A/N: Hey, everyone! This is the final chapter. It's quite a long one, but I wanted to make sure I tied up the loose ends. I've loved writing The Secret Keeper, and I hope very much that you've liked it. Thanks so much for your comments. I've loved reading them. Enjoy!
Although the swell of emotion following Harry's triumph did not fade throughout the course of the day, the initial joy lessened as the families and friends of those who had died in the final battle were finally able to turn their attention to mourning.
Fred's death, in particular, caused waves of heartache to surge through the school. He had obviously been very popular amongst the students and teachers. It wasn't difficult to understand why: he'd had a talent for making people laugh. Even I, in the few hours that I had known him, hadn't been able to suppress the smiles as he joked with his brother at Bella's expense. The knowledge that she had formed a close friendship with the Weasley twins made it all the more excruciating. I couldn't stand to see Bella in pain—it felt as if I was being torn apart from the inside out.
Carlisle, unable to prevent decades of medical practice from kicking in, suggested that we should return to Forks in order to allow Bella some rest. I was inclined to agree with him; she looked exhausted, which was only to be expected, considering the circumstances. She refused, however, determined, as she was, to talk with those who had remained behind to fight.
There's a sense of belonging here for her, Edward, Jasper thought as he watched her embrace Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, both of who wore the same glimmering trails on their cheeks as Bella. These people can relate far better than we are able. She needs to be here … for a few more hours, at least.
I nodded. Jasper was right—the first stages of mourning would be better spent in the company of those with whom she shared a mutual grief. We walked with her as she moved through out the Hall, making her way from one friend to another.
"Jasper," she said, after she had finished her exchange with Lee Jordan, "would you mind … helping me out a little, please? It's all getting a little …"
Her voice broke on the last word as her breathing began to hitch.
"Of course," he replied, softly, his eyes kind.
A wall of calm exploded outwards, the effects immediate as it crashed upon Bella. She inhaled deeply then, her eyes squeezed shut as she did so, before she flicked them open and directed a meek smile at my empathic brother.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, Bella," he said, satisfied with the awareness that he was actually useful in this kind of situation.
I felt envy bubble in my gut. A crease appeared between Jasper's eyes as he tasted my mood, his head tilting slightly to the side in question.
"I just feel useless," I mumbled at a level Bella wouldn't be able to hear.
Oh, he thought, his brow unfurrowing immediately. You're not the only one, Edward. His eyes flashed to Alice, whose expression revealed every ounce of the torment she experienced as she watched her best friend.
Jasper won't be there to give her a reprieve every time she needs it. What then? Hasn't Bella already had enough to deal with? Now this! No one should have to watch their friends die. If it had been Bella instead … I don't think that even Jasper would have the power to dull that level of sorrow.
I recoiled from my sister's mind; that was one subject I could not bear to think about.Bella had survived: she had made it through the battle because she was a fierce fighter and an accomplished witch. Dwelling on thoughts of what could have happened was both painful and unnecessary.
We headed over towards Neville and Luna, who were sat amongst a crowd of students, though they were accompanied by an old lady in peculiar dress. There was the strong smell of moth balls circulating her, and in her hand, she gripped a large pointed hat, on the side of which sat a stuffed vulture. Surely the smug woman hadn't been wearing that during the battle. In fact, what was an individual of her age doing here anyway?
I quickly searched back through my memories, and almost laughed out loud at the image that filled my head. I had seen this same woman transform a man into a squirrel, after which she had proceeded to swing it around over her head like a lasso, before releasing the rodent and sending it flying in an Emmett and Jasper-like fashion. How very odd.
"Ah," she said, noticing our arrival, "so these must be the vampires I've been hearing about."
She lifted her glasses to her eyes, which were tied to a cord hanging about her neck, and peered through the lenses at each of us individually.
"Similar coloured eyes as my cat," she mused, her face only inches from Emmett's.
Not a very frightening looking bunch, this lot. My eyes popped. This was getting ridiculous! We couldn't even scare an elderly woman now? We really were losing our touch.
The woman's eyes travelled to our hands, which remained laced with our patners'.
Yes, far too lovey-dovey for Vampires. And their clothes … the older male is wearing a baby blue tie for Merlin's sake! Not scary in the slightest!
What was she expecting? Capes?
Never mind, never mind. Wardrobe is not important.
Better not tell that to Alice.
"My grandson," she said, proudly waving a hand to indicate Neville, "and his friend, Miss Lovegood, have informed me of your contribution to the war effort. It would seem that we witches and wizards owe you a great debt."
"I'm sure you would have won," replied Carlisle politely, "regardless of our involvement."
"Don't be so modest! How many parents and grandparents owe you there children's lives? I saw you throw yourself as a shield earlier, Mr …"
"Cullen."
"Mr Cullen," she said, her eyes still on my father. "Our numbers could have severely depleted if you had not decided to come to Hogwarts. We still may have gained the overall victory, but at what cost?"
"Well, we're just happy that we could help," smiled Esme.
"Indeed," answered Neville's grandmother, her eyes travelling over our group again, finally coming to rest on my hand, which was still weaved through Bella's. "You are not like other vampires. Anyone could see that. I am very grateful for it."
She smiled at each of us then, before heading off in the direction of Professor McGonagall.
"Don't mind her," Neville laughed. "She's a tough old bird, but she's alright really."
"How are you feeling, Bella?" Luna asked, her voice heavy with concern.
"No differently from everyone else, I guess," answered Bella.
