30. Mistake

Harry felt like he wasn't prepared for this day. Looking at a full body mirror within the shop, he stared confusedly at his hot pink shirt. Was this typical attire for a respectable adult? Sadly, Harry had few points of reference.

He would rather dress in rags before he mimicked his uncle or cousin. Wizard fashion wouldn't be appropriate. And Andre was a touch too flamboyant and fancy for his taste. The man dressed as though he was always prepared to go to some upscale party.

Considering his attitude, Harry could believe he was.

"Maybe I should go with the green pants. So many choices", Harry contemplated.

Harry felt, more than saw, the distortion occurring. Whenever the Pale Lady appeared, he could never actually see or hear her coming. Previously, his senses just told him that it was natural for her to be there. Now, he could feel and almost taste a change in the air. Magic thinned out and he was sure other forces were bended as well. Sometimes, if he really squinted, he could see the world fade out of color. In that instance, his body ceased functioning.

So he waited until it did again. "What do you think?"

The Pale Lady paused a moment and inspected his outfit. She shrugged lightly, "I do not pay attention to the fashions of the worlds. They change so often and arbitrarily that I can't be bothered to keep track of them. Clothing can be another expression of self. If you feel satisfied by the attire, purchase it."

Harry took another glance at the mirror and still couldn't tell the quality of his choices. "I guess, you're right. Though, I would appreciate any help you could give. Better outdated fashion sense over my nonexistent one."

Despite his complaints, he did look over which outfits he actually liked. Harry settled for more subdued colors. With a few inputs from the Pale Lady, he had selected loose jeans, and a gray Big Ben shirt. The clock tower was overrun with greenery in the depiction.

"That looks sharp", she complimented before she began to rummage through a selection of clothing. She pulled dark gray jacket with gold trimming and gave it to him. Once he wore it, she smiled, "Perfect."

He looked himself over and liked what he saw.

"Thanks for the help. Why the change of heart? It didn't seem like you were that interested in my clothing earlier", Harry asked as the duo left the store behind. Before leaving, he had switched out of his Dudley used attire.

"You mistake my rejection for disinterest. Recall what I connected your clothing to." She waited for him to work out her statement.

"An expression of self", he almost whispered. Confusion marred his expression at the recent memory. There had been little reason to question her motives earlier.

"Correct. You are growing into your own and need to discover what defines you. A self-image built solely upon the notions of others can never be anything but false. False foundations tumble and shatter under the slightest of weights."

Harry thought she was taking things a touch too seriously and he told her as such.

"Perhaps", she admitted before continuing, "But this isn't baseless speculation on my part", she asserted as they continued to walk to the front of the plaza, "Have you seen another crushed under the tides of expectations? So many wrote in how he should be, dictating his existence and nature. I was a touch too foolish, or maybe I was too self-absorbed, to empathize. You see, I too had lost touch with myself at the time. Without truly comprehending, I advised him to seek understanding."

An air of melancholic energy wormed itself into her words, tainting the almost enlightened tone she typical brandished. "Such vague and uncaring words. Little by little, the damage grew and he soon left. I can't help but wonder if kinder words should've been used. Regardless, I am a touch wary of taking over another's development."

Harry could think of little to say to this revelation. Once again, it was brought to the forefront how little he knew of her. Hints of Dumbledore's warning were resurfacing to his mind.

The Pale Lady brushed a few strains of hair from her face as she stared directly into the sun, finding some form of peace. "Now this is where we part ways, Harry. Good day", she said with a smile.

She did not disappear from his sights, no this time it was different. He could better feel the distortion now. Light surrounding the area dimmed to a minimum as she took light steps towards the opposite direction.

Hearing the click of her steps, Harry's body rejected their invisible restraints. He did not overpower anything, instead he weaved the magic around him to match her presence, though to a much lesser extent. With some difficulty, he gently held unto her arm, making no move to actually stop her or force her around.

The Pale Lady halted her stride.

"I know very little on how hard your life is, but I know one thing, not everything you touch breaks into pieces. Who I am has been shaped by so many things and I'll never regret one of them being you. Being forced to follow a mold isn't a real life. No matter how bad things are now without him, just know you gave him courage to break away. He might not have come to understand himself, but at your worst you still reached out to him." Harry took a breath to steady himself, "Don't belittle your kindness. It adds to your wonder."

Slowly, he removed his hand from her body. "Goodbye."

"Until next time." The Pale Lady said with that voice that sounded of civilizations long departed and things to come.

Harry watched as she shifted to the horizon, out of sight. Everything flickered to normal, the shoppers none the wiser.

The Boy-Who-Lived returned to everyday life, oblivious to the smile he had placed on the Pale Lady's face. Nor did he see the sheer relief and fondness. The show of weakness lost to a moment of time that never was.