Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Kink: Death Part III

Happily Ever After Part III


The weeks flew by much too quickly. Henry began to long for the periods where time seemed to be at a complete standstill, creeping by as slowly as possible. The impending marriage between Scorpius and Alize was announced officially and a ball was held in their honor. Alize looked enchanting in her gown as Scorpius twirled her around and around all night. But there was something missing from her smile. There was no time for Henry and Alize to speak at all during the rehearsal and the dinner that followed. He was forced to sit at the back of the room and watch Alize pretend she was enjoying herself.

On the night before her wedding, Alize sat on the edge of the bed in her nightgown, staring at him silently. The room was dark except for the moonlight filtering through the window that made her pale skin seem even whiter.
He fought to keep the tears from his eyes. “I…suppose this will be the last night I’m allowed in your bed…”
She looked down at the hands folded in her lap. “Henry,” she whispered after a moment, not looking up at him. “Henry I want…I want you to…make love to me.”
“I…I can’t Alize…It’s impossible…”
“I know…I know you can’t touch me and I can’t touch you, but…” Her hands balled into fists in the skirt of her nightgown. “But I can touch myself…and you can show me…tell me what to do…” She licked her lips and looked up at him finally, her eyes shy, her cheeks flushed pink. “Please…I don’t want to marry him feeling like I never got the chance to be with you…”
He blushed, gulping. “I…I really want to…” he whispered.
“I love you, Henry.”
“I love you too.” He sat beside her on the bed, biting his lip.
She turned to face him, smoothing her dress down nervously. “Tell me…what to do…”
He nodded, stroking his fingers over hers. “I want to see you…all of you…”
With a blush still filling her cheeks she reached up and tugged the ribbon holding her dress closed loose, allowing the material to fall down her arms and bare her breasts. He felt his erection stirring; for the first time since his death he could feel… He reached forward, cupping her breast and wishing, praying he could feel that softness. Her body shivered at the contact and her nipples pebbled into hard peaks.
“You’re so beautiful, Alize…” He kissed her neck, slowly removing his own clothes. “So perfect.”
She blushed as her eyes traveled over his body and then she looked away, pushing her dress the rest of the way off.
He moaned, tracing his hand over her body. “I…I don’t know how this will work…”
She maneuvered herself to the middle of the bed and laid down against her pillows, looking up at him slowly, shyly. “Tell me how to touch myself…how you would touch me…” she murmured.
He lay beside her, drawing his tongue over her nipple. He could almost taste her… His hand trailed between her legs. “Just…d-do what I do…” he whispered.
Shivering again, she followed his lead. Pale fingers plucked at a pink nipple as her other hand dipped between her thighs. He hoped he wasn’t imagining that he felt the wetness gathering on his fingers as he stroked her slowly. The sight of her touching herself…for him…was so amazing, enticing…As he watched, her breathing became more and more labored and the flush of her cheeks spread to the rest of her body. A soft moan fell from her parted lips as she looked up at him, green eyes dark and heavy lidded.
“That’s it…Just like that…” he breathed, his voice husky as he pushed his finger inside of her.
She yelped a little and shivered again but soon her finger was joining his.
“Good…?” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her lips.
“Y-Yes…” Her voice was a hoarse whisper.
He crooked his finger inside of her, stroking. “Are you ready for another…?”
“I…I think so…”
He licked his lips as he added another finger, pressing both in and out slowly.
“Cold,” she whispered as she worked her own finger in beside his.
“I’m sorry…” He sat up, watching her.
“It’s okay…Feels good…”
He moved his fingers against her, meeting her gaze. “I…I love you…”
