Finding a Place to Call Home
Wanda: Hello wonderful reviewers, it is with both happiness and sadness and all mixed emotions that I tell you that this story is being drawn close to it's finale. After this chapter, there will be a flash forward a few years to glimpse the destiny Hela was talking about last chapter and who has managed to get to a better place in their lives and those who have not. I'm so happy that you all stuck with me through this story and I hope you like some of my upcoming ideas as much as this one. I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 12: Peace
Astoria was standing out on the deck of the ship heading out for Denmark. The sun was hovering just below the horizon, casting a beautiful amber light across the sky. A soft breeze washed across her face, her hair blowing out behind her. Her hands rested on the railing as the ocean rushed past them.
It's beautiful out here, she mused. I love travelling with Harry and the others. But I wonder...if we were going to live with someone, where would we stay? Somewhere like this?
Her mind strayed to the moment back in the house where Harry had summoned Hela for the first time. The moment had been both exhilarating and frightening for her. The eyes where what she remembered – those glowing ruby eyes that spoke of thousands of years and more lives then Astoria could ever imagine.
Harry had told her about what Hela had told her. Does that mean she'll be protecting our entire family, or just him? She wondered. Who would have thought...I would have thought that death would be more frightening. But...apart from the shock of her appearance, I wasn't scared of her.
"We're getting closer," Lilith murmured. Astoria turned around in surprise; she hadn't heard the other girl come up behind her.
The blonde smiled at the other girl and said, "Are you nervous, Lilith?"
Lilith put a hand on her chest and muttered, "Yes. I always felt as though this would be something I could never escape. And now that there's a chance...it's too good to be true...I'm afraid I'm going to wake up from a dream now."
Astoria looked back towards the gleaming ocean. The two girls stood in companionable silence for a few minutes before Astoria spoke again.
"You ready to go to Australia after this?"
Lilith nodded and a ghost of a smile passed across her face. "Yes. I...I'll finally be free. It...It will be..." She placed a hand over her mouth and lowered her head, her hair falling across her face.
Astoria gently placed her hands on her shoulders; after a moment she pulled her into a hug. Lilith was trembling like a leaf, but there seemed to be a confidence to her frame that hadn't been there before.
Letting go, Astoria brushed stray strands of silver hair behind the other girl's ear. "Would you mind if I go inside? I'm going to talk to Harry."
Lilith nodded and Astoria turned away, walking towards the cabins. She smiled when she reached the door to find Graham hovering just inside the frame, watching Lilith with an apprehensive expression. He glanced up at her and scowled slightly, but a red tint coloured his cheeks when she said, "You know if you go out and talk to her, she'll probably strike up a conversation."
She took a few steps down the hall to give the illusion that she was leaving, and a quick glance over her shoulder made her giggle with delight. Graham had left the door and was slowly walking across the dock.
Turning back towards the hallway, Astoria briskly skipped down the hallway and entered Harry's room. The boy was lying down on his bed staring at the ceiling, twirling a seashell between his fingers.
"Hey," Astoria said with a smile as she sat down on the edge.
Harry tilted his head to the right. "Are we almost there?" He asked sleepily.
"Yeah." Astoria said. She reached out and placed her hand on his chest; after a moment he clasped his hand over hers. "Are you thinking again?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Was it that obvious?" Astoria just looked down at him and smiled playfully. The boy who lived groaned theatrically and let his head drop against the pillow. "I can't tell a lie to save my life, can I?"
"No," Astoria giggled. "And you know what people say – you can't lie to someone that you love."
"Wouldn't that be nice," Harry grunted. "If I had known that, I would have known about Dumbledore from the start."
Astoria shook her head and stroked her boyfriend's hair. "You don't ever have to see him again." She said softly. "What you went through is over forever, I promise."
"I know you mean it," Harry said lightly. "I guess I was just bored and my mind wandered off."
"Where's Hela?" Astoria asked, glancing around the room as though she expected to see the bloody, childlike spectre napping peacefully on the rocking chair. The grim reaper had often appeared at random during the day, standing motionless in the shadows while watching Harry interact with the living world.
"At the crossroads," Harry said thoughtfully, tossing the shell in the air and catching it. "It's where she watches over the souls as they move on."
"...That's where Voldemort is now, right?"
"Yeah. He'll never haunt anyone else ever again."
"Good."
"...I guess I'm just wondering what happens now."
"What do you mean?"
Harry sat up at this, leaning back against the headboard. "Well...before all this," He pointed between her and himself, causing her to smile again. "My entire life was a long string of misfortune. The only thing that mattered was escaping the Dursleys...and then putting an end to Voldemort so he couldn't hurt me or anyone else anymore. But now, now that's all gone...and I'm..." His brow furrowed. "Well, I'm not entirely sure what to do with myself."
Astoria looked at him in silence for a few moments. "How about...anything?"
Harry laughed. "I should have expected you to say something like that." He remarked. "I'm so glad I got to be with you."
"So am I," Astoria said softly.
She slipped onto the bed and curled up next to him, resting her head against his chest. Harry put an arm around her shoulder and the two caught a few hours of rest before the boat arrived late in at night.
