A Phoenix's Song: Life, Death & Rebirth

SPOV

Over the next few hours I fell countless times in and out of consciousness. Each time I would hear the twit sobbing and chanting madly and each time it was wild and magnificent. 'If Al didn't know the proper way to fix me he'd sing and weave together something new to do it' I thought strangely as I felt magic working on my bones and muscles. Blackness.

I dreamt Al was holding me, whispering things in Faeric that i'd never heard before, warmth flooding through every sinew and fiber of my being until again the blackness engulfed me. Shapes and shadows. In my sleep, senses came into being that humans neither muggle nor magical had knowledge of. Colors smelled and tasted, sounds made tactile. A kiss of fire imprinted onto my mind and soul. Lights made of shadow. Books, doors, bones and ash. Song…

As my vision finally adjusted, my surroundings came into focus. The magical mushrooms we had originally landed on threw barely enough light to illuminate a small portion of the grove and really only intensified the obscure shroud that filled the gloom of the surrounding darkwood.

The light was, however, enough for me to glean where I was. Sometime during the ordeal I had been moved onto an enormous bed worn with centuries of age and neglect. I was naked save for my underwear. Makeshift bandages and moth eaten cloth lay all around me, stained red by the gore of my injuries.

Off to the side were rusted workstations, worm-rotted bookshelves and shattered vials. Quils and Parchment were scattered about the desks, the counters, and even the tattered dining table. Yet everywhere you looked the magical glow of the fungus hung inescapably like a cloud of blue silken mist. Someone had studied this place long ago I thought examining the cauldrons, dressers and makeshift kitchen. Explorers and inventors had been here in a past age to document the secrets in the deep.

Albus lay next to me, his body halfway on the bed and his head cradled gently in his arms. He looked so sweet. He must have stayed up watching over me before finally drifting off… It looked almost as though he'd been praying. I reached over to brush some of the hair from his face, smiling as he stirred.

Awake

"You're awake." The twit shot from beside me, the relief at my finally waking plain on his face.

"What did you do?" I asked feeling my injuries and marveling at how little they now hurt. Even the gash on my forehead i'd received from the Nundu's claws had healed.

"Careful! I'm not sure what I did fixed you completely. To be honest I'm not entirely sure what it was that I did… so just take it easy ok?" Al offered reproachfully, trying to get me to stop prodding myself heedlessly.

"Well we need to get out of here… besides I feel amazing Al" I said enthusiastically, rising from the bed without a moments hesitation. My vision flashed and weakness enveloped me. While I may not have had any injuries left, I was beyond exhausted.

"Scor!" the twit roared back as he saw me buckle. He had jumped to catch me just in time. My head still felt strange. My mind was light, even lyrical, as though it were filled with mirth and song.

"I'm fine Al… you know we can't stay here… I'm certain there are things down in this abyss that would kill us the moment they'd discovered our intrusion. We can't afford to wait for me to feel better."

"Don't be stupid. You are in no condition to…"

"Shut up you twit" I spat much too angrily given whose life this twit had just saved. I resented that I was the cause of the position we were in. I couldn't fathom that my injuries could have gotten Al killed down here. Could still get Al killed down here. Ugh… how were we going to prove Marvolo's involvement in this whole affair…

"You should have left me" I said softly looking away into the darkness. "Idiot."

"As if I'd ever leave you" the fool whispered back, steadying me gently against himself. He was too kind for something like that. He would never. Al pulled me back up to a standing position when suddenly moonlight poured in through a hole in the ceiling. The clouds of the above world must have parted, allowing a weak ray to find and worm its way down.

I examined the dark trees and glowing fungi with great interest. "A forest beneath the forest huh?" It was a magnificent if also horrifying place. I whistled as my eyes followed the light up to the roof of this world. I realized that the hole must have been the well. "How far do you think we fell?"

"Far enough."

