Moonlight Sonata (part one of this story) - .net/s/7182228/1/Moonlight_Sonata (add the www . fanfiction to the beginning!)

The stars faded and everything was black. Then, suddenly, it wasn't dark anymore. It was light; blindingly light. She squinted as she peered through the whiteness – it would be better if it was dark, she thought fleetingly, at least you can do something about the dark.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it."

Ana whirled around at the sound of the voice…wait – whirled around? She shouldn't be able to whirl around. She was in Sirius' arms in the middle of the grounds of Hogwarts bleeding to death…oh.

"Am I dead then?" she asked the owner of the voice.

It was a woman. A very beautiful woman by all accounts; red hair which flowed down her back and porcelain skin and eyes which were so green…Ana stopped thinking.

"You're Lily Potter?" she hadn't meant it to sound like a question and yet it did all the same.

"The very same," Lily answered with a soft smile. "You're Lantana Snape."

Ana laughed; it felt good to laugh. Who knew death felt so good? She'd have done it a long time ago if she'd known. It was…light. She'd never felt so light in her entire life.

"No one's called me that in a long time" Ana answered.

"No; I know. Poor Severus…he doesn't even know…"

"He's better off not knowing," Ana reasoned, "In case you hadn't noticed he's not exactly the paternal type…"

Now it was Lily who laughed.

"So," Ana said when they were both done with laughter, "What now? I mean I'm obviously dead…"

"Are you?" Lily asked, tilting her head and giving Ana a gentle smile – she really was very beautiful.

"Well…" Ana frowned before shrugging and finishing, "…you're dead and I can see you so either I'm high on something very, very illegal or I'm also dead. Unless there's another option..?"

"Where do you think we are?" Lily asked, seemingly ignoring the question entirely. Ana decided to play along. She looked around, for the first time she realised; which wasn't like her at all, and smiled when she saw…

"We're in a garden – my garden. Well father's garden from the house we lived in when I was small. I loved this place; probably the thing I missed most when I got shipped off to number twelve."

"Ah…very nice," Lily murmured, "Yes Sev always did like flowers when we were young. Before…"

"…before he became a Death Eater and decided to get people killed?" Ana finished.

"Indeed," Lily answered, "Slightly judgemental but not entirely inaccurate."

"No I suppose not." Ana agreed.

"So…we're in a garden. Well that's rather hard on the analogies. You couldn't have chosen King's Cross?" Lily sounded ever so slightly put out.

"Believe me if I'd known I could choose I'd have picked something easier for you." Ana responded with a raised brow and a quirked smile.

"Well never mind we're here now. So I should say you could make a choice. You might plant a seed and wait for the seed to grow or you could just…" Lily paused; obviously at a loss.

"Not the strongest of explanations." Ana observed.

"Hush…" Lily gently scolded with a faint smile, "I can see why Sirius likes you. You've got his cheek."

"Merlin forbid" Ana put on a mock offended tone, "You take that back."

Lily laughed.

"Alright I'll put it simply. You can carry on to whatever lies beyond or you can go back."

Ana stopped, non-plussed.

"You're saying I can choose not to die?" she asked.

"That's what I'm saying." Lily confirmed.

"I hope you don't give everyone that choice – I don't think many people will find it much of a choice at that…"

"Oh I don't know. For starters no, we don't offer it to everyone, just certain people. You for instance, you're not done yet. Not if you don't want to be. But you should consider this very carefully before you answer. Think about it, Ana, you could be free. Free from pain, from loss, from war. It's what you've always wanted isn't it?"

No more war. No more fighting. It sounded perfect; all she'd ever wanted…to be at peace and not have to struggle every day. But then what about the others? What about those who would have to carry on fighting? What about Sirius? She had gotten him back, off the Firewhiskey, what would happen with her gone? She sighed. She was a bloody martyr; deserved a bloody sainthood. After all she'd done not even allowed to die in peace…

"I have to go back," Ana said in a firm voice.

Lily smiled.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

She walked over and placed a hand on Ana's arm. It felt light, lighter than feathers, and strangely Ana didn't find it at all odd for someone to have a truly feather light touch.

"Look after Harry, will you?" the older woman asked gently; a note of sorrow in her voice.

"Don't I always?" Ana asked, placing her hand on Lily's.

"I can't fault you so far," Lily responded. "Now go on; time to go home. You've left your heart behind and that strikes me as careless…"

Ana looked away, even as the brightness seemed to fade; when she looked back Lily was gone. The garden too was fading away; falling into mist as everything went dark. She found her eyes suddenly very heavy, as though she hadn't slept in weeks, and couldn't fight the urge to close them. The darkness enveloped her once again and then…

…Ana opened her eyes.