“I love you too, Henry.” Her hips shifted against the mattress, pressing herself onto their fingers and she moaned at the sensations that overwhelmed her. The heat against her fingers and the chill that filled her from the inside out.
He kissed her hip softly, curling his other hand around himself.
“Henry,” she whimpered.
“I’d do anything for you, Alize…”
“I wish I could…I could feel you inside me…”
“So do I…God…So much…”
“I want more.”
He bit his lip, working another finger into her. She groaned as she followed his example, stretching herself open with her fingers.
“Is that enough?” he breathed, stroking himself.
“Yes,” she panted, squeezing her eyes shut. “But I wish you could touch me everywhere.”
“I want you to feel good…I want this to be perfect for you…” He slipped his fingers out, moving on top of her.
She looked up at him through her lashes, her cheeks stained a beautiful rose color. “What’re you doing?”
“I…I’m…I want to at least imagine I can feel you around me,” he whispered, stroking her cheek.
“Oh…O-Okay…” She pulled her fingers from her body slowly, resting her hands on her chest as she watched him expectantly.
He bit his lip as he slowly pressed inside of her as he held her gaze.
“Oh..G-God…” she whimpered, her head falling back. She spread her legs wider around him and delved her hand between them, stroking herself slowly.
“Can you feel anything…?” he mumbled, watching her as he moved.
“Y-Yes…It feels…It feels so strange…but so good…”
“You will always be mine,” he whispered. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks. You’re mine.
“Yes…” She licked her lips and moaned. “Yes, I know. Henry…”
He moved against her rhythmically, moaning. It wasn’t the same as actually feeling her body wrapped around his, but he could almost feel the heat of her, the moisture, the tightness of her body. And it felt good, so good…It felt almost real. He moved faster, moaning her name as their hips moved together. This was so impossible… And a year ago he would’ve said it was impossible for a ghost to fall in love. But here he was…taking what little pleasure he could from a hopeless situation.
Alize’s fingers moved faster on her clit as his hips pumped into her. She certainly seemed to be enjoying herself, if her panted moans and needy gasps were any indication.
He kissed her, his tongue dipping into her open mouth.
“Henry!” she cried, gasping for breath.
“I…I’m going to…c-come, Alize…” he whispered. It was the strangest feeling…but so damn good…
“I’ll be with you.” Her thighs trembled around his hips. “Oh please, Henry…”
He jerked, crying her name as he felt his orgasm overtake him. In that moment he’d never felt so alive. He was only distantly aware of her own cry of pleasure, of the way her body trembled and shook. When he came back to himself, she was panting harder than ever and her eyes gazed up into his almost drunkenly.
Henry lay his head beside hers, blinking back tears.
“I love you,” Alize whispered into his ear.
“I love you too…” He kissed her cheek, trying not to think of what had to happen tomorrow.
“Will you hold me tonight?”
“I won’t let you go.”
Her lips brushed across his. “You were my first.”
“I know. I’m sorry it couldn’t be any better…You deserve so much I can’t give you…”
“It was perfect, Henry. Perfect.”
“You need to sleep now…You have to be well-rested…for tomorrow…”
“What if I don’t want to sleep?” she whispered, looking up at him. “What if I want to spend the whole night loving you?”
“Alize…we can’t,” he whispered weakly.
“I just don’t want to miss a single second of what I have left…Don’t make me sleep…not yet.”
“You’ll be in his bed tomorrow night…” he mumbled.
“Exactly. There will be plenty of time to sleep then,” she said with a weak smile.
He lay beside her, the tears spilling down his cheeks. “I don’t want to waste the chance we have either…”
Pulling the blanket up over her naked body, Alize shifted so she was facing him, just inches away. “Then keep me awake, Henry. Let’s enjoy the time we have left.”
He smiled through the tears as he pressed closer to her, his arms around her. “I’ll spend the rest of eternity loving you, Alize.”


