MC4A - Paranormal Phantasm
Fill #11
Representations: Harry Potter; Luna Lovegood; Escape; Thestrals
Bonus Challenges: Creature Feature; Second Verse (Some Beach)
Word count: 414
Beta: Aya Diefair
If you carry joy in your heart you can heal any moment – Carlos Santana
There was so much pressure after the war that Harry Potter was unable to live the life he had wanted for so long. His dream since he had first been introduced into the wizarding world was to be just Harry. He didn't want to be the Boy-Who-Lived. In a way, he had gotten his wish. He wasn't the Boy-Who-Lived anymore. Instead, he was the Man-Who-Conquered which was much worse.
When he needed to escape it all, he went to visit Luna. She was the only one who made sense in the mad place the world had become. She still spoke of her creatures, but that was fine. That was one of the reasons he loved her. She hadn't drastically changed. He knew that she wanted to go out and find the creatures she had only read about. He also knew that the only reason she hadn't yet was because of him.
It was when the world demanded he settle down and create a family that he snapped. They weren't saying it because they wanted him to be happy. They were saying it because they wanted everyone to see that the Man-Who-Conquered was moving on with his life and was content. They didn't care about what Harry Potter wanted. They only cared about the image of security and confidence in the new Ministry that the Man-Who-Conquered settling down would send out.
He flooed directly to Luna after he packed. "Let's go," he said when he arrived.
Luna didn't ask where or why. She merely smiled and grabbed a backpack from the shelf next to her. "I wondered when you would say that. Come."
He followed her outside and had to grin when he saw the two thestrals ready and waiting. "You're amazing, Luna."
"Thank you. Where to first?"
Harry shrugged, patting the long nose of one of the thestrals. "How about we let them choose."
"An excellent idea."
They both climbed onto the backs of their respective thestrals and held on tightly as the creatures ascended. Luna's home faded into a blur as the thestrals continued climbing and flying away. Harry and Luna watched their sanctuary until it was no longer visible before both turned to look forwards to what was to come.
There was nothing but pain and misery left in Britain. Adventure waited for them in other places and they would find it. There would be no expectations, no demands. Just days filled with joy as they explored the world beyond England's borders.