Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters.
Author's Note: This has been written for Morning Lilies' Forgotten Family Ties Competition. The characters I got are Lily and Hugo and the prompt is 'basket'.
Just Be There For Him
June 9, 2019
Lily felt dazed. She stared at her father, who was sitting opposite her.
"Dad, it can't be. Hugo'll be heartbroken."
Her father looked at her sadly.
"I know," he said, "I know."
Lily got up from her chair and went into the garden. She sat down on her favourite spot, under a tree, and stared at her house, absent-mindedly picking grass and thinking of what her father had just told her.
She had heard the words 'terminal illness' before, probably mentioned in passing somewhere, but she hadn't understood what they meant till her father had told her a few minutes ago. Now she knew.
Terminal illness meant an illness that causes someone to die. Terminal illness meant that in a few months a worn, round, wickerwork basket in Hugo and Rose's house would no longer have an occupant. Terminal illness meant that when she and Hugo left for their first year at Hogwarts that September, Crookshanks wouldn't be coming with them: he would be too sick, or worse, he could be gone.
June 10, 2019
"Lily, come quick, we're getting late!" her mother shouted from the living room.
"Coming in a minute, Mum!"
Lily sat on her bed, tying her shoelaces. She was going with her parents to Hugo's house. James, Al and Rose were still at Hogwarts. She knew that they were going to be told about Crookshanks when they came back for their summer holiday. She also knew that Hugo, like her, had been told the previous day.
She finished tying one lace and moved to the other. She fumbled with it, wondering what to say to Hugo when she met him. He must have been devastated when he was told about Crookshanks' illness. Aunt Hermione's bandy- legged, ginger- haired, part Kneazle had been Hugo's playmate ever since she could remember. Hugo had had his heart set on taking him to Hogwarts. Lily knew that as Hugo's best friend, it was her job to make him feel better. But she had no idea how Hugo had reacted to the news or what to do or tell him to make him feel better. Was there anything she could do, after all?
"Lily!"
Her mother was calling her again. She tied her shoelace quickly and went down the stairs, two at a time as usual. Mum and dad were both in the sitting room, waiting for her. She entered and looked up at her father's face. He was holding the flower pot out in front of her looking unnaturally grave. How, she wondered, had he helped his best friend when Uncle Fred had died?
Her father looked at her worried face and put down the flower pot. He hugged her and said softly to her, "Just be there for him, that's the only way you can help."
How did he know what she was thinking?
Lily took a handful of Floo powder from the flower pot, walked into the fireplace, threw the powder in, and soon felt the familiar sensation of being whirled through a dozen fireplaces before reaching the right one. She stumbled out and the first thing that her eyes fell upon was Crookshanks' basket with its occupant curled up in it. His eyes were closed.
Lily's eyes widened. So soon?
"He's asleep." The choked-sounding voice came from the corner of the room. Lily turned around and saw Hugo sitting on an armchair. His eyes were red around the rims and his face was drawn and pale.
It hurt Lily to see her best friend like this. Hugo had always been a happy child. When they were younger, whenever she had been annoyed, hurt or sad, Hugo had always been the one to cheer her up. Now it was her turn. What should she do? How should she make him feel better?
Her father's words came back to her. Just be there for him.
So she did what her instinct were telling her to do- she walked up to him and hugged him, hoping that she was doing the right thing. In a few moments, her parents arrived and they along with her aunt and uncle went into the dining room.
But Hugo kept sitting on the armchair, his eyes fixed in the direction of the basket. Lily stood there awkwardly. Did Hugo want her to stay here with him or did he want to be alone? What should she do now?
Just be there for him.
She sat down on a chair beside his and looked at the basket.
July 1, 2019
Lily Floo-ed into her cousins' house around noon and went straight to Hugo, who was crouched in front of the basket. She had been visiting Hugo almost everyday for the past three weeks. They would sit in front of the basket and keep track of Crookshanks as he slept. Sometimes Crookshanks would wake up and wander slowly around the house and in the garden, before going back into the basket to sleep again.
Hugo and Lily would follow Crookshanks around wherever he went. At first, Lily had at first wondered why Hugo did this. Over the days, she had realised that Hugo insisted on following Crookshanks around because he needed to spend every last minute that he could with Crookshanks.
"Hi Hugo," she said.
"Hey Lily. He's waking up now."
As Lily watched Crookshanks awaken, she realised how much weaker he had gotten in the past weeks. He was definitely much slower than that first day, when she had noted his wanderings around the house with surprise. Today, he opened his eyes, but he didn't stretch or try to move out of the basket.
"What's wrong?" Hugo said, worriedly. "Crookshanks, don't you want to get out?"
Lily tried to pacify him. "Hugo, he just must be a little tired today, that's all."
"No Lily, I-I think he's feeling pain, look- look at his eyes, see-"
Crookshanks gave a loud yowl, one of extreme agony.
Hugo's eyes widened. "Wha- what's happening to him? He's in so much pain!"
Hugo began to tremble. "Mum!" he shouted.
