Chapter II: The Gate
.
Darkness is my road. My road to damnation. And that is the road that I followed. Lady Virginia entrusted me with the care of her daughter. Her husband was still drawing the Dark away from us till I make my escape. The wards are in place and my hearse stood in the middle of what they used to call Stonehenge.
I wish that Diana could come with us. I missed her dearly even the way she tucks her wand behind her ear. I wish I could fight and destroy those who took her away from me.
But my task was to protect the chosen one from harm.
This world is ending. We hoped that there's a plane of existence that took us away from here. Looking behind, I witnessed as they struck down my captain, my friend.
The seals and wards are glowing. I entered my hearse with my charge and waited for fate to take us away.
We are in her hands now.
***
"Nathan did not die from the killing curse?" Dumbledore asked bewildered as he saw Nathan's autopsy report. Ron and Hermione gave a sympathetic glance at the old wizard and nodded.
"Though it was certain that he was struck by the curse, it did not affect his body in any way," Hermione said as she leaned on one of the bookshelves.
"How did he die?" Dumbledore asked, still couldn't believe what his former pupil was getting at.
"Extreme exhaustion," Ron said as he sat, with Dumbledore's permission, on the chair next to Hermione. "His heart gave out. His sugar level was so low that it was like he ran from London to Hogwarts at a pace of a 100 meter sprinter. His muscles were lacking the proper fluids that maintained them. He was dehydrated and he's still alive, would suffer from intense cramping and muscle fatigue. No human could survived that."
"How did he get that way?" the schoolmaster asked.
"We do not know yet sir," Hermione sighed. "But that's not the creepy part."
"What is?" Dumbledore felt dread. Something was not right with it.
"We found trace elements of the suspects over his body," Ron said.
"That's not weird," Dumbledore stood and paced the room. He was having a hard time concentrating while the speculation formed in his mind. "He's in the middle of that blood bath. I would be surprised if he DIDN'T have any traces of their blood at all."
"I must point out sir that we also found them under his fingernails, in his mouth and in his stomach," Hermione shuddered as Ron described the details to him.
"He ate them?" Dumbledore'e eyes widened.
"More like took a bite out of them, sir," Ron grimaced. "The whole thing is bollocks, sir." Hermione whacked Ron on his shoulder making him wince as he rubbed his arm. "What did I do?" he asked looking at Hermione's glare.
She ignored him and sighed. "Judging by the reports, sir, Nathan ripped the Death Eaters open with his bare hands and teeth."
"Does Luna know about this?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione shook her head and smiled sullenly.
"She still hasn't recovered from the... sight of the murder scene. Ginny's trying her best to nudge her out of it. Luna's one of our best agents, I don't want to lose her."
"Unfortunately, the choice is not yours," Dumbledore sighed. "We must give her time."
"It's going to be a long wait," Ron said gravely.
None of them disagreed.
***
Luna Lovegood sighed as she submerged herself in Ginny's bathtub. She sighed as she felt the lukewarm bubbled water engulf her fatigued body. She hated to admit it but standing in front of her beloved's grave for four straight days took a strain in her senses.
And for the first time in days, she relaxed. She had forgotten how relaxing a bubble bath was but then, she remembered that she had shared those baths with her beloved.
She could still feel the gentle caresses as she closed her eyes. Each touch sent ripples of electricity throughout her body. She couldn't understand why he affected her so. Not even the pure bliss of their passionate lovemaking could explain her reactions.
And every time that they have joined, she felt complete.
She was missing that special part of her soul that made her one.
She was missing the rest of her life.
The bathroom door opened but Luna wasn't worried for she knew who it was.
"Care to join me, Virginia?" Luna asked as she smiled. "The water is great."
"If you don't mind," Ginny smiled as she began to undress. Glancing at her friend, Luna was amazed that Ginny had kept her figure. She often teased the red head that she should have been in modeling and Ginny teased her back. Looking at her own body, Luna smiled as she remembered that Nathan froze the first time he saw her naked.
Actually he only blinked but knowing Nathan as she did, that was a freeze for nothing could deter him.
Until he met her.
But she must realize that that were only those; memories. They won't have an opportunity to make any more of them.
A harsh reality that she must live by.
Luna's thoughts were derailed when she felt Ginny getting into the water and sat across her. Actually, the tub was just large enough for the both of them to fit. Luna's tub was smaller but she and Nathan fit.
"I just bet you make Harry crazy with that body of yours," Luna said in a soft tease. Ginny made a sound like a grumble and snorted. Luna was intrigued. Ginny always has good praises about her husband.
