Beautiful World ~ 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑹𝑹𝒀

Chapter 33

Harry was dreaming, and in his dream, he was walking along a dirt road on a dark night. For the first little bit, he walked alone, though this did not surprise him. Soon enough, however, someone joined him, and together, they walked a short while in silence.

Curiosity overcame him and he turned to look at his companion. Hagrid stared back at him with dark, dark eyes that shone with tears. Feeling immeasurably better, Harry continued along the path with Hagrid silently beside him.

His eyes were fixed on a distant place where, just barely, he could make out the image of shadows, waiting for him.

"Are you scared?" asked his companion, and he turned again. Hagrid was gone, and now Albus Dumbledore walked beside him.

"No," Dumbledore said. "What have I to fear?"

"Should I be scared?" he asked, frowning.

"It would not be shameful if you were," was the reply. Feeling slightly comforted by this, Harry's step was a little lighter as they kept walking.

He was considering Dumbledore's words, but by the time he thought up a reply, Dumbledore was gone, and Hermione and Ron had taken his place. Harry was glad of that. This journey wasn't nearly as long and tiresome as he'd been worried it was going to be.

He gave his reply to them. "I wouldn't be scared, normally. It's just... I don't know the way."

Hermione smiled her motherly smile and, though she did not touch him, Harry felt as though he'd just been hugged. "Don't worry, it's not so far now, we'll walk with you."

"All the way?" he asked.

Ron looked vaguely troubled. "As far as we can," he allowed.

Harry nodded and they walked on and then they were gone and Sirius was there. "Forgive me," Harry whispered.

"You've done nothing for which you should be ashamed, Harry." Sirius' voice was very gentle.

"I have. I took it all for granted. I wanted this." He gestured to the world around him.

"The point of life, Harry, like with any story, is not that you learn the moral before the lesson has been taught. You saw the right of things before the end, and that is all that matters. You saw the error of your ways. The world is beautiful, Harry, there is no denying that. But what awaits you is more beautiful still."

Harry looked towards the waiting shadows, which had come now even closer. He believed he could make out the faces of his parents, and his mother's was streaked with ashes and tears.

But still, he looked back the way he had come. "I'm not sure I have the strength to let go. I don't want to be forgotten."

Sirius was gone, and Harry did not turn to look at the speaker who took his place. He knew without looking who it was. "You never really will. You don't think I'm going to let you go?"

"Sometimes you don't get a choice," Harry said faintly.

"And if you did have a choice?"

His mother and father waited ahead, waiting for him, and the road back was long. His muscles ached and his eyes burned, and Harry was so very, very tired. Still, without hesitation, he turned to Draco with a trembling smile and said, "I'd do anything to do it all over again, even if it ended this way still. Had I a choice, you know I would not go."

Draco smiled a bit and nodded, but he'd stopped walking. "I cannot follow you further," he said. "The rest of it is yours to walk alone."

That next step was the hardest Harry ever took, and then he turned and glanced over his shoulder at Draco, who watched solemnly. "I don't want to be forgotten," he called softly.

"The stars will sing of it," was the reply, in a whisper. "We're immortal, you and I."

And then, walking backwards because everything he was leaving behind was so beautiful that Harry could not bear to look away, he lifted one hand and waved once, solemnly. Then he turned and walked forward, sleepy, weak, and aching for everything he'd left behind.

Ahead of him, Lily's tears washed away the ashes that painted her face.

***

The sun had risen, casting a fine golden spider's web over the entire world, and it shimmered in beautiful splendor. Draco sat on the edge of the roof, his feet swinging, his fists rhythmically clenching and unclenching. Dawn had come. He'd tried to slow things down, but dawn had come.

He was broken. Parts of him had crumbled to dust and others washed away like sand in a tide, and he didn't know who he was anymore or who he'd be after this day was over. Choices had to be made, choices had been made, and everything that happened for the rest of his life would be a direct result of this day, this moment. He didn't know who he was or what he had become, but the foundations were there now. Strong foundations.

Either way, he wondered if he'd be alright.

Funeral barges and winter wildflowers dancing in his eyes, he gathered his courage and crawled over to Harry's side, smoothing his hair out of his eyes and shaking his shoulder gently.

"The sun's up," he called softly. "Harry?" his voice slipped an octave and trembled a little. "Harry."

But Harry didn't stir.