To Hurt and To Heal

Epilogue

"Delphi."

"Delphi!" Annie shouts once more.

"Delphi?" I don't listen.

I can hear her footsteps getting louder as mine get quieter.

"Come on..."

"If we're going to leave, we must do it now"

I stumble into a bookcase, knocking the files over in the process. I quickly jump to the ground, holding onto Annie as leverage.

I listen to the steps slowly disappearing, I reach out for the doorknob in hopes to lock it, but it turns the other way.

I wanted to make it work this time. I had to give her some form of hope. But I couldn't and that was the truth.

It hurt a little more every step I took, my mind kept wandering to the same questions.

What am I here? Why did I listen to them? Why me?

It wasn't soon before I was rushed with a hug, "Delphi."

"Padfoot."

"What are you doing here?"

"I've been watching you," he replies, "as creepy as that sounds, there was a purpose for everything."

"Why me?"

Delphi could almost hear her father respond, 'why not?' It was clear as the light of day.

"I mean you seem to just disappear these days, god only knows what you're up to."

"What am I up to?" I ask.

He shakes his head, "it's a mystery."

I arch my lip, "interesting...I think you know exactly what I'm doing."

"The whole watching factor of it all."

"Perhaps." Padfoot sighs. "That's why I had to approach Harry."

"Harry Potter?" I question.

"And he was resistant at first but we came together and set a plan into motion."

"Maybe that's the mystery of it all."

"That's why we had to get you out."

"When we first found you, you were angered, I thought you could have burned the whole building down."

"Where am I?" I ask.

"Somewhere no one will find us," and with that I turned to Annie who had a smile that appeared onto her face.

"And what about Rodolphus?"

"He's alive. In hiding and no I don't know where but he has sent us a confirmation that he is safe."

I nod.

"You really haven't changed much."

"Neither have you," I responded.

"Ah...well nobody really changes, do they?"

He nods his head, walking away, motioning for me to follow. "This is home now."

"The war is over?"

"For now, perhaps in many years we will once again face our challenges."

Delphi knew that. Deep down she wanted more of a resolution, something that said all of the violence was over and no one would ever live in fear again.

But just for today, she simply followed.