LOOK FOR THE LIGHT
FLOATING LIKE A BODY IN A RIVER, NATASHA ROMANOFF FELT AS LIGHT AS A CLOUD. She was awake, and yet, her body wouldn’t awake for her. She could hear, and feel things around her, but her eyes simply refused to open – her body as stiff as a board.
Still, even with all of this, she couldn’t help but feel peace. Was this what Heaven felt like? Filled with contentment, and calmness. Her mama always told her to look for the light, but she felt as if the light found her – welcoming her with accepting arms.
She felt warm and fuzzy as if she was under a thick blanket next to a fire, eyes drooping from the blaring of the heat. Her fingers twitched, trying to grab something – anything, really. Like a chain reaction, Natasha felt as one by one, parts of her body started to wake up.
She stretched, almost like how a cat would after a long nap. Pushing herself up from the floor, she looked around in confusion. Where in the world was she, the girl wondered, looking down at the floor on which she was laying.
Rune-like drawings were itched onto the floor, circling around her. She stared at them in confusion, trying to figure out what these runes meant. She recognized a few of them, but most of them were unfamiliar to her.
Shuffling toward the end of the circle, she tried to step out of the circle, only to be stopped by an invisible wall. Her brows furrowed, crossing her arms over her chest as she surveyed the room, trying to find the reason why she was there.
God, why was she here? She searched her mind, trying to piece together what happened with the blurry memories she could remember. Natasha could remember following Draco to the bathroom, and fighting with him, however… everything after that was a blur. Was she dead? Did Draco kill her? It certainly didn’t look like heaven, but it didn’t look like hell either.
Although she could be entirely wrong by her assumptions – no one had ever given proof to what heaven or hell looked like, unless you counted one of those kids who died and claimed to have gone to heaven, only to be shoved back into the mortal realm such as earth. “Hello?” She called out, honestly feeling a bit silly.
Her voice echoed throughout the room, which seemed to be endless darkness, with the only things being different were the runes and herself. Maybe this was limbo? Either, she was waiting her judgment day or was still on the brink of either life or death. Natasha popped a hip, leaning on it as she waited for a sign.
When nothing came or responded, Natasha sighed in annoyance. Sure, she expected that, but she couldn’t help but feel like something was watching her. She grunted, pulling her wand from her holster. Crouching down on her knees, she examined the runes with a closer look, trying to find a loophole or something. If she was going to be stuck in this darkness for all eternity, then she was at least going to allow herself the pleasure to walk around and such.
Out of nowhere, the room began to chill – her breath visible to her arms. She shivered, wrapping her coat tighter around herself as she waved her wand, casting a warming spell.
Only, nothing happened. Her wand was just a stick, and now how wrong it felt in her hands. No magic strummed between the two, and she began to feel uneasy. Something was watching her, and without her magic, she felt powerless. She felt around for any other weapons but found that when she found her gun, it was empty of all its bullets. The knives she held on her body were dull, feeling like a plastic knife compared to the dagger-like feel they had before.
However, while Natasha was scared, she wasn’t going to show that. “Come out.” She demanded, eyes narrowing as she circled around the dark room, “Now.” It was quiet, with the only sound being Natasha’s shallow breathing. Then, from the shadows, a figure seemed to form from the shadows – ambiguous in shape. Still, if Natasha hadn’t been paying attention as much as she had been, she probably wouldn’t have noticed the shape, with it practically blending into the shadows.
From behind their hood, white, bright irises shone from behind. “You woke me up.” It whispered, voice raspy and raw. “You have awaken me, mistress.”
“Awakened you?” She questioned, heeled boots clicking as she moved forward. Was she testing her luck? Probably, but she was curious to see how it would react if she got closer. “What are you? Sleeping beauty? I’m not exactly Prince Phillip; non-consensual kisses just aren’t my thing.”
It seemed to chuckle, but Natasha wasn’t quite sure. Without a mouth, or a body shape, it was hard to tell what its motivations are. “So, sleeping beauty,” She started, getting as close to the creature as she could with the runes keeping her intact in the circle. “I’ve got a few questions if you don’t mind. Where the hell am I?”
Yelena watched her sister with wide eyes, holding her hand tightly she watched her sister breathe – looking peaceful, despite the huge amount of pain, she had gone through. She could hear Sirius and Remus outside in the hallway, talking with the doctor about treatment plans.
