The Phoenix Shall Rise Once Again_Ch 1

Chapter One:

Ginny's breathing was calm and even as she sat at the long table in the Great Hall. Neville, Cho, and many other wizards from other parts of the world sat around her, and it made her feel claustrophobic. It hurt to swallow, and it hurt to breathe, for it felt as though the air was closing in on her, trying to squash her until she was flat as a pancake. The Death Eaters posted at each of the exits and entrances would watch them with piercingly cold glares from behind their masks, not tolerating a single word to escape from their mouths. They would eat in absolute silence, and they would walk back to their rooms in the hallways in absolute silence. Due to the fact that she hadn't spoken to anyone for a whole week since her arrival in this castle, the headquarters of the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters, she felt as though she was mute; she felt as though she lost the ability to use her vocal chords.

Pushing the negative thoughts aside, she tried to look at the world in a positive perspective, which was nearly impossible with the Dark Lord ruling over everyone. All she could think about to force a strained smile onto her lips was that all of her friends were still alive, even though they could possibly be fatally hurt. And by knowing that Cho and Neville were sitting right next to her, their presences warmed her aching heart, mending it slightly. It was better than being trapped here all alone. Just the brief moments of silence spent together were enough to make her smile.

These thoughts of positivity were merely a distraction, for if she was to crane her neck from her undercooked meal, she would see the five kilometer large labyrinth that surrounded the castle's circumference, preventing anyone unwanted from breaking through the protective barriers. Her hopes and dreams of Harry coming to save her were squashed, and the remorse she felt for making her mistakes in the first place began to eat her heart away.
Clank.
The sound of the metal fork dropping from her grasp as it landed on the plate reverberated in the Great Hall, breaking the heavy silence as she mentally cursed herself for such clumsiness. Her fingers reached over to the piece of silverware to retrieve it, but she stopped midway when she heard the shuffling of feet as the shadowy figures of the Death Eaters moved in and out of her vision from her corner of her eyes. Ginny was not disappointed at the fact that her meal had not been finished, for she had lost her appetite days ago. Eating was nearly impossible with her stomach full of butterflies, flipping as it threatened to cause her to upchuck during unexpected moments. The dullness of the life as a prisoner was something that she was beginning to become accustomed to, and all she wanted was to see the sunshine as the warmth lingered on her cold skin.
Seeing the other students rise, she pushed her plate aside and stood, as well. Catching a brief glimpse of Cho and Neville at the other end of the long table, it did not bring a smile to her face, but instead, it caused her to frown subtly. They looked horribly fatigue with bloodshot eyes, and Cho, in particular, had a face that was tear-stained. Forcing herself to avert her attention from them as she was filed to be the first in one of the lines that lead to what would have been the Gryffindor common room, she caught a glimpse out of the glass panes of the window, only to see the grey skies tinted with a faint shade of an emerald green. Her strides were graceful and she walked with a never-ending confidence in her. This complexion did, however, falter as she abruptly froze into a stop, causing everyone behind her to bump into each other with a look of annoyance worn on their faces. Ginny's eyes wandered off to a certain corner of the passageway to find a dark pair of eyes staring back at her.
His face was the same face that haunted her nightmares. His face was the same face that belonged to her trusted companion who should have remained in that diary of hers. He was the person she poured her heart into, only to be betrayed. He was the one who had listened to her every thought, comforting her, only to throw her away like a piece of trash as he watched her wither away under his power. Ginny had fallen for the false sense of security he had provided her with. He was the perfect best friend that a person could ever have, or at least, he pretended to be one. And the betrayal had stabbed at her heart so harshly, it tore her apart and it severed her soul, bringing grief upon her.
