Chapter 28: Two Feathers

Harry walked along silently through the dark forest. Fawkes remained very still under the cloak, he cuddled close to Harry's neck and face and was bent low. His feathers were ragged and he shivered a little. The bird cooed a little at times and tears fell from its eyes at others. Harry could feel that with every different turn the bird would become agitated, it knew something was about to happen.

It was still dark in the forest as they travelled along, snow was still falling lightly around them but dawn was near and the clouds were moving off. Harry listened through his mind for Dominic. He could no longer distinguish his friends from the trees and the only way for him to know really if he was going in the right direction was to close his mind off to everyone but Dominic and to follow his every move mentally. It was a hard trek but Harry knew it was of the most importance that he didn't make a sound. He walked slowly and carefully to not get the cloak snagged on anything and walked just behind the rest of the group, following only their footprints in the snow.

A great black void filled the minds of the ones that could protect themselves. Locked away, for no living soul to see, were the thought that were kept the most clear and the most dear to Harry and Dominic. Amelia's voice was still very vivid in both of their minds, they weren't unable to truly believe that she was gone and even thought hey tried, they could not push her screaming out of their ears. Her voice echoed and held on making Harry dizzy at time and he could tell that Dominic was feeling the same way. Her face, her fear and her voice were locked within the black void. The image of her in the forest grew brighter as they walked deeper and deeper into the darkness.

The pack of wizards travelled farther into the dark forest than Harry had every been permitted to go, or had ventured without permission. On several occasions the group stopped to rest and the night sky had begun to lighten above the trees. The snow stopped and the clouds moved away to the south as the sun began to change the colours of the forest. The sky began to glow, the colours of fire, as the storm clouds rolled off, disappearing into the morning light. The sun broke through the tree tops as it finally rose over the mountain tops and lit the path through the forest. It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that the troop of searching wizards came across the body of Amelia Cross.

Amelia lay flat on a bed of snow. Though it had fallen all night the snow did not settle upon her but covered the harsh stone of the altar making it seem that she slept on a cloud. The seven wizards walked along the edge of the clearing just behind the final row of trees and stopped close to the sleeping snow princess. Colour was faint in her face and yet her chest still rose and fell with the shallow breaths the body took. She seemed only to sleep and yet it was a slumber that, no matter the attempts, was unbreakable.

Lord Voldimort sat to one side in a thrown of black rock, dark and slick as oil. He rolled a green apple from hand to hand before he bit into it. He stared blankly out into the dark forest. He smiled at the sounds of the wild, wicked animals that lurked around and that were drawn to the darkness of this evil man. None of his death eaters were with him and still the feeling of danger and unpredictability was suffocating for the good wizards. His eyes travelled along the edges of the clearing as he sat alone. A smirk covered his face as the group grew nearer, "come, come my pretties and view your beloved snow white," he said with a great evil laugh. Belinda drew close to Snape as she looked for the first time on a man who seemed to rule her every move and had for nearly all of her life. She had lived her life in fear of a man that she knew would hold a very strong grasp on her and now he sat next to her daughter and looked upon them group as if they had walked right into the circle un-disguised and vulnerable. Voldimort looked down the row and his eyes fell on Dumbledore, "you didn't think your little party trick would save you, old man, did you?" he laughed as the seven arrived near the fire in the centre of the clearing, "Six little Indians have come to my hive," he laughed, "I can see you all, and yet you didn't bring the bird or Mr. Potter," he said shaking his head, "I am sure Harry wasn't happy to be left alone, really it wasn't nice of you. Your little saviour was left to be protected and yet his army has come to face me," Voldimort walked near to Dumbledore and looked him straight in the face, "drop the spell and go back and fetch the bird just you and I will keep them here with me. The longer you take the less of them there will be, six will become five and five will be four and your little crusade will exist no more," he laughed at himself and walked close to Belinda, "you will be the last to go but your son shall be the first. Run, run, run old man before I strike him down," He said but Dumbledore didn't move, "what are you waiting for, a demonstration?" He asked angrily as he drew his wand and reached out and grabbed Dominic around the neck, even though Dominic was still under the invisibility spell.

