Chapter 1

Helen Interlude

The surface was in sight but Helen hadn't any strength left, both Ron and the little French girl were weighting her frail body down and when the transformation of her gills began, Helen suddenly hadn't enough air to breathe anymore. She desperately tried to reach for the surface but as she slowly sank further down everything around her went black. The last thing that she had seen while still alive in this world was how the rest of the air in her lungs escaped her mouth and how the pretty bubbles rose to the black lake's surface while a strange calmness overtook her.

The next thing Helen was aware of, were rows after rows of black clothed students and other wizards and witches she had never seen before. The headmaster in the front stood with an absolute devastated face while he grimly looked into the crowd of mourning people. The Weasley matriarch was crying into her husband's neck; Ron, Fred, George and Ginny stood with red eyes and pale faces beside their parents and older siblings and a crying and exhausted looking Hermione was desperately holding onto Ron. Helen's gaze wandered further and she recognized a sullen looking Snape alongside a pale McGonagall and a sobbing Hagrid. Beside them stood the other Triwizard champions, Krum looked sullen, Cedric absolutely devastated while Fleur was crying silently pretty tears, the blonde young woman was clenching her younger sibling to her body. The last Potter's gaze followed the rows further down where she recognized the whole Gryffindor house, alongside the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs,… hell even the Slytherins were there. Most of them chalk white and with wide eyes, none looked smug or even indifferent.
Helen's eyes finally found the figure of Malfoy in the second row of the Slytherins; her self-appointed rival looked like he had cried and his pale face was lonely looking. Crabbe and Goyle who were flanking him made him look even more pathetic. Strangely enough Helen had the urge to hug the platinum haired boy and tell him everything was going to be alright. Their fights and quarrels didn't seem to be important anymore, to be honest nothing seemed urgent or important anymore. Helen couldn't understand what Dumbledore was saying but in some way she didn't have to. On the raised platform in front of the masses was black mahogany casket with her name on it.

She was dead.

Death was a strange feeling Helen decided after a moment of contemplation, she had expected something different something more final. From what she had deducted she wasn't like the ghosts around her, nobody could see her and nobody had asked her if she wanted to stay or go on.
So she followed her friends around after the funeral, she felt slightly sorry for them and a bit guilty, they were crying because she was dead. To her own astonishment Helen didn't mind death; to her it was peaceful if not a bit boring. In the hours after her funeral the black haired girl realized that if she didn't consciously decided where to go she felt drawn to three pretty unlikely people. The first one was Ginny, who while she was Ron's little sister had her own friends and they hadn't interacted a lot before Helen's death. The second one was the little girl that she now learned was called Gabrielle Delacour and wasn't even old enough to attend a magical school yet and the last person was strangely enough Snape. Yes it was Severus Snape, dungeon bat extraordinaire that she was drawn to.

Two days into her death Helen discovered her ability to affect things around her. She could move them, more or less precisely and this made her strange state suddenly a lot more interesting. After practicing some hours she decided to approach Snape, he was the least likely to just ignore what was happening around him. Surprisingly enough he was one of the ones that were affected the most by her death. He didn't show it in public but in the privacy of his rooms he let his mask slip, his sadness and grieve were intermixed with bouts of anger and destruction. Severus Snape, the man that had made the Potions class torture for her took her death badly, very badly.
So the next time he was alone again in his rooms and tried more or less successfully drink himself into a stupor with a full whiskey bottle she took said bottle out of his hands. Snape was in a flash on his feet and casting several detection spells but came up with nothing. He was clearly unnerved and had no idea how to proceed with the fact that his whiskey bottle was floating in the air and nobody was near to cause it. Helen gently sat said bottle down on his well stocked house bar before she pushed Snape back into his chair and picked a sheet of paper from his desk to set it on the small coffee table beside the sofa and began to write with the quill that had fallen onto the floor.

You shouldn't do this to yourself Professor.

"Who or what are you?" Snape snarled into thin air.

Really? Professor I'm a little bit disappointed, after all it is my death you are so choked up about.

"Potter?" he asked incredulous before his face turned angry, "Why are you here? And what the hell are you? You are not a ghost if you were I would have detected you!" Snape bit out.

I'm not sure why, I came back to awareness during my funeral and about what I am… I have no idea. Nearly Headless Nick told me once that he was asked if he wanted to stay or go on, but I never was. I just am. Maybe something is holding me here,… it's strange I feel drawn to you and I have no idea why, because really I want to move on. Death is kind of boring!

"Holding you here? That's impossible, that's wait… Potter are you aware that through your father I owe you a life debt? And what do you mean with boring?" the black haired wizard growled.

Huh life debt? What's that? And what does this have to do with anything?

"A life debt emerges when somebody is rescued from a life treating situation and it's not their occupation, like being an Auror for example," rang the clipped voice of the Potion Master through his quarters.

So wait. Like with Ginny? Because I have the urge to visit her like I do you and Gabrielle as well!

Now Snape looked incredulous and then groaned, "You have three open life debts? Oh for Merlin's sake Potter, why is that you even in death are the source of my headache!" her former professor massaged his temples to head off the pressure headache only she could generate, "The number three is magical, as you should well know so it IS possible that your essence is bound to this plane of existence. Try to release the Life Debts it may help you to move on."

