This story is a work of fiction. You know the drill. Copyright to JK Rowling, WB and Scholastic. Though I sincerely doubt any of them would like what I'm writing. Thank you to JC Vascardi for adding me to his slash archive. It's an honor to be the first non-boyband slash on the archive. And thanks to all who have given me their constant support. It helps to keep a writer going.
I approached my cabin, but already most of the others were open with people staring out of their doors. At me. I smiled a very evil smile and felt actual fangs brush my lower lip. "What's everyone looking at?" All the doors but one slammed shut instantly. At that one open door, Hermione looked horrified.
I calmly approached and she flinched away. "What's the matter, Hermione," I asked gently.
"What happened, Matt?"
"Malfoy and his friends tried some sort of sneak attack," I said honestly. "They weren't prepared for my counterattack."
"What counterattack," she asked sharply.
"After all that happened with Voldemort," she flinched, "I not only reinforced the wards around William and Harry, and the House, but I altered my personal mantle. Malfoy and his friends thought an attack when I was caught off guard might give them some sort of advantage, and my mantle's counter caused some problems." I allowed myself a satisfied smirk.
"So what was that noise?"
"Oh. That. Well, actually, their cabin blew up in the conflagration."
"WHAT?!"
"They're OK," I said, only a little untruthfully. "Nothing Madam Pomfrey can't fix, anyway," I added, trying to cover my sudden and surprising feelings of guilt.
She looked at me askance. "You didn't lose your temper and do something foolish, did you?"
I gave her an innocent look. "Who, me?"
"Yes, you. I don't know what's happened to you, but don't think I forgot that little lightning show at your house."
"Sue me," I snapped. "I lost, and I don't like losing."
"You're going to have to let it go, Matt. Think how to help Harry. If You Know Who has that book of magic..."
"He shouldn't be able to use it," I muttered. "He's good, but that magic should be beyond his ability. Even Dumbledore can't work these spells."
She looked at me intently. "Then why can you?"
"I don't KNOW," I roared, waking Harry and Ron with a start. "I wish I did!"
"Wish you did, what," Mr. Arico, Dumbledore asked from behind me.
I jumped and whirled around, my hands already glowing with flames before I saw who it was. Immediately, the flames died and I gaped at the Headmaster.
"So, Mr. Arico, what is it you wish you did?"
"I wish I understood how my power works, sir," I muttered. "It got away from me today."
"Apparently so," his voice firmed. "I brought Madam Pomfrey with me, and she's seeing to Misters Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. They'll be all right."
Next to me, Hermione heaved a sigh of relief. Harry and Ron looked confused. He continued staring at me. "I want an explanation of what happened, Mr. Arico. And I want it now." He didn't sound angry. Only disappointed.
I relayed the same explanation I'd given Hermione and he looked doubtful. "Sir, I know Professor D'Angelius showed you his Mantle spell," he nodded impatiently, "and I'm sure you have similar defenses in your not-unimpressive repertoire."
"Mr. Arico, if I wanted to be flattered, I assure you, I would have asked to be."
"Sorry, sir. Anyway, the special thing about the Mantle is that once it's mastered, it can be modified to a specific individual. Voldemort recently won a victory over me, sir," I admitted bitterly, "so I changed my Mantle so that it wouldn't dissipate spells. Instead, I would draw them in and alter the nature of the magic to be magnified tenfold and fire back at the one who aimed it at me."
He nodded. "With students, it shouldn't have mattered more than a broken limb or sommat, but I think that Lucius Malfoy was teaching his son some nasty tricks."
"We shall see about that, I'm sure."
"Of course, sir."
"Why didn't you try to assist them?"
"From damage like that? Sir, anything I tried might actually kill them."
"I will be watching you very carefully from now on, Matthew."
"I understand, sir."
"Very well." He turned a smile to the other three in my compartment. "Aside from this mess, did you all have a good break? This is your first Christmas away from the school, isn't it, Harry?"
"Uh, yes sir. It was a very good break. Matt was nice enough to let us use his house and he and Wil- OW!" Ron had elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Uh, I mean a few of his friends joined us."
"Excellent. I'm pleased to hear that." After getting similar stories from Ron and Hermione, he turned once more to me.
"Matthew, when we return to school, I expect to meet with you and Michael. I need some answers."
"I understand, sir."
"Wow," Ron muttered. "I've never seen Dumbledore so angry."
"I have," Harry disagreed. "When he broke down the door to Moody's office after the Triwizard Tournament." He gave me a significant look and I nodded.