The gaping maw of darkness had swallowed us and we were now in a cobblestone courtyard aged beyond history. Ornate stone pillars and twisted trees surrounded the clearing and formed a sort of barrier from the outside woods. Two rows of larger rune-etched pillars lined a central walkway, leading away from the makeshift settlement. The path seemed to go on and on as far as the naked eye could see in the bracken gloom of the cavernous world we'd fallen into.

"Something tells me we really shouldn't cross that boundary…" I was terrified by the pull the darkness seemed to exude. It wanted me, for what sinister purpose I knew not.

"You can feel it too then…I've been up for hours and it hasn't stopped"

Infinite blackness and a voracious intent loomed out there in the gnarled and crooked branches. I could almost hear the slithering of some ancient creature, waiting to devour…

"Let's go…" I said trying to move forward to collect my clothes. I did not want to linger here when every second put Al in greater danger.

I hadn't gotten an inch when he grabbed me. I was completely stuck in his arms. He was holding me tightly about the waist and chest, while his chin had locked itself over my shoulder as if his head could have somehow given him the proper leverage to detain me. Sometimes he is such a child. His soft hands were warm against my naked skin. My thoughts started to blur at that.

"Al…"

"No."

"We need to…"

"No. You'll only hurt yourself again" he whispered with a soft sob, pulling at me tighter. His fingers were clenching at my chest as though it were fabric, as though he could meld into me. It made me want to cry. But I never cried. He was so worried about me. I realized as the water fell onto my skin that it was he who had started to leak.

"Let go Al. Now."

"NO! I sang your bones back into place. I wove your muscles back like a loom with living fabric. I'm not sure how… but I did. Don't waste my work by-"

"-The only way it will have been a waste is if we die down here." He wouldn't let go of me. I could feel his hair against my back and neck. It was so soft. I could feel the warmth of his skin.

"Scor, you don't know how badly you were hurt, we should sit down for a few minut…"

"End of discussion! We are not staying here a moment longer. This stone walkway must lead somewhere and I'm certain its the only chance we are going to get to escape!"

I managed, with much difficulty, to break free from his embrace, moving to stand on my own several feet away.

I wouldn't allow him to die down here. I couldn't.

"Come on Al." I added slipping my clothes back on and leading the way as quickly as my frail form would allow.

"Come on you idiot, faster!" i hissed venomously when i realized he hadn't moved. Instead of following he merely collapsed to his knees, wailing like a toddler.

"I hate you, i hate you, i hate you, sniff... you c-cruel... sniff... ho-hor-horrible boy"

"Al!?" I shot confused. He was going to draw the whole forest to us. I walked back and lowered myself to him, remembering how Ella used to hold me when i was upset. The way he'd held me when mother came that night. "Al" i whispered softly again, putting my arms around him.

"Go away, leave me alone" He cried, struggling against me.

"Al..." I started softly into his ear. "Thanks... For saving me..."

He was so terrified, not by the blackness, not by the prospect of creatures from the gloom, but at the prospect of losing me. "But see, i'm alright now. See Im perfectly fine. You did it, you saved me ok."

"I... I... thought you h-had l-left me. I thought you were gone."

"I know, I know. Its ok Al. I'm fine."

"I c-can s-see that y-you idiot!" He cursed angrily while the tears still fell. People were so confusing at times.

"Then why are you still crying?"

"I d-don't know" He sniffled, his tears relenting slightly. He pulled back to look at me. As though he really weren't sure i was alright. He looked at me as though i were an illusion, a mere trick. As though all my injuries might suddenly burst open again.

"Will you stop if i sit down for a few minutes and rest?"

"An hour" He offered firmly, as though we were negotiating. Still so slytherin.

"Ten minutes"

"...Fine..." He sniffled, turning away from me. "agreed."

