One of them is in all likelihood wrong."

Harry nodded.

"It is late, and you, lapin, have not slept at all. The two of you are excused from the morning lesson, though we may work later in the day."

"Are you sending us to our room again?" Ginny asked, now smiling.

"Indeed, chérie, it would seem that is my role in life." Perenelle answered, also smiling. "Now, off to bed with the both of you; it is late. And tomorrow, I shall do as I have said. During our lesson hour, I will attempt to answer your questions."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wait, I want you to see something," Ginny said as they reached the fourth floor. Instead of entering their suite, she led Harry to Jamie's room. Cracking the door, she glanced in and motioned for Harry to do the same. Harry watched for a few moments, then carefully closed the door, and the young couple returned to their own quarters.

"She looks a lot like you do when you're sleeping," Ginny said as they prepared to return to bed. "Relaxed and carefree."

"It may not last any longer than this truce," Harry said. "Voldemort was able to reach her, even in America, and she's said her scar has..."

"Not now, Harry... let's enjoy these few days while we can." She sat on the side of the bed, and then asked, "Should I start tying our wrists together again?"

"If you want. I'll do anything if it makes you feel better," Harry replied as he lay down.

Ginny rolled onto the bed and propped herself on one elbow beside Harry and smiled. "No... but I know what would." Leaning over, she brought her lips to his as his arms went around her.

When they finally broke apart, Harry whispered, "We're supposed to go to sleep."

"Madame Flamel said we were to go to bed," Ginny grinned impishly. "She said you hadn't slept; that's an observation. Her exact instructions were, 'Off to bed.'"

"If you insist on putting it that way...." Harry pulled her close again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I still don't see the issue, Jon. Why not just let her have the money?" Sirius asked impatiently. He was in the kitchen, his chair parked in front of the fireplace. "She met the conditions, and Bella's not in much of a position to protest anything at the moment."

"It just doesn't work that way, Sirius. The smartest thing to do is not to jockey with the trust until the protests her solicitor filed are dealt with."

"Do you know how much she needs, or why, with her at Hogwarts?"

"Actually, yes to both. It seems her son was somehow stranded in the States..."

Sirius laughed. "You're telling me Lucius left Draco to fend for himself?"

"So it would seem. There has been no trace of him since your confrontation, though Aurors both here and in the States are looking for him."

"Actually, I rather like the idea of Draco's being stuck in the States."

"If that's your decision..."

Sirius sighed. "No... I owe Cissy that much at least. Make the arrangements... but he flies coach, and on a Yank airline. Ideally one packed with a budget tour group, and make sure he's not on the aisle or by a window. And let me know when he's due in; I'll arrange to have him met by an Auror or two and have him taken straight to Cissy."

"You're cruel, Sirius," Howe said, laughing. "I'll have Katie set it up. Now, turn the page. Gringotts. An offer from them arrived yesterday. I haven't had a chance to go through it yet, but after a quick skim, it looks quite reasonable. Two major points are a lump sum and a confidentiality clause. I'll owl you a copy later today."

"How about the Ministry?"

"How hard do you want to push, Sirius? I've attempted to set up a meeting twice, but things still seem to be disorganized over there."

"I suppose there's no rush. Just keep me posted."

"Regarding your search. A computer search turned up a possible match in the entry records in New Zealand. I still don't have anything firm, but I'm working on it."

"New Zealand? What's in New Zealand? Besides the Macaws?" Sirius asked.

"A lot of cattle and a lot of sheep. Again, this is preliminary, but you've asked to be kept informed of any news at all. Now, finally, regarding your party..."

"Ah, yes."

"You need to finalize on a place so that the contracts can be signed. Once that's done..."

"I'll pin Dumbledore down tonight."

"That's all I have. Anything new for me?"

"Jamie Potter. She's here now; I'm sure that somewhere, some parchment-pushers are going to want their share."

"Going to dump that one in my lap, too, eh? I've been thinking about that ever since you found her... and I thought getting your situation straightened out was a mess. The only thing in our favor is that Harry has friends in high places. But the quill-pushers will still demand a lot of parchment."

"I just don't want any surprises, like some Rosier cousin trying to claim custody. Who's her guardian?"

"Harry's her closest relative, though there may be some resistance to having a sixteen-year-old as a guardian to a fourteen-year-old."

"Just get it settled, Jon. As much as it hurts to say it, this one's at the front of the queue."

"Understood, Sirius. Anything else?"

"No. Thanks, Jon."

"Good day, Sirius."

Perenelle had entered the kitchen while Sirius was talking. She had made two cups of tea, and now she invited Sirius to join her.

"Where was Harry this morning? Jamie said something about them not doing Dark Arts this morning."