To be continued...

Monday, February 11, 2013

Kink: Death Part II

Happily Ever After Part II

 Time passed much more quickly than Henry was used to. Before he knew it, Alize was preparing for her official engagement dinner, where the parents would finalize their decision for she and Scorpius to marry.
He sat in Alize’s room, watching her brush out her long, silky hair, the light glinting off her silver gown.
“Do you think you’re ready for this…?” he murmured, focusing on the rhythmic movement of her hands through her hair.
“No.” She looked up, meeting his eyes in the mirror. “Will you come with me? I don’t want to be alone.”
He nodded. “I’ll stay right by you…but I’ll stay hidden.”
“What if his parents don’t like me?” she asked after a minute, studying herself in the mirror.
“Everyone likes you. Don’t worry about it.”
She took a deep breath, pinning her hair back with diamond clips in the shape of dragons. “What’s going to happen if they decide the engagement is off? What am I going to do then?”
“You can find someone you actually want to marry.”
“What if they want to pair me with someone awful if things don’t work out with the Malfoys?”
“It is your life Alize. Just say no.”
“They’ll disown me if I don’t marry who they pick for me. I was raised to be a good wife, not live on my own…or to even know how.”
“You still shouldn’t be forced to marry someone horrid.”
“It doesn’t matter to them if he’s horrid,” she whispered. “Just as long as he’s pure.”
A knock sounded on the door, interrupting their conversation. “Lizzie, we have to leave now,” came her brother, Augustin’s, voice from the other side of the wood.
Henry moved to her side. “You’ll be fine,” he whispered as he vanished. “I know you will.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, I am so glad that we could make this arrangement with you,” Genevieve Warren murmured to the Malfoys at the end of the evening. “I know our daughter is very proud that you have selected her to marry your son.”
“We couldn’t possible have chosen a better wife for Scorpius. And they get along so well. I can’t wait for the ceremony,” Astoria Malfoy replied, smiling.
“Oh yes, thank you for reminding me. We would like to formally invite your family to Alize’s piercing ceremony next weekend, now that the engagement has been finalized.”
“That is certainly an honor. We wouldn’t miss it.”
“Well we must bid you a good evening,” Mr. Warren cut in. “Thank you for the wonderful dinner. Say goodbye, Alize.”
Alize stepped into the room and turned to Scorpius. “Good evening, Master Scorpius,” she whispered.
“Good evening, Alize.” He smiled, smoothing his hand over his leg nervously.
“I suppose I’ll see you again in a week.”
“I can’t wait. It’s always a pleasure to see you.”
“You too. Goodbye…” She turned and rejoined her parents.
“Goodbye…”

Alize didn’t speak a word to Henry as she entered her room that night. She walked silently across the room and climbed into bed without even bothering to remove her shoes.
“Is something wrong…?” Henry sat beside her on the bed, worried.
“He’s so nice,” she whispered, staring at the wall. “And considerate. I hate…I hate that I don’t like him.”
“That’s not your fault…You’re just not meant to be together…I hate that you’re being forced into this.”
She lapsed into silence for a while, so long he thought she had fallen asleep. But then she rolled over and looked up at him in the darkness. “Why can’t I love him like I love you?” she whispered.
He froze, blinking. “I…I don’t think I heard you right…” he mumbled, his mind racing.
“I said that I wish I could love him like I love you…”
“You…love me?”
She nodded. “Didn’t you notice? You’re my best friend.”
“I…I love you too…”
She sighed softly. “I would be happy if I could marry you instead, Henry.”
“Me too,” he whispered. If only….
“Will you stay with me tonight? Please?”
“I promise I won’t go anywhere.”
“You better not.” She smiled as her eyes drifted closed. “I’ll kill you if you do.”
He smiled, but it held a hint of sadness. “I won’t ever leave you, Alize.”

