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Written for the Quidditch League, Round 11.
Holyhead Harpies, Beater 1
Mandatory Prompt - Write about losing a friend on an autumn night.
Optional Prompts - Bitterness / You cannot start a new chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one. I am ready for my new chapter. / Melancholy
End Of An Era
Poppy stood in the shadows of the front doors of the school, watching the leaves fly and swirl in the soft autumn breeze. A bit of fresh air, she'd said, as she left the hospital wing at little less than a run.
The time was drawing closer with every second that passed by, and she'd fled away like a coward, rather than remain and comfort her friend.
Ironically, Minerva was the stronger of them, no matter that she was the one with the terminal illness.
Wiping away stray tears angrily, Poppy tried to pull herself together. There would be time, all the time in the world, to grieve later. For now, she had to be strong, and she had to go back and stay by her friend's side, the way she'd promised she would.
"You can fight this, Minerva," Poppy murmured, eyeing the official report from Saint Mungo's. "I'll help you."
Minerva smiled, patting the younger woman's hand gently. "I have no fight left in me, Poppy. The last decade… I'm tired. It will be a relief to finally have peace."
"Minerva -"
"Poppy," Minerva interrupted. "Death does not frighten me. You cannot start a new chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one. I am ready for my new chapter."
Poppy shook her head but kept her arguments to herself. As a Healer, she knew she could not continue to ask Minerva to fight. As a friend, she could not help but feel a little betrayed.
Wrapping her cloak tighter around herself, Poppy sighed. Her bitterness at Minerva's decision had slowly given way to sadness, but she couldn't deny that she wished things were different.
They'd spent many hours together over many years - hours of laughter and joy, and yet other hours of sadness, fear and terror.
They'd been by one another's sides, the best of friends, as the world changed, and changed again.
She looked around her, spotting places here and there where they sat together in the summer by the lake. Her gaze found the spot they'd fought side by side for their school and their lives.
It hurt her to think that it would possibly have been better, for one of them to have been lost in the battle. It would have been understandable at least, expected even.
The illness that was taking away her friend just seemed senseless and cruel in comparison.
"I don't want anyone else to know," Minerva commented, her eyes on the cup of tea Poppy had just served her. "I don't want a fuss."
"This illness, it's not easily hidden," Poppy commented, her voice even. "The symptoms…"
"I know. But… between us… I'm sure we can manage. It's, Poppy, please understand. If the staff and the students find out, I won't have a moment to myself. I want to die, leaving behind the woman I've always been, not the woman I'm to become with illness."
Poppy could only nod. "You know I'll help you in any way I can."
Turning away from the grounds, Poppy took a deep breath before she headed inside, treading the familiar path to the wing she'd dominated for many years.
The walk was both longer than usual and far too short.
Slipping through the door silently, she dropped her cloak in her office before moving to the private room her friend was in.
Minerva looked so frail, dwarfed by the white hospital sheets. She was sleeping soundly, and Poppy took a moment to run a scan over her friend.
The results weren't good.
Shaking her head sadly, Poppy shifted so she was leaning against the window ledge, perching ever so carefully on the edge. She'd spent far too much time in that chair to be comfortable sitting in it at the moment.
The moon shone down on the ground, reflecting off the lake prettily.
Poppy couldn't help the melancholic smile stretching her lips slightly. Minerva loved to walk the grounds in the moonlight. She'd confided in Poppy that autumn was her favourite season for that very reason.
It was dark earlier than in summer, yet not as cold as winter. Perfect for a night time stroll around the castle.
A cough followed by the quiet shifting of the sheets behind her caught her attention, and Poppy turned to see Minerva watching her through bleary eyes.
"Poppy?" she croaked out, her breathing heavy and ragged.
Moving quickly, Poppy grabbed the cup of water from the side table, holding it carefully to Minerva's lips.
When she'd drank her fill, Poppy took the cup away before she sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke the wispy bits of hair away from Minerva's face.
"I think -" Minerva broke off with a violent cough, shaking the bed. "I think it's almost... almost time, Poppy."
Poppy shook her head, denial the only comfortable emotion at the moment.
"Poppy."
When Poppy didn't answer, didn't even raise her head to meet Minerva's eyes, the older woman lifted her hand and with effort, reached out to rest it against Poppy's.
"Poppy. We've known it was coming."
"I'm not ready to say goodbye to you," Poppy whispered, tears falling freely down her cheeks. "I thought I could be strong for you, but I don't know how."
"It's not goodbye," Minerva murmured. "We'll see each other again, Poppy, many years from now. We've been friends too long for that not to be true."
Poppy gripped Minerva's hand in her own, gently but firmly anchoring her friend to her.
"You'll always be my best friend," she said, looking up to meet Minerva's eyes.
"And you've always been mine."
As Minerva's eyes drifted shut, tears continued to fall from Poppy's. Though she had resisted the tears for so long, she allowed them to fall freely, without shame; she didn't bother to wipe them away.