"They were both up quite late last night," Perenelle replied. "If time permits, I may practice with them later today."

"Is the Dursley kid being of any use?"

"Indeed. You seem to have made quite an impression on him, Sirius."

"I haven't done anything more than his parents should have done years ago. I still have to find some boarding school that will take him."

"Sirius, if you send that child into the Muggle world again, you may be condemning him to death. The charms that protected Harry also protected him. He is a blood relative of Harry."

"What else can we do? He can hardly stay here unsupervised. The Weasleys will return home once the term begins, and I will be staying in Hogsmeade."

"Would you permit me to discuss it with Brian?"

"Yes, but..."

"Very good. We will discuss this again soon. Now, forgive my curiosity, but do I understand correctly that you are planning a birthday party for Harry?"

Sirius grinned. "Something like that. I've talked to Dumbledore twice, but so far, we haven't come up with a place that's secure enough where we can invite his friends. Grimmauld Place is out, and Hogwarts is too magical."

"Too magical?"

"Yes; it has to be a place where electricity will work."

"Have you considered the Room of Requirement?"

"Would that work?" Sirius asked.

"I believe there's a chance that it might."

"I'll give... um, good morning, Harry. And Ginny."

The young couple exchanged greetings, and walking to the counter, found the plates Molly had prepared for them earlier. They sat down at the table and tucked in. Perenelle asked, "I trust the two of you went to sleep as you should have, last night?"


"We did exactly what you said," Ginny replied, smiling, as her trainer pressed lightly against Harry's.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Harry and Ginny had finished breakfast, it was already 11:30. Perenelle suggested that since they had just eaten, they should begin their Dark Arts practice and continue through the normal lunch hour. When the others finished at noon, Chris joined them, working with Harry on complex shields and offensive spells while Perenelle worked with Ginny. Jamie had elected to stay and watch, which lasted for all of twenty minutes before Molly Weasley arrived and insisted Jamie eat her lunch. She only left reluctantly, and she returned only a short time later, fascinated with the advanced training Harry and Ginny were pursuing.

As the clock approached two, they separated, with Nicholas and Perenelle disappearing somewhere inside the house, Jamie leaving with Snape, and Harry and Ginny joining McGonagall's lesson with Ron and Hermione. Today, both Hermione and Ginny made some progress with their lumps of clay. Ginny managed to elongate hers, while Hermione's changed shapes several times, though not enough to identify what it might be.

When that lesson ended, the four young people returned to the kitchen where Perenelle was already waiting with Jamie. Pulling Harry aside, she asked, "Shall we all adjourn to your sitting room?"

Harry understood and nodded. "No mushrooms."

As they walked toward the stairs, Perenelle remarked, "I had hoped that Nicholas and perhaps Brian might join us as well, but they have not yet returned from the Ministry. I am somewhat concerned that not all there has gone as they expected."

"What could have happened?" Hermione asked.

"Most likely nothing of importance," Perenelle replied. "Politicians rarely achieve an economy with words."

They reached the sitting room and found seats as Perenelle cast a silencing spell on the door. Perenelle, settling in one of the overstuffed chairs, looked at each of them, then said, "I have promised to try to answer your questions. What would you like to know?"

Harry exchanged looks with Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. "Tell us about Praetor. Did he give the feathers for three of the wands?"

Perenelle nodded. "Yes, Harry, he did. We believe at least one of the reasons for this is that there are only two other cores in existence made from his feathers. One of them is beyond the reach of our enemy, and the other is in Nicholas' wand. Praetor was... or is... the companion of Merlin."

Four of the young people sat in stunned silence. Jamie looked from face to face and finally dared to venture a question. "Who... is Merlin?"

"Merlin is said to be the greatest of our kind," Perenelle answered. "He certainly performed powerful magics that were said not to have been done before, and certainly not since. His renown even extends to the Muggle world."

"When... you said you were not the oldest..." Hermione began hesitantly.

"Yes, it was of Merlin that I spoke," Perenelle replied.

"But... how?" Hermione asked.

"You no doubt learned of the legends and myths, between the more weighty matters of goblin uprisings and wars?" Four nods answered. "The answer, mes chers enfants, is really quite simple. There is more truth than legend in some of what you learned. Merlin was entrapped by Nimue - not in a cave of crystal or a glass tower, but in the spaces that lie between."

Harry found his voice. "Why the wands? And what Praetor did?"

"I have told you what I know, Harry, but to answer that I must turn instead to conjecture. We know little, truly, about the phoenix. Some believe they are eternal and that there are a fixed number of them, and that the appearance of a new bird is no more than the rebirth of an old one. But no phoenix that has befriended a human has ever been seen again after its human companion has departed, though Merlin, perhaps arguably, has not yet departed. And Praetor has not been seen since the latter days of Camelot, except once, and then only by Nicholas, Godric, Helga, and myself.

