Purpose

~ Chapter 9: A Day Full of Surprises ~

Tuesday, 8^th August. Sirius's Hearing...

: Do I look all right? : Sirius asked Fenix.

: How would I know? I'm not an expert on how a wizard should really look like...why do you always wear black? : she asked curiously.

: What? Don't I look good in black? :

"Well, you do...but why can't you wear any other color? Dark red and emerald...you look good in those colors too, you know..." Fenix informed him, handing him his cloak.

: Remus, how does he look? : Fenix questioned Professor Lupin who was at that moment, having his second breakfast with Harry.

"Forever the peacock," he replied in a mouth full of cereal.

"Sense of style, Moony...and why haven't you replaced your wardrobe? Don't tell me you are going to Hogwarts shabbily dressed again?" Sirius asked his friend lightly.

"Do I look as if I have that much savings?" Remus snorted.

"This Diagon Alley...do they have a place for exchanging Muggle money?" Fenix asked Harry, who was looking at the adults with amusement. On Sunday morning, Ron, Hermione and himself had completed their forms, and took subjects that would be needed if they were to pursue the career path of the Aurors. Except for Hermione, as she took an extra elective on Additional Ancient Runes.

"Yes, they do," Harry replied. "Are you thinking of going down there?"

"Yes, I have to get some...witchy clothes...so in short, I'm doing some shopping..." Fenix shrugged.

"Did you bring any money?" Sirius asked, tilting his head in inquiry.

"Some..." Fenix replied evasively. "What's the exchange rate?" The three males shrugged.

"Why don't you ask Bill when he gets back from the bank?" Remus advised. Fenix agreed.

"I wonder if I should get a broomstick?" Sirius pondered, lightly scratching his chin. "If the hearing goes all right, and I'm free of all charges...I think I'll make a trip down and get me one." He gave a sidelong glance at Fenix. "Should I get one for you too?"

Fenix looked at him archly. "What on earth for?"

"So you could join them in their evening Quidditch games...as you said...we adults are seriously in need for exercise. This is a good way to do it, right?" Sirius explained.

Fenix's face took on a thoughtful expression. Remus looked incredulously at Sirius. "Are you sure you have enough money, Sirius?" he asked dubiously.

"Don't worry about that, he could always change a bit of my Muggle money..." Fenix replied in a distracted manner.

: Sirius, if there's some leftover money after the broomsticks, get him some clothes...don't tell it's from me though...get him gray...he doesn't seem much comfortable in brighter colors... :

: Whatever...where is your Muggle money? : he asked, looking slyly at Remus. The werewolf shot a suspicious look at the Black and the woman.

: It's already in that pocket... : Fenix replied. They heard a crack coming from the kitchen.

"Well, that must be the Headmaster," Harry said cheerfully, picking up his bowl and went out of the room.

"Off you go then." Fenix tiptoed to give him a kiss on the cheek and a brief hug. "You do look smashing in black."

: Be careful Sirius, : Remus said softly.

: I will, take care of the rest while I'm gone. :

: Keep your eyes open, brother. You'll have bodyguards by the way...so don't be surprised if you see the Salamanders and the Sylphs. They're acting as my eyes anyway, : Fenix informed her oathbrother.

They met Professor Dumbledore and Fenix lifted her right eyebrow in amusement. She chuckled lightly under her breath. The Headmaster was richly dressed in azure clothes that highlighted an impression of venerability on the aged wizard.

"It's a good thing you dressed up, Padfoot," Remus said, examining the Headmaster form head to toe.

Dumbledore spoke up, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Minerva's waiting for us at the Ministry." The Headmaster paused then peered down at Remus. "You look much better by the way. I assume this is because of Fenix's hand at Healing?" His eyes rested at Fenix's face and smiled when she nodded. "Shall we go and start scandalizing?" he asked jovially and Sirius gave a wide grin and the two wizards Disapparated out of The Burrow.

"Well, that leaves me free for the rest of the afternoon." Fenix sighed in relief, and looked dreamily at the garden.

"What are you planning to do?" Harry asked her.

"I'm planning to put my hands under some dirt," she stated. "There you are," she called out when she finally spotted Mrs. Weasley. "My fingers are itching for something to do, does your garden need any help?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at the Fire Master with pleasure and almost purred. "Yes, you could...if you don't mind doing a little bit of weeding too?"

