Reacquaintance and the Return of the Waking Flame

Cinder stepped through an Oblivion Gate to Paris, France with an escort of Dremora. She was currently wearing a long dark-red dress with long sleeves that ended tied around her middle finger, and also exposed her cleavage, and had a slit on her left leg, revealing fair skin. The dress had the same ritualistic designs as Mehrunes Dagon had in gold trims. An insignia that took the image of a Phoenix flying over a rising sun with its wings spread out was on her left breast. To complete her ensemble, she wore black high heels, and gold hoop earrings, and a messenger bag that contained the Mysterium Xarxes. She also had her hair tied in a ponytail and hung over the left side of her shoulder while letting her bangs cover the place where her scar used to be.

Stepping through the Oblivion Gate, Cinder took in her surroundings. The reason she was in France was so she could recruit Fleur Delacour, and potentially the entire Veela enclave. Cinder knew more than most of the arrogant wizards did about Veela. For one, Veela always bred true. There was no "Half-Veela", or a "Quarter-Veela". You were either born a Veela, or you weren't. Second, she knew that the Veela enclave had their own hierarchy... and that Fleur was princess of the Veela nation. So right now, she had the Goblin King as her most trusted adviser, and now she was about to ask the Veela Princess to become her second-in-command. After that, it was off to Romania where she would ask Dracula to join her inner council.

She had just got done talking to King Ragnok who informed her that they had sent Fleur on a paid leave of absence after they had cleansed her of the mind-altering potions and spells. Upon discovering that she had been manipulated, Fleur had almost gone full Veela right then in Gringotts' hospital wing, but the Goblins had managed to calm her down, and she had left the bank almost literally spitting fire, and promising revenge against the Weasleys and Dumbledore. She had almost burned William Weasley for drugging her, but had stormed out of Gringotts in a righteous fury. According to the tracking charm the Goblins had discreetly put on her, it showed that Fleur had returned to Paris, and was currently at her family manor.

Cinder followed the tracking charm, and eventually found Manoir De la Cour. The exterior was impressive enough, Cinder had to admit. Not as grand-looking as the castle on Avalon, but it looked homie enough. She stepped through the gate, knowing that Fleur had talked her father into keying her into the wards, and knocked on the door. She waited until the door was opened by a House Elf. "Bienvenue, Dame Potter." The House Elf welcomed in French.

"Merci. Où pourraient être votre maître et votre maîtresse?" Cinder asked.

"Le maître et la maîtresse sont dans le hall, attendant votre présence." The House Elf replied as Cinder stepped through the threshold, and into the foyer where she saw Fleur and Gabrielle with their parents, Apolline Delacour and Sabastian Delacour.

"Welcome, Lady Potter. We came as soon as the wards informed us of your arrival. I hope your trip here was pleasant." Sabastian greeted warmly in English.

"It was. I didn't take the usual wizarding method of travel, but came here by my own method." Cinder replied before turning her attention to Fleur with a soft look. "How have you been, Fleur? Ragnok told me what happened, and I thought I'd drop by to see how you were doing." She asked, earning a huff from the blonde girl.

"I cannot believe that bâtard had the audacity to drug me with Love Potions! I swear by all the gods I'll make them pay for nearly ruining my life like that." Fleur replied, earning a chuckle from her younger, ashen-haired companion.

"As it happens, I have come to talk to you about just that, Fleur. Why don't we all find someplace comfy to sit so I can bring you up on what's been happening." Cinder suggested. After doing just so, Cinder told them of what the Ministry had done, and how her meeting with Mehrunes Dagon had lead to her to starting a revolution against Dumbledore, the Ministry, and Voldemort. "I'm resurrecting a dead cult called the Order of the Waking Flame.

"I already have the Goblins join the cult, and I'm looking to having the Veela join as well as the Vampires, Werewolves, and basically anybody who got screwed over by Britain's Wizarding World. We could change this backwards world for the better if we burned out the corruption. How many lives have been ruined because of greedy and corrupt politicians?

"Why are criminals allowed to walk the streets, instead of either rotting in prison or facing Death Row? Dumbledore's faction isn't doing anything productive against Voldemort, and the Ministry tried to railroad me simply because I spoke the truth. Why shouldn't I burn the Ministry down with nearly everyone inside?" Cinder asked as she finished explaining. To say that the Delacours were furious was an understatement. Fleur and Apolline nearly transformed while Gabrielle was sobbing. Sabastian was frothing at the mouth, and looked about ready to kill someone.

"Cinder, you have done more for me than you can possibly imagine. You saved Gabrielle last year when you didn't have to. You also saved me from the Imperiused Krum, AND you saved me from a life of mindless servitude. I owe you a Life Debt that can never be repaid. The Veela enclave owes you. I would be remiss not to join your Order, and help you in your quest for revenge." Fleur assured.

"Fleur, are you certain that is what you want?" Apolline asked in concern.

"Oui. For years, I have been abused by others, and it was no different in Britain. Plus, the fact that the Weasleys had the gall to drug the princess of the Veela Nation is an unforgivable crime. A crime with only one punishment." Fleur replied causing Sabastian to shudder in fear.

"Very well. You know exactly what you're getting into, mon fleur. We just don't want to see you get hurt, but you're old enough to make decisions on your own. As the French Minister of Magic, I can convince the rest of the Ministère des Affaires Magiques de la France to join your cause. I can even order the Aurors to start burning down Death Eater homes." Sebastian hesitantly suggested.

"Leave some of the inner circle alive. I want them publicly burned at the stake. I have a file with names you should avoid burning by accident." Cinder said as she handed Sebastian a file. "Now, with that unpleasant business over with, I think I'd like to get reacquainted with Fleur for a bit." She decided as she and Fleur walked out of the manor.

