The Ultimate Power

What's madness but nobility of soul

At odds with circumstance? The day's on fire!

I know the purity of pure despair,

My shadow pinned against a sweating wall.

That place among the rocks--is it a cave,

Or winding path? The edge is what I have.

A steady storm of correspondences!

A night flowing with birds, a ragged moon,

And in broad day the midnight come again!

A man goes far to find out what he is--

Death of the self in a long, tearless night,

All natural shapes blazing unnatural light.

-Theodore Roethke (In a Dark Time)

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Interlude - In a Dark Time

December 23, 2062

Cahira stares at Gram in open mouth astonishment for two minutes before she gains her voice back enough to speak.

"So...that's it?" she asks, refusing to believe what she was hearing. "She just died? After all that?"

"Mmm," Gram hums as her eyes move back to the window.

Cahira shakes her head in disbelief. She opens her mouth to speak more on the subject, but quickly closes it when she hears the sound of shuffling feet. She looks up to see her grandfather entering the room.

"Hello, Cahira," he greets serenely.

"'Lo, Granddad."

Granddad leans down and kisses Gram on her cheek before he takes up the empty place on the couch next to the rocking chair.

"So," he begins, "what are you two talking about? I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"No, you're not, love," Gram answers. "I was just telling Cahira a small story."

"A story?" Granddad contemplates for a moment. His eyes widen slightly as he murmurs, "Oh..." He looks at Gram for a long moment, both staring at the other in silence. Cahira has always had the strange feeling that both of her grandparents are Legilimens. They could have a full conversation with just one look.

Granddad nods in acceptance and turns his gaze to his granddaughter. "Are you enjoying it?" he asks curiously.

"I - no," Cahira stutters out. "This is a horrible story. It's so depressing."

Granddad studies her with weary eyes for a brief moment before saying quietly, "I always found it quite entertaining."

Cahira gapes at him and shakes her head. "My family's mad," she whispers. Granddad's lips quirk in amusement and Gram swats his thigh.

"Hush now," she reprimands, "and quit harassing the poor girl." Granddad chuckles, but falls into silence at the glare from his wife. "Now, Cahira, I believe there was something you wanted to say?"

"I - yes," she answers quietly. "That can't possibly be the end, can it? What about Remus? And the war with Voldemort? Where's the happy ending?"

Gram turns surprisingly sharp eyes on Cahira and considers her for a long moment. "This isn't a fairy tale. This is real life, real love," she says with a sigh. "Life doesn't have happy endings, Cahira. There is only enough happiness to stem the sadness. It's time you learned that. This is the gentlest way I know to teach you."

Granddad places a hand over Gram's. "She's young, love," he murmurs. "Do you think that maybe...?"

"She needs to know," Gram insists forcefully. "She's young, yes, but she needs to know now so that she won't make the same mistakes." Her voice softens and lowers as her eyes move to Cahira's. "And so that she will make others."

Cahira bites her lower lip while Granddad squeezes Gram's hand. "You can't guide her entire life, love," he says softly. "No matter how much I know you want to."

Gram closes her eyes briefly before opening them again and answering, "I know. If I have a chance to stop history from repeating, though, I'll take whatever opportunity that comes my way." She turns back to Cahira. "You're right, duck. That isn't the end; there is more." She hesitates for a short moment, glancing at Granddad. "Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Yes," she responds eagerly. She sobers quickly as she thinks about what her Gram had previously told her. "I have to know how it all turns out."

Gram nods and turns her eyes to the distant horizon beyond the glass.

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A/N: First off, let me start by saying that this chapter is un-betaed, so please excuse any mistakes you may have seen.

I feel as though it has taken forever for me to update this again, but please don't fret. The sequel is on its way, I promise. Speaking of, the poll for the title is now closed and the winner and new title will be The Ultimate Power: From the Ashes. Thanks to everyone who voted! It might be a couple of weeks before you see the first post as I have a few other things that need some desperate attention, but I do have the first few chapters already written, so you should never have to wait too long for an update at first.

Finally, I would like to give a grand thank you to easleyweasley, my beta/brit-picker. Easleyweasley has done a magnificent job and I hope that they can tolerate me long enough to make it through this entire story! Also a generous thank you to everyone who reviewed! Your comments meant a great deal and I hope you stick around for more (and I'll make it up to you, I promise. I'm not really as evil as everyone tends to think I am.). Lastly, a grand thank you and armfuls of puppies with golden eyes to katieepotter/lupin, whose 'motivation' has encouraged me immensely. You are a diamond in the rough, my dear! I shall see you on the other side of the big, white ward door!

Thanks to everyone who's read and stuck with this so far and I hope to see you the next go round!