Harry Potter Oneshots »»HARMIONE««

Run

Not mind by: Seelvor

Run away, little girl. Run for your life.

Those words run through my brain, as they have for so very long. They’re looking for me. They’ve been looking for me for a long time. I have no doubt they will keep looking for me until I am found. I am unfortunate in many ways; my foes are relentless, unforgiving and endlessly patient.

I am also cursed by being a witch. With good health, I can expect an almost fifteen decade life-span. I’m only 22. I’ve been running for 467 days. The prospect of another 46,511 days of running away scares the life out of me.

I can’t blame them, though. I know why they pursue me. Under different circumstances, I would be one of the hunters, not the hunted. I have committed a crime that so boggles the mind, it cannot be forgiven. A crime so heinous, I should be put to death for it.

I ran. I ran away like a coward the instant it happened. I didn’t explain why to anyone. What the hell would I be able to say? “Sorry”? Somehow, that just wouldn’t cut it.

It’s saddening to know that I will never be able to go home. I had such a nice life. A beautiful house, a good job and the powerful love of a great man. I was a hero of the Blood War, and my name was known to almost everyone.

Then I ruined it. I committed my vile act, and everything went to hell in a handbasket. I lost my life that day. Sadly, I’m still alive. Alive to suffer for my misdeed. My soul is damned for eternity for my crime, but I can’t bring myself to end my life. I must suffer. Through a full, empty and painful life, and then for the rest of time. I deserve no less.

I’ve been in Argentina for the last six days. I’ve not been able to spend more than two weeks in any one place. My pursuers are so good, they can track me down, usually within ten days, regardless of how I hide. I’ve tried everything; glamour charms, false passports, Muggle transport, even leaving my wand in another country at one point. They still track me down.

Given who their leader is, it’s not surprising. Harry James Potter, the ‘Chosen One’, the ‘Boy-Who-Lived’, managed to utterly destroy the most powerful Dark Lord in the last ten centuries. He effectively wiped out every Dark magic user in Europe within twelve months of his graduation from the Auror Academy. There isn’t a prison in this hemisphere that doesn’t have at least half of it’s inmates because of him.

He is pursuing me. I cannot face him. His powers are so far above mine, it’s not even funny. He is driven by a single-minded determination to find me. After what I did... I’m not surprised.

There is one good thing about my crime, if anything from the vile action could be considered good; the entire magical world, and I’m not referring to the parochial “Wizarding World” that Britain considers itself, but every magical community on Earth has joined forces. I’ve actually heard people say that my crime has generated a ‘Golden Age of International Co-operation’. Every Ministry of Magic has signed a new treaty, granting Aurors authorisation to operate in their countries, provided that all parties are notified. Extradition treaties have become a thing of the past. The lessons of Voldemort and people running to other countries has been learned well.

Of course, this has buggered me up royally. There is nowhere I can run to without local law enforcement tracking me down, and calling in the International Task Force, led by Harry Potter himself. They’ll capture me if they can, and take me back to Britain. I can’t go back.

I managed to snare a rabbit a few hours ago, and it’s been hung up ever since. I’ll have to cook it manually, using matches and a cauldron. If I use my wand, they’ll be on me in minutes. It’s the height of stupidity to use magic now, but I can’t leave it behind. If I do, I will be defenceless. I can’t fight, but I can’t take the chance of being wandless.