Resurrection of Life

It had been a very long time since she'd seen it. In fact, she had thought that it was gone forever. That chapter of her life was closed, and she never planned to re-open it.

And yet, there it was.

Hovering menacingly, barely inches above the door to her garret, was the Dark Mark. Violette le Havre abandoned her search for her keys and seized her wand from her back pocket.

"Alohomora," she shouted and burst into the room. Instantly, she felt the searing frigidness of recent death. And there, on the ground, lay the broken and pale body of her daughter Marie.

An anguished cry spilled from her lips, as Violette cradled her deceased daughter in her arms, stroking the girl's long blonde hair. The last remnants of life drained from her body and Marie was gone. Sobs wracked Violette's frail, childlike body as she shoved herself up from sitting position. She violently trembled as she opened her closet door.

Inside the closet were her instruments. Violette took out the Death Stones. Heaving a great sigh, as she had promised herself never to venture beyond the Veil ever again, Violette let go her inhibition and thrust herself into the Afterlife.

It was colder than she recalled it to be. Casting a warming charm upon herself, she began the trudging march through the snow through the first plain. Since her daughter had just passed into the realm, Violette prayed that Marie would not have passed beyond the Second Veil yet.

"Marie! Marie!" Violette called into the swirl of voices that would not cease, even with the presence of the Necromancer.

Marie did not answer. Nor did she appear to be anywhere on the first plain. Violette began to cry again, burning tears that melted the snow beneath her.

Violette knew that her daughter had traveled into and perhaps further than the Second Veil. She should have suspected; her daughter had most likely been murdered using the Avada Kedavra curse, which would have immediately plunged her past the surface of Death.

But, Violette dared not cross the threshold into the second plain. No, she had not traveled in Death for so long that she feared her Necromancy skills were not powerful enough to withstand the devils that would plague her beyond the first plain. She would return home. She would leave the Afterlife behind and she would train. She would work with her spells and the Stones. She would make herself ready. And then she would return.

But first, she would seek help. Violette dug through her bag of Stones and pulled out the blue Stone. She squeezed the Stone and then pressed it to her heart. Vibrations pealed from her heartbeat, and they spread across the plains.

Then, from the Second Veil came a figure. It was a small woman with cascading white hair, clothed in a sheer white gown. She moved slowly, with an old woman's grace, toward her granddaughter.

"Grandmother..." Violette whispered into the expanse of Death. Her grandmother smiled and extended her ghostly hand.

"Help me." The simplicity of the words seemed to startle the elder woman.

"You haven't called me in a very long time my dear. You haven't visited either."

"I was afraid. I didn't want to bring Marie into this place! And now...now..." she trailed off for a moment before regaining her composure. "She has reached Death before I could tell her."

"And that is why you have come."

"But I cannot go further than this plain Grandmother."

"Surely you can. If you can still call me forth, you have the memory and strength to go to your daughter."

"No."

"Then return home."

"I can't. Not without telling her the truth."

"You misunderstand. Return home."

"Grandmother, I can't go back there. You know I can't."

"They've found you in your new life. It's time to return to the old."

"No. I simply cannot. I will remain in Mersaille. I-I'll study. I'll go to her. But I won't go back there. I can't go back to London."

The elder woman smiled a sad smile and began to fade back into the Second Veil. As she departed, Violette could hear the mumblings of the voices of the dead. They filled her with an intensely deep sadness.

She reached back into her bag of Stones and pulled out the white Stone. She squeezed it and pressed it to her heart, as she had done with the blue Stone. The vibrations from her heartbeat slowly began to melt the snow that surrounded her, until she had returned from the Afterlife. She passed back through the First Veil and found herself back in her entry hall.

She called the police squad who promised to arrive shortly. Violette swept past her daughter's body and planted herself onto the linen couch. She turned her head toward Marie and spoke.

"I'm sorry."

Violette closed her eyes to the tears that had begun to reform.

I know I promised never to return to Death, she thought bitterly. Well, I promise now, and I will not break this promise, I will never return to Hogwarts.

***

The vibrations from the Necromancer awoke all those residing in Death. Many were afraid, having just recently passed into the realm of Death. The Necromancer had not come to the Afterlife for 15 years, and those who had died within that time had never felt the shaking presence of Necromagic.

One figure, however, felt a surge of hope at the vibrations. He was new to Death, having only just passed beyond the Veil the month before. But with the appearance of the Necromancer, he knew that things were beginning to change.

He also knew that she would return. He would see her again. It had been so long since he had seen her last. 15 years, and he had finally found her.

Sirius Black wrapped his white shard tighter around his ghostly body and made his way back through the Second Veil. He would wait until she returned.

"It's been so long Elizabeth. But, I've finally found you."