Aunt Rose

32.

"Don't lie to me, Evans. I know Dragon Pox is fatal. And by looking at you I know it's bad. Euphemia has it too, she's had it just as long. Do what you can for us here. At home," Fleamont said weakly. Rose nodded.

James returned with his mother who was looking just as sickly and weak. She gasped when she saw Fleamont on the floor.

"Fleamont! What happened?" She questioned, trying to kneel down with him.

"Old age has caught up with us, dear. It's dragon pox," her husband revealed with a sad smile.

"Let's get him up to bed. I've got the treatment for dragon pox at my flat, I'll contact Marlene and have her bring it," Rose said. James used his wand to help float his father up the stairs and into his bedroom.

When he was in bed with Euphemia holding his hand, James stopped her. "You're not going to take him to the hospital?"

"He doesn't want to go. He knows he messed up. They both have it, James. Contact Lily and get her here, I'm going to gather my supplies," Rose said, trying not to lose hope.

She cast her Patronus and sent it to Marlene, asking for a multitude of potions out of her supply cabinet, including the treatment for dragon pox.

Both Lily and Marlene arrived within ten minutes and Rose promised she would explain everything after she treated them.

She first treated Fleamont, giving him the potion and then using her wand to spread the cream across his entire body. Rose also gave him some other potions to lessen the other symptoms.

"I'm gonna need that glamour charm off, Mrs. Potter," Rose asked gently. Euphemia sighed but said the counter-spell, revealing the same greenish hue to her skin.

"Mom! Why didn't you tell anybody?!" James questioned as he watched Rose treat his parents.

"Because it was embarrassing. But I guess dying is more embarrassing than admitting we're old," she said, shivering as the cream was spread across her body. Rose then left the two parents to speak while she explained the situation to everyone else.

"As they said, it's dragon pox. Late-stage dragon pox. It means they are no longer contagious but the disease is much harder to treat, especially because of their age. They waited a dangerous amount of time to get help. If it's okay with you, I'd like to stay, just to keep an eye on them," Rose explained, asking James for permission to stay at the house.

"Of course. Anything you need," James replied, walking back into the room to see his father.

"Tell me, how bad is it really?" Lily asked after James was out of earshot.

"It's bad, Lil. I think they honestly waited too long to reverse the damage. The medicine might slow it but... I don't think it'll be long until Euphemia is bedridden either. Just... make sure you guys spend a lot of time with them in the coming days," Rose explained solemnly. Lily sighed and nodded.

Lily entered the room to talk to her mother and father-in-law while Marlene pulled Rose into a hug. "Poor James," she commented.

***

Just like Rose predicted, within days Euphemia was bedridden with her husband. They were deteriorating rapidly, their organs shutting down and their bodies unable to function. Rose did all she could for them, gave them potions and tried all her spells.