The wind was cold, so very cold. It was especially cold as I was trying to stay high enough in the sky that I wouldn't be easily seen. While I despise the cold I was grateful for it as it kept me awake. I must have been flying for hours. The sun had already set and the stars were beginning to reveal themselves in the sky. My sole source of optimism was the shrinking arrow on my map. I was getting closer to finding my brother. In the distance I could see the coastline fast approaching. I would have smiled had the cold not made my lips feel numb.
Soon enough I was flying over water, the arrow getting smaller and smaller. I almost fell off the broom when the arrow finally disappeared. Replacing the arrow on the map was a circle around the small picture of an island. Taking my eyes off the map I saw the island underneath me. I slowly spiraled down towards the island, cursing myself for not checking if there were other muggle buildings on the island other than the orphanage. Using the growing darkness as coverage I pulled my black cloak around me and flew down to the island.
The orphanage wasn't hard to find. It sat upon a hill that could be seen from all angles on the Eastern side of the island. Above the entrance were also the words "Unspoken Dreams", assisting me further. I had landed a bit of a distance away and had to walk through a small part of a forest to get to the orphanage. The darkness was amplified by the looming trees and scurrying creatures. Gathering my courage I reminded myself why I was here. I kept my eyes on the orphanage as I found my way to its door.
That probably wasn't the brightest idea as I slammed into the gate. I blamed the foliage camouflaging the gate and thrust it open. I also cursed myself for ending up trying to 'thrust open' the gate for a while. When I had finally pushed the rusted gate open far enough for me to get through, I wanted to run towards the orphanage's door, my excitement and fear joining together in a rush of adrenaline. The sight of the building stopped me in place.
I could hardly believe this orphanage was the same one I had seen my brother residing in. It was the exact opposite of what I saw through my brother's mind. The outside was beautiful and clean. There were flowers, pavement, and clean windows. Colors brightened its appearance even in the dark of night. Standing on my toes I reached up towards a glistening metal ring that hung from an equally glistening wolf's head and knocked on the door with it.
A chattering of young voices crowded behind the door and the noise only grew as the door swung open. A slightly older girl was surrounded by what seemed to be a dozen other children, all asking a million questions at once.
My question silenced them all.
"Do you know where Harry is?" hoping my mother let my brother keep his name when she abandoned him.
The eyes of all of the children widened, and did someone whimper? Some took a step back and a couple even ran back down the hall away from the door.
One of the smallest then looked up at the eldest girl and asked, "Isn't he dead?"
My heart clenched and my blood chilled right before another child cut in.
"Zombies can't die, Jeffrey, they're undead."
"But Harry was a vampire!" another protested.
"I thought he was a demon…"
A small girl in the back scoffed and added, "No, Gorgons have snakes for pets. I read it in my book."
Finally the eldest girl spoke over the escalating argument and said, "Amanda, Gorgons have snakes for hair not pets. We're also in England, not Greece. So Harry couldn't have been a Gorgon. He was obviously a fairy; you know one of those dark, evil ones. Anyway, he's gone so it doesn't matter anymore."
I waved my hands in front of the gathering of children until I thought enough of them were paying attention to me. "What do you mean, gone?"
The children all turned to the eldest girl and she rolled her eyes before answering, "The hall he was in caved in and we haven't seen him since. Mistress –she's the one that owns the place—thinks the hall is haunted so we never fixed it. Harry was already dead in the first place, though."
"Already dead?"
The girl's eyebrows furrowed, her mouth opening and closing for a while before she huffed and shook her head. "He just… He was just never really alive, you know?"
I walked away from the front door of the orphanage, the words of the children ringing in my ears. The younger children all nodded at the eldest girl's words, one of even them mentioning a "Sally-freak" who they thought Harry "conjured" from the Underworld and wondered why she didn't die when he did. Shaking my head I walked toward the back entrance of the building where the supposed 'haunted hallway' was located.
They all said Harry 'died' four years ago. That didn't make any sense. I 'saw' my brother three years ago and he was as healthy as I could see in that short amount of time. These kids must be mistaken.
