The flaming phoenix above the distant church, along with the tail feathers Fawkes had spent who knew how long gathering, burned freely.
The flames reflected in Voldemort's scarlet eyes. He turned to look at Dumbledore as the transparent Crystal Hourglass shattered with a bang.
The scattered grains of sand seemed to be drawn by some force. They danced through the air, then suddenly surged toward one another, colliding violently.
Voldemort's mouth split into a chilling laugh. He stretched both arms out of his plain black robes and pointed his wand at the sky.
A sickly green spell, much like Avada Kedavra, shot into the heavens.
It was as though thick black ink had dripped into the clouds. The once-white clouds turned dark at an astonishing speed.
The darkness spread so rapidly that half the sky was stained in the blink of an eye.
An enormous skull formed from countless emerald, starlike specks, with a great snake protruding from its mouth like a tongue.
Just then, the enormous fiery phoenix beat its wings and let out a piercing cry that seemed to split stone and tear through the clouds.
Fawkes flew at the fiery phoenix's heart. Beating his wings, he soared straight into the heavens like a rising sun, bathing the other half of the sky in gold.
The phoenix faced off against the skull, just as Dumbledore faced Voldemort below.
"The signal has been sent, Dumbledore. Go back and collect your little wizards' bodies. Remember to weep your heart out.
"That way, no one will see through your mask of hypocrisy."
Voldemort held his wand lightly and began moving slowly from side to side. He could not afford any distraction when fighting Dumbledore, or the old man would seize on the slightest opening.
Voldemort considered himself very experienced in that