Sitting across from her sat Tom, who held onto her other hand. Even with his glamorized appearance, he still looked ruffled. She didn’t talk to him much, but she couldn’t help but appreciate the loyalty he had to her sister. It was something that shouldn’t be tested with, and Yelena understood that thought.
She was the same way with Natasha.
Behind her, the door to the room creaked open, and Yelena turned around, meeting the tired and wise eyes of Albus Dumbledore. He gave her a soft smile, that didn’t go to his eyes. “Yelena, my dear. How are you?” He questioned, with a grandfatherly tone in his voice.
She raised a brow, looking him over. His one hand shook, though his robe tried to cover the movement of it. “My sister just got stabbed, and slashed like a cheese grater; how do you think I’m feeling?” She deadpanned, snark in her voice. However, she couldn’t find it in herself to say anything more.
Thankfully, the old wizard seemed to recognize that, giving Tom a look. Tom stood up, sending a quick glance to Yelena. “Come get me if she wakes up.” He said, walking out of the room with Dumbledore. She scoffed, rolling her eyes as the door behind her shut.
Really, what was more important? Dumbledore or her sister? Still, she couldn’t help but feel a burning curiosity in her heart. So, with one final squeeze of her sisters’ hand, she stood up, quietly slipping out of the room before anyone could notice.
Sirius and Remus were across the hall, talking with some Aurors. Using that to her advantage, Yelena walked the other way, keeping her face down as she searched for Tom and Dumbledore. She ducked and weaved in between doctors and patients, searching for their familiar forms. Finally, after a few minutes of searching, she found the two of them off in a deserted corner.
Leaning up against a wall, she listened for what they were talking about.
“--My time is coming up soon, and we have to act quickly. We need to go to the cave, Tom.”
“Natasha is hurt; I’m not leaving her alone, old coot!” Tom hissed back in response, hairs raised on the back of his head like a cat.
“We don’t have a choice! Dark times are coming, and I won’t be here much longer. We need to weaken him as soon as we can! If he’s mortal, then he can be killed – you could have a soul back, my boy!”
Yelena pursed her lips, a look of confusion in her eyes.
“Fine,” Tom relented, surprising Yelena. Honestly, she thought he would’ve fought more than that. “In and out, do you hear me?”
Dumbledore sighed, agreeing with his terms. Honestly, Yelena didn’t know what came over her at the moment. One minute she was hiding behind a wall, the next she was clinging onto Tom as he and Dumbledore apparated out of the Hospital.
“Think this is a bit much?” Natasha questioned, gesturing towards the runes that encased her. “Not to toot your own horn, but I’d say you’d beat me in a fight.”
The shapeless being seemed to tilt its head, with its eyes being the only indication of it happening. “I would never fight you, mistress.” It replied, almost sounding genuinely confused by Natasha’s words. “It goes against everything I stand for.”
“Really?” Natasha couldn’t help but snark, with her left eyebrow raised in question. “You have morals? That’s a little far-fetched coming from someone who claims that I’m your mistress, and yet, you’ve trapped me in your bottomless pit of despair or whatever. So, if I was your mistress, couldn’t I order you to let me go?”
Natasha’s words seemed to echo throughout the room, and an eerie feeling filled the room. The being said nothing at first, simply observing the girl in front of it. Natasha couldn’t help but squirm under its gaze, feeling as if it was looking into her very soul.
“I’m keeping you safe in there, mistress.” It answered after several moments of silence. “Creatures of all kinds roam here – searching for any kind of entertainment or prey to amuse themselves with since their extinction.”
She paused, processing its words. If what it was saying was true, then…”Are you saying that every creature who once lived before being wiped out of existence is here?” Her hands gestured throughout the darkness, now feeling more uncomfortable than ever. “Dinosaurs and what-not.”
“Magical, as well. Unlike other deaths, these creatures were simply… gone. Nothing of them exists anymore except bones and distant relatives. I keep them here, because, well… there is nothing here; it’s empty. Things Forgotten throughout time come here as well.” It explained, floating around Natasha, looking at her as if she was an exhibit at a zoo.
The redhead shrunk back, eyes narrowing with fear and distrust as she watched the creature. She was scared, genuinely . She had no idea what she was up against, or where she even was! Hell, if what the creature was saying was true, then she was nowhere! She was in a place where things that no longer existed went to!
“So, do I no longer exist now? Am I nothing, as you so put it?”
“No, you’re still alive.” It replied, “For now.”