Upon arrival at the school, I headed to Dumbledore's office. He looked up from his desk, annoyed. "Mr. Arico, I believe I requested the presence of Professor D'Angelius," he said quietly.
"Yessir, but I had an idea for something, and if summon Michael, I'll be too tired. I thought I'd ask you for an indulgence."
"Indulgences are not my interest right now."
"But sir, if you just let me explain..."
About an hour later, I finally made it to the Gryffindor common room and let out a sigh. It was going to be another long night, and I was really thirsty. I shrugged and moved to the dorm where the other fifth years were. Harry and Ron were helping each other unpack, and the others were sitting on their beds, talking about the holidays.
"Harry, Ron, can I talk to you for a minute," I asked.
"Sure," Harry said.
Dean, Seamus and Neville all looked at me. I gave them a regretful look and flashed my Prefect badge. They nodded and silently left the room.
"I've got one more project to finish, and I need you both."
They eyed me warily.
"Please. This is the last one for a while. I promise."
Ron looked at Harry, who nodded amicably. "All right."
"Good. Now, here's what I need. You'll both need your wands and your dress robes..." I explained what would be required of them. Ron paled, and Harry's eyes widened, but I stressed how important and essential it would be.
After a lot of wheedling on my part, and a promise to help them with their exams as well as keeping my mouth shut, they agreed. I told them to get ready. We'd meet at midnight. Then I went to get Hermione.
At midnight, Ron, Harry and Hermione joined me at the Great Hall. Harry had on emerald green robes and Hermione had periwinkle blue. Ron's, amazingly, weren't maroon or old. Apparently, his brothers had bought him new dress robes over the summer. These were, instead, an acid green that actually went well with his hair and eyes. I was, of course, in black velvet. I was about to comment on Ron's robes when footsteps behind me turned me around, accompanied by gasps from my companions.
"Good to see we're all here," Dumbledore said amicably. "I must say, I'm rather surprised that Matthew got you all to agree on the dress robes," he added with a grin. He had on snowy white robes with a silver trim. As per my request, Fawkes perched on his left shoulder. Behind him stood Professor McGonagall, dressed in robes of a color somewhere between Ron's and Harry's. She looked rather curious. Apparently, Professor Dumbledore hadn't told her. But she didn't draw the gasps from the others.
Behind McGonagall, dressed in bloodred robes, stood Sirius Black. He grinned at Harry, who flew into his arms for a hug. "Sirius! What are you doing here," Harry asked?
"I was meeting with Dumbledore today, and he asked me to join him for this encounter," Sirius replied. "I'm not sure what it entails."
Ron muttered something under his breath and turned scarlet.
I graciously ignored him. "OK, Harry. To the Chamber."
He took a deep breath and led us to Myrtle's Bathroom. Myrtle approached, but I pointed. "Disrupt!" I snapped. Her face was startled as her form broke apart in puffs of mist that evaporated.
"Myrtle," Hermione gasped. "Why'd you do that," she snarled at me.
"Calm down, Hermione. Myrtle will be fine. I just weakened her structure for a while. She'll be back. It didn't hurt her."
She appeared mollified as Harry hissed to the entrance. The pipe opened up, and Sirius and McGonagall gaped. Dumbledore only nodded. "So, this is the entrance. A very impressive feat of Salazar Slytherin, to make this." I nodded. "This way."
We progressed down the pipe, which I'd cleaned before, so the footing was dry and secure, into the rooms below. The granite had been completely replaced by white marble, and the hideous statues lining the walls were gone, replaced by bookshelves that were polished so that they nearly glowed cherry in the torchlight. Torches magically ignited as we approached, giving a warm, smokeless light to the library. Several chairs and reading desks now stood in the once-bare chamber. Harry looked around in utter shock as we walked through. He'd seen some of the work I'd done, but the job was all but complete, and he wasn't prepared for that.
The doorway that had once been the giant statue of Salazar Slytherin stood closed, with doors of bronze barring the way. "Annon valar, edro hi ammen!" I commanded in the Elven tongue. The doors slid silently open to reveal a rounded, domelike room that had once been the home of the great serpent itself.
On the floor, drawn in silver, a simple pentagram centered the room. I gave each of the people with me their instructions. One by one, they entered and stood at one of the points on the star, with Harry and Ron standing at the same point. I strode to the center, where I held out my arm. Fawkes flew to me, and rested lightly on my outstretched wrist.
"Let the conjuring begin," I commanded. My voice was deep and round: imposing and frightening and throbbing with Power. The light in the chamber immediately snuffed out.
