A/N: Written for Divination at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments).
Task: Write about someone travelling alone in darkness.
Notes: Shadows have to play a part.
Word Count: 1182
The story was betaed by Alice, thank you Alice!
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I couldn't believe that I had survived. That someone had found me and healed me. I was sure I would die in that field, alone and far away from home. But somehow, she found me. I'd never thought that I would ever see Ginny again, my little sister. I though she had died all those years ago, killed together with father and Ron. But she had survived. She had managed on her own all this time, and we'd found each other again.
I wish that I had met her in better and happier circumstances, not when I was to the verge of death, bloodied and cold. She had saved me. It had taken me months to recover. She had insisted to allow her to accompany me to the palace, to help me with my 'queen-assassin' , but I had refused her. She had a life far away from the palace, a peaceful life. Everything would change if she would come with me. The 'queen' would take revenge on her just because I survived her attack. Because she knew that the king loved me more than he loved her. And I loved him as much as he did. She was so jealous, even if she knew how royalty worked. I understood that if I loved the king, I'll have to share his heart; she didn't.
I convinced her to stay, to not come with me. I promised Ginny that as soon as I arrived in the capital, I would send word to her. And that I would tell brother Harry that she was alive and well.
Walking alone to the royal palace in the darkness of the night has awoken memories from my childhood. Everything looked the same. It's been almost ten years since I walked on the same road, alone to the palace, and nothing had changed, only me. My hair was a little more tamed now, now longer bushy, but wavy and my teeth were smaller. But I was still that girl who thirsted after knowledge and justice. The trees look as ancient and threatening as they did when I was a kid. I had to be brave then and I have to be brave now. For Draco, for Harry, they had to know that I hadn't died, they had to know what ' queen' Astoria had done. I can't let a forest scare me, I wasn't afraid of death, but was I afraid to walk alone in the darkness? I really was messed up. I should have taken Ginny with me, but how I could consciously put her life in danger? Especially since I just had found her again.
When I was a kid, I loved the night, it was mysterious, fascinating. But now, I could only see shadows everywhere. Even if it the moon was behind clouds, I could see them. Like they were following me. Whenever I turned I could see three shadows instead of only my own. And I shouldn't be able to see my own either. There was no moon.
Years ago, I was too scared to actually see them, I would just run, and run until my legs hurt and I couldn't run anymore. But now, I looked carefully at the two shadows that seemed to follow me ever since I had left Ginny.
It's not possible, it can't be real. Father, Ron, are you there? You're actually with me? I felt love; there's no way describing the feeling that embraced me, just love. My family. They were there and in that night too. They had never left me. They had sent Ginny to me; now I understand what she meant: "It was like I was called on that field, like I had to be there, or else… It was the same feeling I got each time I did something bad and dad would…", I can't believe they're with me. Their shadows hadn't left.
I was alone, but they still watched over me. Dad, Brother. I crashed on the grass, tears streaming down my face. They were with me, from wherever they were. Their shadows were my shadows, and that meant that they had never truly left. The legend was true. A lost family could be with you, even if they were though their shadows. I never believed it, it sounded ridiculous. But now, now it wasn't ridiculous anymore. I could feel their love, the same feeling I had whenever I was sad, just I didn't recognize it. I couldn't stop crying, Dad, Ron… What do I do? How can I fight with the queen? Will I get there in time? Or it would be too late? Will Draco believe me?
I saw the shadows move and suddenly I felt like Brother Ron was hugging me and Dad was telling me that everything would be fine, like when my papa and mama died and I had to move in with them. I smiled at the thought. Mama. Papa. I hadn't thought about them in a long time; in fact, ever since they had died. They had been my parents and I love them so much, and I still miss them, even though I got a new family that raised me. Until everything was ripped from me again.
I got up ,wiping my tears. I still their daughter. And they would always be my papa and mama. I may not have thought about them until that moment in the forest, but I hadn't forgotten them either. Suddenly, in a split of second when the moon shone for a moment a new shadow joined the other shadows and it split in two right before my eyes then become one again and disappeared once the moon was covered by clouds. I almost crashed on the grass again. I could feel the tears on my face, but I didn't care. They didn't left me either. There were my own shadow, they took care of me along with mum and dad. They gave me power.
I will arrive in time at the palace, I will see Harry again, and his majesty. I will tell them about the queen. Astoria will not win. I won't let her trick me again. I wonder if Draco suspects her. Oh, my love! Will you believe me, my dragon?
Now I wasn't afraid anymore. I was alone in the darkness, but they watched over me. I carried them in and with me. I continued the road through the forest without looking back. I could do it. I will do it. I will get in time to warn the others. And some day we will have peace and Ginny could come to see Harry and I without the fearing the queen revenge.
If I would have looked back I would have saw three shadows staying near the tree I had cried upon, two of them embracing and the other waving at me. But I didn't look back. I saw them in my heart.