"And as for why--a phoenix will usually seek to advance its companion's interest, though not always in the fashion that its human might desire. Nicholas refers to Pymander as a capricious creature, and not without merit. As another example, remember how Fawkes brought you the hat and the sword in the Chamber of Secrets, Harry, representing the two-fold interests of Brian--the removal of the serpent from the Chamber and the protection of the champion presumptive. I believe that Praetor is doing that--and that exactly: advancing or protecting the concerns of Merlin. I have never before heard of a phoenix swallowing a killing curse, other than in protection of its human companion." Perenelle smiled for a moment. "It is not an accident we refer to them as companions. It is not clear in such a relationship who is master, and who is servant."

"While it is not well known, Nimue and Merlin had one child: a non-magical child, a girl, who was what we now call a Squib. It may not surprise you that this has largely been dropped out of the tales you have heard; how could the great Merlin have sired a Squib? Even so, the lineage of that child is known. Harry and Jamie, Merlin and Nimue's child is your many-times-great- grandmother, through Lily, your mother.

"Nimue repented of her imprisonment of Merlin, and before her death she recorded many prophecies. All of you but Jamie may remember what Severus quoted the night he learned of Jamie: 'Redde herre as flaume of fir, sibbe gardein ond proptectour whos espuse of sonderd twines.' This was actually a transcription of what Nimue wrote; the language is what today is called Middle English, which was the language as I first learned it. In more modern terms, it says, 'Red hair as a flaming fire, sister of the guardian and protector, who is the spouse of the sundered twin.'"

Perenelle paused, reflecting. "When you were born, Harry, and we realized you were the champion presumptive, after your parents were struck down, we were... relieved... when we thought you had no sister. At least Brian was to be spared this, or so we thought--that what Nimue had prophesied would take place within this cycle." Seeing Jamie's expression, she continued, "Jamie, fear not! I do not regret we found you, child. But you must understand that your discovery heralds a time of crisis in our world, and like Harry, a fate rests upon you.

"Nimue's prophecies were not well understood, either at the time of their making or later, until Cassandra Trelawney began to interpret the words of her ancestor. Cassandra was also a descendant of Nimue, though not by Merlin, but by Sir Pelleas, whom she wed after she had imprisoned Merlin.

"As I believe Harry has told you, Cassandra was a contemporary of Brian, and they were both friends and companions--not unlike Harry, Ron, and Hermione--from their first year at Hogwarts. Cassandra fell the first time that Dumbledore confronted Grindelwald, in 1898." Perenelle saw Harry shudder. "Harry, Brian said you saw the images Voldemort extracted."

Harry nodded.

"Ron and Hermione, if you will take my hands...." And a few moments later, "Ginny and Jamie?"

"I've... I've seen it," Ginny said.

"Jamie?" Perenelle invited.

Jamie reluctantly took her hand for several moments; and then, instead of returning to her chair, she sat down close beside Harry on the sofa he had shared with Ginny.

"Poor Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said, unknowingly reprising Ginny's words. "And they were together?"

Perenelle nodded. "Both Brian and Cassandra had met with me, though separately, only weeks before, seeking my counsel on Anima Iugum Nobilis. Her loss devastated Brian. Afterward, he could not bear to even look at anything that had been hers or theirs; he sealed up all of her things, including her parchments and writings. It is not an accident that there are only the vaguest mentions of her at Hogwarts."

"What did Nimue's prophecies say?" Harry asked.

"The line I gave you earlier, 'Red hair as a flaming fire, sister of the guardian and protector, who is the spouse of the sundered twin,' seems to identify Jamie quite conclusively. If I remember correctly, from that point on, mention is made several times of the twins. Beyond that, the imagery is confusing though apocalyptic. Cassandra believed that she had gained greater insight, but I do not know the details. I would hesitate to speculate other than to say that both Ginny and Jamie are involved."

"Does the Sorting Hat's song have anything to do with this?" Hermione queried.

"I have wondered about that as well," Perenelle replied. "The 'Much lies deeply, deeply hidden' may refer to Merlin. As for the rest, I am unsure."

"It ended with 'May what should be, shall be,' Ron said. We've heard you and Professor Flamel use that expression."

Perenelle smiled. "We are perhaps showing our age, Ron. It was once a common expression. And the Sorting Hat is older than I am."

"What, exactly, is the Champion Presumptive?" Hermione asked.

