Esprit D'Elle

*******

My morning ritual is the same every morning. I wake up and immediately rush to the children’s rooms to make sure they were okay. Though if something were truly wrong I couldn’t do much being that I was, in fact, dead. But I prefer to think of it as the principle of the thing.

After checking on Michael and Anna, I proceded to my husband’s room. It was there that I would sit upon the bed and just watch him. He was always asleep at the time so I saw him at his most peaceful moments. Watching him lie there reminded me of all the good times we had.

One morning, I was feeling a little upset at Harry for a rather embarrassing little prank he played on me the night before. I went outside to the shed and grab the hose while he was still sleeping. I returned to the master bedroom and stuck the hose to the faucet. From there I turned on the cold water and returned to where my darling lay sleeping peacefully. I clasped my hand around the nozzle and sprayed the freezing water all over him and our bed. He screamed and leaped out of bed, fumbling for his wand in his boxer shorts. I could only laugh at the sight. He

walked over to me, took the hose gently from my hand, and, smiling sweetly, pulled at the neck of my nightgown. He gently stuck the nozzle of the hose down there and sprayed me. I screamed and pushed him away. I pushed him down and tackled him. He, being the stronger, heavier male, easily turned me over so that he was on top. He began to tickle me severely. I tried to push him off me. He kissed me softly and told me he loved me.

That was before we moved here to the U.S. People were upset when we left Britain. They thought we were running away from Voldemort. We were advised to leave and come to the U.S. Dumbledore thought it would be safer for us there. We took his advice. Harry wanted to stay and defeat Voldemort there on British soil. He wanted to so much to destroy him there. But, I was afraid. I knew that I could not stop him from going but I begged him not to. In the end, for my safety, he said that he would take me to the U.S. Before we left, we met once more and a huge battle commenced. We thought we had destroyed him. Voldemort came back with more followers. Dumbledore urged us to leave the battle for Voldemort was going to kill us both. Harry did the only thing he could do: he took me and we left. We had heard that Voldemort was subdued soon after, though we never returned home. We had become attached to the home.

Harry wasn’t in his room when I checked this morning. He was in the kitchen, hurriedly making lunches for the kids. Michael and Anna came bounding down the steps and sat down at the table. They began to eat their pancakes.

I leaned up against the counter to watch this as I do every morning and have done so ever since I could remember. Even when I was alive.

Harry loaded the sandwiches, chips, and soda cans into their proper lunch boxes and handed one to Anna and the other to Michael. They waved good bye to their father and ran to the bus which was waiting for them.

Harry watched and then grabbed his briefcase. He strode to the car and got in. Within minutes he was gone.

*****