So we sat. We sat there on the cold stones in complete silence, neither looking at each other nor displaying any sign of acknowledgment towards the others existence. Whether we displayed it or not, I was acutely aware of his presence next to me. I could hear his ragged breath, and the few dry sobs that came when one had stopped crying. I could feel him. Like an itch in my chest where I knew Al's soulprint was hidden. I must have been hurt really badly for Al to be so shaken. I can't believe he had broken down like that. I gently brushed his hand with my own to let him know we were leaving. I got up silently, readying myself to go when he turned towards me with a confused expression sewn stupidly on his face.

"It's only been nine minutes and thirteen seconds."

"You were counting?" i asked shocked and annoyed. He frowned at that. "Its been long enough, now come on. We have to find a way out of here."

I only got several paces before I felt a hand grab mine intensely in the dark. I allowed the warmth to flood into me the same way it had when Al was saving my life. He wouldn't let me leave him… even if it was to save himself. He would never leave me. He looked at our hands then as though he were still considering the idea of glueing us together.

"Scor… know that if I see you so much as buckle again, I'll pin you to the ground myself."

"Really?" I tossed skeptically. I would have liked to see that one.

"Yup, then I'll break all two hundred and six of your bones, by hand, to keep you from escaping."

The threat had been worded so effortlessly and spoken with such simple candor that I somehow knew Al would really do it. More frightening than anything was the way he had smiled as he said it. His eyes were closed and he looked so sincere that the contrast of his dark words had sent shivers down my spine. As he smiled the light from the well above flickered and went out, casting shadows on his lips that gave me the impression they were lined with fangs. "Oh and try and break away from me like that again and I'll devise a torture for you so morbidly macabre that Voldemort himself would have feared its use" he added squeezing my hand softly. I smiled at that. He loves me so much this idiot. Love… We're already like family… i was born with a sister and i ended up somehow with a brother instead. Herpo's bones though, sometimes hes ridiculously slytherin.

"Merlin's beard your hand is freezing Scor."

"Hmmmmm…"

"What?"

"I was just thinking, yours is really warm."

Al is always so warm. He's like fire and summer. Always. I stared back out into the shadowy fabric of the forest. I had a bad feeling we were going to die down here. We took a few steps forward away from the glow of the mushrooms and soon the darkness consumed us entirely.

We walked and walked in silence for what felt like hours, his hand the only thing keeping me from the black void. The mushrooms provided barely any light as we walked farther on, but we both thought it best to forgo magical illumination in favor of masking our presence from whatever haunted the woods.

Piles of rubble and broken statues could be seen along the walkway. Portraits long since destroyed by the decay of time hung limply from columns or sat humped on the stones. This place didn't feel like it belonged to Time but rather Death. Not clearly malign, just sad. An echo of the living made dead.

"Hey Al?"

"Hmm."

"You know you really scared me with those slytherin powers of yours. I can't believe you can do all of that with just a few drops of blood in your veins."

"It scared me too Scor. I was so powerful, but I… when I killed that nundu… I was so angry… I hated it so much. I wanted it to die horribly for hurting you. Thats not like me at all."

"Well you saved me Al. Thats all I care about. I just wish you hadn't exhausted yourself in the attempt. At least now your green eyes are back again…"

"My eyes changed color?"

"And shape. It was like a different person had hold of your body. I could still recognize a bit of you underneath, but you were so angry and filled with hate and hunger…"

"Well there was a price for the power. I guess I know what it is now. It was different though when I healed you. I… don't know what kind of power that was. You're sure you feel alright?"

I smiled, squeezing Al's hand reassuringly. He seemed to flinch and shudder at the movement. Suddenly a strange image flashed lightning like in my mind. It made me dizzy. What had affected him so much that it forced a response like that?

"Whats wrong Al?"

"Oh nothing. I was just remembering something pleasant."

"Something that made you flinch?" I asked skeptically. I let go of his hand and turned to face him in the dim light. Why would a memory make him shudder like that? Sometimes I wonder if he isn't mad.