Everyone in the circle lifted their wands. "Lumos!" The five pinpricks of light glowed silver in the darkness, causing the symbol on the floor to hum. Suddenly, a choir began a slow chant. It grew to a full song.
"SALVA ME" was interjected through the refrain, which went on in a Gregorian chant:
"Domine deus misere mei...
Domine deus misere mei...
Domine deus misere mei...
Domine deus misere mei..." which also faded to the background as the verse joined in a mezzo soprano.
"Follow me away from the dark I fear
When the storm is near.
From the endless night.
From my blinded sight.
To the sky of light."
The began the harmony, which split into soprano, mezzo soprano and coloratura.
"Free me to fly (free me to fly) away!
Salva me!"*
The song continued for several minutes before fading away, leaving vestiges of music reverberating throughout the room.
"As music grants the gift, let others join the harmony," I intoned formally. Sirius black lifted his wand and a block of stone lifted out of the ground in front of me. "As the hand that holds the sword must be strong, so are we strong," I intoned. The light in the chamber lifted a few hues from total darkness. Hermione stepped forward and conjured her special bluebell fire, which writhed around the block of stone. "As the mind governs the hand, so are we swift." The lights lifted a little more. Professor McGonagall changed the burning rock into a living phoenix, who lifted its voice in song. "As a warrior grows older, he gains wisdom. So are we wise." Yet again, the light rose. Professor Dumbledore stepped forward, glowing with an azure nimbus, which he then imbued with the phoenix. "As a light guards from the darkness, so are we guardians." The light rose so the room was clearly visible. Finally, Harry and Ron stepped forward. They embraced and gave each other a deep kiss. As they did, Fawkes lifted his voice in song as well, and the songs of the phoenix caused the stone beneath our feet to shudder. "As Hate fills the Darkness, let our Light be, now and forever, Love," I had to shout over the clamor. At that, the lights and sound vanished, leaving us once again in total silence and darkness.
I lifted my hand, balancing a pale blue flame. "Thus are we bound, given our charge. We will not rest until the Darkness dissolves." The others all echoed, "Thus are we bound."
There was a grinding sound. "LUMOS," I shouted. The light in the chamber came back up, showing braziers lit high on the walls behind each of the members of the circle. But they could no longer see each other, as an enormous statue of a phoenix rested in the center of that pentagram, looking down on us. Fawkes flew to the head of the statue and perched there, looking noble, before singing out again. At his song, there was a flash of light, and a velvet cushion appeared on the ground at the foot of the statue. The song echoed quietly through the room, never fading, and giving us all a sense of peace.
We approached the cushion to see several small rings made of gold that showed a phoenix. Its wings wrapped around to form the band. "These rings will grant entry to the Chamber," I said. They will allow their wearer through the pipe or into the room via Apparation. Everyone stirred at that. "These particular rings will also let you into this chamber. Place it against the bronze doors out there and speak the spell of opening. It's up to the rest of you to determine who else can join this Order. I know Professor D'Angelius had some ideas for potential students. Professor Dumbledore, you are the only one who can make the entrance keys, though any in this circle can invite new members to the Order. New members will get something like this," I flicked my Prefect badge, "which will allow them into the Library room of the Chamber. Again, through the pipe or via Apparation.
"Don't worry about someone on the wrong side stealing one of them. The Chamber DOES have defenses, and there are some who will not be allowed. Anyone who has given himself to the Darkness, of course, including anyone who bears the Dark Mark. Nothing undead, no matter how nice it is. No one without magical ability, and no one who is not at least half-human." They nodded. I pointed to a pedestal that had just appeared between the cushion and the statue. On it lay a large red book with gold pages. "This book will tell you anything you need to know about the defenses of this place. It is up to you, the founders of the Order, to lay down the rules for members and accepting members, and responsibilities. I have only one. IT MUST REMAIN A SECRET." Those words burned brightly on the page, drying into blood-red ink. "At the back of the book is the roster of members and their positions. That way, the Order can continue after we are all gone. I only hope it will not be necessary, but I doubt that hope will come true." I looked around. Everyone seemed to understand.
"Then grab your rings. Wear them on you, somehow, always." They each grabbed a ring. I smiled. "Good." I said. My voice had returned to normal. "Now, write the rest of the rules, and bring the Order of the Phoenix into existence." My eyes rolled back in my head and I collapsed.
The song "Salva Me" comes from the CD "Libera" by the Libera Boys' Choir in South London. I recommend you listen to the song. It's haunting and beautiful. If you need a copy, get in touch with me and we'll see what we can do.