Cuddling Dreams
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The next day, I woke up early. The sun was already high in the sky when my eyes opened and I sat bolt upright on top of a mountain peak overlooking the sea. It had been raining all night but now it seemed to have stopped at last; the air smelled fresh with the scent of new growth.
There were no clouds in sight, just blue skies as far as I could see. A light breeze blew across me, carrying scents from the forest below: pine needles, earthy soil, wildflowers…
I didn’t know how long I’d slept there—it felt like hours, yet somehow only minutes passed before I heard someone calling for help. “Help!” they cried out again and again until finally, I looked down at them. They stood on a small hillock beside an old wooden bridge over a stream that flowed into the ocean beyond.
Their clothes were tattered and torn, their hair matted against his head by sweat. He clutched something tightly in one hand while he stared upwards towards the mountainside where I lay hidden among rocks. His face was contorted with pain as tears streamed down his cheeks.
“Please,” he called once more, then fell silent.
As soon as I saw him standing there alone, I knew who this person must be. This wasn’t some random stranger wandering through the woods looking for help after being lost or injured. No, this man was different because I recognized him immediately. And not just anyone would recognize me either! My heart started pounding so hard I thought it might burst right out of my chest.
But why? Why did I feel such intense emotion toward this stranger? Was it simply because we both shared a connection to the land around us? Or perhaps our fates were intertwined in ways neither of us understood. After all, hadn’t I come here seeking answers about myself? What if those answers were waiting for me beneath these very same trees?
Slowly, I began descending the slope, careful not to make any noise lest I draw attention to myself. As I neared the bottom, I spotted another figure lying motionless nearby. She wore a white dress and her skin glowed pale and translucent as she breathed deeply, fast asleep.
Her long black hair spilled over the ground behind her like a waterfall of silk. I approached carefully, trying to remain quiet even though I wanted nothing more than to wake her up. But what good would that do? If anything, waking her might cause her to panic and run away. Instead, I decided to leave her sleeping peacefully while I went off in search of the first man.
When I reached the footbridge, he still hadn’t moved. So much blood covered his hands that it dripped onto the stones underneath him. When I knelt down beside him, I noticed the object he held in his hand—a large stone carved with runes etched deep within its surface.
“What are you doing?” I asked softly. He didn’t respond. Even though I couldn’t hear his voice, I sensed that he was awake. Still, he said nothing.
“You’re hurt,” I whispered. “Let me help.”
He shook his head slowly, refusing to look at me.
“It’s okay,” I reassured him. “Just let me take care of your wounds…”
Suddenly he grabbed hold of my arms, pulling himself closer to me. I gasped in surprise as he pressed his lips against mine. At first, I tried to pull back, afraid that he meant harm. But then I realized that his touch was gentle and warm. In fact, despite the terrible injuries he suffered, his body felt strong and powerful.
His kiss sent shivers racing through me. For a moment I forgot everything else except for the way his mouth tasted, the warmth of his breath upon my own, and the softness of his lips. Then, suddenly, he pulled away from me.
“Don’t go,” he murmured. “Stay with me.”
My heart pounded painfully inside my chest as I watched him stand up. Slowly, he made his way across the bridge, heading deeper into the forest. Once he disappeared from view, I turned to find the other woman lying unconscious on the grass. By the time I got close enough to check on her, however, she stirred slightly. I gently stroked her cheek, hoping to calm her before she awoke.
“Who is she?” I wondered aloud.
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she gazed up at me. “She’s my sister,” she replied.
I blinked in shock. How could that possibly be true? I had never seen this girl before in my life. Yet she spoke as if she knew me well.
“Why don’t you tell me your name?” I suggested it instead. “Then maybe I can answer that question for you.”
The young woman nodded silently. It took several moments for her to gather her thoughts, but eventually, she managed to speak. “I’m Lina,” she said quietly.