Five days later, Draco, Astoria, and Scorpius Malfoy arrived at the Warren house promptly at seven to watch Scorpius’s name being pierced into Alize’s ears. The act would mark Alize permanently as Scorpius’s bride.
Henry stayed near Alize, feeling his jealousy rising as he waited for the ceremony. His jealousy only grew and grew as he watched every letter of Scorpius’s name being pierced into Alize’s ear one by one. That should be his name. If he lived in a perfect world…but it was impossible. Even if Alize had a choice in the matter they couldn’t be together. There was no perfect world. Not for Henry. And not for Alize either.
Why did he have to love her? How was it possible for a dead man to love at all?
He wished he’d just been left alone. Ignorance was bliss. But then he’d have never met the one person who made him happy when he never thought he’d feel anything again…He never would have had to lose her either… You couldn’t miss what you never had, after all.
Henry watched the earrings gleam in Alize’s ear with a vague sense of hatred.
Why did it have to be so hard…? He couldn’t let her go. Not now. Not ever. He loved her too much. And she needed him. She couldn’t go through this alone.
It was close to ten when the Malfoys finally took their leave, allowing Alize to retire to her room.
“Did it hurt?” he asked, reclining beside the window.
“Not when he put them in,” she murmured, sitting in front of her mirror to pull her hair down from its braid.
“The whole thing seems so archaic…”
“It’s been our family tradition since Merlin.”
“You’re not property.” He disregarded the fact that if it had been his name he’d have no problem with it.
She shrugged, running her fingers through her hair to loosen the curls.
“There’s not much longer until the wedding…”
She seemed not to hear him. She pushed her hair behind her ears and studied the earrings in the mirror, turning her head first one way then the other.
“I hate them,” he muttered before he could stop himself.
Silence met his words. And then, suddenly, she burst into tears and lowered her head into her hands, sobbing.
“Alize…I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to upset you…” He wished he could hold her…comfort her, but like so many other things, it was impossible.
“I don’t want to marry him,” she sobbed, her words muffled by her hands.
“Then don’t. I can’t stand seeing you so miserable.”
“If I don’t, I’ll never see my family again. Augustin, April, Abel, little Amelie…” She laid her head down on the wood, still sobbing. “I can’t.”
“I love you. No matter what you do.”
She looked up at him, her cheeks streaked with her tears. “Promise you’ll never leave me.”
“I promise.” Even though he knew neither of them could feel it, he leaned down, touching his lips to hers. When he pulled away, she was smiling through her tears.
“Thank you, Henry,” she whispered.
“Thank you,” he whispered back.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I love you so much…”
“I love you too.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I shouldn’t, but I do. And I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. I’ll never leave you alone.”
“Good.” She smiled, a bit sadly. “Does that make me selfish?”
“Not at all.”
“I think I should go to bed. It’s been a long night…”
“Yes…May I…lie with you…?”
“Always.”
He drifted towards the bed, watching her as he lay down. Was this how it would be forever? Torturing them both with his presence, while nothing could be done…and Scorpius would claim her as his wife. She quickly changed into her nightgown in the bathroom and then slipped into the bed beside him.
“Thank you for being my best friend, Henry,” she whispered before falling asleep. “You really, truly are the best.”
“Always,” he murmured. “Always.”


To be continued...

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Kink: Death Part I

Kink usedDeath (fatal illnesses; heroic death; character death in general; survivor guilt and grief; ghosts and haunting; vampires; Thanatos as the personification of death; Thanatos as the death wish; death orgasms; gothic aesthetics; immortality or aging as it relates to death; reincarnation)
Characters selectedOMC: Henry Potter (James and Lily's  younger son) / OFC: Alize Warren ; Also featuring Scorpius Malfoy
Title: Happily Ever After
RatingR

