ILLICIT AFFAIRS...JAMES POTTER

thirty-four.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Sorrows, Prayers
June 18th, 1979.

White. White was all Daphne could perceive around her. The noise was distant, almost absent and she presumed one of the nurses had thrown a quieting charm.

Kreacher sadly had to take her to St Mungo's considering he couldn't fully take care of her—her wound was too horrid and it caused him great stress to know Walburga could come upstairs any moment. He, weirdly, promised to come back and check on her considering he didn't trust their practice.

Her cousin's death still hadn't quite sunk in yet, she still found herself reliving the memory whenever her eyes were open. As if she hadn't left the moment, really. Her wound was a mere memory of the event.

Knocks echoed on the door, revealing no one but Pandora Malfoy, "Hello, Daphne," she spoke calmly as ever, wearing a smile. "I heard you were residing in this small room. I had to see for myself."

"Well, here I am, Pandy," she breathed out, trying to sit up but winced as soon as she moved.

Pandora glanced at the wound and grimaced, "This will leave a scar," she muttered. "I am sure they are taking good care of you, are they?"

"I reckon..."

"But, I must say it is lovely to see you. Is something troubling you, Daphne?" She queried.

Daphne bit her lip, "I—I wouldn't know, Pandy. Someone I was very fond of died," she said quietly, suppressing the tears. "It has been rather difficult."

"Oh," Pandora breathed out. "Sorrows, prayers, Daphne."

Daphne couldn't help but chuckle as she heard Pandora's words, never she had heard that before. Pandora seemed to like her reaction because sh7e smiled ear-to-ear, her cheeks turning so lightly pink as she started to chuckle as well.

"I shall leave you," she added, rising on her feet. "Do not stop yourself from writing to me, alright? We are friends after all. Get better, Daphne."

"Thank you, Pandy. Really."

Daphne watched as Pandora left her sight, leaving her alone in that white room. Daphne was dreading the moment she would have to see all of them again, the moment where she would tell them (Sirius) Regulus had passed.

It felt like she had failed somehow, failed the promise she had made to herself before deflecting.

"Daph, hey," Fabian's sweet voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she couldn't help but let the tears fall as he approached her. He frowned quickly, reaching her side, "What is wrong, love?"

"Fab, it's...Regulus—" she started but he cut her off, shushing her. His hands ran into her hair gently, attempting to calm her down.

"I know," he reassured her. "I know, darling, alright? His house elf told me and said you might be sensible."

"Did he?"

Fabian nodded, "He even said that Regulus had ordered him to take care of you."

"Blimey," a quiet sob escaped her lips as she buried her head between her hands. Shame was all she felt. Seconds turned into minutes as she began to feel her chest getting heavier, and heavier. It felt like she couldn't breathe and the room around her was closing, trapping her. "I--I can't breathe," she managed to whisper.

"Daphne, are you alright?" He queried, his hands cupping her face as he called a healer. His words started to echo and soon she couldn't hear anything or see anything. Her vision was so blurry that she couldn't see his curly red hair anymore. "Daphne, my love, I'm here," he reassured gently, hugging her close.