𝑇𝐸𝐸𝑇𝐻 | 𝐷𝑅𝐴𝐶𝑂 𝑀𝐴𝐿𝐹𝑂𝑌 ✓

𝟓𝟎. 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐏

Trigger warnings: none

***

Harry was saying goodbye to Hermione and Ron. He had to go and face Voldemort. He was ready to die.

Athena decided to go with him. If she had to die with him, then she would do it.

But she also wanted to be by her brother's side. If he had only some minutes left on this earth, she wanted to spend them with him.

Side by side, they went together to the Forbidden Forest.

Harry took the Golden Snitch out of his pocket. He slowly put it in his mouth and it opened, revealing the Resurrection Stone.

''We must get rid of it, right?'' Athena asked, her voice a whisper.

Harry nodded. ''Yes, we must. I can't let Voldemort have all the Hallows in his possession.''

He let the stone fall to the ground and then they started walking again.

But an illusion made them halt in their steps.

They were two people there, staring at them with wide, warm smiles.

''Harry?'' Athena whispered.

She couldn't recognize the two people she was seeing, because she had never seen them before. ''Are you seeing those illusions as well?'' she asked in fear.

''It's our parents,'' Harry smiled at her, gently grabbing her hand. "Come on."

Athena felt her heart beating fast in her chest, as she looked at her father and her mother, for the first time in her life.

''Mom, dad...'' she cried. ''I can't believe I am actually seeing you.''

''My beautiful children,'' Lily spoke, smiling at them proudly.

''You have both grown so much...'' James smiled at them too.

''How are we able to see them?'' she whispered, mesmerized by the image before her.

She couldn't take her eyes off of them. Athena felt her heart immediately warming up at the sight of her parents.

''I summoned them with the Stone. I wanted to do this with you," Harry whispered. "You deserved to see them as well."

Athena smiled at her brother and looked back at their parents.

Two other men walked over to them. Athena recognized Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, Harry's godfather.

They all had come to say their goodbyes to Harry. He was now absolutely sure that his end was near.

Lily held out both of her hands, silently calling her children to get close to her.

Athena and Harry stepped closer to her, both mesmerized by her presence.

They tried to touch her hands, but they couldn't, because she wasn't actually here. And the realization hurt the both of them, deeply.

Lily looked at them with a sad expression on her face. ''You have both been so brave, my loves," she said with the sweetest voice.

Harry couldn't help but turn to Sirius.

Sirius smiled at him. ''Is death painful? Does it hurt?'' he asked him, as he felt a lump forming in his throat.

Athena closed her eyes, trying to hold her fresh tears back. She felt like she was being deeply cut with a knife.

''It's quicker than falling asleep,'' he reassured him, giving him a warm smile. "It will be over soon," he promised.

Athena was now crying while watching this.