Harry Potter and Gaining Momentum

"Always did love this side of the mountains," Albus said taking a great whiff of the air and breathing deep. "It's just really relaxing."

"Headmaster, the ward," Snape said rolling his eyes at Dumbledore's antic and droning on.

"Yes Severus, I'll keep you no longer than necessary. Harry have you looked the spell over?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded. "Right then wands at the ready, Harry you use your staff."

Harry waved his hand and muttered the morphing charm and the staff grew in his hands until the shaft touched the ground and the jewel was about the height of his chin.

"Oh that is most impressive," Professor Flitwick squeaked in a delightful tone. Snape gave him a look of utter loathing.

"Yes, I was just telling him yesterday that I've never seen a staff that carried both grace and strength like his did," Dumbledore said conversationally.

"The wards," Snape reminded sneering at Harry. Dumbledore cleared his throat as if that's what it took to get his thoughts back to the work at hand.

"Right, you all know the incantation, so on the count of three men. One...two...three...,"

"RECTIS CONCEALIUS BINDIS!" the three men shouted together pointing at the wall of the ward before them. There were four blinding flashes of light at the same time, Harry and Albus' being the brightest and biggest. The staff in Harry's hand seemed to radiate with power. Harry was flushed with heat. For the first time that morning, he felt warm. He breathed a deep breath relaxing in the feeling and closed his eyes.

"Harry?" Albus said putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hmm?" he said opening his eyes and turning toward the older man. The older man took a step back.

"Harry, are you feeling alright?" the Headmaster asked.

"Better than alright. I've been oddly cold all morning and I'm finally warm, why?" he said looking at Albus strangely.

"Your eyes were a different color for a moment," Albus said slowly in thought.

"What! They weren't red were they?" he asked quickly. He knew from past experience that Voldemort possessed him if they were red.

"No, no, Gold," Albus said with his hand stroking his beard.

"He clearly has not been practicing his Occlumency," Snape sneered at him harshly.

"I don't need to practice, my walls are thick and tight; there's no reason," Harry said to Albus and refusing to let Snape rouse his temper.

"If that was true then why did your eyes flash red last night in my office when you came to ask me about Draco?" he drawled.

"I don't know, but it wasn't Voldemort. I haven't had a twinge in my scar or a bad dream in ages," he answered finally looking at Snape.

"Then the Dark Lord has found a way to get past the Occlumency without alerting you. I have to suggest isolation Headmaster. The boy could be a danger to us all," Snape said almost grinning.

"Wait, Draco said that he thought my eyes were blue for a moment last night also. Why are they turning different colors if not because Voldemort is doing it?" he asked.

"See even the boy agrees. He must be sent away until he puts his walls back up. Stronger and thicker than before," Snape said urgently.

"Send me away? Is that really necessary? Why can't I just stay in my dorm or something?" Harry asked in a pleading voice.

"Do you actually think that Voldemort couldn't get out of a measly dorm if he needed to?" Snape said rolling his eyes at Harry. Harry was looking at Albus for help, but evidently Dumbledore hadn't heard anything the two of them had said because he was so deep in thought. Actually, Harry had a feeling he'd heard, but he was just ignoring them.

"Perhaps you could test his walls Severus, just to make sure that's what it is?" Flitwick finally spoke up. "If you could get through, then surely You-Know-Who could."

"Legilimens!" Snape cried abruptly trying to catch Harry off guard, but it didn't work, actually the connection seemed to work in reverse.

A young boy was being yelled at by his father---a greasy-haired teenage boy was talking to a girl that laughed in his face and walked away---the young boy again was being approached by men in black robes and black white---the greasy-haired teenager was hanging upside down while someone who looked a lot like Harry laughed at his expense---

"Expelliarmus!" Snape finally gasped out as he fell to his knees. The spell hit Harry directly in the chest but he only stumbled while his staff morphed quicker than it ever had into its ring form and bound itself to his finger.

"So his walls are fine?" Dumbledore finally spoke up looking intently at Harry.