"As you have no doubt deduced, chérie, it is the individual who shall become the next guardian. We have been certain that this was Harry since Sybill Trelawney's prophecy."

There was silence for several moments before Hermione asked another question. "How does le champion présumé become le champion de la lumière?"

Perenelle shook her head for a moment before answering. "If you found that book, Hermione, you should already know the answer."

"I found it during fourth year. I had intended to go back to it, but I just skimmed the first portion. At the time I was searching for something else."

"The sign is the birth of a new phoenix--or perhaps the return of a bird of which there is no living memory. Two phoenixes will burn together, and from the ashes, three birds will emerge instead of two. Though I now believe that Sybill's third prophecy refers not to two birds burning together, but three. When they decide it is time for the mantle to pass, Fawkes, Pymander, and perhaps Praetor will burn together. If the three burn together, what this might portend, I do not know. Brian had hoped you would not ask this."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"He fears that your confrontation with Voldemort will come too soon, and does not want it somehow provoked sooner than it must be."

"What have I missed? What should I have asked that we haven't?" Harry said.

"You now have most of the answers I have to give. Brian has agreed that he must now unseal Cassandra's parchments; I believe we shall learn more from there than I could tell you from mystic phrases in Old and Middle English. But it is very hard for him, even now, after most of a century."

"Can I ask a question?" Jamie said, softly.

"Certainly, child, you may," Perenelle replied.

"Why didn't anyone know about me? Why wasn't I found when Harry was?"

"Your parents were killed October 31, 1981..." Perenelle began.

"But that was before I was born... or at least when I thought I was. December 21, 1981."

"Indeed, Jamie, it was. After Voldemort's attempt to kill Harry had rebounded on him and destroyed his physical form, Harry was found and taken away from your parents' home in Godric's Hollow. You, however, had not been born, and with Lily dead... after Sirius found Harry, he and Hagrid left, and a Death Eater named Electra Rosier used a very old and dark spell to transfer your still-living form from your mother to her own body. Some Pureblood families would conceive a child and then use this spell to transfer the child to a surrogate mother, who would then carry it to term. The spell was also used in other evil ways. Its use was banned, and indeed, the knowledge of it had almost vanished until Electra Rosier somehow rediscovered it at Voldemort's direction.

"After Electra Rosier had taken you, she fled, perhaps after finding out that Harry had vanquished Voldemort. We know that she was killed in New York when you were about three years old, and that you then became a ward of the Muggle government."

"Yeah, right into foster care. How did you find out about me?"

"A Death Eater named Peter Pettigrew told Sirius, offering to barter what he knew for protection from Voldemort," Perenelle replied. "He saw what Electra did, though he did not understand it until years later."

"Harry showed me his picture, and said he was the one who betrayed our parents."

"That is true, Jamie. Peter was the only one who knew how to reach your parents, and he betrayed them to Voldemort. He also framed Sirius for that crime, and so Sirius spent many years in prison." Perenelle went on to explain about the Fidelius Charm, and how Wormtail had framed Sirius for the murders of James and Lily and for killing thirteen Muggles; then she told about how -- and why -- Sirius had escaped.

"Why me? And why us?" she asked, motioning toward Harry and Ginny."

"Child, that is a mystery, why fate works as it does. But fear not! You, and Harry, Ginny, and yes, Ron and Hermione together, have the courage, the heart, and the strength you need to prevail. Fate does not suffer fools, or weaklings. Now, is there more I can attempt to answer?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm not sure. I'm still trying to understand what you've told us so far."

Hermione nodded her agreement. "This is almost beyond belief. Merlin... is legend..."

"I am certain more will occur to you, and I will answer what I can during our lesson times. I do not believe it would be wise to share this further as of yet, but I shall trust your judgment in this. I am sorry I did not tell you sooner, Harry, but I wished to be certain. Nicholas, Brian, and I are here to help you prepare--and after."

Harry nodded, then put together a simple phrase from the few words Hermione had taught him. "Merci, Grand-mère."

"Thank you, lapin." Perenelle said as she closed her eyes for a moment. "Thank you."

They sat quietly, lost in their thoughts, until Perenelle finally broke the silence. "Nicholas and Brian have returned... and they are coming here."

Harry could see from her expression that something was wrong. Perenelle removed her protections from the door, and they waited.

Dumbledore and Flamel made their way up the stairs, entered the sitting room, and found seats. Dumbledore cast a silencing spell on the door and then asked Perenelle, "You did proceed this afternoon as you had intended?"

Perenelle nodded and Dumbledore continued, "Today at the Ministry, we met with Amelia and several members of her senior staff and some members of the Wizengamot. Fortunately, the Minster and we were of the same mind regarding Voldemort's offer, but several of the others required convincing, especially some of the younger staffers who did not fully experience the horrors of the last war."

