Chapter 17: An Unexpected Meeting
In the dark castle, at the top of Ravenclaw Tower, a flash of bright red suddenly appeared.
"Is this Hogwarts?" Alexander Smith thought to himself.
The moon emerged from behind the clouds, casting bright silver light over the land. Standing atop the tower was a magnificent and ethereal creature—a bird with feathers as red as blood, yet radiating an aura of holiness. With delicate, narrow phoenix eyes, it tilted its head and curiously surveyed the castle.
Upon closer look, it was indeed a phoenix—a creature revered in the wizarding world as the lifeform closest to God, free and immortal.
Though they lacked the destructive power of some wizards, phoenixes could not be bound by any magic. They could travel to any place they wished, effortlessly.
Only souls that were both pure and exceptionally talented in magic could attract their companionship.
In the wizarding world, only two phoenixes were considered "domesticated": Fawkes, and another called Spark, who served as the mascot for the New Zealand Quidditch team, the Moutohora Macaws.
It was no wonder that Dumbledore—who valued righteousness, whose heart and actions were as clear as a mirror—would have such a bond with a phoenix. And should Dumbledore ever be freed from the self-imposed prison that was Hogwarts, he would become truly terrifying.
Even Voldemort had not dared to move openly while Dumbledore lived. Yet Fudge and his foolish ally Umbridge had, more than once, nearly driven Dumbledore into action—risking the unleashing of a white demon beyond their comprehension.
As for the phoenix's cousin, the Thunderbird, it was perhaps even greater in magical might—commanding lightning storms like a god. But in doing so, it lost the immortality and invulnerability that the phoenix possessed.
Alexander shook his head, pulling himself from his wandering thoughts.
"Without a true gift, most people trying the Phoenix Incarnation spell would only create a fleeting clone," Alexander thought. "But I've gained true serenity. Still, Dumbledore, someone so connected to the phoenix... wouldn't he have developed magic related to phoenixes, or even gods?"
He suppressed his swelling pride and continued to gaze longingly at the castle—the place that haunted his dreams.
This ancient castle, with every brick and stone infused with a magic undetectable to ordinary senses, stood solemn and majestic. Its countless spires reached for the sky, and windows twinkled under the starlight, reflecting in the phoenix's curious eyes.
It was the same castle Alexander had dreamed of so often—and had briefly glimpsed once when visiting Hogsmeade.
He had originally thought he only wanted to be closer to Penelope Clearwater. But now, he realized—he was drawn here because of Hogwarts itself.
"If it was just for Penelope, wouldn't it have been better to come in the evening?" Alexander mused.
Under the moonlight, the Black Lake shimmered like glass. The Forbidden Forest loomed quietly, dark and mysterious. The surrounding mountains framed the scene like a hidden fairyland.
Suddenly, a warm wave of magic pulsed nearby.
"What's that?"
"A phoenix? Fawkes?"
From nearby, Fawkes gazed curiously at the new arrival—this strange, similar being. Fawkes could feel the familiar magic, but there was something subtly different about it.
Could it be... his heir?
No, that wasn't right. Fawkes had never reproduced.
The suspicion drifted into Alexander's mind along with Fawkes' cheerful birdsong.
"Could it be that all those phoenix feathers I bought... were from Fawkes?"
"I asked Jack to get me fresh phoenix feathers from Ollivanders... Were they all plucked from Fawkes? Dumbledore, you sly old fox!"
"Three phoenixes' worth of feathers! No wonder it's called the Order of the Phoenix—Fawkes probably provided the naming rights!"
Alexander nearly laughed aloud at the realization.
Fawkes, meanwhile, seemed puzzled by the newcomer's strange pitying gaze.
But Alexander's attention sharpened. He sensed another aura surrounding Fawkes—an overwhelming, almost demonic love. A love that encompassed all living things, yet excluded itself.
It was a fierce, self-sacrificial love, the kind that would destroy itself without hesitation—a prisoner of its own ideals.
"Damn it! Dumbledore's watching!"
Alexander's mind raced.
This had to be another form of phoenix-related magic—something entwined with Dumbledore's own bloodline or magical legacy.
He couldn't be sure whether the "White Devil" Dumbledore could detect him directly through Fawkes.
Either way, Alexander wasn't going to take the risk. With a soft flash of red light, he vanished from Fawkes' view.
Alexander did not immediately dispel his transformation.
After all, a strange phoenix appearing at Hogwarts was far less suspicious than a strange wizard.
Thanks to the phoenix's miraculous senses, Alexander began teleporting across places he'd never set foot in before.
Fawkes did not give chase—perhaps understanding the solitary, proud nature of his kin. Phoenixes seldom traveled in pairs.
Alexander smiled inwardly. Only someone who had truly transformed into a phoenix could understand how terrifying a phoenix's perception was.
Unlike wizards, phoenixes could teleport even to unknown places—because, in their perception, they were the center. Wherever their will reached, their bodies could follow.
Even if someone built a deep underground lair, completely cut off from the outside world, a phoenix could reach it effortlessly.
Fortunately, Fawkes didn't chase him.
Alexander's original plan had been to quietly enter Hogwarts as a normal Smith, blending in naturally.
Handsome and charming perhaps, but otherwise unnoticed.
Drawing Dumbledore's attention had never been part of the plan.
Alexander shuddered at the thought: "What if I ended up facing the real 'White Devil' Dumbledore from some hardcore Harry Potter fanfic timeline?"
Even now, after sensing Dumbledore's magic up close, Alexander could only thank his stubborn pride for developing his skill in Detection Magic—or else Dumbledore might have stripped him bare.
After a few more teleportations, Alexander finally returned to his body.
He opened his eyes, lying safely in bed, his heart still racing.
(End of Chapter)
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