Luna nodded, and took Bella's hand.
"We'll see them again. They're only on the other side of the Veil."
"The Veil?" I questioned, remembering that Voldemort had used the same term in his thoughts after Harry had made his reappearance. "I've heard that before. What does it mean?"
"Has Bella told you about the Ministry?" Luna said.
"Yes, briefly."
"Well, there is a place there called the Department of Mysteries. We went there in fifth year to stop Voldemort from getting his hands on a Prophecy.
"There is a great circular room, and at its centre lies an arch, from which hangs a Veil. Looking at it, you'd think that to walk through it would just mean that you'd come out on the other side. That's not the exactly the case though. The arch is a gateway into Death."
"What?" gasped Rosalie.
"Luna's right," Bella whispered. "In the old days, the arch was used for executions. It was considered the most humane way of killing. All a person has to do is walk through it, and they die. There body doesn't fall out on the other side. They just disappear."
"And no one ever came back … once they'd passed through?" asked Carlisle, who was riveted to the conversation.
"No one can return to the world of the living once they've truly passed into death," said Bella, shaking her head.
I wasn't so sure about that. I still hadn't told her of the resurrection Stone. I hadn't even fully discussed with her the impossible incident that happened in the Forbidden Forest. I desperately wanted to ask Harry about that. I had felt his mind disappear after Voldemort had fired the Curse, and I had seen the memories of his time in limbo (if that was what it was), but my knowledge was limited. I wanted the details. I needed to understand.
"You heard the voices, too, Bella," Luna urged.
"Voices?" I said.
"The ones calling from beneath the Veil," Bella explained quietly.
"You see," continued Luna. "Don't think of it as 'goodbye', just … 'see you later.'" Even if you do decide to prolong your time here, everything has to pass through at some point … even Vampires.
I didn't register the fact that I was gawking until Luna walked away down the length of the Hall. Although a little confusing, she was undoubtedly insightful.
I had always believed that an afterlife existed for the humans. I had never been able to accept that the world was the result of some colossal accident—that there was no more to life than flukes and evolution. I was becoming entirely more certain that my initial beliefs were right as time went on. There was something more … something that came next. Despite that, I couldn't accept that Heaven was possible for my kind. I had seen the effects my venom had on the Horcrux. It had successfully destroyed a piece of Voldemort's soul. Without a soul, what part was there left that could allow us entry?
My head felt heavy. Even as Luna's voice called from across the Hall, as she shouted out something about a 'Blibbering Humdinger', I couldn't find it in me to crack a smile.
"I saw your little trick with the snake, Bella," said Neville. "That was great! The Death Eater looked terrified."
"Speaking of snakes," she answered, "what you did with Nagini was incredible, Neville. If someone had told me in first year that you were going to become such a hero, I never would have believed them. You were so—"
"Dopy?"
"Shy! And quiet," smiled Bella. "Look at you now."
"Aw, gosh, Bella," Neville blushed. "Everyone who fought did amazin'. It was a team effort."
"May I have a look at your sword, Neville?" Carlisle asked, unable to hold his fascination.
"Sure! Take a seat."
My family each took a place at the long table, the other students scooting over to make room for them. Bella, however, remained standing, her head turned towards the huge doors leading out into the Entrance Hall, through which Ron and Hermione were walking.
"Edward," she said tiredly, "I think I'm going to go have a human moment. I need to clean up."
"Do you want to go back?"
"No! No, not just yet." She gave a faint smile, and then moved to kiss me on the cheek. "I'll be back in a little while."
I nodded, and watched her turn and walk towards the exit.
In the mood that I had fallen into, hearing about the Sword of Gryffindor posed no interest for me. I needed somewhere quiet to think about whether or not I was willing to risk Bella's soul, now that I had learnt what I had; before that, though, I would require all the information that Harry could give me about the place beyond.
I searched for his mind, immediately realising that he was with Ron and Hermione, beneath his invisibility cloak. He was revealing to them everything that he had seen in the Pensieve.
"So, that was Snape in the forest?" Ron asked.
"Yes, he'd been working for Dumbledore the entire time, and we never knew it."
Harry then move onto explaining how he had been the last Horcrux, before telling them about his walk to meet Voldemort. He refrained from mentioning me, for which I was grateful. Finally, he came to the section of his tale which involved the limbo hall. I listened, completely engrossed in his words and mental picturing.
"I imagine he'll be forced to exist in that state for the rest of eternity," said Harry. "Dumbledore himself said that Voldemort's soul was beyond anyone's help."
He then moved onto telling them about the connection that had developed between his and Voldemort's wand, and then onto the subject of the 'Deathly Hallows'. I learnt that there was some connection between the Resurrection Stone, the Elder Wand, and the Invisibility Cloak, and that it was the dream of many to unite them. Dumbledore, too, had obsessed over the idea, apparently; but, as of yet, only Harry had been able to do so, because he used them selflessly, whereas others would use them for personal gain.
"So … there really is something after?" Ron asked, his thoughts flying to Fred, instantly registering the stabbing pain which seemed to pierce him.
"Yes."
"And how is it that you were able to come back?" said Hermione, utterly fascinated and thirsty for information.
"When Voldemort took my blood, he absorbed my mother's protection. Whilst he lived, the magic tethered me to life in the same way that a Horcrux would."
"Incredible!" Hermione exclaimed.