***
After meeting the two strangers, I spent the rest of the day exploring the area. The forest seemed endless, stretching far beyond the horizon in every direction. There were no paths or signs of civilization anywhere to be found.
Not a single tree grew taller than five feet tall, nor were there any shrubs or bushes to break up the monotony of nature’s beauty. All around me, the air smelled fresh and clean, almost intoxicating. Birds chirped happily, their songs filling the silence.
And yet something told me that I shouldn’t linger too long here. Something warned me to keep moving forward until I came to an end.
At last, I spotted a small clearing ahead of me where I could see a lake surrounded by thick green vegetation. A few birds fluttered nervously overhead as they circled above the water. I walked cautiously toward them, wondering whether or not it would be safe to approach the shoreline without getting wet.
To my relief, the birds flew away once I stepped out onto the sandy beach. They quickly vanished into the distance, leaving only the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below.
As I stood staring at the sparkling blue waters, I heard footsteps approaching from behind. Turning around, I saw the second man standing just outside the circle of trees. His face remained expressionless, making it difficult to read his emotions. Nevertheless, I sensed that he was curious about me as well, especially after seeing how I reacted when I met the other woman earlier.
“Are you lost?” he asked me.
“No… I’ve been wandering these woods all morning,” I answered truthfully. “But I think I might know where I am now.”
He stared at me curiously. “Where do you come from?”
“From the city of Zoltan,” I explained. “In the kingdom of Almas.”
“Almas? That’s quite far from here,” he remarked. “How did you get so far away?”
“I ran away from home,” I admitted. “There was some trouble between my parents and me. My father wanted me to marry someone who wasn’t right for me, and my mother wouldn’t listen. So I left.”
The stranger smiled faintly. “That must have been very hard for you.”
“Yes, it was,” I agreed. “Now what should I do next?”
He shrugged noncommittally. “Whatever makes you happy. Just make sure you stay alive while you’re doing it.”
Before I could ask him why he’d said such a strange thing, he began walking away again. I followed closely behind, eager to hear more of his story. Perhaps he would reveal something useful to help me survive in this unfamiliar place.
After a short walk, we reached another large clearing, which seemed even larger than the one I had already explored. This time, however, there was something different about its appearance—something that caught my attention immediately.
On the ground lay a pile of leaves and twigs, scattered haphazardly among the dirt. As I approached, I noticed that each piece of debris appeared to be covered in tiny black dots. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the objects weren’t actually pieces of wood at all; rather, they were insects!
Hundreds upon hundreds of beetles crawled over the surface of the piles, digging deep holes in search of food. Their wings rustled loudly as they moved through the air, creating ripples in the otherwise still pond.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that these creatures were harmless. In fact, they reminded me of the bugs back home. But unlike the ones I remembered, these little guys looked much bigger and stronger. And judging by the number of them present, I guessed that they represented most of the wildlife living nearby.
If I wanted to avoid being eaten, I needed to find somewhere else to go.
“What are those things?” I asked the man beside me.
“They’re called beetle larvae,” he replied. “You’ll see lots of them around here. They eat anything organic, like dead plants and animals. You won’t want to step on one if you can help it, though. Some people say they taste terrible.”
“Really?” I asked with surprise. “Do they really bite?”
“Not usually,” he assured me. “If you touch one, it will probably just run away. Most of them aren’t aggressive unless they feel threatened.”
“So is it safe to pick them up?” I wondered aloud.
The stranger laughed lightly before answering. “Of course not!”
“Why not?” I demanded. “Aren’t they just bugs?”
“Well, yes, but…” He paused briefly, searching for words. Then, finally, he continued: “These particular beetles don’t belong here. The forest isn’t their natural habitat. It doesn’t matter how many times you change your environment, nature always finds a way to adapt. Even if you try to force everything into a specific pattern, sooner or later you’ll lose control. Eventually, the balance will fall apart completely. That’s exactly what happened here.”
