Chapter Text
A cold wetness was the first thing that Harry recognized as he slowly regained consciousness. The soft, sad trill of Fawkes could be heard while he tried to remember where he was and why he would be on a freezing stone floor. Then, it came back to him: Ginny, the diary, the basilisk, the bite . How am I even alive right now?
Another trill was heard as Fawkes nuzzled against Harry and cried more tears onto him.
“Phoenix tears…” he muttered as he began to sit up. “Fawkes… Fawkes… Did you cry on me?”
With the bob of its head, the phoenix gave another trill and kept crying onto the young boy.
Wincing as he sat up, Harry looked over to Ginny and saw her still passed out in the middle of the room. In an attempt to get to her, he tried to stand up, and when his entire body protested the movement, the boy chose to crawl to her instead. His body still did not feel right, he knew, but it was important that he make sure Ginny was okay first.
The twelve-year-old eventually made it to Ginny and brushed the hair away from her face and neck so he could feel her pulse. Thank Merlin. Her pulse was slightly weak, but it was definitely there and she seemed to just be unconscious. Understandable, Harry thought, considering she had a diary possessing her that had to be very dark magic at least.
Just as Fawkes let out another trill, Harry looked to the side of Ginny and found himself looking in a puddle of water. He could just make out his reflection. Dirty. Bloody. Scaly. Winged. Scaly. Winged. Harry sat down quickly at the realization.
“Fawkes,” he said concerned, “Please tell me you see the scales and the wings too. Tell me it isn’t just me. Oh merlin. I’ve got wings. I’ve got scales!”
Once again, Fawkes found his way to Harry’s shoulder, and then, rather unpredictably, he bit him.
“Ow! You can’t just do that to people! What is wrong with you? Bloody bird,” the black-haired boy exclaimed as he grabbed his neck in pain.
“ I apologize that my bite hurt, little one, but it was the only way to speak to you in this form,” a male voice spoke in Harry’s head as the Phoenix sang. Before Harry could express his disbelief, the voice continued, “Concerning your wings and scales, yes, you do have wings and scales, and a host of new powers if your dragel features are any indication.”
“Dragel features…”
“It may be better for your comments and questions to wait until I give you what little explanations I know, little one, especially since I am uncertain when the young girl will wake and we must hide your features before you face Dumbledore and the others.”
At the small nod he got in return, the Phoenix continued.
“Firstly, you inherited as a Dragel while you were unconscious. I am unsure exactly how that happened, but the venom from the basilisk bite likely had something to do with it, and I am certain my tears also contributed.
Dragels are elemental dragonoids with different ranks that act as a secondary gender. They build circles –family units– that are built around those of the submissive rank. The main triad consists of the Alpha, Beta, and Submissive, then there are typically also Pareya –the protectors– and Gheyo –the fighters–. There are other ranks that one might have including Rheyo, Mage, Healer, Royal, Advisor, and Companion. Unfortunately, I do not have time to go more in depth on the ranks, but it is most important to remember that with Dragels, circle means family, and any children born to the circle are the responsibility of everyone within the circle.
There are, of course, other races as well. You surely know of Vampires, Werewolves, and Goblins amongst others. Where the Dragel live, it is common to see Elves, Fae, Were-creatures, Hellhounds, and the occasional Phoelix, although other beings definitely stop through as Nevarah –the Dragel realm– is a sanctuary realm.
I am a Phoelix – an elemental phoenix, similar to how you are Dragel, not Dragon – but I am bound to the Headmaster and therefore unable to transform at the moment.”
At this, Harry could hold his tongue no longer. “The Headmaster? How did he bind you? What do you mean family circles? Were my parents Dragels? Does that mean I have more than just Mum and Dad? Why hasn’t anyone claimed me? Fawkes… why hasn’t anyone claimed me?” he finished quietly, tears welling in his eyes.
“Little one, I will answer your questions as best I can, however my memory is hazy on some details because of the Headmaster. Firstly, yes, Dragel have three parents that contribute to the child: bearer, sire, and third who contributes magic. So, no matter what else, you have at least three parents. Your parents have to have at least had dragel blood, if not another creature, even if they did not inherit as Dragel for whatever reason, because you could not be Dragel otherwise.
I am sorry that I do not know where your parents are and why you have not been claimed by them. The Headmaster bound me to him through an illegal ritual because he wanted to have a Phoenix familiar and it made no difference to him whether I had a human form or not. He has cast compulsions on me to do his bidding and it was only because his compulsions were fading that I was able to bite and bond to you so we may speak. Remember, little one, that while we are bound, I am in Phoenix form currently, and though I am not a familiar, we will be tied unless I choose to bond to someone else.
Now, our time is running out. Your young friend will wake any minute now. You must hide your Dragel features, little one. Dragels are considered dark creatures here in England, and as I cannot get you to Nevarah right now, you need to keep yourself safe and your identity hidden. You are brave, little one, you can do this.
Close your eyes.
Breathe nice and slow while you look into yourself and find your magic…
Now imagine your scales and wings melting into you.
Great job, little one. Take a look at yourself, you have done it.”
