(Final) Part 17: The Finale

20^th July, Sunday, 1902

 

          Dear Diary,

 

          Forgive me. I have not written in the longest time. Things have been…difficult.

          Two major things have happened so far in my life:

          First, I have confessed my affections to Julius! He says he loves me too. That he always has. He kissed me so tenderly on the lips. I felt as if I were in the deepest depths of Elysium. But this joy is marred by something else. Something horrible…that is the second thing.

          Second, something happened to me.  A powerful and fierce enemy of Father’s has threatened us. He has…been propelled to do something terrible. He attacked us! For what reason, I know not. It is something between Father and him. It is not my position to ask. But when he attacked…the power I talked about before…what I explained to you…my abilities rose up in me. They overtook my body and attacked in defense Father’s enemy. I felt…lost while in it. Lost and alone. It’s a…cold feeling. Nothing I have ever experienced before in my entire life. And this power…it drained nearly all of my energy. So much that, if I don’t recover, I…I might…die.

          Dearest Diary, I do not wish it to be so as I lie here in my bed, weakly writing this. But if it is what the Fates call for, then…I accept my destiny for what it is.

          Whatever it is.

 

Love,

 

Valonia Vela

 

_____________________________________

 

It is the day, Vela, said the Dark Lord, his snake hiss echoing in the void of Orin’s mind.

I will do what you have ordered me to, Master. I will not fail.

I hope not. For that will just…bring your demise earlier than it should. So, do not. You know what will happen if you do.

Of course, Master. I understand.

Good.

Once again, the Dark Lord’s voice faded from Orin’s mind. Orin opened his eyes and looked around his snowy surroundings. The trees were thick and the underbrush was dusted with sparkling sun as the morning sun shone through the thick branches above. Rays of light filtered in around him. The snow crunched under his feet as he walked towards Hogwarts.

Orin’s skin was drawn back; he hadn’t eaten it days. His eyes were sunken; he looked like a living skeleton, arising from the warm earth. And a skeleton he was indeed. He was more dead than alive. His eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep, but Orin barely acknowledged his own health. He needed to carry out the plans that the Dark Lord had been preparing for so long.

And today would be that very day.

Orin walked and walked, slowly and calmly until he glimpsed the castle through the thick underbrush. He sat down on the ground. Now he would wait. He would know just when to strike. Drea wouldn’t know what had hit her.

 

______________________________

 

“Drea! Would you just calm down!” Cho snapped in my face.

I took in a deep breath, relaxing my rigid body. I closed my eyes and inhale and exhale slowly. Letting out a last breath, I looked at her and crossed my arms.

“Happy?” I ask stubbornly.

“Better,” Cho comments. She raises an eyebrow at me. “Look, I know you’re playing tonight and all. You’ve got to relax.”

I sighed.

“You’re right…as always.”

I sink onto my soft mattress and lean back, closing my eyes.

“Ohm….”

I feel Cho slap my shoulder, giggling.

“Stop it and be serious for once!” she laughed.

“I am being serious! I’m trying to relax,” I protested, I sat up, throwing my hands into the air.

She grinned at me and shook her head.

“Forget what I said and just do your stuff. You’ll be fine up there, okay? I’ve heard you humming before, and you’re excellent.”

“Thanks,” I said.

 

I sat at the table in the Ravenclaw Common Room, nervously tapping my fingers against the dark oak wood. I glance at the window and peer out at the sky. The sun was high up in the sky, marking that afternoon was still around. STILL. You want to know why I was so nervous? Combined with a slight case of stage fright was the dreaded feeling of foreboding that had been lingering on my shoulders for a few days now. And it didn’t feel like going away.

Now that I knew who Orin was loyal to, the prospect of him doing something dangerous to me, or even Harry, scared me thoroughly. How was I supposed to deal with it exactly? Just sitting and wait for my doom to come and pounce on me? Nope, nada, no way. It wasn’t going to happen. I had to do something about it, to keep my mind and me occupied busy.

I swiped my cloak off of my bed, it’s the dark green of pine trees today, and rush outside and into the dead cold. It may have been cold, but prancing around in the snow would entertain me until this evening. I just hope that I didn’t catch hypothermia (which I didn’t).