The back of the orphanage looked as pristine as the front, only that the back door had a few cracks in it. My heart beat started pulsing straight to my ears and my fingers shook at my sides. Quickly clenching them into a fist I swiftly knocked on the door.
Crashes erupted from somewhere behind the door as the sound of running feet approached the back entrance. I tried not to wince when the door slowly opened with an ear splitting whine. I did wince, however, when I saw the poor creature that opened the door.
A little girl opened the door, standing on a rickety stool to get to the door handle. The poor thing only had one eye, the other hole only half-covered by a makeshift patch made out of a torn sock. She wobbled on the stool, trying to greet me. "Um… hello, sir… I, uh… Oh!"
Suddenly she fell off the stool and I thanked my father for giving me quick enough reflexes to reach out and catch her. She was so light and skinny I felt like crying. I had seen other children who looked like her but they had been living on the street. If it was even possible she looked worse.
"Oh, plis puh m'down, sir! Your clothin'…" As she struggled to get out an apology my heart was torn.
I placed her on her feet. "It's perfectly alright, little lady," I wondered why I was suddenly talking politely, probably the 'sir' even though I'm only nine, "my clothing is fine. I was wondering…"
She looked up, "Oh, what's it you be wantin' sir?"
A smile lit upon my face at her eagerness to help me. "I was wondering if you knew someone by the name of Harry…?"
Recognition flashed through her eye along with a tinge of nervousness and fear, yet a smile lit up her face. Interesting… "Oh, you want tuh talks tuh Harry…" She looked behind herself, as if checking if anyone was there, "You be happy you be talkin' to me, sir, none of them others would be helpin' you out." Soon after she started walking away down a hall, constantly checking if anyone was around, "Are you comin' or not, sir?"
I quickly followed her, the excitement and fear returning tenfold. I really wanted to meet my brother face to face, but I was starting to wonder just what kind of person he was after growing up in a place like this. The inside of the 'haunted hallway' was practically the opposite as the outside. Dirt and grime covered the floor and the walls, multiple holes along the floor and in the walls. Was that a rat I just saw run over there? Best not to think about it or I might lose my lunch.
That reminded me that I had skipped dinner… I would usually get myself a late night snack at home but I wouldn't be able to do that now.
After some time we started climbing over debris, a swirling breeze tugging at my hair as we passed by a crumbled wall and passed under holes in the ceiling. I could see why the others thought the place was haunted; it looked like a giant attacked the building.
I wanted to ask the girl, probably 'Sally', why she knew my brother was alive and didn't tell the others, but she was far ahead of me. My throat tightened and somehow speaking above a whisper frightened me. I thought about the run-down room I saw my brother in and attempted to find some reason why he would live as a dead person in the midst of ruins for so long. We passed through the worst of the collapsed hallway and could walk on solid ground again.
My train of thought was crashed off course as I bumped into the little girl I was following. Thankfully I hadn't been walking fast enough to knock her down or I'd have felt absolutely horrible. The girl was standing in front of a door, one of the few that were actually still intact. She raised her tiny hand and knocked.
"Who is it?" Hearing my brother's voice caused my spirits to soar. This was the place. This was it.
Before the little girl said anything, I cut in. "I'm here, brother."
The door flew open, and I was finally standing in front of my twin. I looked at his face, seeing the red eye as it clashed with his green eye, both widening at the sight of my presence. I couldn't contain myself any longer and threw my arms around him. Something inside me brightened and I felt complete. All of my previous years felt so empty now that my brother was in my arms. I didn't notice the look my brother gave the little girl that caused her to hurry away.
"It took me three years, brother," I whispered, long withheld tears flowing out of my eyes, "three years, but I've finally found you." Slowly, gradually, my twin hugged me back. I felt the lone tear that escaped fall onto my cheek. We stood there, just holding on to each other as we let the moment sink into our minds. If my brother's hands only barely touched me and his arms didn't quite embrace me, I didn't care. It made sense that he would be cautious around me, right?
I let go of my brother, stepping back to give him space. "I'm sorry," I said, wiping my tears away, "I really shouldn't have hugged you so suddenly like that…" Gosh, I felt ridiculous crying in front of my brother. Even if we were born together something about my twin made him seem older.
