The Choice is yours alone now…
Tell me how the story ends.
He sat on his unmade bed in the midst of an altogether too neat room, unaware of his watcher. It's over… It's finally over… I've done it. And yet…is it really over? Is it really done? Is my task complete at last? If it is, then… what is my purpose for staying? If my reason for living, for fighting, is gone, then why am I still here?
"There's nothing holding me here. I could leave… if I wanted to…"
"Why all the gloomy talk of leaving?" His watcher stepped from the shadows, revealing her presence.
"We said for better or worse, 'til death do us part, remember? I don't know about you, but I am not allowing the best thing that ever happened to me to leave. And I do not appreciate being called 'nothing'."
He hung his head, abashed. "Sorry… I know you're not 'nothing'… It's just… This is all so new, and… Well, I'm not used to it, to say the least…"
She walked over and embraced her husband of less than a week. "Don't worry, love. I know you didn't mean much by it. And if I ever get my hands on that 'family' of yours…they'll wish they'd never been born!"
"Love, that's really not necessary…"
"Not necessary? I've seen the scars they left you with! And don't even try to say you're not worth it – you're worth more than any other person I've ever met. I wouldn't have married you if I didn't believe you were worth all the love I can give you."
He turned to face her, and gently placed a delicate kiss on her cheek. She captured his lips with her own, and soon their attention turned to other matters.
o0O0o
He turned over to look at his beautiful wife. "I do love you. You know that, right?"
She smiled back at him. "Of course. And you know it's mutual, right."
"As much as I sometimes don't, I do…if that makes any sense…"
"It does… You still doubt it sometimes, because of the horrid childhood you were given, but then you come to your senses and see the truth – that I love you, and no matter what, I will never leave you." She leaned in to kiss him, and again their attention was diverted from conversation.
o0O0o
"Come away with me, love. We can see the world – go back-packing, hitch-hiking, sailing, rock-climbing; we can tour France, watch the matadors in Spain, sample Italy's wine and Belgium's chocolates…"
She cut him off with a finger to his lips. "You had me at 'love'."
He picked her up and twirled her around. "I can't wait to get away. So far they've kept the reporters out of the way, but it's been almost two weeks… We'd need to either get back soon or, well, disappear."
"Then let's disappear."
o0O0o
"They're gone, then, right?"
"Yes, they left last night for France. They'll be in Paris by tomorrow, and after that…who knows?"
"So they really are planning to disappear?"
"Completely."
A comfortable silence fell between the two recent friends, who would never have made it even to civility if not for the man they were now protecting.
o0O0o
"They're gone! What do you mean, they're gone? How can they just disappear without saying good-bye? Don't they know how much I'll worry? Ooh! When they get back I'll turn him over my knee and give him a spanking, grown man or not! And that'll be right after I slap him for running off with my daughter and not saying good-bye. And THEN, I'll hug him so hard for scaring me like this, and then serve him a nice, big breakfast to welcome them back."
"Mum…they're newly married…think of this like an extended honeymoon. And it won't be forever; it'll be a year or two, tops."
"A year or two? What if something happens? What if my baby-girl gets hurt, or what if…"
"MUM! They're grown people now! Nothing will happen, and they'll come back just as soon as the Press calms down. He's already gone, Mum, and worrying doesn't do any good to him, and less than good to you. So calm down, have some tea, and start writing a letter. They said they'd try to keep in touch. As soon as I get something, you'll be the first to know."
"The first? You swear?"
"The very first."
o0O0o
"So…he's gone?"
"Yes, sir."
"You're very sure."
"Absolutely. My source is never wrong."
"Then what is stopping us now?"
"Nothing, sir."
"Correct. With him out of the way, and the Star of Hope for the moment broken up, there is no impediment to moving our plans forward."
"Sir…what of the remaining members?"
"Without their leader, they are useless. They may try to mount some sort of resistance, but until he returns, our path is clear." A menacing laugh began to echo in a small, underground chamber. Harry Potter would not find out his doom until much too late.
o0O0o
End
So, what do you think? Interesting enough to make up for my almost year-long absence? Can you guess who is who? Let me know in a REVIEW!