Team: Wigtown Wanderers
Position: Chaser 2 (Cat.1 Reserve)
Position Prompt:Write about a truth that was accidentally revealed OR a Dare that was accidentally given/carried out.
Betas: Aelys Althea; RawMateriel
Optional prompts:
1. (word) fair
3. (dialogue) "You don't have a choice. It's do or die."
5. (word) difference
i.
Fires burned, casting large shadows as the screams of burning people rang into the night. A figure cloaked in white appeared on the main street of Godric's Hollow. A comforting warmth radiated from the new arrival which was entirely different to the searing heat which consumed the surrounding homes. The scene was chaos, and yet the apparition moved forward unaffected. Cries of mercy and pleas for death formed a melody, a siren song which drew the form forth. The figure strode towards the crumbling building located at the center of the street, rubble and smoke obscuring much of it from view. As the figure passed a wriggling, burning mass, a pale hand reached out to caress scorched bone. The mass immediately stilled and, in the void, cries of joy and relief filled the air.
"Go in peace, this suffering will be your last before you pass to a realm without pain." The words echoed upon themselves, power lingering in every syllable. One by one the screams of pain faded, each voice growing lighter as tiny balls of light lifted into the sky.
"What are you doing here, Death?" A new figure appeared, pulling itself from the flames, a dress of blue flame settled like fog over its flesh. Threads of all color pushed and pulled themselves from thin hands, fighting over who should be played with next.
"I could ask the same of you, Fate." In the light of the flames, blonde hair shone, blue eyes staring deep into those of its companion.
"A boy claiming to be all-powerful will create his destroyer tonight, and I must place my mark on the would-be warrior." Humor and disgust wove themselves gracefully together as the two figures conversed.
"I called a soul from this place, and he dared not to answer. If you must know I have come to meet his challenge. He believes that he can outrun me. I would think that you would be here to pluck at the same man's strings considering he is trying to hide from you as well."
"Oh no, I haven't been this entertained since the incident three millennia ago when that man tried to kill his own son, only to die and have the boy marry his own mother."
"I wonder what led the boy back to his father after being banished so far from home." Death tapped her chin, and shrugged. "Perhaps it was Fate." She raised an eyebrow at her sister.
"Bah, trivialities." The two exchanged grins, caught in the familiarity of banter that had lasted an eternity.
"Not Harry!"
Fate and Death exchanged one more glance before turning and entering the house.
"Lily! Harry! Run!"
In the foyer, a man with black hair and a broken body hovered in the air. His form flickered and then his screams echoed once more.
"I hate that they had to pass so young." Death's voice was soft as she reached out a hand. Trembling fingers brushed through messy locks before withdrawing. "I hate that we were made to punish them so harshly for the mistakes of an earlier generation."
Fate sighed. "You care too deeply, sister. They are simply pawns that Time has created for us."
They stood in silence, both watching as the spectre floated up the stairs in peace - the half of a soul seeking its other piece.
"Not Harry, please!"
Fate closed her eyes, leaning against the wall as her sister followed the ghost.
"Death has always cared too much for her children."
ii.
Death stood on the doorway of a nursery, eyes fixed on the scene in the back of the room. Toys and furniture lay broken and scattered about - remnants of a happy past. A woman lay still in the back corner, hand outstretched to the crib. And there, in front of the crib, hovered two spectres, the man from downstairs and a woman with vibrant green eyes and red hair. They were crying as they looked down at the sleeping child within.
"You have given your lives to protect your son." Death strode forward, embracing the fragmented soul. "Go in peace knowing that you will be able to watch him grow old."
A soft light flooded the room, disappearing as quickly as it came and taking the soul with it. Death smiled sadly before turning and looking down at the child. Her sister moved from the vacuum of space and joined her in observing the boy who lived.
"He already bears your mark." A ripple passed over the fabric of Fate's skin. "For this child? Are you sure?"
"That runaway," Death attempted to explain. "He called me here to take him and then dared to refuse me. Now this child is caught in the struggle between us."