Fenix chuckled and shook her head. "I miss tending my own garden...anything you wish to plant?"

Mrs. Weasley frowned. "You could help plant some tomato seeds. They failed to grow last year."

Fenix shrugged then ran up the stairs to change into a more appropriate gear for outdoor work. She hurried down the stairs and halted before Remus and Harry. "And what will you two be doing?"

"What else?" Harry grinned mischievously as he held out his Firebolt.

"Oh, okay then. But be careful about..." Fenix stopped and grinned when both males rolled their eyes in exasperation. She gave a silvery laugh and went to the garden.

**********

Cornelius Fudge stared darkly at both wizards. Mr. Weasley hurried forward to congratulate Sirius.

"That is all, Cornelius. I have to go back to the School. Minerva?" Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"I'm coming. By the way Sirius, tell the students that they will receive their reply by Friday," Professor McGonagall told the man.

: Great! Are you going to get the brooms? : Fenix's mindvoice reached him and he was surprised that her range was so great.

: Yes, I think. Oh, Bill's here, that's great! What are you doing anyway? :

: I'm still doing some gardening, : she replied impishly.

: I wouldn't take that long to shop, so you could expect me in three hours' time. :

: Okay! See you then. :

"So, Sirius," Bill began, as Fudge left them in a hurry, "what are you going to do now?"

"Well...I was thinking of making a trip down to Diagon Alley and get a broom...and surprises for the kids and Remus..." Sirius's face lighted up cheerfully.

"And Fenix too, I take it?" Bill asked slyly. Several wizards and witches hung around the gallery to listen to their conversation.

"Who is Fenix?" Bill heard several of them whisper.

"Ah... Sirius..." Mr. Weasley said quietly, giving those whom lurked in the background a sidelong smile, "why don't you and Bill quickly Apparate out of here before the gallery's filled with the reporters?"

"They seem to be crowding on a bit," Sirius agreed and slyly smiled. "Shall we?" he lifted an eyebrow in inquiry.

"We're gone, Dad! See you at home later!"

CRACK!

"Damn!" Rita Seeker swore. "Who is this Fenix anyway?"

**********

"They're back!" Ginny squealed with delectation. Harry swerved his Firebolt to meet up with the Apparated Bill and Sirius and was astonished at the number of packages of shopping items and landed gracefully before his godfather.

"These are for you kids; color codes your presents. I believe yours is emerald. Check on the back to see what's written," Sirius paused as he struggled to balance two packages and what could only be a broomstick. Two broomsticks in fact. "I could be wrong."

Remus was the second one to land followed by Ron, Hermione and Ginny. "You met up with Sirius?" Ron asked his brother.

"Kind of...I knew he would want to visit and shop for several things and trust me...this man knows how to shop." Bill shook his head in plain disbelief.

"I recommend you to stop by the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes..." Sirius spoke up and shook his head helplessly as he accidentally dropped both brooms on his feet. "This one is a belated birthday gift," Sirius said, handing a parcel to Harry and he continued his previous sentence. "Their interior decor is damn superb..."

"Sirius got these for you," Bill said, handing Remus two overlarge packages. The werewolf gave a dark look at his friend.

"Those are also belated birthdays' gifts for you," Sirius explained patiently. He looked around for Fenix and frowned slightly in concentration.

: I'm home... :

: Hang on a moment, I'm changing clothes, : she replied. The youths were inspecting the goodies that Sirius had bought for them and the three adults were discussing on Sirius's hearing softly.

"Fudge wasn't too pleased about what I said about the Dementors, and he's even more acrimonious when the panel agreed on Dumbledore's account. The Ministry's in knee-deep with a lot of troubles now that the Death-Eaters have escaped from Azkaban," Sirius said softly, but additionally giving Harry a silent account.

"All of them got free?" Remus whispered in alarm.

"Yes, and now we got more than just the Dark Lord to worry about...we're talking about lunatics..." Sirius said, then his voice trailed off when one of the broomsticks, still covered in its brown packaging zoomed off. It halted just inches away from an astonished Fenix.

