The room was still, though there seemed to be a presence of someone…or something, apart from the sleeping girl in the bed against the wall. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, her red hair spread over the pillow.
The three signed photographs were framed, placed on a shelf above the desk. Daniel, Rupert, Emma. All there. Pride possessions. The calendar was there too, resting on one side of the desk. The organiser was behind the computer, also depicting Harry, holding a wand to his face.
The laptop screen showed a few chapters of a novel, in the process of being edited. There was a slight rush of air as the something bent to look closer and read the notes left in bold by each poragraph.
A few papers were scattered on the floor, torn from an exercise book, with a continuation of the story on the screen scribbled over the neat blue ruled lines.
The covers of the bed rumpled more as the something sat down, in wait for the girl to awake.
It was dark outside and the curtains were pulled, and the girl was sleeping fitfully, her breath coming in ragged bursts.
All of a sudden, her eyes snapped open, and the colour returned to her cheeks. She could sense the thing in the room, but she was not scared. She stared right through it and whispered, "I can see you…"
The something moved and stood up, unveiling itself. A tall man with long white hair and twinkling blue eyes framed by half moon glasses revealed himself to the girl, who smiled.
"I knew you would come, Dumbledore…" she said softly, and rose from the bed, looking like a ghost in her long white nightdress that fell to her ankles.
Dumbledore also rose and took her small white hand in his own, his hands giving the girl some warmth. He smiled grimly, and his eyes beckoned her to follow him.
He took a small sweet out of his pocket. A lemon sherbert, bewitched to be a portkey.
She touched it gently, smiling at her rescuer as she was whisked away to begin her life at the school where she had always dreamed of going. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
It was some time after Voldemort had been defeated, and the wizarding world was at peace within itself. There was some rivalry between Houses at Hogwarts, even after Draco and Harry had left and their children had grown up.
The girl was greeted by the other students as if she belonged, just as she had always imagined, as she had always wanted and dreamed. She smiled and greeted them back, the laughter that had long gone now back in her eyes, her voice singing out like it used to.
She followed the others to prepare for the feast later in the evening, to welcome her, and celebrate her coming. Dumbledore looked slightly saddened as he saw her laughing with the other students, and a few tears ran down Professor McGonagall's face as she watched.
Far away, the door opened in the room, and some people entered, looking anxious and fearful. The man with the case went to the girl in the bed and felt her wrist gravely for any pulse, checking her over for signs of life.
Finally, he turned to the parents waiting in the doorway. Their faces lit up with the little hope that they had been hanging on to in desperation.
The man looked at the parents and then looked at his feet, staring at his polished shoes.
The hope died as the doctor shook his head, and the body in the bed grew colder by the minute.