In Loving Memory of Alan Rickman and Helen McCrory <3
Days after days pass, with my friends and I hanging around the huge house. Kelly and Ava come some times, and once we even went to their house, but we've always been together. One big friendgroup family. My dad has been amazing, he loves us all so much.
A few weeks past July, we packed our things and flew to France. We stayed in Hostiles and bought souvenirs, drank champagne in mountain top hot tubs and partied all night long. Blaise Draco and Mattheo brought us to these black tie galas that were simply gorgeous.
The three of them would play quidditch ocasionally, coming back to our hotel room singing about how they beat the french, or the italians, or where ever we were.
Pansy and I loved to shop picking things out from small boutiques in France. But August 28th rolled around quickly and we went back to my dad's house. We said goodbye to my dad, our stuff in our hands, and all grabbed onto the basket portkey.
We found ourselves in diagon alley.
Blaise quickly cast the shrinking spell to shrink our things and put them inside a backpack. So here we were, the five of us walking through the alley. First we went to Gringotts and exchanged he remainder of our muggle money into Galleons, Sickles and Knuts.
We bought all our books for seventh year, mostly charging them to the Riddle's account (aka bellatrix lestrange's bill for her to deal with). After shopping for books, Blaise went to Olivander's to get his wand fixed. We waited for him outside a small cafe called Sweet Willow's Excellent Extraordinary Treats, or S.W.E.E.T. They had the best eclairs in London. As we sat at a table outside, Mattheo and I splitting multiple french pastries.
"its sad, is it not? The last time we'll be shopping for books" Pansy says. "until we're bringing our kids to hogwarts" draco says. "its wild, those years just flew by. I think im going to miss it at hogwarts, but we can always come back and visit right?" I say. "of course" mattheo says moving his hand around my waist and pulling me closer to him.
Blaise steps out of Olivander's in deep conversation with a fifth year slytherin. Well, sixth this year i guess.
He says bye to the boy and sits beside us. "oh i forgot to tell you guys!" Draco says while pulling out a green prefect badge.
"Congratulations!" I say. He smiles and says "thanks" Pansy reaches into her purse and pulls out a matching one. "you too?! Wow, congrats! Thank god now we can be out all night, just waiting for our friends the prefects'" Blaise says.
We buy new robes, repair old things, get our books and eventually end up at the Malfoy's manor.
Lucius is out of town. In Azkaban. I never liked him anyways.
Narcissa is feeling quite lonely so Pansy and I met with her for tea in diagon alley while the boys headed to the manor without us.
"Pansy! Rose! Its such a pleasure too see you girls again" Narcissa says while kissing us both on the cheek. The three of us sit down and begin to chat. My smile grows as Narcissa seems to be happier.
"Rose, I've heard about the latest Mattheo news. Draco blabs quite a bit while intoxicated" Narcissa says. I almost spit out the tea in my mouth but instead swallow it, ending with me choking down coughs. "y-yes, i suppose so" I say while still coughing. Pansy laughs and Narcissa does too, so eventually I find myself following their actions.
"and pansy, i must say draco hasn't been this happy in years" Narcissa says. Pansy smiles warmly. "i only want to know one thing. Does he treat you right?" Narcissa asks.
Pansy nods and says "always" Narcissa smiles proudly and the conversation switches to our futures and schools.
By the end of the afternoon, I feel much more confident about my future. I wanted to be an author, I knew this now more then ever. I didn't want to be anything that made tons of money, just wanted to be happy. I wanted to live in a quiet place, near the beach maybe. I want my children to grow up with my friends', I want to stay with the people that I love and that make me happy.
"cissy, it was amazing too see you" I say while embracing her.
"well c'mon now girls, the boys are probably waiting" Narcissa says ushering us to hold onto the small flowerpot in front of us. The three of us began manifesting and opened our eyes in front of the manor.
It looked cheerier then the last time i had been here, beautiful almost. The flowers had bloomed, vines turned green. The faint scent of apple cinnamon could be picked up as we reached the house. We stepped in to hear yelling.
"blaise you idiot! It was 13 minutes not 30!" I hear Mattheo yelling. "no i swear to god riddle 13 minutes doesn't cook a pie!" I hear Blaise yelling. "youre an idiot!" Mattheo yells again. "draco told me too! Plus look" Blaise says and we walk into the kitchen.
He takes a bite of the pie on the counter which was quite charred to say the least. He shoves the fork in his mouth and doesn't swallow.
"its- h-ot" he says trying not to swallow and fanning the heat in his mouth. Eventually he swallows and says "its supposed to be like that, supposed to be hot"
"its not supposed to be black" draco deadpans. The three bickering boys finally notice our presence and Blaise hugs Narcissa.
"mum, i feel like we need to learn how to cook soon" he says. I guess Draco's family has been there for Blaise a lot. Its sweet that he calls her mum. Draco and Mattheo are flinging extra batter back and forth and a piece hits the top corner of my face.
