Love's Fleeting Embrace_One Shot - Sa13+

Disclaimer: All of the HP characters belong to J.K. Rowling, all the characters I create belong to me, as does the story but, not the concepts created by J.K. Rowling who pwns, no infringement is intended or implied. It's her world, I just live in it.

Dedicated to my dearest Kellybear. I ♥ You

“I try to show you that I love you, always, against the day I am not here to tell you …” Ottery St. to Kellybear

♥

He sits and reads the old book. Again, like touching an old wound, like a child playing with a scab, because it hurts a little but the pain is the price of the pleasure …

Hogwarts, 1940

“So picture this. The Gryffindor dormitory, the boy’s wing, obviously, one boy is packing, another is lying on a bed playing with snitch and another sits at a desk reading. The boy reading wears glasses, it comes of reading too much, and he pretends not to listen attentively.

‘I’m going to find her,’ the first boy said obstinately. I can still see him in my mind’s eye, packing his bag with such determination. There were few things he did without determination. It seemed to him that everything in life should be done like fate had commanded it to be done, or it shouldn’t be done at all. That was Adam.

‘You’re an idiot, Adam,’ his friend replied, throwing a snitch up in the air and pulling it back down with the string tied around it. This was Benji, always pretending not to care but, deep down inside his jock exterior beating the heart of a poet. I know. I have his book of poems.

‘One minute she’s here and the next, gone.’ Adam shoves a shirt into his trunk haphazardly.

‘Ever the dramatist,’ and here in the story Edward chimes in. Edward with the reading glasses and the tomes larger than his skinny little frame. They must have been about … oh, thirteen when they did all of this. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m looking at it in a pensieve, reliving it from someone’s lost memory. It hurts, looking at them all so young, right there before me like I’m in yesterday.

‘She didn’t come back this term, I just want to know why.’ Adam explained pausing trying to decide if he should take his school books or not. He opted not to.

‘Maybe it has something to do with this Grindelwald bloke everyone is always talking about,’ Benji remarked not turning from his book. How to conquer the world in ten easy steps by Teddy D. Bear.

Grindelwald, a dark wizard who wanted to right all the wrongs in the word single-handedly by taking away everyone’s right to choose. Why let the poor fools make their own decisions when someone smarter and better equipped for it could do it for us all? So misguided, so lost.

He was a handsome boy in his youth, he and Professor Dumbledore, if one believes the pictures of them from the old Hogwarts year books. You have to look back a long time to find them. I only know because Benji let me see them. He had found them, he could find anything in a book, given enough time and motivation.

‘Exactly. Something could have happened to her,’ Adam said. His trunk now full his every intention to leave Hogwarts to find her, I doubt he’d thought about how he would manage that.

‘So, you’re just going to skip out of school and find her, then?’ Benji asked.

‘Yeah, just like that.’ Adam answered with all the certainty of someone set about their quest.

‘Do you even know how you’re going to get out of the school?’ Edward asked.

‘I’m going to walk out of the castle and jump over the wall.’ That was Adam determined again.

He sat up in bed his concern getting the better of him. ‘Some genius you are,’ Benji exclaimed, ‘the teachers roam the halls at night, then there’s the ghosts and … !’

Adam didn’t bother to answer, he picked up his trunk and started for the stairs.

♥

Next, I know they were in the little town of Ottery St. Catchpole, that was where I lived. All the old houses their walls covered in vines, front yards littered with toys from sleeping children or tiny victory gardens, perhaps an empty yard here and there. I remember this so well, even through my tears I see it.

‘I can’t believe I came with you idiots,’ Edward complained raising his glasses up on his nose.

‘I can’t believe you’ve known of a way out of the castle since school started and you never told us,’ Benji countered.

‘I thought I’d save it for an emergency.’

‘Well this is an emergency,’ Adam replied, giving them all a look like the new Transfiguration teacher Professor McGonagall.

They walked down the cobblestone streets looking for my old home, 123 Lovely Street. The one with the wild roses growing along the iron gate. The boys stopped outside, uncertainly, what exactly they hoped to do a secret their memories will keep as the door slammed open and a girl ran out crying.

‘Get back in here, you nasty little … I don’t have to put up with this,’ old aunt Gertrude screamed into the street.

The girl wore a cloak and she carried a carpet bag with all her possessions in the world. They aren’t much, I remember that, a few pictures of family, clothes, some knick knacks or other and books, always her books.

‘Whoa there gorgeous,’ I … she heard Benji’s voice as she ran into his open arms.

The girl jumped up, startled, her wand in her hand a stunning curse gone wild as Adam held her arm up and the shot veered wildly into the sky. A bird fell to the ground a few feet away dazed but otherwise all right.

‘Mandy, it’s us, it’s Adam, Benji and Ed.’