Ginny watched as he walked away after whispering unheard words into the ears of a masked Death Eater as he looked towards her way, every now and then. Before she could watch him completely fade out of her sight, she was shoved forward by another Death Eater, causing her to gasp in surprise. Trudging up the flight of stairs, she walked through the portrait hole numbly as she made her way towards her room. She slammed the door shut with anger, the sound echoing through her ears as it filled her with more rage. What was he doing here at a time like this? Why couldn't things get better for her? What had she done wrong to deserve this? Why must her nightmares play with her reality?
Throwing herself onto the bed, she murdered her pillow by pounding at it with her fists before sending it flying across the room where it hit the wall before sliding onto the ground, landing with a muffled thud. Burying her face into another pillow, she fought back the unshed tears that stung her eyes. Nothing was welcoming at Hogwarts. Even the Gryffindor common room was designed to look like the Slytherin common room. The only closest thing that resembled something Gryffindor-ish was the flame that burned in the hearth with such flare and liveliness. But the fire only mocked her. It was so bright. She was so dull. It was so warm and welcoming. She was so empty and solitary like a creature of the dark. Without noticing, sleep soon overtook her as she drifted into a restless state of mind, her dreams haunting her with the face of the one and only Tom Marvolo Riddle.
*************
The grey storm clouds lingered overhead as the tears of the skies fell with not a sign of mercy on Luna's head. Her large, unblinking eyes were glistening as her steady footsteps trudged over the dampened soil of the forest. The wind that began to pick up blew her Ravenclaw robe, for she had no other outfits, aside from her school uniform. Her fingers ran over the rough bark of an old oak tree, her mind lost in thought as the words escaped from her slightly parted lips in a gentle tone of voice, "I thought you promised that everything would turn out to be better."
The words were fragile and delicate, and they fluttered with a quality like that of a feather that rests on the still surface of water on a lake while bathing in the moonlight. With her words directed towards no one in particular, she continued to speak. "But things are only getting worse. Perhaps you are aware of that, Harry?"
But Harry was not there. He was somewhere far away, so far away that she was unsure of whether or not he was still alive. It was the first day she started to doubt the fact that her good friend was dead, but it was a very subtle feeling, for she continued to hope. Hope was something that she was not ready to give up. Hope warmed up her heart and made her feel as though she had wings to soar through the skies freely.
Her right arm dropped back to her side as her eyes continued to linger on the trunk of the massive tree that stands before her. Luna's left hand reached up to her left ear to pull out her wand in a flowing, but slow motion. Satisfied once she found out that it was still tucked safely in its proper place, she was about to lower her hand when the sudden sound of a group of birds' flapping of wings caused her to spin around abruptly and face another tree's trunk, about four meters away. In a swift motion, her fingers were curled around the mahogany wand, the tip extended towards the presence that lingered behind the tree's trunk. Her complexion was ethereal and unwavering, and her voice was leveled and did not falter as she asked, "Who...are you...?"
Although her appearance was calm and composed with a touch of dreaminess from another distant dimension, her heart was racing within against her ribcage, threatening to jump out of her at any given moment. Her hopes were that it would not be a Death Eater, but rather, a friendly creature for her to speak with.
However, behind that tree's trunk stood Draco Malfoy, his robes torn at the hems after running away from the mansion under the watchful eyes of his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. After coming across the shuffling sounds of the leaves caused by Luna's footsteps, he was hoping that it was not his aunt. After listening to the conversations his parents had with Bellatrix about their many plots to get rid of the Order, once and for all, he found it all odd and strange. It was all nonsense, to him. Were these actions even necessary?