"I really thought that this thing was seriously going to hit me between my eyes," she gulped, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Can I unwrap this?" Ron offered and she nodded. Those who had stayed behind The Burrow took several sharp breaths as they looked at Fenix's hovering broom, free of its wrappings.

"The shopkeeper was right; the broom only goes to whom it belongs," Sirius mused and chuckling a little at Ron's stupefied face.

"Bloody hell, Sirius...this is such an expensive broom, the latest..." Ron whispered, as if he could not believe his eyes. "And there's only one of it..."

"What's it called?" Harry peered curiously at the broom, made of the darkest wood he had ever seen and was austere except for what seemed like a dagger that really stood out against the sable background.

"This is the Ice Dagger...superb steering actions. This broom is made to endure the most treacherous weather, incredibly light and its speed is unbelievable. And as Sirius had mentioned, only the person who truly owns it will be able to ride it... I hope you'll appreciate this broom Fenix...It is its only kind..." Ron stared at the broom with awe.

"The way you're talking, Ron, makes me feel as if I've got a palm-sized diamond in my possession," Fenix spoke up in a strained voice. "No, Sirius...I do not want to know how much this had cost me," she said firmly, then paid full attention to the Ice Dagger. All right lovely...let's see how you take to me, she thought silently and held out her hands, palms facing the sky. To everyone's surprise, it obeyed her will, hovering in mid air and gently landed on her palms. An electric shock coursed through her, from the broom and back. After a moment, it ceased and out of her wary nature, she began Looking for possible trap-spells and jinxes. All was clear.

"It's magnificent," she approved, feeling its weight in her hands.

"That isn't all, I've got a Broomstick Servicing Kit and clothes for you, and I want to see you in them. Hermione and Ginny will help you." Sirius said, grinning in satisfaction and headed back in to The Burrow.

**********

"Sirius does have a keen sense of fashion, doesn't he?" Ginny whispered, not in sarcasm but in awe as they helped Fenix dress up in a sorceress robe of Prussian blue that goes well with her tanned complex and black hair.

"Yes...whoever would have thought that a man could have a fine taste of colors? The design on the robe actually suits her nature..." Hermione replied absently then suddenly shrieked when combs and an assortment of hair accessories suddenly appeared, dancing about in the air.

"Don't panic, girls. It's just my group of Salamanders playing with my hair...and don't you guys dare put any make-up on me!" Fenix sighed plaintively.

"Okay...but could we just add mascara to your eyelashes?" a soft musical voice requested wistfully.

"Whatever..." Fenix closed her eyes in despair. It was a good ten minutes when they were done with her.

"And don't you even smirk," Fenix said warningly at the girls.

"Man...she looks...no words Fenix...I think I'm turning green with jealousy here," Ginny said in a hushed voice. Then a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Have Sirius, or Remus of...Harry ever told you of a Slytherin boy named--"

"Draco Malfoy?" Fenix tilted her head, and gave a sly grin. "Yes... I have...why?"

"Just imagine...you dressed up so girl-like...and a few hints that you don't know anything about wizard magic...and then you change into your Hunter mode in front of everyone...Just imagine that..." Ginny slowly turned to Hermione, who was slowly starting to grin devilishly.

"You girls are so wicked. I wonder if it would work..." Fenix mused, absently toying with a lock of her black hair. She too, began to grin in a conspiratorial manner.

: Fenix! What's taking you so long? : Sirius complained.

: I'm done! I'm done! : She turned to the two young girls. "Well, girls...we'll fine-tune this plan of ours later..." Fenix said as she opened the door and walked down the stairs, taking care not to step on the hem of her robe.

: Hah! : Silver snorted contemptuously in her mind. : Plan first. Then you can fine-tune it. :

"Fenix! Let us go first!" the girls squeezed so that they were ahead to present her to the company waiting for them at the living room.

"Professor Lupin!" Ginny started. "Behold: your assistant, the Fire Master!" Ginny announced.

: Brace yourself, Moony. I have the feeling that she got herself closeted by her Elementals, : Sirius cautioned.

: What do you mean? : Remus looked questioningly at his friend.

: Just watch, : Sirius said with a demented grin.