The girl turned and seeing Adam there she fell into his arms crying. She was too tired to deal with everything, her lost parents, her evil aunt, being kept back from Hogwarts under the pretense that Grindelwald could attack the school, that she’s a worthless lay about who couldn’t learn to do anything useful so why expend the effort. Too many things.

They were her knights in shinning armor. Even if that armor was just second hand robes, old jumpers, cloaks and fancy trainers.

♥

Hogwarts, 1941

It was the next term. The world was destroying itself all around them but some things never change, including school, so Adam, Benji, Edward and Mandy all came back to Hogwarts again. On an especially bright spring day they were sitting by the lake watching the giant squid do cartwheels in the water.

‘Did you see that one?’ Benji howled jumping up in the air himself.

Edward pretended not to notice, sighed and went back to reading his book. Adam, Amanda sitting next to him, both laughed, Adam with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. The sun reflected gently off of the heart shaped ornament dangling from her chocker.

‘If you’re so excited why don’t you go join him, then and give us some peace and quiet,’ Edward remarked in response to Benji’s next whoop.

In a blur of flying clothes Benji ran naked down the pier and jumped into the cold lake waters while his friends laughed and screamed in surprise. A group of girls laughed, shyly, behind their books and hands as they watched the future quidditch star‘s antics.

♥

Hogwarts, 1942

Another year passed introducing one of the darker chapters of the school’s history, the war had reached Hogwarts.

‘You can’t be serious. You’re not going are you?’ he asked her. They stood at the train station in Hogsmeade about to watch their schoolmates go away, some of them never to come back but, he still could not believe it was true.

‘I’ll be back Adam,’ she said. ‘She’s sick and she needs someone to watch over her. The bombings they’ve got her scared and … the Germans could invade at any moment and Grindelwald …’

‘But, I need you here,’ the boy replied, his voice cracking a little at the end. Always so brave, no one had ever seen him cry but, his boyish little face seemed so lost, so betrayed by her news. This was why she had waited until the last moment to tell him.

‘I’ll be back,’ she told him again. ‘Please promise you’ll wait for me.’

‘No, because I’m coming with you, now.’

She pushed him back off the steps of the train.

‘Don’t be silly. Whose going to help me catch up on all the subjects when I do make it back?’

‘Edward can do that. He’s so much better at school stuff, anyways.’ Amanda shook her head and she touched his cheek. ‘Why are you going? You don’t owe her anything. She’s never done anything …’

‘Shhh. She’s family. All the family I have left,’ Amanda replied.

Benji cleared his throat and Edward slapped him with an envelope on the shoulder. They had begun to fight.

‘I mean, outside of you lot.’

The train whistle blew signaling the departure. It was a bright sunny autumn day, one of the few around here, so beautiful and summery except for the fall leaves brown and red and gold fluttering down to the ground everywhere. It did not fit the sad occasion.

‘Please,’ he begged.

She bent down and kissed him, then the train started to move.

‘Promise me you’ll be here when I get back,’ she pleaded. ‘Promise me, you’ll wait.’

The boy nodded and through her tears she could not tell if his cheeks were wet. The train pulled away, and he ran after it until it was going too fast to keep up with. Amanda waved goodbye. The boy just stood there.”

♥

The boy is sitting under the old willow tree by the lake, he stretches his hands up in the air and closes his eyes imagining the ending. He does this all the time.

One dark and stormy night, the dark wizard’s men come into Hogwarts attacking the school. The teachers and the students fight bravely but they are outnumbered. There is fighting everywhere. The Astronomy Professor injured and the others just first years huddling together for comfort, the Astronomy Tower is in danger and only three students stand against the onslaught.

“Well, if I had known this is how it would all have played out I’d have kissed Margaret last week, asked her to next weeks ball and I’d have …”

Edward deflects a spell and Benji nods thanks.

“Don’t mention it and don’t finish that thought either. Margaret’s little brother is in that group of first years,” Edward replies.

“We can’t keep this up much longer … they’ve already broken down the main door, if we don’t hold this stairwell …” Benji sighs.

“We’re going to,” Adam adds firing off a hex and following it up with two stunning spells. But, already he’s exhausted.

A shot hits Edward and he falls back against the wall and slides down to the floor. Benji is at his side holding him. Adam turns back and his friend fires a spell, “He’s only stunned,” Benji replies.

“I guess this is it,” Adam returns.

Suddenly, everything stops and with a beat of strong wings a gust of air blows through the main hall knocking down all off Grindelwald’s men scattering them and knocking them out.

“What the …”

“Go on,” Benji says, “I’m right behind you.”

Adam runs downstairs and there she is sitting atop a large red dragon, Amanda. She pulls the cloak down off her head but Adam knows its her and he runs to Amanda and she jumps down and they kiss …

At least, that’s one of the ways Ottery likes to remember it, sitting by the lake watching the Giant Squid do summersaults. It’s an acrobatic squid. The dark haired boy falls asleep. The book flips open to the final page.