Happily Ever After

Henry couldn’t remember anything about his life. He did not know what significance the house he haunted had for him, just that he did not wish to leave. He did not know who he had been, just the overwhelming instinct that his name had been Henry. But Henry what? He did not know. He moved through the empty rooms, unaware what each meant to him. He stopped, looking uncomprehendingly at the new boxes piled inside his home. The house had been empty since the day he woke up dead. These boxes were new. Where had they come from? He frowned, drifting away. There must be new occupants…But who? He’d seen no one… He wandered through the house, watching men in brown uniforms carrying boxes large and small into his home and setting them in various rooms. He waited, watching for some clue of who would be invading his space. Unfortunately, no such clue came. The brown clad men carried hundreds of boxes into the house then promptly left, leaving him alone with the offending objects. He moved into his favorite room, though he did not know why he preferred it, looking out the window. The glass took up the entire wall, looking out onto the front lawn, which stretched all the way out to the edge of the forest that circled the home. He hadn’t had any human contact since he’d died…perhaps…if this invader were not quite so bad…The afterlife often felt lonely.
He waited patiently over the next few days for another touch with life. It was a week later when the uniformed men returned. They spent three days setting up the furniture, then another three unpacking the boxes and putting the contents away. It was two days after that when he got the first glimpse of the family that would be living with him. He stood near the top of the steps, invisible to them as he watched them enter the house.
A middle aged couple entered first. The man was a giant, or at least so it seemed. He was taller than any man he’d ever seen, standing at six and a half feet, at least. He closely resembled a bear, with bulging muscles and a bald head. If Henry had been alive, he’d have been terrified of the man and his cold, ice colored eyes.
The woman, conversely, was petite and pretty. She appeared to be toward the end of a pregnancy, the layers of her soft gown fluttering around the swollen bulge of her belly. She was otherwise very thin and had thin hair the color of blood that fell down her back. Her eyes were blue as well, though they appeared to be softer and kinder, more of a powder blue than frozen water. His eyes drifted away from her, behind the couple as another stepped through the door.
The newcomer must’ve been their son, or at least the man’s. He was even taller than the bear, though much leaner. His white hair was a tad long, but swept away from his face with a ribbon. He had the woman’s eyes and wore a pristine white suit with gold buttons. The men were so tall…And it seemed there was no one his own age, or what he presumed his age to be…
But then he heard a burst of laughter, a child’s high pitched squeal followed quickly by a woman’s giggle, and a small child, perhaps three, burst into the house, ducking between the elder son’s legs and headed for the stairs. The young boy was followed by two women, women who looked to be around his own age. One girl, who had inherited her mother’s red hair while the others all had white, was running after the boy with vigor and merriment, tugging the end of her long silver gown out of the way of her feet. The other, dressed in a bright red that made her white hair shine and her dark blue eyes gleam, yawned boredly and sauntered into the house with a lazy and uncaring gait.
He moved out of the child’s way, watching them with interest. While the others wandered the house, examining their new surroundings, the crimson haired girl chased the little boy up the steps, straight through him, and onto the second stair case. Finally she managed to wrap her arms around his wriggling body on the landing and hoisted him, kicking and giggling, into the air.
“Abel Vincent,” she cried, smiling widely as she held the boy above her head, “it appears I have caught you at last!”
“No, Lizzie, no!” the little boy squealed. “I let you catch me!”
Lizzie…His eyes took in every detail of her appearance. She appeared much kinder than the others in features. Her face was soft as she and the child, Abel, played. He was caught on her eyes, the strangest shade of pale green he’d ever seen, flecked with shards of baby blue, and her lips which were so soft looking and the color of red roses.
He almost wished to be corporeal just to feel her…
“Come on, Abel. Let’s go find your room.”
With one last glance down at the others, Henry trailed after Lizzie and Abel, following them up the stairs as they searched for the room where the young boy’s things had been stored. One good thing about being dead…it made sneaking much easier…
Lizzie and Abel made their way slowly through each room until they came to his. Henry smiled to himself. Lizzie seemed to be a fun woman…might be interesting to talk to her. He had to wait until she was alone and watch her a bit more, but he was so lonely…He needed someone to talk to. It’d been far too long without anyone else.
“Look, Lizzie!” the boy cried excitedly, pointing out the window. “Look at the birds!”
The girl’s smile softened as she came up behind Abel and examined where he was pointing to. “Oh yes, they’re beautiful.”
Henry moved behind them, looking past them out the window. He waited calmly for the girl to finish with Abel to move on to her own room. It seemed she could stay in there forever with that little boy. But eventually his mother called him away and with a smile, the girl left and began to look around.
He moved directly beside her, his lips an inch from her ear. “This is my favorite room, you know,” he whispered.
The girl jumped, her pale green eyes flying around the room in search of the source of the voice.
“Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you…” he said, revealing himself to her. “I…don’t mean to scare you…”
The girl’s green eyes studied him, roaming over him from head to toe, then she nodded and moved around him to shut the door.
“Well…hello…I’m Henry…” He held out his hand, then cleared his throat, pulling it back uncomfortably. “Sorry, I…forget sometimes…”
“It’s alright. My name is Alize.”
“I…I heard him call you Lizzie,” he murmured.
“My father called me that when I was little. It’s easier for him to pronounce than Alize.”
He moved back toward the window. “In any case…welcome to my home…”
“How long have you lived here?”
“I’ve no idea. Years…time is almost meaningless here…it’s hard to keep track of it all…”
“Does it feel like it’s been a long time?”
“A very long time…”
“And your name is Henry?”
“I think so…That’s one of the only thing I can remember.”
“So you don’t know how old you are?”
“I…I think I must’ve been…sixteen or…or seventeen when I died…”
She nodded. “Do you…want to know?”
“Perhaps. It’s never really mattered.”
“I could find out for you.”
“Really?” He blinked. “H-how?”
“Public records. Newspapers.”
“You’d really help me…?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I just…you don’t even know me…”
“I have a big heart.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded again. “Just do me one favor.”
“Yes?” he breathed.
“Try not to reveal yourself around Abel. He’s very easily frightened…He won’t respond well.”
“Right…I’ll try…He won’t even…know I’m here.”
She shook her head. “I just meant when he’s alone. When he’s around me, you don’t have to worry. But when he’s all by himself every little noise scares him to tears.”
“Okay. I promise.” He moved closer to her. “It has been a pleasure meeting you, Alize…”
She smiled warmly. “I have to say the same, Henry.”
“Can…can you see if…if I have family still alive…?” he whispered.
“I will.”
“Thank you. I should go…”
“Where…?”
He shrugged, smiling. “I suppose I don’t have anywhere to go, do I?”
“You don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want…”
“I know. Um…Where are you from?”
“The United States.”
“Oh…I’m…I’m still in Britain, aren’t I?”
She nodded.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m…Well, I’m engaged to someone here. So is April.”
“Engaged…to whom?”
“Scorpius Malfoy.”
He frowned. “Sounds almost familiar…”
“Perhaps you knew him.”
“I don’t know. Perhaps.” He drifted closer. “I would do anything for you if you do what you’ve said…and help me. I’d do anything in return…”
“I don’t want anything in return.”
He smiled. “I will forever be your friend.”
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Me too…”