"More than fine, fierce," Snape's voice spat in Harry's direction. "If anyone tries to get into his mind, they will automatically be revealing their own fears to him," Snape panted and got to his feet.

"Well, you have certainly reached your master level then. It is unusual for someone so young to have such a strong mind, but being as you learned the craft as young as you did and given your experiences, I don't think we need an explanation," Dumbledore said loftily.

"So what's making my eyes changes colors?" Harry asked. "Do you think it's something bad?"

"I'll look into it and speak with Madam Pomfrey about it. Until then, let's refrain from setting up the other wards until we do figure it out. I don't want to put you in danger because of it," Albus said.

"But it didn't hurt me just now, why would it hurt me otherwise?"

"It's just a precaution Harry. Try to refrain from doing magic with your wand or your staff. If it can't be achieved wandlessly, don't do it at all. We'll put off the wards until we have a better idea of what's going on, until then, let's return to the castle," Albus said taking out the goblet and holding it at arms length so everyone could place a finger on it. The hook-in-navel pull was issued once again and they all found themselves in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts castle. The heat was gone again, and Harry was now freezing cold once more.

"Thank you for your assistance Severus, Filus," he said as he took hold of Harry's shoulder and guided him away from the other professors.

They made it up to the office without incident and Harry sat, shivering, into the chair before Dumbledore's desk.

"Cold again Harry?" Dumbledore asked looking at Harry over his half-moon spectacles.

"A bit," he lied pulling his cloak tightly around him. He was actually freezing. Though his fingers and toes weren't going numb, they felt like ice.

"Dobby!" the headmaster said in a slightly raised voice and in the next moment there was a 'pop' and Dobby the House-elf was standing between Harry and the Desk.

"What can Dobby do for Great Dumbledore Sir?!" he asked happily.

"Could you please pop over to Madam Pomfrey and request a warming potion for Mr. Potter. He's dreadfully cold," Albus said smiling down at the small creature.

"Oh! Harry Potter Sir!" Dobby squealed turning around now noticing Harry in the chair. Dobby hugged his legs before crawled up into his lap and placed his hands on either side of Harry's cheeks, efficiently averting Harry's gaze from anything but the little elves saucer green eyes. "Is Harry Potter sick sir?" he asked whispering in horror.

"Maybe just a little Dobby, no need to worry," Harry managed to get out between squeezed cheeks. Dobby looked skeptical for a moment before he climbed down and said in an important voice.

"The Great Harry Potter will not be sick on Dobby's watch sir!" Dobby said in a determine voice before he did a kind of solute and popped away.

"Another member of the Harry Potter fan club I see," Albus teased trying to keep a straight face at Harry's scowling.

"I'm sure Professor Snape would love to have heard that," Harry said as sarcastically as he could while shivering. Dumbledore gave a chuckle.

"Sir, do you think this is Voldemort's doing, or do you think it's just me?" Harry asked not meeting the Headmaster's eyes.

"I can't be sure really, what do you think? Instinct is everything sometimes," Albus prompted.

"I feel anxious, like I'm waiting for something, but it's neither a good or bad feeling," Harry said thoughtfully.

Pop!

"Harry Potter Sir!" Dobby yelled joyfully upon return. "Dobby has brought Harry Potter's medicine and some chicken soup to help warm you him up!"

"Thanks Dobby," Harry said gratefully as he gulped down the contents of the warming potion.

"If Harry Potter needs Dobby, all Mr. Potter must do is call for Dobby and he will come," Dobby said giving Harry a reprimanding look. Harry had the distinct feeling he was going to have to call sometimes for petty stuff whether he liked it or not or Dobby was going to be unbearable.

"I understand Dobby."

"Good, Harry Potter must rest too. It does not do good to walk around in the damp castle sick. Dobby will tell the other elves to make sure all the fires stay heated to keep Harry Potter from getting sicker. Good-bye Harry Potter Sir," Dobby said very hastily before leaving with another 'pop'. Dumbledore was, again, almost red in the face with suppressed laughter. Harry scowled at him again.

