Harry Potter and the Ancient Order

Chpt. 27. The Order of the Phoenix

Xander shot up with a start at the sudden noise. Turning around instantly, he noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione staring at the inscription on his back. Noticing the physical state of his book, a wave of his hand instantly changed it back into the 'journal' he was always spotted writing in.

"What... how did... who are you?" asked Hermione as soon as the book transformed.

"It's my spell book," Xander stated in a quite unsettling matter-of-fact tone as he readjusted his shirt to cover his back.

"But, Muggles can't do magic," Ron prompted. All three stared at Xander as if scandalized.

"No, they can't," said Xander. "Please, have a seat. I'll answer all your questions if you'll allow me the time to speak".

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all gave each other sidelong glances, wondering if seating themselves would put them at some sort of disadvantage. Xander seemed to notice this slight hesitation, and poured three flasks of whiskey for them and seated himself opposite all three. They took the gesture of good faith and sipped their flasks, wondering where to start.

"Surely, you've noticed my irritableness anytime someone so much as glanced at my journal. As I've said, it is in truth my spell book, and is quite precious to one such as myself. Any attempt by anyone without my skill to read its contents will cause the reader to go insane."

"But, how can-", started Harry, but Xander held up a hand to stop him.

"Please, let me have my say, I promise to you all that I'll do my best to leave all questions unanswered. Now, one of my order writes all he knows of his skill in his or her own spell book. They must be referenced frequently, for if the knowledge goes unused, it is forgotten to the holder and must be re-learned. You can imagine the time it would take to re-learn everything you know."

"Re-learn what?" asked Harry. This just wasn't making sense. What knowledge did Xander have that was so precious as to render intruders insane?

Xander looked intently at Hermione. "Have you not yet noticed the telltale signs? Surely one of your capabilities," at this, he nodded to the invisibility cloak, resting forgotten on the chair next to Harry, "would find the resources needed. I'm a mage."

"A mage?" asked Ron in awe. Hermione seemed flabbergasted, while Harry truly wondered if everyone in the room was still speaking English. Harry now resented his seclusion from the wizarding world more than ever. Why had the term never been brought up before now?

Xander looked to Harry, noticed his confusion, and explained. "A mage is different from a wizard. Sure, we can use wands, but only if we enchant them personally. We draw our power from our own energies. Our own life force, if you will. Have any of you ever studied Einstein?"

At this comment, an alarm seemed to have awakened Hermione from her peculiar silence. "Of course!" she exclaimed. "Where else can they draw that much power from! No wonder you never use magic in class. You'd be exhausted in minutes!".

Harry and Ron just stared at Hermione, who seemed to get rather huffy at having to explain herself. "See," she began, "Humans only use roughly ten percent of their brain. No one knows what the other 90 percent is used for, other than your basic motor skills and nerve functions. Einstein theorized that if humans ever reached a point in evolution that they could use their entire brain, meaning all 100 percent of it, that their bodies would cease to exist, or no longer be needed, and that a person would be total energy. They wouldn't need a body. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only change form."

"But what does that have to do with Xander using magic," wondered Harry. He had always done rather well in Muggle schools, before Hogwarts. He just couldn't make the connection between brain usage and magic.

"I can perform magic, but with every spell I use, it saps from my energy. Mages can use much of their brain, but not enough to have no need of a body. The magic needs a focal point to come from. The magic is part of a mage, like fingers and ears. The magic is what keeps us alive, and learning to control it is our goal. The more control we learn, the more powerful we become. That's why each spell saps our energy."

"To keep a mage from becoming all-powerful," prompted Harry. "You'd be nearly invincible." Ron seemed to be catching on, now staring at Xander with a newfound awe and respect.

"Err, that mark on your back," began Ron. "What does it mean?"

"It's the mark of my order," said Xander. "I am a mage of The Order of the Phoenix.".

This news shocked Ron to the core. "I thought that phoenix mages were only legend. Bill once told me that The Order of the Phoenix were practically bounty hunters that would put an Auror to shame." Ron now looked at Harry and stated, "You've no clue what the legends mean, much less talking with one."