“Good morning,” he whispered to Alize a few days later. “Can you do something with me today? Anything…I’m just…feeling restless…”
Alize, who still lay in bed, blinked sleepily at him. “I suppose the concept of ‘sleeping in’ has lost its appeal over time for you, hasn’t it?”
“Sorry…” He moved closer to her side. She pushed down the thick silver duvet and sat up slowly, reclining against her pillows.
“You can join me if you want,” she offered, making room for him on the bed.
He slid onto the bed, watching her curiously.
“I found some newspapers the other evening,” she told him, leaning over and pulling open the bedside table drawer. 
“What did they say?” he murmured, excited.
“I think this is you.” She pulled out a slightly yellowed newspaper, folding it so a section towards the back of the paper now was on top. “It’s a birth announcement.”
“From when?” He looked over her shoulder.
“The article was written January 1987.” She showed him the small article with the attached picture. “James and Lily Potter are proud to announce the birth of their second son, Henry Potter.” The picture that came with the article was small, black and white, a young couple smiling with a boy sitting between them. The boy was holding a newborn and grinning broadly.
“I have a brother…”
“I found his birth announcement too. His name is Harry.”
“Harry,” he repeated, biting his lip. “Thank you, Alize…This is just…wow…”
“You’re welcome.” She laid back against her pillows again. “I’ll continue looking, I promise.”
“You’re the most amazing friend.”
A soft smile curled her lips. “I just want to help.”
He pressed closer to her, smiling. “I know…Have you met Scorpius…?”
She covered a yawn with her hand as she shook her head.
“I hope he’s good to you…”
“It’s up to him how he treats me.”
“You deserve someone who treats you right.”
“It’s not my choice,” she said adamantly.
He does. And if he doesn’t see how amazing you are, he’s blind,” Henry asserted.
“We’ll see.” She rolled onto her side, looking up at him. “What is it you want to do today?”
“Whatever you want. I haven’t done anything fun in forever…”
“I think our choices are limited given your condition.”
He chuckled. “I guess…It sucks being dead…”
“I imagine so. Can you leave the house?”
“I’ve never tried. I don’t see why not.”
“Then perhaps you can come to the library with me this time.”
“I’d love to.”
“If you let me sleep for a few more hours.”
He nodded, moving off the bed.
“Good night, Henry,” she murmured, sinking down into the bed, her eyes fluttering shut.
He watched her for a moment. It sucks being dead…That had certainly become apparent lately.