 

The landscape was silent. As I saunter through the light covering of snow, I savor the eerie silence that comes with winter. It was my favorite season, and the only one that was really dead quiet. There was no life, especially since everybody was inside toasting their butts off instead of being out here in the freezing weather like me.

I divert my eyes to the sky. I can tell that some time has passed because the sun is midway in its journey to set. Relief washes over me like a cool ocean wave. It was then I really began to relax and enjoy the frosty surroundings.

For no apparent reason at all, I began to build a snowman. The process is slow, but the work keeps my mind busy so it doesn’t wander off (and possibly get lost; I’d hate that). First I roll up a tiny snowball in the snow, and roll it around until it morphs and changes into a really big snowball when I’m finished. I put the big snow ball in one spot and start rolling up another tiny snowball until it too is big. But it’s not as big as the first, but right in the middle. I lug the medium snowball up on top of the big snowball. Lastly, I rolled up the smallest snowball for the head. It’s smaller than the first two.

Then, I’m finished. I don’t bother to decorate it because it was just going to melt anyway. Really lame thing to do, I know, but when I look up at the sky, the sun is beginning to set. Time to prepare for the Christmas Ball.

 

______________________________

 

“Why does this feel so much like the Yule Ball?” Ron asked.

“Because it basically is,” answered Harry, fiddling with his collar. He was dressed in black dress robes, almost identical to the ones he had worn to the Yule Ball two years before. He ran his finger through his hair, trying to flatten it out, but no matter what he did, it kept sticking right back up again. Harry gave up his efforts.

Ron seemed slightly pleased with himself ever since Fred and George had bought him new dress robes with the winnings Harry had won from the Triwizard Tournament. They looked a lot better than the old, hand-me-down ones he had before. Ron smiled a little at his reflection. He turned to Harry and raised his eyebrows.

“What do you think?”

“They suit you,” Harry replied dully, flicking his eyes towards Ron for a moment.

Truthfully, Harry didn’t really care about Ron’s robes. He was thinking about something, someone, else more important to him. That would be Drea.

As if reading his mind, Ron asked, “If you like Drea so much, why don’t you ask her out?”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Just go up and ask her. Simple.”

Harry frowned at Ron.

“I meant, how am I supposed to get the courage to ask her out?”

“You fight dragons and defeat You-Know-Who,” Ron said, “and you can’t even ask a girl out?”

“You can’t even ask Hermione out if you like her so much,” countered Harry.

Ron turned a bright shade of red.

“T-that’s off the matter, Harry. I’m talking about you,” Ron stuttered.

“I think I’ll just ask Drea to dance tonight,” Harry decided. He went down the boys’ dormitory stairs and waited as Ron filed down right after him. Hermione came down the stairs from the girls’ dormitory stairs. Her hair was straightened and shiny; her gown was down to her feet and the ravishing colors of dark magenta and light pink. Hermione smiled brightly at the both of them.

“You two look…handsome,” she complimented, her voice wavering slightly when she met Ron’s eyes.

“Y-you,” croaked Ron nervously, “you look…b-beautiful, Hermione.”

Hermione flushed slightly.

“Thank you, Ron. Shall we go?” she asked the two of them, She bustled out the portrait excitedly before they could even answer. Ron and Harry followed Hermione wordlessly; Ron still awed by how pretty she looked.

Harry’s thoughts were on Drea at that moment. He wondered how she was doing.

 

________________________

 

I changed into my outfit for that night. It consisted of my red corset, a black skirt whose length went right above my knee, fishnet stockings and my black boots. I wore black fishnet fingerless gloves on my hands, matching my stockings. My hair was gelled back into a bun with a matching red headband to my corset. My nails were painted blood red and stood out against my ivory skin.

I was ready.

“Just a minute, Drea,” said Cho from the bathroom. She emerged. “Okay…what do you think?”

“Cho…wow…you’re gorgeous!”

And so she was.

Cho’s dress was a lovely sparkly silver-blue. It was strapless, so her arms showed. She had on a matching shawl around her shoulders to keep her warm. She had on white snowflake earrings and a matching snowflake pendant around her neck.

Cho flushed with satisfaction.

“Thanks. You look great, too!”

“Thanks. I have to go now, but I’ll see you from on-stage, okay? Bye!”

“See you!”

