i wanna see the world when i stop breathing
His head hurt. Like a low drum beating in his skull. Harry opened his eyes slowly. It felt like ages before light flooded his eyes. Where was he? His mind was drawing a blank. Last thing he could remember, Vernon Dursley was throwing a temper tantrum on his chest. Did he die? He was pretty sure he remembered his chest stopping, he was struggling to-
Harry shook the thoughts, no memories, away and took in his surroundings. He was standing, somehow, in a field of grass. But it feels full to the brim with an unknown energy. Like an incoming storm, it wasn’t uncomfortable or scary. It just was.
The sky was bright but there were no discernible features. No clouds, or birds. There was no noise at all. Not even wind or buzzing insects. If he focused in the distance, he might see three doorways. He could see a rip in what seemed to be reality.
Four figures stepped through the rip. They were all vastly different. The first woman was tall, but not like Hagrid tall. Her dark hair was loose and wild around her face. But not wild enough that it looked messy. Her pale skin was contrasted by the reddest lipstick. She looked like the Morticia Addams he saw on television. She walked, or strutted, with confidence and on a different beat than the others. She held a seductive smirk on her face that invited mystery. She wore a skin tight black dress that ended at her knees. The woman smiled at him, a smile that made him feel like he was her prey.
The woman beside her had a strict, but kind smile. Like Professor McGonagall. She had long white hair in an intricate up-do, but she looked ageless. If it weren’t for her red cheeks he would have thought she was a walking corpse. The only colour on her was the furs she was covered head to toe in. She walked confidently, with her head held high. She stared at him kindly but expectantly like when a professor asked a question and expected an answer. She had a badger walking beside her. She smiled down at the badger for a second when she saw his eyes look down.
The most catching person of the four was the woman beside the kind one. She had an air of calm radiating from her. She had dark hair in a bun and a face made of stone. Like a greek statue. No laugh lines, or any hint of emotion. She held her head level, and walked toward him, her eyes blank. She wore a floor length gown that seemed to glide with her steps. Despite her blank face, she was absolutely beautiful. Like a goddess, or a queen.
Almost hidden behind the three women, was a boy that looked the same age as Harry himself. He smiled mischievously at the others and walked as if he was dancing. He had crooked teeth but somehow that made him cuter. He had curly light brown hair and green eyes, like his. He wore old clothes, dark loose pants and a green tunic. He had a snake curled around his arm and neck. The snakes head poked out of his hair and hissed at him. The boy danced around the three women. The white haired woman smiled down at the boy like he imagines his mother would. The boy reached Harry first and stood in front of his, bouncing on the heels of his bare feet in excitement.
When they all reach him, they stop about 4 feet away from him. The expressionless woman stepped forward from the other three and began speaking calmly.
“Harry James Potter, son of Lily Evans. Your time has come. The Fey Wild welcomes you with open arms. You can choose to embrace Death with peace or live on with the Fey and choose your court,” she walked straight up to his face.
So he was dead. That somehow didn’t shock him. It was a matter of time before he ended up dying. The Dursley’s are finally free of the burden of ‘caring’ for him. He’s not sad, just a little angry that it was Vernon’s temper tantrum that finally took him out. Of course he still wanted to live but at what cost. The stoic woman said that to move on he would find peace. A foreign notion to him. He thought about it, stay and live, or die and find ‘peace’. He looked at the stoic woman again.
“Um, I will choose a court?”
The stoic woman stepped back and began speaking.
“So be it. There are three Fey Courts, the Summer Court, The Winter Court, and the Shadow Court. When you choose your Court you will follow your Court’s advisor. They will bring you to your Hearth. The decision is yours to make, your magic will show you the way. Let the court magic wash over you and you will know. Now, will you choose the Winter Court, among the proud and strong willed,” the white haired woman stepped forward. “And follow the rule of the Winter Queen.”
He felt a cold aura enveloped him and a fierce feeling of calm and unforgiving protectiveness. He saw his fingertips turn blue, it began to spread up his arm. His magic began to fight back and almost fell to the ground in pain. He yelled out before the cold aura crawled back and disappeared all together. The expressionless woman shook her head.
“No, not the Winter Court,” the white haired woman smiled sadly and stepped back. “Will you choose the Shadow Court, among the wild and free. Loyal to none but the Shadow King,” the black haired woman smirked seductively before making an inviting motion with her hand.
An aura of wild and feral magic enveloped him. His fingertips began to turn grey, and like before, began creeping up his arm. Voices whispered in his ear, promising a safe haven and acceptance. He almost gave in to the voices, then the pain began. Like a heart attack, or a knife being dragged down his chest. He clutched his heart and forced the aura away. The black haired woman’s smirk fell for the first time and instead a fierce frown took its place. She stepped back next to the blonde.
“Not the Shadow Court, either. Will you choose the Summer Court, among the happy and passionate Summer Folk. Spend your days with the Summer King,” the young bow stepped forward and whispered to the snake.
It was an aura of stifling heat and of relaxation that enveloped him. He felt happy and at home, not that he has ever had a home. He once thought Hogwarts was his home but it was now tainted with death and anger. His pale fingertips began to turn a dark tan colour. The tan colour began dancing up his body, leaving freckles and silver lines in the shape of snakes, flowers, and suns. He actually fell to his knees this time, but not in pain. He felt pure joy and bliss as the Sun claimed him as her own.
The snake boy grabbed his arm and pulled him up. Harry felt stronger and healthier than ever. His mind was clear and free of any pain, emotional or otherwise. The only feeling left was confusion. The expressionless woman smiled for the first time and ripped open the fabric of reality. She stepped into the rip then disappeared. The others looked unfazed as the white haired woman spoke up.
“We shall meet again, young one.” With that the white haired woman walked through the ice-y door to who knows where. The black haired woman turned around as well with a nod to the boy and walked through the door made of shadows.
The boy, who was still holding his hand, began pulling him to the third door. It was covered in ivy and somehow had little flames coming out of the flowers on the ivy. The boy opened it with a grin.
“Welcome to the Summer Hearth.”