At just after noon, Alize and Henry stepped into the dark, quiet solitude of the library and headed straight for the newspapers. Henry peered over her shoulder as she flipped through articles, glancing at her face every now and again. If only he could touch…feel…
“Here.” Her soft voice slid over him, startling him from his thoughts.
He blinked, looking at the paper in her hand. “What is it?”
“Your brother, Harry, is married and has three children.”
“My brother…This is amazing…I have a family…”
“I can’t find anything about your death, though. It must not have been reported.”
“That’s strange…”
“Normally they only have articles when someone dies a particularly traumatic death. Such as a fire or a plane crash. You might’ve just been sick.”
“Yeah…Maybe.” He couldn’t stop watching her lips as she spoke.
“Perhaps I could speak to your brother for you.”
“Does it say where he is?”
“It said he lives in his godfather’s family house. His godfather is Sirius Black…I know where the Black family lives.”
“I want to see him…I have to.”
Those lips he couldn’t look away from lifted into a smile. “Shall we then?”
“When…?”
“Right now.”
“If you’d like.”
She stood up, tucking the newspaper in her bag. “Let’s go.”
He drew a breath of anticipation as he drifted behind her. The secrets of his life…all he’d forgotten…He could almost see it…

Harry Potter had just made him a cup of tea and settled down with the Daily Prophet when he heard a soft knock on his front door. He set his cup down, rising. His house elf was already moving toward the door, but he waved her away, answering it himself. “Good morning. To what do I owe this pleasure?” He smiled warmly at the pretty young girl on his doorstep. She looked to be Albus’s age. Perhaps she was one of his friends? He shook that thought aside immediately. She didn’t look anything like the crowd his young son enjoyed spending time with. She wore a long silver gown that fell to her feet, tied with a ribbon at the back and her long, crimson curls were pulled back from her face with a large bow at the back of her head. She looked…regal. Royal, almost.
“Are you Harry Potter?” she asked. Her voice was odd…a unique accent he’d never heard before.
“Yes, I am...And who are you?”
She held out one small, pale hand. “My name is Alize Warren. My family just moved into your old home. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions…?”
“Of course. Please come in.” He held the door open wider. She slipped past him into the house, her curls bouncing down her spine. He smiled, watching her as he led her to his living room. “What kind of questions?”
Large blue green eyes slid around the room, taking in all the details before she turned to face him again. “I apologize if this seems blunt, but did you have a younger brother named Henry?”
He blinked, shocked. How did she know about Henry…? “Many years ago, yes…”
“He was sixteen when he died?”
He nodded, blinking away tears. It had been a few months before his wedding to Ginny. Henry was supposed to be his best man.
“I tried to look it up, but I found no mention in the newspapers,” the girl continued. “May I ask how he died?”
“He was very sick…He died at St. Mungo’s from pneumonia.”
Her head bobbed in a slow nod and she glanced to a spot beside her for a moment before looking back up at him. “Since we’ve moved in, Henry’s been haunting me.”
“You’ve seen him?”
She nodded again. “He has no memory of his life.”
“Is he…here?”
“Yes.” She looked to the right again.
He followed her gaze and watched wide-eyed as Henry slowly materialized.
“Hi…” Henry waved nervously. “Nice to meet you.”
“Should I…leave you alone to talk?” Alize asked.
Harry shook his head, moving slowly towards Henry. “I haven’t seen you in nearly twenty years…”
Henry smiled sadly. “I don’t remember anything…”
“Well, I have much to tell you then.” Harry wiped away a tear as he smiled at his brother.