They arrived at the head's office then, and were met by an unbelievable applause as they walked through the doors. When the portraits had settled down, Harry addressed the white-bearded man in the largest frame, directly behind the ornate desk.
"The thing that was hidden in the Snitch … I dropped it in the Forest. I don't know exactly where, but I'm not going to go looking for it again. Do you agree?"
"My dear boy, I do," said Dumbledore through his happy tears. "A wise and courageous decision, but no less than I would have expected of you. Does anyone else know where it fell?"
"No one," said Harry, deceptively, not wanting to mention my name in front of Ron and Hermione. Edward could know. Would he be tempted to go looking for it? I should talk to him, just in case.
And, suddenly, I was striding through the Entrance Hall, shooting into the courtyard, and breaking into a sprint. My feet barely touched the floor as I flew past the wooden hut and into the sinister forest. There were no signs of the Dementors now; they had fled after Voldemort's recent defeat. The sound of hundreds of hooves beating against the ground could be heard from somewhere far off as I streaked through the shadows.
Locating the clearing took neither time nor effort; even without my perfect memory, Harry's scent was strong, surrounded by dozens of others which were leading in the same direction. I followed the trail to the very spot where he had uncloaked himself, identifying the Resurrection Stone amongst the dirt, twigs, and crispy leaves immediately.
I reached down to pick it up. It seemed so regular—nothing particularly extraordinary—yet it was. I had already beheld its power once; I desperately wanted it again, and was sorely tempted. Still, I was well aware that it was extremely wrong to disturb the dead. Harry knew it, too, hence the reason why he wished to speak with me.
But if it was just this once—this one time—surely it couldn't hurt … just this once, and then never again. The Stone twirled three times in my fingers, my eyelids pressed firmly shut as fear and elation exploded through my veins.
At first, I thought that it had been unsuccessful—I heard no sound to indicate that someone was standing nearby—but, then, from across some thick, mysterious barrier, I felt a burst of positive emotion—of absolute, unending love.
"Edward," came a voice.
I gasped in a quick breath, my eyes snapping open in the very same moment.
And there she stood, her thick, bronze hair falling in gentle waves to her waist, over the high-necked, emerald dress I remembered her wearing so frequently around the house: Elizabeth Masen, my mother.
Even if I had known exactly what I had wanted to say, I wouldn't have been able to get the words out. My body felt like every bit the statue that it should have been, my tongue remaining completely frozen as I gazed at the woman across from me.
She moved forwards towards me until only inches separated us, before her hand rose through the air to touch my cheek. I swallowed. Her hand felt neither warm nor cold, nor did it feel completely substantial. Tenderness and wonder overtook her countenance as she made the gesture, and I swiftly felt my own expression begin to mirror the one which filled my eyes.
"My boy," she cooed, "my beautiful boy."
"M-Mom?" I said in a whisper, unable to believe that this was really happening. "Mother?"
She nodded quickly, her face breaking into an incredible smile. My arms rose of their own accord to grip her lightly, whilst my eyes travelled over her face, cementing every shade and angle into my memory.
"How is this even possible?" I murmured, realising that maintaining a steady voice would have been beyond me if I had decided to speak with more volume. "Is this real?"
"Does it feel real? Does it feel right?"
I nodded.
"Then it is," she said simply. "How it is possible doesn't really matter. You need to stop over-thinking things, my Darling."
"I miss you," I said sincerely. There were so many things I wanted to say—so many things I wanted to ask—but everything seemed to be getting stuck in my throat. "We were ill … I didn't get to say goodbye."
She inhaled deeply, before the smile reappeared on her face. Then her hand dropped to my arm as she wound hers through mine.
"Walk with me," she said, her turquoise eyes never leaving my face. I, too, was having problems averting my gaze. In the end, I decided it was pointless to try and, instead, watched where I was going through my peripheral vision.
"When the epidemic reached us, Edward, I knew perfectly well that there was no hope for me. I knew that I would die. That part wasn't difficult to accept: I was never afraid for myself. What did terrify me—the thing I truly couldn't bear to think of—was the idea that death would come for you as well. You were so young … so young and lovely … and there were still a world of things that you hadn't experienced. I prayed and prayed that you'd survive … that you'd be given the chance to live a full and happy life."
"Did you know?" I asked suddenly. "Did you know what he was—Carlisle … what I'd become when he chose to save me?"
After a short pause, she said finally, "No, I didn't. I think I was delusional in the late stages. I thought that Doctor Cullen was an angel, or something similar. I'm sure you can understand why that occurred to me—you are all incredibly beautiful, after all."
I smiled, but I knew it would look bleak.
"I didn't know what he was," my mother continued, "but I knew that he wasn't … normal. I knew that there was something very different about him, but I also knew that he was a very good man. I wanted that for you … for you to be healthy, and to have the opportunity to grow into a good, compassionate individual like him. I sensed that it was in his power to give you that, and so I made my plea."
My stomach clenched. She had thought that Carlisle's actions would allow me the chance to grow into a good man? I'd actually transformed into a murderer.
"I've done … bad things," I whispered. My breathing was becoming erratic. If I had been human, tears would have been spilling down my face, not because of the guilt I felt over my past, but because I couldn't bear the idea that I had let my mother down … and the enduring disappointment and distress my decisions would provoke.
I waited for the surge of anger and pain, certain beyond anything that it was inevitable … but it never came. All I felt was love, giant and unconditional, reaching to me from some far off place. I felt like I had temporarily borrowed Jasper's power.