"Its not important Scorpius Malfoy" Al shot poking the tip of my nose with a small slender finger. "What is important is discussing Marvolo's meeting with the mysterious hooded man." We stopped suddenly when a branch snapped beyond the boundaries of the stones. For a moment everything seemed to stop. "Alfa salthir nan?" He asked loudly. When no answer came, he released a long sigh. I couldn't tell if he was relieved or not.

"You speak faeric too?" I asked suddenly very surprised by the development. Another thing we had in common. "And why did you just use the dark form? Thats not traditional at all."

"You missed a lot while you were out cold. I met Silvarion the future king of the Svaltalfar. Actually judging by their numbers, it was probably an entire hunting party. Thats why i used the dark form." He had spoken so casually that it took me a moment to register what hed actually said.

"You WHAT?" I squeaked. What on earth. "How is that possible? How are we alive?"

"Well I did three things. I told them I'm a fontling, whatever that is. I showed them my ring and then I challenged their entire party to fight to the death. You he recognized have Ljosalfar blood. So he named us… well friends I suppose… if not exactly guests."

"You challenged them all at once? Why? What would posses you to do something so stupid." He stopped and frowned again, as though the answer were evident. I hated when he frowned, it made me almost nauseous.

"Why else? I had to protect you, silly." I was speechless. He had done so much and more to save me. I hadn't even known.

"But they are so rare. Their culture and very existence are all but myth."

"They live in the darkest forests around the world I guess. But to have met their prince… Well that much I agree was lucky."

"How did I miss all of that?"

"You were dying you idiot. And I was yelling at a six foot dark elf prince." Another image flashed in my mind. They disappeared too quickly for me to see what they were, but i felt my stomach turn and twist in response.

"Al?"

"Hm."

"Why did you flinch when I touched you? You said you had remembered something. What was it?"

"Just a dream. Or maybe a nightmare, i haven't decided which."

I scowled at that one, entirely confused.

"Merlin Avalon's ghost." Whispered Al as we came to the end of the walkway.

"Al what…"

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy… look where we are." Al said again sounding afraid. "Those pillars and the rock… look at the way it's been carved."

I didn't want to look. I wanted him to answer me. When he realized that I was staring at him instead, he slapped my shoulder and physically shifted my head towards the… What?

Helheim's Gate

There were seven steps that led to the platform upon which stood the edifice Al had bid me examine.

"Albus… this can't be the Darkwood Grove. It's… just … a story…not even a myth." I squeaked examining the rock. The unspeakables would kill to find this place…

"The Archway was cut from this very stone and placed in the ministry when it was founded." My twit whispered approaching the steps. Sirius Black had fallen through the Archway known as Deaths Gate during the battle of the DoM and had vanished forever. So this was where the archway had been found…

Before the now empty gateway sat a throne carved of dark elderwood, blackened bones and the same ethereal fabric that seemed to veil Death's Gate in the ministry. The same fabric that was used to make the cloak of invisibility Al now held bundled beneath his arm.

"The Peverell's ruled this place once. One of the seven lost wonders of the magical world. Its as if this were one of the very tethers that keep the world stitched and bound together. One of the seven." Al continued entranced, climbing the stairs towards the throne.

"Al what are you doing?" I asked frightened. My words didn't so much echo as they seemed to disappear into the blackness. I couldn't even be sure they had reached him. "We need to leave."

To the throne's left I noticed stood a gilded perch beneath which lay a mound of dark ash. To the thrones right sat a table upon which rested a single book next to a candle of black tallow. Something was very very wrong. The candle was lit, and burned a sickly grey-purple. How could it be lit, when this place looked as if it had been abandoned centuries ago?

"Al."

This place was filled with magic stronger than anything I'd ever felt. Something as powerful as…

"There's no way out Scor. Besides… I'm just… taking a look. The Peverell crest is everywhere. There might be something that can get us out of here."

"Or kill us. Just Al…don't. Something's off."