~Scene Change~

Cinder and Fleur were walking through the manor's gardens when Fleur spoke up. "I never did get the chance to thank you for all you did for me last year, Cinder." Fleur stated as she took a sip of wine, while Cinder took a sip of Ogden's Firewhisky from a whiskey glass.

"No thanks is necessary, Fleur. I had a bit of a hero complex back then, still do as matter of fact." Cinder said, eliciting a giggle from her Veela companion.

"Some might say that what you plan on doing is more harmful than helpful, but despite all of the shit they threw at you, you haven't lost your morality... well, used to you wouldn't have thought about killing people or burning manors to the ground. You've become a dark heroine, hellbent on saving the world from itself. An impressive ambition to be certain. Some might tell you that it's impossible to burn all the corruption in the world, but I know if anyone can do it, it's you, Cinder." Fleur said as she took another sip of wine just as Mehrunes Dagon manifested in front of them. He took on a smaller version of his true form, so now he was only six feet tall instead of being tall enough to lay siege to Hogwarts by himself.

"Ah, Lord Dagon!" Cinder greeted before turning to look at Fleur. "Fleur, meet my Lord, Mehrunes Dagon. The Daedric Prince of Destruction, Change, Revolution, Ambition, and Energies. Father of Cataclysms, Lord of Fire and Flood, and ruler of the plane of Oblivion known as the Deadlands. Lord Dagon, this is my friend, Fleur Delacour. She's next in line to the Veela throne." She introduced.

"A pleasure, milord. Cinder told me all about what you did for her. Thank you. She deserves better than to be treated the way she has been." Fleur curtsied while Dagon merely acknowledged her with a slight bow of his head.

"The feeling is mutual, I assure you." He said in his deep, demonic voice. Fleur had to fight really hard to suppress the shivers of fear when she saw and heard the demonic entity that was Mehrunes Dagon. He most certainly had an aura about him that made you fear him. Dagon then turned to look at Cinder. "Dumbledore has Fudge convinced that you murdered that boy from last year." He informed a deep scowl on his face. "Fudge has put out a Kiss-on-Sight order for you, and Malfoy most certainly isn't helping the matter. Bones is trying to rescind the order, but that damned Malfoy keeps interfering." He growled, making Cinder scowl.

"Let them try to kiss me. I'll burn them all with Hellfire." She assured. "As for Malfoy. He's been allowed to live for far too long. You open an Oblivion Gate near Malfoy Manor, while I see to it that Narcissa is safely out of harms way. Sirius would have my head if anything happened to any of his cousins. Despite Bellatrix Lestrange being a homicidally insane witch, I'm sure she could have her uses as a member of the Order. If we give her sufficient motivation to quit Tommy-boy's little band of terrorists. I have need of her talents, and I might have need of Narcissa's healing capabilities." Cinder ordered.

"Are you planning on taking an army?" Dagon asked.

"Never do anything that you can't do yourself. I don't care about getting my hands dirty. I'm not Dumbledore or Voldemort. I don't manipulate my followers into dying for the cause if I can avoid it. No. I will personally end the Malfoy line AFTER I get Narcissa to safety. After that, I think I'll torch the Daily Prophet... with Rita Skeeter inside. She has been a thorn in my side for far too long." Cinder replied as she sipped on her Firewhisky.

Dagon grinned viciously at her. "Very well. When you are ready, I will have an Oblivion Gate opened near Malfoy Manor. It's about time we did something about that pretentious little Alit." He said.

"Personally, I see Crabbe and Goyle as the Alits. Malfoy's more like a Thunderbug." Cinder replied, earning a booming laugh from the four-armed demon. Fleur, however, was confused.

"What's an Alit?" She asked.

"Think an ugly, green beast with a stomach bigger than their walnut brain. They eat everything they see, and that sums Crabbe and Goyle up pretty accurately." Cinder replied.

Fleur then tried to imagine the two Gorillas that were with Malfoy Jr as the beasts in question and burst out laughing.

"Before I forget, Cinder. I have a gift for you." Dagon said as a dagger appeared in one of his hands in a burst of orange energy before offering Cinder the dagger, hilt first. "This is my Razor. Use it to wreak havoc upon the world. Now, I must go make preparations. We have a war to win." He bade as he stepped back through the Oblivion Gate, making it collapse upon itself.

Cinder then examined the dagger more closely, and noticed the Oblivion Gate insignia on the scabbard. "This will come in handy." She mused before turning to face Fleur. "Well, this has been great to be able to catch up, Fleur, but now I have another appointment to make before I begin my war in earnest. We'll chat some other time." She bade as she finished her Firewhisky and handed Fleur the now empty glass before opening a portal to Transylvania. She had a Vampire King to win over to her rebellion. She couldn't help but think of the Hell she was going to cause with an army as big as hers would be. Dumbledore, the Ministry, Voldemort, they were all going to pay for treating her like shit! They would soon know her wrath, her fury, her vengeance! She was the Phoenix Queen, the new High Priestess of the Order of the Waking Flame, and she would burn those who dared to screw with her. Oh yes. Vengeance would be hers, and soon she would rule this world. Soon there would be no corruption left on Earth.

(A/N: And cut! That's chapter 3. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Sorry for the slow update, but here it is! It took me awhile to think of where I was going to go with this chapter, and eventually just thought of this. Okay, I probably should've mentioned this in chapter 1, but I'm using the movie version of the Harry Potter universe while simultaneously using the cinematic trailer of Blackwood for Mehrunes Dagon and the Deadlands, so if you want to know what Dagon and his realm look like, please refer to the Blackwood cinematic trailers, I promise you, you won't be disappointed. I don't really know what else to say for this, so I'll get to work on chapter 4. Ciao!)