Agents of Discord

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 82: A phoenix is a golden friend to have.

“No Hermione?” Aerie asked as she sat down in the train compartment that had been held by her friends.

“She’s with Ron and the other boys from our class,” Aurora informed her.

“Can’t be helped then.”

“Hi Aerie,” Alicia Spinnet said from the doorway her school robes already on. There was the sound of the whistle, the train started forward, and everyone got their last wave goodbye.

“I’ll see you in Winter!” Aerie shouted out the window and then turned back to Alicia.

“Careful, Aerie, she’s got a prefect badge on,” Aurora teased.

“Prefect? Hey, congratulations. Um, is there something you wanted?”

“Broom?”

“In my trunk.”

“Your trunk? Aerie, trunks with displaced space are against the rules.”

“McGonagall knows about it.”

“Oh… I guess it’s alright then.”

“Was that all you needed?”

“Well… so, what kind of a broom did you get?”

“It’s a Blackthorn broom.”

“You got a Blackthorn!? I thought you’d get a Firebolt or a Nimbus?”

“It’s a World-Cup-approved broom, and it’s a stock off-the-shelf broom, per the letter. Don’t say anything, I want it to be a surprise.”

“Wow. Those are hellishly expensive.”

“An aunt of mine gave her the gold she’d need,” Aurora offered. “But something tells me you’d rather ask about the house elf.”

“To be honest, I wanted to ask how Aerie is doing.”

“I saw what that Elf did,” Lavender informed her. “Aerie was well within her right to yell at him, and if it ended with the elf breaking his bond with House Malfoy… you know, I’d say that elf is better off.”

“He thanked her,” Padma offered. “Everyone close enough to hear heard it.”

“I’d discovered that there was more than one way for a house elf to break from their house,” Aerie offered softly as she leaned back. “Never thought I’d use it.”

“You had the opportunity, and you did use it,” Alicia pointed out.

“That same elf had been intercepting her mail. He contrived ways to keep me away from the house. Tried to get her arrested in a shop once.”

“Flattened the tires on the car on the way here, which would have affected Justin too, and blocked the entrance to the platform.”

“I can’t imagine any of my family's house elves behaving like that,” Lavender commented dryly.

“I see… hang on, how’d you get onto the platform?” Alicia asked.

“Oh, Kreacher told me a little trick I could use. My house elf. Afraid I spoil him rotten.”

“You have a house elf?”

“Acquired him last year. He’s the old Black Family elf.”

“The black Family elf?”

“Sirius Black is my magical guardian. As such I inherited Kreacher. He’s a bit crusty, he’s been abused, but he’s a good elf. He and Regulus Black turned against the dark lord. It cost Regulus his life.”

“Oh, wow. I never knew.”

“Few are who do.”

“How many know?”

“Less than a dozen I’d imagine. The information just never got disseminated because, for the longest time, Kreacher was the only one alive who knew what they’d attempted to do. It’s all moot now.”

“Ya, I guess.”

“Any idea what house you’ll be in?” Ginny asked the other girls she was with.

“No idea really,” Isolde offered. “My Aunt Nova says I could get into Ravenclaw.”

“Hey, who are you?” demanded a boy in the corridor. He'd two friends with him, and it gave Isolde a strange feeling of Deja Vu.

“Is it not the custom to introduce yourselves first?” Louise asked mimicking an anime she’d seen.

“Ignore her. She’s obviously a Weasley,” one of the three stated derisively. And to be clear, Scootaloo’s hair color did look red to them. A bright red, but red. Isolde’s hair was just bleached blond to their eyes, and even Sweetie’s hair looked like it was an odd shade of strawberry blond. Bloom, Louise, and Ginny were all redheads.

“If we don’t measure up to your standards we're not allowed to go to Hogwarts? Is that it?” Isolde asked. “Well, Wilbur Nott?” The thing that disturbed Isolde the most was that these boys reminded her far too much of Draco. But then again, even Draco didn’t presume to judge who was worthy of Hogwarts.

“I don’t see why not,” Wilbur shot back. “Hogwarts should be for pure-blood families, not mud-bloods and blood traitors.”