But the moment he heard Luna's airy tone of voice, he recognized her presence at once. It was too dreamy and vague to match his aunt's intimidating aura. He stepped out from the tree to face her, their eyes locked as their wands were directed at each other. In a voice that was slightly hoarse, he muttered, "Lovegood."
It had been days since he had spoken to anyone, and it felt good to feel his vocal chords in action, the vibration in his throat was familiar and unfamiliar, at the same time. He quickly added, "What are you doing here, Loony? Are you begging to be captured, again?"
He remembered the time when she was held hostage at his mansion, and this had happened only months ago. Little did Draco know that Luna was reminiscing about the same memories. His mouth opened as though to speak, but he quickly closed it after being interrupted by Luna's annoyingly calm voice.
"You know, you don't have to worry about me."
Draco only gaped at her, not sure of how to react to her words. Is she even capable of thinking like a normal human being? Why would he be worried about her, and what had he said to make her think so? He retorted, "For you information, Loony, I am far from being worried about you."
"But you asked me what I was doing. Surely, you must be concerned about me to even bother to ask-"
"That's not important!" he snapped, cutting her off. "Do you realize the danger you have put yourself in by being in this territory?"
"Why, of course I am! I would not have gone here without considering the risks, beforehand. I know what I am getting into, and I know my intentions very well."
Draco's wand lowered a bit. "State your purpose, Lovegood."
Luna's arm lowered to her side, fully. "I was off on a quest to make my way through the labyrinth. If I am able to get past it, I would find my way towards Hogwarts. As you may have known, my friends are currently held as prisoners there."
As Draco lowered his arm completely, he had to fight the urge to laugh at the helpless girl that stood before him. "What would one person be able to do to make a difference? It's hopeless, Loony."
"Not at all hopeless, Draco," replied Luna, tilting her head to the side slightly as a faint smile tugged at her lips for a brief second. "You know, it isn't too late to turn from the dark and take a look at the light."
He glared at her. "What are you trying to say, Lovegood?"
"What I am trying to say is that you have not truly taken the time to discover who you really are as an individual. Your heart isn't blackened, at all. Blackness only surrounds it, but hasn't quite touched it. You're a lost soul in the abyss of darkness, but you are very capable of finding your way out if you took the time to even bother trying."
"Don't speak of me as though you truly understand, Lovegood!" he snapped.
"Perhaps I don't, but I know enough to see through the cold facade that you've always had with you. Why won't you stand up and fight for who you truly are? Why are you doubting yourself, Draco? There is nothing wrong with doing the right thing. You know in your heart who you truly are, yet you continue to doubt yourself and push those feelings away. You've become someone who is used as a tool. You've pretended to be someone you really aren't to meet the needs and the satisfaction of the Dark Lord. Now is the time to step out from the shadows and change. It never is too late."
"Why don't you just go away and leave me alone, Loony, before I get captured by my aunt? I don't have it in me, and I'm not who you think I am. All of your assumptions are wrong, and you have simply mislead yourself into ignorance. Why don't you just accept me for who I am as a Death Eater? Are you that foolish to be talking nonsense to a person that can kill you?"
Luna only shrugged as she slowly turned her back to him as she walked away. Without turning to look at him, she continued to walk as she stated calmly, "But you won't kill me, even if you had the ability to. You didn't come to kill me, but rather, we met only because our two paths crossed. We both hold two very different goals that have sprouted from a common problem: the Dark Lord's power of all of us."
Her last words echoed in his ears as he watched her figure fade and disappear from his sight as she made her way further into the heart of the forest. Draco's hands continued to clench at his wand, and they were pressed together so tightly, it caused his knuckles to turn white.
**************