"Oh come Harry," Dumbledore chided lightly; "It's loyalty beyond all others. I myself have a habit of befriending those who are usually the underdogs. You'll see later in life that it is these friendships you treasure the most when in a time of need," Albus said cryptically. Harry just narrowed his eyes at the old man and went on drinking his gaping bowl of broth. He hated that twinkle. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a flash of flames and Fawkes came swooping down to the Headmaster's shoulder carrying a parchment in his golden beak.

Dumbledore took the letter from him and unfolded it reading intently. His face became grave once again and he put the letter down and looked at Harry. The old wizard's eyes were once again showing their true age as he breathed a heavy sigh.

"Another attack," he said gravely shaking his head. "Just outside Ottery St. Catchpole."

"The Weasleys," Harry said gravely going pale.

"No, no, they're fine. But the many Muggles around the area are not. There was a small school just off the main street that was seized by Dementors and all the children were affected. There was another message for you: Hope you doing well Harry Potter. The letter was from Arthur Weasley," Dumbledore said taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his gnarled hands.

"They were all kissed?" he asked, Dumbledore nodded. "How many?"

"About two hundred, much less than last time, but still too many," Albus said.

"Why is he attacking schools?" Harry said furiously as Fawkes gave a few flaps of his wings and landed on Harry's shoulders calming him.

"Why not? It is the most opportune spot is it not? Masses of Muggle children in one area, I supposed it's just too much of an opportunity for Voldemort to pass up. I am also sure he wanted you to see how close he can get to those you love," Dumbledore said shaking his head.

"I suppose so," Harry sighed as he sat back in thought. "How did you do it?"

"Do what Harry?"

"Defeat Grindelwald in 1945," he replied as if it were obvious.

"Harry, as much as people boast about that, I must say it was probably the worst day and feeling in my long life," he said slipping his glasses back on.

"Could you elaborate Professor?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I supposed I could. The initial war began when the Muggle world war two did. Grindelwald took advantage of the situation of chaos and began a reign of terror on Muggles. It was perhaps the most treacherous time I'd ever seen. The war only got worse with his influence see. Every time he would strike a group of Muggles, another group of Muggles would get suspicious or blame another group of Muggles. It was quite cunning to tell you the truth. He turned the Muggles against each other and the war only grew much worse with each passing day. Grindelwald knew that there were too many Muggles for him to exterminate alone, so he used them against each other. Of course, no one but the ministry knew, because the Muggle world can't know about us, but they had to turn a blind eye to it to keep from exposing the Wizarding world to the Muggles."

"After a time, Grindelwald was running out of followers because he was placing them in strategic positions in the war to make sure no peace was found between the two. He needed more followers. He decided it was the younger the better, he wanted to be able to mold them into slaves more or less and if it's one thing I hate, it's using children to do ones dirty work. I had just started my time here at Hogwarts as Transfiguration teacher and was just years from my one hundredth birthday. There was rumor's that he was going to attack Hogwarts in hopes that he could capture some of the older children to become his followers. I heard of the attack from the ministry and told Headmaster Dippet, but as I've told you before, my warnings went unheeded as if fallen on deaf ears."

"It was around May when another attack happened just on the other side of Hogsmeade on a small Muggle village. Grindelwald was hopping to set up a kind of camp there so to train the children he got from this school. I knew about the prophecy the Diviner had told me about already and so I went to see what was coming of the camp. When I arrived there, I was immediately captured."

"You see Harry, Grindelwald was much like Voldemort. They both had very big egos that needed to be fed for them to feel powerful. The more people graveled, the more powerful they felt. But the thing no one ever takes into account is: though they think and act powerful, they usually are not. It was once said that if a man allows his ego to consume his head, he'll be left blind. Well, that was Grindelwald's problem. He, like an idiot, challenged me to a duel. He told me that if I won then he'd let me go, and if I lost, obviously I'd be dead. Now, Harry, I'm certain about one thing and one thing only. As long as I have my wand in hand, I will always stay on my feet. Unless I'm disarmed, I'm confident that I'll not be undone. It is not my ego, but my certainty. As being a specialist in Transfiguration, I know that as long as there is a will, there most certainly is a way, you see?" Harry nodded at this.