“For your information, my name is Shutter, Louise Shutter. You’ve yet to introduce yourselves and I already dislike you. I am impressed.”

“Wilbur Nott, Kester Harper, and Ludovic Bagman the Third,” Isolde informed the others. “They’ll more than likely end up in Slytherin. It’s where all the losers go.”

“You take that back!” Ludovic demanded.

“Or what? What are you going to do?”

The boy stepped briskly into the room, Isolde whipped out her wand, and then the compartment filled with light, and the angry squawking of Kaida, Louise’s phoenix was now hovering in the air right in front of the boy. When Louise heard that Kaida meant little fire, and or sparky, she decided the name was perfect.

Ludovic backpedaled so fast he hit the window on the outer corridor wall and cracked it.

“Kaida?” Louise exclaimed, jumped up, and snatched the bird out of the air before it got into its little head to do something more.

“Alright, what’s going on here?” Alicia demanded. She’d just come around the corner at the front of the car.

“Their bird attacked us,” Nott stated. “It’s dangerous. It needs to be put down.”

“Is it now?” Alicia asked as she approached. She looked and saw the phoenix. Looked back at the three boys now retreated half a compartment down. “A phoenix? Are you seriously trying to get yourself thrown in Azkaban?”

“What?” Nott asked.

“Even attempting to harm a phoenix will get you thrown into Azkaban and you are damn lucky it didn’t dump you on the side of the tracks somewhere. - Do the three of you have a compartment? Well then, get to it then, and it’ll be three points, one each from whichever house will have you. Cause any more tr-”

“You can’t do that?!” Kester protested.

“Oh yes, I can. The moment you stepped on board this train you were subject to Hogwarts rules. Now get.”

“Kaida, I thought I told you to stay in your cage,” Louise said quietly as she stroked the bird's head with a free hand.

“And what were you going to do with that wand?” Alicia asked Isolde.

“Shoot sparks at him?” Isolde asked. Oh, she could do plenty but wasn’t going to give herself away so readily. She remembered fondly going in and picking out that wand. Her second. The first was lost in the Forbidden Forest. Aspen it was, with a unicorn hair.

Bloom had a wand made of apple, Sweetie’s wand was pear, and Louise had a wand made of English Oak.

“I’d suspect as much,” Alicia replied to Isolde as Isolde put her wand away.

“They weren’t very nice,” Sweetie offered as Louise sat down. “Seemed to think we have no business being here.”

“You’ve as much right to be here as anyone else. So where are you from? Wizard families, muggle-born?”

“Akkadian,” Louise offered. “One hundred percent.”

“I have a wizard father,” Isolde added. She wasn't quite sure why she announced the fact, perhaps a little of the old Malfoy pride coming through. Or was that arrogance? Those boys, that was most certainly arrogance. They’d taken one look and acted like she and her friends were somehow trespassing. Part of her did feel like she was trespassing, but she did have a letter. A first-year letter just like she was any other first-year student.

“Impressive,” Alicia replied.

“Aurora Summers is my sister,” Louise informed her.

“Is she now? Do you help take care of that little golden filly?”

“Um… well…” Louise blushed. “I sort of am that little filly.”

“Seriously? Can you transform for me?”

“We are under strict orders not to,” Sweetie stated. To be true, Sweetie and Bloom did not know how just yet. Which was something Aerie and Aurora were in no hurry to remedy. Nor was Sweetie in a hurry to learn it either. Not after what she saw in the shops in Diagon Alley.

“Ya, sorry,” Scootaloo replied sheepishly. “I kind of got in trouble for coming to the school last year too.”

“Ya, I bet you did. - Now, if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask.”

“We will. Thank you,” Louise replied cheerfully.

“Hopefully your next visitor will be the cart lady,” Alicia added as she stepped away. As she went she went down to the compartment the three boys were in, pulled out her wand, and locked their door as she went by.

The cart lady was at the end of the car getting her cart ready. Alicia told her what had happened, and that she’d locked the boys in.

“Sometimes I think they should all be locked in,” the cart lady offered.

“But Nadasia, then you’d be out of a job.”

“Not true. I can still unlock the doors as I go past.”

“And what about toilet breaks?”

“Just the boys then. They can pee out the window and half of them do.”

