Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic

Regulus Articulus Black

Estella woke early next morning, wrapped in the warmth of Harry's arm and the sleeping bag. A chink of sky was visible between the heavy curtains: It was the cool, clear blue of watered ink, somewhere between night and daw, and everything was quiet except for Ron, Harry, and Hermione's slow, deep breathing. Estella glanced over at the dark shapes they made on the floor beside her. Ron had had a fit of gallantry and insisted that Hermione sleep on the cushions from the sofa, so that her silhouette was raised above hers. Her arm curved to the floor, her fingers inches from Ron's. Estella wondered whether they had fallen asleep holding hands and hoped that they had. The two were made for each other in the most unlikely of ways.

Estella looked up at the shadowed ceiling, the cobwebbed chandelier. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she'd been standing in the sunlight at the entrance to the marquee, waiting to walk down the aisle with Ginny and Gabrielle. It seemed a lifetime away.

Estella carefully and quietly slipped from the sleeping bag, pausing as Harry's arms reached across, feeling for her. She grabbed a spare change of clothes before slipping into the bathroom on the first landing.

Estella hadn't been in for more than ten minutes when the door banged open and she heard a breath of air escape the intruder's voice.

"Oh God, I thought something happened to you," huffed Harry, his voice just beyond the curtain.

Estella stuck her head out.

"Sorry for scaring you, next time I'll leave a note," she said, laughing.

"No, I'm just very paranoid lately," said Harry, as he wiped his tired eyes. "I'm going to go look around. I just got worried."

"It's okay, Harry," said Estella reassuringly. "I probably would've set off on a witch hunt if you randomly disappeared."

Harry nodded and said, "Love you," before leaving Estella alone to finish showering.

She emerged clean and fully dressed fifteen minutes later, finding Hermione, Ron, and Harry on the second-story landing, engaged in a loud conversation and discussing Bathilda Bagshot, the author of A History of Magic.

"So your parents knew her? She was an incredible magical historian," said Hermione.

"And she's still alive," said Harry, "she lives in Godric's Hollow, Ron's Auntie Muriel was talking about her at the wedding. She knew Estella's family, well, her dad's side, too. Be pretty interesting to talk to, wouldn't she?"

Harry showed Estella a photograph of a black-haired baby zooming in and out of the picture on a tiny broom, roaring with laughter, and a pair of legs Estella knew to belong to Harry's father, chasing after him before tucking it inside the pouch around his neck.

"I understand why you'd love to talk to her about your mum and dad, and Dumbledore too," said Hermione. "But that wouldn't really help us in our search for Horcruxes, would it?" Harry did not answer, but Estella now knew what they were talking about. "Harry, I know you really want to go to Godric's Hollow, but I'm scared, I'm scared at how easily those Death Eaters found us yesterday. It just makes me feel more than ever that we ought to avoid the palace where your parents are buried, I'm sure they'll be expecting you to visit it."

"We do end up there, though," said Estella.

Their eyes turned to her.

"We do?" repeated Ron.

"Yes, we do," said Estella. "It was snowing while we were there, too, so within a few months or so, I'd say."

She left out the part where she hadn't seen Ron at all in that vision. He was in later ones, and ones Estella knew to take place before, but not then.