"And you were able to do so?" Perenelle asked.

"Ultimately, yes. None of us will bargain with Voldemort."

"And?" Perenelle pressed.

"While we and the Minister and the others were in agreement," Nicholas answered, "there were some there, of course, who disagreed. Some, as we know, are already in Voldemort's pocket; others would prefer to accept his promise regardless of the consequences, hoping to avoid war."

"That was hardly unexpected," Perenelle observed.

"Indeed," Nicholas said. "However, one of those who disagreed was a young Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries. While we were there, it was discovered that the records and parchments of Electra Rosier were missing--and of those who had access, only one was unaccounted for. He returned as the Aurors were interviewing other members of the department..."

"Were they sure it was him?" Hermione interrupted.

"There was no doubt," Nicolas replied. "When confronted, he readily admitted it."

"More than that," Dumbledore said. "He was boastful. He felt that he had single-handedly saved the wizarding world from us doddering old fools, the timid Minister, and the cowardly Wizengamot."

"How could someone like that--a Death Eater, or someone in Voldemort's pocket--have gotten access?" Ron asked.

"We do not believe he had any prior connection with Voldemort," Nicholas replied. "And while his intent was not one of malice... his actions have given Voldemort half of what he sought. He only lacks the stone, or perhaps only the elixir."

"But the stone was destroyed... wasn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Nicholas replied. "At least, the stone that I made was destroyed. There are no other stones that are known to have survived, though there were others long ago. And it is not impossible that some of the elixir might exist; there was a small bottle I gave to the Department of Mysteries that has not yet been accounted for."

"Could this Unspeakable have taken it?" Harry asked.

"We do not think so," Dumbledore replied. "He freely admitted what he had done; though it is possible Voldemort has obtained this by some other means."

"You're saying that he... may have got everything he was after?" Harry pressed.

"It is possible, though unlikely," Nicholas answered. "I do not believe the amount of elixir at the Ministry would be sufficient for his plans, given what I know of that potion."

"What now?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore shook his head slowly before answering. "There is one duty that I have put off longer than I should which I must now attend to. Otherwise, there may be little we can do other than prepare ourselves while the truce lasts."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only Molly and the five young people were in the kitchen for the evening meal. Dumbledore and the Flamels had returned to Hogwarts, and strangely, Sirius, Lupin, and Chris had joined them. Molly had taken a tray up to Penny and Percy earlier, and none of the older Weasley brothers or Mr. Weasley was there.

Molly gave Hermione an envelope. "This arrived a little while ago for you."

Hermione apparently recognized the writing on the envelope. "It's from my Mum." She opened it, pulled out a sheet of paper, and read. "They're not very happy about not seeing much of me this summer, especially since they agreed to have the house connected to the Floo network." She looked at Ron. "Um... we're invited to dinner Thursday."

"Who's... um, we?" Ron asked.

"The two of us."

"Er... wouldn't you like a little time with just your parents?" Ron asked nervously.

"Maybe invited was the wrong word." Hermione waited until Ron met her gaze. "We are expected for dinner Thursday."

"How can Ron Weasley be afraid of meeting with two Muggle dentists, after defeating a fully grown mountain troll in his first year to save the fair maiden?" Ginny asked, eyes shining.

"Not quite," Hermione muttered quietly.

"Think it might have something to do with... er, dating... their daughter? Their only child?" Harry asked with a grin.

"I thought it was well past that point," Ginny said with a smirk.

"The Grangers are very nice people," Molly said, looking at Hermione's hand after giving Harry and Ginny a disapproving look. "You certainly should spend some time getting to know them better if you and Hermione are serious."

Ron nodded reluctantly as Ginny asked Hermione, "Are you going to wear the Rock of Gibraltar when you go?"

Hermione looked at Ron and waited.

"I meant what I said, Hermione. Wear your ring. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." A moment later he continued quietly, "I want it to be longer than just until Thursday night."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco found himself pining for the comparatively luxurious accommodations of the Concorde. He was packed - there was no other word for it - in the sixth to the last row of a plane that was apparently called a "Lockheed Tri-Star". In the section of the plane he was in, the smoke was as thick as pea soup - and he was crammed in the middle seat of five. On his left was a large Muggle woman, who might be diplomatically termed "portly," who overflowed the armrest between the seats. She occupied all of her seat and a portion of his, and, after learning he was traveling alone, started to enumerate at great length the many risks and dangers that were lurking for a young man like him. She had apparently decided that he bore a striking resemblance to her grandson, of whom she seemed to have an unlimited supply of still photographs.

