Drabble Wars: Write your character nearing/at the end of their life. Are they happy with the choices they made?

Chocolate Frog Card: (Bronze) Cornivus Gaunt: Prompts: Raven, Literature

Gringotts: Hospital Wing [Location], Croaked [Instead of Said]

Word Count: 379

Well, this was it. She was dying and it wouldn't be long until she passed on to another life, another world, another place full of possibilities. She'd be leaving friends, Godric and Helga, and family, Helena, but she'd meet with them again soon.

Of course, Helena probably wouldn't want to meet up with her anytime soon. Or ever again. She hadn't been the best mother in the world, something she'll regret for as long as she lives - even if it isn't long - but it was something she'd been regretting for many years now. She'd pushed her daughter away.

Baron had been sent to retrieve her but she didn't think they'd make it back in time, didn't think she'd want to.

Rowena understood, though. For throughout her whole life, the way she treated Helena is the only thing she'd want to change. She wouldn't want to change the time she spent creating the school, or the time she spent being in love with Salazar before he abandoned her for that brought her Helena. She wouldn't want to change the research she has done, or the amount of literature she's read; though she could have spent less time reading on occasion to spend that time with Helena.

Helena was what everything boiled down to. She'd been a lousy mother to a wonderful daughter and she'd never get to apologise.

Rowena took in a shaky breath, knowing that as she stared at the ceiling of the Hospital Wing in Hogwarts - for, would she want to die anywhere else? - that this was the end.

"Hey," Helga whispered, as both her and Godric joined her sides. "What are you thinking about?"

"My regrets," she croaked back. Helga's face turned sad and Rowena turned her attention to Godric. "I suppose it's too late to turn the mascot of Ravenclaw into a raven instead of an eagle?"

Godric chuckled, the sound tinged with both amusement and sadness. It didn't last long before the trio were encased in silence again.

"Tell Helena I'm sorry?" she asked, begged. "I won't be able to do it myself."

"Don't say that," Helga snapped, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Don't you ever say that!"

"It's the truth," Rowena confessed, pressing kisses to both of their hands. "I'll be waiting for you."