Disclaimer: I don't even own Death, this is just my take on her.
Crappery: This one actually has to do with Harry Potter...
Drifting-Ashes: Yeah...I thought ATLANTIS was a little short as well...
Alcapacien: Erm...I can't tell you without giving crap away, but this chapter does involve it!
Lorett: Of course it's troubling, Death is the main character!
Silly Bandit: Yeah, I understand that I was a confusing first chapter...
FunnyCatGirl: Oh it will, it starts in this chapter. I know Death has to be female, just like the Goddess. It just makes sense.
Sever13: I hope it'll make more sense in this one...
Thanks for the reviews! Blessed be!
The Grape Vine
Chapter the Second
The jarring motion of the train coming to a sudden halt threw me from my seat and onto the floor. Pain, a mild
discomfort that I barely acknowledged, bloomed in my arse and a momentary growl escaped my throat. I might be immortal, a
true immortal unlike Vampyres, but that did not mean I was unfeeling. I slowly pushed myself and dusted my cloak of, brushing
the stinking traces of plastic away from me. The door to the compartment slid open and an elderly man stood in the archway. He
smiled at me, his blue eyes twinkling in a way that reminded me all too strongly of the Creator. I unconsciously stood straighter
like I would in Her presence, my eyes resting just above his right shoulder. He bowed to me, bending at the waist just enough to
show his deep respect. My thoughts cleared I drew out of my stiff stance, relaxing my shoulders enough to meet his eyes. He
could not hold them and was forced to look away, unable to control a shudder as he saw the pain and suffering deep within my
purple hues.
"My Lady..."
"Do not call me that." I snapped; too many people had said that just before they passed, believing that I would save them. "Until I
take my leave, my name is Lillia Grey, the long lost daughter of the deceased pureblood family."
"Will that not cause a problem? The Slytherins will be suspicious."
"Than let them be, I frankly do not care. Their life spans are a passing cloud over the lake of eternity."
"Let me introduce myself, I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts."
I tilted my head to the side as I dropped the sight of humans and looked deeper within him. His life was dwindling quickly; he would
not survive much longer. His heart was beginning to flutter in the last throes of life, fighting to stay alive just a little bit
longer. Mortal vision snapped back into place and I lazily crossed my arms over my chest.
"A pleasure to meet you Albus."
He opened his mouth to reprimand me, for a moment forgetting that I was infinite and forever. One of my dark brows lifted and
his mouth closed, he simply nodding his head.
"It might not be such a wonderful idea to address me as such around the students."
"I will call you what I will. Those children judge quickly and their petty views do not faze me. I will come for them eventually."
"Yes, yes of course. The Yuletide Feast will begin soon. I was hoping to have you sorted before then..."
"Sorted? I doubt I will fit into any of your houses."
"Be that as it may, it is a necessity."
"Then do as you will."
From the folds of his periwinkle robes he drew out a battered hat that screamed familiarity. I snorted softly and plucked it from
his fingers, settling it none to gently on my head. The maker of this hat had not come silently, quite the contrary actually. He had
refused to believe that a fragile looking girl such as myself could possibly be Death. It was not until I changed my shape,
something that is merely the rearrangement of atoms, so I appeared as my description in many a book. He actually screamed
and faded away like all the newly dead do. The brim of the hat squeezed my head in recognition, before a hoarse voice spoke into
my ear.
"Death."
"Hat." I hissed.
"I see your temperament has not improved during the centuries."
"You're still the same dusty, uppity, and dysfunctional hat you always were."
"They expect me to sort you? You don't have a house...You are no human."
"Don't you think I know that?" I growled, not caring if the old man heard. "Just do what you were created to do before I do
something truly horrible to you."
The hat ruffled its brim, a gesture equivalent to a human huffing. It was silent and I felt it attempting to poke around in my
head. It would have an impossible time trying to view the contents of my mind, not even the Creator was allowed to look in there.
It finally withdrew and in a huffy voice announced which house it had deemed 'fit' for me.
"Slytherin."
"Excellent, now let us leave this train, your bags will find their way to your new rooms with time."
I smiled faintly, ignoring his shudder to the creepy upturning of my lips. "I hope you know I will not be sharing a room with any
of those children."
He simply nodded and took a step out of the compartment. "Of course, it would bring you closer to them and would make it
ultimately harder for you to do your job when their time came."
I followed him out, holding my cloak tightly around my to hide my appearance from any who might try to look at me.
I stood in a massive doorway, easily ignoring the curious glances being thrown my way. Long ago I had grown used to
having people stare whenever I passed and these feeble peeks at my person were easily brushed off. It did not take me long to
find the table I was looking for, for it was beset with all shades of silver and green. I slid easily into a seat at the end as I began
to examine the tugging in my chest. I closed my eyes and sighed very quietly. Despite my lids being closed, I could still see the
hazy black outline around all those destined to die in the battle to come. Even after the eons I had been in existence, every death
still broke a little part of me. I bowed my head for a moment, looking down at my lap so I could have a brief reprise from seeing
the damned. I felt a presence at my side and slowly lifted my head, a curtain of dark hair shielding most of my face.
