A Young Wizard's Journey - Rising Phoenix

Klaus Straud

It was probably a good thing that they ran into absolutely no one during their trip up to the blank stretch of wall on the seventh floor corridor, because Hagrid wasn't doing a particularly good job of being inconspicuous.

He was trying, and Y/N couldn't fault that, but if he gave one more nervous glance around Y/N would start feeling on edge.

He strode forward and began to pace in front of the blank stretch of wall.

I need a place to hide.

I need a place to hide.

I need a place to hide.

Back and forth, three times, and then, Y/N opened his eyes.

The room had answered, there was the door.

'Thanks Hagrid, I owe you,' whispered Y/N, making Hagrid jump. Courtesy of the disillusionment charm on Y/N, Hagrid had not seen him return.

'Yeh can thank me by bein' safe, yeh hear?'

'Loud and clear!' Y/N gave Hagrid a quick hug then darted into the room.

It wasn't the most spacious, far from it in fact, but it worked just for him. A small area had been laid out for duelling, a door attached that when Y/N poked his head through, led to a bathroom and the main room had a bed and a small area for reading. Even a perch for Eternus.

Y/N scooped the bird out of his pocket, he'd been carrying them since departing the Forest, and dropped them down onto the pedestal. Eternus gave an appreciative cry before settling itself in.

The room never failed to outdo itself, but now it was time for Y/N to test its limits.

First, he ticked through his spell repertoire, essentially putting the room under every restriction he could think of.

No unauthorized entry, only he could authorize people, no one could hear him, no one else could use the room whilst he was in it.

On and on through every different iteration of this combo before finally he felt safe enough. Then, and only then, did he withdraw the mirror.

He'd held onto it ever since Scrimgeour had given it to him, and he was now grateful that he had, he'd need it. But he hadn't dared risk it whilst in the Forest, there was a chance it could be traced.

In here, the protections of the room would block that.

'Malfoy.'

There was no answer, but no doubt Malfoy was not in a position to answer.

Y/N placed the mirror down and waited, then, after about 10 minutes, as though spoken directly into his mind-

'Y/N?'

He scooped up the mirror and glanced down, there was Draco's eye again.

'I'd say nice to see you again but... well... dire circumstances.'

'You're telling me... he's at our manor most of the time nowadays, and he's confined us to it.'

'You're alive though. Good to know he didn't punish you for Snape taking your glory.'

'The job was done... I helped get them in, he said that was good enough,' said Draco. 'Obviously I missed off the part about you helping me.'

'Speaking of, I assume that's what this is? I only recently got it from Dumbledore's will.'

'Yeah, he told me he thought you'd need it.'

'He was right. I'm not going to tell you exactly where for obvious reasons, but I'm in Hogwarts at the moment. I need to know what's going on.'