October 18, 1981
the hereafter
Thea felt numb.
Everything was gone.
She touched her stomach, the slight bump was no longer there.
Her baby was gone.
She was gone.
She was gone.
She could no longer protect James.
She couldn't protect Sirius.
She couldn't protect Lily.
She couldn't protect Remus.
She couldn't protect Peter.
She couldn't protect baby Harry.
She couldn't protect her Andromeda.
"Are you alright?"
Thea was met with the dazzling eyes of Marlene McKinnon
"Thea, let me help you up."
She complied, still shaking, still sobbing, still numb.
"Come here."
They sat in each other's arms for an eternity.
For once, they had time.
October 31, 1981
the hereafter
"James?"
James Potter looked up to see his sister.
Thea, was not surprised that someone else had come.
Death was a daily occurrence now.
It was all they knew.
"Please don't let it be you, James."
James chuckled bitterly.
"You're always so happy to see me, Thea."
"Baby Harry."
"Is safe. Lily has him. They're safe."
"Good."
Thea helped up James and they hugged.
He felt tired.
He felt like a shell of who he once was.
He cried.
Soft sobs in her shoulder.
"I've missed you terribly."
They clung to each other.
This is how it started.
This is how it ended.
Someone else appeared.
Thea saw a streak of auburn.
Merlin.
"Lily, she's here."
James turned around to meet the eyes of his wife.
She was holding herself on the floor.
"I failed, James. I failed our son."
"You did beautifully, my love."
"We won't be there to raise him."
"He'll come here, Lils."
Thea and Lily made eye contact.
No, he wouldn't.
Not yet, at least.
Their plan had worked.
June 18, 1996
the hereafter
"Someone's here."
Thea was walking arm in arm with Regulus.
This was not news.
More and more people were dying everyday.
It was happening again.
"He came in from the veil."
"The veil?"
"The veil."
Thea kept walking.
She saw James rush past her.
She shared a glance with Regulus.
They decided to follow.
She saw James jump into his arms.
Sirius.
Thea froze.
It was too soon.
Harry couldn't loose Sirius too.
The crowd split.
They made eye contact.
"Hello."
She was awkward.
Sirius ran towards her.
He de-aged with every step.
He was 21 again.
Full of hope for the future.
He was no longer 36 and filled with regret.
"Hello."
Thea smiled softly.
He collapsed in tears into her arms.
Things made sense to him now.
She was there.
She made sense.
Living seemed possible to her now.
He was there.
He was her life.
May 1, 1998
the hereafter
"Remus!"
There they were.
Just as he had left them.
Remus Lupin was home.
Tonks squeezed his hand.
"My cousin? Really mate?"
Remus shrugged.
"What can I say?"
"I mean, they are a very attractive family."
Thea and Remus looked at each other.
He looked at her stomach.
She shook her head sadly.
"I heard Peter and Severus are here as well."
"What."
"What."
Lily and Thea looked at each other.
Deadly looks in each of their eyes.
May 2, 1998
the hereafter
"Thea."
Dumbledore called out to her.
"It's time for him to meet you."
"Shouldn't it be James or Lily."
"They've said their goodbyes."
"They're his parents."
"He needs to know you."
"Very well."
She walked to the train station.
The liminal space was daunting.
All white.
She could hear the train in the distance.
Then there he was.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Thea. I'm your aunt."
"I have an aunt?"
Thea nodded kindly.
"Could you maybe tell me about yourself?"
"What would you like to know?"
"Everything."
"My name is Ophelia.
I'm called Thea because
James couldn't pronounce Ophelia when we were little.
I had a golden childhood.
My parents loved me.
My brother and I got along well.
I had everything I could want.
I was in Ravenclaw house at Hogwarts.
Then the war seeped into my world.
My brother thought he was protecting me.
But, in fact, I was protecting him.
But that's our way."
"Who's way?"
"People who love each other."
Thea went silent for a moment.
"It does not do to dwell on my life Harry.
I've lived it.
You still have a chance and it will be terrifying beyond belief.
But live it for me.
I never got to live until the end.
I was only alive, for the longest time.
I was waiting for life to come and tap me on the shoulder.
To yell out 'I'm here'.
But life is a relationship.
A push and a pull.
It takes two to make it work.
It requires active engagement.
Go live.
Go love.
And in a hundred years come back and tell me about your life
and I'll tell you about mine."