"Who are you?"
I ignored the boy and looked at my empty plate, blocking the dark auras from showing when I looked around. Somebody else sat
on my other side and I felt the hairs at the base of my neck stand on end. Even though I was not human, the Creator had imbued
me with many of their qualities. Talk about one of the greatest ironies...The two people on either side of me grew closer so
their thighs were just barely touching mine. Again, the same person spoke.
"Who are you?"
"That does not concern you." I said simply.
"Oh but it does. Don't you think it would trouble all of the Slytherins if a stranger suddenly appeared in our midst in the middle of
the school year? You appear out of nowhere bearing the name of a long since dead pureblood family and expect us not to
question it?"
I shrugged and stiffened when the boy who had not been talking moved my hair away from my face. With my visage exposed they
both drew in a breath, eyes widening in surprise. It would make sense that Death would be beautiful. I am the last face humanity
sees just before they are taken to whatever comes next. I have been compared to sheer perfection, this was of course before
they realized who I was and why I was there, but that is beyond the point. The boy who had touched me tried to speak and I turned
my deep plum coloured hues to him, trying to keep my anger in check.
"Do not touch me." I hissed.
My plea fell on silent ears as the one who spoke touched my blemish free, pale cheek. "So beautiful..."
I scowled and got up from the table. "I asked you not to touch me and it will do well for you to listen. I will not tolerate you
trying to get close to me." My hands were clenched and this was on of the rare moments I opened the cage to my anger, letting a
single tendril of it escape. I opened my mouth to say something else, but a new pull at my heart stopped me. I was needed
elsewhere. I simply glared at them before striding out of the hall, the necessary black robes flapping behind me like a pair of
massive wings.
I walked quickly until I left the confines of the castle and I was surrounded by the goodness of the Creator. I took a deep
breath and concentrated on the twinge, before I gave in to the magic tugging at me. When I opened my eyes the scenery in front
of me and sighed at the great splashes of crimson everywhere, a murder, my favourite. With a singe thought my appearance
changed and I was wearing a floor length dress that was snug against my form. I did not like the customary image of Death, it
filled me with sadness that humans saw me as nothing more than a vengeful skeleton out to ruin people's lives. I took handfuls
of the gown, lifting the skirt enough so I would not stain the hems and walked towards the barely breathing body in a far corner.
The once white carpet was sticky with the blood it had gorged on and I paid it no heed as I dropped to my knees. The person looked
up at me with terrified eyes, her broken body trembling furiously.
"Don't hurt me..." She whispered.
I reached forward and she instinctively flinched away, thinking I was going to hit her. I made a soothing noise in the back of my
throat and took her small hand into mine.
"I will never harm you." I answered, smiling gently to her.
She saw something in my face as I watched her with care and she let out a heartbreaking sob. Without a thought I pulled her into
my arms and began to rock slowly, softly singing a lullaby I had learnt countless years before in an attempt to pacify her.
"He hurt me so much...He told me that he loved me. He said that nobody else would want me. He was all I had. He was the only one
that cared..."
"Did he do this to you? Was he the one that beat you like this?"
"He said that I deserved it..."
I gently kissed her forehead in the way a mother would her distressed child, fighting the ire I always felt when I came across
deadly abuse like this. "Oh baby, nobody deserves this. He was just unhappy with himself so he took it out on you. You did not
need him. Somebody loves you, somebody always loves you."
"But who?" Her voice cracked. "Ever since I was knocked up I've been so alone...He took care of me, even when I miscarried."
"And then he started beating you?" It was not uncommon for me to talk with the dying; I gave them comfort when they needed it
the most. "He never loved you. Nobody who loved you would ever hurt you like this. He would rather do this to himself than to
you."
"But he said..."
"He was manipulating you."
"He would never..."
"Yes he would. If he could beat you, he would do this."
She was silent and I felt wetness creep along my shoulder, right where her face was pushed against me.
"Who could love me now? I'm damaged and unstable."
"I love you." I whispered softly; and it was true, I did love all the people in took in a maternal way.
"But you don't even know me..."
"I have known you since you before you were born. I sat with the Creator as she planned your life. I waited for this moment for
so long, so I could finally see you.
She pulled her head away from me, looking into my face to see if what I was saying was true. I was not lying and a smile spread
across her bruised face.
"Thank you."
I merely tucked some of her bloody hair behind her ear and let her disappear. My job was done for the moment and another part of
me had gone with her.
Well, it's over 2,000 words and I hope it doesn't suck...If you read it, please review it!
Your Lord and Master;
Foamy the Squirrel