"My goodness!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed in surprise. "And Sirius was the one who chose the clothes for her?" she looked at her eldest son. She stared at Sirius in disbelief when Bill enthusiastically nodded. "Impossible! I thought all men are color-blind!"

"It's hard to believe right, mom?" Ginny agreed with her mother, and grinned at the faces watching Fenix, except for Sirius who was looking intently at her.

"Do you feel comfortable in that?" Sirius asked her seriously, as he studied her.

"Yes, but I think I'll only wear these when I'm sure that I'll be stuck indoors."

"What do you think?" Sirius asked Remus, who was staring dazedly at her.

"I think he thinks it's very nice on you," Sirius answered for his speechless friend. "Next one," he instructed, taking a chair and positioned it directly at the center of the room and sat down on it.

"What happened to her hair?" Harry asked in amazement.

"As far as I know, her Elementals like to doll her up when they get a chance to, and she never fought with them," his godfather explained. "But I think she secretly loves their attention."

: You are going to get yourself into trouble if she heard that, : Silver remarked.

"Let's just forget my previous sentence," Sirius replied nervously. Ron muffled his laughter. Remus meanwhile took the opportunity to unwrap his package.

"Oh good, go on and change," Sirius approved then toyed absently with a Chocolate Frog. "I hope it fits you."

Remus emerged first with his fresh clothes that of a dark gray. Sirius had given him four sets of robes, one black, and three of various shades of gray. Sirius eyed him carefully.

"I guess I hadn't lost my knack in getting you clothes of a suitable size...good...you look good...this time the students will be able to look at you seriously. Just make sure you don't wear these new ones when you're turning into a werewolf."

Fenix gave Remus the once-over in his new robes. As I had expected, he looks good in dull colors...teal...yes...he suits with that color...

"Wicked, Fenix...you look wicked..." Ron uttered in amazement.

"Merlin...she almost looks like Sirius..." Harry breathed. "Are you sure she isn't your real sister?" he asked, his voice shaded with amazement as he looked back at his godfather.

Sirius chuckled with pleasure. Fenix was now dressed in black starting with black dragon-hide boots, black leather pants and shirt and a good black wizard cloak and her black hair was braided.

"Do I really, absolutely have to wear the cloak?" Fenix asked mildly.

"You should," Ron and Harry said at once. "I would really like to see Draco's mother's face when she sees you and Sirius together."

"Take off the cloak," Sirius asked her and she complied. Harry's eyes bulged out when she did.

"Now she looks very much like an assassin," Harry said softly, as he looked at the Fire Master clad in black leather. The shirt was short-sleeved and Harry could see her muscles in the tight-fitting garment.

"Thank you, Harry," Fenix said with a slight smile.

"That wasn't meant to be a compliment..."

"I know."

Sirius suddenly snapped his fingers and exclaimed. "Gloves! That's what's missing!"

"So the gloves were meant to go with these?" Hermione asked, waving her hand at Fenix.

"Yes!" Sirius answered and narrowed his eyes in anticipation.

"What are you up to, Sirius?" Remus asked suspiciously.

"Trust me. Come and stand beside me, you too," Sirius said to Ginny. Hermione quickly trotted down the stairs and handed Fenix's the pair of gloves then went straight to Ron, who unconsciously held her by the waist.

Fenix smiled crookedly at Sirius as she slipped on the gloves that fitted her hands nicely; already his game was identified. Well, maybe I shall amuse him and the rest of them. She held out her right hand and her sword materialized out of the air, bringing out gasps of surprise from the audience. Then she brought her sword up and gave a salute to Sirius.

"Now, what have you people understood?" Sirius asked them, his eyes staring intently at his oathsister's unique pair of eyes.

"Oh my God!" Hermione gasped. "How could I have missed this?" She was looking at Fenix with mingled expressions of horror and reverence.

"Hey...calm down..." Ron soothed her.

"I've read about her!"

"What?" several people exclaimed at once. Sirius looked calmly at the rest of them.

"Hermione, what are you saying?" Harry demanded crossly.

"It was during our fourth year, I was feeling bored one afternoon, so I took a trip down to the library. The book was entitled The Legacies of the Ancients by Julian Mingleweeve."

"Hang on," Bill halted Hermione before she could rattle on. "I think I have a copy in my room. Let me get it."

