My Dark Angel
I landed with a resounding thud as pain radiated from every part of my body. The blast that had thrown me to the ground had been deafening and all I could hear was a faint buzzing in my head. I could feel the blood flowing down my cheek, staining my brown curls red. Numbness began to sink into my limbs sparing me the pain of broken bones and mangled flash. I could not move, I could not speak, I laid in silence with my eyes shut tight against the horrors that lay before me. The buzzing in my ears began to fade and I could hear the faint moans of the wounded and nearly dead that surrounded me. It didn't take me long to realize that my own moans had joined their quiet symphony as pain flooded over numbness once again.
Before long I saw a spot of light. It twinkled just at the edge of my vision making my burning eyes tear. The twinkle split and then there were two spots of light against the darkness. I squeezed my eyes tighter to block it out, but the pinpricks of light refused to leave my sight. The two split into dozens and I realized that the twinkling lights were stars, and the darkness the night. The pain was subsiding and now I felt nothing, more likely the agony had overloaded my brain and my nerves were shutting down, but regardless the pain was gone. I tried to move, to get up. I had to find Harry and Ron, I had to see if they had survived the blast, though I knew it was unlikely.
Suddenly a vision passed before my eyes. Harry stood alone, watching as masses of wizards and witches ran, dodging the curses flying past them. I saw those who ran trample over those who had fallen. The sound of it hurt my ears, the screams of the frightened and the wounded mixing with the electric buzz of flying curses, and above it all a cold, cruel laughter. From my vantage point the Forbidden Forest was nearly hidden in a haze of thick smoke. I could feel the poisonous clouds burning my lungs but I did not try to cover my mouth. The Black Lake burned like fire emitting puffs of colored fog from the combination of spells and potions that had mixed with the dark waters. I saw brave men and woman fall fighting, I saw those who's fear had over ridden their courage run screaming, and I saw the man who had caused all of this.
Just as suddenly as it had appeared the vision was gone, and I was once again alone in the darkness watching the stars twinkles against a sky painted black by night. Again I tried to force my limbs to obey me, to get up and find those I loved among the battlefield's rubble. Once again I remained as I was staring into the perfect night sky. The moaning around me had stopped, and there was nothing but silence. Silence and the twinkling stars that grew brighter as the haze of battle cleared. I do not know how long I laid there, staring unwillingly into the void of space, but I expected to see the sunrise soon and too feel the warmth upon my cold face.
Another vision struck me with the same ferocity as the first and I tried to scream, but my mouth refused to form the sound. I saw Harry again, this time running towards the forest. He was screaming but I could not hear his words. How I longed to hear his voice again, if only for a moment. I watched him run through the field of fallen bodies, the wounded and the nearly dead reaching out for him as he ran by. I saw the tears fall onto his cheeks as he realized he could not help them and ran on. He stopped, winded, at the edge of the forest. I felt him strengthen his resolve and we both knew it was unlikely that he would return from beyond the wall of towering trees. I stood beside him, within him, as he tightened his grip on his faithful wand and strode into the forest. Evil waited form him there, waiting for him wearing a black cloak and a sneer. As Harry walked bravely into the clearing I saw a red haired figure laying motionless on the ground and knew that Ron had not survived. When Harry entered the circle of trees the man with the snake-like face spoke and Harry responded. Though I could not hear their words I new Harry had angered the other man, his distorted features twisted in rage. The older man lifted his wand and before Harry could even move to defend himself a streak of green light flew at him. Before Harry ever hit the ground I found myself once again in my own body staring up into the night sky.
I felt tears slid from my clouded eyes to my cold cheeks as I realized my friends had not survived. Once again I tried to move, tried to roll over to pull myself to my knees, and once again my body refused to obey. I needed to see who had survived, I had to find the bodies of those who had been my everything, but I remained motionless on the hard ground staring up into the night sky.
Time passed, I knew the dawn should be approaching but the sky never lightened. I lay there for an eternity, motionless, only able to see the stars twinkling high above me.
I began to accept that I would not able to get up and walk away from this nightmare, that it was unlikely that anyone would ever find me. I did not know where I had fallen or if there was even anyone left alive to help me. Finally I gave in and quit my attempts to move, I gave up trying to figure out how much time had passed and accepted that this was the end.
Slowly a shadow began to fill my vision. The twinkling stars blinked out and I found myself staring up at a man. He knelt beside me, wearing a black cloak with his hood drawn so I could not see his face. I felt his cool hands touch my face wiping the tears from my cheeks. He pushed back the hood and platinum hair fell across eyes of pure gray. I felt his cool and dry hands caress my face, pushing my hair back and wiping away the crust of dried blood. He took my face in his hands and kissed my forehead. In my ear I thought I heard him whisper "They're waiting for you." Then he gently closed my eyes and kissed each one before sending me to reunited with the family I had not been born into but was part of none the less. He kissed me gently and sent me home, my dark angel.