Ignotus Peverell and the Curse of Death

Chapter 5: Beyond the Ashes

Dedicated to WritersBlock1316

"The bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and the next second there was nothing but a smouldering pile of ash on the floor."
~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, pg. 155
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Antioch was still waving his sword engulfed with flames to keep the creatures warded off. The flames were dying out on Cadmus'own sword. Cadmus approached Chiron, the dead spider, and his brother, who was lifeless as a corpse.

"Is he alright?!" Cadmus quietly asked as the centaur took Ignotus' pulse. Chiron bowed his head.

"I am afraid not; the arachnids have poisoned him," Chiron spoke softly. "He has lost consciousness and if not cured within the day, will belong to death itself. This is beyond my abilities to cure. "

"So you're going to leave him here to die?!" Cadmus said worriedly.

"Of course I will not abandon him! Have all our travels together not taught you anything, Mr. Peverell?"

"But you said-"

"I said he was beyond my ability to heal, not that I could not find a solution! He needs to be brought to a healer more gifted than myself."

 "And who would heal him?! He is nothing but good as dead," Antioch stated bluntly.

Chiron gave Antioch a stern look. "Without him, boy, you will be dead! Remember all three Hallows are needed to overcome the curse death has placed on your family. It will take more than just that, to be honest. Please put him on my back."

Cadmus and Antioch walked over to Ignotus, the dead spider laying right beside him. The putrid scent of the creature filled their nostrils. Camus and Antioch let in a sharp intake of breath.

"It reeks," Antioch said, scrunching his nose.

"Please hurry. We have little time," Chiron stated. 

Antioch brought Ignotus' torso into a slightly seated position while he himself crouched. He brought his arms under Ignotus' armpits and grabbed the forearm of Ignotus' arms, which were crossed. Cadmus crouched down and grabbed Ignotus' legs. The brothers counted three and picked up Ignotus, heaving him over the centaur's back. 

"Cadmus, please, climb up as well. I do not have room for you, Antioch. Perhaps you could look for trees or bushes of the elder. We will keep in touch."

“How?” Antioch questioned. 

“I have my ways, but we must go!” was Chiron’s urgent and cryptic response.

Cadmus did as the centaur instructed and climbed on the centaur's back. He helped his younger brother to stay in place by wedging the young lad between the centaur’s human-half and horse-half body and his own. The two conscious brothers waved in farewell as Chiron began galloping into the distance.

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Chiron continued dashing for hours until they found themselves beyond the edge of the forest. They were at the base of a tall mountain covered with grey and chalky white stones. 

Cadmus was aching from head to toe because of the long journey and trying to keep Ignotus from falling off the centaur's back. Ignotus' skin became more and colder on their journey. His skin was damp and clammy, beads of sweat streaming down from his forehead. 

Chiron said softly; "You may let him down, Cadmus. I have ways of calling our healer without having to climb the mountain ."

Cadmus carefully lifted Ignotus to the ground, and set down gently amidst the rocks, wild plants, and dirt that made up the ground. He looked down at his younger brother to check on him. Ignotus moaned softly. Cadmus' stomach felt like something wrapped it up in knots. He felt deep concern for the young man in front of him. Cadmus' body shook from the emotional and physical toll the last couple days had taken.

The centaur approached a stone and lifted it. Underneath was a small whistle carved out of an even smaller stone. The centaur lifted it to his mouth, creating a beautiful songbird-like melody. 

A fiery animal, as though it had been a comet, approached from the heights of the top of the mountain. Its tail jutted out like fire. The creature rapidly approached, finally coming into eyesight. Cadmus looked into the eyes of the lovely creature, which was a phoenix.

The bird warbled back to the whistle the centaur was holding. He gracefully landed beside the two brothers. Tears began filling both Cadmus and Phoenix's eyes as they looked on at Ignotus's dying body. The Phoenix approached closer to the youngest brother, and its tears fell like drops of rain on Ignotus' blood-soaked wound. 

Cadmus’ heart was thumping in his chest. Even the bird seemed to have given up on his brother. Why else would it be crying? All the hope he had felt for the last few days seemed to disappear as he observed his brother lying there on the ground. Tears began streaming down his face, blurring his vision as he silently sobbed at the idea of losing yet another family member. One that he should not have to!

The phoenix gently brushed his tail across the middle child’s legs in a soothing fashion. Cadmus tried to collect himself, wiped his eyes on his sleeve. His eyes turned downward toward his dead brother and the fiery bird.

Miraculously, Cadmus witnessed his brother was not actually dead, like he had prematurely believed. In fact, the wound slowly disappeared, until only oval-like circles made up of multiple scars from the arachnids teeth marks remained. Ignotus began gasping for breath, and his eyes slowly came back into focus.

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Hi Everyone,
Thank you all the likes, comments and support you have given me as a writer. I have made it to five chapters!

Probably won't have another update in awhile. Please do expect the plot of the previous chapters to change a lot when I edit.

Thanks,
MeanderingFool