She gulped, wrapping her jacket around herself tighter as if to protect herself. Realistically, she knew it would do nothing, but it helped keep her in the moment. She knew, if she didn’t have something to ground herself with – to convince herself that she was real, then she’d probably lose her mind.
No, she would lose her mind.
“So, what? You’re gonna kill me, and then erase me from existence? Who the hell even has that kind of power?” Natasha barred her teeth, feeling more animalistic than anything. God, this pit was really getting to her. “Based on the fact that you’re not welcoming me to the pearly gates of heaven, and turning water to wine, I’d say you’re not God.”
“No.”
“Then who are you?” Natasha demanded, nerves flipping around. Her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest based on how fast it was beating, and her legs felt like jello.
“I am the natural order of life. I am the darkness in the night. I am the one who shall always be there, as long as there is life, for I am Death.”
Her legs fell out from beneath her, her body shaking with fear and shock. “What?” She whispered, tears gathering in her sharp, green eyes. “What… How… I… I can’t be your mistress!”
“Why not? The fates say it is meant to be. One sister shall carry on in life, and the other in death.”
Natasha picked at her skin, wanting to ground herself in any way, even if it was destructive behavior. “Because… Because I’m trying to make up for all the red in my ledger! I’m trying to make up for all the killing, and harm I’ve done to this world! I’m trying to be good, okay? I’m to make my life WORTH IT!”
“Your life is worthy, mistress. Everything must live, and everything must die; it is the balance of life. The balance between light and dark. The balance between my sister, Life, and I, Death. The balance, in one day, will be between your sister and yourself. Life, while wonderful in many ways, is sometimes painful. It is ruthless and unpredictable. Death, while sad, is sometimes a relief. Sometimes, it ends the suffering of someone in pain. Both are capable of horrible things, but both are capable of beautiful things as well.”
Natasha watched, as Death waved their hand, showing both the bad and good things Death and Life brought. She watched as it brought parents happiness as they welcome their child into the world, and how it saddened their child to bury their parent. She watched as someone wasted their life, losing themselves in drugs and despair, and how death brought relief to an animal in pain.
“So… what does this mean, then? Why am I here?” Natasha croaked out, voice cracking slightly with emotions. “Why Yelena? Why me?”
“You’re recovering from a bad spell. Somehow, your mind brought itself in here, and I decided to protect it. Many mortals would go to limbo, but you’re not like many mortals. You’re my mistress; my other half.” Natasha froze as it glided over the runes Natasha was encased in, gently placing what felt like a hand onto her face. It was freezing, but yet, Natasha found comfort in it. It felt familiar; it felt like her magic. “As for your other question… I don’t know. The Fates have a mind of their own, you see. However, sometimes, I believe they don’t know what they're doing 100% of the time. Perhaps you both were specifically chosen, perhaps it was a draw of luck. Still, I find some answers are best left unknown.”
When Tom landed near the entrance of the cage, he honestly didn’t expect Natasha’s little sister to be clinging to his arm. “Foolish girl!” He hissed, eyes narrowing in anger and concern. Quickly, he glanced over her, making sure that she wasn’t missing any body parts. “What were you thinking?”
Yelena chuckled, rubbing her neck in an awkward way as she was quizzed under Tom and Dumbledore’s gaze. “I will admit; it was a bit impulsive–!”
“--A bit?” Tom exploded, looking ready to wrangle her neck. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You could’ve been hurt, and quite honestly, I don’t have time for your childlessness!”
“Well, at least I have an excuse to act like a child; what’s your excuse? You’ve been allowing Natasha to do all that shit, instead of being a responsible adult and making her stop!” Yelena yelled back, teeth-baring like a feral dog.
“I can’t control what she chooses to do!”
Their arguing was cut short, with Dumbledore clearing his throat to get their attention. Both of their heads snapped over to the old man, with matching sneers on their faces. “It seems your arguing has attracted us a few friends.” He gravely stated, gesturing towards the inferi who were groaning from inside the cave – a few of them sticking their heads out curiously. “I suggest we cease the arguing, and move quickly. I fear we don’t have time to spare to send Yelena back.”
“We’re not bringing her in there! The girl’s a muggle!”
“A highly trained muggle, Tom,” Dumbledore replied, sending a knowing look toward her. “She is highly equipped, my boy. If we can’t protect her, then I believe she would be able to defend herself long enough to get herself out of there.”
