Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling. No money is being made.
Written for the Challenge '200 Prompts, in 100 Stories!'
I picked as Additional Rewards: The Peverells - Antioch, Cadmus, Ignotus - 2 points.
It will consist of a small multi-chapter story.
Prompts for this chapter:
Character – Ignotus
Other – Pensieve
Chapter 3 – A Little Bit of Comfort
Death had learned with Cadmus. The moment Cadmus passed Death started following Ignotus' every step. He would not let the last of his children, the last Necromancer, suffer alone.
Death knew just how attached to his brothers Ignotus was, how the younger Necromancer had practically worshiped them.
If Death didn't know what he did then he would believe that Ignotus had moved on when he started a family of his own. Of course no Necromancer could be found amongst Ignotus' children and only Death saw how much that fact pained his youngest child.
Death had known of course that there would not be any more Necromancers. They would fall into oblivion, the human race never knowing that Death's children had once walked amongst them. It was as it should be.
Ignotus knew that too, almost an intrinsic knowledge that came from his close connection with Death. That didn't change the fact that it pained Death's last child to see his own children growing up without ever being able to share that precious gift with each other.
Ignotus though was every bit as gifted as his brothers had been, and his desperate need to see his brothers made him even more determined to succeed.
Death had been tempted to interfere on more than one occasion. Only the silent tears shed every night by his child stayed his hand.
One day Ignotus went back to laughing and smiling, and Death knew.
Nevertheless Death continued by Ignotus' side. He watched as Ignotus outlived his brothers by many years, never renouncing his connection to Death, never blaming him; even when two of his sons fell to Death's embrace.
Then on the eve of the 18th of May of 1291, just before midnight, came the day Death had been expecting.
He looked down at the frail man on the bed as a violent shiver shook the ailing body. Death took a seat on the bed, studying his last child's features. An almost unnoticeable frown adorned Death's visage when another brutal shudder wracked his child's body.
Death took off his cloak, laying it on top of Ignotus. He tucked Ignotus in, offering what comfort he could. Death leaned down and placed a fleeting kiss upon Ignotus forehead.
Midnight came, sweeping with it Ignotus last breath.
It didn't surprise Death when Ignotus greeted him with a laugh and a hug.
Unfathomable darkness locking with eternal night for a fraction of a second before his youngest child had his arms wrapped around him, delighted laughter ringing in his ears.
As time passed the knowledge of Necromancers faded into myth. The three gifts he had given his three most favored children becoming a fable all on their own. Humans speculated about them for years on end, coming up with all manner of explanations for them; though never even coming close to the truth.
Never even considering that the three legendary items where simply a gift from a father to his sons.
In the meanwhile Ignotus' most beloved invention faded into obscurity until wizards once more stumbled upon it. They believed it to be a much older object due to the modified runes Ignotus had used. They marveled at the creation, delighting at being able to see long past memories.
Death watched on as wizards played with it, as children did with shiny new toys. Never truly understanding what they had in their possession.
Wizards could see their memories over and over. Necromancers could relive them.
Death watched on as time passed. No child of his walking the Earth and bringing joy into his existence. He went back to living eternity in moments where his children still where.
Then a small raven-haired child with green eyes stepped in front of a mirror.
His eyes flashed infinite black – he saw the souls of the departed, a glimpse of the afterlife, a sliver of Death.