Selene 14

Take away love and our earth is a tomb.
- Robert Browning
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When I left for home the first thing on my mind was the corset. I rummaged through my closet, pulling clothes out and shoving them into a large pile. I found a lovely white box. Something in me felt like I was going through someone else's things, but I knew it was mine. I opened the box. Inside was a royal blue, over breast corset with white details. I stared at it for a moment, and then in my mirror I looked at the dress I was wearing. Chinese still in my hair from Albus's persistence to kiss me. My dress looked amazingly just like the corset. I thought about putting the corset on but then thought better of it. I didn't want to get stuck in it. That would end poorly. I didn't know who I would call if I did get stuck… I guessed I could call Albus but he might laugh at me. And, as fun as that was, I really wanted to fall in love with him…

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The twins with their strawberry blond hair played cheerfully next to the water, each wave threatened their sandcastle. They threw a little sand at each other and then giggled as the water tickled their toes. Both boys met gazes with me and I smiled as I saw their gentle blue eyes. A little girl blessed with green eyes and raven curls ran towards me and I greeted her with a hug, spinning her. I placed a kiss on her forehead and told her to play with her brothers. The twins let her build their fortress as I watched. A warm hand crept to my side.
"Sadira, this could be all yours." Albus said as he looked into my eyes. The three children sang merrily to themselves as Albus kissed my forehead.
"Wake up, join me again." He begged.
"I am always with you." I whispered, he shook his head as I fell. I clawed at the sand as I was dragged into the water, the twins and the little girl stared and waved good bye. I wanted to stay. It seemed so perfect…

I woke up to find Albus face to face with me; I was soaked in a thick layer of cold sweat. Albus's eyes stared at me. I remembered where I was. My accident was a week ago; Albus was my fiancée and ever so patient. He fell asleep next to my bed in my chair; I had only shut my eyes for a moment…
"Are you okay?" he asked me. I couldn't speak, so I nodded. I longed for what I had to leave.
"Bad dream?" he asked me.
"No…" I said, breathless.
"Then what?" he asked, tucking my sticky hair behind my ear.
"A good dream." I said.
"So good you didn't want to leave?" he asked. I nodded, "I have had a few of those." He kissed my forehead.
"What about?" I asked.
"I will tell you if you tell me what yours are about."
"You go first." I said smirking.
"I dream sometimes about you, but you remember everything. That we are old together with kids. Sometimes we have a dog, named Alex." He spoke gently, his eyes gleamed with hope, "They are really simple dreams, but they are really good."
"Mine was about our kids too." I said, a little embarrassed but happy we dreamt of the same things. His smile was delicate, like porcelain. I leaned in and kissed his lips gently.
"Tell me more about us."
"Fine," he sighed, "You used to visit me at work, in Hogsmead." He told me how my wand was replaced and how he made the one I was using now. He pulled a necklace out of my bedside table.
"You know the Tale of Three Brothers, well this is the resurrection stone." He told me about the invisibility cloak he gave me too and then how his father, Harry, had the wand. I wasn't sure I believed him but nodded anyways.
"And this," Albus said pulling out some parchment, "is the Marauder's Map." He told me everything about his grandfather and how he and his friends were always causing trouble. Some of the things I remembered myself and added them. He was happy to know he didn't have to go over everything, but then I wondered if me remembering gave him false hope.

"Sometimes I wish Albus could just hand over his memories so I could remember things, at least in his point of view." I told mom across breakfast the next morning. She left the room for a moment. She returned with something I had only seen twice.
"This is my portable Pensieve, don't lose it." She said. I nodded, and thanked her.