The feeling of having no gravitational pull followed by a gravitational pull made her feel sick to the stomach. Having apparated onto the muggle sidewalks of the Dudley's neighborhood, Snape sighed as he braced himself for the many questions to come from the Gryffindor "princess" who stood by his side. Despite the fact that Petunia and her husband and son were currently occupying the residence, he knew that this was the only safe place to be while coming up with more plans to deal with the Dark Lord. Lily's binds and barriers that were made from true love were weakening, but they were still strong enough to avert any darkness from coming within thirty yards range of the house.
However, his forced thoughts of positivity faded from his face as he saw Petunia's tear-stained face and her husband' bloodshot eyes. Petunia was clutching an infant close to her chest as the child flailed its arms in pain and writhe against his mother in agony. It coughed out blood, and its clothing got soaked up in a pint of blood.

Snape shook his head and knew all too well what was happening. After spending many years alongside the Dark Lord, he recalled the many faces of the innocent children who fell victim to the Dark Lord, and the children would become his test subjects, his guinea pigs. The children would look up into his face with eyes full of fear, hoping that he would be the one to save them from their pain, hoping that he would be their hero, their savior. But they were mistaken by his false sense of security, and Snape hated himself for deceiving them. He had cradled them so gently in his arms as he watched them wither, as he watched their last breaths of life falling out in a raspy and choked manner.

Shaking his head to clear up his mind from the memories, he opened the gate as it creaked, the sound echoing in his ears. He walked very slowly up the paving as he made his way towards Petunia's house, reading the mailbox that read: The Dursleys. The wind picked up and fluttered the black robes that clung to him, giving him a bat-like appearance. Climbing up the last flight of the stairs, he pressed the doorbell, bracing himself for a grouchy and anguished Petunia to yell at the man that had caused her so much trouble as a child.
Meanwhile, Hermione's thoughts were in a mess. The situations at hand were so sudden and overwhelming. Here she was, standing beside the person she least expected to be working with, the one and only Severus Snape, the person who had murdered Albus Dumbledore. 4 Privet Drive, a place where she should have seen Harry burst out from the doors to come up to her, embracing in hugs as they started to chatter and talk about everything that needed to be shared. But Hermione had not a single clue about where Ron and Harry were, and it made her heart feel heavy when she thought about her obliviousness to their current state of being. Were they safe, and were they even alive?
Her train of thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the door opened harshly, and she watched to see how Snape would react, for he was standing face-to-face with Petunia Dursley. Hermione could see the tension that was immediately lingering in the atmosphere as Snape greeted the lady in a flat tone, "Petunia."
Petunia replied in the same manner, "Severus."
The child in her arms was starting to drift off into sleep, even though its clothing were still soaked up in blood. The massive figure of Vernon Dursley pushed Petunia aside as he flailed his arms angrily at Snape, shouting, "Get out of my sight, you twits! Can't you see what you people have cause? It always has to be about magic, doesn't it? Look at our child!"
Hermione cleared her throat a bit awkwardly as she extended it towards Petunia, and she greeted in an unsure manner, "I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger. It's a...um...pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Dursley. Please do not doubt us. We can help Dudley. We can help all of you, as long as we have your permission to do so. His condition is very fatal. You see-"
"Enough already!" interrupted Vernon. "I want you out of my sight, and I want you out of my life!"
Petunia placed a light hand on her husband's shoulders, her eyes full of fear and hope combined. "They said they can help us. They can help Diddykins."
Vernon sighed, defeated as he stepped aside, unblocking the entrance as Snape walked through, his black robes flowing with him. Hermione followed closely behind, and she noticed the death glare that Petunia had directed towards Snape when his back was turned towards her. Snape was immediately asking himself what he had done wrong to deserve all of this. Here he was, standing in the house of the woman who had caused him so much trouble as a child, and he had happily returned the favor, as well. Their gazes locked and held, and it was as though lightning was shot through their eyes as they tried to melt the other with their piercingly cold glares. Hermione chuckled nervous as she broke the silence by quickly stating, "I will be happy to help you tend to Dudley's burns, and I will be happy to help you clean him up, as well, Mrs. Dursley."
Petunia nodded quickly, her eyes slowly lifting from Snape's hooked nose to Hermione as she led the girl up the stairs and towards the bathroom, leaving the two men behind. Snape looked towards Vernon who had slammed the door shut and locked it harshly. In a gruff voice, Vernon asked, "And what are you staring at? Are all of you wizards like that? Perhaps I was wrong about the fact that Harry was the only one who every did that!"
Snape's mind filled with rage. Was this what Harry had to deal with every single day while growing up? Why couldn't Petunia take care of her own sister's son in the same manner she does with Dudley? If Lily had left her child with him, it would have never resulted in such ways!
Fighting back the urge to hex the massive man that stood before him, Snape asked, "When did this happen?"
Vernon sat down onto the couch in a heap as he replied, "Just an hour ago. We were out in the yard in the front of the house, looking up at the sky and at the grey clouds when it was suddenly tinted with this ugly green shade!"
Vernon gestured towards the sky from the window angrily before continuing, "Then there was this giant black thing in the sky. It was all misty and black, and soon, it formed the Dark Mark. We all ran back into the house for safety, but our son didn't make it in time. A green flash of light blinded us all, and before we could even react in any way, a green bolt of lightning struck Dudly, and we thought he disappeared. All that was left of him were his clothes, which lay piled up on the grass. Picking up the garments, we found him, but he turned out to look like what you saw him! All burnt and shriveled up, a battered and beat-up newborn infant! It's not right!"
His hand flew up to his forehead to rub at his temples in frustration, and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Snape nodding very slowly as the man with the greasy black hair replied, "I have seen this curse many times before. It is fatal. I will work out a solution to it soon, and hopefully, I will be able to do it quickly with the limited supplies. Go on with your normal life as though I am not here with my...apprentice. Do not disturb and pester me from my work. Please."
Snape nearly gagged at the fact that he had tried to be polite to this man. Walking out curtly, he closed the patio door as he sat himself on a chair at a circular table. Pulling out a black box from his robes, he set it on the table, and with a swift flick of his wand, the box grew in size and was actually a trunk. Unlocking it and opening it revealed a large collection of heavy textbooks, all about the Dark Arts with notes he had taken from the genius works of the Dark Lord. He would have to go over all of the information necessary, and he would need Hermione's help, as well. Rummaging through the large pile, he found a suitable book, picked it up, and began to skim the aged pages within it.

