The only reason there's another chapter already is because je ne peux pas dormir
Also I (for now still) like this story
Half a year later
Christmas break was over, and Liz was back at Platform 9 ¾. Again, alone. She would be alone for the rest of the trips there. Grandma had been lying in her letters, Liz knew that from the first second she saw her. She wasn't doing great at all. They'd been to the doctor together, who told them Grandma had very little time left. That there was nothing the hospital could do. They'd made most out of the vacation; had done all the things they'd always wanted to do. The night before Christmas break was over, Liz had told her she'd stay home for as long as needed. Grandma had dismissed the idea within a second. Liz hadn't, though.
But the next morning, grandma wouldn't wake up. Liz had called the doctor and she came over to confirm what Liz had thought: the disease had won. Liz was alone. Her whole family was done for. Mother: died after birth, father: who knows where that arse was these days, grandma: dead, grandpa: dead for over ten years.
Liz hadn't felt like owling her friends, so she just packed the last of her things and took the train. She was one of the first ones at Platform 9 ¾, so she got on the train, went to the last compartment there was, closed the door and the drapes, and sat down. She didn't feel like company right now. She felt like bawling her eyes out.
But there were people on this train, and Liz didn't cry in front of people. She didn't cry that often, anyway. Thought it was a form of weakness she couldn't allow people to see.
After fifteen minutes of watching students say goodbye to their stupid, alive families, being on the brink of tears, Liz got snapped out of her daze by someone trying to open the compartment door. She stared at the handle, going down a couple of times. Then, the person knocked.
'Get the fuck out!' Liz yelled, not even trying to keep her voice down.
'Sorry,' the person answered.
Liz could recognize that voice anywhere: Oliver Wood. She heard footsteps lead away from the compartment door. When everything was as good as silent again, Liz breathed deeply. She was confused, normally Oliver Wood would have caused butterflies in her stomach, but now, nothing. Maybe it was the grief. It probably was. All Liz could feel at the moment was sadness, there wasn't any room left for love or shame.
Plus, Oliver probably didn't even know it was Liz who had yelled at him, so what was there to be embarrassed about?
The rest of the train ride went by without anyone wanting to come in. Liz was kind of glad it was over, because her stupid body was craving human interaction. She got out of the train and looked around for her friends. When she saw them, Liz plastered on a fake smile and went to join them. None of them even knew about her grandma's sickness, and she didn't feel like explaining. She hadn't cried yet, and she wanted to keep that up.
'How come we couldn't find you on the train?' Stella asked, concerned for her friend. Stella was, apart from the twins, the only one who knew about her grandma.
'I just felt like being alone.' Liz gave Stella a look that meant she'd explain later. Stella didn't ask anything else.
Liz looked at the carriages, they looked different somehow. Then she realised, the horses pulling them. They had discussed these skeletal horses in Care of Magical Creatures, they're called Thestrals. Only people who have seen someone die…
Liz could feel a hand on her shoulder and she turned around. It was Oliver Wood.
'Hey, I just wanted to ask if you were okay, you sounded kind of upset on the train.' Oliver looked very uncomfortable but determined.
A feeling besides sadness crept into Liz. Her cheeks headed up as she noticed all her friends had turned to watch. 'Yeah, sorry about that. I'm fine now, though.'
'Good,' Oliver smiled, 'see you on the Quidditch pitch.' He then walked off to his friends.
Ryan nudged Liz, who just smiled. A real smile, the first since that dreadful morning.
Liz felt the same old feeling of butterflies back in her stomach. She immediately felt guilty, like she didn't do her grandma justice by already smiling so soon after her death. The grief crept up again.
On the way to the castle, Stella leaned in and whispered in Liz' ear. 'I need to tell you something. And you clearly need to tell me something, too. A good old-fashioned stroll around the lake?'
Liz smiled at Stella. She couldn't imagine a better friend. Fred and George were great and all, but Liz didn't think she could've survived without Stella.
Fred and George were waiting for Liz outside, even though it was about two degrees. They both engulfed her in hugs, making Liz feel a little better.
During dinner, she made small talk with the rest of the Ravenclaws. All she really wanted to do was curl up in a ball in her bed and lay there till the schoolyear was over. When Vera asked something about the homework they had gotten, Liz realized she hadn't done any of it. The teachers weren't going to be happy about that, since the OWL's were this year, but Liz put it out of her mind. She'd have more time to think about that later.
After dinner, Liz told the Weasley twins she'd talk to them later, first she had to talk to Stella.
'You go first,' Stella had told her.
It took Liz a moment to find the ability to speak. After going around a quarter of the lake, she finally spoke up. 'Grandma died.' Stella gasped loudly. 'The cancer got to her. Stupid disease.'
Stella stopped in her tracks to hug Liz, who quietly started sobbing. Stella rubbed Liz' back comforting. When they broke apart and Liz had stopped crying, Stella wiped away the tears that were left.
'When?' Stella whispered.
'This morning,' Liz croaked, trying not to cry again.
'Oh, my god.'
Liz took a few deep breaths. 'So, what was your thing?'
Stella laughed dryly. 'I'm bisexual.'
Liz' eyes widened. 'Really?'
'Yeah,' Stella smiled, 'I was so afraid to tell you, to tell anyone, but now it seems like nothing.'
'Its not nothing, though. I'm really proud of you. And I totally support you, you know that right?' Liz took Stella's face in her hands and made Stella look into her eyes.
'I know.'
'Good.' Liz dropped her hands. 'So, how did you find out?'
Stella turned a deep shade of red. 'That Gryffindor girl on the Quidditch team, Angelina Johnson?'
'Of course, I do!' Liz' face lit up.
'Yeah.' Stella had a dreamy look on her face.
Liz was just about to react when a teacher yelled them back to the castle. Before they entered, Stella told Liz that if she ever wanted to talk about her grandma, she was there. It was a nice gesture, but Liz had forgotten about that for a second and now the grief was coming back.
Liz couldn't find Fred and George anywhere, so she just went to her dormitory. There, she changed out of her robes and into her pyjama. She said goodnight to her fellow Ravenclaws and then laid down. Liz was ready to stop this horrible day. But sleep wouldn't come to her. She just lay there, awake. It dawned on her how painfully ironic it was that all her family was dead, and she couldn't even get to sleep. Hopefully, it would get better. How long could a person live on without sleep?
Hope you liked this angsty chapter!
Expect more angst!
Leave a review and follow if you want more chapters!
Sorry about all these exclamation marks but it's 04:11 a.m. where I live rn
And 4 hours and 11 minutes ago it was stil Christmas Eve Eve which means Christmas is almost here so don't expect another chapter soon (except maybe one or two tomorrow)
I'm so unpredictable it's annoying
Kay bi
-CTM-