You : Tom Riddle

48: The Great Losses

[victoria's pov]

I woke up on a bed. Everything was white and made of pure light. A large wooden door stood in the centre of the room. I realised it was the same door from Tom's old dormitory. The room kind of looked like the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, for some reason. I examined myself. Oddly, my scars were gone and I was clean.

"What the heck?" I said out loud.

"Mornin', Pretty Girl," a familiar voice said. "You're late."

I looked to my right and saw two people. The two people I missed the most in the world: Sirius Black and Lily Potter.

"Sirius? Lily?" I asked, tears already forming.

"Hello, old friend," Lily said.

They walked closer to me and I jumped out of the bed, running to them. I pulled them in for a big hug. Tears were now running down my face like a waterfall.

"I've missed you guys," I said, not breaking the hug.

"We've missed you too, Victoria."

I broke the hug, holding their hands.

"Am I dead?" I asked. "Is this Heaven?"

"No," Lily said, answering both questions.

"Where am I then?" I asked.

"Think of it like a bus stop," Sirius said.

"I'm even more confused now," I said.

"Victoria, this is where you choose whether you want to move on or not," Lily said.

"It is? I don't even know I get to choose," I said, sobbing.

"Of course you do," Sirius said. "You were willing to sacrifice yourself for a good cause."

"You're a hero," Lily said.

Overwhelming tears streamed down my cheeks.

"But I'm no hero," I said. "I killed people. I helped Tom become who he is!"

"Victoria," Lily said. "Being a hero is doing what it takes to help others even if they're risking everything."

"You deserve a gold metal," Sirius said.

I laughed slightly.

"There's that beautiful smile," he said.

I wiped my tears that rushed down.

"You were right about Tom," Lily said. "He does love you and you broke a piece of him."

"But what happens if I go back?" I asked.

"You move on in life," Sirius said.

"You can start the family you wanted," Lily said.

"It's probably a little too late for that," I said.

"It's never too late," Lily told me.

I sniffed and thought about what she said.

"So how do I get back?"

･ﾟ✧

[author's pov]

Neville stared at Victoria with tears in his eyes. He felt like a failure. The Sword of Godric Gryffindor laid beside her corpse and he couldn't move.

"I'm so sorry, miss," he said, sobbing.

Voldemort and Harry blasted one last spell at each other. A gust of wind howled and blew harshly. Students, professors, and the Ministry watched the battle, afraid of what would happen next. Molly buried her head in Arthur's chest when she saw the body of her baby boy and last friend.

Suddenly, Victoria gasped, coughing for air.

Neville's eyes widened at the sight of Victoria getting up. She looked around frantically and tried to adjust her eyes. Blood painted her skin and stained her clothes. Dust littered in her hair and her stomach had a big, open, bloody, cut. She had trouble getting up due to her injuries, but managed with it, anyway.

Molly gasped when she saw Victoria get up. The Order stared at her in disbelief as Victoria ran to Voldemort.

She forced herself with each step.

"Tom!" she shouted, trying to get his attention. "Don't do this!"

Voldemort's stare broke from Harry's and looked at Victoria in confusion.

Was it just a trick? He thought.

His wand snapped and crackled. His eyes widened and a bright red flash hit him.

"NO!!" Victoria shouted, running to him.

She wrapped her arms around him as his skin flaked.

"No, no, please! It's not too late, it's not too-," she begged.

She looked up into his eyes one last time as he slowly turned into ashes. His ashes drifted in the wind and vanished.

"No!" Victoria cried hysterically as Harry, Hermione, Ron, and everyone else watched her, feeling her loss.

She buried her head on the ground and sobbed with heartache.

Harry walked closer to her and rubbed her back.

Hermione and Ron hugged each other, crying.

George mourned at the loss of his other half.

Every single one of them ached, whether it was their hearts or bodies.

And Victoria's straining heart ached over the man she had lost long ago.

Again.

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