Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.
Blenkinsop Waterbut led her behind the counter to a large wooden door. Something about the door caused Narcissa to shudder. Without even realizing it, she stopped dead in front of the door. She could not move forward. Her body simply wouldn’t allow it. She was paralyzed by irrational, unexplainable fear.
“Narcissa?” Blenkinsop asked softly.
“Y”you were w”wrong,” she stammered. “I’m not ready. I don’t know what’s going on, but I can feel that I’m not ready. Please, don’t make me go in there.”
He let go of her hand, studying her patiently. His eyes were kind, but sad. It was clear that he cared what happened to her. There were very few people who ever had.
“You are ready,” he told her. “You understand. You know in your heart that there is nothing more you can do for your family. You understand that they know how you feel. There is nothing left for you to come to terms with.”
“I don’t understand. Who are you?”
“I am a guide, Narcissa. I am here to guide you.”
“Guide me to what?”
“I can’t tell you that. You need to walk through this door. Once you are inside, everything will be explained. It will be all right, Narcissa. It is necessary.”
Before she could reply, Narcissa was hit with a wave of dizziness. She reached for her head and tried to remain on her feet. It had certainly been a rough few weeks, but there was no reason for her to be feeling so ill. Chills were still running through her body.
Seconds later, the strong hands of Blenkinsop Waterbut reached out to steady her. It felt good to be held. She missed the sensation of Lucius’ touch.
“Narcissa, it is time,” he told her. “You need to do this. There is nothing to be afraid of. I will go with you.”
“What’s going to happen to me in there? Why do I feel so sick?”
“I can’t answer those questions now,” he told her patiently. “You need to enter the room. Everything will be explained then.”
Fear continued to hold her immobilized.
“I”I can’t.”
“You can,” he told her, holding out his hand to her again.
Staring into his eyes, a wave of calmness went through her. She knew that he was telling the truth and that he meant her no harm. If he believed that she must enter the room beyond the wooden door than she was certain that it was true. In that moment, she knew that she could trust Blenkinsop Waterbut.
Again, she took his hand, but this time there was no sigh. She took his hand in complete trust. And when he swung opened the door and they were both engulfed by a bright white light, she was not afraid. She knew that this man would not allow harm to come to her. When he stepped into the light she followed.
Once inside the room, the light was blinding. She could no longer see Blenkinsop Waterbut, but she could feel his warm hand. She knew that he was with her and that thought brought her great comfort.
For a few moments there was nothing other than the blinding light, but eventually the light began to fade. Finally, she was able to see again. She could see Blenkinsop Waterbut and behind him she saw two other figures. They appeared to be male, but they were too far away for her to be certain.
“What’s happening?” she asked. She felt no fear, only curiosity. She also realized that she no longer felt ill or cold.
“Narcissa, I believe you know this now, but The Green Dragon is not an ordinary pub. Actually, it’s not a pub at all. It is a place of passage, where the soul travels from world to the next. Narcissa, you remember leaving your house and going into the snow and cold. You must know that a body could not survive that kind of torture for long.”
“Are you saying…”
“The Green Dragon only appears to someone after their soul has left their body. It appears when the deceased needs to say or hear certain things before they can move on. You died in the forest a short distance from your house, but before you could ever move on you needed to understand that your family knows you love them. I believe you understand that now.”
Shockingly, Narcissa was not surprised to hear of her death. Somehow, she must have known. She simply wasn’t able to accept it before.
“I do understand that now.”
“There is one more thing you need to know,” he told her, the sad smile returning to his face. “Do you see two figures standing behind me?”
“I do.”
“They are your loved ones. They have come to greet you and welcome you into the next world. One is your husband and the other…” he paused, “is your son.”
Narcissa gasped, “Draco! It can’t be.”
“I’m sorry, Narcissa. He was killed shortly before the fall of the Dark Lord. Your son was found by one of Voldemort’s followers and killed. Voldemort ordered that you were not to be told.”
She shook her head. Not Draco. The thought of her own death was nothing compared to thought of her sweet son being gone from the world. He should have had his whole life. Why did it have to be stolen from him?
“Who did it?”
“It does not matter.”
“It matters to me.”
“The person who killed your son will pay for his crimes.”
“Who was it?”
“Narcissa, it does not matter. Draco is happy now. You will be, too. Go to your son and husband. You don’t need to worry about murdering Death Eaters anymore.”
“What about Bella?” she asked. “What about Severus? They’ll be all alone in that horrible place. There isn’t even anyone left to visit them.”
“There is nothing more that you can do for either of them. I know that it is hard to leave them behind. I had this same conversation with your son. He was very worried about you, his aunt, and his mentor. But life is as it is. It is time for you to move on. You can no longer be with the living, but know that when Bella’s time comes and when Serverus’ time comes, you will be there to greet them. You can welcome them with opened arms and it will mean more to them than you can understand right now.”
She stared at him with huge eyes. The thought of leaving Bella and Severus to rot sickened her. They were her family. She needed to help them.
“Narcissa, you have done all that you can for them,” Blenkinsop Waterbut told her. “They know that. They love you and they will both be happy when you are waiting for them on the other side.”
She still felt reluctant.
“Your husband and son are waiting,” he told her with a smile.
Finally, she nodded, knowing that it was time. There really was nothing she could do for Bella or Severus. She would have to wait for them. Maybe Andromeda would find it in her heart to visit Bella.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped away from Blenkinsop Waterbut and towards the two figures. At first she moved slowly, but soon she found herself running. Lucius’ face came into view first and than Draco’s.
She was seeing her family again. They looked happy and healthy, which was something she had not seen in a long time. They were even smiling. She rushed into her husband’s arms and for the first time in years she felt as though she was home.