"Most legends are stacked, filled in with the imaginations of others," said Xander with some irritation. "We merely encourage the lies, as it keeps our secrets safe. Bounty hunters we are not. The Order of the Phoenix are peacekeepers. We find the evil in the world, and try to correct it. Give a dark wizard new life from the pile of ash his soul has become. Though I have almost no contact with the rest of my order, I still hold their morals dear to my heart. I've been brought here by Dumbledore-"

"To find Voldemort," Harry cut in. "And marking me is the best way to find him." Ron and Hermione still flinched a little at the mention of his name. "Use me as bait, and you'll have him." Harry was now getting rather annoyed. Helping was one thing. Harry had faced Voldemort more times than any known wizard and was still breathing.

"Bait?," asked Xander. "No, I'm forbidden from putting a life in peril. One of my objectives is to guard you, Harry. Has it never crossed your mind as to why one who could not perform your brand of magic would be allowed to study here, no matter how well I performed in every aspect of magic other than spell-casting?".

This seemed to only add to Harry's annoyance. "I don't need a bodyguard." Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it directly at Xander's chest. "So you can just-"

A wave of Xander's hand and muttering of a few gibberish words later, Harry's wand disappeared from his hand and reappeared across the common room. "Now," said Xander, "you see what your in danger of. You see why Dumbledore has acted quickly. Voldemort is very near crossing your magic with mine. He can nearly use both. If he succeeds, magical law as you know it will not apply him. He'll be able to, ahh... you call it Apparating? He'll be able to appear anywhere at will, even inside Hogwarts grounds. Mages can travel by the corridors of magic with a mere thought, so it's not the same as Apparating. He will be able to put the power of my skill into a single enchanted object. He will not be bound by my weakness and will be able to use my magic without the energy loss. He'll be-"

"Invincible," chorused Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The very thought of that kind of power possessed by one so evil as Voldemort was beyond frightening. But-

"Dumbledore," stated Harry. Harry vividly recalled back to his first year at the Leaving Feast, when Dumbledore had merely to clap his hands to change all the Slytherin banners into Gryffindor banners. "I've seen him do magic without a wand. Is he a-"

"Mage?" asked Xander. "No. Non-wand magic is immensely complex, but he must still use your magic to perform it. The simplest spells in a mage's spell book require the kind of power and ability needed in your advanced magic. I believe you can conjure quite a patronus?" he asked Harry. Harry nodded. "The concentration you need to conjure that, I need to simply cast a sleeping spell, which any of my order can do after little study. All three of you can perform wandless magic when your angry or scared. You just have no control over it. Dumbledore is very intelligent and incredibly powerful magically, so he can perform your more simpler spells without a wand if he chooses."

"If you can't use a wand," began Hermione, "then how do you use your magic?"

"Mages speak the Arcane language to draw upon their energy. An incredibly difficult language to decipher, much less perfect. The first 3 or so years of a mage's study is spent mastering it. It goes beyond pronunciation. You must speak in the precise tone, rhythm, and inflection of syllables. You must believe with all your being that the spell will be cast. Any shadow of a doubt and the magic will not work. You must feel the magic flow through you before you can even begin to cast the spell. We may write a spell on a scroll to keep our minds free to memorize other spells, but even writing a scroll is difficult. You must have proper spelling. Proper capitalization. Proper penmanship. The slightest lean in a "t" or the most minute imperfection in an "o" and the scroll is worthless. The power of the word is our power of our magic. Every piece of the word is important. We must leave no detail overlooked."

"You said you can use a wand if you enchant it yourself," said Ron. "Why not do that to use our magic?"

"Many have tried," sighed Xander. "In order to enchant an object, we must put some of our own energy into it. Only so much energy can be added. Once the energy is used up, the object my be enchanted again, which uses more of our energy. We may make certain spell properties permanent, but they are so minor that they're usually used for a manner of convenience than anything else. Magically transporting yourself up one hundred flights of stairs is much more convenient than climbing them. A wand we enchant can be used for only one spell."

"Why can't you use one of our wands?" wondered Harry aloud. "If you're magical and our wands are magical..."

