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The clock in the church chimed for the half-hour, it was eleven thirty. Celeste looked up from her book and reflected, she had been in the park for an hour now, still sitting on the same bench. Celeste was supposed to meet her fiancé, Remus Lupin, in Diagon Alley, but not for another hour. Celeste turned back to her book.
The park Celeste was sitting in was named Nightingale Park, after the cottage she and Remus were to live in, the park was her favorite place in the world. After Hogwarts, it was the place she felt safest. Remus had proposed to her on the same bench she was sitting on, but that wasn't the only reason Celeste loved the park. There was a stillness in the air that made Celeste feel as if in a holy place. Celeste was very troubled about Lord Voldemort and his followers, they were a threat to herself, and everyone she loved. But in Nightingale Park, the evil that Celeste felt tainting the world wasn't there. In the park there was nothing but peace, thoughts of pain, anger, and death could not enter.
But as Celeste was reading, something entered the park. Something that did not belong there, something that tainted the very air, something evil. Celeste could feel it, she felt the change in the air and looked up, knowing that the holiness of the place had been violated, for once in her life, she was truly afraid.
Celeste laid down her book and gripped her wand tightly inside her robes. She stood up slowly and looked around. There was no one in sight, but the birds had stopped singing and the silence was menacing. Still holding tight to her wand, Celeste began to walk, looking from side to side for a glimpse of what she knew was there. A twig snapped and Celeste spun around, her stomach twisted in knots.
A man stood only a few yards away, his face hidden in the shadow of a tree. Celeste took a step backwards, the man advanced a few feet and Celeste gasped as she caught sight of his face.
"Regulus," she breathed. She knew it was Regulus Black, he looked everything like his older brother, Sirius, whom Celeste had known, even dated, at Hogwarts. Sirius was a good friend of Remus; he was also in the Order. Celeste knew that Regulus disapproved of his brother's choices, the sight of him here was unnerving.
Regulus said nothing, he was breathing very fast, and sweat gleamed on his forehead, although it was cool in the shade of the trees. Like his brother, Regulus was very handsome, but his nervous manner was nothing like Sirius'. Regulus continued to stare at Celeste, saying nothing.
"Er...you probably don't know me, we've never met, but I'm Celeste Potak, I know your brother Sirius," said Celeste, unsure what to do.
"I know that," said Regulus, his voice croaky in an attempt to conceal his nerves.
"Well, I guess, um...is there something I can help you with? Were you looking for me?" Celeste was extremely uneasy, Regulus said nothing.
A few moments passed, Celeste holding tight to the wand that was still concealed beneath her robes, while Regulus stood silently, breathing unevenly. Finally, Celeste spoke.
"Well, if there isn't anything, then I'll just go," she said, starting to back away.
"No!" said Regulus sharply, raising his wand. "You have to stay."
Celeste froze and looked at the wand pointed towards her, then to the face of the man holding it.
"Regulus," she said softly. "I don't know who sent you, but it's not worth it. You don't have to hurt me, we can leave here and I'll help you. Come with me, I know people who will hide you from the people who are making you do this."
"Stop talking," Regulus instructed, taking a step closer.
"Regulus," said Celeste, her voice a little sharper now. "Killing me will solve nothing; it will get you nowhere-"
"You're wrong," Regulus interrupted. "It will get me right where I want to be."
"Maybe that's so," said Celeste, "but I can tell you don't really want to kill me."
"What do you know about what I want?" yelled Regulus, suddenly angry.
"No more than you do," said Celeste. "You're young, barely out of Hogwarts; you can't just run into things without thinking it through!"
Her words stung Regulus in a very sore spot, he refused to think himself young, to be patronized by a half-blooded witch was the limit. His nervousness forgotten, Regulus advanced on Celeste in a cold fury.
"Shut up!" he yelled. "Shut up you filthy wench! I'll kill you!"
Celeste backed up quickly and pulled out her wand. Regulus cried crucio! Celeste lifted her wand just in time and blocked the curse. But Celeste had suddenly felt dizzy right before shielding herself, the power in the young man's curse sent her to the ground. Her wand was still clutched in her hand as she fell and Celeste raised this to defend herself again, but she was too late. Avada Kedavra shot through the air and hit her squarely in the chest. Celeste fell back onto the ground gracefully, her hair splayed about her face and the surprised look on her face softened into an expression of peace.
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Regulus stood silently, staring down in horror at what he had just done. He was so engrossed with the still figure at his feet that he didn't hear the pop of apparation, or the man's voice as it called out, breaking into the silence of the park.
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"Celeste!" Severus called again, looking around the park, an urgency such as he had never known, gripping his heart tightly.
He caught sight of a bench and on it a woman's purse. A silk covered book lay beside the purse, but there was no woman. Severus spun around frantically, Celeste was in the park, he knew. Breathing quickly, Severus ran towards a group of trees, he stopped as he caught sight of Regulus standing there, looking down at a figure on the ground.
"No," Severus breathed, his heart pounding madly. "NO!"
He sprinted towards the figure, shoved Regulus away roughly, and threw himself onto the ground beside Celeste's body. Muttering furiously to himself, Severus placed his hand upon her neck, swearing when he felt no pulse.
"No, Celeste," he said, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her roughly. "No, you're not dead; do you hear me Celeste? You're not dead, you're not dead, you're not..."
His voice trailed away as his body became wracked with sobs. He pulled Celeste's body into his arms and cradled her there as he cried. He had often cried when he was a little boy, but this was different. Severus felt as if his soul was being ripped apart, his heart was shattered, the only coherent thought he had was that Celeste was dead.
He sobbed for a long time, while the still shocked Regulus looked on, uncomprehending. When Severus could cry no longer he lay Celeste's body back onto the ground, and gently brushed a few hairs out of her face. Then he stood up and turned to Regulus.
"Do you know what you have done?" Severus asked, his voice level, eyes cold.
Regulus stood silently, only a little fearful of the furious man before him. Severus walked toward the younger man, when he was barely two feet away, he spoke again.
"You have just murdered the most perfect being ever to grace this miserable planet," said Severus, pain and fury etched into every word. "And here you stand, you worthless piece of filth, alive, while she lies there dead!"
Regulus didn't have time to take another breath; he was dead before he hit the ground.
-
Minerva stood at the kitchen window. A feeling of unease had been bothering her for the past hour. Something was wrong, terribly, terribly wrong, but Minerva couldn't put a finger on what it was. A sharp pop came from the garden, Minerva jumped at the sound and hurried to the door to see who had just apparated.
Instantly, Minerva knew what was wrong, in that instant her world crumbled and was flipped inside out. Minerva stood staring at the shell that had once been her daughter, and then she turned away and sat at the kitchen table, her grief too large, too unbearably great. She couldn't cry, the human reservoir of tears had run dry, she could only sit and force her heart to keep beating, her lungs to keep breathing.
-
Remus stared at the body on the couch, it wasn't Celeste, he knew it wasn't Celeste. This woman wore Celeste's clothes and her ring, but it wasn't Celeste. His mind kept saying telling him this over and over again, but his heart, his heart knew the truth. His heart knew Celeste was dead, because the spot in his heart where once she had been, was now only a gaping chasm. Celeste was dead, Remus knew this. When finally his brain understood this, Remus hit his knees and wept.
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