"You lost your way, my Dear," my mother smiled, coming to a stop and looking directly into my eyes. "Not even that. You did what came natural to you. You accepted your nature and followed it."
This was it. The disappointment was coming. I braced myself for it, my eyes falling to the ground in shame.
"I am so incredibly proud of you."
My head snapped up at inhuman speed as I gawked openly at the woman in front of me. How could she say that? Didn't she know? Didn't she know that every time I was with a human, thoughts of bloody murder permeated my mind?
"Edward," she said seriously, "you are a vampire. Every instinct you have tells you to kill those who should serve in sustaining you. But you don't. You battle your impulses every single day in your efforts to be a good person … a good man. My Darling, that is what defines who you are today. What more could a mother hope for?"
I immediately threw my arms around her and buried my face in her hair. She laughed and placed her arms around my neck, stroking the back of my head. I couldn't believe that this was happening. After over eighty years of being without her, I finally had her back. She was there and she loved me … and it felt absolutely wonderful.
When she finally pulled back, her face held a radiant smile and her eyes sparkled.
"So, tell me about this girl of yours," she said happily, sliding her arm back through mine as we began our walk again.
"Bella," I breathed, pronouncing her name as if it were a caress, "is the most beautiful girl in the history of the universe. She's completely selfless, unbelievably brave, intelligent, and more loving than you can possibly imagine."
"She sounds wonderful."
"She is!" I smiled, launching into the tale of how we had come together. It occurred to me that she already knew everything already, but I wanted her to hear it from me in any case. I told her of how Bella's blood had sang to me, and how I had battled desperately in my efforts to keep her alive. I told her of how she had seen past all my faults, refusing to be deterred by the fact that we didn't belong to the same species. I told her of James, and how she had almost brought about her own death in her determination to save her mother. Then I informed her of how I had deserted Bella in my attempt to preserve her soul. She listened until my story reached the present, never interrupting once.
"She's beautiful inside and out. She makes me feel … complete … like I've finally found the last piece of the jigsaw. I may have had to wait a hundred years for her, but that seems a small price in comparison to what I'm getting in return."
"Ah yes," said my mother, "you are going to make her like you."
I felt my grin disappear as my mother searched my face.
"I shouldn't," I whispered, "not after what I've learnt. I shouldn't be so selfish, but I already know that I wouldn't be able to bear living without her. And if … if I refuse her now, Carlisle will change her inste—"
"Edward," she said, cutting me off, "from what you've told me, Bella is a smart girl. I think that it's time that you began to trust in her ability to decide her own future wisely. She's a witch. She understands more than you think."
"What do you mean?"
"That is for her to say," she smiled.
The trees were thinning now: the edge of the Forest was nearing. My mother stopped in her tracks, her arm uncurling from mine.
"I have to let you go, don't I?" I said, a terrible pain overwhelming me at the mere thought of it.
"I can't leave unless you allow me to, but we both know that I don't belong here."
"I don't want to say goodbye," I uttered. "I can't bare the idea of never seeing you again."
"I don't want to say goodbye either," she replied kindly, "but I don't think it's a case of that. Everyone dies, Edward." She lifted her hand to stroke my face again, her eyes serious as she looked at me. "Not even Vampires can stay on one side of the Veil forever. One day you'll pass under it too. Hopefully, you'll be hand in hand with your Love when you do. But it will happen—make no mistake—and when it does, I'll be there to welcome you."
I tried to smile but failed.
"If I thought I had a soul to ensure that that were possible, I'd believe you."
"Well, then, it is a good thing you have found Bella. Perhaps you will learn something."
In the next second, she had opened her arms again for me, and I was in them, hugging her tightly, communicating as clearly as I could every ounce of love I felt for the woman who had raised me.
"I love you, Mom" I vowed.
"And I love you, my Edward," she replied, the smile in her voice as plain as day. "Nothing will ever, ever change that. I don't regret asking Doctor Cullen to change you. I could never have had you miss out on a wonder like Bella. My only regret is that I haven't been able to meet her … and that I won't be there when you're married."
"I wish you could be."
She reached up on her tip-toes to kiss me on the forehead.
"You'll be wonderful. I can just imagine it."
She pulled out of my arms and I reluctantly let her go.
"Take care of my future daughter-in-law," she laughed.
"I will," I promised. "I gave her your ring."
Her face broke into a dazzling smile; she looked ecstatic.
"That's perfect! Did she like it?"
"She loved it," I said. "Bella likes old-fashioned things, which is good. We're the same in that respect."
"Well, I wish you both all the best, and all my love."
"Thank you, Mom … Goodbye."
"For now," she nodded.
Then, before I could change my, I dropped the Resurrection Stone from my hand, and released her from the World of the Living. Immediately, the pain of losing her yet again clenched around my heart like a vice. I wanted nothing more than to pick the Stone up and call her back, but I knew that that was unacceptable. She was where she belonged—in Heaven—the exact place she deserved to be.
In one swift movement, I brought my foot up, and sent it crashing down upon the tiny, black object, the force of the blow causing an almighty bang to thunder through the air. When I stepped back from the dent I had just created, I saw that the Resurrection Stone had been transformed into a sparkling black powder, which swirled into the air as a breeze swept the forest floor.
I took a deep, steadying breath as I replayed everything that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. It seemed so unfair that I had had to let her go after my time with her had been so short, but, if I was being honest, never would I have believed that I would be allowed such a gift in the first place.
