Positive (Completed)

Chapter 14: Scared

Harry was scared. He was the last Horcrux. He was it. He couldn't believe it. Remus and Tonks looked at him confusedly.

"What?"

"My scar. It's a mark. Horcruxes have marks. It says right here. And I was supposed to die that night. But I didn't because of my mother's love. I'm still here. And Voldemort's not any weaker than he was." He swallowed hard. "I-I have to die."

"No, Harry-"

"I have to. To save everyone else. To save you and Hermione and Arabella. I have to sacrifice myself." He began to cry. Remus stood and hugged him.

"We'll find a way, Harry. We'll find a way."

"How?"

"I don't know yet. But we are not going to destroy you. That's for sure," Tonks said.

*****

It was the new year. Ninteen ninety-eight. Arabella stared at the fishbowl in the pet store, smiling. She loved the way they just floated and swam. They had no care in the world. It felt good to get out of the house, even if it was to get cat food for Chrookshanks. She'd make fish faces, imitating them and giggling. Hermione watched laughing as well. She was kneeling down slightly behind her pointing at random fish.

"Look at that one, see how pretty he is?" Hermione asked as she pointed to a beautiful purple fish.

"That's not a 'he', Mummy!" she exclaimed giggling. Hermione smiled. Her speech was beginning to improve. She was pronouncing "th" now, instead of "d". "It's a 'she'!"

"How do you know?" Hermione asked playfully.

Arabella just looked at her with a hint of a smile. "I just know."

Hermione nodded. "Okay, then," she said giving up. She was saying that more often now. "I just know." Hermione was beginning to wonder whether she knew things she didn't. Or even she knew things the whole world didn't. Her daughter was extraordinary, but she couldn't be any prouder.

"Come on, we need to get the cat food for Crookshanks," she stood up from her kneeling position taking her daughter's hand in hers. The two guards were looking at some snakes that just hissed at them. They jumped and one of them ran into the other. The other one shoved them slightly, a little pissed that he ran into him. Arabella, who had looked at them, giggled, trying to stifle it.

Once they got the cat food, they walked to the cash register to check out, but Arabella gasped, "Bunnies! Mummy, can we go look at the bunnies?"

"Sure, but we have to get home soon. We can't stay out too long," Hermione warned and Arabella pulled her along. One of the guards, Lynch, took the cat food from Hermione's hands. She smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

"No problem."

They went to the bunny rabbit cage. Arabella was in awe of them. She had never seen one in real life. Just pictures from animal books. "Aren't they cute?" Hermione asked. She nodded grinning at a very cute one that was a light brown color and had long, floppy ears.

"Look, there are babies! See them?" Hermione asked her kneeling down behind her like she was before.

"Yeah. Did you know that baby rabbits are called kittens?" Arabella asked her mother.