Okay… oh it's working! I don't feel drawn to you anymore.

Somehow with the next inhale Snape seemed to breath in a lot easier than before, his shoulders relaxed as if a big weight fell from them.

Professor, I know you didn't like me while I was alive and even in death I seem to annoy you, but I still want to thank you for looking out for me, especially during my first year here. So thanks and please don't beat yourself up anymore. I'm content; this whole death thing isn't so bad. I wish you the best for the rest of your life. Please enjoy it. H. L. Potter

Snape swallowed as he felt a soft breeze moving on his left side. That Merlin damned girl. As least he was now sure that he wouldn't be haunted by Potter into eternity. His eyes suspiciously moist while he detangled his robes and sat down to finally finish the essays of the second year dunderheads. He had after all better things to do than brood over a stupid Gryffindor.

With now a way to leave this plane of existence Helen made her way out of the castle, she had two men to visit before either of them could do something foolish. She arrived at the right time and could prevent her godfather from doing something extremely stupid like storming the Ministry, after a tear filled goodbye from Sirius and Remus, who she had advised to flee across the pond to live the rest of their lives there and enjoy it to the fullest; she made her way back to Hogwarts. The two lovers had promised her to seriously contemplate this idea.

Good deed done, Helen found Ginny in the Gryffindor common room close to midnight, the younger red head was nestled between Ron and Hermione and tears were running down her face. After releasing her from her life debt, the black haired girl threw a last glance at Ron and Hermione, who were sitting numbly on both sides of Ron's youngest sister. The other Weasley boys were spread throughout the room and were keeping close watch on the three miserable teens on the couch. Helen sighed and felt like the worst friend ever but she couldn't say goodbye to them in person… she really, really couldn't… they would just try to persuade her to stay and that she really didn't want.

She wanted to be free…

Helen then enjoyed a last… hhm walk or should she say glide? through Hogwarts; it would be the last time she could wander through the castle that had been her home for the last four years. After that she made her way to the Beauxbatons carriage and after that hopefully into the afterlife. On her way outside she stumbled over one Draco Malfoy; said boy was sitting alone at the Black Lake and had suspicious tear tracks on his cheeks. Helen felt another tuck in her heart, but this time it was a different one. She couldn't explain it but all the time she spent in the Wizarding world she had always felt drawn to the Malfoy, even if it was in anger. Now that she could look unbiased back on her life, she had to admit if only to herself that she had had a serious crush on the blonde Slytherin. Even with the bad blood between them, he had always looked kind of cute to her and his taunts always brought the worst out of her. So she did that what she thought best, she gave him a hug. Malfoy nearly jumped out of his skin at the strange contact, it was not really physical but also not cold like the touch of the ghosts of Hogwarts. After she was sure she had his attention, she filched paper and a quill of him and wrote.

Malfoy what has you in such a mood that you are crying alone at the Black Lake? Don't tell me you miss me?

"Who are you?... Wait, P-Potter?" the frightened Slytherin whispered, "Are you a ghost?"

Nah, I had to release a few life debts before I can move on. So wanna tell me why you are crying?

Slightly embarrassed Draco tried to hide his tears with his sleeves, "So, so you are going and not coming back… you are really dead?"

The Slytherin jumped again when he felt the contact with Helen again, she had put one arm around him.

With an embarrassed blush he continued to speak "I, I know this comes too late but I'm sorry, you know, for all the things I threw at you. I didn't mean even half of them, but it was so easy to rile up!"

Yeah. I will finally meet my parents again. Don't be sad Draco, I feel content, and don't feel guilty… to be honest I gave as good as I got. And now that we are being honest and all that rot I have to tell you, I really had a crush on you since the moment we met at Madame Malkins. You were just so adorable, even when stuck up.

A shaky sob came from Malfoy before he laughs quietly, "Merlin, why couldn't I have known that in the beginning, I think… thought you were cute too and I hated it when you rejected my offer in first year," another nearly inaudible sob escaped him.

Oh Draco come on, no more crying. Laugh. Live. You are fifteen years old, you have your whole life in front of you. I forgive you for all the childish things you have done to me in the last four years. The only thing I want from you is that you don't forget me. I wish you the best.
H. L. Potter

"I won't, I promise," With that he slowly stood up, clenching the piece of paper with the last contact of Helen to his body.

He would keep her memory safe, he owned her that and so determined to keep his promise to her Draco wandered up to the castle.

XXXXXXX

Choked up Helen made her way finally to the carriage where young Gabrielle slept. With a quick thought she felt the bond between them fade, just like with the others. A short time nothing happened and then she was suddenly not at Hogwarts anymore. The best way to describe it would be Limbo. It was a grey mass, but it felt peaceful and calm around here. In the next moment Helen stood in front of two beings, she couldn't look at them straight but by the feeling they gave of they were very powerful and important.

To be honest Helen couldn't really remember what they asked her, or even what she answered but after what seemed like half an age they came to a decision. They decided that she would get a second chance, somewhere where she wasn't weighted down by a prophecy. When she became aware again she was surrounded by sudden coldness as she opened her mouth to shout out in surprise, the shout came out like a wail.

A baby's wail to be exact.