His voice grew louder and angrier as he spoke until eventually, he stopped talking altogether. A moment passed, then another, without any further sound. Finally, I decided to break the silence.
“Is something wrong?” I asked cautiously.
“Nothing,” he snapped. “Just leave me alone.”
With that, he turned around and walked away once more. I watched him disappear into the trees, wondering whether I should follow. As I considered the question, I felt an odd sensation in my stomach. Something inside me told me that I shouldn’t trust this stranger.
For whatever reason, he clearly had no intention of helping me. On top of that, he was also acting strangely hostile toward me. What kind of person behaves that way towards a complete stranger?
As I stood there debating the issue, the feeling in my gut faded away. Suddenly, I knew that I couldn’t afford to waste any more time. There was too much uncertainty surrounding my situation. I needed to act quickly before I made a mistake that cost me dearly. Before I could think twice, I took off after the stranger. By the time I caught up, he had disappeared entirely.
By now I was thoroughly lost. I wandered aimlessly through the woods for hours, trying desperately to retrace my steps. Each time I tried to turn back, however, I found myself wandering deeper down the path instead.
Soon enough, I came across a small stream flowing alongside the road. At first, I thought nothing of it, assuming that this was simply another part of the same trail I had traveled earlier. But when I examined the water carefully, I discovered that it wasn’t moving at all. Instead, the current flowed steadily from left to right, forming a clear boundary between two distinct sections of land.
I peered into the distance, looking for signs of life. To my surprise, I saw several men standing near the edge of the riverbank. One of them waved at me, beckoning me forward. When I got close enough to speak with him directly, I realized that he was speaking some sort of foreign language.
His lips moved rapidly, producing sounds that sounded almost musical. I strained to understand his words, but unfortunately, I never did manage to grasp the meaning behind them. Still, even without understanding the exact message, I understood the intent. This man was offering me a ride.
He motioned to the boat resting against the shoreline. Although it seemed sturdy enough, I hesitated to get in. After all, I’d only seen one other vehicle ever since arriving here. Who knew where it might lead me next? Besides, I still hadn’t figured out how to use the boat properly. I doubted that I would be able to steer it well enough to reach the opposite bank.
Still, the man insisted. So I climbed aboard, hoping that I wouldn’t regret my decision. Once again, we set sail downstream, leaving the city far behind us. We reached the end of the river within minutes, then began traveling along its banks for miles and miles.
Eventually, the landscape changed so drastically that I barely recognized it anymore. Gone were the forests and mountains; instead, the ground became covered by vast fields of grass. Occasionally, I spotted a few farmhouses scattered about, but most of the area remained empty.
After a while, the man slowed our pace significantly. Now that we weren’t going anywhere fast, I managed to catch sight of the scenery around me. The field stretched on endlessly, stretching into the horizon in every direction. In fact, I didn’t see any sign of civilization whatsoever.
Not a single building rose above the earth. No roads, no fences, not even a tree to mark the spot. Just endless stretches of open space, punctuated occasionally by large patches of grass.
Eventually, the man pulled over onto the side of the road. From there, he pointed to a small house situated nearby. Apparently, this was the place we had been heading towards all along. As soon as he parked his car, he jumped out and headed straight inside.
Moments later, he emerged carrying a box full of supplies. Without waiting for my response, he tossed it into the trunk of the car. Then he helped me climb out, placing a hand firmly on my shoulder to steady me. He smiled warmly at me, although his expression was completely unfamiliar. It reminded me of someone I used to know long ago. Someone who looked just like him…
When I opened my eyes, I was lying face-down on the floor. My head throbbed painfully, forcing me to groan loudly. Slowly, I sat up, wincing as pain shot through my neck. I glanced around the room, taking stock of my surroundings.
A strange sensation gripped my chest, making it difficult to breathe. For a moment, I wondered if something might have happened to my heart. Yet despite my fears, I felt perfectly fine. Even better than usual, actually.
