NATALIA [Draco Malfoy Fanfiction]

Twenty-Four | Switzerland

Though my magic was slowly returning, it came to me weakened and left me exhausted whenever I tried to use what I had. So, in order to prepare for Switzerland, I took every recovery potion I could, and tried to get at least 10 hours of sleep.

And then there was my mind, which was a whole other problem—as even after the week I had spent recovering, I still couldn't stay conscious for more than a few hours, and when I was awake, my thoughts came to me slowly and rather disjointed. Draco tried to help where he could, but we both knew it would only frustrate me more to rely on him more than I already did. So for the most part, I had pretended that such weakness didn't exist, and had been powering through to the best of my abilities.

That night, I had awoken sometime around 2 in the morning, shifting to notice Draco still sleeping peacefully next to me.

I sit up slowly, something strange in how the world around me felt, like I was missing something that was right in front of me. It was only when I blink that I realize what it was.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

Sirius chuckled from the foot of the bed; "that you are, my dear."

I smile softly, tears pricking my eyes I stand and run into his arms. "Is it weird that I miss you?" I asked after a moment.

"No, of course not. I'm a wonderful person, people are bound to get attached."

I laughed breathlessly, pulling away to take him in once again; "is it really you?"

"Of course, Nat. You of all people should know that the dead have their ways of popping in to say hello."

"Yes, it's just... you died twice?"

"I know, crazy right?"

He gave me a wry smile, making me shake my head in mild amusement. "What's it like, the afterlife?"

"Oh sweetheart, you need some mysteries in your life," he said, pausing before adding; "though, I can answer some questions you might still have."

"Like..."

"Well, Mooney—erm—Lupin was right," Sirius explained, "Diana was able to see your future, and why it's so important that you stay alive—"

"—you spoke to her?" I cut in, "you can do that?"

He nodded; "it's been great, catching up and all that. But, that's only partly why I'm here. I wanted to explain that she had placed a old spell on me a long time ago, one that preserved some part of my mortal soul when I died—meaning that I could still block the killing curse the second time around. She's been watching over you, and wants you to know that your strength runs deeper than you know, and that beacon I told you about is brighter than you think."

A beacon for dead people—I remembered the words that Sirius used all those months ago.

"But, what does this have to do with keeping me alive?"

"Your fight isn't over, Nat. And I know it might be tempting to run, but you don't want to spend the rest of your life running, especially when all you have to protect you is that ferret," Sirius told me, grinning through the last few worlds.

"What should I do then?"

"Get in contact with Lupin—he was the one who was right about you the first time, and I'd feel better about passing you onto him than leaving you to fend for yourself," Sirius said.

"I'm going to have to fight."

"To save the world? Yea, you're going to have to get your hands a little dirty."