The spell fell away from the travellers as Belinda screamed seeing her son, her one remaining child, in the hands of a mad man, "please don't I am here I am what you want let him go!" She pleaded as tears ran down her face.

"But the bird I want more than I want you," Voldimort said tightening the grip around Dominic's neck, "I don't need magic to kill the boy and your hands don't need life to force a feather from the bird so run Dumbledore!"

"Let him go, Riddle," Harry yelled as he threw off the cloak and the great fire bird stretched out its brilliant red wings.

"How dare you address me like that!" Voldimort yelled as he spun, to face Harry and the bird, thronging Dominic to the ground.

The colour had all returned to Fawkes. A brilliant yellow light surrounded Harry and the bird. His black iridescent eyes were now red and filled with fight. He stood proud and angry on the should of this the living warrior, "just try and take the bird!" Harry yelled, his scare glowing red as fire.

The six other wizards in the clearing had taken the time to draw their wands and encircle Voldimort. They each stood ready with an unforgivable curse at the tip of their tongue ready to use it at any cost to end the darkness that plagued their world.

"You're surrounded Tom, there is nothing you can do to escape," Dumbledore said, "we'll be taking the girl and leaving you again. The bird, and Belinda will forever be safe in the castle and you will never have either of them."

"You've lost," Harry smirked his wand still trained on Voldimort.

"You think I have," He laughed as a green smoked filled the clearing, "I am the greatest wizard evil has ever seen, you are nothing against me!" a great green serpent appeared in the clearing, its fangs dripped with a sick, slimy green, venom.

"Don't look at it!" Snape yelled as they all turned and sheltered their eyes.

"How could he come across another basilisk?" Hermione asked as she reached toward Ron. Voldimort laughed as the snake hissed and taunted the helpless wizards, "and now you don't seem so strong." he smiled as he pointed his wand from one to the other, "who, oh who shall I choose first?" he nearly sang as he passed his wand from one to the other, "you!" he yelled and spun around his wand pointed straight at Snape, "teach you to defy me, Crucio, feel the pain of tyranny," he yelled.

"Auduro glacialis," Belinda yelled from his side and stopped the curse before it could hit.

"What have you done!" Voldimort yelled as he watched the ice of his spell hit the new snow covered ground, "what have you DONE!" he screamed into Dumbledore's face.

"It is a gift from the girl that you have chosen to used against us," Dumbledore said as he stood proud, "it is a true sign of goodness, the Gryffindor way."

Furry built in his eyes, he stepped back in fear and awe of the new curse and the strength of this old wizard, "SHUT UP!" he yelled as the back of his hand made contact with Dumbledore's face, "I have heard enough from you!" his eyes glowed red with hatred

Dumbledore hit the ground hard. Ron ran to his side, the man lay shaken and bleeding. Weak and old looking. The snake dove at them both of them his fangs dripping his eyes black and cloudy. Dumbledore looked into Ron's eyes fearfully, there in the refection were the eyes of the basilisk. Dumbledore became rigid in Ron's arms, "Hermione, Dumbledore has seen the eyes of the basilisk!" he yelled as the great serpent was about to come down on the both of them.

"Immobulus!" Hermione yelled and the snake was struck into its positions. Its eyes remained open but it was unable to move, "Ron don't look at it, don't turn toward it!" she yelled as she ran toward them pulling at her school robe and throwing it over the eyes of the great snake.

"There is more good in this world than given credit for," Snape said as he stood and faced Voldimort, "I realised it and I work for it now."

"Traitor," Voldimort hissed, "let the same fate fall upon your lover as it has her child!" he yelled and grabbed Belinda by the arm, "kiss me my pet and I will send you to your daughter."

"Mom NO!" Dominic yelled, "EXPELLIARMUS," he screamed as tears rolled down his face.

Belinda flew from the hand of the evil wizard. He was thrown back as well and hit the alter on which Amelia lay. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth onto the slick white silk of the dress that the beautiful woman wore. He looked upon her, a smile of slumber and knowledge covered her face. She knew what was happening, she could see within her mind and the minds of the others that he was losing. She laughed at him, her smile, her face, her silence, all of it was laughing at him. He breathed deeply as he regained his balance and turned to look upon the boy huddled around his mother and the traitor that stood cradling them both in his arms, "they are stronger and always will be stronger than you," a woman's voice fulled his mind. He looked back upon the woman that lay asleep in the snow, "Harry is not the only one to break your curses, their will forever be good to fight against you and your kind!" he heard as the snake that entangled her hair fell away and the feathers of the phoenix appeared as a crown on her head.