He shook his head. "No, it's okay. I…" he paused, seeming to think for a moment, "That was the first time I've ever been hugged…" He looked away from me, as if ashamed by his statement. In the corner of my sight I saw his hands clenched into fists but they were quickly hidden behind his back.
I think I actually started to truly hate someone in that moment. This 'Dumbledore' would pay for causing my brother to end up this way. I always felt like Mother could be talked into doing anything using the right words (Father did it all the time), and 'Dumbledore' was the one who apparently told her to abandon my brother.
When he finally looked at me again, I remembered why I was there. "I'm here to take you away, brother."
Light flashed through his eyes before it quickly disappeared. "Really?" There was an even tone to the word and it took a moment for me to realize it was a question.
I nodded, "I promised, didn't I?" My brother answered with a smile, a truer, broader smile than I hoped he would give me. I felt my heart swell with happiness. The awkward shifting of his lips made it seem like smiling wasn't something he did often. "Do you have anything you want to keep here?" My heart clenched asking that question, as I doubted there was much he cherished here.
Surprisingly, my brother dashed back into his room for a moment before returning. Wrapped around his arm was a thin blue snake. I had never seen a blue snake before. Actually, I don't think I had ever seen a real live snake before. I did remember the other children talking about Harry having a pet snake, and I was surprised it slipped my mind.
"What's going on?"
Oh, my, gosh. Did I just hear the snake talk?
"We're leaving this place, Saphyr."
"Oh my gosh you can speak to snakes!" My hand flew to my mouth as I noticed both my twin and the snake turn to me in surprise. "I, uh, guess I can too." I smiled a nervous smile.
Thankfully my brother just chuckled and held out his arm with the snake. "I'm guessing you've never met a snake before?"
I watched attentively as Saphyr slithered over to my arm. "Mother and father said they're all evil." My attention was solely focused on the beautiful creature on my arm so I didn't notice my brother's reaction until I heard it.
"Mother… and father…?"
I looked up quickly, seeing darkness flash within my brother's eyes. When his eyes met mine I couldn't hold his gaze and looked away. "They lied to me," I spat out, my voice shaking and my hands coming up and crossing my arms, "I knew I had a brother but they lied to me, said I was an only child. I couldn't believe they would lie about something like this!" My hands tightened around my arms and I wanted to throw something, to kick something, to destroy something like the hallway behind me. Suddenly, there was a crash and we both jumped and turned to see a pile of debris crumble to the ground. It was a weird coincidence but it cut through the tension crawling under my skin.
Looking back at my brother I could see a bit of surprise and amusement in his expression. I sighed, "I… sort of… came to get you without telling them…"
Looking over at my brother I judged his reaction. He wasn't looking at me, his eyes staring at the ground. Even as his hair covered his face I could see the glowing red of his eye. I could see his chest rise as he took in a deep breath. His eyes lifted to meet mine. "Let's go," and with that simple phrase all of my feelings shifted to happiness.
I nodded happily, taking my brother's hand. Saphyr traveled back to my twin and I shivered slightly at the feeling. "Oh, I almost forgot! I'm Aster," I smiled at him sheepishly.
"Harry. Though I believe you were already aware of that."
I looked around me and nodded over at the door behind my brother. "Can you just leave like this?" I asked, not wanting him to get in trouble.
His eyes clouded over with anger. "No one will miss me here," and with that he started walking away from what used to be his room. My thoughts turned to Sally and I wanted to ask about her, but Harry walked too fast and my thoughts jumbled while focusing on what was going on.
Still holding his hand, I almost stumbled as I tried to keep up with his determined pace. It baffled me as we reached the back entrance and walked around to the front not having met anyone along the way. I guess everyone really did think the hallway was haunted. Shrugging off the thought I turned and found my brother had disappeared. Worry clenched my heart. I looked all around the front of the orphanage, stepping outside into the cold air. "Harry…?"
"I'm right here Aster," whirling around I found my brother standing right behind me. I must not have been paying attention. I smiled at him and sped off to where I left my broom. Once we got to it my twin gave me a weird look and asked, "Is that what we're using to get away?"