A twenty-something couple occupied the two seats to his right; they had two children sharing their seats. One looked to be a few months old, not that Draco was much of a judge of such things, and he clearly found air travel as disagreeable as Draco did. Unfortunately, this infant had far more opportunity to express his dissatisfaction. The other child, perhaps two or three years old, apparently found Draco the most fascinating thing on the plane, and had decided that his purpose in life was to make friends... which the large neighbor to his left found to be "irresistibly" cute. Meanwhile, the parents of the two children were spending most of their time arguing with the crew over the thick smoke. Technically, these seats were "non-smoking," though the smoking section began one row behind them. Unfortunately, there were no free seats anywhere in the plane: it was full.

If he had just had his wand... but no, after he had paid six prices for an inferior Yank wand, two Aurors had been waiting when he picked up his ticket. Given a choice of spending a substantial amount of time in the States as a guest of the Department of Magic for a laundry list of crimes that even the Dark Lord couldn't have managed all on his own, or of being sent home on the first available flight after giving up his imitation wand, had been an easy decision... at least until he had been joined by his seatmates. If he at least had had the wand, these wretched Muggles could have slept away the trip, and the woman to his left could have benefited from at least some temporary assistance with her diet, even if such an act did smack of an uncharacteristic altruism on Draco's part.

Then, there was the food... no, best not even think about that. He would be home soon enough.

Draco had rarely heard words sweeter than "Final Approach." It still took another twenty-five minutes before they were on the ground, and another eternity before they pulled up to the gate, and then it was wait for a third epoch for the Muggles to gather up their belongings and slowly exit the plane. At long last, he made his way up the jet-way, and made his way directly toward customs. He had no bags to claim; other than a few Yank coins and banknotes, he had nothing with him other than his passport.


The customs agent looked him over carefully, looked at his passport, and then consulted a clipboard. "There seems to be a slight problem, Mr. Malfoy. Would you come with me, please?"

Draco was led to a small room... a small room with a locked door. There were no windows, just a mirror on one side of the room. Draco dropped into the chair; there wasn't even enough room to pace in here.

Some time later the door opened and a gruff voice commanded, "Come along, boy!"

Looking up, Draco found a wand pointed at him in the hand of Alastor Moody. "I am returning to Malfoy Manor," Draco insisted. "You have no right..."

"Stow it, Malfoy. I'm not going to listen to your cheek. You can come along quietly as you are or you can go as a ferret. It's your choice for another two seconds."

Draco sullenly stood up and walked in front of the old Auror. "Just where are you taking me?"

"If it were up to me, it'd be Azkaban. You'll find out soon enough. Now, stop lollygagging."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The five young people at Grimmauld Place were gathered again in the sitting room on the fourth floor. Ron had taken quite a bit of teasing from Harry and Ginny over his upcoming visit with Hermione's parents, but then the discussion had turned more serious as Jamie started asking questions. Harry and the others described the three prophecies that Sybill Trelawney had given and told her about Harry's previous encounters with Voldemort. Harry remarked, "That first night I told you how complex all this is..."

Jamie nodded. "Is... is there any way you can show me some of this, like Madame Flamel did?'

"I can't... well, not like that," Harry said. "But maybe with a Pensieve, or maybe Madame Flamel could help."

"What's a Pensive?" Jamie asked, which led to another long explanation from Harry and Hermione.

Hermione was explaining about the different sorts of Pensieves when Jamie clutched her abdomen. Harry jumped up, but she looked up and shook her head. "I'm all right," she gasped. "It's Him. Voldemort. He's... he's happy about something." Her face blanched, and she fell back against the chair's cushions. "Oh no! No! No! No! He's just... just... killed someone"

Hermione was already talking into her communicator. Jamie stood up and blindly reached towards Harry with tear-filled eyes. He led her back to the sofa and eased her down beside him; Ginny wrapped an arm around her from the other side.

A few moments later Perenelle Apparated into the room; Ginny moved aside so she could sit beside the almost hysterical Jamie. She whispered softly to Jamie, and then took her hand. Jamie seemed to relax, but as Perenelle withdrew her hand, her face had hardened.

Perenelle looked at Harry and offered her hand to him. Harry, looking at her expression, almost hesitated before taking it.

A moment later, all the color drained from his face. "Oh God, no!"

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked worriedly.

Harry glanced at Perenelle before replying but her expression did not change. "Voldemort," he whispered. "It's more than murder. He's using Necromancy. He's..." Hermione placed her hand over her mouth as Harry's voice faded.

Perenelle stood up, then walked across the room and back again, clearly undecided. "We can't just..." Harry began.

"There is little that could be done now," Perenelle said.

"But," Jamie objected, "there... there were others...there."