Yelena nodded in response, fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist. Ever since she took it, she found herself unable to part with the thing – becoming one with her. She was able to easily use it as if it was another limb. “Tom,” Yelena stated, making the man look her in the eyes, “I can handle myself. Do what you need to do, yeah? I am a widow, remember? I can take out a man three times my size.”
He sighed, considering her words. Finally, he nodded in defeat, beginning to walk towards the cave. “You stay between us.” He told her, a final tone in his voice. Yelena nodded in agreement, situating herself between the two men.
Once closer enough, Dumbledore turned to Yelena, “My dear, would you mind cutting my hand? The cave requires payment.” He asked, a calm look in his eyes. She considered him, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
He was too calm as if he knew what was going to happen to him when he stepped inside that cage. He held out his hand, waiting for her to break his skin with her dagger. “...Okay.” She said, taking her bracelet off, and allowing it to transform into the dagger. She brought it close to his skin and dragged it against the palm.
Only for nothing to happen. The knife slid through his hand, unable to hurt him. Yelena was confused, wondering why it didn’t work. Dumbledore, on the other hand, hummed in amazement – looking at the dagger as if he knew what it was. Tom, on the other hand, rolled his eyes. “Great. A knife that can’t do any harm. Perfect for the situation we’re going into.” He drawled out, sarcasm in his voice. “Don’t you have more knives in that vest of yours?”
“You’re asking if I have more knives?” She asked in amusement, reaching into her vest to pull out a small pocket knife. “Obviously. Have you seen how many pockets this thing has?”
Opening the knife, Yelena quickly slashed it across Dumbledore’s palm, wiping the blood off on her pants. Dumbledore nodded in thanks, wiping his palm up against the cave wall. Yelena watched, transfixed by the sight as the cave opened, allowing access for the three of them.
A few of the inferi groaned at being disturbed, stumbling forward to see what had caused their disruption. Tom reacted immediately, waving his wand to send the wandering few into the water. “Move,” Tom demanded, walking – though, if Yelena was being honest, it was more like running – with purpose. The two followed behind him, taking out any curious inferi before they could get close to them. “Cover me.” He said, turning his back around to work.
Yelena hummed, acknowledging his words as she scanned the cave for anything unusual. All in all, it seemed pretty normal to her, except for the zombies, and stuff. She was snapped out of her thoughts as Tom cursed behind her, a sound of frustration making its way out of his throat.
“Bloody bastard changed it! I can’t open it without another!” He hissed, turning around and rubbing a hand against his face.
He stared between the two, debating silently in his head. Yelena shrunk back from his gaze, which had stared at her with a considering look in his eyes. She watched as he seemed to have a mental battle within himself before turning his gaze back over to Dumbledore. “Back when I first made this Horcrux, I wanted to be sure that no one would be able to get it… at least, if you were alone.” He sighed, moving out of the way to show the basin that was behind him. “The Horcrux is in there.”
“So? Just grab it?” Yelena stated as if it was obvious. “Seriously, are you afraid of your hand getting wet? I can do it if you’re too much of a coward.”
“Don’t.” He grabbed her wrist before it could reach the basin, staring down at her with a stern gaze. “The potion containing the Horcrux can’t be touched, vanished, transfigured, or charmed; it can only be drunk. It makes you see horrible things, and feel unfavorable pain. If you finish drinking the potion, you’ll find yourself dehydrated so badly, that you’ll be desperate enough to drink from the lake, whose occupants will then drown you.”
Yelena yanked her wrist back, giving him a glare in response. Tom sighed, turning away from her to look at Dumbledore. “You’ll have to drink it, old man.” He stated, eyes locked onto the frail figure of Dumbledore. “I will warn you. Based on your state, you will most likely not survive this. If you do, you will be living a life in misery.”
The old wizard simply smiled, resigned to his fate. “I’ve lived a long life. If I could do one last good thing before I pass, this old man will have lived fulfilled life.”
Tom sighed, turning around to grab the basin to hand it to Dumbledore. “Do not stop drinking, you hear me? Stopping will only make the pain worse.” He warned, pointing a finger into the man’s chest. Albus hummed, accepting it with frail hands, bringing it up to his lips.
Yelena watched, heart, pounding within her chest as she watched the man open his mouth. It felt like it was almost in slow motion, time slowing down as she waited for the inevitable. What was probably seconds felt like hours for Yelena as she waited for the potion to take affect. “Is it… Is it working?” Yelena asked, her voice shaking slightly as she glanced over to Tom, who watched with a hardened expression.