I rushed down the dormitory stairs and out the Ravenclaw portrait. I pursed my glossed red lips together nervously as I approached the Great Hall and entered. Professor Flitwick had decorated the place beautifully with Christmas decorations and a nice light winter theme. I met the boys backstage and we chattered.

“Who else is up there?” I asked Lex.

“A few other bands,” Heath answered. “But I know we’ll be the best, especially with Drea as our singer!”

The rest agreed enthusiastically and I blushed furiously at it.

“Yeah…thanks,” I said. “Are we up first?”

“Yeah…first come, first placed,” answered Dale.

Aaron nodded with him.

Nervousness filled my stomach, overwhelmed more by excitement, though. Then the announcer called us up. It was time for me to face my fate.

We all climbed the stairs that led on-stage and the boys took their places. I took mine at the microphone (magical, of course). I stared out at the audience. I didn’t see Cho, but that was probably because there were so many students crowding around the stage. Harry was up front near the stage; he smiled at me. I smiled shyly back.

“Hey, guys! You ready to rock?” I shouted.

The crowd cheered.

A put my hand to my ear.

“I can’t hear you! Are you ready to rock?”

They cheered even louder.

“All right! Boys, start it up!”

And they did.

The stage and hall went dark, and I backed up, holding the microphone in one hand; the other hand was positioned by my side. The crowd went silent. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.

Lex began to play the piano, a haunting tune that tantalized me and drew me in with its flow.

A light appeared from above and shone on me. I raised the microphone to my lips and began to sing.

“I’m so tired of being here

I’m suppressed by all my childish fears

And if you have to leave,

I wish that you would just leave

‘cause your presence still lingers here

and it won’t leave me alone

These wounds won’t seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There’s just too much that time cannot erase”

 

The audience fell under my spell, weaving to and fro with my voice.

 

“When you cried I’d wipe away all of your tears,

When you’d scream I’d fight away all of your fears

And I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have…all of me…”

 

The light followed me as I made my way slowly to the edge of the stage. I lowered the microphone from my lips for a moment. I rose the microphone to my lips again.

 

“You used to captivate me by your resonating light

Now I’m bound by the life you left behind”

 

As I sang the next words, I looked deep into Harry’s eyes; he did the same with me, appearing haunted and enchanted by my voice.

 

“Your face it holds my once plans and dreams

Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me”

 

I turned away from him and walked to the center of the stage. Everyone watched me, even the teachers. I continued to sing.

 

“These wounds won’t seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There’s just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I’d wipe away all of your tears

When you’d scream I’d fight away all of your fears

And I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have all of me…”

 

My voice progressed higher with more suspense, nearing the conclusion of the song. So did Lex on his piano. The rest of the boys got ready to play.

 

“I’ve tried so hard to tell myself that you’re gone

But though you’re still with me

I’ve been alone all along”

 

I rose the microphone in my hand slowly up in the air as the boys’ guitars and drums kicked in.

 

“When you cried I’d wipe away all of your tears

When you’d scream I’d fight away all of your fears

And I held your hands through all of these years”

 

Lex continued to play the tune, but the other boys wound their playing down to an eerie silence.

 

“But you still have…all of me…

Oh…

All of me…

Oh…

Me…Oh…”

 

I stopped singing and Lex continued to play. I backed up slowly, and when the song ended, I bowed my head in the light and let my arms drop to my sides. Lex stopped his playing and the entire room faded into darkness.

The crowd was silent in awe for a moment, but they suddenly burst out cheering. I smiled in the darkness. The lights came up and I walked to the edge of the stage. Everyone cheered at the sight of me. Harry smiled at me, and I returned his smile.

Everyone cheered and appaulded us. We all took bows.

“All right, Hogwarts! Glad you like that. That was My Immortal,” I said to the crowd. “Next is Call Me When You’re Sober. Hit it guys!”

Lex hit the piano as I sang.

 

“Don’t cry to me if you loved me

You would be here with me

You want me

Come find me

Make up your mind…”

 

Heath and Dale picked up on the guitars as Aaron did on his drums.

 

“Should I let you fall?

Lose it all?

So maybe you can remember yourself

Can’t keep believing

We’re only deceiving

Ourselves

And I’m sick of the lie

And you’re too late

Don’t cry to me if you loved me

You would be here with me

You want me

Come find me

Make up your mind”

 

Lex played out the rocking tune on his piano as the other boys rocked hard. There was a slight pause, then they picked it up again.