Perenelle nodded slowly. "I do not believe they are at immediate risk, though I am unsure what we could do in any case. Voldemort's stronghold would be well defended, and if we were to attack now, under truce..."

"How can Voldemort..." Hermione asked.

"We don't know the circumstances," Harry said bitterly. "This may be nothing more than an attempt to provoke us into doing something."

"I do not think so," Perenelle said thoughtfully. "I do not believe Voldemort was aware of reaching Jamie. Jamie, would you and Harry accompany me to Hogwarts? I would rather not attempt to bring Brian here, and he must be told."

Jamie took her cue from Harry and nodded. "Make sure you have your wands and spares," Harry said. "We don't know where this could lead. Ron, let your Mum know what we're doing."

"All of us?" Ron asked.

Looking toward Perenelle and seeing no objection, he replied, "All of us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Portkey took them to the anteroom outside Dumbledore's office. Perenelle indicated they were to wait there while she entered the office. Harry could hear the sound of soft voices, but could not make out what was said. A few moments later the door opened and Perenelle motioned them in. Nicholas was already seated in the furthest of a circle of chairs surrounding the large desk. There was a large stack of parchments on the desk, but there was no sign of Dumbledore.

Perenelle motioned for them to sit; they did, and waited. Harry could hear someone moving in the room he knew was Dumbledore's personal quarters and after several moments the Professor entered and slowly made his way to the chair behind his desk. Something was clearly wrong: Dumbledore's head was bowed, and there was no trace of the usual light in his eyes. He looked as if he had aged another hundred years.

Dumbledore settled into the chair behind his desk and looked at Perenelle, then at Harry. "Tell me what has happened."

Perenelle described what Jamie had seen, going into enough detail that both Ginny and Hermione looked distinctly green around the gills. As she finished, Dumbledore closed his eyes, and after a long pause said, "Contact Kingsley Shacklebolt, and ask that Aurors be dispatched to the Trelawney estate in Cornwall, and to Godric's Hollow, at once. I fear it may already be too late."

Perenelle and Nicholas nodded as Dumbledore rose and walked unsteadily back to his chamber. Hermione waited until Dumbledore had left the room, and then said, "I don't understand."

"Their graves," Harry said dully. "He's worried that Voldemort has robbed the graves. He would need some part of their remains." Hermione still looked confused.

Perenelle rose and motioned for them to follow as Nicholas walked to the fireplace and called Shacklebolt. She led them out of the office and down the spiral staircase. When they reached the hallway, Ginny asked, "What was wrong with Professor Dumbledore?"

"He unsealed Cassandra's chamber earlier this evening," Perenelle replied. "It has been quite difficult for him. At this point, I see little more you can do here. Since Jamie cannot yet Apparate, I will make a Portkey to return you..."

"Wait," Harry said. "I... I need to know what we're up against. You said there were books here."

Perenelle nodded. "Though they are copies, and incomplete. It is a complex, but not overly difficult, process to restore the body. However, the process of returning the spirit, or Ka, to the body and animating it have been lost, if they were ever known. It is this that Voldemort believes he has discovered, or found."

"You can't... that's impossible," Hermione objected. "Death is final; an absolute."

Ginny had taken Harry's hand as Perenelle replied, "All mortals--wizards and Muggles--have long sought another answer. There are legends that say a few--a very few--did indeed find it. That is what Voldemort has long sought. I do not know if it is possible, but there is little doubt that this is what Voldemort seeks. Come. I will take you to the scriptorium."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry and Hermione sat side by side at the massive table, Hermione's finger hovering over the ancient tome as she tried to make sense of what she was reading. Harry had found it difficult to follow the language used in the book at Grimmauld Place; and in this far older tome, he could pick out a word here and there, but little more. Hermione seemed to be able to stumble her way through it; she was slowly translating it, one sentence at a time.

The woodcuts and illustrations, on the other hand, were perfectly clear. It had been difficult for both of them initially, particularly Hermione; but after they had worked through several pages, it no longer seemed to affect them quite so much. Harry wasn't sure this was a good thing.

Perenelle had led them to the Hogwarts library, and to their surprise and Hermione's complete astonishment, she had walked up to one of the inner walls and had done something. A section of the wall slid aside; and beyond, a stairway led downwards. Perenelle led them down for quite a ways; Harry was certain they were far underground. They finally emerged into a large room, holding many shelves of books and with a small open area dominated by a large oak table. The space was cramped; Perenelle had suggested to Ron and Ginny that they might better use their time showing Jamie around the castle. Ron seemed quite eager to comply, as he'd muttered something about "going nutters over more bloody books."