My body ached everywhere. Every muscle protested against the slightest movement, sending shooting pains throughout my entire frame. I tried to stand up, but my legs refused to cooperate. They trembled uncontrollably beneath me, causing me to fall flat on my stomach once again.
I struggled to regain control of my limbs but eventually gave up. There was no point in fighting it. If I wanted to move, I needed to take things slowly. Otherwise, I risked injuring myself further.
So I lay there, breathing heavily, waiting patiently for my muscles to recover. By the time they finally stopped trembling, I was ready to try walking again. And after a few more attempts, I was able to make it to the door. With great effort, I pushed it open.
Outside, the sun shone brightly overhead, casting an uncomfortable glare upon my skin. But I couldn’t afford to worry about such trivial details right now. Instead, I focused on moving forward, getting closer to wherever I could find shelter.
As I walked down the street, I noticed that many people stared at me curiously. Some of them called out to me, asking what had happened to my face. Others simply stood back, watching from afar. Most of them wore similar clothing to mine, which made sense considering that we were all living together under the same roof.
However, others appeared to be dressed much differently. Their clothes ranged from simple t-shirts and jeans to elaborate gowns and suits. All of their appearances differed greatly, yet none of them seemed hostile. Perhaps they understood why I was wearing a mask.
Or maybe they saw past it. Either way, nobody bothered me. Which was good, because I wasn’t sure that I could handle another confrontation quite yet.
I continued walking until I came across a familiar figure sitting outside a shop. When she caught sight of me approaching, her eyes widened with surprise. She quickly got up, hurrying over to greet me. Her name was Maria, one of the other residents of the orphanage.
Although she was only thirteen years old, she already possessed a mature air about herself. Unlike the rest of the children, however, she always spoke respectfully to adults. That was how I knew that she must have grown up in a wealthy family.
“Are you okay?” she asked anxiously. “You look terrible.”
She took off her own mask, revealing a beautiful visage underneath. Her dark hair fell loosely around her shoulders, contrasting nicely with her pale complexion. Despite being so young, she exuded confidence and poise. Everything about her radiated power.
More importantly, though, I recognized her immediately. We had spent countless hours talking together during our stay at the orphanage. So when I realized who she really was, I almost collapsed in shock.
Maria’s parents owned the local bakery. They also ran a successful business selling baked goods and various types of foodstuffs. The money they earned allowed them to provide a comfortable lifestyle for themselves and their daughter.
Not surprisingly, Maria was extremely intelligent. In fact, she often tutored the younger kids whenever they needed extra help. As a result, most of us treated her as an older sister or mother figure. At times, I even considered her to be my best friend. Of course, I never told anyone else that. After all, I didn’t want to ruin our friendship by admitting that I still cared for her.
But then everything changed. One day, Maria disappeared without warning. Nobody ever found out where she went. Nor did anybody know whether she returned home safely. It was like she vanished into thin air.
No matter how hard we searched, she remained lost forever. Eventually, everyone assumed that she’d been kidnapped. But while that possibility lingered in the back of our minds, we never truly believed it. Because deep inside, we all knew that Maria would come running back if she could.
The truth was that she hadn’t run away. Rather, she had left voluntarily. Apparently, she decided that she wanted to live alone instead of returning to the orphanage. I guess she felt that she deserved better than to spend the rest of her life surrounded by strangers.
Maybe she thought that she could do something special on her own. Who knows? What mattered most, though, was that she chose to leave behind those who loved her. Then again, perhaps I shouldn’t blame her entirely. After all, she had no idea that I existed. If she had known, things might’ve turned out very differently.
Eventually, I managed to pull myself together enough to speak. “Thank you,” I said quietly.
Maria smiled gently. “It’s nothing. You saved my life, remember?”
My lips curled upward slightly. “Yes, but I don’t think that should count as repayment.”
Her expression grew pensive. “Why not?”
I shrugged. “Because saving your life is just part of my job.”