"Uh, we could, but I have a faster way," I ignored the second weird look he gave me and took out a pendant from beneath my shirt. "Here, put this chain around your neck," I held out the pendant, willing the chain to lengthen. It was an invention of mother's, an emergency portkey which had a chain similar to the one a Time Turner would have. Thankfully my twin just accepted everything, not bombarding me with questions… yet. I could just tell he wanted to ask so many questions but withheld himself. Holding the pendant with my left hand, my twin grabbed the pendant with his right hand.
Suddenly, a scream ripped through the air. The orphanage behind us had burst into flame. "Harry-"
"Let's go, Aster,"
"But Sally-"
"She's safe. Let's go."
Reluctantly I tore my eyes away from the orphanage. I knew that I should probably feel bad, as there were people probably dying in the burning building, but something in Harry's eyes kept me from defying him. As I whispered the trigger word our heads touched each other at the temple.
We disappeared from Unspoken Dreams in a flash of light and a flash of pain.
I really don't know what happened, as it was over just as soon as it had begun. 'Wow, that hurt,' I thought, seeing my room around us.
'Yes, it hurt substantially. May you please explain what happened just now?'
I turned to my brother, surprised, "Please tell me you said that aloud?"
"You didn't?" Our eyes widened as we realized what happened. Harry opened his mouth to talk, but a hard knock was heard on my door.
Thanking whatever powers were out there, I quickly used our new gift. 'Hide somewhere, quick! I need to explain everything to our parents real quick'
I could sense my brother's reaction. 'You failed to plan for this? You expected to just waltz here with me?' he demanded.
'Just hide!'
With that, he was gone. Looking around, I was impressed with my brother's ability to hide himself. A whispered 'Thank you' flashed through my mind and I smiled.
The smile fell as mother's voice rang through the door, "Aster Evan Potter! You better open this door right this instant!"
"She's scary…" I stifled my laughter at Saphyr's statement as I fearfully approached my door. For a moment I let myself ponder how I could have heard the snake but rationalized that snakes probably didn't speak like human's did so I probably didn't have to see or 'hear' the snake to 'listen' to it.
I unlocked the door and turned the knob, hesitant to pull it open. Taking a deep breath, I pulled open the door.
Standing in all her fiery glory was my mother, Lily Evans-Potter. "Where in the world have you been, young man?" She demanded.
"Nowhere…"
'You couldn't even come up with a suitable story?'
'Shh!'
"Don't you dare lie to me, Aster, or else. I can tell you've been flying. Where did you go at this time of night?"
I really did not like lying to my parents… Remembering Harry, I used my thoughts of him to fuel me on, "I was just flying around, mother."
She put her hands on her hips, "You can't have been flying 'around' if you had to use your portkey to get back. I told you to stop lying to me."
"Then why won't you stop lying to me?" I froze, stopping myself before I said anything else.
Mother was shocked, to say the least. "Wha- what are you talking about…?"
For some reason I just couldn't stay silent. I wondered where all of this courage came from all of a sudden. "I know, mother, I know! You've been lying to me all this time…" I couldn't stop a tear from falling.
"I don't understand, honey–"
"Don't give me that 'honey' nonsense! Trying to act like a caring mother…"
Now it was my mother who was crying, "Please, talk to me! I don't understand…"
I looked into her eyes, using sheer force of will to shield me from her water-filled eyes, "What kind of a mother lies to her child? What kind of a mother abandons her child?" Her eyes widened, she choked on air, and I could see the realization dawn on my mother and it kept the words flowing from my mouth. "Yes, I know, I've known for a long time. How, how in the world could you not tell me about Harry?" Each word had built in volume before I shouted out the last.
Sometime during my tirade my father and Uncle Remus arrived at my bedroom door. All three were shocked, mouths gaping, hands starting to shake. I looked away, unable to face them.
My uncle was the first to recover, "How did you–"
"Mother's letters."
Mother's eyes widened further. It seemed impossible given how wide they were before.
