The Journey Home
A/N: This is an alternate ending for Amber Del Aqua, had she not chosen to give up her life.
I don't know how long I knelt there, by the side of a dead man. My friend was gone and there was nothing that I could do. Eventually I stood from my place beside him and left the Shack in a daze. Through the passage under the Whomping willow I walked slowly and emerged from the tunnel. I stopped to look around, the battle still raging around me. No longer caring, I stumbled across the grounds on my way to the forbidden forest.
It hit me like an iron fist to the spine; it could only have been the killing curse, as I remember a brief flash of green and then the world fading to a shadow of itself. Grey ghosts ducked and weaved around me as I moved through my new world. To my left I saw a shadow, Harry, walk slowly to the edge of the forest and stop briefly before continuing on.
I stopped and watched the young man, who had been through so much in his short life, disappear through the trees and go to his death. The words of the Headmaster came back to me; that the boy must first die at the hands of Voldemort, before he could truly defeat him forever. I thought about going to his side, but then decided against it, remembering that he would be accompanied by his parents. I had no place in this moment, I could not intrude.
Time is irrelevant here, without the passing of the seconds, minutes and hours, it was impossible to know how long I stood and watched the fighters on both sides of the battle fall. Very occasionally, one would materialise before me, meet my eye and then disappear again, another life taken.
"Mummy!" A child's voice called out through the ether, a voice I had not heard in years and thought I never would. I spun on my heel to see Greta running towards me, her arms outstretched, happy and whole. I dropped to my knees and embraced my youngest daughter, pulling her close and clinging to her; Ivy standing back a little to let her sister hug Mummy, before flying into my arms herself. My girls, looking just like they had the last time I saw them all alive, as if nothing had happened to them. I searched their faces for any sign of the damage I saw when I had awoken in the guard house, so many years ago, and found nothing.
"They don't remember," I looked up at the sound of another voice I thought I would never hear again. Sirius stood behind them, a content smile on his face as he watched my girls nestle into my shoulders.
"How?" I asked. "Where is..."
"Nick?" I nodded. "He made a choice. The girls would remember nothing of their deaths if he chose to move on to another plane." I was speechless. "Do not worry for him, the choice for him was to ascend early, really it was a win-win. The girls have been in the care of their grandparents and uncle. They allowed me to bring them here to greet you."
"How are they?" He smiled and nodded.
"They are fine, and at peace with their own deaths. They have worried for you in the last few years and they would love to see you again." He looked to his feet briefly before raising his eyes to me again as I stood. "I'm sorry I failed you."
"You have nothing to be sorry for..."
"I couldn't protect you."
"That wasn't your fault, Sirius." I had closed the gap between us, my hand resting gently on his cheek. I watched with a smile on my face as his eyes drifted closed and he leaned into my touch.
"I'd like you to meet some people," He said, a smile growing over his face as he reached up and gently gasped my hand. Turning and drawing me further down the path, Greta and Ivy following along behind us, he guided me over to a small clearing where I could see another three people standing. As we moved closer, one of them turned and I could see that it was Remus. With him stood a younger man and woman, the man the spitting image of Harry. "Amber, I'd like to introduce you to James and Lily Potter."
"Hello, Amber, Sirius has told us both so very much about you. Remus as well." Lily smiled at me, taking my hand in both of hers and I nodded, smiling back.
"You looked out for our son," James said. "Thank you."
"He's a fine young man and you should be proud of him."
"We are." He smiled back at me.
"We should be going now," Remus said. "Harry has done his duty."
"Is he..."
"He won't be joining us for many years yet." He smiled at me and I returned the smile as I felt hope return to the world we were leaving.
"Let's go, Angel." Sirius held his hand out to me and I took it, Greta taking my other hand.
"Mummy, can I hold Sirius' hand too?" Ivy looked up at me with a smile on her face and I nodded. With no hesitation she took Sirius' other hand and we followed the Potters and Remus down the path, the world dissolving behind us.