"not a chance!" I yell and take a wooden spoon out. I dip it in batter and fling it onto both of them. Soon the kitchen is coated in pie batter, and the pie is black and everyone's clothes are dirty.
Everything pauses when a knock is hear at the door. Draco steps down from the stool he was standing on and we all make our way to the door.
Narcissa barely opens the door before a tired stumbling professor snape falls inside. He barely makes it to one of the couches. He lies down, in his famous black cloak. His hand on his chest, his breathing becoming steady with concentration.
He can't speak, words don't seem to find their way out of his mouth. I panic watching him, but soon Mattheo's leadership kicks in.
"Malfoy, infiltrate his mind. We need to know what's happening" Mattheo says.
Draco stays in the same position for a few minutes as Snape's breathing calms down and his eyes shut. He's still breathing, still alive.
Draco's eyes suddenly fling open and he rushes over to the counter. He grabs a piece of paper and a pen and scrawls down three words.
He rushes back over to Snape and begins shaking him. At this point its not magic, just "keep your eyes open" over and over again.
Eventually Snape falls back onto the couch and says "love her especially. goodbye my dearest-"
His breathing cut off.
His pale face went paler if possible, his long black hair fell out of his face.
Draco wiped the tears off his cheeks and drew his wand close to Snape's temple. We were all still in shock to move. Was he gone?
Draco drew a thin strand of memory. Atleast thats what i thought it was.
"accio pensive" draco said strongly. Soon enough a pensive arrived near his feet. He placed the strand in and dunked his head in the water.
We waited, and waited. Mattheo and I walked over to Snape once. Why do all the good ones go the soonest? Snape was always there for us. Whenever we wanted to change our schedules or had a bad day he was there. He let us party, let us sneak champagne into dances and taught us all not only to learn but to understand.
"there's a fine line between the two" he always said. "and that line is defined by effort"
I think about all the times he pasted on a smile for us during the darkest meetings, the times he was looking out for us without even knowing it. He took our prom pictures. He watched us grow up. He was more of a parent to us then half of our real parents. We all loved him, in some beautiful way.
He always wanted Mattheo and I too marry, too meet our children. He'll never get to know. I feel the tears streaming down before I know it. The room is so silent a pin could drop. Draco's looking at the memories while Blaise and Pansy sit across on the couches, heads buried in their hands. Mattheo and I are on our knees in front of Snape, thinking. Narcissa is wiping her tears with a handkerchief and pacing nervously waiting for Draco to come back.
Draco thrusts his head out of the water and gasps for air. He then stumbles up and sits down. He stands above Snape. "you were an amazing man" he says softly.
"it was all, for us. He was attacked on his way here. To check on us. An unloyal death eater. One who cared. Fenir, a follower of he who must not be named and some of the faithful ones. They found him. He- he escaped. Mostly. Or as best he could. He came here, to warn us. He was remembering killing Fenir, so maybe they lost the drive. But he wanted to die near loved ones. And he was happy, he was going to see Lily Potter again. It would all be ok" Draco says remembering the pensive. I squeeze Mattheo's hand, hard. He squeezes mine back. It was difficult.
Snape was gone. Why do all the good ones always leave us the fastest?
"he always was the smartest boy in school" narcissa said with a saddened look on her face. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her small shrinking figure. Soon Pansy and blaise come over, then mattheo and finally draco.
We all stand there for a little while, finding comfort in the each other. I knew Snape was watching over us, that he would always be there for us. As tom said, in another life. They'll be together now.
Narcissa pulled away from us and picked a bottle of champagne off the counter behind us. Grabbing tall glasses, she filled them up quickly.
"Let's all share our favorite memory with serverus" she suggested taking a sip of her drink. We all nod and think.
"i think for me it was the obvious favoritism for us. he cared for us like a father." Draco says thoughtfully. Narcissa squeezes his hand.
"he was always smart, hung out with your dad alot rosie. He hated the mauraders always envied them, and he got close marks to theirs, although never rewarded like he should have been. But smart, deeply smart" Narcissa said.
"i remember, the day of the first yule ball he took our photos on the stairs, talking and positioning us like he cared and loved us. And I guess now we know he did." Pansy says.
"Snape, he would always tease me about Rose. He was the first person I told actually, I ran up to him and said I found the girl I want to marry. He always wanted to be there when it happened. And now he is, in our hearts" Mattheo says.
"i remember he always let us throw parties and do things that in retrospect, were pretty stupid. But he still let us make our own desicions and I think that taught us more then anything" Blaise says.
"i remember, that same night of the ball, he let us sneak in champagne and do whatever we wanted as long as we had fun. I think its because he knew what was coming, he knew the dark sides of our parents, and he wanted us to be happy for as long as we could" I say lost in thought.
"to Snape" Mattheo says lifting his glass. "to Snape" we echo clinking our glasses together, then draining the liquid inside them.