I had seen and spoken with my mother, Elizabeth Masen, for the first time in eighty years, and in doing so I had learnt that her soul was safe, even if it was separated from me. I needed to be more like Harry—to be less greedy. My Mom wanted me to be a good person: being grateful for what I had been given, instead of wishing for more, was the best place to start.
I launched myself out of the Forest and back towards the castle, where I knew that Bella would be waiting for me.
She was sat with the others when I entered the Great Hall. The dirt and blood no longer smeared her skin or matted her hair, and although she was wearing the same jeans and t-shirt as she had during the battle, they were completely spotless. Even the cuts and bruises which she had gained during the night had vanished.
"Where were you?" she asked concernedly as I approached.
"I went for a walk," I answered, preferring not to disclose the truth in front of my family. I wasn't sure why, but I felt extremely uncomfortable about the idea of revealing something so private. I would tell Bella, of course, but not until I was positive we were alone.
I searched for Jasper's mind, and saw that my words and provoked a rush of worry in Bella. She probably assumed that I had fallen back into my usual depression, after the initial joy of victory had diminished.
In truth, I was too confused at the moment to even know for myself exactly what I was feeling. There were far too many emotions to be able to sort my mood into one category: I was overjoyed that I had seen my mother again, distraught that I had had to let her go, relieved that Bella had survived the battle, guilty because I was still considering turning her into a Vampire, along with a hundred other things that were entirely too complicated to explain.
"Bella, would you mind if we—"
"Edward," she said urgently, her expression serious as she looked at me, "I have a feeling I know what's been going through your head in the last couple of hours, and before you voice your thoughts on that subject, would you mind if I show you something?"
Her words confused me. I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. I agreed, regardless, allowing her to lace her fingers through mine.
"You should all come, too," she said, addressing my family. "This concerns you as well."
Despite her cryptic statement, my family rose from there seats and followed as she led us from the Great Hall.
"Do you know where Professor McGonagall is, Edward?" she questioned.
"She's on the fifth floor corridor with Flitwick. They're repairing the castle."
She nodded as we began our climb up the Grand Staircase, stopping on the floor I had indicated and walking through the door into the long corridor where, towards the end of it, stood the two Professors.
Their wands rested at their sides, whilst they gazed around in satisfaction as the rubble and glass that had been blasted onto the floor floated upwards to reform the walls and windows.
"Right, Minerva, that's this one done. Onto the fourth floor?" asked the tiny Professor Flitwick.
"Yes, Filius. The sooner we finish the better."
They turned and began walking in our direction. Flitwick smiled upon seeing us, but Professor McGonagall's face remained stern. She looked exhausted, and in the aftermath of the battle, when she too was left with a mountain of grief, it was far too early for her to attempt smiles and false happiness.
"Professor McGonagall."
"Yes, Miss Swan?"
"I'm in urgent need of a Pensieve, but unfortunately I don't own one. Is there one belonging to the school that I would be able to use?"
"There is one in the Headmaster's office," she stated. Bella is trustworthy. She's proven herself beyond measure. So have her friends, too, according to Harry. "The password is Longbottom. It has only just been changed. Potter was a little obvious."
"Yes," Bella agreed, "but the first was still a good choice. Thank you, Professor."
Bella turned to walk away, only to be stopped as she took the first step.
"Miss Swan?"
"Professor?" she said, spinning to face the tired looking woman.
McGonagall stared into her face, her complete attention focused on the girl beside me. Then, with a speed that I wouldn't have expected from a woman of her age, the Professor flew to Bella and pulled her into an embrace, her eyes welling with tears as she did so. Bella wrapped her arms around the teacher's back, returning the sensitive gesture.
"Never," she whispered, "has a Professor of this school been as proud I am to be the Head of Gryffindor House."
I felt a swell of affection for Minerva McGonagall. Despite her stern image, she cared for her students deeply, as a teacher should.
Bella remained speechless, and simply hugged the Professor tighter, before both pulled back to look at one another. The Professor's gaze then flitted to my family and I.
Like the others, she demonstrated no concern or fear at the fact that she stood in the presence of seven deadly Vampires; nor did Flitwick.
"Thank you. All of you. We will not forget," she said simply, her eyes full of sincerity. Perhaps it was the briefness of her words—the fact that she was to the point in her portrayal of gratitude, and did not embellish with lengthy praises—that made her thanks all the more meaningful.
"You're welcome," I answered on behalf of myself and my family, as McGonagall's eyes settled on me. "From the moment we walked through the door, your students treated us no differently than they do each other. Not one of them judged us based on what we are."
"Nor should they," said Flitwick. "If Voldemort has taught us one thing, it is that it is better to judge based on merit, rather than species."
"Thank you," said Carlisle. "You have no idea what that means to us."
Professor Flitwick smiled respectfully as we all turned and made our way back out onto the Grand Staircase.
We walked up the levels until we reached the seventh floor. As we turned into the corridor, which now looked exactly as it had prior to the battle, Emmett addressed Bella, posing a question which had been on his mind all morning.
"I don't understand. Your people obviously knew about the existence of Vampires. If Voldemort's ambition was to achieve immortality, why didn't he just seek to become like us?"
"He would have considered that course of action as something beneath him. Why would Voldemort have taken a route that hundreds of people have walked down before? It would have granted him immortality, but only until he got on the wrong side of another Vampire. Besides, to people like him, anything that falls outside the classification of a Pureblood Witch or Wizard is inferior. To them, Emmett, you are a half-breed. They'd consider you just as much an animal as they do me."
