Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lessons Learned ❯ Lessons Learned ( One-Shot )

He sat silently at the edge of the basin, staring into the watery depths below. The room was silent, save for the occasional plopping as a ripple tore through the surface of the water. He enjoyed the peacefulness, glad for this little bit of quiet in his mostly hectic life.

 

He wasn't so sure if he really deserved such a good end - he had done quite a bit of things that he wasn't very proud of; they do say that hindsight is 20/20. But he was glad that everything had turned out as well as it had; glad to have the final chance to talk to the one student he had brought so much unhappiness upon.

 

The door behind him opened and he turned, smiling as his visage rested on the newcomer. His visitor grinned in response, raising a hand and waving enthusiastically.

 

“Albus! You're here again?”

 

“Ah, yes, I find I quite enjoy this little place, James.”

 

“I doubt it's simply the place you enjoy, Albus,” James hinted, wiggling his eyebrows at the elderly man.

 

He let out a chuckle, eyes crinkling as he turned his gaze back toward the basin. He reached out a hand to touch the surface, and the water shimmered below.

 

“Won't you join me, James?”

 

As both men watched the basin intently, they could not help the faint smile that tugged on their lips. Below, a very familiar young man with messy black hair and green eyes was cuddling together on the couch with his wife, both watching smilingly as the children brought on what seemed to be World War Three right in front of them.

 

The water rippled once more, now displaying the annual Hogwarts party for faculty members. Albus had to laugh as they watched Peeves try his very best to convince Minerva that Firewhisky wasn't as bad as she had thought it to be.

 

They had lost so much in the war - there was so much unhappiness he had at one point thought they would never recover from the dreadfulness of it. But it seems he had been worrying too much.

 

It was then that it had struck him. He had always prided himself of being an excellent strategist, and would never jump into any skirmish without thinking through his plans. Then, how was it possible that the Wizarding world had returned to the way it was without any nudging from him? Perhaps he had been sorely mistaken that he had to do something, or risk everything falling apart in his grasp. Perhaps there had never been the necessity to do anything at all!

 

He chuckled once more, drawing the curious look from James. Shaking his head, he turned his gaze back to the pool of water. It seems he had quite a bit of explaining to do when Harry joined them in this world. He hoped it wasn't too soon though, Merlin knows the boy should have his fair share of happiness after all he'd been through.