"He would if he took his head out of his ass," she said.
"Not that I believe that that was physically probable, why?"
"Guilt," Ginny said. Ah, guilt. One word that could destroy lives.
"But what does that have to do with anything," Luna asked.
"Not just anything," Ginny sighed as she sunk lower in the tub. "He thinks he's responsible for EVERYTHING. From Nathan, sorry," she noticed Luna's eyes glazed for a second. "But he blames himself for Lily as well." Her voice was soft and sullen.
Lily. Ginny's daughter. Ginny was seven months pregnant when she had a miscarriage eight months ago. No one could console her. Not her mother, not her brothers, not her husband not even her best friends but Nathan.
Nathan could do the impossible.
He always did.
But there was something not even he could do. And that was escape death.
"Perhaps you should shove a very long stick up his ass," Luna said making Ginny giggle.
"Not enough room," she smiled. Her smile looked better on her than a frown. "Are you going to be okay, Luna?"
"No," Luna said truthfully. "But I must live for him if not for myself. I owe him that much."
"So do I," Ginny said. "In fact, I would never have lived my life to the fullest after Lily died if it weren't for him." Ginny looked away, debating if she should tell her friend a secret but looking at Luna's serene face, she decided to tell her. "Lu, Nate told me some scary things the last time we spoke."
"What kind of things?" Luna asked.
"It was creepy, Lu. It was like he has the sight. He told me to take you with me and Hermione out that night when he...... he..."
"He knew he was going to die and he did nothing?" Luna's voice rose but Ginny shook her head.
"No Lu. It's not like that. HE knew they were coming."
"But why didn't he run?" but Luna already figured out the answer. "He was not the intended victim?" Ginny slowly shook her head and looked away.
"The Death Eaters were there for you," she said. "Nate gave his life to save you."
"Selfish bastard," Luna's voice quivered at the implication of their conversation. Nathan had sacrificed himself to keep her safe. "Why must he always be the hero?" Tears that were threatening to fall earlier, fell with a vengeance. Ginny went over to her friend and hugged her until her tears had abated.
"Do you know what else he told me?" Ginny asked as she consoled her. She didn't wait for Luna's reply for she was in no condition to do so.
"Nate told me that you will see him again before long," Ginny said.
In her heart, Luna believed it.
.
Darkness is my road. My road to damnation. And that is the road that I followed. Lady Virginia entrusted me with the care of her daughter. Her husband was still drawing the Dark away from us till I make my escape. The wards are in place and my hearse stood in the middle of what they used to call Stonehenge.
I wish that Diana could come with us. I missed her dearly even the way she tucks her wand behind her ear. I wish I could fight and destroy those who took her away from me.
But my task was to protect the chosen one from harm.
This world is ending. We hoped that there's a plane of existence that took us away from here. Looking behind, I witnessed as they struck down my captain, my friend.
The seals and wards are glowing. I entered my hearse with my charge and waited for fate to take us away.
We are in her hands now.
***
"Nathan did not die from the killing curse?" Dumbledore asked bewildered as he saw Nathan's autopsy report. Ron and Hermione gave a sympathetic glance at the old wizard and nodded.
"Though it was certain that he was struck by the curse, it did not affect his body in any way," Hermione said as she leaned on one of the bookshelves.
"How did he die?" Dumbledore asked, still couldn't believe what his former pupil was getting at.
"Extreme exhaustion," Ron said as he sat, with Dumbledore's permission, on the chair next to Hermione. "His heart gave out. His sugar level was so low that it was like he ran from London to Hogwarts at a pace of a 100 meter sprinter. His muscles were lacking the proper fluids that maintained them. He was dehydrated and he's still alive, would suffer from intense cramping and muscle fatigue. No human could survived that."
"How did he get that way?" the schoolmaster asked.
"We do not know yet sir," Hermione sighed. "But that's not the creepy part."
"What is?" Dumbledore felt dread. Something was not right with it.
"We found trace elements of the suspects over his body," Ron said.
"That's not weird," Dumbledore stood and paced the room. He was having a hard time concentrating while the speculation formed in his mind. "He's in the middle of that blood bath. I would be surprised if he DIDN'T have any traces of their blood at all."
"I must point out sir that we also found them under his fingernails, in his mouth and in his stomach," Hermione shuddered as Ron described the details to him.
"He ate them?" Dumbledore'e eyes widened.
"More like took a bite out of them, sir," Ron grimaced. "The whole thing is bollocks, sir." Hermione whacked Ron on his shoulder making him wince as he rubbed his arm. "What did I do?" he asked looking at Hermione's glare.
