CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
"the aftermath"
In Potter Manor, the bright, buttery sunlight shone joyfully through the pastel green drapes covering the square windows in James's room. Lying on the two sides of a queen bed were the very emotionally exhausted James and Sirius. When they returned home from Rosier Manor at nearly one in the morning, the two boys had been covered in blood not their own, sobbing, and desperately regretful.
Their entire world felt like it was crashing down, cracks shooting through their lives from the impact.
Having successfully snuck through the back porch of the house, they had made sure to rid every trace of Rosier Manor from their bodies and clothing before taking a loop around the woods again so that it appeared as though they had not previously gone inside, not to worry Mia and Fleamont.
Despite their casual behavior, the instant the two Gryffindors had made it inside, they had practically collapsed on James's bed with dejection. The entire past few hours were a blur of sobs and blood and desperation.
So, the instant the sun hit their eyelids and woke them, James and Sirius swung their legs out of bed and immediately stood up on either side of the mattress looking at each other.
"Why did we leave?" asked James for the thousandth time, clenching his fists. "How could we be so fucking stupid?"
Taking a deep breath in, Black's eyes desperately darted across his friend's anguished face.
"How could we have helped her, mate?" replied Sirius, his eyes starting to water again. "The worst thing that we could have done is stay with her and get caught. Not just for us, but for Hollis."
Something about the way he said this so calmly sent Potter over the edge.
"WORSE?" roared James at Sirius, emotion catching in his voice. "How could it be worse than that state she was in?"
Sirius was about to shout back before his wrist heated up. Looking at each other with wide, hopeful eyes, the two Gryffindor boys looked down anxiously at their bracelets.
.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡ ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+
Remus didn't want to wake up fully. His bed seemed so warm and molded to his body that the last thing he wanted to do was rise and start his day. So, with that decision made, he shut his green eyes again and rested his head on the white, fluffy pillow.
Right as he was about to drift off again, though, the band on his wrist heated up.
Enchanted. Sorry I didn't say it earlier last night, it would be too obvious and someone might find out about these if I did it at a dinner party. - H
Remus smiled softly at the message scrawled on the leather; he had been nervous about her lack of communication.
All good, hope you enjoyed the food. I'm hungry. - P
Rolling his eyes, Remus fell back asleep.
.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡ ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+
James and Sirius stared down at their bracelets in disbelief, too many thoughts to keep up with going through their minds yet again.
How could she lie so easily? Things like this have happened before when she made highly believable excuses like dinner parties. Had she been knocked unconscious every time? Thank Merlin, she's awake. Had she healed herself like she did Remus?
And still yet again, one was the worst.
If we hadn't seen it, we would have never known any better.
.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡ ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+
Hollis was lying in her bed, whispering reassuring words into the bracelet. The Rosier girl had no idea whatsoever that James and Sirius had been with her the previous night, only feeling alone as she opened her eyes against the black stone.
That was, until, Monty the house-elf found her.
Monty had always been treated incredibly harshly by all the Rosiers except Hollis. Ever since she was a little girl, Hollis had acted like the house-elf was her friend and not a servant. Always thanking him for doing the smallest of things and insisting he could take a much-needed break while she did others were acts of kindness that Hollis had expected nothing in return from.
So, Monty came across the awake but unmoving girl, he had glanced around nervously before gently picking up her cold hand and apparating into her room.
The kind way Hollis had treated the house-elf was something he never forgot, and it had paid off. It had started with just the food, but his loyalty to her was becoming larger than to the other members of the Rosier family.
Unknown to Monty, when he secretly took Hollis to her room, he was putting her only a few yards away from her secret compartment under the window seat.
And so, for hours, Hollis had mixed herbs, used the last bits of potions, and wrapped white cloth bandages around her body until the majority of the pain had subsided. It was the most she had ever healed herself and the most ingredients she had ever used in her entire life, but it was also the closest she had ever been to dying.
Mulstone and Vindia were under the firm belief that their daughter was currently suffering for her disobedience, but it was quite the opposite.
Still sitting down in bed, Hollis no longer had a huge bruise on her stomach or the tiny prints around her neck. She was the strongest she had been since the train station, the only pain keeping her down anymore the hunger that Monty had been working harder and harder to fix.
However, in a cost for this health, the compartment underneath the window seat was now almost completely empty.
The only comfort Hollis gave herself was that It could have been worse. James, Sirius, Regulus, Peter, Marlene, Lily, and Remus could have been worrying about me, and that would be worse for them.
If only she knew.
1k words