Chapter Thirteen: Padfoot's Last Patronus (ALTERNATE A)
The light didn't die, but grew even brighter. Jessica tried to open her eyes, but the light overwhelmed her and she had to look away. She could sense the Dementors retreating back as the light overpowered them as well. Then, Jessica could sense no more.
She was floating in the light; she was the light. Slowly she spun, unable to look, but unable to turn away. Is this death? Then, as if it were fading into existence, Jessica saw him. The dog was there. Padfoot was there. His black fur was graying into an ash color and he was lying on his side, his eyes closed. Tears came unbidden to Jessica's eyes. No, this couldn't be. It couldn't end like this. Kill her and be done with it, but hadn't she been tortured long enough? Was this to be her hell?
Finding her own movement, Jessica managed to stumble through the light to the dog's side. No. Her heart cried out, but Jessica couldn't speak. Her knees protested as she collapsed beside the dog, her hands reaching out. But even as her fingers brushed his fur, the dog slipped away, fading back into the light from which it had come and ceasing to exist.
This time, Jessica did scream out. Her words were incomprehensible but she cried them anyway. There was anger, there was despair, there was guilt and there was grief. For an eternity she cried and still the light grew brighter. She was floating higher and higher, spinning and the light did nothing to brighten her despair. Kill me. Kill me and give me peace! Her mind screamed. Her heart broke over and over and yet her soul, her world, grew brighter.
Eventually, the light began to seep into her. She grieved, but her soul felt stronger. She cried, but her heart was whole. And she was not alone. There was a voice, someone in her head whispering her name. It took days before Jessica could focus on the voice, before she could grasp at what it asked.
Do you love me?
Again, Jessica's heart broke. Oh, yes, she loved him! She would never, could never love anything or anyone more! Her world started to spin faster and faster and she lost the voice. No! Don't go! She cried out with her entire being, her body, her mind, her heart and her soul. I do love you!
Then it was over. Jessica's world fell dark. Her dreams ended and she slept.
The sky was overcast and there was a promise of snow to come the day that Jessica Kandis Black was laid to rest next to her husband in a small London cemetery. Harry Potter stood off to the side, one arm wrapped around his wife and his other hand resting on the shoulder of Chandler Black, the last living relative of Harry's godfather.
Chandler stood rigid, his face a mask of contrasting emotions as he watched the people file by for one last viewing of the grandmother that he had never known. He had been so close to finding the truth, and now the one woman who could tell him everything was gone. But the loss of Dog, no, Padfoot, hit him harder. He felt as though he had been violently cut loose into the world, left to stumble along alone. Hesitantly, Chandler looked up at the man beside him. No, I'm not alone, he realized, as Harry looked down to meet Chandler's gaze and managed a sad smile for the boy.
The line of viewers slowed to a trickle, then the master of ceremonies nodded to Harry, who motioned Cho and Chandler forward. Cho paused at the casket, then turned away. Harry knew that she was still torn by what he hadn't been able to tell her. Silently, Harry stood with Chandler, lost in his thoughts until the boy spoke up quietly.
"Jessica really loved Sirius, didn't she?"
Harry closed his eyes briefly. He nodded. "I know few people who have ever discovered as true a love as what Jessica and Sirius had."
Chandler fell silent for a bit. Then Harry noticed that he was smiling. "Well, she is happy now. She said so."
Harry blinked. "What?"
"In the light. The. Patronus, did you say it was called? I heard her. She said. 'Until eternity ends.'" Before Harry could think of a reply, Chandler turned and made his way up the path to where Cho waited. Torn, Harry turned back to look at the sleeping woman.
Slowly, Harry pulled out of his pocket Sirius' gold engraved wedding band. There, on the inside of the ring were words carved in script: 'Until Eternity Ends'. Harry's breath caught in his throat. He had thought, for a few wonderful hours, that there was a chance, any chance, that the ring might be worn again. But now he knew it never would.
Harry looked up from the ring to study Jessica's face. Perhaps Chandler was right. Jessica certainly looked peaceful in her final sleep, one lip tugging upward into that half smile that Harry had seen on her so many times before. With a sigh, Harry reached down and slipped the wedding band under Jessica's cold hands. He hesitated another few seconds, watching her. "Wherever you are going, I wish you heaven speed. Good luck, Jessica Black. And be safe."
Turning, Harry made is way up to path, back to where Cho and Chandler waited to accompany him out of the world of the dead and back into the land of the living.