His eyebrows shot up, but then a smile spread across his face.
"To be honest, Bella, I'd rather be part of the zoo-crew. At least we didn't get our asses whooped."
Bella laughed in response, smiling at Emmett as we reached the stone gargoyle blocking the entrance to the office.
"Password?" it asked.
"Longbottom!" Alice shouted giddily, excited by the mystery of the castle.
The gargoyle stepped aside, allowing us to step onto the circular staircase, which began to wind upwards like some kind of stone escalator.
"I love this place," Emmett uttered as his eyes caught the portraits lining the walls. The people had fallen quiet upon our arrival, some of them intrigued by our appearance, others wary.
"Bum-ba-ba-di-dum tweak-tweak, bum-bum-di-do," sang Dumbledore, breaking the silence.
Emmett chuckled, evidently amused.
"Catchy tune," he smirked.
"I'm glad you think so, my boy," replied the old Headmaster. "Now that the world is safe again, I finally have time to practice my singing technique. A very amusing pass-time, I think you'll find."
Emmett smiled widely, but was distracted in the following seconds as Bella retrieved the Pensieve from its place in the opened cabinet, carrying it across the room and placing it on the desk. Next, she lifted her wand to her head, her eyes finding mine as she drew the tip away, pulling with it a shining silvery strand, which she cast into the liquid.
"What was that?" asked Jasper, his eyes fixed to the surface.
"A memory," answered Bella, her eyes on me still. "One which you all need to see. Edward?"
I stepped forwards slowly, my vision never leaving her face.
"Why don't you go first?"
I nodded, immediately lowering my face into the water, unafraid as the Pensieve pulled me in and I began falling into Bella's memory.
The first thing I saw as my feet hit the ground was Bella sprawled out behind me … behind her memory of me. This was weird. The others appeared at my side, one after another, in the next moments, and we all watched astounded as Bella singlehandedly dealt with a Giant, blasting a burst of fire at his hand.
"I don't understand," said Carlisle, his eyes fixed to the back of my head. "Why didn't you help her, Edward? What were you—"
"Bella," the memory-me whispered, effectively cutting my father off, "I feel cold." I knew what was coming next, and I dreaded it.
Sure enough, in the issuing seconds, a terrifying, cloaked creature crashed through hole in the wall and directly into me, forcing me backward until my body was pressed against the hard stone. It immediately began feeding, whilst I desperately kicked and thrashed against it, unable to free myself as the despair took hold.
"Edward?" Esme panicked. "Edward! What's happening?"
"It's alright," Bella assured her. "Remember, this is just a memory. They can't hurt us now."
She and the others fell into silence, though their expressions never lost the fear and revulsion that had been there since the Dementor had first made its appearance.
This is unbearable, thought Esme as two more flew into the corridor.
What are those things? Rosalie wondered, overwhelmed by disgust.
Why can't Edward fight them off? Emmett panicked mentally, horrified by the idea that there was something in the world with the ability to overpower Vampires. What are they doing to him? He looks like he's in pain.
He had no idea. The mere memory of that experience was almost too much.
Suddenly, a man in Death Eater robes ran past our group towards Bella, who had just pulled herself to her feet and was aiming her wand at the Dementors. Before she had chance to conjure her Patronus, however, the enemy cracked a fist into the side of her head.
A feral snarl erupted up my throat in my fury, and before I could stop myself, I had thrown myself at the Death Eater, my teeth bared in preparation. Of course, they never even made contact, because I flew straight through him as if he were nothing more than a hologram.
"Would you just wait a moment, Edward?" Bella said calmly, unconcerned as the man aimed a punch to memory-Bella's gut.
I returned to her side in a flash, my teeth clenched together as I seethed in anger.
Suddenly, the man grasped Bella's outstretching arms and roughly yanked them behind her back, holding her in place as he whispered in her ear.
"I'm going to make you watch, and then I'm going to kill you."
I heard her whimpering cries, which were echoed by mine as I stopped resisting the Demons and began drowning with the complete loss of hope. The sight was terrible: my face looked tortured, and the sounds spewing from my mouth reflected the intensity of the torment the Dementors were inflicting upon me.
Then, as the middle creature reached up and began pulling back its hood to reveal its horrifying face (if it could really be called that), Bella screamed out my name in terror and desperation, thrusting her foot backwards as she aimed her boot directly between the man's legs. He buckled the second her foot connected, falling to the floor and moaning in agony, whilst Bella dived forwards and grabbed her wand, before screaming out a Spell and sending the Death Eater flying through the giant hole.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" she screamed, the silvery lion shooting from her wand and crashing against the Dementors, which went flying down the corridor as they attempted to flea the projection of positivity.
My eyes flashed to my slumped body as a burning light caught my eyes. At first I thought that a piece of the Patronus had broken away from the whole after it had collided with the demonic creatures. Then my eyes caught my face, which looked on vacantly into nothing, my mouth hanging open moronically, above which floated the brilliant tiny orb of blinding white light.
Suddenly, as the first flicker of understanding sparked within me, the bottom of my stomach seemed to disappear, and I lost all ability to move.
Impossible.
If I had been human, my heart would suddenly have been breaking into a sprint. If I had been human, my heart would have been beating so fast that I would have been in danger of a coronary!
Completely, totally, utterly impossible!
Is … that …
Unbelievable! Impossible!
So beautiful …
…
His soul.
