So, I'm back without a valid excuse for such a long absence. I blame work and unproductive hobbies. Anyhow, let's excuse the past and focus on the future, because hopefully, I know I said this last time, hopefully I should be posting at least weekly again. This is a pretty short chapter, so please excuse that, but this chapter is pretty packed so hopefully that makes up for it. Anyway, I'll ramble at the end of this chapter.
The holidays approach, Snape had left for his house in Spinners End, Adrian had decided to stay behind for the holidays, and Christmas had passed by alike to any other day. Adrian and Hannah now walked about the halls of Hogwarts on New Year's Eve, followed by Spero and Ligo lagging behind. The halls would've been entirely quiet, if it wasn't for the frightened meows of Spero, and the gaining chatter of children gathered outside. The news had spread that there was going to be a fireworks display outside without permission from Umbridge, therefore Hannah thought it only necessary to attend, if only from a distance. Peeves hovered at the entrance, bursting the door open with a cackle every time a student wished to exit. Students spread across the snowy school grounds, somehow still unnoticed by anyone of authority. Hannah and Adrian decided to walk far from any other student, across to the lake, where they'd have a decent view, without the risk of being flattened by any celebrating students, or misjudged fireworks. Hannah pulled out her pocket watch, and glanced at the time. There was 10 minutes left until 1996. At the start of the year, Hannah would've never envisioned herself sitting by someone she considered a friend at this very moment, yet somehow the potion mixed to present her such an opportunity. Somehow her entire personality had changed to almost entirely reflect the person sitting directly next to her within the course of half a year. Somehow she'd found herself sitting in the school she no less than loathed 6 months ago, feeling that she could never call anywhere else her home.
Hannah and Adrian sat with their backs against a tree facing the frozen lake. Spero and Ligo sat next to each other, almost mirroring their owners sitting behind. The only difference was the clear distance of age, between the rest and Ligo. Ligo now looked older than ever, his fur falling off in patches, strands of grey hair reflecting in the moonlight. His legs looked as if they could no longer support more than his tail. Spero watched his aging friend, his eyes wide with an unknown emotion. Hannah and Adrian's attention switched at the distant banging of fireworks. Lights brightened the sky in forms of amusing shapes and cheesy phrases. Laughter and cheering filled the school grounds as falling sparks screeched "Happy New Year!" Hannah turned to see a sad smile form on Adrian's face. "What's wrong?" Hannah gave Adrian a knowing look.
"Ligo." Adrian said simply, his smile fading. Hannah's head lowered slightly at the thought. Soft splutters could be heard from where the cats sat. Spero let out a heart wrenching meow as he stared at his friend. Ligo was now laying directly in front of the lake, his breath coming out in quick pants. Spero continued to howl as he desperately began bathing Ligo. Spero licked at the pained feline as if the feel of Ligo's fur on his tongue would make everything alright. The sound of fireworks faded as the scene in front of them drowned their thoughts, light reflected off of the frozen lake, contrasting the cries of Spero. Time seemed to slow down as they watched Spero desperately try to renew his only friend. Minutes that felt like hours passed, as the panting began to slow. It kept slowing. Slowed down until it never started again. Spero's howls grew louder as Ligo's life faded. Spero's young legs gave in as his closest friend died in front of his eyes. He desperately hissed in his attempts to scare death away, but to no avail. Hannah felt a hand close upon hers, and looked up to see a tear streaking down Adrian's face.
"At least he died next to who he loves." Hannah's voice cracked. Adrian's head fell upon Hannah's shoulder, his body shaking in silent sobs. Spero watched out over the lake, his eyes drowned with more emotion Hannah thought a cat could muster. Hannah allowed tears to fall from her reddened eyes, as a stray firework drifted down upon them, screeching in a broken voice "Happy New Year."
A few hours later, Hannah and Adrian entered Snape's quarters and silently drifted off to their room. They had decided to bury Ligo by the tree they sat under. Hannah dropped her snow and dirt covered jacket onto the floor, and sat with a sigh on her bed. Adrian followed suit and sat next to Hannah. Spero sat slumped at the door, as if unwilling to do anything until his friend appeared by his side again. Hannah's heart wrenched at the sight. "Bit of a shitty start to a new year, really." Adrian's voice came out in no more than a whisper.
"Everyone has to die in the end, Adrian." Hannah voice barely matched the volume of Adrian's.
"Yes, but it doesn't make it suck any less." Hannah gave Adrian a sad smile.
"I know." Hannah sat back onto the bed, her back now resting against the wall. Adrian followed and laid next to Hannah, both of them watching Spero walk around the bed, and stop at the drawing of the black cat which sat on the floor. The drawing was now completely still, yet the cat was now looking completely healthy again. Spero crawled up onto the drawing and curled up into a ball, purring as he laid with his friend, as good as new again. Hannah felt an arm slip around her shoulder, as she fell into the embrace. Her head resting upon Adrian's chest, all three of them slept soundlessly until the next morning.
Before you tell me I'm heartless for killing off a cat, just understand that I literally cried while writing this chapter. Everything happens for a reason. Now, let me remind you that I definitely have not forgotten this fanfic, I just have a terrible attention span. Like I think about this story all the time, but as soon as I open my document I'm suddenly finding extraordinary amounts of amusement out of twirling toothpicks. Forgive me. It literally does stress me out when I can't finish a chapter within a week, but hopefully you know that this is out of my determination for only presenting you with the best crap I can write. Anyway, hopefully the next chapter will be up within 12 years.