Lily called to his mother as well. "Aunt Hermione! Come quick, Crookshanks is-"
She had barely uttered those words when Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron hurried into the room and crouched down beside the basket. Aunt Hermione picked Crookshanks up and held him close to her as he yowled in agony.
"Ron! Call the Magical Creature Healer, quick!"
Hugo's began to tremble even more. Lily was terrified. What was happening to Crookshanks? Was it time? She hugged Hugo and he hugged her back, for once both of them feeling exactly the same thing. Suddenly there was a 'whoosh' and a clatter and Lily turned around to find that Healer Jones, Crookshanks' Healer, had Floo-ed in.
As Healer Jones approached Crookshanks, Lily caught hold of Hugo's still-trembling hand and led him to an armchair. They sat side by side, watching the Healer wave her wand over Crookshanks a few times to soothe his pain. After doing so, she took a vial out of her pocket and gave him a potion. Crookshanks seemed better now, but when the Healer looked up at Aunt Hermione, it was with a grave face.
Aunt Hermione took her into the kitchen and Hugo sat beside the basket again watching Crookshanks who was now asleep. Lily hesitated, wondering whether she should eavesdrop on Aunt Hermione and the Healer but decided against it. Hugo needed her more than she needed to know what the Healer was saying. And Aunt Hermione would probably tell them anyway.
Lily was right. Her aunt came back into the living room a few minutes later. She and Uncle Ron sat Hugo and Lily down to tell them that Crookshanks' state had worsened. His pain was due to an attack; and such attacks would probably occur on a regular basis now. There was no way to stop them.
Hugo, who had calmed down when he sat next to the basket, listened with wide eyes that soon filled up. Lily held his hand as her eyes clouded at the thought of both Crookshanks and her best friend in so much pain.
July 20, 2019
"Lily, your letter's come!"
Lily ran down the stairs, nearly tripping, and scurried into the kitchen, where her eldest brother was holding her letter.
"James! Give it to me!"
After a little teasing, James yielded, and finally, finally, Lily had in her hands the Hogwarts letter that was addressed to her. She opened the envelope and proceeded to read every word, even the book list, a wide smile on her face. But she drew a breath when she read the line-
"Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad."
Hugo.
She felt a pang of guilt and shame as she realised the she had forgotten her best friend's grief in her ecstasy. Lily and Hugo had stopped talking about Hogwarts ever since Crookshanks had fallen ill. But she knew that both kept thinking about it. She wondered if Hugo had come to terms with the fact that Crookshanks wouldn't be there.
When Hugo read his letter, he wouldn't feel excited. All he would feel would be fear and reluctance to leave Crookshanks behind.
That evening, when she went over to Hugo's, he wasn't downstairs watching Crookshanks. She said 'hello' to Aunt Hermione and went up to Hugo's room. As she approached the half- open bedroom door, she could hear muffled sobs coming from within the room. She peeked inside, although not in a way in which she would be seen. Hugo was sitting on his bed clutching a crumpled piece of parchment. Uncle Ron was sitting beside him and Hugo was sobbing into his father's chest. Lily lingered for a minute, wondering what to do, but when the sobs turned wails she turned around and ran down the stairs.
Lily had never seen Hugo cry like this. She knew that she wouldn't be able to handle him being in this state. She didn't go up to the bedroom that evening. Instead, she stayed in the kitchen and helped Aunt Hermione with her work.
September 1, 2019
Lily stood beside the scarlet train with her parents and surveyed the platform, which was partially covered by smoke from the engine, for some sign of Hugo, Rose, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione. James and Al were already on the train as they had been hailed by friends as soon as they had arrived on the platform.
Lily stood without talking, thinking about the past month. It had been a hard one for everyone. Since the horrible day that she and Hugo had got their letters, Crookshanks had had three more attacks and had grown weaker and weaker. She and Hugo had spent all their time sitting beside his basket, from which he scarcely got out now.
She was half- scared about seeing Hugo today. She knew that he wouldn't be in the state that they had been when they got their letters; the desire not to be called a baby at Hogwarts would make sure of that. But she also knew that on the inside he would be plagued with fear and worry.
Everything was changing. Hugo wouldn't be able to find out how Crookshanks was every moment anymore; he would only get to know Crookshanks' state from his parents' letters. He wouldn't be able to see Crookshanks until the Christmas holidays began. But Lily knew that what Hugo feared the most was that today might be the last time Hugo saw Crookshanks alive.
The smoke began to clear and Lily saw her uncle and aunt waving at her parents in the distance. As they made their way towards the Weasleys, Lily saw Hugo standing between them; Rose must have met some friends and gone onto the train already. She could see worry etched on Hugo's face. If he had been given a choice, she knew, he would probably have wished to stay with Crookshanks. There could be no choice, however; that was why Hugo was standing on the crowded platform.
Lily went up to him and gave him a little hug. She would always be there for her best friend. Even when the occupant of the basket would be hidden from Hugo's eyes forever, she would be beside him, holding his hand.
29/12/11: I'm still having trouble believing this, but this placed third in the competition!