Maria blinked slowly. “What are you saying?”
I paused before replying. While I couldn’t say exactly what I meant, I knew that there was someone else I needed to talk to first. And since he lived right next door, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
***
After leaving Maria, I headed straight towards the house belonging to my neighbor, Mr. Smith. He was a middle-aged man whose appearance resembled that of a stereotypical wizard. His long white beard flowed freely down his chest, covering both of his arms completely.
On top of that, he wore a pair of glasses perched atop his head. Between his eyebrows sat two pointed ears that were far too large for any human’s body. Even more bizarrely, these ears twitched occasionally. Whenever they moved, they reminded me of antennae.
Mr. Smith wasn’t actually a wizard. Instead, he worked as a researcher for the Ministry of Magic. A few months ago, he discovered a new species of plant called the “Giant Basilisk”. This creature was capable of growing much larger than its normal counterparts.
Unfortunately, it was also incredibly dangerous. Its venomous bite was lethal to humans. Fortunately, however, it was incapable of moving from place to place. Thanks to that, Mr. Smith was able to capture several specimens. Now, he used them as test subjects for his experiments.
Although I hated seeing him work, I understood why he did it. For starters, he was trying to create a cure for the basilisks’ poison. Secondly, he hoped to use their DNA to develop a variety of magical herbs and medicines. That way, people wouldn’t have to rely on Muggles anymore.
Finally, he also planned to use their skin to make protective clothing. By doing so, he could protect himself against the creatures’ deadly bites. Although I didn’t understand how such clothes would work, I appreciated his efforts nonetheless.
As I approached Mr. Smith’s front yard, I noticed a group of children playing nearby. Their ages ranged anywhere between five and ten years old. Most of them appeared to be orphans, judging by their sad expressions. Some of them stared at me with wide eyes. Others looked terrified. Still, others simply ignored my presence altogether. All of them stood around a small wooden crate, which contained some sort of strange object. Curious about what it was, I walked over to join them.
“Who made this?” I asked curiously.
A boy wearing a black cloak stepped forward. “Me!” he replied proudly.
His name was James Potter. Unlike the other kids, he spoke clearly and distinctly. So much so that I barely recognized him as an orphan. In fact, he almost sounded like a regular kid. The only thing that set him apart was the scarlet lightning bolt emblazoned across his forehead. It glowed brightly in the sunlight, drawing even more attention to itself.
James glanced up at me. “You’re Harry, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “That’s right. How can I help you?”
He took a step closer. “Do you want to see what we got today?”
All of the boys cheered excitedly. They rushed back into the house, dragging the box along with them. Once inside, they placed it on the floor and opened it. Inside lay a single egg. At first glance, it appeared to be perfectly ordinary.
However, upon further inspection, I realized that it was covered in tiny cracks. As I watched, one of the cracks began to widen. Soon after, the entire shell split open. Within seconds, the contents emerged.
At first, I assumed that it was another basilisk. After all, the eggs had been described as being roughly the same size. But then I saw something that caught my eye. There was a faint glow emanating from within the egg.
When I leaned closer, I spotted a thin line of light running through the center. Then, without warning, the glowing part burst free of the rest of the shell. With a loud pop, the creature shot out of the container and landed directly on the ground.
The moment it hit the earth, the creature let out a shrill cry. It quickly turned towards us, revealing its true form. To put it bluntly, it was absolutely terrifying. For starters, its body was covered entirely in spikes. Each spike was sharp enough to cut through steel.
Furthermore, every one of those spines was tipped with a vicious barb. If I’d seen it standing still, I probably would’ve run away screaming. Thankfully, though, it was already moving.
It charged straight towards me. Before I could react, its claws tore deep gashes into my stomach. Even worse, the creature’s poisonous saliva seeped into my wounds. Instantly, I felt myself go numb. My vision blurred. And worst of all, I couldn’t feel anything below my waist. The pain was excruciating. Yet somehow, I managed to stay conscious long enough to watch the monster attack the other kids.
