𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙧

chapter 10

bright.

white.

silence.

it was strange.

talia opened her eyes and looked around. she wasn't at hogwarts. in fact, she could barely recognize where she was before she realized it looked like king cross station; just cleaner. a lot cleaner.

she looked down. a white dress was on her instead of her blood soaked clothes.

confused, talia raised her head and saw a person walking towards her. not just any person; albus dumbledore.

"well done, talia."

"professor..." tal said. she didn't know what to say to the man she murdered, who was miraculously standing before her dressed in white.

"you brilliant, brave girl. would you walk with me?" he asked.

albus turned around before she answered. tal swallowed hard and followed him, awaiting their conversation. she looked around as she did so. the train station seemed echoey and never ending.

"sir...are we in heaven?" tal wondered.

"i was going to ask..where do you think we are?"

again, talia looked around.

"it looks like kings cross. but white, and quiet. but i'm dead no matter what, huh?" she asked. she looked over at dumbledore, who stared off into the distance.

"dead is an interesting feeling. isn't it, talia?"

his words reminded her of the reason why he was dead. it was because of her.

"professor...i'm sorry. i am. i am truly, truly sorry. i could explain the reasoning of what i did. but i don't want to make excuses for my actions." she stopped walking. dumbledore kept walking, but turned around when he realized she wasn't at his side.

"i was always going to die. but you..i commend you. that was...extraordinary."

tal was taken back.

"it was extraordinary that i killed you?" she asked. dumbledore shook his head.

"an extraordinary thing to do to save someone you love. do not pity the dead, talia. pity the living, and above all, those who live without love."

he turned around and continued walking again, talia following. she didn't know how to react to him.

"i was going to win. and then he struck me, and i died. that's what happened. but i was going to fight." talia recalled carefully. dumbledore nodded.

"and that makes all the difference."

"but i had to die. didn't i? me and harry. we're horcruxes."

"you and harry potter are the seventh and eighth horcruxes. that is correct. the ones, at least, he never meant to make."

"then a bit of him lives in me. is that right?"

dumbledore turned and looked at the girl in the eyes.

"it did. but that was destroyed when you died. and now, talia, you simply remain his offspring."

"an offspring with the elder wand." tal thought. she realized how this might've been sensitive, considering the only reason she was the owner of the elder wand was because of her killing the man in front of her.

"you are still a strong, powerful wizard, talia. i used to fear that you would make the same mistakes i made, that you and harry would be intoxicated by the power the hallows promise their possessor. but it's clear to me now, after the choices you've made...you both are the true owners of them."

tal chuckled, even though nothing was funny.

"you're talking about us like we're still alive, sir. but we're gone."

dumbledore gave her a look, making her question what was really happening.

"we are dead. aren't we?"

"the choice is yours. you can accept that you've died, and if you want that to be your fate, so be it. or..you can take a train. you did say we were in king's cross, didn't you?" he smiled. tal nodded.

"i did. but..it's that simple? i can just come back?"

"nothing in life is simple, talia. there are far, far worst things in the living world. that's what makes it a difficult decision. but you must remember; as you know, you are the offspring of tom riddle. harry is strong, and they have a connection. but he doesn't have tom's power in him. his magic."

"what are you saying?" tal felt bad for asking so many questions.

"talia...you are the only one who can kill voldemort."

talia swallowed hard. if she went back, she could do it. and she could save everyone like she planned.

she could save draco.

"i'll be going now." dumbledore said. he turned again and started walking.

"so that's it? this is just some dream, and i'll wake up again? its all in my head?" tal rambled.

dumbledore turned ever so slightly.

"of course it is happening inside your head, talia. but why should that mean that it is not real?"