He was too certain that now as long as he still had his wits about him, he had every chance to defeat Voldemort. He was fluent in wandless magic unlike Grindelwald, Voldemort, and Dumbledore; therefore, as long as he could still wave his hand, he would stay alive. Dumbledore continued.

"Grindelwald was so used to causing terror, that he thought my methods of dueling were elementary when actually, his were more draining and powerful, and mine were acute, and quick. We dueled for perhaps an hour before he began to loose energy. His spells stopped coming as fast and his physical endurance was a bit to be desired."

"After an hour and a half of dueling, I was still able to throw relatively powerful hexes and curses due to using small less energy needed one at the beginning. This is when the tables turned. As he started reverting to smaller spells, I stepped mine up a few notches. The duel began going my way and his followers that were there were about to intervene when he told them not to. Again, his ego got the better of him. He saw no respect in getting help, he though he was all powerful, so he continued to duel me as he weakened. Finally, I used an energy draining spell, which I'll teach you as soon as you are more comfortable with your staff, and he became merely powerless. He then resorted to hexes a third year student would use to try to stay afoot, but it was useless. I hit him with a binding curse that broke straight though his shield and struck him hard. I threw up a barrier around us so that no one could interfere and asked him to surrender. He refused."

"I bound him and banished him to the gates outside Hogwarts where I Apperated to then called the ministry to escort him. We all knew that we couldn't send him to Azkaban because of the influence he might have had on the Dementors, so they had me escort him to the Death Chamber that now presides in the Department of Ministries. It was unanimously decided that he would be given the Veil." Harry stiffened at this.

"The Veil had actually been confiscated from his own quarters after he fled from a ministry raid so he knew what was coming. He tried to pled, to ask for a second chance, but for once in my life I saw no return for a wizard that had sunken so far into the Dark Arts that they would steal children to do his bidding. After the vote, he somehow got loose of his bonds. Seeing how the room was full of wizards that were important to both our ministry and the German ministry (which was working hard with ours at the time), I could only see one solution to the situation; I cast the Avada Kadavra on him. He died instantly. While the others in the room called me a hero, I felt like a murderer. I had always sworn to myself, after I had seen so much death in the world, I would never use an unforgivable curse, and I did. It may have been merited, but it doesn't change the fact that I did it. I have since to use one. The ministry shoved his body through the veil so that he couldn't be brought back through Dark Arts and I went on my way," he ended. He wasn't crying, but Harry thought he looked very close to it. He looked like death warmed over as his voice quivered and his hands shook.

"The Avada Kadavra, what's it feel like to cast it?" Harry asked almost whispered.

"It takes a piece of you with it---a piece of your good side," Dumbledore said finally looking up from his pruned hands to meet Harry's eyes.

"I don't care how much anyone tells you you'll have to, if there is at all any other way to defeat Tom Riddle, please refrain from using that curse. It makes you feel empty and alone all at once. Nothing good comes from the killing curse. It's why most Death Eaters have no feelings other than the negative ones: Hate, vengeance, jealously, anger," he told Harry.

"It certainly makes sense. How am I supposed to kill Voldemort without it?" Harry asked.

"As I've told Tom before Harry, there are other ways to defeat a man other than death. Strip him of his magic, suppress his freedom, or give him the Veil. Nothing merits killing in my opinion, nothing," Dumbledore finished in a whisper.

"Do you think ill of me for what I did to Wormtail? I know I didn't really kill him, but I tried," Harry asked.

"Were you meaning to kill him? Did you throw the shield meaning to behead him?" Albus asked.

"Not really. Yes, I wanted it to hit him. He had just thrown the killing curse at me and I used the shield to block it. It sent vibrations through me so hard that I just wanted to get rid of it and stop Wormtail at the same time. It wasn't my intent to kill, but I wouldn't have been too upset if I injured him badly," Harry said trying not to let the disgust through in his voice.

