"I'm afraid that your new trick is getting rather old," Bellatrix told Harry. She was lounging on a couch, basking in the heat of a fire brought into existence by the Room of Requirement. Harry's projected image had been walking around the room for half an hour as Harry tested its capabilities. Bellatrix had spent the time flipping through various books that the Room of Requirement had provided her for her time next to the fireplace.
Harry frowned at her-or rather his image did. "You have no idea how useful this spell could be in a duel or while spying."
"Oh, I have an idea," Bellatrix said. "It's just that you should be able to twist it into more useful practice. Does the image projected have to strictly reflect you?"
"Well apparently not," Harry said. "The image is walking, but I am not."
"I assumed that," Bellatrix said. "Can't you make yourself look different? Can your projected image duel as if it were you?"
Harry sighed, and the image disappeared. Promptly, the real Harry appeared standing close to Bellatrix's couch. "I'll look into it, but I'd rather become accustomed to the abilities I already have."
"All right then," Bellatrix said. "Now that you've become competent with the spell I assigned to you, I have a new one."
Harry sighed. "Have you even been working on casting a patronus?"
"I've given it a few tries," Bellatrix said offhandedly, dodging Harry's inquiry. Quickly, she moved on to pressing her agenda. "But that's beside the point. Your talent and power are too valuable to be wasted. If you're sick of working on the image projection spell, it's time to move on. You can come back to it later. I've found a very useful, though rare spell that might be up your alley. Didn't you say the core to that wand is a phoenix feather?"
"Yeah, why?"
Bellatrix handed Harry a small book. "Try the spell on page seventeen."
It appeared that the book's cover might have once been leather, but time had degraded it to the point of being recognized only as a substance browner and harder than the sheets of paper held within. Gingerly, Harry cracked open book to and attempted to cipher the ancient language and runes on page seventeen. "Phoenix fire?" he asked.
"Yes," said Bellatrix. "An alternate means of transportation. Consider it. No one thinks to ward against phoenix fire, and to be truthful, I don't think anyone can. Furthermore, it sounds like it is much smoother than even apparition. There's also the element of style to be considered. Appearing and disappearing in bursts of flame would be impressive."
"Well, when you put it that way," Harry said slowly. "But, it kind of sounds too good to be true."
Bellatrix took the book back from Harry. "The image projection spell also seemed beyond belief. Even I had doubts," she admitted.
Harry chose not to respond to her confession. Instead, he focused on the feasibility of the spell. "What does the book say?"
"It says the spell's creator was obsessed with phoenixes. The power of their feathers, the healing properties of their tears, their ability to carry heavy objects, etc. He was convinced that the phoenix embodied the noblest properties of the light-as opposed to the dark. He discovered the spell and used it often. However, when he attempted to teach it to others, he discovered that very few wizards or witches were capable."
"How few?" Harry sighed.
"One or two while he was alive. A handful of others after he died," Bellatrix said. "Each of them had some affinity or connection to phoenixes. I reckon a phoenix feather wand might do the trick."
Harry shrugged thoughtfully. "It might." There's also the time I was healed by phoenix tears and Fawkes's apparent approval of me, he thought to himself. He held up his yew and phoenix feather wand. "All right, I'll give it a try. What's the incantation?"
"Well," said Bellatrix, "it doesn't quite have one. The spell's creator seemed to think it was more of a mental exertion. Imagine the fire surrounding you. You are the fire. You are travelling. Then you are the fire, and then you are Harry again."
Harry groaned. "Give me the book." Bellatrix surrendered the book to him and Harry perused the details about the spell, its creator, and the specific instructions for its casting. "It seems related to the image projection spell," he commented. "I'm seeing a lot of the same principles. The difference is that instead of just projecting my image, I'm going all the way."
"In a blaze of glory, no less," Bellatrix said, a quirky smile on her face. "Ready to give it a try?"
"Yeah," said Harry, suddenly feeling quite confident. "I can actually see myself doing this." He handed her the book, held his wand out, and closed his eyes.
"Great. I'll watch," said Bellatrix. She stepped back. "Try to aim for somewhere inside this room so I can see."
"Obviously," Harry said, trying to focus his thoughts on the new form of magical transportation. His mind slipped into the thought pattern he used for the image projection spell, though he resisted the urge to release his magic into that particular spell. Remembering that he needed to involve fire, he imagined the fire surrounding himself-not just any fire though, phoenix fire. He reckoned that as soon as he felt the fire, he'd then try to appear with the fire on the other side of the room. He stood still, eyes closed, thoughts focused on being enveloped with phoenix fire.
He felt nothing, and then suddenly… cold and wet. About a hundred gallons of cold water sluiced over him, almost knocking him to the floor. Gasping, Harry opened his eyes and found Bellatrix pointing her wand at him, her eyes betraying a hint of shock.
"What did you do that for?" Harry demanded.
"You were on fire!" Bellatrix retorted.
"I think I would have known if I was on fire," Harry grumbled.
"I think I know fire when I see it!" Bellatrix declared. "Apparently you forgot the whole transportation idea and nearly cremated yourself."