Author's Note: Written for…

Hogwarts Assignment #3. Lesson: Divination. Task: Write about someone turning to dark magic to attempt to raise a loved one from the dead.

(Writing Club) Book Club. Prompts: curiosity, wise, "It's okay, [Name]. You don't know any better."

Library Lovers Challenge. Prompts: bell, runes, "Everyone and everything has a time to die."

(Writing Club) Days of the Month. Prompt: Write a fic set during a rainstorm

365 Prompts Challenge. Prompt: (plot point) a character finds something

(Writing Club) Character Appreciation. Prompt: (relationship) Brother

Play More Cards Challenge. Prompt: Write about someone pure

(Writing Club) Amber's Attic. Prompt: Phineas Nigellus Black

(Writing Club) Count Your Buttons. Prompts: toy, dare

(Writing Club) Lyric Alley. Prompt: I'm just a believer

Serpent Day Challenge. Prompt: (setting) Library

Insane Prompt Challenge. Prompt: talisman

(Writing Club) Showtime. Prompt: wishing

Lent Challenge. Prompt: no use of 'said'

Curiosity

777 words

Phineas crept quietly through the dark house, his path only illuminated by infrequent flashes of lightning. He stumbled over one his sisters' toys left out in the hall and quickly righted himself. He glared at the faint outline of a candlestick on a nearby table, wishing he was allowed to carry one. Mummy always said it was too dangerous. Sirius had dared him to do it once, but they had gotten in so much trouble afterward. And now that Sirius was gone, there wouldn't be no one to hide behind if Mummy found out.

He took his time descending the stairs, gripping the railing for dear life as he took each perilous step. By some miracle, he managed to reach the library without any serious injury, shivering from the cold and the eeriness of the dark room.

The library had been off limits since Phineas' father passed away, which was too long ago for the small boy to remember what the room looked like when it wasn't covered in dust and cobwebs. Still, he knew the room well. Sirius often dragged him there to read from the hundreds of fascinating books there when Mummy was busy with their sisters.

Phineas had always been curious about what sorts of things the books talked about. Sirius only read to him from the ones with stories about people in history - like the man who could turn metal into gold; he was Phineas' favorite! But he was sure there had to be books with powerful spells in them too. They were probably at the very top of the bookcases to keep them safe, like how Mummy put her figurines on high shelves so Elladora and Iola couldn't pull them off.

The only problem was that he couldn't reach the top of the shelves.

"Tally," he whispered, jumping when the elf appeared beside him.

"What is Master Phineas doing out of bed?"

Phineas waved her question off. "I need you to get me some books from top shelf. Spell books."

Tally looked hesitant to obey but must have realized how much trouble she would be in for disobeying one of her owners. She snapped her fingers and a large stack of books appeared before them. A second later, the candles of the library flickered to life.

"Thank you, Tally." Phineas squinted as his eyes adjusted, and knelt down to sort through the books.

Mummy had always said he was very wise. She always bragged to her friends how he'd learned to read and write when he was only three. Phineas also had a great memory, so when he found a book that was full of strange pictures, he knew they were runes because he'd remembered finding a book of runes before!

It didn't take long to hunt the book down, and soon he was sat cross-legged on the floor, deciphering the old spellbook.

"Spell to make … the dead … alive. This is it!" He bounced excitedly, committing the steps to memory.

He just had to believe this would work.

:-:

Armed with a bag full of supplies, Phineas trekked out through the mud in the heavy rainstorm to the family mausoleum.

The candles there were lit and began to burn in an instant. The boy set to work quickly. Taking out one of Elladora's paint pots, he quickly unscrewed the lid and dipped a couple fingers into it, drawing a large, violet circle on the marble floor. He placed candles around the circle, which also came to life.

With a picture of Sirius sitting in the center of the circle, Phineas donned a talisman he'd found in the attic for good luck, then picked up a bell and began to ring it as he chanted the incantation he'd memorized.

After several long minutes of chanting, he paused and excitedly watched the candles flicker. And then …

Nothing.

Besides the drumming of rain on the roof, the mausoleum remained silent, free of Sirius' constant chatter and infectious laughter.

Phineas threw the bell across the room, hitting the wall with a loud clang.

"Phineas?"

He turned to find his mother standing in the doorway, her dressing gown and hair drenched. With a wave of her wand, the candles surrounding him went out and the painted circle dissolved. She fixed him with a stern stare.

"I'm sorry, Mummy. I only wanted Sirius to come back so we could be a family again."

As his eyes filled with tears, his mother came forward, wrapping her arms around him. "It's okay, Phineas. You don't know any better. But everyone and everything has a time to die, no matter how much we don't want them to. We'll be okay."