I watched his eyes grow wide at the sight of the book. I continued helplessly as Al retrieved it, running his hands over the ornate surface and binding. Constellations and formulas moved across the black cover, interweaving in an elaborate dance. Al merely sat down in the throne as if it were his and seemed to be bracing himself for what looked…

"AL DON'T YOU DARE OPEN THAT BOOK!" I shouted. But he couldn't hear me. The whispers, that at first I had discounted as the artificial progeny of my fear, grew louder and louder. They seemed eager, as though they were enticing Al to open the tome. I recognized it now, it looked so similar to the one Father has hidden away in his study… except this one was black…

APOV

The Ash is Death, The Phoenix rebirth and the Flame represents the life in between. The wand, the stone, the cloak. The tree, the ouroboros, the veil. Our Mark we thought watching the symbol glow on the cover. "Ours." We added opening the tome. Everything changed as i beheld the knowledge, wisdom and power within.

Death, Death, Death, Death, Death, Death, Death, Death, Death, Death.

"†Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆" The runes and pillars seemed to chant.

"AL NO!" We heard a boy call as the stars and formulas flew from the pages to be projected onto the trees and columns.

Every torch in the hall suddenly lit the same purple as the candle's flame, throwing light into the dark forest to reveal that its surface was littered with bones.

The fires were nothing like the purple of his eyes though. His eyes were like those of the goddess herself.

We watched the whole hall transform itself into the glory of its original form.

Every portrait reanimated, every sculpture reformed, and the shades of the dead, the trees, the wizards, the creatures all spilled from the pages of our book. Our eyes were burning as the words and shapes, symbols and images poured into them. The nature of form, unwound, unbound. Everything was so powerful. We could feel our mind filling with it. Everything that there was to know about the magic of Death.

Liquid fire and blood.

It was not only death… but life too… a piece of something greater. One of a number, one of seven.

Music, the notes of some great song.

"Al!" the boy shouted as he ran towards us. We understood now the gravity of what had been done… there was no phoenix here to save us. No rebirth. Death would see us crowned or see us drowned we realized as the souls and spirits swarmed about. Ignotius would come to judge us… there could only be one to sit the throne… one Peverell.

"†Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆, †Ω∆"

"Al!" was all that we heard. The boy shouted leaping upon us to close the book. The little blond was crying, trying to force the cover to close by the sheer force of his will alone as knowledge still soared from its pages. The wind howled, a vortex of ancient power. He struggled and struggled, until he managed finally to seal it. All was still. The fires, the portraits, the sculptures, the spirits and shades. Even the glowing runes were…

"AL can you hear me? WHAT DID YOU DO?" Scor shouted at me as the rumbling began And the earth started to shake. Me… I'm me again… they had left my mind alone I thought momentarily relieved. I was me…

"We need to leave. Now!" I screeched searching the ceiling for an opening into the real world above. The well was miles away and we didn't have time to figure out how to get up…

"Al…"

SPOV

What… what… "Al… "

This was too much. Why had he opened the book. Why couldn't he have just left it alone?

"No! Not yet!" he screamed eyes darting to the flickering runes on the pillars. He watched in horror as they slowly failed. He grabbed the candle and book shrinking them into his pocket, suddenly withdrawing his Cloak. He knew something I didn't. Something about reading that book had given him insight into whatever it was that was now happening.

"Scor get under this now!" Al screamed throwing the invisibility cloak over me. "Don't move, not even an inch! No matter what. Promise me. Promise me." Al finished hugging me tightly before turning back to face the darkness.


Double the length means double the Reviews... that or No new chapters until next fall :-/

(I know i promised this chapter would be up by thursday or friday but I've been super busy and I managed to combine two or three smaller chapters to make this large one. Im shooting for ten reviews for this chapter. Thanks. Also my more generous readers: I'm not just shooting for a # of reviews i genuinely enjoy hearing what you like and MORE importantly what you Dislike. [this chapter will be edited again in a few days]