With each word Harry spoke, memories of his life returned slowly, vividly. His parents, his school years…Harry’s wedding…It was all coming back to him. The person he’d been…he was actually proud of the life he’d led. He’d been a good kid. Harry told him about his children, his life after Henry’s death. Henry asked to meet them and Harry sent the elf to get them.
The first to arrive was a girl who Harry introduced as Lily, his youngest. She looked a lot like  her mother with bright red hair and a freckled face. She was a bit shy, but they had a nice conversation as they waited for the other children to arrive. James Sirius followed her, a tall, athletic man with a cocky grin. While he talked to James, two boys, opposites in appearance, descended the steps, laughing about something.
Out of the corner of his eye, Henry noticed Alize suddenly stiffen in her seat. Then she stood quickly, smoothing down her dress and adjusting the bow that pinned her hair back.
“Albus…this is your uncle Henry.”
Albus Severus blinked, watching Henry, then grinned. “That’s so cool.”
The blonde standing beside him, stepped forward. “I’m Scorpius, Albus’s friend…” His eyes strayed to Alize, his gaze appreciative.
Henry scowled, suddenly feeling protective towards her. Scorpius? Could this be…?
“Scorpius is practically part of the family. He’s here more than I am sometimes,” Harry said chuckling. “He’s actually engaged to be married soon.”
“To me,” Alize said softly, the first time she had spoken since Henry and Harry had begun their conversation.
Scorpius’s eyes widened slightly as he smiled. “Strange way to finally meet you, Alize.”
“Yes. Agreed…”
“You’re even more lovely than I was led to believe,” he murmured, moving closer. Henry shifted beside Alize, watching him suspiciously.
“Thank you.” Alize’s eyes flickered to Henry briefly.
“Are you staying for a while?” Scorpius asked, a bit hopeful.
Alize shook her head slowly. “No…I have to be home soon.”
“Can you come back tomorrow? I’d really like to get to know you…without my parents hanging around…”
“I don’t know…” She glanced first at Henry then back at Harry.
“You’re welcome anytime Alize,” Harry smiled.
Henry merely scowled.
“Henry?” Alize asked. “Would you like to come home with me or would you prefer to stay here?”
“I’d like to go home…”
She turned back to Harry. “I’m sorry, we have to be going now. It was very nice to meet all of you…”
“And you. Please feel free to come back.”
Scorpius kissed her cheek. “Goodbye, Alize.”
Henry barely stopped himself from growling.

Henry watched the light glinting off of Alize’s damp curls as she sat curled up in bed after her shower. The red tresses were gleaming enchantingly in the dim light coming in from the window.
“What did you think?” she asked, looking up at him through her lashes, her head bent to her knees.
“It was…enlightening.” He gulped, his stomach feeling a bit fluttery.
“They were very nice.”
“Yeah…” He moved towards the window. “So that was…Scorpius…”
She let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes. “I thought I would have…I don’t know…some sort of attachment to him. That when I saw him my heart would skip a beat and I’d get excited. But…”
“You don’t love him? You don’t really have to marry him…”
She shrugged. “I didn’t feel anything. Not even when he touched me. I didn’t mind it but I didn’t want him to, either.”
Henry felt an odd glee at her words. She didn’t like Scorpius… “I knew his father…He was in Harry’s year. A selfish, whiny git…”
She chuckled then sighed again. “Perhaps I’ll grow to love him.” She uncoiled her body and laid down against her pillows. “Perhaps I’ll never like him.”
“When is the wedding…?”
“In a year. My seventeenth birthday.”
“Hmm.” Every moment he was around her, his feelings for her grew. But he would never be able to touch her…She couldn’t return his feelings. He was dead. There was nothing left for him.
Alize yawned into her hand and rolled onto her side to face him. “Will you join me?”
“Join you?”
“Lay with me.”
He moved onto the bed, lying beside her. Alize smiled up at him, pulling her blankets up to her chin.
“You’re my best friend, Henry. You know that?”
“And you’re mine,” he whispered.
“Where do you go when I’m sleeping?”
“I…I just wander mostly…” He often found himself watching her sleep lately…
“It must get boring for you.”
“A little…sometimes…”
“I wish there was something I could do for you.” She yawned again, her eyes fluttering shut.
“You’ve done plenty,” he mumbled.
“You don’t have to…stick around while I’m…sleeping…”
“I don’t mind.”
“Okay…” She curled up in a ball beneath the blanket and with one more yawn was fast asleep.
He smiled as he watched her…so very beautiful…Her face looked so serene. Sliding just a bit closer, he reached out his hand to caress her cheek. The sight of his pale fingers passing through her like air was a cruel reminder. He could never touch her…no matter how much he wanted to.


To be continued...