I hadn't dared to hope until I heard the word filling Carlisle's mind; the second I did, however, the one tiny fibre of belief seemed to ignite and explode through my body with the force of a bomb.
The orb descended towards my hanging mouth, disappearing from view in the next instant. The second it was no longer visible, my eyes regained their life and I drew a deep, sudden breath.
"Bella," I said worriedly, alerted by the scent of fresh blood, "you're bleeding!"
And the next thing I knew, the eight of us were rising upwards out of the Pensieve, arriving back in the office which we had never really left.
I stared at the swirling water as Bella retrieved the memory, knowing that if I were to look at my face through another's eyes, it would be blank with shock. Like me, the others were speechless, though their minds remained quite the opposite: loud in their desire for answers.
"A Patronus," explained Bella, as she returned the Pensieve to its rightful place, "is the manifestation of every positive emotion that a person has. The reason mine is a lion, as I've already told you, is partly due to the fact that I associate that image with you, Edward. You feed every good feeling I have. If you were to disappear from my life I'd be a sitting duck in the event of a Dementor attack. The way a Patronus works is by replacing the victim's actual emotions with itself, thereby blocking the person from despair as the Dementor feeds, but you have to be able to fill your thoughts with something incredibly happy for it to work."
Bella closed the cabinet and spun to face us, her face thoughtful as she regarded me.
"Dementors are Demons of Despair. They nourish themselves by sucking the happiness from an individual, leaving their victim void of hope and good feelings. The absence of positive emotion can force the person to relive the worst moments of their life, and although they'll target anyone near to them at the time, they're usually attracted to those more vulnerable to their influence: people with miserable and painful memories. If given the chance, a Dementor will feed off you until you become something similar."
She paused, seeming to take a deep breath as she slowly crossed the room to stand in front of me.
"Their most terrifying weapon … is called the Dementor's Kiss. To undergo it is a fate worse than death. In the Muggle world, people who've been subjected to it are said to suffer from PVS."
Permanent vegetative state, thought Carlisle.
"When a Dementor performs the Kiss, it lifts back its hood … and sucks out your soul."
That was it—the moment the belief completely crashed over me. It was out. She'd said it, and I could feel my throat tightening as the emotion surged through each sinew of tissue. I clenched my jaw to keep myself from gasping loudly.
"So, you see, I know you have one, Edward," she said seriously, her eyes never leaving mine as her palm pressed against my chest. "I know it's there, because I've seen it with my own two eyes … and now you have too."
I couldn't find words great enough in the next seconds that could adequately portray the way I suddenly felt. I felt that if a Dementor was to fly at me then, I'd be radiating enough hope, belief, love and outright joy that they wouldn't be able to break through to the deeper, darker places. They'd have to spend an eternity chiselling away at the solid wall of unending happiness that surrounded me like a force field. In that moment, I was a blazing beacon of every positive emotion because, despite everything, I had seen the ocular proof, as had my family: I had a soul. I had a soul!
I threw myself at Bella in the next moment, the force of my happiness projecting into my muscles, and sending us flying to the floor. I landed on top of her, forgetting completely that we were surrounded by the watching eyes of my family, and kissed her like we were the only two people left in the world. She kissed me back, and I totally and utterly lost myself in it.
It was only when the sound of a giant applause erupted through the room that I realised what I was doing: I kissing the love of my life … my soulmate … in a very compromising position … on the floor … in front of everyone.
My head snapped back to look over my shoulder. I had expected to see my family looking down at me, their eyebrows raised in amusement; luckily, however, they were a little preoccupied, all of them searching for the souls of their partner as they gazed into each other's eyes
I stood up, pulling Bella back to her feet as I did so. She giggled uncontrollably whilst the people in the paintings cheered and wolf-whistled, some waving their wigs above their heads, whilst others simply contented themselves with clapping. Above the noise, I heard one man, whose plate named him as Phineas Nigellus, grumble that Bella had I were guilty of defiling the office floor. Fortunately, I was too happy to care.
"That was … interesting," Bella smirked, though a little flustered.
"I'm sorry I attacked you," I answered, unable to keep the smile from my face.
"I'm not," she smiled.
I went to kiss her again, but a cough from the grumpiest portrait stopped me.
"Explain something to me," I said instead.
"Yes?"
"Why is it that my venom was able to destroy Voldemort's soul, yet mine is still there, even though the same substance passed through every cell of my body all those years ago?"
"Honestly, I don't know enough about Horcruxes to be able to answer that for you."
"I, other hand," called Dumbledore, who was sat twiddling his thumbs, a wide smile etched along his face, "do."
We all turned to him, then, eager to have the mystery solved.
"When a human being dies, or their body is injured in some way, their soul is left undamaged—safe in its entirety. The piece of soul within a Horcrux, however, relies completely on the object protecting it. Destroy the object, and you effectively destroy the fragment of soul. So, although Vampire Venom does not destroy an intact soul residing inside a human body, the fact that it is an extremely dangerous substance without cure means that the Horcrux cannot possibly repair itself. That, my boy, is the reason why your soul remained safe, whereas Voldemort's was destroyed. Understand?"
"Yes, I think so," I nodded.
"What about splitting souls?" asked Jasper. "I've killed …"
My heart sank. I'd murdered countless people, too. How many times had I maimed my soul?
"Ah, yes, that is a nasty subject. Edward," said Dumbledore, surprising me with the use of my name, "when you saw your soul in the Pensieve, did it appear broken into two or more pieces?"
