Poison Ivy | T. Riddle ✔

[66] Eternal Freedom

Demelza was standing at the door awaiting their return and soon enough the Order members had started to return. Her eyes lit up in relief as she saw her son and she reached forward, taking him in a warm embrace as tears poured down her cheeks for she had feared that she had almost lost him forever, "Danny... Thank Merlin, you're here. Thank God, you're alive."

Pulling apart she looked at him closely, her eyes lingering on the wounds he had received, features saddening as she took in his injured form. But he smiled reassuringly at her, holding her by the arms gently, "Mum, I'll be fine. Everything will be okay, trust me."

"Nathan? Perseus?" Her concern flickered towards them but Danny gently took her aside so that the other members could step in and soon enough Perce and Nathan came in as well. 

Demelza's features eased at last seeing that the two were alive and though wounded her son's words held a certain confidence when he had told her that they would all be fine. She hoped with all her heart that it would be so for they had suffered enough and she could not bear to lose any of them.

Healers had been called in as well so that the wounded could be treated so those who had returned were ushered inside immediately. The three of them assured Demelza that they would come back to her soon as they received treatment so she nodded, letting them go to the Healers as well, at heart praying for everyone to recover.

The wounds inflicted by the Inferi were something that the Healers unfortunately had no knowledge of for such Dark creatures had not been created in the past and only Voldemort had succeeded in reanimating them.

So there was some uncertainty as to what could be used to treat the wound and whether the bites were infectious or not. In the end, the Healers had resorted to use a similar mixture of dittany which was used on werewolf wounds. The mixture helped in sealing the wounds and so the Healers treated all those who were affected to the very best of their efforts. 

The beds had been set up in the main area of the Headquarters akin to the infirmary at Hogwarts and all those who had been treated were told to rest.

Perseus was laying on his bed, his eyes looking at the ceiling though his mind was elsewhere, last night's events replaying in his head over and over again. The power had broken forth for one last time, the black dust which had swirled in front of his eyes back then wouldn't do so again for he knew his time was up.

After almost thirty years of battling against the chaos which Tom Riddle had spread in his life, he finally felt as if he was near the end of getting free from everything that had chained him down for so many years.

He blinked twice to clear his vision as an unearthly light seemed to engulf him and he could no longer see the familiar surroundings of the Order's Headquarters. Instead it seemed as if he was surrounded by pure white light that seemed to pour down from above.

He turned his hands such that his palms were facing upwards and he could feel all the darkness, sorrow and pain leave his body, evaporating as the black dust rose up and faded into nothing. He felt lighter than he ever had in his whole life, fifty years had passed but that sort of lightness was something he could only associate to how he had felt back when he was a child, running through Knockturn Alley carelessly with no worries of the future.

A bright red glimmered through the white light and his eyes settled on a vision that he had longed to lay eyes on in so many years such that a tear escaped the blue irises. Through the heavenly white light, Renata Fawley stepped out, her lovely features set in a welcoming smile and her hands reached out towards him.

Perseus realized that she had come to take him with her and all he had to do was place his hand in hers for his life to end. More than two decades had passed since he had last laid eyes on her and yet at that moment she looked very much alive though she had been murdered right in front of him.

There was no trace of pain on her features and she looked at peace, an angel come down from above to take him to his final destination.

"Perseus," she edged closer, the white light emanating from her was not blinding but had a rather soothing effect over him, "come with me."

Her voice was as clear as a crystal bell and another tear streaked down his face for the sight had overwhelmed him, "Renata..."

"I have waited for you for so long," her hand was outstretched and her green eyes looked down at him lovingly.

"So have I," he breathed, his voice was a muted whisper for he knew it was the kind of vision only he could see and the rest of the people around him, though they had vanished for the time being, were still there but had no idea of the ethereal scene playing out in front of his blue eyes.

He lifted his hand placing it in hers at last and her beautiful smile widened as she entwined her fingers through his own. Bending down closer to him, she whispered, "you won, Perseus. You have kept your vow faithfully till your last breath." 

His other hand reached out to tentatively touch her face and though he feared she would vanish the instant his fingers would caress her cheek but she didn't fade, instead she leaned in to his touch, her green eyes mesmerizing him just like in those days when the two were together and Tom Riddle had not destroyed their lives.

"I'm so proud of you. You didn't let my sacrifice go in vain and I am certain that yours will not go in vain either," she spoke as she bent down and kissed him. And soon as her lips touched his, he could feel his soul departing his body.

His end had come but Death had greeted him like an old friend. Unlike Tom Riddle, who had always feared death and ran away from it, Perseus Burke found his solace in it. He was reconciled with his true love in death at last after his whole life of lamenting and mourning her but not giving up for she had sacrificed herself for the betterment of the wizarding world and he had done the same.

The ethereal white light faded as both Perseus and Renata vanished along with it their hands entwined together while the only thing that remained of Perce was his mortal body, his blue eyes closing forever but a heavenly calm had spread on his features.

He had finally gone where he was supposed to be and was freed from all the pain that had accumulated itself in his life for so many years. At last, Death had taken all the sorrows away and bestowed him with his long lost peace and freedom which no one could take away from him anymore for it was eternal.

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