Hermione, however, had been entranced with this unknown treasure trove of rare and legendary tomes... at least until they had begun to peruse the first of the two volumes Perenelle brought them, Le Grand Grimoire. Perenelle had watched them for several minutes; and then she, too, had left, saying she would return.

"I think this is all we'll get out of this one, Harry," Hermione said as she closed the hinge-bound tome. This page seems to be the beginning of something else entirely. The text just ended mid-sentence. Something's missing, maybe several pages."

"Madame Flamel said they were incomplete." Harry nodded toward the other huge volume. "Shall we?"

Hermione carefully opened the huge volume. "Harry, this is one of the volumes that Olaus Wormius transcribed in 1487!"

"Who?"

"He was a Dominican priest. He was secretary to Tomas de Torquemada."

"I didn't expect the Inquisition." Harry grinned.

"NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!" Hermione said as they both laughed.

"You saw it, too?" Harry asked, still smiling.

Hermione nodded and then turned the page with a grimace. "Let's get this over with."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jamie was having a much better time than Harry and Hermione were, as Ron and Ginny showed her through the castle. Ron managed to wheedle the Fat Lady into allowing them into Gryffindor Tower, "I really shouldn't, but since it's summer and the poor dear wants to see where she'll be staying, just this once..." They visited several classrooms, and Ron had intended to show her the Room of Requirement, but seeing Sirius and Lupin standing in the hall outside, they decided to explore elsewhere instead. They had just entered the entrance hall when a voice behind them drawled, "And what have we here... three Weasels prowling about? Just how many of you are there? Where are Potty and the Mudblood?"

They turned quickly, Ron and Ginny drawing their wands, and Jamie exclaimed, "Draco!"

"Lena?" It took Draco several seconds to recover enough from his surprise for his smirk to manage a shadow of itself. "But how..."

"My name's Jamie, Draco. Jamie Potter. Though I didn't know that the last time I saw you..."

"Not that you stayed around long enough for proper introductions, Malfoy," Ron said sarcastically. "For that vanishing act you did, you get ten out of ten. When the going got tough, you sure got going."

Draco ignored Ron as he looked at Jamie, "So what Potter--Harry Potter--said was true? He is your brother?"

Jamie nodded. "My real name is Jamie."

"Ignore him, Jamie," Ron said. "He's less than the dirt beneath your feet. His old man's a

low-life on the lam from the Aurors... say, Malfoy, it's a shame you didn't stick around. Ginny here, a little fourth year girl, kicked Lucius' arse; then he ran just like you did when Harry went to finish him off."

"I wasn't talking to you, Weasel," Draco growled. "Leave my father out of this." He turned towards Jamie again. "You've made some unfortunate choices in your associates... but I'd still like to talk to you for a moment."

"That isn't happening, Malfoy," Ginny said. "Why don't you crawl back under whatever rock you were under..."

"No, let's settle this," Ron said menacingly. "Show me much you learned from Umbridge last year, Malfoy. Draw your wand."

"You're not worth my time, Weasel. It'll be a cold day in hell before I show you or your lot anything."

"Like how you got home on your own, Malfoy?" Sirius said, as he, Lupin and Chris entered the entrance hall. "You know, it was Harry's money that got your wretched carcass back home. I reckoned we owed Cissy that much, even if she hasn't wised up enough yet to realize you're as much of a prat as Lucius is."

"This isn't finished," Draco said to Ron, as he spun around and walked towards the entrance to the dungeons.

"He means he hasn't got a wand," Sirius said to Draco's departing back. Then, a few moments later, he asked, "Just what are the lot of you doing here?"

Ron nodded towards the direction Draco disappeared and then said, "Oh, Harry and Hermione are in the library. Madame Flamel brought us."

"Harry wasn't anywhere near the Room of Requirement, was he?"

"No," Ginny replied.

"Good. We were just heading back to Headquarters," Sirius said, grinning. "Looks like we got a place for the party. Now I've got to figure out how to get them here."

"Huh?" Ginny and Ron asked.

"Oh, sorry, just thinking out loud. Look, be careful. Malfoy doesn't have a wand right now, but be on your guard. He's a dodgy little bugger. I suppose we'll see the lot of you later."

They exchanged farewells, and Ginny suggested heading back toward the Library. Before reaching it, they met Harry, Hermione, and Perenelle walking toward them, their research complete, at least for the moment. Ron started to tell them about the encounter with Malfoy, but both Harry and Hermione somehow seemed... subdued. Jamie picked up on this as well; she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Our parents' graves were undisturbed," Harry answered. "But at the Trelawney estate... Cassandra Trelawney's grave had been plundered, and the coffin was taken."


Author notes: Please review!