Redemption II

Chapter 90

A low yet powerful song trembled the entire room. It was the sound of a warrior's call to battle, a heart that would never be defeated, a light that could not be put out. Severus and Hermione turned their heads in unison to the large heavenly bird above them. It wings nearly the size of the entire room, its body rivaling that of a dragon's. It was a wonder it even fit in the room at all. Its long red and gold feathers shined bright, emitting their own light, like the sun. The black mass of power that had taken in Severus' magic seemed to quiver before it. Pulling its smokey tendrils back into a round sphere of swirling black energy.

The large phoenix opened its beak letting out a sound that pierced Severus and Hermione's ears making their entire body jolt as if struck by lightning. Hermione turned away first, clamping her hand tight over her ears, she felt rather than heard the door they were pressed against pop and used her elbow to try the handle. The door gave way, but it was no easy task to open. It wasn't until Severus pressed with her did it open far enough to let them through.

Hermione could hardly keep her barings with the noise sending her inner ear off balance. That combined with the water trapping her ankles made her step unsure. She stumbled forward into the water before dunking her head purposely under to try and dull the pain in her ears.

Severus was absolutely sure his ears were bleeding but he knew he had to close the door if either of them had any hope of preventing deafness. He too could barely think to stay on his feet. All his concentration was on pushing the heavy steel door closed made him lose sight of where Hermione had gone. It wasn't until the door finally went back into place and the pain that threatened to shatter his teeth dulled to a low roar did he think to make sure there hadn't been any additional dangers.

Hermione pulled her head up from the water with a deep gasp. Everything hurt, her entire body felt like it had been vibrated to pieces. She was focused on taking deep breaths when she noticed the sound was nearly gone. She pushed herself up onto her shaky feet reaching out to try and find Severus through the darkness.

Hermione's searching hand found his chest rather quickly and Severus took it in his hand holding it over his pounding heart. He was no magizoologist but he was quite sure they'd just seen what none had seen in nearly 800 years. He let out deep panting breaths pulling Hermione closer to his chest. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. His battle-worn nerves were about to snap. A small part of him was wondering if the witch in his arms was somehow getting him back for how cruel he'd treated her and her friends during their school days. Though his heart disagreed, his mind was the devil's advocate. Planting seeds of mistrust formed from those who had harmed him in the past.

"Was that...?"

"I think so..." Severus pushed the dark thoughts down into the deepest part of his mind. He had to get them out. The only light at the end of his dark tunnel of thought was that his theory that the phoenix was somehow a protector and not a monster to be fought. Unfortunately, what it was protecting was much worse than he ever could have imagined.

"We need to get out of here..." Severus released the wet and panting woman to light the path before them. As soon as his light formed his heart nearly jumped completely out of his chest. The light having revealed a massive beaked jaw with teeth nearly the size of his hand coming into view not three steps in front of them. He was about to cast a spell when his racing brain finally told him that the creature was long dead.

"I think we found what made those eggs..." Hermione too had nearly left her body when she'd laid eyes on the creature. Her brow furrowed when she noticed that its body had the bones of a snake despite its obviously avian head. She didn't know much more than the creatures Hagrid had taught them at Hogwarts but she was sure it would have been something he would have kept if he'd been capable. "Do you think we can get around it?"