Firestorm
He was dying. There was no point in denying it.
He had failed.
He had failed everyone. His brother, his colleagues, his friends.
He had failed them all.
And now he was forced to watch as his surrogate grandson's head disappeared under the water. How he wished he could save him, to let him know everything was going to be alright. But he couldn't find the strength to even lift a finger.
…Besides, he thought, he had promised himself to never lie to him again.
The darkness was closing in, the wretched creatures with their sunken, eyeless faces and their bony hands reaching for him…
Suddenly, there was an explosion of white. He shut his eyes tightly, certain that this was the end.
But there was nothing.
No pain, no smell of rotting flesh, no sounds of his surrogate grandson drowning.
He opened his eyes.
He was back at his childhood home in Godric's Hollow. He recognized the hedges, the wrought iron gate, the initials carved magically into a tree by his brother when he thought he could get away with it.
Suddenly, the door opened, and there she stood.
"Brother!"
He instinctively raised his arms to wrap her in a hug as she barreled into him. Looking up with her bright blue eyes, she frowned cutely. "You got old, brother."
He was too shocked to say anything other than "How…?"
She smiled fondly at him. "You're the genius in the family. You tell me," she said. He idly wondered where the sarcasm came from.
"I met some friends in the realm beyond," she said cryptically, as though reading his mind. Oh yes, this was definitely his sister.
"Oh?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow after regaining his composure. Questions could wait. He didn't care how it happened anymore, only that his sister was with him again.
"Mm-hmm," she hummed, nodding. "They're quite peculiar. They're wizards–well, one witch and two wizards. They're animals and they're not at the same time. Flower is undoubtedly the smartest of all of them. She yells at Jay-Jay and Paddy to shut up and be serious, but Paddy says he's always serious. Then Jay-Jay laughs and Flower rolls her eyes. They're quite fun."
"Indeed, they sound like quite the characters," he said. They stood embracing each other in companionable silence before she spoke again.
"You can still save him, you know."
Startled, he looked down into her bright blue eyes, which were focused on him in a way only teenaged girls could master.
"What?"
She frowned slightly. "You know what I mean."
He hesitated, unsure. Then he sighed, feeling his age once more.
"I can't," he whispered. "I am too weak, too old…"
A sharp rap on the head was her response. "No you're not, you can do anything!" she said, glaring at him and daring him to challenge her.
"But…"
She overrode him. "Who was it that helped me learn magic?"
"I don't…"
"Who?"
He sighed. "I was, but…"
Once again, he couldn't finish. "Who was it that wanted peace between wizards and Muggles?" she challenged.
"Me, but you don't…"
"Who was it?" She was raising her voice now. "Who was it that told me to see something through to the end, brother?"
He couldn't answer her.
"I know you, brother," she said softly. "I know how you work. Have you really given up?" Her eyes turned pleading. "Please, brother, don't give up. If not for yourself, then for me."
Tears were leaking from his eyes. "I'm scared, Ariana."
She hugged him tighter. "I know, brother. But until you face your fear, you can never hope to overcome it."
"But I'm too weak…"
She glared at him. "Don't you dare say that! You have all the strength you need!
"But…"
She held up a hand to stop him. "Flower gave me a word of advice to give you. She's been watching over you, you know," she said. "She said, 'When someone has something they want to protect at all costs, that's when they discover true strength.' What do you want to protect?"
He paused. "Protect…"
He suddenly straightened. "Thank you, Ariana. Thank you for helping me understand."
She smiled at him. "Any time, brother."
He smiled down at her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I must be going. I would say goodbye, but I feel as though I will be coming back momentarily," he said.
Ariana tightened her grip before releasing him. "I understand. Good luck."
He grinned childishly, before his face became one of fierce determination. "Now let's see if these old bones still have some fight left in them," he said. Then he disappeared.
He opened his eyes to find himself back on the island in the middle of the lake. The wretched creatures were almost upon him, when he released the bonds on his magic.
A wave of pure magical energy escaped him, blasting the Inferi backwards. Slowly, deliberately, he pushed himself up, standing taller than he ever had before. He felt his sister's magic encase him in a warm embrace, as the Elder Wand in his hand thrummed with power.
As he raised the wand high over his head, he thought about his sister's parting words.
'When someone has something they want to protect at all costs, that's when they discover true strength.'
A defiant, confident gleam entered Albus Dumbledore's eye as the Inferi closed in.
'I will protect you, Harry. Because I did not before, I will now.'
"IGNIS MAXIMA!"
Hey guys! Just a quick oneshot I was inspired to write as I was working on my other stories! Hope you enjoyed!