 

“Couldn’t take the blame

Sick with shame

Must be exhausting

To lose your own game

Selfishly hated

No wonder you’re jaded

You can’t play the victim this time

And you’re too late

Don’t cry to me

If you loved me

You would be here with me

You want me

Come find me

Make up your mind”

 

The guitars and drums halted, leaving Lex to play his piano with me singing along.

 

“You never call when you’re sober

You only want it’s ’cause it’s over

Oh…it’s over…”

 

There was another pause. It ended and the guitars and drums picked up again, thrashing and banging. The crowd before me way dancing and swaying like a wave.

 

“How could I have burned paradise?

How could I?

You were never mine

So don’t cry to me if you loved me

You would be here with me

Don’t lie to me

Just get your things

I’ve made up your mind…”

 

Finishing the song, I pointed a finger towards the audience as I completed it. I laughed at their enthusiasm. They cheered again.

“Our last one will be Like You. Then we’re out of here!”

They cheered and appaulded, growing silent as the boys and I prepared ourselves for our last song of the night.

Heath, Dale, and Aaron started their thing, drumming and strumming softly for a while until I began to sing. Lex played the piano softly. The room went dark again, leaving me in a single spotlight again.

 

“Stay low

Soft dark and dreamless

Far beneath my nightmares and loneliness

I hate me

For breathing without you

I don’t want to feel anymore for you

Grieving for you

I’m not grieving for you

Nothing real love can’t undo

And though I may have lost my way,

All paths lead straight to you

I long to be like you

Lie cold in ground like you…

Mmm-hmm…

Halo

Blinding wall between us

Melt away and leave us alone again

Humming

Haunted somewhere out there

I believe our love can see us through in death

I long to be like you

Lie cold in the ground like you

There’s room inside for two

And I’m not grieving for you

I’m coming for you…”

 

Lex softly played his piano as I flowed with the melody.

 

“You’re not alone,

no matter what they told you,

you’re not alone

I’ll be right beside you forevermore”

 

Heath, Aaron, and Dale picked up on their strumming and drumming.

 

“I long to be like you, sis,

Lie cold in the ground like you did

There’s room inside for two

And I’m not grieving for you

And as we lay in silent bliss

I know you remember me

I long to be like you

Lie cold in the ground like you

There’s room inside for two

And I’m not grieving for you

I’m coming for you…”

 

They wind down their playing and stop eventually. The lights come back on, nearly blinding me. We take bows before the cheering crowd.

“Thank you,” I said into the microphone. “Thank you. You’ve been a great crowd this evening! Enjoy the Ball.”

I hook the microphone back up on its stand and we leave the stage, the boys taking their instruments with them. The next band went up and set their instruments up for their own act. The boys went off and did their own thing, wishing me good-byes.

“Drea!” said a voice rushing up in front of me. Cho appears, throwing herself at me with a hug. “You were excellent!”

I pulled away from the hug and grinned at her.

“You think?”

“Yeah!” Cho exclaimed. “Your voice is absolutely amazing! Did you ever take training?”

I shrugged.

“Not, not really.”

“You want to come get some punch with Roger and I?” she asked.

I smiled at her.

“Sure.”

Cho linked her arm through mine and pulled me through the thick crowd and to the buffet. She introduces me to Roger, who’s handsome (but so not my type). He was Cho’s type, though.

I hang with them both for a while, sipping punch and eating. But I eventually wander off. I suddenly bump into someone.

“Hello, Drea,” greets Dumbledore. “Fine evening, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Professor, quite.”

Dumbledore clasped his aged hands in my own and smiled.

“Time is short, Drea. Be sure to measure it exactly right.”

Then, he walked away. I felt something metal in my hands and open them up to reveal a time-turner. I hold it up and am confused. What the heck would I need a time-turner for? My father once went over the basics of a time-turner with me, so I knew how to work one and well. But what purpose would it serve me tonight?

Mulling over this, I stepped outside and walked near the castle. The cold air was frighteningly still. The eerie feeling of foreboding crept up my spine, causing me to shiver. Suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder and I scream.

I turn around, and there’s Harry.