"Then no, I wouldn't think ill of you for it. As wizards on the light side, it is our duty to show those of the Dark slide what real defeat is. Resorting to their methods of defeat only makes us more like them," Dumbledore said. "Oh, would you look at the time; you need to get to Potions Harry. Here take this pass and hurry before you miss too much."

Harry glanced at the clock over the Headmaster's head and saw that, indeed, it was five minutes into his second period. He took the pass and hurried out of the Headmaster's office. He ran down the corridors and up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower to get his potions kit and his books. While he was there he grabbed one of Ron's Weasley sweaters (because they would fit over his due to being bigger) and sprinted down the stairs and into the dungeons. He took a second before entering to compose himself and control his breathing, then walked in.

Snape stopped mid-sentence and narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for being late Potter. You will get no marks for the day and---,"

"I was with Professor Dumbledore, he gave me a pass Sir," Harry said before Snape could get too far into his ranting to come back to Earth.

"Convenient as always to have someone in your back pocket Potter," he said rolling his eyes, "Well, what are you waiting for, take a seat!" he barked. Harry gave him a look that meant 'my aren't we overly rude today' but none-the-less, he took his seat next to Hermione.

"Twenty points to Gryffindor for keeping your temper with Snape," Hermione whispered once he had his cauldron set up. Harry grinned at her.

They spent the remainder of the lesson brewing their potions, which, Harry incidentally had not problem with. He had read a potions book that came from the Headmaster's trunk that told of the potion, properties, and how to brew it. Convenient indeed, Harry thought as he cast the unbreakable charm on it and handed it in without even looking at Snape.

"Harry, you have to have like four layers on today, are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked as they left potions.

"Besides the fact that I'm freezing and a little slow physically today, I'm fine. I had to run down here today and it was killing my joints. Dobby brought me broth and a warming potion, but the only thing that has warmed me up all day was when I cast the spell for the new ward up around the grounds. But even then, my eyes turned gold for a moment. Snape said they turned red yesterday, and Draco said blue. I'm not allowed to do any magic unless it can be done without my wand or staff until Dumbledore figures out what's going on," he said to a worried looking Hermione.

"Harry, this could be serious," she said.

"Hermione, it's probably just some hex I was hit with when I wasn't paying attention. It will wear off soon or the Headmaster will find the counter. I'm sure it's nothing to be afraid of," he said logically.

"I'm not so sure. Harry, eye color changing is transfiguration. Sure there are spells for that, but it would have to be very strong for it to turn your eyes more than one different color. You would have felt a spell that powerful hit you," she said as if it were obvious.

"Listen Hermione, just stop worrying about it. It will work its self out, you watch," he said quickening his strides to get to Healing faster.

The day went as usual and up until dinner in the Great Hall that night, no one even mentioned Harry's odd behavior. Dobby had personally made sure to add chicken broth to the table in front of Harry, and saw fit to tell him in front of the other Gryffindors which prompted questioning once again.

"So, you still haven't figured out what's causing it?" Ron asked taking a drink of his pumpkin juice. Harry just shook his head trying to divert the conversation or change it completely. "Well mate, you welcome to wear the sweaters as long as you need, but I really think you should go see Madam Pomfrey," he voiced.

"I'm fine. If I'm still like this in the morning, I'll go see her, but for now, just let me be," he said exasperated. He and Hermione just nodded.

"I can't wait till DA; everyone's been asking me about it all day. I haven't told them a thing. I want them to be surprised when you tell them your going to teach us all Occlumency," Hermione said gushing.

"That reminds me, I have to go see Professor Moon real quick. I'll meet you in the Room of Requirement in twenty minutes okay?" he said they all nodded vigorously before he set off.

***

It was about fifteen till when the students started arriving to the Room of Requirement. Harry had patiently waited, while sitting on top of a trunk, for the room to fill. He noticed that the majority of all those who were there last year were there, of course, excluding Cho and Marietta. He didn't mind this in the least; he just wished Zacharias Smith hadn't shown up. He was a boy from Hufflepuff that liked to question Harry's every motive.