“Yes.”
As soon as those words left his mouth, it was like something flipped inside of Dumbledore. Tears gathered within his usually shining, kind eyes. His body shook, with noises of pain coming from his throat. Sometimes, if Yelena listened close enough, it sounded like someone who begging for forgiveness. “Can we help him?” Yelena asked, wanting to comfort the man who was in pain.
“Don’t go near him; he’s not in his right mind,” Tom replied. “We can’t do anything but wait. The potion relies on fear and pain. If we tried to help him, he’d have to start all over again.”
Although Yelena nodded in agreement, Tom still decided to place a firm hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving. Gods, it was like she was watching the very life being sucked out of him – layers of sweat forming on his sickly, pale skin. His legs shook underneath him, and Yelena could tell that he was about to fall over. Thankfully, Tom seemed to notice the same thing as well.
He waved his wand, summoning some cushioning to soften the man’s fall. A gasp jumped out of her throat as he fell to the ground, seizing in pain. “Shit!” Tom cursed, falling down onto his knees to hold the glass up to the man’s lips. “Hold his arms down! He’s gonna spill it with all of his squirmings!”
“Okay, yeah!” She nodded, sliding down onto her knees to hold the man’s arms down. She huffed, wincing slightly in pain as her knees got scrapped up from the cave’s floor. She watched with wide eyes as Tom used his other hand to help the man swallow, gently pushing down on his throat to help.
His eyes fogged, looking like cataracts, if Yelena was being completely honest. God, if he managed to survive this, she hopes that he at least still has his vision. Being blind, and old? That would suck for Dumbledore – for God's sake, his hand looks like it’s about to fall off.
His thin lips moved, forming words. Yelena winced in sympathy as she watched the potion that had dribbled onto his chin sizzle on his skin, leaving a burn. Thankfully, since the man was so out of it, he seemed not to notice.
“Ari–Ari…” He gurgled out, foggy eyes on Yelena’s face. He stared up at her, pain and grief in his grey eyes. Dumbledore’s body curled around her, trying to bring her even closer to him. “P-Please, I’m s-sorry!” The potion muffled his words greatly, but Yelena was able to get the gist of it. “M-Mistake! Forgive m-me!”
Tom’s sharp gaze turned to her, a warning look in his eyes. “Don’t,” he growled, lips curled up into a slight snarl. “Let him wallow in his misery, Yelena! It will go faster if you just ignore him.”
“I know…” She trailed off, brows furrowed in confusion, “But who’s Ari?”
“S-Sister, please!”
Yelena’s grip tightened on him, shock crossing through her body. Did he… did he think she was his sister? What did he do to his sister? Did something horrible happen to her? Yelena couldn’t help, but let those thoughts race through her head. Her mind was going a mile a minute, only getting interrupted as Tom began to speak.
“He had a young sister.”
Had.
He had a younger sister.
“There was an accident, apparently. I don’t know the full story, but his sister ended up a victim in a fight she wasn’t in.” Tom continued, locking eyes with Yelena. “From the pictures I’ve seen, you do resemble her.”
“Oh…”
Dumbledore whined next to them, breathing heavily and groaning in pain. Sometimes, if he was able to, a scream would cut through his vocal cords — echoing throughout the dark, and cold cave.
Minutes passed by, dragging on longer with each minute. Finally, Dumbledore stopped drinking, panting softly. His gaze turned from Yelena to Tom, having a silent conversation between them. Tom shook the basin gently, watching to see if there was anything left.
Pulling away, he brought the cup to himself, reaching in to grab the Horcrux.
Only to drop it in shock.
“Tom?” Yelena asked with brows furrowed in confusion and concern. “Did you get some of the potion on your skin?”
Dumbledore huffed beside them, still on the floor. He hacked, coughing out a disgusting liquid that Yelena didn’t want to know what it was.
“This has to be a joke…” He whispered, eyes wide with shock. “I don’t… I don’t understand. How did this happen?”
His hands shook as he opened the locket, revealing a note written inside. His nostrils flared as he read the note, rage growing in his eyes. Yelena couldn’t help but flinch as he threw the locket to the ground in frustration, teeth bared in a snarl.
“Little Brat!” He hissed. His cold eyes flicked over to Yelena, a realization in his eyes. “Did that thing tell you about this?”
“Who?”