"I am not magical. My body is a keeper of magic. I know its sounds like I just contradicted myself," shrugged Xander, noting the confused looks on the trio's faces, "but there is a difference. You three are magical in essence. It is in your blood. My body is merely a place for the magic to rest, waiting to be released. A mage's body holds so much magic that it interferes with the magic of your wand if used. Two conflicting magical powers in contact with each other have disastrous results. Have you ever seen what happens when you pour hot water on someone who has frostbite? You'd think that the hot water would defrost the skin, but instead the skin blisters and melts right off the bone."

"Then how can Voldemort use both powers?" asked Harry. If Voldemort would melt into a pool of pus, shouldn't he be encouraged to pursue?

Xander lit a cigarette and delayed in answering, trying to think of the proper way to word his response. "Voldemort is one of the most intelligent beings to have existed. Equal, if not surpassing Dumbledore. He is also one of the most magically gifted, again possibly surpassing Dumbledore. Voldemort has found powers within himself that no wizard knew existed. He has created spells that would re-write the laws of magic if any were brave enough to study them. Powers that sap the power from others. Abilities that easily put rulership of the world within his grasp. He has gone so deep into Dark magic that I highly doubt he may ever be human again."

"But how can-" Harry began again, but this time Xander cut him off.

"Despite all of his strengths, he has several key weaknesses. First, he truly believes that if a power doesn't come from within, it's not power. He has been taught and has studied believing that the extent of your power goes only as far as your natural abilities. He has overlooked the fact that some of his own spells have expanded on his natural abilities, figuring that all they've done is extend his life, not his power. He's very near realizing his error."

"How near?" prompted Hermione. The revelation of Voldemort's intelligence as well as Xander's incredible knowledge was quite humbling for her, but she was eager to offer her own cleverness wherever she could.

"Days? Years? There's no sure way of knowing," stated Xander with a shrug and a drag on his cigarette. Harry wasn't sure which was more disturbing; Xander's answer or his calm, steady manner of answering. Thank the stars Xander's on our side, thought Harry.

"You mentioned You-Know-Who had several weaknesses," said Ron. "What else is there?" Ron was still have trouble using Voldemort's proper name.

"Voldemort does not understand the power of love. From love comes unconditional loyalty, something Voldemort has none of. He demands it from his Death Eaters, but does not return it. He does not believe that the Death Eaters are as much a danger to him as an asset. They come to Voldemort in search of power, only to serve in fear. Even his closest followers know that as soon as they become expendable, they're done for. They all knew that there was a chance that he survived his attack on Harry, but how many went to look for him? A small group, which turned out to only be able to follow orders, not act on initiative. They were caught by their own stupidity. See Dumbledore's plan and why it can work?"

"Eliminate You-Know-Who, eliminate the brain. With him gone, the Death Eaters can't match Dumbledore, not on their own, anyway," prompted Hermione. "So simple, so logical, yet so brilliant." Hermione never failed to amaze Harry. She could always find the answer buried in a sea of question.

"And lastly?" said Harry. He wondered what else could possibly left.

"He doesn't understand the power of the word. To him, words are what's needed to make a spell work. He understands what they mean, he understands about pronunciation, he understands everything you can study. He does not understand their power. He doesn't believe that the wrong order, the wrong phrase can rip his life right from his body. It can rip the magical ability right from him, leaving him what he despises most... a Muggle. Poetic justice: the power of the word. The use of magic could make him a Muggle."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were only beginning to comprehend the science behind magic. They weren't sure they understood everything Xander just told them, let alone that they could be of any help. Once again, Xander answered their unspoken questions.

"Everyone can be of some help. You have a power that all humans share, wizard or Muggle. You have free will. You may decide what you do. You have choices. The choices you make determine who you are. You must choose between what's easy and what's right. That is when your true self comes out."

Harry felt as though he were taken back in time. Those were Dumbledore's exact words at the Leaving Feast last year. Harry wondered exactly who said them first. Xander merely smiled at Harry.

"You're right to learn from Dumbledore. He's a very wise man," said Xander. How does he do that? wondered Harry in frustration. Is anything I think safe from him?

Again, Xander smiled. "You're eyes are the reflection of your mind. Learn to read them and you have an advantage over all you meet."

"If I may ask," started Hermione, "why you don't have contact with your order anymore?"

Xander exhaled as if he knew this question would come up, but was hoping it wouldn't. His eyes still closed he lit another cigarette and smoked it in silence for a few moments.