"Welcome back," he began once everyone was situated on their cushions. "I think that first we need to discuss a few things, and then I'll tell you what I have planned for the first term."

"The first order of business is recruiting, do we, or do we not? There are two reasons I'm putting this to a vote. The first is that if we don't, we won't have to spend much time reviewing and we'll be moving on to new things in this meeting. The second is if we do, we won't be moving on to new things for about two to three weeks. We will continue the charmed parchment contracts that whatever happens in this room stays in this room. This is a private club whether it's allowed or not, so if any of you have a problem not talking about this," his eyes flickered to Lavender and Parvati, "then I suggest you leave now. I have it on strict regards that we will be helping the professors should the castle ever be attacked, no matter how far from the actual danger of the situation," he said.

"What will we be expected to do?" the annoying blond headed boy said.

"No more than you're willing," he answered. That seemed to shut him up.

"I want everyone in here to be able to cast a Partonus as soon as possible, and then I'm going to make you face a life like Dementor when you get good enough at it. This chest," he kicked the trunk he was sitting on with the heel of his foot, "has a Bogart in it and I can make it turn into a Dementor. Everyone will have a go, but not until we know how fast we're going to be moving on, which brings us back to if we're recruiting or not. So without further ado please raise your hands if you think we'll do good to have a larger number of members," he said standing on the trunk to count hands. "Fifteen," he said to Hermione how wrote it down on the corner of the parchment she was taking notes on.

She seemed to want to have an account of all the meetings so they could refer back to it when needed. She told him earlier that she was going to charm it so that the log of the meetings could only be read by the leader, and person writing the log. She even went as far as to take a page out of Rita Skeeter's book and purchased a Quick Quill to write faster and more detailed than she did, though it still wrote in her writing.

"Now, all of those opposed to having new members?" he asked. He again counted and reported to Hermione, "Ten." That was it then, they would be recruiting.

"Alright, now we need to make rules as to who to recruit. We don't want someone who will tell anyone what were doing obviously but we also want those who are formidable enough to keep up. It wouldn't do to have members that we'll have to take extra time out on though it's up to you whether you help them outside this club," Harry said. "This is what I have in mind. Hermione, Ron and I will be sending out letters to those who are nominated tonight in the morning. The letters will have a memory charm on them so that if they choose not to join, they will never remember they received a letter because it will burn as soon as the charm is used. Those who wish to join will receive further instructions on the letter telling them to see Hermione, Ron and I and we'll do a small interview to make sure they have no evil intentions. Hopefully, by the next meeting, we'll have all the interviews done and will be able to begin."

"How are you going to find out if they have evil intentions?"

"Who is doing the charm work for you, I never heard of a memory charm in a letter."

"What if the room becomes too small for all those nominated?" the question were shouted out hastily.

"Harry has a way of being able to see what people are thinking. No, he's not a mind reader, but as close as one can train themselves to be," Hermione said confidently.

"Yes, actually, I intend to teach those of you who would like, how to block me from doing this and from anyone reading your mind, but it's tedious and takes patients," Harry added so everyone didn't think he sat around all day rooting through peoples heads. "As for the charm work, I'll be doing it all on my own. I've acquired a bit of strange magic of late and this is just the sort of thing it's used for. After everyone has signed the new parchment when the new members are present, I'll show you how it works as well as some other skills I've acquired," Harry said grinning at the group. They looked absolutely blissful at the fact that he was going to demonstrate for them.

"Now for the nominations. Hermione will write everyone's name down that has been chosen, and we'll hopefully be able to get their letters to them by tomorrow morning. Let's begin," he said.

"Sally-Anne Perks!" Ernie Macmillian suggested.

"Are you sure she can be awfully snobby," Susan Bones said.

"Just because she's snobby doesn't mean that she'd squeal," Ernie argued.

"Point taken," Susan subsided and her name was the first on the list.