: Is Hermione a human being or is she a walking encyclopedia? : Fenix asked Sirius, her amusement coloring her mindvoice yellow.

Bill came back down with a thick book, black and gold banded.

"It's under chapter fifty-one entitled Legend and Fact, page seven hundred and ninety-three," Hermione said helpfully. "There's a picture on the next page."

: Interesting, she even had the chapter and pages memorized. : Fenix looked impressed at the young woman's memory.

Remus went and stood next to Bill, both of them holding up the book. The subtitle 'The Avenger' caught his eye and he heard Bill took a sharp intake of breath. Remus looked at the next page and felt his skin prickled when he saw the picture.

"Shocking resemblance, isn't it?" Sirius asked casually. Hermione hung back with Sirius, as Ginny, Ron and Harry crowded about the book.

"Dragon's teeth!" Harry swore. Sirius was right. The resemblance was totally uncanny. Her posture's even similar to the one in the book!

"There's only one way to know if what the book says was...or maybe is true," Hermione said in a shaky voice.

"Really? What?" Bill asked.

"The sword," Fenix answered, with her face impassive though her eyes twinkled outrageously.

"I have an idea," Mrs. Weasley suddenly said, snatching the book and went out.

The rest curiously trailed after her, with Fenix, Sirius and the wolves taking the rear.

: You don't really strike me as a bookworm, : Fenix looked obliquely at her oathbrother.

: You'll be surprised. So you do have a background on our form of Magick. :

: Not really. It was so far back that I might as well say I've forgotten all of it. Your way of magic is somewhat...I think the term is medieval...the reason why you have wands and restrictions...and rules is because wizards and witches don't really approve of spontaneous magic. :

Out in the field, Mrs. Weasley had placed the book down on the ground and muttered, "Engorgio." Only when she was satisfied that the book had increased to an appropriate size, did she stopped the spell with a flick of her wand.

Fenix nodded her approval and she set her sword next to the sword in the picture, being very careful not to scratch the book. Ginny and Hermione took off their shoes and scrambled up the enormous book. About twenty minutes later, Hermione, in a shaky voice, announced that Fenix's sword was identical.

"'The sword bears the mark of the maker and the maker bears the mark of the sword,'" Hermione recited and pointed at the imprint of a phoenix in flight engraved on the blade.

"Your daughter's a real odd gem," Fenix said to Mrs. Granger.

"She's queer, but she's useful."

"So we saw the mark of the maker on the sword, but how about the mark of the sword of the maker?" Harry questioned, still feeling a little dubious.

"You're not licensed to see that, Harry," Sirius said firmly then he turned to Fenix, her sword back in her hands and Mrs. Weasley had already reduced the size of the book to its original size. "Why don't you turn into a wolf?" he suggested.

"This might surprise you for a bit, but I am not an Animagus," Fenix cautioned as her sword disappeared and a sudden mist that came out from nowhere hindered their visibility suddenly. It dissipated to the ground and a silver-black wolf calmly stood on the spot where Fenix had been standing a few minutes ago.

"I see now why Sirius had said that," Ginny said softly. "She bears the marking of the sword on her chest." Harry's face turned red with embarrassment and peculiarly, so did the current teacher of Defense against the Dark Arts.

"You're just so full of surprises, aren't you?" Harry said, smiling slightly and Fenix returned to her human form.

"One can try," she said mischievously.

**********

They gathered in the living room after dinner as Hermione volunteered to read the short chapter aloud. The rest of the Weasley siblings informed the twins of the latest news they had discovered about the Fire Master.

"Quickly, Hermione," Fred enthused.

"Here goes..."

Chapter 51: Legend and Fact

The Avenger

This was the greatest debate ever since the start of the era of Wizards. Generally, we, meaning wizards and witches, have a much longer life span compared to normal human beings. The topmost important question to this particular debate is to find out if constant reincarnation is possible among wizards and humans alike. This particular woman (picture on the next page) is a constant puzzle to us. Legend had said she first appeared when the first murder of a wizard family occurred. Always dressed in black, she brings our childhood memories of soldiers and knights of a world far older than we do. The culprits responsible for the deaths of a pair accomplished wizard and witch, along with their three young children bearing Magick was found disemboweled in the Pit of Enuar.

