•|Blood potion|• HP

Chapter 25: Master Of Death

Song of this chapter: As The World Caves In by Sarah Cothran
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Perhaps for the first time, Dumbledore was truly angry. Even though he was only a portrait, his voice shook Ron and Draco's hearts as powerfully as a real voice. "You think it's your choice?!"

Ron grabbed Draco's arm and very gently pulled him away from the portrait.

"Harry doesn't have to go there. What is there anyway?" Hermione said doubtfully.

"If we're going to know, we'll find out, Ms. Weasley. Behind that door is death and it's showing itself as this pink mist. The time of the lord of death has come." Dumbledore said. The repetition of the word 'death' echoed throughout the room.

"There has to be a way." Ron said.

"There's not." Unlike previous times, Draco answered. It was a frustrating pause. Draco hadn't explained yet, but everyone knew. There was no way.

Draco was acting funny between his words, which at that moment were only taken as absolute confusion. "It's all a matter of destiny... Death knows when to roam among us. Just... how can I say it? Like a person. death lives like a completely ordinary person among us and takes care of the future master of death until his time comes. She tries in different ways. Staying close to him. When the time comes, she will turn into a phoenix and take the lord of death to that damn door. She has to. The thirst of taking his life is raging inside that phoenix." Draco once called this information irrelevant confusion.

"You mean Ginny is a phoenix? You mean they shouldn't have existed all this time? Neither Harry nor Ginny?!" Before Ron asked who the phoenix was; Hermione took the line of words and continued.

Ron was angry. He wanted to resist. He wanted to say that George was also involved in this incident and it was not Ginny's fault. He wanted to shout out that Ginny is not the phoenix of death. He was speechless.

"So Ginny was the phoenix all this time... The problem wasn't the love potion. It was all about death and the lord of death. love potion was just a tool. A tool that keeps our beautiful phoenix, Ginny, close to Harry. You should be happy, Mr. Weasley. Phoenixes are the purest creatures in the world." Dumbledore said.

For a moment, a golden spot shone on Draco's neck. It was more like a warning. Anger that could no longer find a way to express itself. No one stopped Draco as he stormed out of the minister's office. Everyone knew he was going after Harry.

"But it's not all about young Harry Potter. The love potion has destroyed his life and many other people." Dumbledore said, looking at the spot where Draco had been standing a moment ago.

Ron sat back and leaned against the wall. This time Hermione was leaning on Ron and locked her hand in Ron's.

"You said pink fog and death phoenix aren't new incidents. What did you mean?!" Hermione asked hesitantly.

Dumbledore laughed. It was a short and beautiful laugh. He took a deep breath and looked at an unknown place with a smile. And just when Hermione was sure that Dumbledore didn't want to answer, he talked. "How do you think I defeated Grindelwald, Ms. Granger?"

It was as if Ron and Hermione had been struck by lightning.

"What does that have to do with it?" Ron asked. It was clear from Albus' eyes that he was talking about the worst part of his life.

"There was never any duel between me and Gellert... He was also a lord of death. His time had come. Gellert... He was destroyed bit by bit before my eyes. He had no soul in his eyes left. Like someone kissed by a dementor. Just like Harry... It wasn't that famous duel between me and Gellert. It was just an attempt to get Gellert back. So that Fawkes wouldn't take him to the forbidden room of the Ministry. Of course, I finally gave up. Who can fight back against death? Even the master of death is actually the slave of death."

He didn't notice Ron and Hermione's surprised looks between his words. When he finally looked at the two, he understood.

With a bitter laugh, the phoenix caressed his shoulder.

"Ahh! Fawkes! Yes, Fawkes was Gellert's death phoenix. A person in both of our lives. Fawkes was actually my sister, Ariana."

Ron smacked his forehead hard. Hearing the story of what was about to happen to Harry from someone else's past was terrifying enough. None of them wanted to hear the story of the Phoenix. Apparently, Dumbledore was no longer interested in talking. Ron squeezed Hermione's hand tighter. He didn't know what was ahead of them. He was trying to be prepared for the pain that he didn't know what it was. He barely raised his head. Dumbledore was gone.