“Kreacher, you stupid girl! That Elf was obsessed with Regulus, and now you! Did he mention this?” His eyes narrowed, pointing down at the locket.
Yelena reached down, grabbing the locket with gentle hands as she read the note:
To The Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.
R.A.B
“No. Why would I know about this? Kreacher may like me, but he doesn’t spill his secrets to me like I’m his therapist or anything!” Yelena exclaimed in response, face heated with anger. “Do you seriously think I would keep something like this a secret-!”
“-Yes! You were raised as a bloody spy, and a child assassin!”
“So, because of my upbringing, it automatically means I’m a liar? I’m not stupid, Tom — there’s a FUCKING WAR going on right now. I may like to keep secrets, but I wouldn’t keep one as big as that!”
The two continued to bicker, getting into each other’s faces. However, because of this, they didn’t notice as Dumbledore dragged himself over to the water, dunking the basin underneath to grab some water.
Dozens of bodies splashed under the water awakened from the disturbance. They groaned, with water-logged bodies dragging themselves out of the water. Dumbledore yelped as one of them grabbed onto his hand, trying to pull him into the water.
However, before the man could be drowned to his death, a spell shot out towards the creature, severing its hand from its body. Yelena ran over, pulling the man back from the water.
“Shit!” Yelena yelped, grabbing her bronze dagger and slicing the arm off of the inferi that tried to grab her. Mentally, she was wondering why the dagger worked on the inferi, and not Dumbledore. However, she knew that this wasn’t the time nor the place to dwell on that thought.
Tom wrapped Dumbledore’s arm around his shoulders, allowing the man to lean on him. The old man’s head lolled on Tom’s shoulders, eyes drooping with exhaustion.
Between the two of them, Tom and Yelena fought their way through the inferi army — slicing, and blasting them out of the way.
They all ran out of the cave, with Tom flicking his wand to send boulders tumbling down, squishing any following inferi. Yelena tried not to gag as she saw one of their arms still moving around, completely detached from their body.
Yelena gasped in surprise as Tom grabbed her arm, apparating all of them away from the cave.
Left unknown…
Natasha couldn’t help but pace back and forth, looking like an animal in a cage. She could feel Death’s eyes following her, watching her with a detached curiosity.
“Trying to get your steps in?” It mused. Natasha stopped, processing what it said to her.
“Did you…” She trailed off, disbelief in her voice, “Did you just make a joke?”
Natasha watched as its head tilted to the side, looking like a confused puppy — if said puppy was literally Death. Slowly, Death seemed to shake its head. “I am not familiar with what you call ‘jokes’…” Death replied, tongue-twisting to form an unfamiliar word.
“Okay.” Natasha shook her head, a bemused look on her face. “Still, am I able to leave soon? Or is this just gonna be my life now?”
Death seemed to rumble, which shook the endless room of darkness. Natasha braced her body, keeping herself from falling over. “I believe that is your answer.”
“What? What the hell does that mean?” Natasha asked, confused by its words. Cracks started forming in the room, with peaks of light shining through those holes.
The room continued to fall apart, shaking violently. Natasha looked to Death for more answers but found the being gone. “Are you kidding me? You’re just gonna leave me here!?” Natasha screamed, her voice echoing throughout the room.
Her eyes widened in fear as a large boulder started coming down on her. Without any time to react, she felt it crush her body.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Cleaning chemicals filled her nose and her ears picked up the quiet murmurings of other people. The machine continued to beep, taking note of her heart, lungs, and blood pressure. Someone was holding her hand, with calloused fingers brushing over her knuckles.
Natasha groaned, body stiff from laying in the same position for so long. Her eyes fluttered open, only to immediately close them with a wince. The people in the room with her moved around, seemingly doing something.
“Nat?” A soft voice whispered, squeezing her hand gently. “Pup, we turned the lights off. You can open your eyes now.”
Slowly, her eyes opened, a blurry gaze taking in her surroundings. She blinked a few times, getting her vision back to normal. Remus and Sirius sat in the room with her, with Sirius holding her hand.
Remus stood by the top of her head, gently running a hand on her hair. The honey-eyed man sniffed, a watery smile on his face. “Welcome back, dear… You gave us quite a scare.” Remus said, shakingly leaning down to give her a kiss on the forehead.
“Honestly, Nat, I’ve already grown a bunch of white hairs! Not gray but white! Before I know it, I’ll be completely white before I turn 40!” Sirius jokes, squeezing her hand tighter than before.