“Seriously?”

“It’s their home life. No manners in far too many. Why the Weasley twins tried to climb up to the roof on their first trip.”

“That I can believe.”

Arrival at Hogwarts wasn’t any different than any other year. Hagrid was back, calling for the first years, and everyone else went to the carriages.

“First years this way…”

“Come on,” Isolde said to her new friends. She had to admit that she never would have thought she’d end up making friends with a Weasley but there it was.

“Where are we going?” Bloom asked as they went down the path to the loch.

“You’ll see, you’ll see,”

“You think Kaida will stay in her cage,” Louise asked the other girls.

“Doubt it,” Bloom offered. “Not like you need to worry about her.”

“Wow,” Sweetie said as they rounded a bend and the castle came into view.

“Watch yer step, Hagrid called out as he eyeballed a trio of boys who’d been skulking behind the girls.

Down by the lake, their boats waited.

“Aerie,” Professor McGonagall called as the carriages arrived at the school. “If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like a word with you.”

“Oh dear, already in trouble,” Aerie replied with a cheeky grin.

“You are not in trouble, but we would like a word. In private.”

“Lead on then,” She turned to her friends, “I’ll catch up with you later.”

Aerie followed Professor McGonagall into the school.

“I’m guessing that this is related to Dobby,” Aerie asked a short time later as they walked down a corridor.

“I heard about what happened. Putting a house elf in a position…”

“He put himself in that position.”

“Be it as it may…”

“Far more needs to be done to secure the welfare of House Elves. Mr Malfoy gets himself thrown into Azkaban, and I’m guessing that absolutely nothing was done concerning Dobby.”

“A well-timed tip, I’m to understand, or so the grapevine says. The disposition of house elves is generally the responsibility of the family. The Ministry Office of House Elf Management only steps in when absolutely necessary.”

“You mean when they are forced to and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it’s just one old witch who doesn’t even bother to show up half the time. Kreacher rattled around in an empty house for ten-eleven years before we went looking for him. And that was only after Sirius had been cleared of charges. And quite frankly, there is absolutely nothing stopping Dobby from renewing his bond.”

“His master is in Azkaban and… point taken.” They’d arrived at the spiral stairs that led to the headmaster’s office. “Professor Dumbledore would like a word with you as well. I need to go greet the new first years.”

“Thank you. Password?”

“Lemon drop.”

“Thank you,” Aerie offered as she stepped onto the stairs as they spiraled upwards.

When she arrived at the top she found Professor Dumbledore pacing back and forth.

“Ah, Aerie, come in.”

“Professor…” Aerie said as she entered. She did not go straight to him. She saw Dobby in a corner and went right to him. Dobby cringed but did not move. Dumbledore watched as Aerie got down on her knees.

“Come on Dobby, give us a hug and all will be forgiven between you and me.”

“Forgive and forget, is it?” Dumbledore asked.

“Forgive, but not forget. Forgiving is the easy part. We can choose to hold no grudge against each other. Forgetting ill deeds done takes a bit longer.”

“Aerie Potter… you would forgive Dobby?” the little elf asked.

“I would. I understand that you were at war with your desire to serve your master faithfully and your inner nature which is fundamentally good.”

“He brings me grave news.”

“I’ve no doubt. I did ask him to come to you. - Dobby, you are aware of the book?”

“It’s is a most evil thing. A most evil plot to open the Chamber of Secrets Dobby’s former master did plot.”

“Something tells me you already knew.”

“I did indeed. It’s that other item I mentioned and it’s very important the person who has it not be tipped off. That thing may well be sentient and have a strong sense of self-preservation,” Aerie offered, and as Dobby seemed unwilling to give her a hug she reached out and bopped his nose ever so gently. Dobby's eyes went crossed-eyed. She then gave him a pat on the head and was rewarded with him looking up at her with that same look a dog that’s been abused gets when they realize that this person is safe. “Dobby, do you know who has the book.” Dobby shook his head in the negative.

Aerie stood up and turned to face Dumbledore. “How great the danger is depends on what Myrtle Warren died of.”

“Myrtle Warren?”

“Your biggest mistake. Well, second given I consider Riddle the biggest but I can’t fault you too much in that even though my heart says otherwise.”

