See You Again

-𝕃𝕍𝕀𝕀𝕀-

'What's taking so long..?' whispered Regulus as he leaned closer, 'Ow! Regg! Your elbow!' Sirius hissed as Regulus's elbow dug into his side. 'Sorry...' he whispered back, adjusting his position. 'I think they're still setting it up...' Remus mumbled, squished in the corner between James and the bedside table. 'What do you think he'll be like? Death?' questioned Lucius with a grimace. 'Terrifying... I suppose.' Barty mumbled in thought. The others turned and gave him a look that clearly shouted "No, Duh!" before turning back to the vent, to listen in.

'It is time...' Obrilen spoke up as she moved everything into place, before taking a stand in the middle of the circle holding the phoenix skull. She stared at the clock on the wall until it hit midnight exactly, and then closed her eyes and began emitting a low rattling noise from her throat. The temperature in the room dropped and all the candles around the circle suddenly blew out, Obrilen opened her eyes and they were nothing but completely black. The four could see their breaths, it was so cold. Abraxas couldn't help but be reminded of the day he met Ara. A black fog then began to swirl around the stoned floor, covering it entirely. Fleamont and Euphemia quickly grasped one another's hands, as Orion and Abraxas did their best to resist pulling out their wands. The hairs on the back of their necks stood up, shivers ran down their spines, they could feel the blood rushing in their veins, every instinct inside of them screaming for them to run and all at once they simultaneously turned their heads to the corner of the room. A cloaked figure of darkness began to emerge filling up the whole corner from floor to ceiling, they all swallowed the lumps in their throats as their hearts raced. With shaking limbs, Fleamont took a hesitant step forward, only to almost collapse from the weak feeling in his knees as the figure spoke.

A deep, raspy, rattling voice that gave them all a horrifying feeling deep inside their bones. 'Fleamont... Potter... ' And as if it couldn't get any worse, the figure then let out a terrifying laugh that made them all instantly pale. Taking another very reluctant step forward, Fleamont stuttered out. 'P-pleasure to m-meet you, Death.' he added a little nod in greeting, out of anxious nervousness. The figure tilted its cloaked head, 'You... summoned... me... Why? ...' Taking a deep breath and letting his determination power any confidence he had left, 'I would like to discuss and renegotiate the terms of my granddaughter's deal!' The figure let out another laugh, 'No!...' he raspily thundered. 'N-no? NO! I- Well, I say yes! We must renegotiate!' Fleamont thundered back. Within a single blink, the figure suddenly appeared right in front of Fleamont. He let out an almost inhuman squeak of fear, which was loudly echoed by the others. 'She made... the deal... She will abide... by it...!' He rattled out, angrily, as he lowered his cloaked face of darkness down to Fleamont's level. 'It's not a fair deal!' Fleamont croaked out. 'Please..., She doesn't deserve this! She's just a child.' 'She wasn't... just a child... when she was... forced to sacrifice herself... for you all!! ...'

Orion took a step forward, 'That's not fair! We weren't even alive then!' he protested. Death turned towards Orion, he had the eerie feeling that Death was smirking at him. But he continued nonetheless, 'Ara did sacrifice herself, and she was treated as anything but a child. However this deal is just making her sacrifice herself all over again! Isn't it? You seem mad about that and yet you're forcing her to continue with it!' He bellowed out, fiercely determined. Death once again moved faster than the eye could see as he suddenly appeared in front of Orion. 'I didn't... want her to!... You all could rot!... But she chose otherwise... To change things.... Comes with a price... that is hers!...Whether we like it... or not!...' Death suddenly tilted his head up to the ceiling, towards the vent. His figure evaporated into the black fog once again, before swirling upwards into the vent.

The huddled and fearfully shaking boys upstairs all began exchanging nervous glances, 'Why is it suddenly silent? What happened?' questioned James. 'J-James, J-James!' Sirius suddenly stuttered out. James turned his head towards Sirius to see him pointing at the vent, everyone else's gazes following suit. A black fog began creeping its way through and the door to the room slammed shut. Barty immediately ran to the door along with Lucius and they both began twisting and turning the door knob, trying their darndest to open it. The door refused to budge, as the black fog spread throughout the room. The temperature dropped as their breaths became visible and the candles lighting the room went out. 'G-guys...' Stuttered out Regulus, fearfully. Everyone turned to him as he pointed to the farthest corner of the room. Simultaneously James, Sirius, Remus and Severus jumped back letting out high pitched screams. Barty and Lucius immediately ran back to join the others, tugging a frozen in fear Regulus with them. Death had formed in the room and tilted his head from side to side observing them. In an instant he appeared in front of them.

He lowered his head down to their level, with a raspy and rattling breathing sound. Almost like it hurt or was a struggle to breathe. 'Adhara... cannot change the price... you know... she would never... even if she could...' Barty, pale and terrified, stuttered out. 'T-There must be something! Please, a-anything!' Death turned toward him, 'Do you love her?...' Barty nodded his head, frantically, 'Yes! I do!' 'Then you'd know... how she'd feel... if I did...' 'So there is something we can do!' James piped up, determined. 'What is it!?' Death let out a mocking laugh, making them all pale even further in an instant. 'You are smart... but not smarter than me... Don't worry...' Death suddenly looked towards the door, as the adults on the other side tried breaking it open. He let out another laugh as he turned back towards them, 'A year is nothing... compared to several... centuries... and a decade....' He rasped out before evaporating once again, the fog swirled and the door unlocked, the adults running in wands held high in a panic - as the swirling fog disappeared. Euphemia instantly rushed to the boys, checking them over. 'What he'd say?' Orion instantly demanded. 'Now's not the time, Orion.' Fleamont chastised. But Orion ignored him as he repeated the question. James looked at Orion and retold him everything that had happened. 'A year is nothing, compared to several centuries and a decade? Are you sure?' Orion asked as the boys nodded their heads to confirm, simultaneously. 'What's it mean?' Regulus asked. Orion pondered over it... 'I- I don't know...' he mumbled, hopelessly.