Chapter 19

Hey, sorry 'bout the wait. My grandma (or Nanny as I so lovingly call her -) had her knee replaced and I've had to help watch over her. So I hope she gets better!

So any who, let's get this thing rolling!

-Nightwriter-

I've lost track of the days.

I think it's been a month, but I could be wrong; it's been so long.

It's so cold.

…

Not really. Had ya going though?

No? I didn't think so; I'm not a very good actor.

Really it's been like two weeks. And we're not lost, I hope. 'Cause that would be bad.

So, Dumbledore and I have been on this 'little road trip' as I like to call it for about two and a half weeks, traveling the woods of the Forbidden Forest. We took some time to rest and everything, so it's just like a camping trip…although I've never been on a camping trip this is how I assume it would be.

Right now Dumbledore's walking ahead of me while I write this in my journal.

It's actually pretty lonely walking back here behind Dumbledore, thinking of everyone back at school. Dumbledore seems very pensive and I don't want to interrupt him, because I know if I was thinking very hard about something and had been interrupted by some one I would be angry and most likely snap at them, whoever he or she might be.

Anyways, I wonder most of the time about these Erians I'm supposedly going to meet.

I mean, what are they going to look like? Like my father?

I highly doubt they'll look like my father; I had voiced my thoughts on this matter to Dumbledore and he had said that my father didn't even look like he usually did; he had preformed some very advance magical makeup on his body.

This made me go back to a time when I had seen my father repeatedly rush from the dinner table covering his face to the bathroom and slam the door, then returning some time later fine as before. I had asked mom about it and she'd always reply, "Your father just has some internal issues all of which I love him more for."

I didn't think about it afterwards, and never seemed to or maybe I had just gotten use to it or just never really paid any attention. I'd feel sorry for him because he must have thought that maybe mother wouldn't love him anymore if she had seen the 'real him'. But I know my father wouldn't like anyone to pity him for any reason. He was a very complex soul, he was.

He had also seemed to want to say something but never could seem to find the words to me. He'd sit me down on his lap or in front of him, depending on my age of course, and try so hard to say something that seemed to burdening him. "Whatever it is, you can tell me dad." I'd say every time. He would just give me a tired look, like he was worn from this, whatever 'it' was, and was apologizing to me because it was too hard. Then, he'd always scoop me up and hug me and whisper 'I love you so much.' to me every time.

Usually, a memory like this would bring unwanted tears to my eyes, but I've stopped crying over their deaths.

They wouldn't want me to cry over the times with them I will lose over this, but remember the times we had together. They would've wanted me to focus on my future rather than my past. But I always contradict myself when I think that. I think that our past can help us propel ourselves into our futures. So I believe people are wrong when they say that the past is in the past, or we should put the past behind us, because that's wrong nor is it possible. Who forgets their past? It stays with you where ever you go. In this, I'm not saying that we should be focusing on our pasts totally, just remember that it's there and to not be ashamed of it either.

Deep huh?

Yeah. Anyway, right now I'm getting pelted with branches, twigs, leaves, etc. Fun eh?

No. Not at all.

I know some people say that camping just so fun and that everyone should do it, but I hate it. And I know people would call me a pansy, but hey, someone, anyone, would get tired of camping after the first five days or so. Anyone who says otherwise can kiss my a—

"Alexsis." I snapped my book shut, and looked at Dumbledore only to see his still walking back turned away from me.

"Sir?" He stopped short to turn around.

"Yes?"

"What did you want?" He looked at me perplexed.

"What do you mean?"

"You said my name."

"No, I didn't." Huh? Didn't he?

"Oh. Okay then…" He and I continued our hike as I followed, mind cluttered with thought. 'I'm hearing things; I've gotten so sick of the wilderness quiet that I'm making things up in my head.'

"Alexsis…" My feet stopped all movement as well as my whole body as I whipped my head around to search the forest area around me with wide eyes.

That had most definitely not been Dumbledore's voice. It was soft, yet crisp as the wind. Young too, and male I'm sure. Light foot steps over few scattered leaves were barely heard over the chirping of birds. Faint whisperings and whistles of tunes led me astray of Dumbledore's wake and into the masses of trees.

The tune seemed odd in my head, almost as if I had known this tune before somewhere sometime ago. It was intriguing and it drew me to it as if I were a bee drawn to a flower for sweet nectar. I could hear Dumbledore calling my name, searching around the woods for where I had gotten lost. But that all seemed unimportant as I caught a glimpse of someone, no, something scamper off into the distance.

It was as if some sort of trance had been placed on me or some veil shielded over my mind's eye. Nothing matter, I didn't care as long as it didn't interfere with my traveling right now.

I had been right in thinking that it was a guy. Long flowing shimmering white hair waved side to side as he romped away from my following figure. I found the color of hair unusual because from what I could catch of him he wasn't that old it seems. His broad back muscles flexed as he ran through his seaweed-green tunic he wore loosely about his shoulders.

"Follow me, for I'll show you the way…" His smooth whispered song only made me that much more drawn to him. He wove in and out through the trees some yards ahead but still quite in my sight.

"Back to the home of your brethren." Dumbledore's quick and fierce footsteps tracked blindly behind me, and I softly worried that he would chase the boy away.

"Follow me, for I'll show you the way. Back to your home of your blood kin." He stopped and turned swiftly around on heel so as that I could catch up to him. By this time I had gone from a brisk trot to a full fledge sprint.

I came in front of him and I could see his well defined facial features; his thin white eyebrows, his forest green eyes piercing into my glazed over ones.

"Welcome home, Alexsis."