Liberty - A Harry Potter fan fiction

Chapter 23 - The Sounds of Death

My eyes fluttered open to see a dark paneled room. It smelled of antiseptic and roses. I groaned and sat up. I was in my private room at Hogwarts and there was a vase of yellow roses on the wardrobe. My favorites.

Is this really what death is like? I assumed I'd be going to Hell, if there was a such thing. A strange feeling of peace was surrounding me. I wondered if I was alone in this post death Hogwarts. Maybe I was stuck in Purgatory rather than in Heaven or Hell. 

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. I was wearing just a hospital gown and quickly crossed to my wardrobe. My signature color, purple, was all that was in there. However this purple was a much lighter shade. As close to blue as it could be while still being considered purple. I pulled out one of the long sleeved shirts and a pair of light colored jeans. But pulling off the hospital gown I paused. 

My arm was free of the dark mark! I ran my fingertips over my forearm. Breaking into a huge grin I put the long sleeved shirt back and grabbed a tank top. I felt so light and happy, almost as if I were a kid again. Another welcome surprise was that my wand was on the table beside my bed. Dead people could have wands?

I picked it up and placed it in the back pocket of my jeans. Opening the door, I ventured out into the hallways of the castle. It looked the same as it used to, before the war set it to ruins. There was no rubble anywhere and all the suits of armor were back in place. My stomach growled and I realized I was starving. I laughed at the realization that I could eat even though I were dead. I took the familiar path to the great hall and stopped at the bottom of the steps as I heard voices from within. Did all the victoms of the war get stuck in this purgatory with me? If so, would I be welcome among them?

I looked into the room. I was now positive I was in a nightmare, or maybe even a wishful dream. There inside was Ginny with Harry, Ron, Hermione and all our other classmates. Ron and Ginny's parents and older siblings were with them as well and I saw members of the Order and various classmates scattered throughout the hall. Teachers were walking around talking to this person or that. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits. 

Maybe I'd come back as a ghost instead of moving on. That way I was punished by watching everyone live happily ever after.

I stood there for who knows how long. Eventually Ginny looked my way and I sensed that she could see me. I waved to her but certainly didn't expect her to wave back, or say my name.

"Libby!" I heard a voice shout.

My sister, Lavender had called my name and she ran to me. The illusion of death shattered as I felt her hug me. Completely shocked I hugged her back and she took my hand and tugged me into the hall. It had grown quiet and everyone looked at me.

"I'm alive?" I asked, testing my vocal cords. They were working perfectly.

"He couldn't kill you. Just like with Harry, he couldn't kill you." Ron said. "And Harry killed him. He's gone for good!"

I looked around for an explanation. Ron's had gotten me nothing but more confused. 

"It was amazing Libby! It was like a –a. Oh I don't know. A force field or something!"

"You're not making any sense, Ginny," Hermione told her.

"My guess would be that the child saved you," Professor McGonagall said from the front of the hall. "Professor Dumbledore once told me something like this would happen but I never thought it would happen in my life time." Everyone waited anxiously for her to continue. "A prophecy was made. One child, raised in the dark arts, one raised the opposite, would be forced together by a dark wizard. The only thing that would be able to save them would be their love for one another. No one knew it would be in the form of a child. Dumbledore himself assumed it would be the fact that they'd be willing to die for one another. People are already calling your survival many things. A miracle of sorts, to name one."

"But wouldn't that make me a horcrux like it did Harry? Or..." I struggled to get the words out. "Or, the baby?"

"By some means, no," she explained. "The details are unknown, and will remain so. But you are alive and Voldemort is gone!"

The room erupted into cheers, but I still felt confused. I looked around at the Aurors in the room. Why weren't they carting me off to Azkaban?

"Shouldn't I be in Azkaban right now?" I asked everyone. 

"Harry wouldn't let them take you!" Ginny said. "He told them that the fact that Voldemort went against you, and that you fought with us was reason enough where your loyalties truly are!"

"But I killed people..." I trailed off. 

"Two of which were known death eaters. The last was a former death eater in hiding." I turned to see Kingsley Shacklebolt to my left.

Whispers rippled across the room and I saw a badge attached to his robes. It would seem that I was in the presence of the new Minister of Magic. 

"You have been fully pardoned, at the insistence of Harry Potter. Don not make him regret it Miss Brown." The minister said.

A flash of blonde hair caught my eye as he said those words. I nodded and looked past him to see Draco and his parents standing in the doorway. I was so glad to see him, both of us alive and well. He looked perfect to me, even with dark circles under his eyes and dirt all over his hair and clothing.

"Libby?" I heard him ask. He took a step forward and looked as if he couldn't believe I was truly there. 

I ran past the minister and into Draco's arms. The force of my body hugging his seemed to pull him out of his funk. He pulled me to him and kissed my forehead. His eyes didn't move from my face and his hands felt my head, hair, back, arms, touching so lightly but firmly as if to be sure I was physically there.

"Yaxley. He stupefied me when I tried to reach you and I only just woke in the hospital wing. Mum said you were alive but I had to see for myself."

He kissed me, not caring that the great hall had hundreds of students, teachers and parents in it. I heard Ginny and Lavender squeal behind me. Being alive never felt so good! The Dark Lord was no more and my life with Draco could finally begin.