The light didn't die, but grew even brighter. Jessica tried to open her eyes, but the light overwhelmed her and she had to look away. She could sense the Dementors retreating back as the light overpowered them as well. Then, Jessica could sense no more.
She was floating in the light; she was the light. Slowly she spun, unable to look, but unable to turn away. Is this death? Then, as if it were fading into existence, Jessica saw him. The dog was there. Padfoot was there. His black fur was graying into an ash color and he was lying on his side, his eyes closed. Tears came unbidden to Jessica's eyes. No, this couldn't be. It couldn't end like this. Kill her and be done with it, but hadn't she been tortured long enough? Was this to be her hell?
Finding her own movement, Jessica managed to stumble through the light to the dog's side. No. Her heart cried out, but Jessica couldn't speak. Her knees protested as she collapsed beside the dog, her hands reaching out. But even as her fingers brushed his fur, the dog slipped away, fading back into the light from which it had come and ceasing to exist.
This time, Jessica did scream out. Her words were incomprehensible but she cried them anyway. There was anger, there was despair, there was guilt and there was grief. For an eternity she cried and still the light grew brighter. She was floating higher and higher, spinning and the light did nothing to brighten her despair. Kill me. Kill me and give me peace! Her mind screamed. Her heart broke over and over and yet her soul, her world, grew brighter.
Eventually, the light began to seep into her. She grieved, but her soul felt stronger. She cried, but her heart was whole. And she was not alone. There was a voice, someone in her head whispering her name. It took days before Jessica could focus on the voice, before she could grasp at what it asked.
Do you love me?
Again, Jessica's heart broke. Oh, yes, she loved him! She would never, could never love anything or anyone more! Her world started to spin faster and faster and she lost the voice. No! Don't go! She cried out with her entire being, her body, her mind, her heart and her soul. I do love you!
Then it was over. Jessica's world fell dark. Her dreams ended and she slept.
The sky was overcast and there was a promise of snow to come the day that Jessica Kandis Black was laid to rest next to her husband in a small London cemetery. Harry Potter stood off to the side, one arm wrapped around his wife and his other hand resting on the shoulder of Chandler Black, the last living relative of Harry's godfather.
Chandler stood rigid, his face a mask of contrasting emotions as he watched the people file by for one last viewing of the grandmother that he had never known. He had been so close to finding the truth, and now the one woman who could tell him everything was gone. But the loss of Dog, no, Padfoot, hit him harder. He felt as though he had been violently cut loose into the world, left to stumble along alone. Hesitantly, Chandler looked up at the man beside him. No, I'm not alone, he realized, as Harry looked down to meet Chandler's gaze and managed a sad smile for the boy.
The line of viewers slowed to a trickle, then the master of ceremonies nodded to Harry, who motioned Cho and Chandler forward. Cho paused at the casket, then turned away. Harry knew that she was still torn by what he hadn't been able to tell her. Silently, Harry stood with Chandler, lost in his thoughts until the boy spoke up quietly.
"Jessica really loved Sirius, didn't she?"
Harry closed his eyes briefly. He nodded. "I know few people who have ever discovered as true a love as what Jessica and Sirius had."
Chandler fell silent for a bit. Then Harry noticed that he was smiling. "Well, she is happy now. She said so."
Harry blinked. "What?"
"In the light. The. Patronus, did you say it was called? I heard her. She said. 'Until eternity ends.'" Before Harry could think of a reply, Chandler turned and made his way up the path to where Cho waited. Torn, Harry turned back to look at the sleeping woman.
Slowly, Harry pulled out of his pocket Sirius' gold engraved wedding band. There, on the inside of the ring were words carved in script: 'Until Eternity Ends'. Harry's breath caught in his throat. He had thought, for a few wonderful hours, that there was a chance, any chance, that the ring might be worn again. But now he knew it never would.
Harry looked up from the ring to study Jessica's face. Perhaps Chandler was right. Jessica certainly looked peaceful in her final sleep, one lip tugging upward into that half smile that Harry had seen on her so many times before. With a sigh, Harry reached down and slipped the wedding band under Jessica's cold hands. He hesitated another few seconds, watching her. "Wherever you are going, I wish you heaven speed. Good luck, Jessica Black. And be safe."
Turning, Harry made is way up to path, back to where Cho and Chandler waited to accompany him out of the world of the dead and back into the land of the living.
