Final Preparations in Diagon Alley
In late July 1991, with the Hogwarts term fast approaching, Phoenix Hellflame executed his final preparations. He Portkeyed directly from his fortress to a secure, private room above a dilapidated Muggle pub on the outskirts of London. He then used a subtle, unnoticed Transfiguration to give himself non-threatening features—plain brown hair and neutral blue eyes—as his true appearance was far too conspicuous for a public outing.
His first stop was Gringotts to withdraw a massive, custom-sized pouch of Galleons. From there, he began his methodical shopping in Diagon Alley. He didn't merely buy items; he curated his entire life. He purchased rare tapestries and dark oak decorations for his castle, a massive, self-stirring Pewter Cauldron that specialized in high-pressure potions, and a suite of the finest robes.
He acquired an Arctic Eagle Owl—a magnificent, silent creature with pure white plumage—not for companionship, but as an indispensable tool for long-range, secure magical communication. While waiting for the owl to be bagged, Phoenix subtly increased the sensitivity of his draconic auditory canals, casually listening to the whispers of the alley. It was here he caught the faint, greasy whisper of an illegal black market auction. The key phrase that snagged his attention: "Peruvian Phoenix tail feathers—highest grade."
The Genesis Wand
That night, Phoenix Portkeyed to a derelict warehouse hidden in the shadows of Knockturn Alley. The atmosphere was thick with unsavory magic, but Phoenix moved with chilling calm. When the Phoenix feather was presented—not a common red, but a deep, iridescent black feather from an ancient, wild breed—Phoenix won the bid instantly. The feather, pulsing with fierce, contained magic, was the perfect core.
He then purchased two wood components: a staff-length of ancient, storm-felled Yew (known for its potent defensive magic) and a block of crystalline, pale Holly (renowned for its ability to channel raw power).
Returning to his island, Phoenix began the intimate ritual of The Genesis Wand. He used precise, low-level molecular compression Charms to fuse the Holly and Yew into a single, seamless, eighteen-inch length of wood. Crucially, he drew a small, controlled amount of his own magical blood—now tainted with the draconic essence—and coated the black feather in it before using a unique Transfiguration Charm to compress and fuse the blood-soaked feather into the core of the new wood. The wand, once finished, was a singular extension of his body, bound by his unique magical blood and focused by a dark, potent core.
The Calculated Summons
With his identity, wealth, base, and wand secured, Phoenix initiated contact with Albus Dumbledore. He enchanted his new Arctic Eagle Owl with a complex directional charm and a powerful, custom-made Portkey Key—a polished obsidian stone—and sent it flying toward Hogwarts.
Simultaneously, Phoenix sat in his dark granite throne room, focusing his will, and broadcast a single, chillingly polite phrase to the Headmaster, amplified by his dragon-core magic:
"Headmaster Dumbledore. I require an immediate, one-on-one audience regarding my enrollment. My owl carries the necessary transit key. I will wait precisely one hour."
The message was delivered telepathically and bypassed all known wards. It was a precise, complex magical signature that Dumbledore's office wards screamed to his attention: immense, controlled, and deeply unsettling.
The Audience
Dumbledore, deeply unnerved by the signature's strength and the unsettling echo of the dark magic he had vanished years ago, accepted the obsidian key. He activated the Portkey and landed directly on the seaward-facing patio of Phoenix's island castle—a massive breach of typical decorum, necessitated by the boy's clear power.
Phoenix received him in the throne room, seated on his dark granite throne. He was now in his true form: impeccably dressed in dark, elegant robes, looking exactly eleven, but possessing a beauty that felt otherworldly. His silver-white hair seemed to capture and diffuse the dim light, and his face held an ethereal, sculpted perfection. He looked like an angel fallen from a high, cold heaven, but his eyes—those swirling, terrifying amethyst-purple eyes with their slit, draconic pupils—betrayed the ancient, predatory intelligence within.
Dumbledore's eyes, despite his best efforts to maintain a twinkle, narrowed dangerously. He recognized the terrifying aura of ancient magic and the cold, dense trace of the same catastrophic power he had sensed after Alex's annihilation. He immediately understood that the creature before him was not simply a child, but a new, immense, and self-made force.
"You demanded an audience, young man," Dumbledore began, his voice calm but laced with steel. "You have breached countless laws of magical contact and trespass. Who, precisely, are you?"
Phoenix simply offered that cold, elegant smile, his purple eyes fixed on the Headmaster. "I apologize for the lack of protocol, Headmaster. But protocol assumes I am a student seeking entry. I am not seeking. I am stating my presence. My name is Phoenix Hellflame."