"I don't think this place still exists anymore," Hermione mused and continued her narration.

And so she, whom we call The Avenger, seemed to be the sole arbitrator of unjudged crimes. Her methods of delivering justice were oftentimes clean and easy, using her sword to slit the throat of the criminals but the results were often messy if it was a band of criminals. In the Dark World, unsound wizards teamed up and set up a manhunt for this unknown Lady. Rumors reached the population that this mysterious mercenary was killed, with evidence of her body and her head, found amongst the mutilated and burnt remains of the perpetrators.

Hermione looked at Fenix, and she gulped.

"Yes, that was how I died then. It was a 'last stand' kind of situation."

Hence, the common population lived again with the monstrosity of human depravations. Until three hundred years later, a child was born in the Black family, a severe Wizarding family who believed in keeping their wizard lines pure. To their horror, referring the Blacks, at the age of thirteen, their daughter did not show any signs of Magick. Constantly plagued by their closer relations of the other wizard families, they were absolutely scandalized when their daughter turned more and more like what the non-magical people named Druids. Their daughter was constantly missing from their house to wander off to the woods.

Came an unfortunate day when her older brother came across an old photograph that had closely resembled his delinquent sister. He noticed that there was a postscript written at the bottom of the old photo 'The sword bears the mark of the maker and the maker bears the mark of the sword'. This brother had glimpsed his sister in the glade using a similar sword with agility and ease. On the first week of December, a very chilly winter with deep snow, they tried to kill the child on her birthday. But the girl was nowhere to be found. Three years later, Elderina Black, sent a letter to tell her parents that she would disown herself from the Black family and thus she lived again as The Avenger, to look after the innocent.

The Avenger had not appeared for centuries, even after the Dark Lord emerged from the slumbers of the snow drake, where her aid was sorely needed. Her return remained unknown until the Seer, Merlinda Bahowan, foretold the coming of the same child, born under the Elder tree according to the Celtic calendar. Descended from an ancient line of the Celts, bound to share an oath with one of her bloodline, to heal the Lupus, to guide The Boy that Lives. The Ancients will rise. The Phoenix will rise.

"That was pretty straightforward," Harry said in a small voice.

"How does it feel Sirius? To be bonded with your--at least a distant ancestor?" Fenix asked her oathbrother lightly.

"Well, that really means we're family." Sirius shrugged his indifference and winked at her. She gave a resonant chuckle. "I like you the way you are."

"Any more comments?" Fenix asked the group.

"None, whatsoever," Remus answered but gave Fenix an indescribable look. "We don't have to tell this information to all and sundry."

: Afraid for me, Remus? : Fenix asked him.

: What are you going to do, if I said I am? : he asked sharply, and her eyes flared in surprise.

"Well, that was one hell of a surprise," Fred said.

"I am so filled with astonishment, that surprisingly, my head is pounding," George agreed and it took everyone a moment to know that the twins were serious.

"It has been quite a day," Fenix agreed, looking tentatively at Remus. "Let's all get some rest."

**********

Lucius Malfoy was looking at Voldemort with fear.

"Why isn't Snape coming to me?" the Dark Lord hissed. "He still bears my mark...He was a good follower. Damn you, Dumbledore! Curse you!" Dozena of glasses shattered as he focused his anger on them.

"Can't we use Harry, Master?" Malfoy said in a respectful voice, head bowing as he suggested his opinion.

"No. The boy has learnt to control his emotions and his mind. He's shielding hard from me." Voldemort stopped pacing. "Get me more homeless Muggles, Lucius, I need to harvest more power."

"Yes, Master," Lucius bowed out.

Voldemort stood upon the ruins and lifted his face to the infinite black sky, lightning playing on its surface. He contemplated and brooded while the wind slammed at him in a surprising strength. He looked about him in distaste and retreated into the cabin where he still brooded.

Now that Harry's unavailable, I can't even influence his dreams... Snape is the key. I need him to strengthen the group, but how do I get him? And these killings of my Dementors. Not once have my servants uncovered the silent killers. And that Phoenix...how daring of Dumbledore to create its illusion! No matter...it is Snape I want...I will break him again if it is required of me...I will break him...