Yes, while it did hurt, was Natasha gonna say anything? No. If anything, the pain helped ground her at the moment.
It reminded her that she was still there. That she was still alive.
“White hair would be a good color on you, Siri,” Natasha replied, voice raspy from without use. “Water, please.”
Remus immediately grabbed a glass from the side table, holding it up for Natasha to sip from. She grabbed it out of his hands, chugging it down in an instant. Thanks to magic, the cup was immediately refilled with water.
“Slow down, you’re gonna choke!” Remus warned, slowing her down from chugging another glass. “Or throw up, for that matter!”
Natasha rolled her eyes but conceded to his wish. Handing the cup back to Remus, Natasha looked around the room for her sister. “Where’s Yelena?” She questioned. “Or Tom, for that matter? Hell, I figured Clint would be here drawing a penis on my face with a marker.”
The two were quiet, sharing a look with each other. Natasha raised a brow in suspicion, waiting for their reply. “We had Tom take her home. It was past her bedtime.” Sirius replied.
Liar, the girl thought, Yelena doesn’t have a bedtime—not since the prank war between her and Sirius.
“Okay,” She hummed in response, eyes trailing between the two with suspicion in her eyes. “When can I leave?”
“You’ll be discharged in a day or two. The Healers want to make sure the spell doesn’t have any lasting effects on your body… considering you were dead for 4 minutes.” Remus explained, watching her face for any reactions.
Natasha blanched, heart-stopping within her chest. “I was…” She choked on her own words, unable to form them in her mouth, “Iwas dead?”
Her heart stopped. Literally. She wasn’t alive for over 4 minutes. Maybe talking to Death was a hallucination? Maybe, in an attempt to deal with the fact that she died, maybe she hallucinated the whole thing? Maybe she wasn’t Death’s mistress!
Sure, was it a very specific hallucination? Yes, but she could always blame that on the many drugs and potions that were in her system.
Yes, that had to be that! Ha Ha!~
It had to be.
The next few days were hectic for Natasha. She had to get checked over by several doctors, had to give her statement to the Aurors and decide what she wanted to do with Draco Malfoy.
Despite her family’s pleading, she decided not to take him to court. She knew, If Draco wasn’t in the situation that he was, then he would’ve never attacked.
Did that stop her from stalking Draco? Hell no!
Sure, one of these days her curiosity was going to kill her for good, but for now? She still had a good seven lives left out of her nine.
Still, even with her main hobby being stalking at the moment, Natasha still needed moments to herself. Moments, in which she could really think about life and death.
Of her death.
You see, death never scared her — it was the natural way of life. Dying, on the other hand, scared her. To watch as your body grows weak and frail, unable to help itself anymore.
Her legs dangled over the edge of the astronomy tower, letting the summer breeze shift through her hair. Her eyes closed, wondering what would happen if she simply let go.
Would she actually die, or would she end up back there? Back with creatures that had been long forgotten with time. Would she be forgotten? Or would she leave some trace of her behind?
What if—
Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of footsteps. Natasha’s eyes opened, turning around to see who it was.
“Hello, Natasha,” Dumbledore greeted, looking weaker with each second. God, how horrible must Dumbledore feel? He had been living with this for a year and had suffered every second of it. “Lovely view, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Natasha replied, pushing herself off the ledge to stand up. She turned around, facing Dumbledore correctly. “Did you come to see the view as well?”
He hummed, a small smile on his face. “Yes. I heard today that Corvus would be high in the sky tonight. Despite my many years, I’ve never seen that constellation.” He said, with a considering look on his face.
Death.
Corvus represented Death.
Natasha’s stomach dropped as she really looked at the man. He wasn’t going to survive tonight. Natasha went to speak but was cut off by the sound of footsteps.
She didn’t know what caused her to do so, but she hid. Dumbledore made no comment, simply watching the night sky. The floors creaked with the sounds of shaky footsteps, and Draco Malfoy’s form appeared.
He held his wand up, jaw clenched painfully. His brows were furrowed, a worried expression on his face. He looked even worse than before, with bruises on his face that he didn’t even try to cover up.
“Good evening, Draco,” Dumbledore greeted, turning around to greet the blonde boy. “What brings you here this fine, spring evening?”
Draco’s eyes flickered throughout the room, searching. Natasha stood still, pushing herself farther into the shadows of the room. “Who else is here?” Draco demanded eyes narrowed. “I heard you talking.”