After tearing off James’ arm, the basilisk went after Fred Weasley next. He tried to fight back, but the beast easily overpowered him. It ripped his wand from his hand before ripping his throat out. Next, it moved on to Percy Weasley. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite fast enough to escape its clutches. Instead, it grabbed hold of his face and squeezed until he died.
Finally, it came to me. Its fangs were dripping with venom. I knew that if I stayed there any longer, I’d die. Luckily, I remembered what Professor Snape had taught me during our dueling lessons. Just as I started to fall unconscious, I summoned my Patronus.
A white stag materialized beside me, blocking the basilisk’s path. The animal fought hard against the basilisk’s attacks, forcing it to retreat. Once it did, I fell to the ground.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to thank it properly. Moments later, the basilisk returned, ready to finish me off. Fortunately, however, it never got the opportunity. Suddenly, the air around it began to shimmer. Seconds later, it disappeared completely. That’s when I heard someone shouting my name.
“Harry! Are you okay?!”
I blinked several times, trying to clear my head. Finally, I noticed who was calling out to me. It was Ron Weasley. His eyes were wide with worry. “Are you alright? What happened?”
“I’m fine,” I said weakly. “Just give me a second.”
Ron looked down at my legs. “What about your feet?”
I pointed to where the basilisk had bitten me. “They don’t work anymore. Do you have some bandages or something?”
“Sure do!” he replied happily. “Come on, I’ll take care of you.”
We made our way over to the kitchen table. Once there, he pulled a small bottle out of his pocket. “Here, drink this. It should make everything better eventually.”
As soon as I downed the potion, I immediately felt a wave of relief wash over me. All of my pain vanished instantly. I also regained control of my limbs. Now that I could move again, I stood up and thanked Ron profusely for saving my life.
“Don’t mention it,” he responded. “You’re my best friend, Harry. You know that I’d do anything for you.”
“Really?” I asked. “Because it seems like you just saved yourself.”
He shrugged. “Well, yeah. Of course, I did. Otherwise, how else am I going to get into Gryffindor Tower?”
“Oh, come on,” I scoffed. “If you really cared about me so much, why didn’t you tell anyone that I was here?”
His expression darkened. “Why would I want to ruin everyone’s day by telling them that they can’t see their friends? Besides, we only found you because Hermione Granger was looking for you. She figured out that you must be in trouble since no one has seen you lately.”
I shook my head. “That doesn’t matter. Why are you lying to people anyway? Don’t you realize that half of Hogwarts thinks I’m dead?”
“Yeah, well…” he muttered. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told her…but she seemed pretty desperate to find you. So, I thought maybe I could help.”
“And what exactly is wrong with helping someone out?” I pressed. “Isn’t that part of being a good person?”
“Of course, it is,” he agreed. “But sometimes, you need to think twice before doing things like that. Especially when it involves breaking rules. Because once you start making exceptions, it gets harder and harder to stop.”
“So, what does that mean?” I demanded. “Is it bad for you to break the rules now too?”
He sighed. “Look, I’m not saying I’ve been perfect. But I try to follow the rules most of the time. And believe me, I wish I hadn’t lied to Hermione today. If I had known that it might cause problems for you, I wouldn’t have done it.”
“Hey, Ron,” I interrupted. “I appreciate what you did for me. Really, I do. But let me ask you: How many times have you broken the rules recently?”
“None,” he answered quickly.
“Right,” I countered. “Then why are you acting all high-and-mighty right now? You broke a rule, but you won’t admit it. Instead, you’re blaming me for doing the same thing.”
“It’s different,” he insisted. “The situation wasn’t serious enough to warrant an exception.”
“How do you figure?” I challenged him. “Do you honestly think that a basilisk attack isn’t serious?”
“No, I don’t,” he admitted. “In fact, if I had any idea that you were in danger, I probably would have tried to warn Professor McGonagall myself.”
