Holly stumbled numbly along the long, desolate road with James Potter still holding firmly onto her arm and he guided her into the greying dusk. She couldn't think, she couldn't stop, and she couldn't rest. All she had the energy to do was to continue walking. Walking away. Just walk away.
Nightfall was approaching quickly and they seemed to have made little progress. Ahead of them, the road lay straight and empty: identical to what they had just passed. Everything seemed exactly the same as it had an hour before; the only exception being that the smoking village was gradually growing smaller and smaller, and sinking slowly into the horizon.
Mountains lay ahead of them, looming high and unforgiving. They appeared treacherous and dangerous: an uninhabited wasteland. That was where they were headed. They knew not what lay upon the road on the near side or on the far side of the mountain, but it was the only way they could go. They could not turn back, not now.
The sun was slowly retiring behind the snowy peaks of the mountaintop and the evening was growing steadily darker. Whispering eddies crept their way across the landscape but everything else was silent. Their own breaths, ragged and rasping, pounded numbly in their ears, the dull, rhythmic beat slowly forcing its way into their hearts and souls. Their heads pounded with the noise, but they were no longer aware of it. It just became another part of the horrible opera they had found themselves caught in. They were nothing but actors on a rough, dark stage, existing merely for the sport of their pursuers.
Holly stumbled numbly along the long, desolate road with James Potter still holding firmly onto her arm as he guided her into the greying dusk. Her wrist hurt badly, but she was glad for the support. If it weren't for him, she already would have crawl into the undergrowth by the side of the road and lay there waiting. Waiting for what? Maybe forever, until death's icy finger sought her out in her sad, piteous hidey-hole.
She panted heavily; they had been walking for hours without a break for water. They didn't even have any water. She felt ready to collapse, but even that would take to much energy. She couldn't think, she couldn't stop, and she couldn't rest. All she had the energy to do was to continue walking. Walking away. Just walk away.
"We… we need to stop," she panted. Almost as if on queue, her feet gave up on her and she stumbled. James caught her before she hit the ground and held her firmly upright.
"We can't," he said, but nevertheless helped her into a sitting position in the middle of the road.
"How much longer are we going to keep this up?" she wailed.
He sighed, "I really don't have a clue. Your guess is as good as mine. The best we can do is to keep going until we find something. Or someone."
"No food, no water, no rest, no wand," Holly mumbled, "We probably won't get anywhere the way we're going!"
James took his glasses off with a sigh and wiped them on his shirt, clearing them of the dust and dirt that had accumulated over the hours. "Holly, you're not the only person who's suffering here. Do not make the mistake in thinking that you are." His tone was gentle, but held no sympathy. He barely had enough to account for himself and certainly not enough to share. He definitely wouldn't be handing it out like pamphlets at a town hall.
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with despair and sorrow. She knew that he was suffering; how could he not be? He didn't need to remind her. After all, looking at him she guess was like looking into a mirror. Her expression, her face, her body, it must have all mimicked his. They were in this together, and they were suffering together. It was as simple as that.
She let her head drop back and rested it on the cool asphalt. It was soothing to her hot skin and she felt her body calm at the touch. "What's the point of walking anyway?" she asked more to herself than to James. "What are we going to do even when we get to the mountain?"
"There'll be a town. We can find help there, then all the people can--"
"All the people?" Holly shouted, sitting up at once. Her face was read and it wasn't just from her physical heat; she was angry. She couldn't believe how idiotic and naïve James was being. "What if there aren't any left? What if He has already been there and there aren't anymore people. What if the only ones left are muggles?"
"What if?" he roared, still standing and towering over her. "What if what? You cannot base your whole life on asking 'what if'! It's pointless and leads you nowhere. Nowhere. What if my uncle had tits? Then he'd be my fucking aunty. So what? It doesn't fucking matter! It doesn't change anything that's already happened and it doesn't help you judge what's going to happen in the future either, so just shut up."
Holly's lips trembled. She wasn't usually one to let her emotions get the better of her, but she had witnessed a terrible ordeal today and she was overrun with misery and distress. The whole situation seemed so pointless! She sniffed and wiped her nose with her dirty hand, leaving a trail of filth across her chin.
"Fucking hell," James muttered as he walked slowly back to where she was and sat down beside her. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his strong, protective arms around her frail, little body. She rested her chin on his shoulder and he rubbed her back. His sturdy yet angular hands worked their way across her shoulder blades, kneading and working the way his mother's used to.
"I didn't mean to upset you," he murmured softly in her ear. "It's just… I'm in a bad mood, too. We both aren't at our best, but we can't let that break us apart. It's vitally important that we stick together in times like these. I'm sorry. Really, I am."
"What's going to happen to us?" she whispered, her breath catching as a sob escaped her lips.
"Don't worry about that. Sirius knows where we are and as soon as he finds out what happened, he will come and find us."
"No he won't, he hates me," Holly moaned pathetically.
"Hates you?" James said incredulously, pulling her away from him and looking carefully at her face. He tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and, with his thumb, wiped away a tear that was trickling down her cheek. "Hun, he loves you more than anything else in the world! And besides, even if he did hate you – which he doesn't – he's my best mate and he would certainly come looking for me."
"But he's angry at me! He said he didn't want to see me anymore."
"I think you'll find that his worry and anxiety will overrule any prior anger. Don't worry; he'll come for us. It's just a matter of time. But while we wait, we need to find somewhere safe. It's getting dark and it will be night soon. You need rest, and neither of us will be able to go on much further tonight. We need to find somewhere to stop."
James gently lifted Holly off him and helped her to her feet. It took more energy than he had imagined and he found himself feeling light headed. Once they were both standing steadily on their feet, they continued the long trek toward the mountains. James pointed away east, where a small patch of forest lay, and told Holly that they would rest there for the night. It looked safe enough, and it was undercover which was important. It wasn't safe for them to be out in the open, especially since there would surely be people on the lookout for them.
It took them another hour before they had reached the trees and the sun had well and truly settled down for a long night's sleep. They made their way far enough into the forest that they could no longer see the road, but didn't go further than necessary. Exhausted and weary from the dreadful day, they lay down at the foot of a large, old tree. Considering their hasty departure from the village, they hadn't any pillows or linen and instead relied purely on what nature had provided them. The dirt, flecked with grass, was the softest bed they could wish for given the circumstances, and James' chest the softest pillow that Holly could hope for.
James stayed awake for many hours, thinking and reflecting on the day, but Holly fell asleep straight away and drifted into a dark and unpleasant dream. The night around them swirling on, oblivious to their misfortunes and suffering. Nature is good in that respect. It doesn't dwell on the mishaps of the past, but instead brings forth a new day, everyday, filled with surprises just waiting to be found, and new adventures just waiting to be experienced. As James Potter closed his eyes on the world for another night, he hoped that the following day would bring him, and his friend, some better fortune. After all, that was all he could hope for.
And they'd have to keep walking away. Just walk away.