“I talk out loud to myself; I find it extraordinarily useful,” Dumbledore replied, posture relaxed as he observed the boy. Natasha grabbed her wand, quietly summoning a piece of paper. Waving her wand, she watched as it magically wrote down.
Astronomy Tower. Natasha, Draco, and Dumbledore.
She flicked her wand once more, sending it off to Snape. Honestly, she wasn’t even sure if he would be able to help, but… she couldn’t help but feel worried for Draco.
Dumbledore was going to die, and there was no stopping that, but… it shouldn’t have to be Draco that kills him. She knew, once you killed somebody, you were never the same again. She just… she wanted to save him from that fate.
“Draco… you are no assassin.”
“How do you know what I am? Nothing ever shocks you, does it?”
Dumbledore was calm — eerily so. The only thing Natasha could do was watch, and observe the scene. “You cursed the necklace Daphne Greengrass picked up and hoped she would bring it to me, hoping that in my weakened state, I would die. Forgive me, but this is no act out of selfishness. You don’t want me dead; someone else does.”
Draco snarled, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a dark mark. “Trust me, I was chosen for this! This is my last chance to prove that I am worthy of the Malfoy name!” He hissed out, the arm that was marked with the mark shaking with fear.
Fear for himself .
“Then, I shall make this easy for you—!” Dumbledore raised his hands, his wand held lightly in his grasp. Quickly, Draco disarmed him with a spell.
Suddenly, a low voice whispered, praising Draco for his work. Natasha’s eyes widened as several voices were heard. “You’re not alone. There are others… How?” Dumbledore asked, with genuine curiosity in his voice.
Draco smirked, although it looked more like a grimace to Natasha. “The Vanishing Cabinet in the room of requirements. I’ve been mending it.” He explained.
“It has a sister cabinet.”
Draco nodded, continuing to explain, “Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage.”
“Genius…” Dumbledore trailed off, looking almost impressed, “Draco, years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Years ago, I also made all the wrong choices. Please, Draco… let me help you.” He pleaded with the shaking boy.
“I don’t want your help!” Draco scoffed, pointing his wand even sharper in the man’s direction. “Don’t you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you, or he’s gonna kill me.”
Suddenly, several feet were heard running up the stairs. Natasha cursed mentally, clutching her wand tighter. Quickly, Natasha illusioned herself with a spell, and muffled her feet.
Silent as a mouse, Natasha tip-toed over to the staircase, jumping back and holding her breath as several well-known death eaters came up the steps.
“Well, looky here!” A sharp grin pulled at his face, revealing sharp canines. Greyback stood back, an almost relaxed look on him as he looked over the scene. Next to him stood Theodore Nott’s father, and what looked like Pansy Parkinson’s father. “The whole gang’s here! Sorry, we’re a little late, but, y’know, we had to show up fashionably late!”
His nose flared, seemingly smelling something. His eyes moved throughout the room, looking for something, “Looks like we’ve got another party guest hidden somewhere.” He chuckled, licking his chops. “Little pig, little pig!~ Why dontcha come out and play?”
“I believe your nose must be off, Fenrir. Must be from all the pollen in the air.” Dumbledore said, looking as if nothing was wrong — as if all he was doing was talking with some friends. However, the sound of the stairs creaking alerted them to someone else. “Or was this who you were talking about? Good evening, Severus.”
Snape nodded in response, eyes trailing over to Draco to look him over. Discreetly as well, his eyes looked for Natasha as well. “Nice of you to join the fun, Severus,” Nott said, sounding almost bored. “We were just about to say how much of a coward Draco is. Poor boy can’t even kill the old fool without looking like he’s going to piss his pants.”
“Just like his father!” Parkinson agreed, a smirk on his face.
Natasha’s tongue felt heavy in her mouth, eyes wide with anticipation for what would come next.
“Severus.” Dumbledore’s voice carried throughout the room, a pleading look on his normally composed face. “Please…”
It was silent for a few moments, with Snape considering the situation. As quick as a bat, his arm rose and he pointed it to the middle of Dumbledore’s chest.
“Avada Kedavra!”
A flash of green light shot out from Snape’s wand, hitting Dumbledore directly in the chest. Natasha felt like she was watching in slow motion as the man fell down the tower, robes fluttering from the wind.
Albus Dumbledore was dead, and Natasha Romanoff didn’t know what to do.
Looking for the light was useless, for all there is… Darkness is the only thing that remains.