Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic

The Strange Appearance of a Familiar Silver Doe

It was snowing by the time Hermione took over the watch at midnight. She sat next to Hermione, quietly discussing their next move when Harry emerged from the tent. They greeted him, relieved by his suggestion to pack and leave early.

"We'll go somewhere more sheltered," said Hermione, shivering as she pulled on a sweatshirt over her pajamas. "I kept thinking I could hear people moving outside. I even thought I saw somebody once or twice."

Estella pulled on an extra pair of socks and slipped on an old jumper over her two layers of shirts.

"I'm sure I imagined it," said Hermione, looking nervous. "The snow in the dark, it plays tricks with your eyes...But perhaps we ought to Disapparate under the Invisibility cloak, just in case?"

Half an hour later, with the tent packed, Harry wearing the Horcrux, Hermione with the beaded bag, and Estella with the small rucksack, they Disapparated. The usual tightness engulfed them; Estella's feet parted with the snowy ground, then slammed hard onto what felt like frozen earth covered with leaves.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, peering around at a fresh mass of trees as Hermione opened the beaded bag and began tugging out tent poles.

"The Forest of Dean," said Estella. "Mione and I came camping here before with her parents."

It was one of the best experiences of Estella's life, simple and quite fun, especially Hermione's dad's stories. She learned that trip, Hermione was prone to falling as a child, she often managed to levitate objects she wanted into her hands, and that Hermione's parents were very much in love with each other.

Here to snow lay on the trees all around and it was bitterly cold, but they were at least protected from the wind. After setting up the protective enchantments, they spent most of the day inside the tent, huddled for warmth around the useful bright blue flames that Hermione was so adept at producing, and which could be scooped up and carried around in a jar. The afternoon flesh flakes drifted down upon them so that even their sheltered clearing had a fresh dusting of powdery snow.

On the fourth night, Estella and Harry forced Hermione to go inside and get some sleep; it would have been her third-night keeping watch, so safe to say, sleep was well needed. The two kept watch together, covered in mounds of clothing in an attempt to keep warm. They say close together, Harry leaned against her chest, her legs on either side of him. She preferred this picture, for it guaranteed the most warmth and greater heat exchange. His hands rested on her thighs, rubbing small circles under the two thin blankets that barely retained heat. Harry's mood had improved over the next few days and he seemed almost back to his normal touchy self.

Estella nudged Harry as a bright silver light appeared right ahead of them, moving through the trees. Whatever the source, it was moving soundlessly. The night seemed simply to drift toward them.

Harry jumped to his feet, moving so Estella could follow. He raised her wand, moving slightly in front of her as though he forgot she could do wandless magic with as much ease as he did it with a wand. Her eyes scrunched up as the light became blinding, the trees in front of it pitch-black in silhouette, and still the thing came closer.

And then the source of light stepped out from behind an oak. It was a silver-white doe, moon-bright and dazzling, picking her way over the ground, still silent, and leaving no hoofprints in the fine powdering of snow. She stepped toward them, her beautiful head with its wide, long-lashed eyes held high.

Estella stared at the creature, filled with wonder, they shared identical Patronouses. They gazed at each other for several long moments and then she turned and walked away.

"No," Harry said, his voice cracking. "Come back!"

She continued to step deliberately through the trees, and soon her brightness was stiped by their thick black trunks. For a second she hesitated; it could have easily been a trap but a Patronus was light magic, those with more evil in their hearts could not perform the spell (well, Umbridge was the exception but that was because she was one despicable and wicked witch).