Chapter 12 The departing eagle

I clutched the urn to my chest. My heart beat at a fast pace but my legs moved slowly. The path I was taking had overgrown slightly. Pushing my way gently so as not to rip my dress on thorns or to trip on the uneven ground.

From a distance I could hear children's laughter. Joy glided through the atmosphere and yet I felt non myself. The dirt path veered out the bushes. I heard it then, the running of water. It ran down the rock face leaving dark trails on the light grey stones. The pool it flowed into was surrounded by other smaller rocks that were smooth and glittered in the early morning sun.

I placed the urn carefully on a flat rock and stared into the water.

I heard the snapping of a twig behind me. I whipped around but found no one. The trees began whispering secrets to each other and a breeze tangled my hair. I shivered. My ears worked to hear any noise. The soft foot falls of an unknown being, the slow breathing of a faceless figure. I felt invisible eyes on me.

"Are you alright?"

I drew my wand instinctively and turned.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. It's only you seemed a little lost."

My wand was back in my jacket pocket before the muggle noticed.

"I'm fine, thank you. I was just..." I gestured to the urn, still resting in the rock.

"Gosh, I'm so dreadfully sorry to have interrupted. And I'm terribly sorry for your loss!" The man gabbled on.

"It's quite alright. You don't need to keep apologising," I said, a small smile playing on my lips.

"I'm sorry. See there I go again. Oh I should probably just shut up. I seem to start talking and I don't stop. I've been told by countless people I just need to stop jabbering on and do something useful."

He paused for breath. I took this opportunity to speak as I had a feeling that it would not come often.

"Don't say that. I'm sure what you talk about is very interesting and the people that tell you to stop are probably just not listening to see how fascinating it really is."

The man looked up; his blue eyes twinkled in the sun.

"Yes, yes your right. Anyway I'll be going, leave you to your business. Good day young Miss." With that he departed.

I watched him disappear along the path and into the bushes, his long brown coat fluttering behind him. I felt sadness seeing the man go. Although I didn't know him, I felt attached to him and didn't want to see him go off into the unpredictable world alone.

My mind tried to convince its self that the snapping of the twig and feeling like I was being watched was due to the man. But something at the back of my head told me that that presence still lurked in the bushes.

I placed my hands either side of the urn and lifted it up. Opening the lid, I began to scatter the ashes into the glistening pool. As the ashes touched the surface the sun seemed to brighten and illuminated the clearing with glittering shimmering light. The cool water reflected the light so swirling patterns gleamed on the rough surfaces of the trees.

Then I felt it. Something brushed passed me. I turned. Nothing. It happened again, I turned and there was nothing. The beautiful glint of the pool drew my attention away. I could no longer see the ashes but I knew that Draco was there. This was our place when he was alive and it was now his place where his memory would live on.

I looked up and saw a figure at the other side of the pool. I recognised them at once for I had seen them once before on a night full of sorrow. Narcissa Malfoy. She stood as still as a statue.

I thought back to the last words she had said to me. Do whatever you can to save my son, to save my Draco and you will have my blessing. Did that mean she had come for me, that she had come for revenge? I had not saved her son, and I had not earned her blessing and yet here I was scattering his ashes.

Fear replaced all the happiness in my body. I stared into her pale face, expecting my body to start convulsing with pain. But it never happened. Narcissa met my gaze and smiled weakly. Tears escaped he grey eyes and slid down her smooth cheeks.

The she mouthed the word that put my mind at rest.

"Thank you!"

I smiled back, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

Suddenly a white mist began to circle Narcissa. She raised one hand as a gesture of farewell then transformed into a graceful eagle. Her golden feathers fluttered in the breeze. She turned her magnificent head and looked into my eyes then she took flight. Her wings spread wide as she soared up into the baby blue sky.

I knew as she disappeared over the horizon that I would never see her again. But this didn't trouble me. My life may not have been happy, but I knew it was soon going to improve. I took a last look into the pool and took my leave along the dirt path into the unknown.

Well this story is complete, thankyou for all the reviews, story alerts, author alerts etc. I appreciate them all and thankyou for spending your time reading this story...I hope you enjoyed it :)