Chapter 20

Waving You Goodbye

"You can't say that...you can't stop me from going...I already chose my decision" Iris looked sad.

"But where are you going? You can't just go and not contact me again?" Harry said, wide eyed.

"Yes I can...don't you understand, I have to bring everything back to normal...I don't want to talk about this or that anymore"

"You are running from the truth, Iris" Harry shouted, looking at her.

She was silent, looking at him, and Harry thought that she's going to change her choice now.

But she said, "No" and she got up on her feet.

"Please Iris...don't just go...please stay, I really need you" Harry actually begged her to stay.

But she was shaking her head. She hugged Harry tightly and Harry heard her sobbing again on his shoulder.

"I think that this is it...I think that you're going to manage pretty well the fact that...I'm going" she was saying, as Harry felt a knot in his throat, he never, ever felt, in his whole life, that he's going to be lost after something.

"Harry?" Iris Whispered in his ear.

"What?" he said.

"You're not going to forget me, right?"

Harry didn't know why she kept mentioning that he's going to forget her, how could he forget this.

"No...Of course I won't" he said, hugging her tighter.

"Well then...I think that I'm done here" she said, beginning to release him.

"No...Don't..." Harry was holding her...not wanting to let go.

"Please Harry...I don't want to stay...I don't want to go on like that..." she pushed herself away from him.

"No Iris...I don't want to lose you...not now" he said, as he held her hand hard in his.

"I've just known you...I want to know more...please...tell me more about mom and dad"

"No Harry...stop it" she said, taking her hand from his grip.

"Stop this...I thought that we agreed...I don't want to do anything...anymore" she stood straight.

Harry thought that she's going outside the door and leave...but she pulled out her wand.

"Iris...what are you doing?" he asked, feeling scared suddenly.

"Harry...don't come near me" she said, as she pointed the wand at herself.

"But...NO...what are you doing?" Harry was really confused.

"Harry...keep out of the way" she was standing there and the wand was ready.

"What will you do?" Harry asked her, and he suddenly felt wind coming from somewhere around him.

"Remember me Harry...please, don't forget me" she waved her wand.

"NOOO" Harry shouted, but the wind was too much...he wanted to hold her one last time, but he couldn't get near.

"IRIS...NO, WAIT" he was reaching for her, but she kept her hand down.

"Please Iris...don't" Harry struggled through the wind, that was now blowing in his face.

"Goodbye Harry" he heard her say, and in the middle of all this...Harry saw her disappear.

But the wind didn't stop...Harry saw flashes of things in front of him.

He saw the empty classroom...he saw the door to the great hall...he saw Snape and his cauldron...

He saw Hermione smiling at him...he saw Ron talking with him...he saw McGonagall coming towards him...

He saw Dumbledore, writing in his office...he saw Iris sitting on a chair followed by a sound of movements.

Harry couldn't see anymore...he was blind from the fast-moving things around him...they didn't even make any sense.

"IRI..." but he couldn't say the word...his mouth couldn't say anything...he didn't even know what he wanted to say...he forgot.

"let it finish...please let it end...please" Harry was begging in his head...he heard the sound of something shattering and he felt it in his hand...and as he looked...the last thing he saw was the face of a girl, smiling at him, and then...everything was gone.

Private Drive was very quiet; people were in their homes, safe and asleep. The clock ticked midnight and Harry suddenly woke up. He opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling above him. He had the strangest dream ever, although he doesn't really remember it clearly.

"I wonder what it was?" he whispered, trying to remember, with no success. Maybe it was one of those dreams where he sees Sirius falling through the veil...he still thinks about what happened a few months before, in the ministry of magic. He sat up on his bed and opened his beside lamp. He saw a book lying on the floor, and he picked it up. potions, the subject he hated the most, or the teacher who teaches it...he would have loved it if another person taught them this subject...not a greasy-haired, hook-nosed professor, who hated Harry beginning with his face that looks like his father, and ending with his lightening-like scar on his forehead. He went to the closet and threw the book inside.

The closet was a catastrophe; he didn't have time to clean his room. He lifted his shirt from the floor and threw it into the closet too. He went to the window and looked out of it at the deserted streets.

Then he looked at the sky, it was pure blue and there were no birds flying...they were all asleep in their nests. And then he saw something.

Two small dots were coming nearer and nearer. The first one was big, but the second one was smaller then the first.

The two owls landed on the bed and Harry took the two parcels from. The first one that was brought by the large owl, was from Hermione.

Dear Harry,

I hope you're doing great. I don't know if you got Ron's letter, but he invited

You and me to his house. I hope you could come; it's going to be fun.

And I hope you like the gift.

Hermione

Harry was so happy about this news, that he sat looking at the letter, and then he put it aside and took his gift. She had brought him a book about the records of catching the Snitch in history. He knew Hermione well, and he knew that her gift would be of this sort, but he was happy nonetheless. He grabbed Ron's letter and read:

Dear Harry,

I hope you're ok with those relatives of yours.

I don't know if Hermione told you, but she and you are invited to come to

My home, mom said it's ok.

I hope you like my gift and I hope you're ok.

Ron

Harry opened the parcel and saw a pair of Quidditch gloves for hand protection. He felt really great at that moment, his birthday turned to be better this time, he laid his stuff aside. And with a last look at his gifts, he lied on his bed, and slept with a smile on his face.