Chapter 3
Colonello could see why Reborn liked his cosplay so much. Pretending to be someone else was exhausting in a way Colonello was not used to. Your act needed to be perfect down to the smallest micro detail, otherwise you could blow your cover. It was the exact type of challenge Reborn enjoyed.
Although, Colonello had to give the Hitman some credit. Without his lessons on how to act like your character, Colonello would never have pulled off being Harry as long as he did. And it was weird how difficult it actually was, pretending to be his younger self. Thirteen year old Harry was still dreadfully ignorant of the true horrors in the world. Colonello was not. Colonello had been a soldier in several wars and has dealt with the worst sides of humanity more times than he could count. To be someone so naive was extremely draining, and he wouldn’t be able to keep it up forever. He needed to figure out the next step and get a proper plan in place before everything went sideways.
He had managed to get through the rest of the train ride and the feast with no incidents, although he almost slipped up when he saw Scabbers, or rather Peter Pettigrew, in their dorm room. Colonello never really got over his issues with the man that ultimately led to the death of his parents and got Sirius thrown in Azkaban. He was just lucky that the others in the dorm were too busy catching up and putting away their things to notice his pause. Colonello really didn’t have the energy to BS an excuse to why he looked like he wanted to skin Scabbers alive. To avoid another close call, he retired to bed earlier than his roommates, claiming the dementors tired him out more than he thought. They didn’t bat an eye at his excuse, allowing Colonello to climb into bed and draw the curtains for privacy.
Instead of sleeping, Colonello simply laid there, listening to all the chatter until late in the night. He continued to wait and listen until roughly two in the morning. His roommates would be well and truly asleep by now, allowing Colonello the chance to sneak away without worry. He was tempted to leave Hogwarts entirely. Leave and escape before Voldemort came back and became a thorn in his side. Colonello could gather and destroy the horcruxes before Voldemort could gain any strength. And with Colonello’s skills, the wizards wouldn’t find him until he wanted to be found. But no. That would be foolish. As much as he liked the idea of that, his best move right now would be to stay put. Assuming he was permanently stuck in the past, the smartest plan would be to use this time to make preparations and gather as much information as he could. He had a rough idea of where all the horcruxes were and he had quite some time before Voldemort would make any true moves. Colonello wanted to remove him from the game before he regained his body again, which made his deadline the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. Towards the end of his fourth year at Hogwarts. Since it was the beginning of his third year, that gave him a little under two years to get rid of Voldemort. Easy Peasy. Then Colonello could revisit his escaping Hogwarts idea if that’s what he still wanted to do by that point.
It was only when Colonello reached the Room of Requirement that he remembered that he had his old invisibility cloak back. Harry was dependent on that old thing for sneaking around and not getting caught. Colonello however had no such limitations. Lal had taught him better than that.
The thought of Lal made his chest ache. Colonello had left her again. Despite just having promised her he wouldn’t! Colonello desperately wanted to track her down. To grovel at her feet until she forgave him for breaking his promise to her. But he was fifty years in the past. He had no idea where Lal even was right now, and even if he did, there was no way to know if she would remember him. Everything they had been through together was just…gone. Becoming her student. Their late night training sessions to help with his PTSD. Falling in love with her. Taking the curse for her. Lal confessing that she loved him too. Dying to protect her. Being brought back to life and reuniting with her. All of it was just gone in an instant.
Colonello wasn’t aware he was crying until he felt the tears land on his hands. As if that was some unspoken cue, the dam burst and everything washed over him at once. Colonello curled into himself and screamed as everything he had been suppressing since waking up came bubbling over the edge, turning his silent tears into hysterical sobbing.
Why him? He had finally been happy dammit! Why did it have to be taken from him AGAIN?! Hasn’t he already suffered enough.
Small arms wrapped around him from behind, a soothing weight leaning against his back followed by the calming effect of rain flames surrounding him. Colonello recognized these flames. He knew them better than he knew his own. These flames meant safety, even from himself.
“Let it all out Fratello,” Luna’s soft voice told him. Her flames drew him further into their embrace, conveying feelings of I’m here and you’re safe now. Colonello didn’t know it was possible for him to cry harder than he already was until he heard that. Luna simply held him through it, whispering soothing words and simply being the grounding presence he needed. He didn’t know how long they stayed in that position, but Luna never once moved away. Not until long after Colonello’s sobs dried up. The raw pain he felt was being muted by Luna’s flames, allowing him to feel without being overwhelmed again.
“Why me Luna?” Colonello asked, his voice hoarse. “Why can’t I have a normal life with the woman I love? Why does that have to be taken from me when I finally have a chance?” he whispered brokenly. Luna hugged him tighter for a moment before letting go and moving in front of him. She gently cupped his face and maneuvered him so she could look into his eyes.
“It happened to you because you are the only one strong enough to bear the weight. You are the only one strong enough to change everything without losing sight of who you are. You’ve been given this chance to fix things. And one day, when the time is right, you will have your happy ending,” Luna told him. She never broke eye contact, even as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a vial.
“When it’s time, use this and she will remember everything,” she said, placing the vial in his and curling his fingers around it. Colonello felt hope swell inside him as he stared at the object in his hand. Lal…would remember him? Everything they’ve been through? Had it been anyone else, literally any other person in the world, Colonello wouldn’t believe it to be true. But this was Luna in front of him, giving him this lifeline.
“Thank you,” Colonello choked out, trying not to cry again. “Thank you so much Sorella,” he whispered, clutching the vial to his chest. Luna’s arms wrapped around him once more.
“I’m always here for you Fratello. Always.”