Athena Dumbledore (A Harry Potter Love Story)

Dark Days

ATHENA POV:

I don't want to talk. I don't want to move. Every time I do move, my heart throbs in my chest and sends a wave of fear and pain through my whole body. I got to skip school for the last few days, and many people have come to visit me, but I pay them no attention. Not even Uncle Aberfourth. This is the most painful experience I've ever been through in my life and I just want to forget all of it.

"Athena?" I don't move. Just stare. "Athena?!" The person proceeds to shaking me. "It's me, Harry." I still don't move or even blink. The bed sinks lower and I can tell he sat down. "Please come back, Athena." I try to say something but I can't find my voice. All that comes out is a small whimper. My body feels numb, even as Harry gathers me in his arms. "Athena, please say something!" I don't even flinch at the sound of his loud voice. He pulls me into his lap and rocks me back and forth, muttering things under his breath. "Please, please, please please..." He keeps saying things and I want desperately to say something, but I'm too weak now. Even my hair has stayed the same lifeless, black color ever since the incident. For hours it seems, Harry holds me. He just holds me and doesn't say anything at all. I fall asleep several times and wake up with him still holding me.

"Harry?" I whisper, my eyes closed. Harry shifts so he's looking straight at my face. I peep my eyes opened.

"Athena." He smiles a wide smile, but I frown, still mourning.

"He's gone..." Harry holds me tighter.

"Yeah, yeah he is," he replies sadly. I whimper and Harry kisses me lightly on the forehead.

"I miss him," I say simply, past the stage of crying.

"I know," Harry replies. "I miss him too."

By the end of the week I feel slightly better, but my thoughts always seem to return to Uncle Albus and I just freeze up whenever they do. Harry's the only one who's able to wake me up.

At the end of school, before the end of year feast, Harry, Hermione, Ron and I are all gathered on the Astronomy tower. My hair still a dark black color, I clutch onto Harry and stare over the railing Uncle Albus fell off of.

"We have to go hunting for them," Harry says suddenly, "the horcruxes, I mean." Hermione and Ron join us at the railing. Ron hesitantly puts an arm around Hermione and she flushes scarlet. Harry smirks at Ron and Ron smiles right back.

"How do we find the horcruxes?" Ron asks.

"We follow the clues, I guess." He pauses. "But...you guys should stay behind. It's going to be dangerous...and...I don't want you to get hurt..." Hermione and Ron both scoff.

"Harry, no offense," Hermione says carefully, "but we've proved this theory many times." She looks Harry right in the eye. "You can't do this on your own, Harry. You need us. All of us." Harry thinks about it for a second.

"He could use you to get to me...and I can't risk that..." I turn Harry to face me.

"Harry," I say softly, "don't you think it'll be worse if we stay here at Hogwarts next year? With Snape as headmaster, Hogwarts will be crawling with Death Eaters." I say "Snape" with so much bitterness it makes him sound like Voldemort himself.

"She's right, Harry," Hermione jumps in, "we're in more danger here than if we were to go with you!" Harry looks torn as I wrap my arms around him and hug him.

"You don't have to do this alone, Harry." He hugs me back and smiles.

"I know. But I hope you know what you're getting yourselves into." Ron chuckles.

"Mate, none of us know what we're getting ourselves into." Silence fell over all of us.

"Ron, I honestly think that's the first thing you've said that makes absolute sense." Everyone laughs at the comment and Harry shields me when Ron tries to get back at me. Hermione just stands by and giggles. I guess laughter really is the best medicine.

"So when do we leave?" Hermione asks darkly. We all turn to Harry.

"As soon as possible," Harry answers simply.

"I say we leave after Bill and Fleur's wedding," Ron suggests and, with a little bit of arguing, we all agree.

That night at the evening feast, there's almost no laughter. Everyone is giving me pitiful looks and people are mourning his death. People come and give me hugs, even some I don't know, but some just give me empathetic looks. Harry is being so sweet, though. Even Ron and Hermione! They keep offering to do stuff for me and sticking right by my side, helping me through this whole thing. They try their best to keep me involved in conversations and keep the topic far away from the incident. My hair is still a deadly black and it hasn't changed back since I watched my Uncle die before my eyes. It's a sad color, but it suits my mood perfectly.

Even though everything lately that has happened, I'm still excited for the summer to be over. I want to take Voldemort down as soon as possible. If Voldemort goes down, so does Snape. And Snape needs to pay for what he did. I'd go and strangle him right now, but no one's seen him since that day. But he'll be back next year...and I won't be here. Someone will make him pay, though. A crime such as murder can never go unpunished.