“Good point,” I conceded. “But still, you knew that I was in trouble. Yet instead of coming forward, you hid behind a lie. Isn’t that kind of hypocritical?”
“Okay, look,” he started. “Let’s say that I agree with you. Then what? Should I go back home and confess to my parents? Or should I spend the rest of my life hiding from everyone?”
I paused for a moment. “I guess not.”
“Exactly,” he smiled. “Now, will you please forgive me?”
“For what?” I asked skeptically.
“For lying to you earlier,” he explained. “When I saw you sitting alone outside the library, I wanted to talk to you. But then I remembered that I couldn’t because you weren’t supposed to be there. So, I decided that the easiest way around it was to pretend like you never existed in the first place.”
“Wow,” I said slowly. “That sounds like something Draco Malfoy would do.”
Ron laughed. “Yes, I suppose it does. But I swear, Harry, I didn’t set out to hurt your feelings or anything like that. I just needed some space to sort through my own thoughts.”
“Fair enough,” I nodded. “Still, I feel sorry for you. You’re stuck between two worlds—one where you belong, and another where everyone hates you.”
“At least I have a choice,” he pointed out. “They don’t. They have to live with whatever happens next.”
“True,” I acknowledged. “But at the end of the day, aren’t we both trying to make our choices count?”
“Sure,” he replied. “We just happen to disagree on which ones are worth fighting for.”
“What makes you say that?” I questioned.
“Have you ever heard of the Golden Trio?” he inquired.
“No,” I confessed. “Who are they?”
“Three wizards who lived during the reign of King Arthur,” he began. “Their names were Merlin, Lancelot, and Guinevere. The three of them became close friends after meeting each other while serving as knights under the king’s command. Together, they fought against evil and helped protect the kingdom.”
“Sounds interesting,” I commented.
“Well, it was,” he assured me. “Unfortunately, the trio fell apart shortly thereafter. It seems that the magic inside their hearts grew cold over time. As a result, none of them survived old age.”
“Oh,” I murmured sadly. “Why is that?”
“Because they forgot how to love one another,” he elaborated. “After years spent protecting people, the last thing they wanted to do was put themselves in harm’s way again. In effect, they stopped caring about others so long as no one else got hurt.”
“That doesn’t sound very heroic,” I observed. “Doesn’t it defeat the purpose of living for yourself?”
“Not necessarily,” Ron explained. “If you care more about saving lives than maintaining your own, then I’d call that a noble sacrifice.”
“So, you’re saying that selfless acts can sometimes be selfish?” I wondered.
“Of course!” he exclaimed. “Otherwise, what’s the point? Why bother putting yourself in danger when you could just sit back and watch someone else take the fall?”
“You know, I think you may be onto something,” I mused. “Maybe that’s why Dumbledore chose us to join his Order. He must have seen something special in us.”
“Yeah, maybe,” he agreed. “Either way, I’m glad that you’re here with me.”
“Me too,” I grinned. “Although, I hope this means that we’ll see less of each other once school starts up again.”
“Don’t worry,” he promised. “There’s plenty of stuff going on around Hogwarts that you need to stay away from anyway.”
“Like what?” I asked curiously.
“Just trust me,” he advised. “Besides, you’ve already been caught by Snape twice. If you keep getting into trouble, you might get expelled before classes even start.”
“Ouch,” I winced. “Thanks for reminding me.”
“Hey, it’s only fair,” he shrugged. “It wasn’t my fault that you kept wandering off.”
“And yet, somehow, you always manage to find me,” I noted.
“I try,” he chuckled. “Anyway, I better head back now. My dad wants to meet me for dinner tonight.”
“Okay,” I sighed. “See ya tomorrow, then.”
“Bye,” he waved. Then, he turned and walked toward the castle entrance.
As soon as he disappeared behind the stone archway, I looked down at my feet. There, nestled among the grass, lay a single white rose.
The End