"I knew that you would need me to be here as witness, but I was sure you would change your mind." Fate's voice was quiet, resigned in the knowledge that she was about to lose her sister for the next few of decades or so. "Time knows why I thought that, you're so stubborn."
"You will still be able to visit me. The only difference will be that I'll have a mortal skin." Death smiled softly before turning and picking up the sleeping child. Silent whimpers escaped the babe, tiny fists coming up to bat away at demons unknown. Death leaned down and kissed his forehead.
"That doesn't mean that I won't miss you."
The whimpers died and fingers uncurled as the boy nuzzled closer to Death. The blonde woman gently laid the boy into his crib before moving back into the center of the room. Fate silently left, disappearing in a flash of flame and leaving only ashes in her place.
"I will live in the land of mortals, shedding my spiritual skin in order to protect the life in this room and take back the soul that has dared to challenge Deaths natural order."
A dark light filled the room, twisting and turning over itself as it enveloped the two figures. Wind began to rumble through the enclosed space, fingers grasping at anything light enough to journey with it.
"Lily! Lily!"
The door slammed open, revealing a deathly silent room in shambles, and the man clad in black began to cry.
iii.
Luna grimaced at the pain radiating from her bruised jaw. Ginny was on her left, limping as she shot hex after curse into the cloud of black that chased them.
"Where's Harry?!"
"I don't know!"
The two girls made their way into another room, wands sweeping for enemies. Luna had just enough time to glimpse Harry and Sirius fighting with Lucius and Bellatrix before everything froze.
"You have a choice to make, old friend." Golden sand poured into the room, swirling about the motionless figures before clumping together in front of Luna. Flames engulfed the column of sand, and when they died out, two figures stood in front of her.
"Fate, Time, it's wonderful to see you again." Luna stepped away from the frozen form of Ginny, straightening her spine and meeting black eyes with a soft smile. Her temporary mortal heart was nearly overwhelmed at the sight of her estranged family.
"The man before you, Sirius Black, is not scheduled to die this day. If you stay in this mortal skin any longer then you will not be able to return to our realm. You will become mortal forever. Save his life, sacrifice your mortal skin, and I will reverse time. Tom Riddle will never make his horcruxes and the world will live in peace."
Luna smiled, shaking her head fondly. Her gaze travelled around the room, resting on the four people she'd grown closest to.
"You have no choice," Fate spoke now, stepping forward and waving a hand in her direction. "It's do or die. We are not meant to die; come home."
"No."
Fate's face and outstretched hand fell. Time uttered a growl and wrapped a golden limb around her no-longer sister. A snap, and suddenly time was flowing forward once again. Immediately, Luna fired a Summoning spell at Bellatrix Lestrange's boots, throwing off her aim and allowing Neville to football tackle the woman.
"Luna! Hermione and Ron are down!" Harry was shouting the words as he ducked and weaved between colors, face grim. "You and Ginny go watch over them!"
"Let's go."
v.
Luna was in the Hospital Wing. In the beds around her, those she'd grown to love more than her own life lay sleeping. It was amusing that her family had come to her so worried, it was clear that despite how they loved her, they still feared Death.
"Luna?" Hermione's voice was weak, and Luna dashed to her bedside.
"Are there Nargles running around in your head again, Hermione?"
"You're going to die." Hermione's words were whimpered, pain lacing each syllable as a shaking hand reached out to stroke a pale cheek. "For us, you're willing to die."
"You saw them."
Hermione nodded, sniffing. "I don't know how, and I know I wasn't supposed to, but I did."
Luna smiled gently, running her hand through Hermione's brown curls. The smaller girl climbed up onto the bed, hugging the injured bookworm to her chest.
"All of you are my children, and all of you are my friends, my family. Of course I would die for you, I have nothing to fear but myself after all." She wasn't speaking as Luna then. Instead, she was the voice of a being long revered and long gone.
Hermione laughed a little at this, but there were tears in her eyes.
The two girls fell asleep that way, clutching at each other through their dreams. Neither of them would remember their conversation when they awoke.
The challenge she had come to meet in this life would have to be met with the powers of just a girl.
Just a girl and her friends.