♥

Hogwarts 1943

“Amanda came back the next year on one of the first trains. She waited for him everyday by the old willow tree by the lake. With the muggle war still on, Grindelwald having been defeated by Professor Dumbledore, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the Hogwarts express had to run a few times to pick up all the students. The muggle war didn’t seem to be going too well for the Axis powers, either. One by one they came back. Except him.

It was Benjamin who told me, Edward couldn’t speak his heart so broken like his arm bandaged and in a sling. Adam had joined the muggle army to fight the war. He had hoped to help end it with a bit of magic to give me less reason to stay away from Hogwarts and come back to him.

‘They say he saved them all, his group of soldiers. They were ambushed and he blinded the enemy but,” and here Benji’s brave, strong voice cracked, “he was shot. He was the last one to leave, he wanted to make sure they were all safe and …’

I never did find out any more than that. I couldn’t bear to hear it and Benji couldn’t bear to repeat it. It broke us all.

I came back to Hogwarts to teach, its here I feel the closest to him. I live in Hogsmeade where I last saw him. And I remember always, those last words he said to me as the train pulled away never knowing I was never to see him again.

‘What?’ I yelled, the wind rushing past me, the sounds of the moving train too loud.
‘I’ll wait for you, always, Mandy. I’ll come get you if I can … because, I love you.’”

The End ♥

Hehehehehheheheh
When I saw the Link on the Page...
It had your username on the Bottom
so I was All like "It must be good."
And guess what????
IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WONDERFUL!!!!
THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heheheheeh

-Xavier

This is really really great. I love it.

You just had to go and make me , didn't you?


The story is beautiful and perfectly paced. The were a dozen or more grammatical errors but I would not change ANY part of the story itself. It was beautifully told.


Thank you.

great story, i loved it
Ally

The polls are now open ... but they do close in about *checks watch* 100 days so ... please, for those undecideds out there ... think carefully but don't take too long. Obviously you can pick more than one ... but honest answers are lovingly appreciated don't just click them all that would make it difficult to gauge no?

And please ... feel free to rate the thread. As many stars as you like, I can assure you I don't think there's anyway to know who voted what. Except maybe the mods. So, if you thought this story was only a 3 vote so. Honesty is loved.

Replies: Cuz I love my readers ...

-Xavier, every fic I post there you are. You're too cool thank you for the sweet words ... I always appreciate your enthusiasm too. No one else uses as many exclamation points as you or as eloquently I might add. I wonder if there's as many in your poems? And my siggy link worked? Yay! LOL No wait, you mean the Latest Fanfics box



shuu. Thank shuu ... erm I mean Thank you. Seriously thank you. Please vote on the poll I'd love your opinion, and thanks again for givin' my one_shot a shot!



Kellybear ... you're wherever I go ... and this was for you. I hope it is worthy of you, as it is meant as a testament to my love for you ... ♥ Consider it a love letter in fic form ...



Ally, thank you for reading as well. You're too sweet. I'm glad you like my writing. Please vote. And again thank you ... I love that my readers follow me around it means you all like my style of writing. It's a bit long winded and constantly evolving depending on what I'm reading ... but thank you for following me and giving me a shot.

hey Ottery new reader....loved this one shot always loved your fics...

I'm all caught up on everything now, and just read your one_shot. A brilliant and beautiful piece of work, and I can't stop crying. I voted all stars, and would have given more if there had been more to give. Can I PM you for a one_shot idea?

I tried to reply earlier, but my internet decided it wouldn't load...so I'm replying again I loved this one shot, it's awesome and I want to know more about Ed and Benji...*hint**coughsequel?cough**hint*

The first time I read this, I almost cried. And I don't usually cry over fiction <3

You have no idea how beautiful that was.

Or wait, DO you? >__<

That was heartbreaking-ly witty, and painfully reflective of certain events that happen in today's so-called "civilized" word. =[
Oh my. Very determined bloke, there. ^^
*captures*
Very nice. =DD
Ottery, when you wrote this, did you realize how profound it really is? Because it is, more than I can put into words, and I would love to explain, but I'm no good that and ... oh, you're a wonderful writer. <3
I hate when that happens. HUMAN NATURE!
You know, it didn't sound too fancy when I read it, then I imagined it, really imagined it - the red of the dragon, the cloak, the kiss - and it felt great, really good. *eats this bit for breakfast* Yummm. =DD
Oh my God. Ottery, you - you BAD Ottery, you VERY BAD Ottery. That was so touching, really beautifully-written, I'm pretty sure it snapped my heart in two and... that was just beautiful, OttySt, such a whirlwind.

Great ficlet. I have no words. <3

It's really very good, Aww, i'm a fan.