A/N: I'm sorry, but this chapter is going to have a bit of language that is coarser than usual. Please forgive me, but at this point, it would look really stupid to censor the words.
Seven patients in the Hospital Wing were all sent to take showers, and given fresh clothes, mostly leftovers from Ravenclaw sweater sales and clean slacks and skirts. Sirius was sitting next to the bed Jackie laid in, holding her hand delicately as if she would wake up any moment now. Helen was actually quite calm compared to the hours before. She sat like Sirius did, except her expression told everyone she knew Rafe was dead and he wasn't coming back.
Arabella was sobbing madly, Ronan hugging her close, soothing her. Lily was disgusted. Well, not at the fact that he was soothing Arabella, just at the fact no one was there to soothe her.
As for Munguldus, he was standing quietly next to Helen, putting his hand on her shoulder for comfort. Remus was doing the same for Sirius, who seemed to have warped out. Lily turned her back on the room, facing the corner and staring at the amazingly-white walls. Her arms were crossed and she stood straight, with her hair slightly damp and a window close to her showing the signs of rain pouring.
James got the gash fixed on his leg, and his cheek was not as purple as it had been. It was probably Avery that punched him. His upper arm was no longer bleeding, but there were traces of a scar, a very flimsy lightning bolt. Advada Kedavra had been sent past him, grazing his arm just a bit.
He looked up to see Lily brooding in the corner. As soon as he could shake Mademoiselle Pomfrey the Younger off, he stood up and approached her. She was tense, but she wasn't crying at all.
Lily felt someone's hands giving her a backrub. She didn't mind, even though she knew who it was. She really needed it. But this whole comfort thing seemed overrated. She began to sob uncontrollably, as if the past twenty-four hours had suddenly come to her.
"Sh.. It's alright.. It's all alright.." He whispered, becoming more and more gentle. She turned and went to sobbing into his chest, or rather, a sort of solid thingy with a soft blue cover.
"It's alright, Lils.. Everything will be alright.. I know how you feel..."
At this she snapped. In a low, dangerous whisper, "You know how I feel?"
James was suddenly frightened. She repeated herself, except this time in a high, dangerous squeak.
"You know how I feel?"
James tried to shake his head, but she grabbed him by the collar of his sweater.
"How could you... Possibly know how I feel? How could you fucking know I feel? Did you lose a best friend? Did you lose one of the only people you trusted? Did you lose somebody you had told one of your biggest secrets to? Did you lose the guy that had been your mentor for the past three years? Did you lose somebody who arranged for you to have the time of your life? Did you lose two of the only people that would remain loyal to you for life? No. Did your best friend die in your arms a few hours ago? No. You couldn't possibly fucking comprehend any of my thoughts right now, you are too arrogant and too stupid and just SO ridiculous that I need you." She spat, each sentence climbing to a certain degree of danger. The last sentence was weak, as if she had taken her last breath.
And though the entire room was looking at her, she went back to sobbing in his arms again. Slowly James moved his arms around her waist, holding her like a flower that would die if he hugged her too close, or not close enough.
Under her breath, she was muttering weakly, "Too arrogant and too god damn stupid." And pounding at his chest lightly with tightly-clenched fists, but he didn't mind. In fact, he was soothing her with light shushes. She was quickly wearing down.
Mademoiselle Pomfrey didn't make anybody leave until they wanted to, she understood the circumstances. But James lifted Lily up and carried her to the Common Room, and she was still muttering, "Too arrogant and too god damn stupid...." Over and over.
Slowly she fell asleep. The day had come to her. She was out cold.
Most of Hogwarts was empty. Sirius walked about the halls, remembering where Jackie had been happiest, knowing where he wanted to go when he got out of Hogwarts.
Paris. She had been happiest in Paris, when they were in disguise and when they were dancing. Round and round and round, in that pretty red dress..
Sirius leaned against a wall and sank, his eyes dreaming of the days before, his body completely out of it.
Helen took a blanket, some soup and one of Rafe's Quidditch books and went out to sit in the stands of the pitch. Rafe would've liked it out here. Tonight was a perfect night for a late match. Helen looked over his plays, over his doodles (she smiled when she reached Rafe + Helen 4EVR) and found that, at the back, a whole bunch of pages were stuck together. There was a little hole in one of them, shaped like a key hole.
"In the front!" She thought aloud, flipping to the front. On the first page there was a key with a red ribbon taped to the paper. She removed it quickly and flipped back to the stuck-together pages. She inserted the key and twisted it, to find a little velvet box and a piece of parchment.
She read it aloud.
Fellow students,
tonight I leave you all, hopefully with good memories of me.
However, there is
one person in this room that shouldn't leave without me.
Helen Guerra has
been the most wonderful girlfriend I've ever had.
She understands my
love of Quidditch, the rules and fun. She defends me more than
anyone. Of all
people, she deserves to be valedictorian of the class of 1975.
In my heart, she
always will be.
Helen Guerra,
Will you marry me?
A tear dropped from Helen's eye as she clutched the piece of parchment to her chest like it was Rafe's soul. She opened the velvet box to find a golden ring with the head of a lion made of rubies. She put the box and the parchment back in the special compartment, locking it. She slipped the ring onto the ribbon that held the key, and tied the ribbon around her neck. She curled up in her seat and fell asleep.
Munguldus alerted his mother that Jackie was dead. Munguldus was Jackie's cousin and it was he that had taken her to her first balls. He owled the rest of the family, and spent the night with the owls, not caring where he was. The cool spring breeze floated in, but he kept warm. It was like Jackie was there, surrounding him with warmth and family love.
Remus stayed up in the top box of the Quidditch field, with a small smile aimed at Helen's sleeping figure. He read Rafe's playbooks over and over, booming them with great pride in the soundproof box. He leaned back in his chair and enjoyed the way the night went. He very tidily scribbled across the transcript of all of his announcements of the Gryffindor games, In Loving Memory of Our Two Fallen Players and Our Fearless Leader, Jacqueline "Jackie" Kensington and Rafael "Rafe" Hernandez.
"Ronan, it's my fault. Malfoy was showing off for me. He was the one that sent up the Dark Mark."
"Bella, don't feel so guilty. You didn't know what would happen."
"I can't stay here. I just can't."
"Can't you at least finish out the year and arrange for some other form of education?"
"I'll finish out the year and attend Beauxbatons or something, I just can't stay here."
"I support whatever decision you make, but you should think about this."
"I will, Ronan."