mother of wands (d.m) part two

XVI

"You've out done yourself this time Hermione," He says with a nod, motioning to the snowy scene around us.

She smiles to herself as she looks around, "The Forest of Dean. I came here once with my mum and dad, years ago. It's just how I remember it, the trees the river... Everything. Like nothing's changed."

"One of the best places we've been," Athena says as she pats Hermione sweetly on the back.

Her smile fades quickly, "Not true of course everything's changed. If I brought my parents back here now they probably wouldn't recognize any of it. Not the trees, not the river, not even me."

The mood immediately falls as I understand what she's saying. I thought I had it bad with a mother who lied to keep herself safe, but Hermione had to obliviate her parents to save them.

"Maybe we should just stay here, grow old." She says with a laugh.

Athena chuckles, "Absolutely not."

Hermione turns back to Harry, the emotion in her eyes still solemn. "You wanted to know who the boy in the photograph was, we know. Gellert Grindelwald."

Athena hands the book to Harry, the page with my father still open, his eyes seeming to follow me as it passes.

"He's the thief I saw in Gregorovich's wand shop!" He says excitedly, his eyes wide.

Hermione's begins, "Well actually he's also Everett's-"

"Speaking of which, where's my wand? Where's my wand Hermione?" He interrupts.

She lowers her eyes in shame, scooting from her spot under the tree to reveal 4 pieces of broken wood.

"As we were leaving Godric's Hollow I cast a curse and it rebounded." She hands him it to him, broken. "I'm sorry, I tried to mend it but wands are different."

Harry shrugs, "It's done, leave me yours."

She nods, standing up and rummaging through her bag, pulling out her wand and setting it next to him.

Her small satchel expands as her entire arm goes in again, moving around as her face scrunches in concentration. Finally she emerges with a cable knit sweater and denim jeans, tossing them to me with an empathic look.

"You should get changed, you can wear my extra clothes."

I nod and take them, kindly. "Thank you."

Harry takes the wand in his hand, running his fingers along the wood. "You guys should go inside, get warm, and get changed. I'll take the locket as well. Everett, when you're done, would you want to keep watch with me?"

"Sure," I nod cautiously, a little frightened to be alone with Harry.

We go into the large tent, Athena and Hermione going to the cots on the floor and curling up for a quick rest while I get out of my night clothes from the day before.

I re-emerge, the sun beginning to set as Harry nods for me to follow him through the trees. We walk a little ways until we reach he edge of Hermione's concealment charm, a shimmering film dancing in the air signifying we couldn't go farther.

He sits beneath a nearby pine and I join him on the ground, the silence of the forest feeling heavy on my chest. 

"So," He begins awkwardly. "I heard what you were saying earlier, about Draco."

I nod, "Yeah... I know how he seems but I have a soft spot for him."

Harry scoffs, pulling out a small and jagged piece of mirror from his pocket. He stares into it deeply, moving it around almost as if he's searching for something, or avoiding talking about Draco. Whatever he hopes to get out of it, he seems to get discouraged and tosses it on the ground toward me.

"Mind if I?" I ask, reaching out.

He shrugs, "Be my guest."

I slowly lift the mirror to my face, afraid of what I'll see staring back at me. I nearly drop it when I meet my own eyes, one blue and one stark white.

I had turned into him, the moment I betrayed the boy I loved I became my father.

I felt disgusted with myself and who I saw staring back at me. I didn't know her, she was someone I had never seen.

"Harry," I begin, handing the mirror back to him. "I know this will be hard to believe, but honestly, I'm on your side. And so is Draco."

He rolls his eyes, "I watched as he almost killed Dumbledore, if Snape hadn't stepped in he would have done it."

"No, he was never going to." I plead.

"And you?" He says, the tone of his voice raising. "You stood there and watched!"

"We had a plan Harry," I grab him by the arms as calmly as I can and meet his eyes. "And when the inevitable battle happened you would've seen whose side-"

"Shhhh," He places a hand over my mouth as his eyes shift to something behind me.

I freeze, the fear of coming face to face with the snatchers paralyzing me. He slowly let's go and I turn to see a glowing blue doe between the trees.

Harry stands and begins to walk toward it, after a few steps, spinning back to me and saying, "You coming?"

****