She will be woken by true love’s kiss.

That was what Mary always remembered. And when the prince kissed Sleeping Beauty, Mary was always so happy. True love’s kiss.

She wanted Sleeping Beauty’s kiss. She wanted that magic.

Even when she discovered magic was real, it didn’t compare with that one kiss in a fairy-tale.

As Mary grew older, the concepts of true love’s kiss and Prince Charming became dimmer. She was studying real magic, learning real spells. Still, the memories of the story stayed with her.

She had had a picture-book that showed Sleeping Beauty on the bed where the prince found her and delivered that magical kiss. Sleeping Beauty was of course the most fantastic thing Mary had ever seen. This imaginary princess was pale, with golden curls and pink lips and a fabulous dress. And the prince was just as spectacular, tall and dark haired and strong. The perfect Prince Charming.

It was not Prince Charming she was facing. This was not going to be Sleeping Beauty’s kiss.

Mary already had her Prince Charming. He may not have been as strong and tall and perfect as the one in the picture-book, but he was kind and gentle. And his kiss was the kiss of true love.

She wondered where he was. She had told him to go ahead, to save the children, when she found that she could not Apparate with him. If only Harry Potter had retrieved her wand when he had tried to rescue her…

He’d done his best, and he had saved her children. Mary felt that she was immaterial compared to them. As long as they were safe with Reg…

She almost cried then, but stopped herself just in time. She would not let the Ministry guards see her cry. She would not give them the pleasure of knowing how much pain she was in.

Once again, her mind went to Sleeping Beauty. Was she afraid, all that time she was sleeping? Was she scared that no one was going to wake her, that she would sleep on forever? Was she afraid that her Prince Charming wouldn’t be as wonderful as she hoped? Did she dream for those hundred years? Did she think of her true love, or did she imagine bad things, dark things, in her sleep?

Would Mary dream when it was over? Would losing her soul be like going to sleep, dreaming of Reg and the children? Or would she have nightmares for all eternity? Or would she have nothing?

Her mind turned to her own Sleeping Beauty kiss. She was nineteen before it happened. Mary had never had a boyfriend, never been kissed, because she was always so busy trying to be the very best that she could be. It wasn’t until she was out of school and working in the Department of Magical Transportation that it happened.

Reg Cattermole worked in Magical Maintenance and they saw each other regularly. They talked every now and again and Mary liked him well enough, but she didn’t really see her Prince Charming in him. At least, not until one day when he suddenly asked her if she would like to get a Butterbeer after work. Even though he wasn’t exactly perfect, Mary accepted. They went out and she found that Reg was just as nice as she’d always thought. It wasn’t long before they were an item. And shortly after that, he gave her that kiss. True love’s kiss.

Sleeping Beauty’s kiss.

Mary shook her head. This was stupid. With everything at stake, she should have been thinking about something meaningful, doing her final soul-searching. She had never been religious, but she wondered about Heaven and if it was possible that it could happen once it was over. After all, where did a soul go once it was…

No. Sleeping Beauty. Sleeping Beauty was safe. She was wholesome. And she had a happy ending. She got to live a hundred years and then live happily ever after. Her kiss led to a perfect life.

Mary had thought her life was perfect. Her husband was nice and loving, her children were wonderful, and she had everything she had ever wanted. Until the coup. Until her life ended.

And it wasn’t just jail she was facing. This was the end.

She started to cry. She couldn’t help it now. It didn’t matter who saw, it didn’t matter what sort of pleasure the guards got from it. They would go home tonight to their families and be perfectly satisfied at what they had done. They didn’t care that Mary would be worse than dead.

“Mrs. Cattermole?�

Mary looked up at one of the people next to her. It was someone she had known, someone she thought of as a friendly acquaintance. But she knew better now. She had no more friends.

It would be the opposite of Sleeping Beauty’s kiss. Instead of a kiss to wake her, it would be a kiss of eternal sleep.

Of eternal emptiness.

They had reached the room. The Dementor was there. The guards pushed Mary forward. She fell to her knees, sobbing, as the Dementor reached for her.