"There was only one orb," I answered confusedly.
"Well, then, your soul is whole."
"I don't understand," I admitted. "I thought that killing split souls."
"It does," said Dumbledore, his face thoughtful. "Killing is unnatural, and therefore forces the soul to split … However, I am fairly certain that if Miss Swan were to go and hunt down a nice plump turkey, her soul would remain intact even after she'd killed it."
"So, you're saying that Edward's soul is safe," Carlisle clarified, "because hunting humans for a Vampire is the equivalent of a human killing a turkey?"
"Absolutely," said Dumbledore. "Do you think a lion would be sent to Hell because it chose to eat a gazelle for breakfast? Of course not! Humans are a Vampire's natural food source. It is nothing more than nature in action.
"Please don't misunderstand me," he went on, "I am not inferring that you are silly in your decision to abstain from drinking human blood; on the contrary, I am very happy that you do so. But I do not believe that a more normal preference would lead you into trouble on the other side of the Veil; however, I do think it is entirely possible that your chosen lifestyle will benefit you when you do eventually leave this world."
"So, then, if killing is natural to Vampires, all our souls will still be whole?" asked Rosalie.
"I can't be certain, of course," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Rosalie, "—this is just theory—but I would guess that any possible damage that you could do to your souls would occur if you were to kill one of your own kind. That, I think, would be potentially dangerous for you."
"Then my soul must be in tatters," whispered Jasper, his eyes falling to the floor. "I fought in the Vampire wars. I've killed hundreds of my own kind."
"Do you regret it?"
"Everyday!" admitted my brother, his tortured eyes flying up to meet the white-bearded man. "I'm an Empath. Every time I killed someone, I felt their fear, and when you have a memory like mine, it's not something you can ever forget."
"My dear boy," Dumbledore exclaimed, "that is wonderful news! Your soul may very well be whole, after all!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"An Empath, you say? Marvellous! That is better than I could have hoped for."
"What do you mean?" asked Alice, evidently confused like the rest of us at the old Headmaster's sudden delight.
"Regret and guilt," explained Dumbledore, "are the only things that can repair a broken soul. Your abilities, young man, which have caused you to experience such emotions, perhaps, make it far more likely that you, beyond any other individual on this Earth, have the power to mend a fractured soul. It may very well be that it is once again completely, one hundred percent whole. If not, then you have infinite time to work on it!"
Jasper's eyes grew wide for a second, before his expression transformed to one of extreme gratitude.
"Is that why Harry told Voldemort to try for some regret?" I asked.
"It is," replied Dumbledore with a smile.
"And … what about the Vampires I don't regret killing?" asked Jasper suddenly, desperate for any information the old man could give him. "Emmett and I destroyed a Vampire after he tried to kill Bella. There was no way he would have stopped if we hadn't."
"So you killed him out of love for your friend?"
"Well, at that time," admitted Emmett, "it was more for Edward. We didn't know Bella that well, but we'd seen how happy she made our brother."
"Love for your brother then?"
Jasper and Emmett nodded whilst Dumbledore looked on thoughtfully.
"Make no mistake, love is by far the most potent thing in the universe. It is capable of magic deeper and more powerful than you can imagine. It was love, for example, which saved Harry from the Killing Curse twice. Love was the reason why he was able to return from Death, which, of course, was previously unheard of.
"Love is far too powerful for any one person to claim to understand. I do not know myself how it would affect you in such a circumstance as the one you have mentioned. All I can tell you is that I have a hunch you are safe, for it is by far the best armour a person can wear, undoubtedly more effective than the hardest physical element. Even Vampire skin is no match for it. If Harry's experience has taught me one thing, it is that."
We thanked him then, and he smiled at us widely, before returning to his merry singing practice, bobbing his head along to his peculiar song.
"Tweak-tweak, la-da-di-dum, biggle-wiggle, tweak-tweak."
We all walked back out of the office and made our way down the stairs.
I'll be sad to leave this place, thought Alice, who like the rest of us, was quickly growing attached, even though the time we had spent here hadn't yet stretched into twenty four hours.
So we do have souls, thought Carlisle. There's hope for us, after all!
Yes, there was hope. It seemed strange that it could flower so suddenly after such a horrific experience. By all rights, it should have been completely absent. Yet it wasn't, and I didn't think it ever would be again … thanks to Bella.
I wound an arm around her shoulders, whilst she wrapped one of hers about my waist as we headed back down the seventh floor corridor towards the Grand Staircase.
"So, Edward," said Emmett, his face breaking into a smug grin, "how does it feel finding out that you're always completely wrong about everything?"
My eyes narrowed as they shot to my brother, but I couldn't prevent my mouth from breaking suddenly into a massive, joyful smile. I turned my head to Bella, and listened with satisfaction as her heartbeat accelerated.
"Honestly, Emmett," I laughed, no longer worried for myself or for Bella, "it's the best feeling in the world."
I hope you liked it! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter and the story overall. Every comment is welcomed, even constructive criticism. And just so you know, I'm thinking about writing a sequel. I hate it when stories drag on too long, and I felt that this was a good place to finish the story; but I'm still not sure that I want to deny myself the fun of writing about what could happen next. I can just imagine the possibilities! So please let me know if you'd be interested in that if you decide to review, and if so, I'll start on my next piece and post the link to the end of this story.
Thanks for reading every one. You've made my first FanFic a really enjoyable one to write!