It continued in this fashion for the next hours until every person had volunteered at least two people. Someone would nominate a person, someone else would argue the person eligibility out until one or the other gave up and the person was dropped or added to the parchment.

"Okay people, that's almost fifty new members, I think that should do for now. There's a spell Hermione and I am going to have to use just to instruct everybody at the same time, but the out come should be worth it," he said.

"A spell?" Hermione said furrowing her brow trying to remember such a spell that could perform that specific task.

"I'll explain later, we don't want to give all our secrets away just yet," Harry said grinning again. Being in the DA was going to be total torture. They were going to see and know so much, but be able to say nothing about it unless they did so with other members.

"So, you're using Will magic on the letters?" Hermione asked as they made their way back to Gryffindor tower.

"Yes and I was hoping you'd let me borrow your Quick Quill to write the letters," he said.

"Oh, I can write the letters, you just charm them. You have plenty to deal with right now anyway," she said gleefully.

"Would you also like me to use Will magic on the log book. There's no counter-curse for Will magic besides Will magic," he said.

"Would you?" she asked.

"Sure I don't mind, and I don't have to use a wand or my staff for it, its no big deal," he replied.

"Lions Paw," Ron said as they came before the portrait of the fat lady.

Hermione went straight to work on the letters while Harry read until his part was needed. Ron too was reading, even though it was a Quidditch book. Ginny, Colin and Dennis were all in the corner playing Exploding Snap. Dean and Seamus were both at a table comparing notes to transfiguration. Lavender and Parvati were giggling and evidently gossiping about something on one of the couches. Neville was reading a strange Herbology book oblivious to anyone around him. All the while Harry was sitting mere feet from the fire under a cloak, two Weasley sweaters, and an under shirt, and was still freezing cold. Actually, he felt almost ridged now.

"Ready Harry?" Hermione called from the table she was sitting at. Harry nodded and motioned for her to come to him so he didn't have to leave the fire side. "Harry, you really should be going to Madam Pomfrey to get checked out. This isn't healthy," she said handing him the large stack of letters and envelops.

"I'll be alright," he tried to say convincingly but failed miserably due to his lower jaw chattering slightly. He felt as if his breath should have been mere condensation in the air.

He put the letters on his right and the envelops on his left and held his hand between them. He concentrated on the memory charm and then sealing the letter. As he did the gold threads came out of his hand and began to do their jobs. The letter would glow blue for a second before it would fold and slip itself into an envelope. The letter would seal itself and float off to the side.

The task took all of five minutes to do, but he was thoroughly exhausted when he was done. He didn't expect the magic to have such an effect on him, but perhaps it was his being so cold, or so, that what he told himself.

As the last letter went into the envelop he felt a stab of pain in his stomach and doubled over nearly sticking his head in the grate of the fire.

"Harry!" Ron yelled. He was vaguely surprised Ron was even paying attention to anything besides the Quidditch book. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently.

Harry just shook his head and waved his hand to tell them he'd be fine. That's when he noticed that his hands were starting to hurt. He looked down at them and to his horror, they were turning into claws. He held one out, looking at it with wide eyes and then looked at Ron and Hermione (who had come running with Ginny and Neville just after Ron's shout).

"Let's go, hospital wing," Hermione said in her Perfect Prefect voice. No one dared suggest otherwise.

They made it in record time. Neville had split off to tell McGonagall while Ginny had slit off to inform the Headmaster. All the while, Harry kept sprouting feathers all over his body. He was dimly aware that the castle seemed to be growing much larger around him and because Hermione was using the levitating charm on him, he never noticed that he was missing legs all together.

"Oh, what have you done now," Madam Pomfrey shrieked upon their arrival.

"Do you think you can hold the blame off until after you see what's wrong with him," Hermione bit sharply back at the old matron. The medi-witch looked shocked and hurt for a moment before she took out her wand and began waving it around Harry.

In the meantime, Harry was yet to stop shrinking and sprouting feathers. The feathers were at first red and gold with black tips, just as his Animagus feathers were. Then some of them started to grow in as blue and white with black tips, then silver and gold with black tips. The medi-witch was absolutely beside herself by the time the headmaster finally arrived.