“You shouldn’t be out here by yourself,” he said. “It’s dangerous.”

“I can protect myself,” I replied.

“At least let me give you my coat,” Harry offered.

I shrugged, and he took that as a yes. He draped his coat over my shoulders. Warm tingled my skin. I smiled up at Harry.

“Thanks…”

“You were…good,” said Harry softly, walking alongside me.

“Thank you…How come you’re out here?” I asked him.

Harry glances at me shyly.

“Because you are. I thought you’d need some company out here.”

I blushed, but hoped he couldn’t see my red face in the darkness. Softly, Harry touches my cheek, turning my head towards his. He leans in and kisses me tenderly. The kiss I’ve wanted for so long…the kiss I’ve waited for ever since I first saw Harry in Diagon Alley.

I kiss back just as tenderly. The kiss turns deep, but still remains soft and loving. He broke it, stroking my cheek gently with a hand.

“I love you, Drea,” Harry said.

“I love you, too, Harry. I always have.”

“Me, too.”

He kisses me again. Warmth immediately takes over me; my heart was full and in love. I felt like I wanted to cry, but tears of happiness. He loved me just as much I loved him.

He finally pulls away, smiling at me. I smile back. I hug him, wanting to be close to him. He accepts the embrace.

 

Together, hand in hand, we walk down to the frozen lake and just enjoy each other’s company. I wasn’t lonely anymore. My heart didn’t ache anymore because it was healed by the one thing I had most needed: love. Love heals everything. Love may seem to make you weak, but in the end it always turns out to be much stronger than any other emotion, especially anger. Anger is simply with a dreaded emptiness; there’s no satisfaction in anger or hate or revenge. It brings nothing but a person’s doom because their mind is so…so clouded. Love is forever and everlasting.

I leaned my head on Harry’s shoulder and he wrapped his arm around my waist, drawing me closer to him. It felt so right to finally be with him. We were each other’s and nobody else’s. We were one.

Then, we heard the dreaded sound.

We both turned our heads at the loud crunching of snow. I gasped when I recognized the ghostly pale face in front of me, wrapped in furs.

“Orin!”

“Yessss…it’sss me, Drea,” Orin hissed like a snake, baring his longer teeth. “And look…the two little lovebirdssss…ready for me to attack them…heh.”

“What do you want?” I demanded, drawing away from Harry.

“To take the both of you down…HA! Crucio!” Orin snaps.

Immediately an overwhelming pain fills me. I drop to the ground as Orin points his wand to me harder and harder. The pain grows even more unbearable.

“DREA!” Harry yells. “Rictusempra!”

Harry knocks Orin back. The pain quickly fades. I rise up slowly, but then quickly. Harry rushes over to me, but is blown back by another one of Orin’s spells.

“HARRY! GOD, NO!”

He’s lying there. I run over to him. I feel his pulse, and find that he’s still alive. I turn to Orin and step in front of Harry’s unconscious body.

“You want him, Orin, you have to go through me!” I shouted.

Orin, as he approaches me, smiles tauntingly. He shakes uncontrollably, shrieking. He returns to normal after a while.

“Drea…ssso…we finally meet…”

“Voldemort! What do you want from me?! You killed my family and attacked Harry! TELL ME!”

“I want yoursss and Potter’sss deathsss…I’ve wanted them for sssso long…Avada Kedavra!”

I quickly throw a counter spell at him, but it’s not enough. I’m thrown back. I didn’t want to do this, but…it was the only way to defeat Voldemort.

I had to kill Orin using my powers. And it might kill me in the process.

I close my eyes, rage filling me. The wind swirls around me. I rise off the ground. My eyes fly open. I send a wave of magic at Voldemort, whom possessed Orin’s body. I use all my energy, willpower, and magic.

“AAH!”

Orin was thrown back and the life drained from him. I’m thrown back, too. I clutch the time-turner hard in my hand, hoping it won’t be lost. I feel myself dying. I twist the time-turner ten times.

This would take Harry and everyone back to the beginning of the year. But this time, it would be a different story. One without me.

I slam my eyes shut as the time-turner transports me back to the past. I black out, tired and exhausted.

I hated to leave Harry and Cho, but I had to. Or else they’d die.

Tears pour down my unconscious face.

I disappear from Hogwarts forever, though the magic of love is with me forever.