She ignored him and sighed. "Judging by the reports, sir, Nathan ripped the Death Eaters open with his bare hands and teeth."
"Does Luna know about this?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione shook her head and smiled sullenly.
"She still hasn't recovered from the... sight of the murder scene. Ginny's trying her best to nudge her out of it. Luna's one of our best agents, I don't want to lose her."
"Unfortunately, the choice is not yours," Dumbledore sighed. "We must give her time."
"It's going to be a long wait," Ron said gravely.
None of them disagreed.
***
Luna Lovegood sighed as she submerged herself in Ginny's bathtub. She sighed as she felt the lukewarm bubbled water engulf her fatigued body. She hated to admit it but standing in front of her beloved's grave for four straight days took a strain in her senses.
And for the first time in days, she relaxed. She had forgotten how relaxing a bubble bath was but then, she remembered that she had shared those baths with her beloved.
She could still feel the gentle caresses as she closed her eyes. Each touch sent ripples of electricity throughout her body. She couldn't understand why he affected her so. Not even the pure bliss of their passionate lovemaking could explain her reactions.
And every time that they have joined, she felt complete.
She was missing that special part of her soul that made her one.
She was missing the rest of her life.
The bathroom door opened but Luna wasn't worried for she knew who it was.
"Care to join me, Virginia?" Luna asked as she smiled. "The water is great."
"If you don't mind," Ginny smiled as she began to undress. Glancing at her friend, Luna was amazed that Ginny had kept her figure. She often teased the red head that she should have been in modeling and Ginny teased her back. Looking at her own body, Luna smiled as she remembered that Nathan froze the first time he saw her naked.
Actually he only blinked but knowing Nathan as she did, that was a freeze for nothing could deter him.
Until he met her.
But she must realize that that were only those; memories. They won't have an opportunity to make any more of them.
A harsh reality that she must live by.
Luna's thoughts were derailed when she felt Ginny getting into the water and sat across her. Actually, the tub was just large enough for the both of them to fit. Luna's tub was smaller but she and Nathan fit.
"I just bet you make Harry crazy with that body of yours," Luna said in a soft tease. Ginny made a sound like a grumble and snorted. Luna was intrigued. Ginny always has good praises about her husband.
"He would if he took his head out of his ass," she said.
"Not that I believe that that was physically probable, why?"
"Guilt," Ginny said. Ah, guilt. One word that could destroy lives.
"But what does that have to do with anything," Luna asked.
"Not just anything," Ginny sighed as she sunk lower in the tub. "He thinks he's responsible for EVERYTHING. From Nathan, sorry," she noticed Luna's eyes glazed for a second. "But he blames himself for Lily as well." Her voice was soft and sullen.
Lily. Ginny's daughter. Ginny was seven months pregnant when she had a miscarriage eight months ago. No one could console her. Not her mother, not her brothers, not her husband not even her best friends but Nathan.
Nathan could do the impossible.
He always did.
But there was something not even he could do. And that was escape death.
"Perhaps you should shove a very long stick up his ass," Luna said making Ginny giggle.
"Not enough room," she smiled. Her smile looked better on her than a frown. "Are you going to be okay, Luna?"
"No," Luna said truthfully. "But I must live for him if not for myself. I owe him that much."
"So do I," Ginny said. "In fact, I would never have lived my life to the fullest after Lily died if it weren't for him." Ginny looked away, debating if she should tell her friend a secret but looking at Luna's serene face, she decided to tell her. "Lu, Nate told me some scary things the last time we spoke."
"What kind of things?" Luna asked.
"It was creepy, Lu. It was like he has the sight. He told me to take you with me and Hermione out that night when he...... he..."
"He knew he was going to die and he did nothing?" Luna's voice rose but Ginny shook her head.
"No Lu. It's not like that. HE knew they were coming."
"But why didn't he run?" but Luna already figured out the answer. "He was not the intended victim?" Ginny slowly shook her head and looked away.
"The Death Eaters were there for you," she said. "Nate gave his life to save you."
"Selfish bastard," Luna's voice quivered at the implication of their conversation. Nathan had sacrificed himself to keep her safe. "Why must he always be the hero?" Tears that were threatening to fall earlier, fell with a vengeance. Ginny went over to her friend and hugged her until her tears had abated.
"Do you know what else he told me?" Ginny asked as she consoled her. She didn't wait for Luna's reply for she was in no condition to do so.
"Nate told me that you will see him again before long," Ginny said.
In her heart, Luna believed it.