Darkest Desire - English

15

(Preface. I do not adhere to what is written elsewhere about Augurey. Sorry for using the name anyway. I took inspiration from the animals and spun it on).

Liz ran and ran until her lungs rebelled. She had never been the most athletic, but at that moment she regretted not having more time for jogging. Panting, she pressed herself against a house wall and peered over her shoulder. Mattheo had not followed her. Nor had anyone else.

Resting her hands on her thighs, Liz allowed herself to catch her breath.

Still her body was going crazy. The alcohol, the panicked flight, and the realization that she desired Mattheo Marvolo Riddle turned her stomach.

But the cold, fresh air had another effect as well. She realized all at once that at that moment was her best chance to carry out step one of her plan.

With her arms wrapped tightly around herself, Liz ran back to the castle. It would take Mattheo at least another hour to get back, even if he had left shortly after her.

"Accio Tom Riddle's diary," Liz said in a firm voice as she reached her room in Ravenclaw Tower.

If Mattheo hadn't told anything about her, then the Lord Voldemort from the book couldn't know that Liz wasn't like the other Blacks. With any luck, he would confide in her how she got into the chamber.

That left just Draco. And the hope that he would keep his promise and send her her Irish phoenix, Veri.

*

Veri was an augurey, also called an Irish phoenix.

Augurey were frowned upon as the ugly kin of the phoenix, but Liz had never understood that comparison. She had been enamored with the dismal birds since she first saw Veri, and had spent far too much time with the neglected animal as a child. Enough time to witness why the animals were called Irish phoenixes. Shortly before her sixth birthday, Veri had died for the first time. First her feathers had fallen out, then the whole bird had disintegrated and become a dull, gray puddle.

Liz had cried her eyes out until her Aunt Narcissa had come into her room and slapped her hard across the face.

Not ten minutes later, the water had stirred again and a hideous little chick had burst through the surface.

Liz had started crying again and immediately received the second slap.

But it was thanks to this circumstance that Liz knew something that was hardly in any book. After a few weeks of resurrection, the Augurey was fully grown and beautiful. With a magnificent green plumage and long, impressive tail feathers.

What made these feathers special was that they were razor sharp. Liz had heard rumors that hardened Augurey feathers could cut diamond. Unfortunately, the tail feathers only lasted a few days after they fell out before they disintegrated into rainwater, so Liz had never been able to try it.

Now, ten years later, she would get the chance.

*

As expected, it was the notebook that first found its way through the open window. The leather cover felt exactly the same as before, but something had changed. Someone had attached a lock and magically reinforced it.
Liz stared at the new metal. Mattheo had taken precautions.

Liz cast spell after spell on the lock, but the only result was a burn mark on her desk and a scratch on the wall from which the blue wallpaper was peeling.
Liz was about to give up in resignation when it quietly crooned by her ear. One pained coo later and Liz wrapped her arms around her bird.

Veri had died and returned a few weeks ago, so now she looked more like a noble peacock than a vulture in molt. Happily, the animal chortled and stretched its imposing wings. A torrent of tiny droplets poured over the room. Her feathers were already dissolving one by one.

Veri had exactly one tail feather left. Long as an arm and so sharp that Liz was grateful birds couldn't wag it like dogs or cats.

Pityingly, Liz looked at her feathered friend. "I'm really sorry, little one. I need your feather."
Questioningly, the bird tilted its head.

Liz walked back over to her desk and pushed aside the locked notebook.
"I unleashed a monster on this school and now I have to stop it." She pulled out a book on magical animals and opened it to the bookmarked page and the bird landed on the desk beside her.

"I think it's a basilisk. The students were all petrified and not dead, but it says here that it can happen if you don't look directly at it."
The bird cooed sullenly in reply.

"I know it's stupid, but what choice do I have? If I involve one of the teachers, Voldemort won't tell me anything. He's in my head. Not always but... often enough." The bird pecked at the notebook without Liz ever mentioning it.

"Hey, don't!"

Augureys not only have sharp feathers, their beaks are feared by many wizards because they have been known to hack wands in two and suck out every ounce of magic.

Panicked, Liz snatched at the book. If the bird broke the spell that held Voldemort's memory in it, her only chance to find the Chamber of Secrets would be gone.
A furious tug-of-war began. Veri flapped her wings, flooding the entire room with her rain, while Liz swung the book back and forth to shake the bird off.
"Veri!" shrieked Liz, losing her balance. Clutching the book with both hands, she tripped over her chair, knocking the bird to the floor with her.

At least the question of the tail feather had been settled, Liz realized as she picked herself back up.
Veri yowled and howled and flung something clattering to the floor. The lock! Liz looked at the battered book in her hands. The spell was broken!