"Do you know what's going on Poppy?" he asked looking down at Harry how was now clutching his head in pain. The dull throbbing of his scar could have never rivaled the pain he was feeling at that moment in his head.

"No, he was at first changing into a red and silver bird, and then the newer feathers started to come in as different colors. But the most curious part was his eyes. Every time he opens them they're a different color.

By the end of this statement, Harry's body gave an almighty lurch and he was no longer sitting their as a teenage boy, but as a blue and white phoenix. With a second sudden lurch, a sliver and gold phoenix was in its place. Finally with a third lurch, Harry Animagus body was reverted back to its original form, but the breath of relief was only short lived. He started to molt. Harry tried to talk, or chirp in his case, but nothing came out except feeble croaks. There was suddenly a phoenix song from somewhere close and Harry began to grow warm. Actually, he was warming very quickly. It took all of twenty seconds for Harry to feel as if he was on fire before he saw nothing but flames around himself and blacked out.

Harry woke up feeling very gritty. He noticed right off that he couldn't breathe sufficiently and started to squirm. It was dark all around him and in noticed he was buried in what appeared to be sand. He was trying to move but it was like trying to swim in syrup. Finally he realized that the weight above his head was lightening so he shook it and light broke through.

To say he was shocked at what he saw would have been an understatement. Hermione and Ginny were cooing as Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes. Ron was looking shocked and worried while Dumbledore chuckled heartily. He looked around where he was sitting and noticed that he wasn't in sand, but ash. That's when it hit him, he had burned. He had a burning day just like Fawkes did. As the though entered his head, the beautiful phoenix came swooping into the ward through the door and landed on Dumbledore's shoulder. Harry tried to give a chirp to her but not much came out, though the feeble attempt made Ginny and Hermione coo even more than they were.

Dumbledore finally lowered his old pruned hand and swept Harry into it. A very disapproving and confused Madam Pomfrey started cleaning the bed while Neville finally asked the question that Harry, and from what it looked, Ron had been wondering.

"Is he stuck like that?" he asked weakly.

"Oh, I'm sure he's not Mr. Longbottom. You see, Harry is one of the first magical Animagi in a long time. Magical Animagi have to endure some of the characteristics that their animals do. In Harry's instance, it's his burning, though next time it may be freezing, crumbling, or smoke" Albus said beaming.

"What do you mean freezing, crumbling or smoking?" Professor McGonagall voiced, "I've never seen Fawkes do any of those."

"No, but a blue and white phoenix, or better known as a snow phoenix does. It turns into a flurry of snowflakes before it settles as ice dust. That's its equivalence to burning. A silver and gold phoenix or Treasure Phoenix crumbles like rock, or better yet, earth. There are four types of phoenixes. They are each known for certain characteristics. The fire phoenix, like Fawkes, is the more common type. It's known for being very intelligent and brave. The Snow Phoenix is known for being curious and flying silently. They are only known to show up once every fifty years and tend to dwell in the more northern parts. One of the rarest and most mystical is the silver and gold phoenix. Not much is known about these because there have only been two accounts of them. Merlin, of course, had one and the other belonged to Godric Gryffindor. They're known to come about once every seven hundred to a thousand years so we don't know much about them," he finished.

"You said four, what's the other type?" Hermione said catching the blank in his description. He heaved a sigh.

"Keen as always Miss Granger. The fourth type is said to be evil. It's known as the Shadow Phoenix and is pure black with red eyes. Its virtues are just as well known as the treasure phoenix and no one has ever had one. They have great influence over people. It's not possession, but suggestion and the suggestions are not usually good ones," Dumbledore said.

"But he'll be able to change back, right?" Neville asked again.

"Oh, I'm sure after this baby reaches its youthful age he should be able to. Until then, about two days, he'll be in my off on a separate perch beside Fawkes'. Give the little guy some company," Albus said fondly as he stuck Harry in his pocket and left the wing to head for his office.