Marmoris | Rabastan Lestrange [1] ✔︎

14 | IMPOSSIBLE

In pure shock Phoenix clapped a hand over her mouth, unable to move for a moment, but as the girl – Crystal Morgan, a quiet Gryffindor who spent a lot of time in the library just like her – didn't move the slightest, Phoenix fell onto her knees right next to her. She grabbed her shoulder and turned her on her back. The blonde's eyes were closed, but there was no sign of blood anywhere. At least one good sign.

"For Salazar's sake, what have I done?" The brunette muttered, patting the girl's cheek. "Crystal, can you hear me?"

But the girl didn't move. Phoenix wanted to burst out in tears, clutching her head with her hands. She had no clue what had just happened, and neither did she know what to do about the girl lying on the cold floor in front of her. "Oh my goodness."

She got up and wetted her hands with some water, trying to splash it over Crystal's face, but nothing happened. Full of despair she started to chew on her nails, like she usually did when she was stressed. The only comfort was that she could see the blonde's chest raising and falling, which meant she was alive. She tried again, shaking her body and calling her name, but there was no reaction on her side. There was only one more solution.

Phoenix quickly got up, leaving the bathroom and scanning the pub for a certain person. She found Sirius on a table right next to the bar, laughing with his best friends and Lily and Marlene McKinnon. She had no choice, even if Regulus saw her talking to him, the older one had a solution for nearly everything, which was perhaps the reason why she always asked him for help, not Regulus or her friends. James Potter, a tall boy with dark messy curls, hit her brother in the side with his elbow making a gesture with his head towards her. Apparently Sirius had expected someone else to stand behind him, as he turned around with a charming smile placed on his lips, which slowly faded, as he saw Phoenix standing in front of him not smiling at all. "Is everything alright, Princess?"

Knowing her all too well he must have seen something was wrong in her eyes, as he often jokingly told her they were the access to her soul. "Um, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure." Sirius almost immediately nodded, getting up from his chair, and informing his friends. "I'll be right back."

Phoenix gave them a quick smile in order to make it seem normal, although the situation was everything but that. As she led him to the corridor with the bathrooms she could basically feel her friends' and Regulus' gaze on her, but she did her best to ignore it. Instead she tried to explain to Sirius. "I... Something happened, I don't know what I did. It just happened. She entered the room, pointing her wand at me and I turned around trying to shield myself with my arms, as I had left my wand in my jacket, and... and suddenly she fell to the floor. I have no clue what's wrong with her."

But as the siblings entered the ladies' bathroom it was completely empty. There was no unconscious girl lying on the floor, and nothing else which seemed to be unusual either. Sirius, who had entered first, turned around to his sister with a questioning look. "Who exactly was the girl?"

"Crystal Morgan, but what does it matter?" Phoenix answered honestly.

Sirius scratched his neck and then ran a hand through his about chin-length dark waves. "Actually it matters a lot. I just saw her sitting on a table close to ours. Are you sure it was her?"

"Yes, of course I'm sure, but that can't be true. I tell you she was lying right here. She was unconscious she couldn't just walk away." Phoenix pulled on her hair taking a deep breath. "Sirius, I'm not crazy."

Her brother placed a hand on her arm. "Hey, I've never said anything like that. Please tell me exactly what happened."

★

In the evening Phoenix sat on an emerald-green armchair in Slytherin's common room, her legs tightly pressed to her body and staring into the fire. She had told Sirius everything, even about her vision and her abilities. She had felt his pity, although it was not what she had intended. It felt good to finally tell somebody, but she had never wanted to be pitied. She didn't know if he believed her, but he hadn't told her anything different either. She was still totally shocked by what had happened in the ladies' bathroom at Three Broomsticks, especially since Sirius had been right. Crystal seemed to be totally fine, sitting with her friends on a table next to the bar and giving her a devilish smile. Phoenix didn't understand any part of it. Neither what had happened nor Crystal's behaviour. She had known the quiet Gryffindor like a person, who was pure innocence and sweetness, but it seemed like she had another side to her, nobody really expected her to have.

Phoenix didn't move as somebody sat down next to her on the armrest of her armchair, she just kept staring into the dancing flames.

"Why did you talk to him?" Regulus asked after several seconds had passed.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you talk to Sirius?" He repeated and Phoenix finally looked up at him.

His face looked as if he was trying to control his temper. In that very moment he looked more similar to Sirius than he had ever looked before. She knew about people thinking about him looking like a slightly younger version of their brother and, although Regulus didn't like it, she had to admit it was true at some point.

"He's our brother, Reg, I talk to you too and nobody asks me for a reason." She told him with a little smile.

"No, not anymore. He's a traitor." He answered trying to keep his voice down, since there were other students entering the common room through the secret passage.

Phoenix groaned. "He is too. Just because he doesn't agree with your opinions, and especially the Dark Lord's opinions, doesn't change anything about his blood and I think you know that very well."

Immediately Regulus grabbed her arm, apparently losing control over his temper. "Don't say anything like that ever again or I won't be able to protect you and your stupid beliefs anymore."

His grip got stronger with every word he spoke and he actually hurt her. For the first time in their life her brother hurt her. "Please, you are hurting me, Reg." A startled look spread across his face as he let go of her hand, just like he couldn't believe himself what he had just done.

Gladly they were interrupted by Maureen shouting her name from the passage. The pink-haired girl rushed over to them, not realising what kind of conversation she had just cut off. "Phoenix, Dumbledore wants to see you in his office."

"Me?" She asked surprised by her words. She had never been to the headmaster's office, different to her older brother who got in trouble frequently, but she wasn't one to break rules.

"Is there anybody else called Phoenix? He also said I should escort you to make you sure you wouldn't get lost." Maureen told her shrugging.

Slowly Phoenix stood up, giving her brother only a quick glance before she followed her best friend out into the dungeons. As they reached the corridor with the gargoyle the pink-haired girl couldn't hold back any longer. "What have you done? Have you finally come out of your shell and done something fun?"

"Honestly, I have no clue." Phoenix replied. "Do you know how I can get in?"

"Jelly beans."

The gargoyle moved away and a spiral staircase opened up in front of the girls. Phoenix wasn't sure what she would find on the top but she didn't know if she wanted to know either. She had planned to stay discreet and not get into any trouble, and it seemed pretty much like she hadn't succeeded.

"Shall I wait for you?" Maureen asked, definitely sensing how uncomfortable she felt.

Phoenix offered her a quick smile. "That's a nice offer, but it's alright. Thanks though."

Maureen nodded and she started to climb the stairs until she got up to a large wooden door. Hesitantly she knocked and opened it after she heard the headmaster telling her to come in. She found herself in a large, round room with portraits of former headmasters decorating the walls. Phoenix could even see her ancestor Phineas Niggellus Black who gave her a nod, which seemed to be neither welcoming nor nasty, simply neutral.

"That's her. She's the one who attacked me."