"My order pride themselves on their accomplishments. You must pass a test before being accepted. If you fail the test, you die," said Xander. Harry felt his spine shiver as Xander continued. "Because of my abilities at such a young age, I was given a test that had yet to be passed. I had to seek out an evil person, not necessarily a mage or a wizard, and give him a chance at redemption, without using our magic. All who took up the task before me chose a person who was violent and murderous in nature. All were killed within minutes.

"The person I chose acted on ideals he believed to be true. Others carried out his tasks in blind faith. Rebuking the free will of others is one of the most evil thing a person can do. His followers were little more than zombies, believing what bullshit he told them without question or evidence. I succeeded in turning him into a productive member of society. He helped us for years. I was given full admission into the Order of the Phoenix. Not two weeks afterwards, he betrayed the world. My admission into the order was widely questioned. Some thought that I had conned my way in, struck a deal to convince the order of my success.

"It was already determined that I had passed my test, so they couldn't very well give me the exact same one. Nor could they simply remove me from my standing. I was, however, given a similar test, with one small detail changed. I am here, as my primary objective, to defeat Lord Voldemort. I may use my magic, but I may not do Voldemort harm myself. The head of my order has deemed that completion of this task will remove all doubt from my admission."

"The Russians," said Harry. "You helped them, didn't you?"

Xander smiled. "Yeah. I wasn't supposed to. The Fall of Communism ring a bell?"

"You caused the Fall of Communism?" said Hermione disbelievingly.

"Caused? No, no," said Xander. "I only... helped bring it along. To this day, I wonder why nobody's questioned why it came about so quickly after about a hundred years or so of steadfast loyalty."

"So they know you're a mage?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, they know," said Xander, now rubbing his eyes. "They're the only ones outside a certain group who know.

"Isn't it dangerous for so many people to know?" asked Ron.

"They've all taken a life-oath," Xander told him. When Ron gave a questioning look, he continued. "Should any of them decide to reveal my secret, they'd be dead before they finished the second word."

"So you want the same from us?" said Harry, dreading the answer to this question.

Xander only smiled. "I think I can trust you three. I knew I'd have to tell you, but this wasn't the way I'd have chosen to tell you. You weren't supposed to know yet, not until after the Quidditch tournament ended. And no, before you ask, Alicia doesn't know yet. I'll be telling her soon, as soon as I can trust her family."

They sat in silence, Xander waiting for more questions, and Harry trying to think of more. Hermione asked first.

"People go insane when they read your journal," she said. "That German guy at the Opening Feast-"

"Found my journal in its spellbook state," finished Xander. "When I went on that... drunken bender," he said with utter distaste, "It fell out of my pocket when I passed out, and I forgot all about it until I heard him after it was too late." He sighed heavily. "I've paid every day since for causing his insanity. The pain in my bullet wound will not cease until the day I die."

At that moment, the quartet heard a sound coming downstairs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all tried to look as innocent as possible, when Ginny appeared from the dorms. She stopped and looked at them, then at the table where Xander's spell book had rested, having now disappeared.

"Ginny!", exclaimed Ron. "What are you doing down here? Shouldn't you be sleeping? It's late-"

"It's breakfast," stated Ginny. All three of them checked Harry's watch and realized that they had talked all through the night. With horror, they looked at each other, wondering how to explain their staying up all night and if they would be able to sleep.

"We were talking Quidditch, Ginny," said Xander, thankfully breaking the tense silence. "What to do should we manage to fall behind. Do you have any suggestions? We can add them to our list," continued Xander pulling out a rather large and full roll of parchment, leaving Harry to wonder where it came from.

"Err, no thanks, I think maybe just a bite and then to the library." She seemed rather flustered at being addressed directly by Xander, and Harry, looking expectantly at Ginny, added to her uneasiness. She quickly exited to the Great Hall, and all three whipped their heads around to question Xander about the parchment.

Xander brandished the mysterious roll, with a rather devilish grin. It was one of Fred and George's order forms, with the more interesting items checked off. "Now, if you three trust me," he stared rather pointedly at them, prompting all three to nod slowly, " go on up to bed. I'll cast a sleep spell that will leave you feeling like you slept for a week in 2 hours. Pleasant dreams."