“I must confess if I’d known then, but you do seem to be well informed.”

“Myrtle is the mistake that cascaded into the mess we are working to clean up. Tom Riddle killed her to create his first Horcrux, but… in his hubris, he didn’t take into consideration how important that one is. My Moonie won’t touch it. It’s fully capable of spawning a brand new Tom Riddle and in that it is the person in possession of the book who is in the greatest danger.”

“And the danger to the school?”

“Aside from the spirit of Tom Riddle possessing someone and possibly rising from the grave? Like I said, that depends on what killed Myrtle. Tom killed her, of that I’m sure, but the question remains, how was she killed? Did he mimic the bite of an Acromantula, or is there another one of Slytherin’s monsters deep under the castle? If so, who’s to say it won’t find its way out on its own sooner or later.”

“Another one?”

“Mrs Silverwood’s Moonie slew one in the nineteen oh three oh four school year. A basilisk hybrid. I’m to understand that it was hushed up. You’d have to press the Unspeakables for information.”

“Ah… yes, of course. I’ll need to inquire about that. The question then would be was there more than one of those creatures.”

“Stocking up on Roosters might help given that’s supposed to be their Achilles heal. In the meantime,” Aerie turned back to Dobby. “Dobby, if you could do us a great favor, would you keep an eye on the second-floor girls' bathroom? The one where Myrtle Warren is most often to be found.”

“The girls' bathroom?” Dobby and Dumbledore chimed.

“There is a snake engraved on one of the taps. A most curious thing considering the toilets in that room don't date back to the founding, but there is where we will find an entrance to Slytherin’s chamber short of it’s been sealed up. And no, I’ve no desire to go down that pipe if I don’t have to.”

“No, I suppose you wouldn't. Chasing a wyrm into its layer is not something to be lightly done.” He thought for a moment. “I’ll send a letter to the Ministry and see if they have a cause of death for Miss Warren.”

Suddenly the room erupted in phoenix fire as three phoenixes burst into the room.

“Kaida? Fennik? Honestly, come here,” Aerie called to two of the three as one-third went to its perch.

“I’ll do it,” Dobby said, his eyes wide as saucers at the sight of the two birds on Aerie’s shoulders.

“You will? Splendid. Just one thing, if we are dealing with a basilisk, you must not look it in the eyes, and watch out for reflections. Now, Fennik, Kaida, what are you two doing?”

“Is Kaida yours?” Dumbledore asked.

“I should be so lucky. No, Kaida bonded with Louise Shutter. She’s Aurora’s half-sister. - No message so I guess they were just playing.”

“Indeed, and we need to get downstairs before we are missed.”

Dumbledore's pronouncement was followed by Aerie being engulfed in phoenix fire and vanishing.

“And I suppose I’m just going to have to walk,” Dumbledore said as he gave Fawks a pointed look. Fawks just bobbed their head like she was laughing.

Comments

[Dontar]

poor Dumbledork, being forced to walk due to a lazy Phoenix

[harts fire]

11809481
no not a lazy Phoenix.
Fawks knows all of Dumbledore's plans and does not approve but at the same time can not do any thing about them.
or i would guess.

this ark is going to be amazing.

[Theresa hall]

Though I never understood why slytherin put that thing in the girls bathroom. Even on his day girls weren't as important as boys and their was no way to guarantee which sex the heir would be. What a room of requirement entrance wasn't good enough.

[Dontar]

11809621
I do love how Scoots gets her own Phoenix friend though

[KittyrinnAiko]

11809627
I provide an explanation at one point. It's the same basic concept I used in my first Harry Potter crossover. It didn't start as a girl's bathroom. When Hogwarts was first built, modern toilet facilities didn't exist. Back then the toilet would have been an add-on on the outer edge of a wall covered with a board with holes cut in it. Some castles had this space enclosed down to a cesspit, others had people's backsides hanging in the air. Imagine a brown stain down the side of an otherwise pristine castle.

thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/medieval-toilets-castle-krakow-walls-royal-213491148.jpg
encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQRWA7mE5zSaVygXbbxNWQPp6xX10ciRz3fpw&usqp=CAU