Title: Astray

By: Melusina

Category: angst

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Notes: Many thanks again to my beta Mairi. She checked this story for me. If you find any remaining blunders, blame me for them...

Part Eight - Escape

His head was throbbing. His back hurt. His legs hurt. He was nauseous and his breath came in short, sharp and painful draws. Keep going, he thought. You are not going to die yet. Not today. The image of Hogwarts was before his eyes, illuminated like the first time he had ever come to it. Like a beacon, warm, comfortable, home. He felt as if he would never reach it. But he had to.

The absolute necessity of his getting there made him desperate, he was very near giving up, resigned to his fate. In a thousand years... he thought, what I do today will no longer be of any consequence. But the thought held no comfort whatsoever. There was only darkness There had only ever been darkness.