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Goodbye Isn't Forever

Their arms had been tight as they'd hugged her, not really wanting to ever let go with her praying they wouldn't. They'd been warm and she hadn't really known who she'd been hugging. She had only been able to tell a few apart; Lily, with her long red hair in a braid, her warm arms wrapping around Lucy, her hands meeting on Lucy's back, her forever sweet and innocent scent filling Lucy's nostrils; Lysander's clumsy hug stood out visibly as he whispered goodbye in her ear; her parents' almost bone-breaking hugs and their farewells said as they kissed her forehead; Molly's arms around her, the best weapon against nightmares and thunderstorms now shook slightly as she buried her face in Lucy's blonde hair.

She remembered breaking away from her family, picking up the bag she was taking with her straight away and had waved and smiled as she walked away to the international Portkey set aside for her trip. Her vision was blurred as tears filled her eyes though she refused to let them fall. Only now did she wonder if this was a good idea. She had been so excited last night and the few weeks before that, but now that it was all coming to pass she didn't know if she really could leave.

A sudden flash of red as she started to turn away had made her turn back and to her surprise she'd seen Lily running towards her, a package in her hands. A small hopeful traitorous voice in the back of her head whispered that maybe Lily would stop her, would drag her back and wouldn't let her leave. But she hadn't as Lucy had known she wouldn't.

Instead she had thrown her arms around Lucy once more and kissed her on the cheek and pressed the package into her hands. Lucy looked at her questioningly but Lily had just shaken her head.

'Wait until you're over there,' she'd said softly and Lucy was stunned to see small tears in Lily's caramel eyes. Lucy could only remember a couple of occasions when Lily had teared up or cried; her graduation, when she'd been named godmother to Remus and apparently when James had been in the hospital wing though Lucy hadn't been there to confirm it. She hadn't cried when Dominique or Hugo had moved to a different country, or at least not when Lucy had been around.

'Bye,' Lily had said again and Lucy nodded and had given her a weak smile, her throat too tight to speak. Lily had stepped back and Lucy turned back to the Portkey, the package tucked tightly under her arm and took her hold of the Portkey. She'd smiled at the group that made up her family; her paternal grandparents stood to one side smiling and waving; Uncle's Charlie, Bill and Ron stood grouped together beaming; Aunt's Fleur, Hermione, Ginny and Hannah were smiling through teary eyes; Uncle's Harry, Rolf, Neville and George waved while Uncle Kingsley nodded and smiled calmly along with his wife Aunt Florence, their kids Jaycee, Tai and Jordan beamed; Aunt Luna waved, Teddy and Victoire smiled, their two children, Dora and Remus looked confused though Dora had waved. Dominique, Roxanne and Rose smiled through small tears while Louis, James and Fred had waved enthusiastically; Albus, Hugo, Lorcan, Alice, Pomona and Frank smiled and waved; her parents were crying as was Molly; Lysander smiled his awkward smile and Lily had waved from where she stood, Scorpius hugging her, his own arm raised in farewell and Lucy raised her own and smiled before the Portkey was activated and she was tugged away.

She had landed heavily after a few uncomfortable seconds and she had looked around, taking in the French Ministry. After signing a few documents had been signed she had left to go to her apartment which was where she found herself sitting on the floor remembering.

She turned her attentions then to the package that Lily had given her. It was light and when shaken something like paper move inside.

She quickly opened it and her tears really did fall when she saw what it was.

Her old favourite teddy bear she had decided to leave behind was sitting there with a piece of folded paper sitting in its lap. She pulled it out and hugged the bear before picking up the paper and unfolding it.

There were four lines of writing and every letter had been written by a different member of her family. She smiled when she read the words and though the movie had never been her favourite Disney movie she had always liked the songs chorus which had been written down.

Goodbye may seem forever

Farewell is like the end

But in my heart is a memory

And there you'll always be

Lucy smiled sadly and read through it again noting who had written which letter as she waited for the rest of her boxes to arrive, her tears drying up and her smile growing brighter with every letter.

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