The Dark Mark (The Girl Who Lived part II)

But Fate Had Other Plans

"I'm sorry". I apologized, before slipping out from under his arms and ran through the corridors. Along the way, I came across Neville and Oliver who were transporting the bodies found within the areas of Hogwarts and just a little bit outside its perimeters. Bodies upon bodies, they carried. I couldn't help but imagine their fateful days of Hogwarts as they dwindled down to this very moment, and then the images of the grieving families. A while had passed since the events within the Great Hall, and I had calmed my nerves. Space and air was all I needed. 

This time, the two carried Colin Creevey. A strange excitable kid. I always thought that if Ron were to receive a sugar high from all the junk he eats, he wouldn't have half the energy Creevey had. He was much like the sun. Lovely, but in small doses. He could light up a room simply with his energy. For a lack of a better, word, it was refreshing. But after a while of being exposed to the Creevey Curse (that's what we called it when you talked to Creevey for more than a minute, and he'd latch onto you like some sort of leech), you would find yourself soon becoming irritable. I chuckled to myself remembering my first date with Harry. Well, it wasn't exactly the first date between the two of us. I'm sure Lucius and Harry had plenty of dates during third year when he was disguised as me. It made me laugh and shiver at the thought of Lucius and Harry on a date. But apart from that, it was my  first date with Harry. It was at the beginning of fourth year before the Triwizard Tournament came into play. Harry and I traveled to Hogsmeade together with Ron, Hermoine and Neville. When Harry heavily hinted at the fact that he wanted us to be alone, Hermoine and Neville headed off to Honeydukes. Ron, who was oblivious to the many indications of Harry, sat between us in the Three Broomsticks, munching loudly on his bag of snacks I had packed him. Ron took an attractive pose hunched over the sack of food, with food falling from his  mouth. However, the chips that were being gnashed in between his teeth wasn't the only thing that was being crushed. The atmosphere. And Ron still hadn't the slightest clue. 

Harry excused the both of us to the restroom, and we found ourselves sprinting out the back door  towards Honeydukes, giggling like schoolchildren who were skipping class, or teenagers who'd gotten away with blowing off curfew. There, we found a table in the corner. And for  a while we had felt as though we were in a part of the world where the existence of people had fizzled off. We talked for a while, and then Harry leaned in close. But that feeling of solitude for the two of us was short lived, as  we were blinded by the flash of a camera and Colin Creevey popped up out of nowhere. He slid between the two of us, making himself comfortable, began snapping pictures of the three of us, and interviewed Harry. When Harry was on the verge of blowing a gasket, signified by the vein popping out of his forehead next to his scar, I found us a way out. I excused myself for a brief moment, and bribed Fred and George distract Colin while we escaped. I grabbed Harry away from a distracted Colin Creevey, and we escaped to a place no one we knew would ever find us. Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. The decoration was hideous. Gaudy tables, napkins, and cutesy china, along with kissing couples. Looking back, the tea shop reminded me much of Dolores Umbridge. It appeared as though she had exploded in the tea shop, covering the walls, furniture, and polished floor with her tacky style. And as we sat there together during my  first date with Harry, we mocked the other couples and the out dated furniture. 

"Scarlet". I was brought back to the present when Oliver called my name. I had fallen behind the two who still carried Colin Creevey. I was making my way towards them, when I noticed Harry appear out of nowhere. He was using his invisibility cloak. "Neville, I need you to kill Nagini. Do everything in your power". Harry turned to Oliver. "Oliver, I need you to take care of Scarlet". When an agreement was made he lifted up his invisibility cloak, about to use it to conceal himself again. "Harry". My heart beating at light speed. I had caught his attention. He revealed himself once more. I stared into his green eyes searching for the truth. "Why are you acting as if you aren't coming back?" Even though it felt as though I had exhausted my supply of tears, my eyes began to water. The thought of him leaving an not returning made my heart begin to ache. I was falling for Harry Potter. Hard.

**Harry's Point of View**

I was going to die. I needed to die in order for Voldemort to become mortal again. To save everyone. To save Scarlet. I hid myself underneath my invisibility cloak. I couldn't afford to run into Hermoine, Ron, or even worse, Scarlet. They'd ask where I was going , I'd tell them, and they'd try and talk me out of it. But before I exited Hogwarts, I needed to do two last things in these last few moments before I walked to my grave. "Neville". I whispered to him.  I couldn't risk being seen. He looked in both directions, and scratched his head. I revealed myself, so Neville wouldn't be convinced that he had a screw loose. "I need you to kill Nagini. Do everything in your power". I said. I swiveled on my heel to face Oliver Wood. Whenever I saw his face or heard his name, I felt this pang of jealousy. Maybe it was due to the fact that Scarlet just as easily could've been Oliver's. I sighed. "Oliver, I need you to take care of Scarlet". With each word, I felt my heart ache. Oliver Wood confirmed he would. 

And as soon as he promised he would, I realized more than ever, how much I opposed this. The thought of Oliver replacing me, and being with Scarlet in my stead sickened me.  I didn't want thIat. I wanted to be the only one with Scarlet. The only person she needed. But my fate was sealed. I needed to die for everyone to be safe. For her to be safe. I reached into my pocket feeling the two rings my father had left me. He'd left the rings for me at a safety deposit box in Gringotts. I held up the silver solitaire ring that my father had given to my mother when he asked her to marry him, up to the sun, watching the glint of the diamond. While the Battle ensued, the thought that got me through this tragedy was Scarlet receiving the ring after the Battle was over. But as I erased the thought, I slipped the ring back into my pocket, knowing that my dream could never be reality.

But as much as I wanted to keep Scarlet for myself, I couldn't let my selfishness stand in the way of her future happiness.  Which is why I instructed Oliver Wood to protect her. To shield her from the cruel world. The merciless bits of reality.  I inhaled before taking a step towards Hogsmeade, when I was stopped by a voice. Scarlet's. Was I hearing things? "Harry". She called again. I spun on my heel to find her standing there.  "Why are you acting as if you aren't coming back?" Her eyes were bloodshot and they were beginning to water again. I stepped towards her, caressing her now tear stricken face. "I've already lost Fred, I can't lose you too". An overly distraught Scarlet sobbed, using her sleeves to wipe away her endless stream of tears . In almost every situation, I would've pulled her into my arms. Dabbed away her tears until they were no more. But this time, I hesitated. The messages my mind and heart sent conflicted with each other. "Scarlet's your weakness. Comfort her, and you won't be able to go through with leaving her. Sacrificing yourself is the only true way to save everyone. To save her". My brain said objectively. But my heart was more persuasive. More sincere. "Go to her. Forget about the future, Scarlet needs you as of this moment. Right this second. Can you really go through with walking away from her in this condition?" My heart coaxed. 

Then my hesitance ended when I chose one of the two contradicting paths my mind and heart had offered up. I couldn't watch her any longer. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her into me. "Scarlet, I promise that as long as I live, I'll never leave you". And I meant that, even though our time together would be cut short by the hands of Voldemort. I pulled the ends of Scarlet's scarlet lace ribbon, unraveling the tied bow on my wrist. I combed her hair back with my fingers. While holding it back in a ponytail like fashion, I simultaneously tied the ribbon into her midnight hair. "I love you, Scarlet". "I love you too, Harry". She instantly returned my confession. I'd never tire of those words we exchanged. This would be our last time together, and I savored every second of it