𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 || h.potter

fifty-five || year 7

The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Hermione hand reaches in, takes it. A note is attached: "Dear Batty. Thanks for your help. You said everything... even if you don't remember. Rita."

"What's that?" asked Amelia, gazing at the book on Hermione's hand, she reads the title and shrugs. "I'm going to go look around." Hermione reluctantly nods.

Amelia hugs herself as she exits the sitting room and peers into the adjacent hallway. A sliver of the kitchen can be seen and a faint buzzing heard. A strange shadow dances on one kitchen wall, of specks moving. Hermione approaches.

As Amelia nears the kitchen, she eyes the cloud of specks swarming the wall curiously. The buzzing grows to a hiss as Amelia opens the door a little bit, she gasps .

Clotted blood streaks streaks the sink and great wide swaths of red stain the floor where hundreds of flies swarm. In the middle, there lies a dead body, that looks like it was torn apart and eaten by a snake.

"Holy sh-" muttered Amelia, but she didn't finish, and she shouted before she gagged at the smell: "HERMIONE!" Amelia rushes to the girl, and she gives her a confused look.

"What's wrong?"

"Bagshot isn't a person." replied Amelia, as she takes out her wand, and ascends the stairs. "I'll explain later. Harry's in trouble. I mean, as always, but this is different."

They rush up the stairs. "HARRY!" yelled Amelia.

The bedroom door swings open, reveals Hermione and Amelia silhouetted against the stairwell, wand poised.

A flash of red light ricochets around the room and Nagini's tail whips angrily about, shattering the bedroom window. Amelia narrows her eyes at the snake.

Amelia and Hermione dives aside and Harry covers his face as the curtains burst into flames and shards of glass shower the room in a rush of cold air.

As Harry reclaims his wand and rises, Nagini's body uncoils in fury, splintering furniture and blasting holes into the walls.

"Confringo!" As Hermione's spell caroms off the trembling walls, we see both her and Harry reflected in a mirror. He leaps, sweeping them toward the smoldering window. As they pitch themselves into the night, the mirror explodes and shards of glass, reflecting bits of Hermione, Amelia and Harry and the giant snake, tumble in the night, slowly vanishing into... nothingness.

Weirdly quiet. Like the memory of a day long ago. A lone figure -- Hermione -- walks from the river to the woods, a pail of water in hand, leaving silent footprints in the frost that glitters on the ground.

Amelia drops beside Harry, caressing his cheeks. "Harry...Harry, can you hear me...?"

"Amelia," breathed Harry. "Yes."

"Oh Good. That's good..."

"We got away." stated Harry.

"Yes..." nodded Hermione, she nods at Amelia then walks away.

"Are you alright?" asked Harry.

"I'm fine. But you've been sick. Rest... Rest a bit more..." said Amelia, soothingly.

•••

Hermione sits reading a by the fire. The hillside is glorious, overlooking a vast valley. Amelia was beside her, frowning as she read the diary.

Harry approaches them, but Amelia doesn't glance up at him, being very focused on the dairy.

OCTOBER 3RD 1974