AN: AAnew year and a new chapter. With this we close the penultimate horcrux hunt, and we start a couple of low-key chapters befibe the build-up to the finale.
By the by, I still own nothing.
CHAPTER 36 – Primal beyond
"My lord," said Lucius Malfoy rushing into the room before prostrating himself at the bald wizard's feet "I've got excellent news from the Ministry."
"Indeed Lucius?" inquired Voldemort raising an inexistent eyebrow and stifling his first impulse to punish his servant's abruptness in interrupting his strategizing "Then do tell this excellent news."
"That fool Fudge actually did it, my lord," said the blond looking up, excitement clear in his tone and features "He got Dumbledore removed from Hogwarts! He's been declared undesirable number one and is wanted alive to face trial before the Wizengamot!"
Voldemort paused. Could it really be that simple? His biggest obstacle removed from the board by a mere pawn? His ruby eyes bored into Lucius'own.
"You were there?"
"Yes my lord."
The dark wizard didn't wait a second more to use legilimency on his servant and see the relevant memory. Since Lucius had proved valuable, he did try not to be needlessly violent with his scan. Still, he had never been exactly subtle.
Once he had gotten what he was looking for, he left his servant mind and started cackling.
"Call my inner circle Lucius!" said Voldemort in obvious glee "There's much to be done!"
"M-my l-l-lord," feebly said the blonde from where he was twitching on the floor.
"Oh right," muttered the Dark Lord before calling "Avery! Come attend me!"
"Firebrand, you have to go!" said Chandra looking the flamekin in the eyes "People of this plane don't know anything about magic, they'd react badly to seeing you."
"I understand," replied the swordsman nodding.
"Thanks for coming and risking your life once again," she offered with a smile "Pass my regards to Ashling."
"It was a pleasure, my fair lady," he said getting up before bowing at the waist "See you again soon."
And with those parting words, she sent him back to Lorwyn. One problem solved, two remaining.
She looked around hoping against hope to find something to distract the newcomers long enough for Fawkes to come back, then she cursed under her breath for being so distracted. Moving her left hand to better hold the makeshift gauze, she half turned around and focused on the access ramp, then summoned a fire wall at the base of it.
"That should be distracting enough..." she muttered turning back towards Dumbledore "Now, what to do with you?"
He was pale, deathly so. She briefly wondered if the blade had been poisoned, or maybe cursed, but decided that either way she could hardly treat the man: her knowledge of field medicine amounted to cleaning wounds, bandaging them and, in extreme cases, cauterizing them with live fire. None was exactly adequate in the specific situation. She sighed again, why Fawkes was taking so long?
Albus opened his eyes to a blinding light and a distressingly familiar voice calling him.
"You have to get up brother, our time is short," said the young, female voice.
Finding in himself an energy he didn't believe he had anymore, the old man sprang up to lock eyes with his interlocutor. Bright blue eyes like his own in a face still as young and beautiful as he remembered it. The same cyan dress she had in Aberforth's portrait, the same serene expression.
"Arianna..." he whispered raising a trembling hand to stroke her cheek, just like he had done the last time he had seen her.
Differently from that time, the girl smiled and grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Yes brother."
"Then it is time for me to embark in the next great adventure?" he asked staring at his dead sister's face "Have you come for me?"
"Yes and no brother," she replied smirking at him with a twinkle in her eyes, just like she had used to do when she felt up to no good "I came for you, but the rest is up to you."
"Up to me?" he echoed uncomprehendingly.
"Yes brother, you can choose to go on or to return," she explained guiding him to a nearby bench.
It was only then that he looked around himself, before he hadn't dared to look away from his sister for fear she might disappear like a dream. They were sitting on a bench in what looked like a graveyard, Godric's Hollow to be precise, but everything was white, with a diffused light gleaming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
"I can stay with you?" he asked refocusing his eyes on her.
"You can brother," she agreed with a nod before tilting her head to the side, twinkle in her eyes "But if you so choose, are you ready to face the truth?"
"About that day?" he asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
"Yes brother," she replied solemnly, no trace of twinkle this time.
"I'm sorry Arianna," he said taking her other hand and squeezing "I'm so, so sorry."
"I know big brother," she said smiling gently at him while wiping his tears "I heard you every time."
Their conversation lulled into silence as he wept what never was because of him and she consoled him.
"I'm ready for the truth Arianna," he said after his tears had dried up.
She smiled again but asked: "What about your students? And those that count on you? And big brother Aberforth?"
"It seems I'm a busy man even now," he chuckled weakly, his customary twinkle in his eyes "So much that I don't have time to die."
"Your friend Minerva was right when she said so, it seems," she chuckled back before adding "I'm happy you choose to go back big brother."
"Will you still be here?" he asked hopeful.
"Yes brother, for you and for Aberforth too. I promise."
"Thank you Arianna," he said getting up and starting to walk towards the gates.
"Big brother Albus," she called him when he was a few scant meters from his mark.
"Yes Arianna?"
"It wasn't you that killed me, big brother," she said smiling at him.
"Thank you, Arianna."
"I've done all I can, he'll need plenty of rest now," said Madam Pomfrey closing the makeshift tent around Dumbledore's bed "Though I'd prefer if he was in the hospital wing or in Saint Mungo..."
The reason for her critique was that Fawkes had brought them all back in the Chamber of Secrets after she had stabilized the headmaster, and despite all the work both students and elves had done, it was still considerably less tidy than a sterile hospital room. Of course, since he was a wanted man it wasn't like he actually had the option.
"That much I can guarantee he'll have," agreed Chandra smiling relieved.
She had been nearing her wits end when Fawkes had finally arrived with the two faculty members. Both had immediately started working on the elderly wizard, but she had been left uncertain if he would survive. Knowing that the old man wasn't done yet and that she hadn't messed up was really relieving to the pyromancer.
She sat back on a nearby chair, a pyrolynx climbing in her lap and starting to purr loudly demanding attention.
"I'll have his potions delivered via house elf before the morning," said Snape looking around with undisguised interest "Do try to keep the place as intact as possible, this is an incredible discovery."
"Hopefully this will be just a temporary hideout, but we'll try our best," promised the redhead petting the kitten in her lap "And thanks for your help with those muggles..."
"It is in my best interest too," he said curtly before adding "I wish you hadn't left such obvious traces but beggars can't be choosers, as they say."
"Oh, lighten up Severus," chastised him the hospital matron before turning towards Fawkes "I must return to my other patients, can you help me?"
After the two members of the faculty had left a group of students came closer, curious about all the commotion.
"He won't rat us out, won't he?" asked the youngest Weasley sounding visibly unsure.
"He likes Umbridge even less than he likes you," joked Chandra chuckling "Don't worry, he's an ok guy under all the snarky remarks and the caustic personality."
"Is that Gryffindor's sword?" asked Hermione pointing at the weapon lying abandoned on the floor not far from where her friend sat "Where did you find it?"
"And how did Dumbledore get injured?" demanded Bones shooting not-so-furtive glances at the closed tent.
"Would you believe me if I told you I found it in a parking lot in London?" asked back Chandra chuckling at their confused expressions.