"It doesn't matter anymore. Why? Why did you lie to me?" I felt like I was about to break down. I was torn between falling apart and throwing a tantrum as I wobbled on my feet. Reaching out I grasped one of my bed posts, willing the tears to stay in my eyes.
'Shh…' my brother's soothing tone calmed me down. I had almost forgotten he was here. I felt like I should be the one comforting him, having heard proof that our mother and father had tried to pretend as if he didn't exist. If I heard something like that I wouldn't have been able to comfort someone else. There was a considerable amount of doubt as to whether I would have wanted to be in contact with anyone at that point.
"How did you know to look for him in the first place?" My father's sudden question shook me out of my thoughts.
"My memory; I'm sure mother told you all about it. You still haven't answered me. Why did you act like he never existed?" I would have never thought my parents would be this type of people: the type of people who would abandon their child at someone else's say-so.
Father took a shuddering breath, "It was for both of your own good."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" The sudden yell startled me. Harry had somehow materialized at my side, automatically grasping my hand in a tight grip. Through our hands I could feel Harry shaking, felt the clammy moisture gathering at our palms.
'Harry…?'
'I'm sorry, Aster, but I just couldn't restrain myself.'
"…Harry?" Mother's eyes were even wider and I worried they would fall out of her head. Her hand was stretched out, reaching towards Harry.
"Don't touch him," I spat, stepping forward slightly and bringing Harry away.
Mother flinched, and father was quick to come to her defense. "How dare you-"
I stepped further in front of Harry. "How dare what, father?"
"Aster, calm down and think about what you're doing." That was Uncle Remus, always trying to be the peace maker.
I shook my head. "No, Uncle Remus, it's you three who should think about what you're doing."
A flash of anger flew across father's face and he drew his wand.
In all of a moment Harry grabbed me just before a spell collided with us. I couldn't tell who it was aimed for, but I knew it was a spell that was supposed to stop you from moving. Father used it on bad people all the time. Does that mean he thinks I'm a bad person now…?
'They are the bad ones, Aster, or do you agree with what they have done?'
I turned to Harry and shook my head, 'No, I can't agree with them abandoning you like that.' Looking around, I noticed we were on the roof of my house. "How did we get here?"
My twin simply quirked the edge of his lips, I think Father calls it a 'smirk'.
"Stupefy!" A red beam of light shot out and struck Harry. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he started to fall, eyes wide with shock before closing. I caught Harry before he could tumble off the roof, realizing just how light he was. Earlier his confident demeanor had hidden his thin form and bony limbs. As his head leaned against me I could see some scars underneath his shirt. What had he suffered through at that orphanage?
"Aster!" my parents were outside of the house. Briefly I wondered where Uncle Remus was. "Get down from there!"
I clutched my twin closer to me, "No! What did you do to Harry?" Tears threatened to fall from my eyes again. All of the recent events were making me feel worn out and my hands were shaking as I tried to keep hold of my brother.
'Harry? Harry, please answer me!'
There was no reply.
I saw a flash of light and felt my body lift into the air. Frantically I held onto my brother. Looking down I saw a stream of light connecting us to our mother's wand. She lowered us down onto the ground, careful not to drop us. Clenching my eyes shut I tried not to cry. My brother had to be okay, he had to be. I couldn't lose him so soon after getting him back.
'Harry, are you there? Please, Harry!'
'Stop shouting, Aster!'
I felt calm wash over me as I heard my brother's reply. 'You're still here!'
'It seems that 'here' is in the realm of your mind as of this moment. I believe if this is similar to your last visit I must only be unconscious.'
Wasn't my brother so cool? He was able to stay so calm while I was shaking from my fear and nervousness. This was my brother, my twin, my other half. He had suffered so much while I was coddled to the point where I couldn't stand it anymore. I should have been the one to suffer; he was the one the evil man attacked, so he was the real Boy-Who-Lived after all. I wouldn't let anyone take him away from me again. No one.
Hands grabbed at my shoulders. "Aster," wow, I had never heard Father's voice quiver like that before, "let go of him."
