Marmoris | Rabastan Lestrange [1] ✔︎

54 | SIDES

Phoenix felt like she had never ran as fast as she did on that morning in the beginning of June. She was clutching forcefully onto the letter in her right hand, while she felt her long curls float in the air behind her and her feet pounding on the castle's floor in a fast rhythm. She didn't even stop to apologise to people that she pushed away and shouted at them more than once. When she finally pushed open the door to Professor Avery's office, she was panting heavily. She placed the letter in front of Jack, who sat at his brother's desk, completely ignoring that he was writing something of his own.

The brunette man lifted his head while his older brother, who leaned against one of the closets, eyed the letter curiously. "What?"

"Read it!", Phoenix commanded, tapping her finger nervously against her arm.

Jack's eyes scanned the sheet of parchment, his facial expression seemed to get darker with every word he read. Phoenix' heart pounded heavily in her chest. She had read the letter over and over again, shedding more than one tear over Rabastan's words, but she still wasn't sure what she was supposed to do.

"Great Seelie's honor", Jack whispered.

Wordlessly he handed his brother the letter, as he jumped out of his seat. He wanted to leave the office, but Phoenix cut him off. "What did he do? Don't lie to me, Jack. I know he trusts you with everything, even more than he trusts my brother with. You know what's going on."

"There's no time for explanations. We have to evacuate the castle, immediately. By asking you to flee from the castle, Rabastan gave us the key to saving all the students. We can't waste any time", the tall man told her, with a worried look on his face. "However, against Rabastan's wishes, you are not allowed to leave until the teachers do. Your powers might be our best weapon in fighting off what's to come."

"But what should come here? Hogwarts is a safe place for young wizards and witches", Phoenix questioned, fear gripping her tightly.

The Averys didn't seemed to be fazed by anything easily, but judging by their fast actions Rabastan must have done something terrible.

"Not if someone helped them from the inside", the professor chimed in. He tore the parchment into little pieces before letting it light up in flames by using his wand. "Phoenix, run to the headmaster's office and tell them that he's coming."

"Who's coming?", the girl questioned in utter confusion.

"There's not enough time. Just go", Jack ordered her and shoved her out of the door.

★

The evacuation process was slow, as the students were confused, bickering and fooling around. Phoenix doubted that any of them really understood what was going on. Neither did she, although Rabastan's letter still made her heart shatter into pieces. Many of the older students declined to leave the castle and stood ready among the teachers with their wands ready in their hands. The teachers that had been informed were worried, hectically running around. Phoenix herself had her hands placed on a bannister and watched the people move beneath her.

I have made a terrible mistake. Rabastan's words wouldn't leave her alone. They had been so full of sorrow and self-hatred that she feared he would do something monumentally stupid, but there was no way that she could get to him. She felt a tear roll down her cheek but she didn't bother brushing it away. I don't want you to live with the burden of knowing what I have done, with the knowledge of what an awful person I am. If you receive this letter too late, you might unfortunately have to see it, but if I can prevent that I can at least do one good thing. You have to leave Hogwarts immediately. Please, Phoenix.

Her knuckles started to turn white from how strongly she held onto the bannister. She could sense that something awful was about to happen and after connecting the dots she was sure that she knew what it was. 'He is coming.' For a person that had read the daily prophet it wasn't hard to figure out that the Dark Lord, who had already caused the abduction of way too many people, must be the one that had been referred to as 'he'. Also it made sense that Rabastan had something to do with it, as Phoenix doubted that he hadn't joined the Death Eaters, if her brother had and she was supposed to do so as well. But could he have put so many students in jeopardy?

There was an emptiness growing in her chest as she watched the spectacle, knowing very well that this day was the one where she would have to decide on which side she wanted to fight. It could change everything and cost more lives than she was willing to think about.

"Here you are," she heard Maureen's voice behind her and she swirled around.

Maureen had her pink hair in a ponytail, the sleeves of her thin grey jumper rolled back and was clutching her wand tightly in her hand, instead of having it in her black boots. It was obvious that she planned to fight, but Phoenix still pushed her towards the stairs. "What are you still doing here? You have to leave, now!"

Maureen shook her hands off and looked at her angrily. "I won't leave you behind. If you stay and fight, I will too."

"I have to, you don't," Phoenix tried to reason with her.

"Of course I do. I won't let anyone hurt my friends or destroy the place that I have gone to school to for six years. I will help to kick their asses into the black lake instead."

Despite the serious atmosphere, Phoenix couldn't help but chuckle. Maureen was more of a fighter than she was, she had always been, and there was nothing that could make her change her mind. At least she knew that Maureen would be able to do what she said. As sassy as she was, she had more than once been involved in a duel and was incredibly good at it. She returned to her position, observing the students. "What side are you fighting for?"

"What do I look like?" Maureen asked, as she copied her friend's posture.

Phoenix glanced at her. "Like somebody with a weird style of clothing."

"Stop trying to be sassy, it doesn't suit you. Besides, this is what Muggles wear," Maureen laughed, but then her tone grew more serious. "I fight for my friends and to keep Hogwarts safe for all the students that might want to attend our school in the future."

Phoenix thought about her words for a moment. "I wish it was so easy."

"It is. Your family will understand that you fight for your school and for the ones you love."

"I thought you know my mother."

"Yeah", Maureen trailed off. "But it's not that you fight for the others in general. You fight for the ones you love. That's a major difference."

"Even if I fight for the ones standing on the side that I consider the wrong one?"

Maureen opened her mouth to answer, but their conversation was interrupted by shouts from an older student bursting into the room that they were watching. "Death Eaters! They're all over the seventh floor!"

Phoenix' heart stopped and she grabbed her friend's arm. "They shouldn't be here yet. There are still way too many students in the castle."

"We have to search for others that are willing to fight and keep them away from the lower floors," Maureen yelled over the terrified screams of the other students that nearly drowned her out.

Phoenix nodded. "Alright."

"Let's kick some asses!"