The chamber had gone silent.
"I'm alive."
Helena said the words again, this time with considerably more certainty.
Cassius gave his instruments one final look over confirming that everything was checking out.
The body was reacting with normal values, while magical readings were equally showing a stable connection.
Ritual looked to be a resounding success.
The ghost that was Helena Ravenclaw, was now bound to the homunculous body.
The sensory connection she was now experiencing was exactly what he hoped for.
The worst result short of total failure, would be the successful binding of her spirit to the body and yet it was hollow.
To be 'alive' and yet unable to feel anything, was that truly being alive.
Drawing her attention with a simple finger snap.
Cassius reached for his wand and setting off a tiny lumos at its tip.
"Look at me."
Helena did.
"Follow the tip of my wand"
He moved it slowly from left to right.
Her eyes tracked it without difficulty.
"Good."
Next he moved it vertically.
Again, perfect.
"Now take a deep breath in, hold it for three seconds then exhale all at once."
Helena inhaled.
Held her breath.
Then exhaled.
A smile slowly spread across her face.
Cassius on the otherhand continued down his checklist.
"Raise your right hand."
She did.
"Left."
Again.
"Touch your nose."
She did.
"Stand."
Helena placed both feet against the floor.
For the first time in centuries, she felt solid ground beneath her rather than simply hovering above it.
She pushed herself upright.
Her knees immediately wobbled.
Cassius stepped forward, ready to catch her.
"I'm fine."
Then she took another step.
And another.
Her balance was poor, but improving with every movement.
She turned.
She walked back toward the table.
Then toward Cassius.
Then away from him.
A strange expression slowly appeared on her face.
Wonder.
Not magical wonder.
Physical wonder.
She could feel the air moving across her skin.
The slight chill against her arms.
The weight of her hair against her shoulders, even as its length swished back and forth with each step.
The fabric of the hospital gown against her body.
Her heartbeat.
Her breathing.
The subtle vibration of the floor beneath her feet.
She raised both hands and stared at them.
"I forgot."
Cassius lowered his clipboard.
"Forgot what?"
"What this felt like."
She slowly closed her fingers.
"I remember having hands. But remembering something and actually feeling it..." She laughed softly. "It's completely different."
Cassius smiled.
"Welcome back. Helena Ravenclaw."
Helena looked at him.
Something changed in her expression.
Cassius recognized it immediately.
It was the same expression he'd seen countless times from the girls whenever they had discovered something that meant one of them was now ahead of the others.
Trouble.
"Helena..."
She suddenly moved.
Cassius barely had time to react before Helena crossed the remaining distance between them.
She threw her arms around him.
He froze.
Then she planted a quick kiss against his cheek.
Cassius stared, lost in the feeling.
His thoughts lost on the action, and Helena capitalized on the lack of guard.
Helena pulled back, before her head dove in once more again.
Her lips quickly sealing themselves against his own lips.
And just as quickly her new tongue shot itself forward quickly invading into his young mouth, seeking out ever square inch, before recollecting himself and using his own tongue in defense of himself.
After successfully pushing her away and breaking the kiss.
Helena looked almost as surprised by her own actions, as she panted looking into his eyes.
Then she grinned. "I can do that too."
Cassius blinked. "Apparently."
She laughed.
It was such a bright, genuine sound that Cassius couldn't help smiling. "You've been alive for approximately five minutes, and thats what you decide to do?"
"Is there a problem?"
"You can't just go sticking your tongue down someones throat without warning!" Cassius practically cried out, all but accusing her of sexual harrassment in the workplace.
Helena gave him an exaggeratedly offended look. "How cruel."
Cassius shook his head as she didnt look even a little bit repentant.
"I spent centuries as a ghost." She placed her hands on her hips. "I believe I've earned the right to cause a little trouble."
"All right. Fine but before you go out to raise some hell to make up for all that lost time."
Helena tilted her head. "What's next?"
"Clothing." his statement was flat while his eyes were off examining the room as if it was the most interesting thing in the world
She looked down.
Only then did she seem to remember what she was wearing.
"Oh."
The hospital gown was perfect, at least until her rather aggressive actions, and now the gown has come undone, the fabric having fallen open and exposing the fresh flesh newly grown.
Cassius still looking off to the side stepped closer to her, and reached out his arm.
"Grab hold, i'll take you somewhere, where we can get you dressed and then we can go home."
"Where?"
"Hogsmeade." Her eyebrows rose. "We're going to Hogsmeade?"
"Briefly."
"And then Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
"Apparition?"
"Yes."
No longer asking any other questions she simply reached out and looped his arm in her own.
Then the room vanished and the world twisted.
For a moment there was nothing but darkness and pressure.
Then...
Pop.
They appeared inside a private room at a small Hogsmeade inn The Three Broomsticks.
Looking around the room Helena was confused at first, this just looked like a homely little suite, as it had a bed, desk, chairs, and table.
Several bags had been placed neatly beside it.
She ignored her current state of dress and walked toward the window.
Outside, Hogsmeade was covered in snow.
Smoke drifted from chimneys.
Helena stared.
"It's beautiful."
"It hasn't changed that much."
"To you." She whispered. "To me, i still remember when this village was first founded as a sanctuary for adult wizards to live near the school their children would attend."
Cassius gave her a moment.
Then pointed toward the bags.
"Everything you'll need is inside."
Helena turned. "Everything?"
"A series of outfits."
"How did you know my size?"
"The artificial body was created specifically for you... its growth was completed a while ago, so the measurements were known... a while ago already."
She stared at him almost with an accusatory look.
Then she moved to peer inside of the provided bags.
Inside were stacks of folded clothing.
Robes.
Shirts.
Pants.
Skirts.
Shoes.
Even a few accessories.
Helena touched the sleeve of one robe.
"You really did think of everything."
"I had to."
She turned toward him. "Thank you."
Cassius nodded. "Take your time."
He moved toward the door.
"I'll wait outside."
Helena looked back toward the bags.
Then toward him.
A mischievous smile slowly appeared.
"Are you sure?"
Cassius paused. "About what?"
She leaned casually against the table.
"Perhaps you'd like to stay."
Cassius narrowed his eyes.
"Helena."
"What?" She smiled innocently. "You could help me choose."
"I'm certain you can manage."
"Maybe." She glanced toward the clothes, then back at him. "Or perhaps you want to stay and watch me change."
Cassius stared at her for approximately one second.
Then opened the door.
"Take your time."
He stepped outside.
The door closed, and there was silence.
Then Helena burst into laughter.
"Still so easy to tease."
On the other side of the door, Cassius shook his head.
He had resurrected Helena Ravenclaw.
He had given a ghost a body.
He had restored her access to magic.
He had accomplished something generations of wizards would have considered impossible.
And somehow...
His greatest mistake may have been forgetting just how mischievous the Grey Lady could be when she finally had a body again.
Inside the room, Helena turned toward the bags.
Her smile softened.
She ran her fingers across the sleeve of the first robe.
For the first time in centuries, she had a choice of what to wear.
A choice of where to go.
A choice of what to do.
And a real future.
Helena Ravenclaw looked at herself in the mirror.
The girl staring back was no longer a ghost.
She was alive.