*************

The Weasleys had moved to a muggle neighborhood after the War, hoping that by living incognito, they would not be suspected too easily. George was holding his cup of tea with slightly trembling fingers as he brought the cup up to his trembling lips, sipping it as the warmth of the liquid made its way down his throat and into his stomach. He forced himself not to think of his deceased twin brother, and he forced himself not to think of his missing little sister, but the memories only came and flooded his mind more and more as he tried to run away from them.

He recalled his terrible mistake, and wished that he could go back in time to change everything that had happened. If only he hadn't yelled at her, she would not have left the house. If only he ran after her, she would have come back to him. If only he went out to look for her, before they took her away from him. If only, if only, had he realized what his actions would have led towards. He had angered her, and she ran away from home to the park, shouting out the Dark Lord's name that should never have been spoken. The Death Eaters apparated her away, and they left not a single hint of where she would be taken off to.

Slamming his cup down on the table in anger, the glass shattered and broke, causing Mrs. Weasley to turn around from the stove to look at her son with eyes full of hurt. He quickly stood up and walked away to return with a broom in hand, sweeping up the shards before tossing them into the trash. Looking at her with an apologetic expression, he murmured, "I'm going for a walk..."

But before he could even grab his coat, he heard her call to him, "No. Stay here. I don't want it to happen to you like it did to my Ginny, to my only beloved daughter. Fate can be so cruel. I don't want it to happen again."

Her voice echoed in his mind as he tossed the coat back on the hanger before running up the flight of stairs, not daring to take another look behind him. It was about time he and Harry did something about the Dark Lord's rise. The Order would have to do something about soon. He could not take it anymore. Not a single person in his family was allowed to use magic, for they feared that the Death Eaters would notice the fact that there was a wizard in the city full of muggles. They had to be careful. This drove him nearly insane, and he would voice it to Harry. Together, they would show the Dark Lord that they would not fall under his power, but instead, they would rise and overcome him.
Harry had been silent during the whole scene that had occurred. His cup of tea was left untouched, and although it was fully refilled, the liquid was now cold. Bill, Charlie, and Mr. Weasley were somewhere with a few other scattered members of the Order. Their absence only resulted in a silence that tore his mind apart, threatening him to become insane as the days progressed. He planned to discuss his thoughts with Ron and George upstairs, but decided against it for the time being. Instead, he stood up and helped Mrs. Weasley clean up the kitchen without the use of magic, something that he was not accustomed to.