LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter Fifty-Four

Lyra had long imagined what death would be like. Usually not for her own sake, but because of those she had loved. She wanted to imagine that wherever they were, they were happy and safe. And most of all, that they had each other. 

She had imagined that the moment she herself would die, she would quickly be surrounded by everyone she loved that she had lost. Her parents, her Uncle Alphard, Regulus, Lucinda, Fleamont, Euphemia, Ted, Nymphadora, James, Sirius, Remus... Heck, even Lily Evans, even if she had married the love of her life. 

She imagined that one day, she'd be there when those she'd left behind would run out of time. That she'd hold an aged Draco in her arms, finally introduce Harry to his parents and all those who had touched her life. 

Instead, death was quiet. There was no crowd of people hoping to see her, wanting to hold her in their arms as quickly as possible. She had barely closed her eyes on the battleground when she opened them again, watching a familiar view. 

The first thing she noticed was that all the pain was gone. She looked down, and noticed that she was wearing clothes she hadn't seen since she was a teenager. Her skin, once weathered with age, was now as clear as it had been when she was seventeen. When she was happy.

She could see the Great Lake, the courtyard of Hogwarts. There was no fighting, though. There was nothing at all, other than a shimmering light, a glow which made it so much more peaceful. It had never felt better to stand in the Astronomy Tower. So, this is the afterlife, she thought. I expected more. 

But she took in the sight, glad to be away from all the chaos of the war. She tried to push the thought of Draco finding she was dead from her mind, and she didn't want to think about those she had left. Not quite yet. She wanted to feel at peace for just a moment longer. 

And the moment just got longer. It felt like she could stand there for hours, just breathing in the fresh air, watching the shimmering lake. If only Hogwarts had been like this when she had died. Then she would have felt safer about leaving her son. 

"Alright, I'm not waiting anymore," a voice spoke up, startling her. "I've been waiting for way too long for you to turn around and see that I'm here."

Lyra remembered that voice. She wanted to turn around, but she was scared. What if it wasn't real? Or even worse, what if it was? What if it was him but he was different? What if it was him but he didn't love her anymore?

"Come on, love, you've got to look at me at some point. I know it's tempting you, because we both know that you can't stay away from this handsome mug." She could imagine the crooked grin on his face, the teasing glimt in his eyes from behind his glasses. 

She took a deep breath, pushing strands of her blonde hair behind her ear. Her hair was long again, she noted. Not only did she feel younger then, she must be back at the age she had missed so. And when she looked at him, she knew they were once again children. 

Because not only did he look seventeen, but he looked just like he did when they had their first non-drunk kiss. The Valentine's Day he'd had the nerve to snog another girl (not that they were together, but still a git move). 

"Is this real?" Lyra whispered, though she wasn't sure he could hear her when she spoke so softly. 

He grinned. Oh, how she had missed that grin. "Come on, love. It has to be. Nothing or nobody can even attempt to recreate just how attractive I am. And you, too, I suppose."

Lyra took a step, and another one.  She felt like a child, she probably looked like one, as well. He did, at least. "Were we really this young?"