"None of this is possible," he said to himself as he leaned terrified against the alter, "you can't be doing this, you are lost forever!"

"Not lost," the voice said to him, "never will I be lost for I believe in goodness."

"you'll pay for this!" he hissed again as he turned toward the family of the snow princess, "you'll be sorry, ALL OF YOU, AVADA KEDAVRA," he screamed with all the power within him and forced it right at the group of innocence.

"AUDURO GLACIALIS," Harry yelled, but the curse could not go against his enemy's wand and the curse was not directed toward him. He couldn't fight it, "NO!" he screamed as a ball of fire and feathers irrupted before Belinda, Snape and Dominic.

"That Bird!" Voldimort yelled, "that cursed bird! You haven't seen the last of me, any of you. You'll pay for this Potter, one of these days I will get you!" the anger was like fire in Voldimort's eyes as the green smoke surrounded him once more and he disappeared from the clearing as did the great basilisk. The were left alone, stunned by the events that had just happened as the green smoked cleared away with the smoke from the ball of fire. All that remained of the great bird of ever lasting life was a bright red and orange feather. It sparkled in the snow as it melted itself a grave.

Silence filled the clearing. The sun shown thought a light cloud cover. Gentle show fell in the sun like crystals in the sky. Belinda stared at the spot on which a single feather remained of the bird that had been her guardian. Snape kissed her cheek gently as he stood and walked toward Harry who had fallen back against the alter and covered his face with his hand.

Harry panted through his tears. His scare bled again, his entire body shook he didn't want to look up to see what had happened. In his mind things had happened differently. He say only the destruction of the people he loved all of them but in the back of his mind a calm, soothing voice told him everything was alright. Was it his mothers voice or perhaps Amelia? Or was his mind simply play tricks on him?

"There was nothing you could do to stop it," Snape said as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder, "you tried to save our lives, Fawkes was just a step ahead of you,"

Harry looked up at Snape, his face burning with tears, "only Fawkes everyone else?"

"We're ok, Dumbledore will need treatment back at the school for the curse of the basilisk but we are all safe," Snape said looking strangely at Harry.

"This is all my fault, I am a danger to everyone," Harry said as he dried his eyes with the leave of his cloak, "I always will be."

"You can't think like this, it will weaken your mind. Did you not hear Amelia's words?" Snape asked looking deep into Harry's eyes.

"I thought I was imagining things," Harry said as he stood and looked at the girl on the alter.

"Clear as day, she was heard in this place," Snape said handing Harry his invisibility cloak. From within the cloak fell a single withered feather from the heroic bird, "he has left you a great gift Harry," Snape said picking up the feather, "should you choose to, you would be able to mix the two feathers left from the bird to fight against Voldimort."

Harry fearfully took the feather from Snape and looked it over in his hands, "its not for me to keep this," he said and walked slowly to Belinda and Dominic. He placed the feather gently on the snow beside the one remaining brilliant feather left by the bird. Two feathers looking very different and yet belonging to the same bird, melted into the snow, "you have to keep them Belinda," he said, "they were left for you."

Belinda weakly smiled up at the shaken boy that stood before her, "I am proud of you Harry," she said pulling him into an embrace, "I will forever fight by your side no matter what," she whispered in his ear and kissed his cheek.

"This battle has finally ended for us," Dominic said as he reached out to hug Harry.

"The battles are never over," Harry sighed, "not as long as Voldimort is with us."

"But for now, let this battle be over," Belinda said as she stood from her place and walked slowly over to the alter on which her silent, sleeping daughter lay, "let us for the time being finally feel pease to know that the danger of our family will not harm anyone else but that our danger will always be read for we choose to fight for goodness."

"Finally you can feel safe," Snape said as he took Belinda's hand.

"Safe forever with you," She smiled, a real genuine smile, one like she had when she was young.