𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚 || 𝘳.𝘢.𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

102. the months that followed

"Then I shall start right away."

Regulus nods, smiling thankfully before rushing away to Maria's bedroom, smiling happily as he sits on the bed beside her.

"Madam Pomfrey thinks she might have something." Regulus says, moving some hair from her face. "It could take awhile but I'm sure you'll just be happy to be awake." He sucks in a deep breath. "I love you, Ria."

[][][]

"She's getting worse." James says, folding his arms and chewing on his bottom lip nervously. Maria's body is coated in a thin layer of cold sweat and her skin is pale as snow. Her lips look purple and she appears dead, they would've thought she is if not for the monitor measuring her heart rate beside her.

"So's he." Mary whispers as she holds a cold flannel on Maria's forehead, nodding to Regulus who's sat on Maria's window seat reading 'Pride and Prejudice' with one of the hoodies he had given to her on. He finds comfort in her books, imagining her soft voice reading the words on the page to him.

"He's just upset." Sirius runs a hand through his dark hair, his eyes flicking from Maria to his brother. "They'll both be fine."

"How long did Poppy say the remedy would take?" Remus says, bouncing his knee whilst his hand is holding Maria's smaller one.

"She didn't." Lily mumbles. "Just said it could take awhile. But it's been three weeks since she said that and McGonagall looks more worried every time she visits."

"This is so bad." Peter says, running his hands through his blonde hair. Him and Maria have always been quite close in a sense, when James first became friends with the troublesome three Peter was her favourite. The two of them would have nice talks on the Potter sofa — a lot of the time also joined by Remus — whilst James and Sirius would ramble about quidditch in front of the fire.

"Really?" Sirius chimes sarcastically and James sighs.

"Shut up, Sirius. Everyone's stressed alright?" The Potter boy snaps at the Black who scoffs loudly, holding his arms out. "What else is there to say?"

"Stop it, both of you." Remus snaps and they both turn to look at him as he's sat on the bed beside Maria, having took over holding the cold flannel to her forehead. "The last thing everyone needs is you two bickering like twelve year old's." The werewolf shakes his head, going back to pressing the cloth on another part of her forehead.

Regulus leans his head back against the wall, marking his page and staring out of the window, seeing two people ring the doorbell to the Manor making him frown as James and Sirius go to answer the door. He watches out of the window as the two people seem to speak slowly and James almost stumbles back before Sirius had grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug.

The two of them are crying into each other's shoulders and Regulus looks to Dorcas who had joined him to nosey at the commotion. The two people leave and they hear people walking up the stairs before James enters, tears streaming down his face and his wife instantly rushes over, letting him tightly wrap his arms around her waist and droop his face into the crook of her neck. His body jitters slightly as he cries into her neck and Lily clings onto his shoulders with tears in her own eyes.

Sirius' eyes are red and filled with tears as he looks at Regulus who is now stood tall and the older brother shakes his head, grabbing Regulus' shoulder and pulling his brother into a heartbroken embrace.

"They're. . .they're gone, Reg." Sirius whispers as he hugs his brother who frowns before his face goes blank with realisation.

Euphemia and Fleamont Potter.