Fates Game

The First Move

This isn't what Death felt like

Phoenix Ara Potter-Black knew it to be the soft breeze on a warm summers day, taking off your bra when you get in, the first sip of your morning tea. Death is the smile of relief of the end
However, whatever this was, was cold, wet, and dark.

Siting up in the wet mud beneath her, Phoenix called as burning hot panic clouded her vision "Teddy, Victoire"
And in return, after a cataclysmic pause of fear clawing at her pale throat, Teddy's calming child's voice broke the night air "Mama. Where are you? It's dark"
"Don't move Teddy-Bear, okay?" Phoenix called out as deep relief filled her lungs. "I'm going to see if I can find our little Veela"  

It was harder than Phoenix ever thought doing so; if it wasn't for the tree roots or the swapping grass or the hundreds of millions of bugs, it was her clothes.
Instead of a pair of comfy blue jeans that were slightly fraying at the cuffs and knees that were held up by a thin brown belt laced with protective enchantments and invaluable runes. As well as a plain and boring baby blue blouse that would have fluttered in the night air. 

Gone where Phoenix's comfortable and light clothing, in exchange for a restricting short-stay corset that pressed into the top of her sternum. With many layers of rough and soft fabric weighing her down, almost as if she was sinking into the earth itself.
Stomping her way through the dense Flora and Fauna of the unknown, Phoenix had a large urge to stop at the next tree and scratch her back like Baloo from the 'Jungle Book', as the closest layer to her scared skin itched with starched cotton.
The only saving grace was she still had her beaded bag that was still on her wrist, just above the end of high-quality intricate lace gloves with scalloped edges.

Upon reaching her 8-year-old son, the fiery redhead chastised him with a mothering look when she saw the small fresh footprints leading towards the pair of children huddled together and his bright glowing golden eyes. But didn't have the heart to say a word as little Victoire was shivering in fright, leaning into Teddy's wolf's warm embrace

"Tante," Victoire's voice cracked through her dry lips, "tu penses que nous sommes en sécurité ?"
Phoenix pulled them into a tight hug, running her dirty hands over their mud-stained hair hoping to reduce the large crashing waves of dread she could see rolling off their shaking forms

Pulling back, ever so slightly, so her piercing eyes could scour for cuts, bruises, bone sticking out of flesh. Her lips upturned for the briefest of seconds, before dropping into oblivion.
Her wand, The Elder Wand, the wand that has brought countless innocent and deplorable lives into Deaths embrace, wasn't in its dragon hide holster that was securely fastened to her right forearm

Instead of being rational and responsible and calmly thinking everything through, Phoenix's eyes widened with nervousness and she felt extremely exposed.
It made her feel weak
She was supposed to be the strongest Wixen to ever have lived and died, since claiming The Final Hallow. The one that, slowly but surely, pulled her to death. Convinced her with the faces of her Mother, Father, Godfather, and Uncle
Cooling her timeless features, ones that haven't changed since her first death, as to not alert her children, rather she gave them both a dopey smile that filled the pair with complete comfort as it has done countless times before.

Using the soft mud that seemed to cling to anything and everything it touches, on the insides of all of their travel cloaks that were neatly fastened with The Peverell crest in glittering gold on hers, The Black crest in sterling silver on Teddy's, and The Delacour's on Little Victoire's in the same-coloured pewter as her father's hair.
Phoenix applied a series of protective runes about 3 inches above the bottom of all of the heavy warm cloaks as they just skimmed the ground. Which made the large shroud of guilt dissipate slightly at knowing her children held some protection.

Moving to stand upwards the petite Wixen mused lightly with her hands extended for Teddy and Victoire to take "Up we get as personally, I don't fancy staying in the marshlands ever again"
The pair of children giggled, making a smug grin pull on her rosy lips as the now sky blue curly-haired Teddy grasped onto her left hand and an icy blond hair that shined in the moonlight Victoire had, held on to her right hand.

The sounds of crunching of leaves and sticks as well as the squelching of the mud under all of their feet made it hard for Phoenix to think about what the best thing to do next was.
However, the little hybrid swinging her hand as he stumbled over the earth, broke the Wixen out of her running mind by asking with childlike innocents that never diminished after all of the horrors of life had thrown at all of them "Why are you dressed like a Princess"
"Don't know, Teddy-Bear?" Phoenix told the 8-year-old how grew up too fast with a thoughtful frown on her scared face

"If you are, Tante?" Victoire spoke with a beautiful French accent that the Last Potter hoped the dark blue almost black-eyed little Wixen never lost with the flecks of chocolate brown swirled in, asking seriously on her child features "Can we live in your castle and never leave and see anyone ever again?"
Nodding seriously the immortal muttered "Now that sounds like heaven"
As Phoenix longed for all the times, she would just sit in the bay window of her dorm room as if in another world

After what seemed like hours, when in fact was probably 10 minutes, the jagged family of three found themselves on a mudded path.
The children had now their hands clasped together as they walked in front of their mother and Aunt. As the road, they were on, if Phoenix could call it one, had tracks from a carriage with large thin wheels being pressed in time and time again.
Phoenix made them do this for a few reasons, but the main one was so neither of them would jump in the brown water that collected in them as the pair of them were already dirty enough. 

They all nearly lost the last shred of hope, it had been lost with Phoenix's wand, pertaining for someone to take pity on a mother and her children.
When a light alerted them, which made the children give out a cheer and ran hand in hand.
The frozen featured 17-year-old sighed knowing she would have done the same, but because of a stone, Phoenix stood on when she tried to reach Teddy and Victoire and twisted her ankle, making her walk with a wince every so often as she tried to keep up with them.

Luckily, the pair of tired children stopped at the entrance gate of a vast Estate. The glorious Manor stood proud and was most likely from a Lord of the area they were in.
It was very intimating, with 4 Roman-styled columns almost like a set of guards on their rounds.
Walking around the ring that would definitely be for carriages to easily arrive and disembark for tea, parties, and general gossip. 

Lifting the definitely illegal amount of material one should be at once, Phoenix walked up the stone steps to the white-painted doors. Teddy and Victoire's hands once again regained hold onto Phoenix's rough ones as she had shed the delicate gloves as soon as possible since the lace did nothing for the warmth her hands needed.

After a few moments a middle-aged woman in a black floor-length dress, appropriate for a maid perhaps, opened the double front doors.
Stuttering at the look of disgust etched onto her tanned skin, Phoenix opened and closed her mouth a few times and then spoke "Hi, umm"

"Yes" The brunette answered in a clipped tone, making Phoenix shift slightly underneath the harsh glare she received
Clearing her throat hoping the fiery redhead could gain back some of her Gryffindor-ish nature, but once again all that came out was a pathetic "Right, well. Umm, right,"
Huffing in annoyance, the woman dictated with finality in her southern twang "It is late, Lord Gérard is about to retire"

"Right" The Last Potter muttered, before straightening her spine and answering with her chin raised stubbornly in the air "I'm Lady Phoenix Potter-Black"
However, before she could finish, the eyes of the middle-aged brunette shined with recognition. Her stance relaxed and a graceful and polite graced her face that showed little wrinkles by her honey eyes. She moved out of the way shocking the family of three by saying

"Please. Come in"