Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 184

The thickets and hedges that surrounded the place were drying in the summer heat and the hot night breeze ruffled through the tree leaves that cast dark shadows on the crooked road below.

James stood before the wonky sign that told him that the Little Hnagleton village was just a bit of a walk from there.

He had seen the place once before in a memory. 

He had his wand out, suspecting. It could be a trap. 

There was an unnatural chill that surrounded the place, even though it was pretty warm that May.

Dementors. 

"I do appreciate your concern and your worry does seem evident," 

James' heart jumped to his throat as the voice met his ears.

"But James, we have work to do. Could you hurry it along, please?"

James spun on his heel to stare wide-eyed at Isabella.

It was her. It was really her.

"I'm dreaming, right?" James questioned.

"I would hope not," Isabella said simply with a nod. 

James' grin spread wider and he hurried towards her.

"It's really you," he said, laughing. "It's really you. Merlin, Izzy, where were you all this time?"

"A story for a later time, perhaps," Isabella said with a small smile.

James ran his hands through his hair and then pulled Isabella into a tight hug.

"I know you don't like hugs," he said. "But you fucking died on us. I deserve this, alright?"

Isabella chuckled lightly, and patted his back. 

"I'm going to cry," James muttered.

He didn't think he could have possibly felt so happy in the presence of dementors. 

Right. . .Why weren't they attacking them though?

James pulled away to see a silver phoenix soaring in the distance, keeping the dementors away. 

"Whose. . .Your Patronus?" James cried. "That's your Patronus?"

Isabella nodded. 

She was irked that the only reason she couldn't produce one was that her 'soul' was broken, and it wasn't even her fault!

"Woah!" James marvelled at the sight. "Now I know why the Room was giving us a phoenix all the time,"

"Perhaps," Isabella said dismissively. "But James, could you cast your Patronus. Mine is taking up a lot of my energy and I need to save it,"

"Right," James said and waved his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

A stag burst forth and trotted off to do the work the phoenix had left.

Isabella's shoulders fell in relief as she withdrew her Patronus. There was a sharp pain in her chest and her head was throbbing again. She had to be careful of how much she used her magic around, especially since it was unstable at the moment.

"We are here to find the next Horcrux," Isabella said. "I am assuming you are still looking for the ring?"

"Yeah," James nodded. "How did you—Did you really have to write those letters?—Where were you all this time?"

"Not now, James," Isabella said. "I want you to go fetch the Sword of Gryffindor from Dumbledore. . .You should be able to withdraw it again, being the Gryffindor you are. . .On second thought, that wouldn't be necessary. Dumbledore has it behind a glass case in his study,"