Opening his eyes again, Harry looked into the same puddle and saw that he looked the same as he did that morning, just way dirtier. Before Ginny could wake up and hear him, the small boy looked back at the Phoenix –no, Phoelix – and quietly whispered his thanks. This time, the small trill from the Phoelix made Harry feel warm. Letting the feeling of contentment wash over him, Harry took the time to close his eyes and center himself for the first time since he realized what was happening in the Chamber of Secrets, only to immediately open his eyes when he felt a tickle on his nose.
In Fawkes’s mouth there was a beautiful feather, red and orange like a blazing fire, which was obviously the Phoelix’s element if the coloring was anything to go by. As soon as Harry took the feather from his beak, Fawkes once again spoke to Harry: “As long as you have this feather with you, I will be able to find you in any realm, behind any ward. So, keep it on you and if you ever need me, find the bond that I have created and pull as hard as you can. I will come to you, little one.”
“It is beautiful. Thank you for the gift, but how will it stay with me? I change my clothes everyday and it isn’t like I wear jewelry.”
“Your kind exchange loose scales when they bond into their circle; I believe they spin cords out of their hair and use their magic to attach the scales to them. We will do the same. Stay there, I will find a few.”
Harry huffed in amusement as he felt the bird land on his shoulder and preen his hair. The boy was fairly certain finding a few loose strands did not take as long as Fawkes actually spent going through his hair, but it felt nice, so there were no complaints. When the Phoelix put 3 pieces of hair into Harry’s outstretched hand, there was a moment of uncertainty. Surely there had to be an incantation or something, given that everything Harry had done with magic so far had required words and his wand. Although, bringing his features back in hadn’t required that… It felt like a different kind of magic even. Since this was supposed to be Dragel magic, maybe all he needed to do was connect to his magic again and use intent.
As if sensing the source of the young Dragel’s hesitancy, Fawkes chose to reassure, “It will come naturally to you, little one. Take the strands, twist them, and will your magic to make them into a necklace for you, preferably long enough to hide under your shirt.”
Taking a deep breath, Harry gave the feather back to Fawkes for safe keeping, closed his eyes, found the magic building in his chest, and willed it to turn the hair into a cord as he twisted it in his hands. After bringing his hands in a big loop and connecting them, his eyes opened to see a hair-spun cord that was long enough to land in the middle of his chest when he put it on. Grabbing the feather from Fawkes’s beak once more, Harry put on the cord and willed the feather to attach.
Satisfied with the result, the feather was tucked gently under Harry’s shirt. Just as Harry was getting ready to say something else, a small noise came from the girl sat at Harry’s side and immediately reminded the black-haired boy of the situation that he was in. How am I supposed to get out of this one? Oh Merlin, the Dursleys are going to have a field day. But more importantly…
“Ginny! Ginny, can you hear me?,” the small boy asked while gently touching her shoulder, only to get a small whine in return.
Shaking her a little, Harry slowly woke the girl with soft calls and reassuring words.
“Ginny… Ginny, it's time to get up. Your brother is out there waiting for you and we have got to get you back to the hospital wing. Fawkes,” he turned to the Phoelix, “can you get us out of here?”
“Of course, I´ll find your friend and the foolish professor, flash them up to the hospital wing, then I will come back to flash you up as well. Oh, and do not forget to grab the sword and the hat. The sword belongs to you, and I am sure the school would miss the hat,” the phoelix said, then disappeared in a flash of fire.
“Guess I know what he meant by flash now,” Harry muttered to himself. After dragging himself up to get the sword and the hat, and boy was he grateful for the phoelix tears, otherwise it would have been an impossible task, Harry sat back down by Ginny’s side and waited patiently.
“One more thing,” the Phoelix said as soon as he flashed back into the Chamber of Secrets, “go to Gringotts when you are able. The goblins can help you find out about your parents and may even be able to help you on your journey to Nevarah. I will see you soon, little one, take care, and hold on tight.”
Harry felt a nice warmth flood through him as he flashed with Fawkes to the Hospital Wing, holding tight to Ginny all the while. He was grateful for the warmth after being trapped in a cold, wet dungeon for so long, and even more grateful for the warm blanket being placed on him by Madam Pomfrey as she began to fuss over the four individuals who arrived via Phoenix fire.
Knowing he had only moments only Dumbledore came through the door to talk to him, Harry closed his eyes, took what felt to be the millionth deep breath since he woke up, and centered himself. Fawkes said that Dumbledore did an illegal ritual to bind them; that means that Dumbledore is dangerous. Harry has to be careful.
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The train ride home felt tedious to the newly-inherited Dragel. He felt fundamentally different after everything that happened and truly just wanted some peace and quiet to think about his new life and what his inheritance could mean. Sitting in a loud compartment, filled to the brim with gryffindors was not ideal, but these were his friends, and so he would endure.
He spent the time acting as normally as he could, talking with Ron and Hermione, playing exploding snap, and eating candy from the trolley lady. Harry tried to savor every moment he could, because he had a feeling that his inheritance was going to change everything. Hopefully , he thought, for the better.