Harry stepped out onto the beach, the sand soft between his toes. He had taken off his shoes; he wasn't sure exactly why but he felt like it was a good idea. Hela had said to him that he would know what to do when he got onto the beach.
Astoria, Daphne and Graham both remained behind at the bridge while he and Lilith stopped near the water. It was dark, since it was nearly midnight. The beach was dark, but the beautiful silver light coming from the moon and the stars kept the beaches from being completely dark.
"It's beautiful," Harry murmured.
"Not everyone thought so," A beautiful soft voice reached his ears from behind him.
Harry turned around to see a shimmering girl in a golden dress. She had silver hair not unlike Lilith's. Her eyes were also silver, but gleaming diamond like tears slid down her cheeks. She was tall and willowy, inhumanely beautiful. The only thing that was wrong was her utterly heartbroken expression, the sadness mixed with anger that Harry remembered experiencing after his name had been called out for the tournament.
"You...you must be the moon." He whispered.
Lilith bowed deeply before the spirit. Harry remained standing, but he lowered his head.
"Why?" The moon whispered. "Why him? Why?"
"I'm sorry," Lilith whispered, her voice shaking slightly.
"Kaius was a twisted man," Harry agreed.
"Is that supposed to change anything?" The moon asked bitterly, turning her head away. She clenched her fists, diamond tears flowing faster. "he's still gone where I can never follow. And for what?"
Silence was held between the three for a painful moment. Harry half expected the weeping spectre to attack him and Lilith but she just stood there, lost in her own sorrow.
"...Kaius was a terrible man, but Lilith is innocent." Harry said softly. "Would you punish her for something Kauis did years ago? Will this make you feel any better?"
The Moon was silent for a moment. "...You sound like Kathryn." She said eventually. "Tell me, Harry... could you ever forgive someone who took the one you loved more then anything away from you?"
Harry, for a moment, was unsure of how to answer. Astoria had become a beacon of light for him, and the idea of loosing her to someone's selfish whim made his heart become cold as ice in his chest. He wondered, for a moment, if he could have lost her because of Dumbledore's schemes to defeat Voldemort. He wondered in that moment how he would have felt about the Order of the Phoenix. What would he have done? What would have been right? How did he feel about those who had supported Dumbledore because they believed him to be right?
The Moon was looking closely at him now. Harry felt as though she could see all of his thoughts.
At last, the answer rose inside him "I wouldn't forgive the one responsible," He responded slowly, "But I couldn't hate the ones who's only crime was their proximity to him. People can't choose who their family is, or who they care about."
"..."
"I am the Master of the hallows," Harry continued, shivering slightly as the weight of that title settled upon him once again. "I don't know if its possible for Julian to join you permanently."
The Moon's gaze intensified, a myriad of emotions the younger boy couldn't identify skating across her flickering face. "But...I think Hela might be able to arrange something if you can find it in your heart to revoke your curse."
Another long silence. The Moon looked between Harry and Lilith before quietly walking towards the latter. Lilith froze, standing straight up and staring as the higher spirit took her wrists in her cool hands.
"...I spoke a long time ago that my curse would lift if the wronged ones wanted to rescue your family," The Moom murmured. "...And so it has come to pass. My mark may be on your soul, but the burden of the sky shall torment you no longer."
Lilith's golden shackles came unclasped and dropped to the beach. Warmth spread through the girl's normally cold skin. Harry smiled. The Moon glanced back at him one more time before disappearing, flashes of light streaking up back to the silver disk that hovered above them.
The only sign she had been there at all were the twinkling diamonds in the sand where her tears had fallen.
Lilith stared at her hands as though she was seeing them for the first time. A tear slipped down her cheek, then another, and then she wept with joy while Harry stood by her as support and their friends rushed down the hill to greet them.
Freedom at last, how strange it was.
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Sirius was telling Jane, Beverly, Richard Moon and Daniel Greengrass stories of the Maurader's exploits in past years when the owl came. Remus, not wanting to break up the roaring laughter of the room, opened the window and took the letter. The owl, looking rather windblown from a long journey, hopped down and drank from a bowl while the werewolf examined the letter.
"It's from the kids," He said from the kitchen.
Those were magic words. Sirius, Jane and Daniel all immediately crowded into the kitchen to see what their children had been up to last.
Dear Sirius,
We're all free.
Richard clasped a hand over his mouth, tears at the edges of his eyes. He understood immediately what that line meant; he had felt the burden lifting off his shoulders hours before but this confirmed that it was not simply wishful thinking.
Now that all this madness is behind us, we're finally heading for our last destination – Australia. How about meeting us there? Travelling is nice, but a permanent home would be too. And we'd like a place where we can all enjoy our new lives together.
Sirius let out a whoop when Remus finished, causing the werewolf to roll his eyes affectionately. "Well, what are we standing around for?" The man thundered, bolting out of the kitchen towards the front door. "Let's go grab a train!"
End Chapter
Whew! My stories always seem to end up longer then I was expecting originally. Would you believe me if I said this was originally intended to be a fluffy oneshot not necessarily meant to be taken seriously? I really have to do something about letting all my ideas explode in my mind.
Read and Review please!