Elegy//Harry Potter [3]

23

The only thing Autumn could use to distract herself from the strange events around her was the night sky. The sky was always there, the only constant in her life. No matter what weird thing that would happen between the group of friends, the night sky would have bright stars. 

While it was comforting, the dark sky reminded her of Cayden, the girl who lacked survival. Autumn didn't feel sad, she just felt empty. Of course it was sad when it happened, but everything was happening so fast, she didn't have time to ponder over the effects of the loss of the girl she considered her sister.

Autumn away from the sky and back at Buckbeak.

"He seems to be enjoying himself, huh?" Autumn smirked, looking at the Hippogriff messing around with a bird that was flying around.

"Yeah," Harry responded. After a moment of silence, Harry spoke again. "Guys?"

"Yeah?" Autumn answered.

"Before, down by the lake, when I was with Sirius —when we were with Sirius, Autumn— I saw someone. That someone made the dementors go away."

"I heard Snape telling Dumbledore. According to him, only a really powerful wizard could've conjured it," Hermione told.

"It was my dad," Harry said bluntly.

"Harry. . ." Autumn began to say. She turned toward Harry. "Your dad's d-"

"My dad's dead, I know." Harry shot out. "But I'm just saying what I saw."

"Here we come." Hermione said, beginning to stand up.

Harry and Autumn stood as well.

"You see Sirius talking to me there?" Harry said.

"Mm-hm." Autumn nodded.

"He's asking me to come and live with him."

"That's great." Hermione responded.

"After we free him I'd move in, and I'd never have to go back to the Dursleys. It'll just be me and him. We'd live out in the country. Some place from him to see the sky. I think he'd like that after being locked up in Azkaban." Harry said hopefully.

Just then, the moon shone from the clouds and the three of them saw Sirius attack Lupin.

"Let's go." Harry said, running away.

They ran to see Harry, past Harry, throw the rock at Lupin.

"That was incredibly stupid by the way." Autumn muttered to Harry.

"But you grabbed a rock anyway." Harry retorted.

"I didn't have my wand, you idiot." Autumn smiled.

Lupin was about to pounce on Harry, but Hermione put her hands around her mouth and howled. 

Harry grabbed Hermione's hands and pulled them away. "What are you doing?"

"Saving your lives!" Hermione said and howled again.

"Thanks," Harry said.

"Yeah, thanks and everything, but what about our lives now? He's coming straight for us!" Autumn whispered loudly.

"Yeah, didn't think about that." Hermione said, grabbing both of their hands. "Run!"

They all ran as fast as they could; over tree stumps, under trees, and through branches. Finally, they hid behind a tree.

Autumn looked at the ground. She saw the familiar shape of her wand stuck in the ground in front of her.

"My wand. . ." Autumn said, shocked. "How did it get all the way down here?" Autumn picked up her wand and held it at her side.

The werewolf stopped running once he was near them, and he began to sniff around. The three tried to get around the tree carefully, just to get out of the werewolf's sight, but right when they thought they were safe, the werewolf was right in front of them.

Autumn breathed heavily but as quiet as she could. What spell could be used on a werewolf?

Harry quickly grabbed Autumn's hand and brought her back towards the Hermione and himself. Autumn closed her eyes slowly and grabbed Harry's hand.

Then, out of nowhere, Buckbeak scared Lupin back. Buckbeak flapped his wings and squawked at him until he ran away.

"Good Buckbeak," Autumn said, breathlessly.

"That was really scary," Hermione muttered into Harry's shoulder.

"Poor Professor Lupin's having a really bad night."

Autumn suddenly felt cold and shivered. "Oh no. . ."

The three looked up and saw dementors, all heading in one direction.

"Sirius," Harry said. "Come on!" 

Then they ran in the direction of the dementors. They ran until they were at the lake where they say Sirius.

Autumn watched herself talk to Sirius, then saw as she stood up. Harry had just tried to cast a patronus, but it was weak.

"Think of your parents, Harry!" Past Autumn shouted, loud enough for her present self to hear. "Your parents, who weren't killed because of your Godfather! You can move from the Dursleys' to Sirius' house! You won't have to see the Dursleys' anymore! Harry, your parents. . ." 

Present Autumn couldn't hear herself talk anymore. What came next was a piercing scream. Autumn widened her eyes when she realized it came from her — past her.

Harry, present Harry, placed his hand on Autumn's shoulder as past Harry screamed as well. Autumn didn't even turn to look at Harry.

"This is horrible," Hermione commented softly.

"Don't worry." Harry said. "My dad will come. He'll come and conjure the Patronus."

Autumn stared at past her. She saw how she latched onto Harry, struggling to even stand. Then a bloodcurdling scream came from Autumn. And another horrifying scream from Harry, and a weak one from Sirius.

"Harry, I don't think anyone is coming," Autumn said, as she watched herself fall to the ground.

"No, any minute now. Right up there." Harry pointed his finger to the end of the sand right before the frozen lake. "You'll see!" 

"Harry, listen to me." Hermione turned to look at Harry. "No one's coming."

"Don't worry, he will. He will come." Harry said, determined to see his dad.

Autumn watched as another dementor came and, from what it looked like from Autumn's perspective, killed her. A white wisp shot out of past Autumn's mouth and she was lifeless.

"Oh my God," Autumn said softly under her breath. "I. . . died."

"You're dead." Hermione commented quietly, still in shock. "All three of you."

Autumn felt her heart rate drop. She was dead. And no one was coming to save her.

Just then, Harry ran past her, going to the end of the sand, and pointed his wand out. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A small wisp of silver-blue shot out from Harry's wand, then exploded into a bright white light. 

Autumn could only admire it from afar. She watched as the dementors touched the white light and flew away. The light pulsed, sending new dementors away as they flew along.

Harry slowly lowered his wand from the sky and breathed heavily. The white light slowly dimmed and Autumn watched as past Harry fell to the ground in between Autumn and Sirius.