My head snapped up, my eyes opened and I glared at my father. "Never," I watched as my father stepped back in surprise. In the reflection of his glasses I could see my face twisted with a scowl across my lips, my left eye golden and the right a blazing red. Deep within me I could feel my brother's surprise as well. It was as if no one had ever stood up for him this way before. Despair flooded me as I realized that he probably hadn't had anyone to stand up for him before. In contrast, so many people would throw themselves at my feet for something I didn't even do.
Something hit me from behind and my world went black.
'Aster, Aster…! Wake up!'
Groggily I opened my eyes and sat up. My brother was kneeling next to me. 'Harry!' I reached out and hugged him. My mismatched eyes searched his form, 'Where's Saphyr?'
Harry stood up, pulling me to my feet beside him. 'Look around you, Aster,' there was nothing but white nothing-ness, 'we're in our minds right now.'
'That's cool!' The thought to question that conclusion never crossed my mind.
My twin chuckled in response, 'Of course you would think so, even though this means we're both unconscious. Our bodies could be discarded in some unknown forest and we would never know until we woke up.'
'Why do you talk like an adult; all gloomy and logical?'
'It helped me survive.' Looking into Harry's eyes I could see a darkness there that I knew all too well.
I walked into the living room, knowing I'd find my mother sitting in her favorite chair by the window. She sat there every time Father left to fight bad people, watching, waiting for him to return home. There was a book in her hands, though I knew she never read it as the pages were never turned. Her eyes roamed the street outside as they searched for my father. I knew something was different this time when I saw her hands shaking, clutching the book tightly. Curious, I shook her arm. 'Mommy,' she turned to me, startled away from the window, 'When's Father coming home?'
'Soon, honey, soon,' she looked as if she was trying to convince herself more than trying to convince me, 'your father is fighting some really really bad people today, so he has to work extra hard before coming home, okay?'
I nodded and jumped into my mother's lap to look out the window with her. She placed her book on a nearby table, combing my hair with her hands as she waited. Watching the street, I saw something move. In the dark of night a lone street light lit the area in front of my home. Soon a figure had walked into the light, a hat obscuring the person's face. I, as the foolish little seven year-old I was at the time, yelled out "Father!" and ran out the door. I realized too late that the person was not my father when it grabbed me by the neck and lifted me in the air.
"I've done it! I've caught Aster Potter!" The thing cried out, its hat flying off its head as it cackled madly. Fangs were glistening from inside its mouth and caused fear to envelope me as I tried to breathe. "They say you're the Chosen One, the Epitome of Light! Maybe… maybe if I drink your blood I'll be free!" I couldn't help but look into the eyes of the monster that was trying to murder me. Behind that manic gleam I saw darkness, a sadness filled with anger and desperation. "I didn't want to be a monster!" It yelled hoarsely, shaking me in the air.
"Help me… father!" I choked out of my throbbing throat. Memories flashed through my mind of my mother and father, my Uncle Remus… the brother I promised to save just last year and had all but forgotten. "I'm… sorry." A tear fell from my eye as I vowed that if I survived I would do everything I could to find my brother. I had to keep my promise, at least before I died.
"Sectumsempra!" Red splashed across my vision as I watched, horrified, as the monster was sliced into pieces. The now limp hand dropped me to the ground. I looked on in pain as the body of my attacker faded into dust, leaving a splattered pool of blood in its place. My father stood at the other side of the street with his wand raised and pointing at where the monster once stood. A moment passed before he remembered me, running quickly to my side.
'… wow, that was quite graphic,'
I jumped slightly as I realized I was still with Harry in our mind. 'You… you saw that?'
My brother nodded, 'I remembered you saying you had a photographic memory, but I never thought it would be that detailed,' he looked at me with a new look in his eyes. It made me think that he thought I hadn't suffered at all in my life and only just discovered I had been through some rough times as well. It was then that I wondered if I would be able to see his memories as clearly as I saw mine. Our minds were connected, I could tell, and I reached out through that connection. I wanted to know what happened to my brother at that orphanage. I wanted to know just how much he had suffered at the hands of a mistake. I needed to know.
Harry's eyes widened as he realized what I was trying to do. 'No Aster, don't-!'
Pain, pure pain filled my mind.
