Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you, That is how I know you go on, Far across the distance and spaces between us, You have come to show you go on-Celine Dion
"Sir," Harry started, "Elizabeth said she'd left something for me, here. She said you knew about it."
"Well, Harry, you've obviously taken your time with asking me about this. Yes, Elizabeth left you a note, explaining some things," Dumbledore replied.
His hand searched for a pocket on the inside of his robes. He drew out an envelope, labeled, "To my love, in the unlikely and unfortunate event of my demise."
Harry couldn't help but smile as he remembered Elizabeth's elaborate writing style. She'd never been content with ten year old words when she put something on paper.
"Read it in private before you decide to tell Ron or Hermione about this," Dumbledore warned as he handed over the sealed envelope to Harry.
On the opposite side of the first writing, were the letters, 'S.W.M.L.' beneath the odd wax seal. It had a lightening bolt inside a star.
'What on earth does that mean?' Harry wondered as he went up to his dormitory.
He pulled his curtains closed and murmured, "Lumos." He broke the seal of the letter.
'Dear Godric (laugh out loud),' he read,
'I guess, since you are reading this, either I'm dead, I'm playing a trick on you to make you think I'm dead, or it's so far into our future, you wouldn't need it when I died, so I told you to look at it.
First off, as though you've heard it many times before, let me say, 'I love you. I'm in love with you. I'd die for your life to be spared.' I probably already have. I do NOT regret it at all! You are so important, not only to me, but to Ron, to Hermione, to Dumbledore, and to the rest of the wizarding world! Since, now you might get really deep bouts of depression, let me give you one last sign of my understanding about, and my love for, you. It's a poem I wrote while thinking about you, titled, 'Life.'
Life
Life seems so unfair,
When you don't know what to do,
It seems to be there,
Just to upset you.
[[[But when Life throws you curveballs,
All you can do is swing,]]]]
And when life changes your notes,
All you can do is sing.
Even though Life has messed up your plans,
You can always count on me,
To be there, to listen,
Whatever your problem be.
So whatever Life has dealt you,
Play your hand 'til you succeed,
All you have to do,
Is play them right, and let Life take the lead.
I'm here for you when you want to toss in your towel,
Even though I have already thrown in mine,
I want you to know, to follow my advice,
And to understand that I will love you for all of time.
So I'm telling you, that there's no use,
In trying to control this beast called Life,
You'll find you'll never be able to do it,
Yet, you won't be able to give up that unbearable strife.
Here's my final advice on life,
Never listen to anyone who hasn't died to once again live,
Because the only advise they have,
Is not theirs to give,
For they have yet to die to once again live.
If you read this properly, you will notice the brackets I put around the lines pertaining to baseball. Where it mentions it, I want you to swing, Babes, and make a home run out of this curveball.'
So much love,
Elizabeth
By the time Harry got to the postscript in the letter, tears were threatening him, again.
'P.S.- S.W.M.L. means Sealed With My Love. If you noticed, I etched the seal. I combined what I thought to be our symbols, a lightening bolt (for you), and a star (for me).'
Harry sighed as he thought about the words in the note. While he knew Elizabeth was as prone to mischief as he was, she wouldn't want to cause him unnecessary grief, which playing a prank on him like that would have.
He read and reread the letter all night, holding the promise ring in his left hand, while imagining Elizabeth standing in front of him, telling him these things.
He remembered her last words as her star drifted up into the big night sky.
"I'll be forever with you," a whisper resounded to Harry's ears. He whipped around, expecting; hoping; praying that Elizabeth would be there, on his bed, whispering in his ear.
When he saw no one, he thought it was just his stressed out mind playing tricks on him.
But then again, maybe not.
The letter was written in a light-hearted, encouraging style. Though Harry watched American muggle baseball only once, he distinctly remembered the definitions to a curveball, swinging, and a home run. He realized the gist of this message was, 'Doesn't matter what Life does to you, make the best of what you have.'
Elizabeth's little note saying he should make the curveball a home run meant she wanted him to move on, try his best, and to not give up. Harry had been so comforted by this letter that he did all his missing assignments, and all of his current assignments with a flourish. He tried his best at this work, knowing that if he didn't, he'd be letting Elizabeth down.
(A/N: Almost finished...the only thing that's left is really feelings...family...stuff. Keep reading, though, if you want a good cry. :-D
Tekvah Ariel: Wasn't my story. I was toying with the idea that Elizabeth really did have a kid, and it was hidden in Hogwarts, and that would be what she left Harry, but it didn't work. Too complicated, and I didn't like it too much. Hope this wasn't disappointing. Thanks for reviewing again!
Leviyl: Interesting penname. Wonder what it means. Hope you got this far! I appreciate you reading my stories, really. Writing is like breathing to me, so I don't plan on stopping any time soon. XD Enjoy the ramblings of a mentally insane writer!
If you review, I'll be your friend! :-) Friends are always nice.... R&R!! PLZ!!)