Chapter 29 ~ Human

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It took Vlad Malfoy till late afternoon to find her, she could move so fast when she was in elf form she'd managed to get several miles into the woodland. Luckily Vlad had met a hippogriff on the way and taken a ride, but even then it took him hours to find her. He clicked his tongue and the hippogriff lowered itself down into the glade. She looked up blankly as he landed beside her, giving the hippogriff more attention than him. He let her bow to it and stroke the creature before he finally spoke.

''Lily, you need to come back.'' 

His soft, gentle tone annoyed her and she turned to him agressively. ''If he told you, you should know that he saw me.'' Her face was set into a hard, inpetnetrable look. Vlad was surprised, he had expected her to be in a frenzy of panic and confusion, at loss of what to do. But there she was, scowling at him, not in the least bit pathetic.

''I know that he saw you in your true form, I know that it'll be hard for you to go back, but you must understand, there'll be all sorts of problems if you don't turn up.'' He sighed as her face remained in the tight frown. ''Look, much as I hate to say it he needs you, Hogwarts needs you, for this final task. You must return.''

''You think you can win me over with your human honor!?'' She spat. 

Vlad realized she was still in her elf mindset, that the emotional blow of being seen by her best friend must have done something to her feelings. Now he was at loss, he needed her to come back, not just for Albus, for him. 

''Lily please, if not for Hogwarts then for me. I need you.'' 

But even this plea did not move her. She had had enough of hiding, pretending, she needed someone to unleash her anger upon. She was angry at herself for being seen, for ruining her last days, but who punishes themselves for that? You need someone to shout at so that you can cool down, relax again. Despite her outward hardness, she was crumbling inside. She was more human than ever before.

''You know what? I don't care any more. I'm sick and I'm tired of hiding, running, whispering to keep my true self a secret. I miss my home, my people, I miss beings like me. Just go Malfoy, just go and never come back.''

Vlad paled at this speech, his face bleached white, his eyes full of hurt. Lily, wound up in a fit of temper, delt the verbal blow once more.

''I said go!''

His eyes lingered on her tragically, and slowly he turned. Stumbling, then striding, then running he flashed through the trees and out of her sight.

She was still trembling, trembling with anger as she cursed under her breath. Alone in the glade, she boiled with rage and simmered with anger. Yet gradually, as she cooled down, her tremble became a shake and a tear rolled down her pale cheek. She was filled with regret for what she had done in the moment of wild rage. She no longer felt anger for Vlad, she hated herself for doing those things. She had become weak, unpure, human in the past months. And now, with her foolish human heart, with her stupid human mind, she had driven away the only person who could have helped her. 

With the floods of silver tears came a deep, aching sadness came to heart, it set itself there and hurt her as she shrunk back into herself in that dark, lonely glade. 

But sometimes regret can be the strongest drive in the world. After the tears, the pain, her determination set in. She wanted to right her wrong, she needed to do something. She needed to stop hiding and tell Albus, tell Vlad that she was sorry and that she cared. 

Wiping her soft, wet cheeks, she rose with the strength that showed her true self. She must not give up. She would get to that final task and she would right her wrongs.

And say goodbye.