A set determination

It had been half a month since the tragic death of Harry Potter. It seemed there was a silence on TMA. But mostly that was due to the fact that the only person who could make a death seem like a person who could make a death seem like a birthday surprise was half dead himself. James had taken into becoming a zombie most of his days when he wasn't with Hermione or anyone else. He was lifeless.

Hermione walked with Skyler worring about her best friend. "I tried talking to him about a tree. He just nodded and stared at nothing. It's like he's barely alive anymore." She looked at Sky. His usual palness had taken to an extreme and he looked thinner. She guesssed he had taken up meal times to try to get James to laugh. But nothing worked. He shrugged his boney shoulders. "I guess its a James thing. Harry was one of his favorite people to pick on. Well besides Draco. But there are other people in worse condition than him." He looked at Herms. Her hair and had lost it's shine and hung around her face in plain curls. Dark shawdows rested under her eyes ad she too seemed somewhat thinner. She looked back. "Who? Draco?" Sky shook his blonde head. "No. You. Don't lie. It's like you've got nothing in your life." Hermione wanted to say. "Well I haven't. Not without Harry." But didn't. She realized where they were. The Magid Tower looked bleak and there was James sitting stareing at Harry's dorm door as if it would open and Harry would appear alive and well laughing and calling James emo. But it didn't. His black hair set over his forhead hiding his once laughing blue eyes. There was no grin on his thin face just a set line. His usual tan had paled and ecen his clothes seemed to big for him. His knee were drawn up while his arms hugged them letting his feet cross. He looked to be there for awhile. Hermione knelt down on his left side and Sky on his right. Gently she touched his shoulder. James turned his head so unlife like it made Hermione want to slap him and yell for him to say something, anything funny. "James?" He didn't say anything but turned his head back to the door. Hermione shifted so she was sitting on her heels. "James? What are you doing?" She said touching his shoulder again. It took a moment for him to reply. But when he did, all joyness was gone from his voice. It was scratchy and unpleasant. "I'm hoping that if I wait long enough, Harry'll come out saying April Fools or maybe my happy will come back." Sky sat by his brother looking at him. "Why?" James didn't move or say anything for the longest time. Finally he turned his head to see his brother. "So I can make everyone happy again." Then he turned his head to face the door. Hermione was crying by now and Sky just stared at his brother with no expression. He set a hand on his amr slowly. He want to say something. Anything to bring James' misery out and away. But there wasn't anything. So he too turned his head and stared at Harry's door listening to Hermione's muffled sobs and his own breathing.

Draco couldn't take it anymore. All the sadness was too much. He appeared in Harry's room, turning quickly to look like the boy. He took a deep breath. The pain was holding off, but he wouldn't look in a mirror. He pulled out a bouncy ball and bounced it against the door, the very one James was stareing at. Thud thud thud thud thud thu- crash! "Ooops." Came Harry's voice from inside the room. He winced, takeing a deep breath. Maybe pretending to be Harry for five minutes would be to much.

With a deep breath and a resigned determination, Draco, looking like Harry in purple robes, waved his hand, bringing James. James had disappeared from next to Hermy and his brother to appear on Harry's bed, the ball Draco had broken repaired without much of a thought. "Now, James," he spoke calmly, none of his pain showing on his... Harry's face. "You need to be happy. It's too hard for things to go as planned with everyone suffering so much. You're the best at cheering people up. I can't stay for long, so listen. Get happy, I'm fine. I'll be back soon." He paused. "Shhh," He put a finger to his... Harry's lips. "Don't tell anyone, though. You can't. Not even Sky, or Hermy, or even... Draco. Got it?" He asked. "Now, go, be happy, and help the others."

Draco waved his hand, sending James back to where he had been, then disappeared, appearing in his own dorm. His diguise, the one makeing him look like Harry, disolved, as he felt like he was crumbleing to peices as he landed on his bed. It wasn't as bad as it had been. After a few minutes, the pain passed and Draco left his dorm room. "Oh. Hello." He greeted the three.

James looked at the door horrified. Sky and Hermione stared at him saying something to him but he couldn't make it out. He just gapped and kept repeating Harry.

Skyler shook his brother. "James! JAMES! What's wrong?" Hermione was crying harder. "What's wrong with him?" She looked up at Draco. Sky stopped shaking his brother and looked at Draco. James got ahold of himself and stared at Harry's door then to Draco. Hermione was now stareing at him. James looked at Sky and then to Draco. "I..." But he couldn't say it. Apart of him didn't want to believe it himself. No that couldn't be Harry. Maybe it was. Maybe it was something... like a ghost. He shuddered and got up. Looking at Draco one last time he ran without a clue where he was going. Hermione looked at James. "What the bloody hell was that?" Sky shrugged looking after his brother. "Maybe he's finally cracked."

Draco gave a soft, mirthless laugh. "Oh, I hope so. At least he'd be doing /something/!" He replied, calmly. "Besides sulking, that is." He added with a shrug. He sighed. "Fear. That's what it looked like was on his face." He murmered. "Should I sit..." He motioned towards the floor they were still on. "Or are you going to walk...?" He motioned towards the corridor, thoughtfully.

Cynder floated in, humming to herself. She entered the dorm and stopped when she saw everyone looking sad. Flipping over in midair, she floated upside down over to Draco and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Draco. It's OK."

Hermione nodded and got help helping Sky. "Let's go someplace else." She said wiping her tears away. "I should probably get Ella. I left her with Lily and James." Sky looked out the hall. "I'm going to go find him." He walked off faster and dissappeared behind a corner.

Still looking at Draco, Cynder spoke inside her head. <Draco, talk to me.> She felt bad for him. First he had lost his wife, and now his brother. She could only imagine what his family must be going through. The loss of the Boy-Who-Lived had struck a terrible blow against the Wizarding World, and she could only hope Draco didn't crack under the strain.

Draco nodded, then looked up at Cynder, dazed. "Oh, hello, Cynder." He smiled, even if it was small, and bit his lip. "I know. It's just all so... so... /painful/." He murmered, then took a deep breath. "Thanks. You wanna walk with me?" He asked, motioning Hermione to go get Ella.

Cynder smiled weakly.

"Sure. Walk...or float?" she asked.

With a serious look, she said,

"Would it help you to talk to him again?"

Draco shrugged. "Whichever. don't mind." He grinned. At her question, his head snapped up so that he was gazeing at her. "You should know that that requires tremendous power, and that it's illegal without authorization." He paused as he began walking. "True, I have great power, but I don't think I have that much. Perhaps..." He trailed off, shakeing his head. "It doesn't matter, anyway. If I... did, it'd just make things worse." He murmered, softly.

Hermione nodded and walked off to find Ella. Sky appeared next to her. "I can't find him. I've looked everywhere. I've tried talking to him through minds but there wasn't a response." His hands went through his hair. Hermione rubbed his back. He was too stressed out.

Cynder nodded. "I'll float then. You?" As Draco became serious, she added, <I don't care, Draco. If it helps you, I'll find a way. Nothing you could say to Harry would make anything worse. Your brother loved you, Draco, and you can always combine powers with another Magid-like me.>

Draco sighed. "I'll walk for now." He replied, lightly. /Ask others if they've seen him, Sky./ Draco suggested before turning back to Cynder. "Thanks, Cyn. It's not that, just that seeing him... talking to him... it'd be too hard right now. Maybe even for a long while." He told her, softly. "Thanks for being a good friend, though." He murmered with a sheepish smile.

"No problem. Always here for a friend." She smiled back at him. As she floated along, she asked Draco, "Who are you guys looking for, anyway?"