Embracing The Fire

Dawn stood among the other first years as names were being called to step into a circle before flames engulfed them. She was intrigued by the fire itself and wondered what was waiting for them beyond the flames. The circle reminded her of her mother meditating in the morning before she went off to work.

The professor who was in charge of the new first years looked in Dawn's direction and beckoned her to the circle. Dawn walked up to it and calmly stepped in as flames went up. She was in awe at the amount of magic going up around her and smelled incense from her dad's record store even though she was far away from Oregon.

A woman showed herself before Dawn and Dawn smiled at her. "You're a lovely form of magic," she told the Phoenix and waited for a response.

The Phoenix was feeling pretty good tonight. She'd really done her job this evening--and it was a job she relished. After all, this was her school, and she worked hard to keep the riff-raft out.

Suddenly here was another girl, some smiling imp ... the Phoenix drew on her mind to get something that would make her feel comfortable and she found--what the hell is a record store? she thought. I thought all this music stuff was done on-line these days.

Then the girl spoke, and the Phoenix couldn't help but bristle. "Magic? Do I look like magic to you, Wavy Gravette?" She shook her head. "I should set your clothes aflame in cold fire--that's magic!

"So ..." She leaned against a counter. "What's your story, Little Suzie Sunshine?"

Dawn shrugged nonchalantly. "I grew up in Eugene, Oregon. My father, Skye, owns a record store and my mom, Tiffany, teaches yoga in the Muggle world. I've never been to a school before but I think that's the case with most pureblood and halfblood children. I like to paint, take pictures, write, read books," she gave the Phoenix a small smile. "I like nature as well."

She paused before continuing. "Mom and Dad both went here but I don't think what covens they belong to is important. My personality contributes to what coven I end up in. I'm also half and half, Dad's pureblood and Mom's Muggle born. I don't eat meat and our family owns four dogs, three cats, and an owl. There's honestly not much to tell you," Dawn told the fire spirit truthfully. Her life wasn't that exciting and quite frankly, she didn't care as long as she was happy.

The Phoenix (or, Phee, as some of those indolent children called her--the ones she was going to haunt in their dreams!) was having a hard time following the clap-trap. She smiled and nodded, all the while wondering what would happen if she tore this girl's face off and wore it like a scarf... Naw, too Con Air, she thought. I'm more Killing Joke; I want you to have a bad day so I can find out what makes you tick.

She nodded, then changed her clothing into something very goth-like, channeling her inner Jewel Staite. Though I hardly expect a Reaper to walk through the door... "You're right; covens aren't important. Your mother told me the same thing--" Right before I started slapping her around, and made her cry, she thought. "--and there is a certain truth to that. I mean, Ceridwen is suppose to be where all the great transfigurists go, but I know right now--" She chuckled. "That ain't the case."

"What about your magic? What is it you want to accomplish? Or you just gonna be one of those lay-about witches when you get out of here, going back to Oregon, and making sure no one is boosting 1910 Friutgum Company platters?"

Dawn pondered the Phoenix's question for a few minutes. "I guess I would like the opportunity for my magic to grow beyond what it is now," she finally said. "I'd like to help people but at the same time I want to be able to defend myself." The young witch fiddled with the colorful beaded bracelet she wore on her left wrist.

"I'm a halfblood though. Not much room for having powerful magic, is it?"

Hearing Dawn regard herself in such a limited fashion, the Phoenix stood back on her heels and chuckled. "Oh, not this crap," she mumbled. "You think you have no chance to have powerful magic, simply because you're a half-blood?" She shook her head. "Please. Some of the most powerful wizards and witches ever were half-bloods or Muggle-born."

The Phoenix leaned in close to Dawn and whispered, "Don't learn much history these days, do you? Seems to me about twenty years ago a whole lot of trouble started because of some guy who was Muggle-born." She stood and gave Dawn an appraising look. "Or maybe your parents were busy hiding under their beds then and didn't remember anything else.

"Don't sell yourself short, Missy. It's not the blood; it's the vessel. Otherwise we'd never have anyone could do decent magic."