CHAPTER 3
" nightmares, meetings and letters „
tw: nightmare, death.
DORCAS MEADOWS LOVED each and everyone one of her friends.
Lily was kind and matched Dorcas's intelligence, Marlene was beautiful and hilarious, Alice was quirky and motherly and Jocelyn was spontaneous yet calm.
She loved all of her friends as much as she loved to sleep but being in a dorm with Jocelyn really made her question her love for her friends vs sleep.
Jocelyn was getting better but every now and again the girls would be awoken by crying, shaking, hyperventilating, screaming or even pacing.
"Lily," Dorcas whispered harshly, "Lily!" Lily was usually the one that took care of Joss when she was like this. Dorcas tried once but due to her insensitive humour and terrible comforting skills, both her Jocelyn got about 4 hours of sleep.
"Lily!" Dorcas threw a red and orange satin pillow at the gingers sleeping figure.
Lily glanced up. Her red waves were everywhere, each strand pointing in a different direction. Her emerald eyes met Dorcas's dark silhouette. Only being able to see the outline of her red, silk bonnet that was protecting her beautiful coils.
Lily looked questionably at her friend. Dorcas shook her bonnet towards the direction of Jocelyn, who was shaking as if she was having some kind of fit.
Lily sighed tiredly, as she tore the comforter off her body and walked over to the bed in the corner.
***
It always started the same. She was at home, making her bed. She looked around her room, spotting her favourite item she owns, her record player. She walked over to it, not expecting anything in it but there it was. A record of the Beatles hit single; Strawberry Fields Forever.
She placed the needle on the round disc and walked away as the eerie tune started playing.
She walked over to the door, opening it and stepping out of her childhood bedroom, she was no longer in the Potter Manor. She was currently standing in a different place.
It was a large black-bricked room. It was circular, a slight hill in the centre where a beam of light sat. Even though she knew she wasn't near her record player, she could still hear it in the distance:
Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry fields
Nothing is real
and nothing to get hung about,
Strawberry Fields Forever.
She loved The Beatles, this was one of her favourite songs. But this song sounded different. It creaked and cracked and echoed a creepy rhythm throughout the nightmarish room. She was alone in this huge room, she knew she was alone but something told her, she was wrong, she wasn't alone. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a bark.
'A bark? Why the fuck is there a dog in here?'
She travelled closer to the beam of light, as she walked around it, there stood a big dog. It was shaggy-haired and black. It progressively became lighter around its stomach, giving it a grey tinge. The dog stood proud and arrogant, yet, Jocelyn felt somewhat safe with it. After allowing her eyes to soften, it growled protectively as if it was guarding something.
It was her. The large black dog was guarding Jocelyn's cold, dead body.
The corpse's hair was coming out of a loose ponytail and it was visibly matted. She was pale, almost grey compared to her usual dewy ivory colour. Her eyes were open, no life was found inside. Her usual brown eyes gave off a dust appearance making the alive version of her sick to her stomach.
A large gasp escaped the brunettes pale lips, she ran, shaking like a crazy person as the black dog grew and grew.
Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry fields
Nothing is real
and nothing to get hung about,
Strawberry Fields Forever.
The hound began to look like Clifford The Big Red Dog, towering over the girl. There were no doors, no nothing, just her, her corpse and a 10-foot shaggy-haired dog.
She then heard a crazy cackle, she recognised from somewhere as a flash of black curls came into view before quickly disappearing. Not taking a second to think about it, she ran towards the beam.
She let it envelop her, consume her and hug her. She felt it wash over her frail body. Blanket her in warmth, peace and serotonin. Seeing a flash of her friends and family, smiling softly knowing it would be over. The fear she just felt was something she didn't want to feel ever again.
'If only she knew,' she heard a gruff and pained voice say.
As she closed her eyes, taking in the euphoria she felt, they shot open.
***
"Jocelyn," Lily soothed. She pleasantly rubbed her hand up and down Jocelyn's arm in a motherly fashion. "D'you remember to take your potion?"
Jocelyn shook her head sheepishly. Lily sighed and strolled over to the bottom drawer of the bookshelf that lived opposite Alice's bed.
The bottom drawer was filled with tubes, that were filled to the brim with purple liquid. The tubes were long and as the glass continued, it rounded out into a bubble shape. The glass bottles had little accents throughout them, with gold edges and fancy lids that shone in the midnight.
Lily delicately took it in her hands, gliding over back to her sleepy friend. She handed it to the Potter girl, who threw the liquid back with ease. The familiar taste of syrupy vanilla spread throughout Jocelyn's throat and tongue.
Lily watched as Jocelyn slowly placed her head on her silk pillow.
For all those who had ever met Jocelyn, they would know that she was a person who constantly expressed herself. She was one to joke and banter when things were getting tough. She cared. Sometimes too much but she did. She wasn't one to be quiet and to cry. So when Jocelyn was like this, Lily felt a chill run down her spine like a spider. It was eerie. When Jocelyn was happy, it radiated and was contagious, so when Jocelyn was silent, it grew and spread like a disease.
Lily patted Jocelyn's brunette curls whilst Alice got up from her warm bed and placed a purple rock next to the girl. The hippy places a light, motherly kiss on Jocelyn's forehead, whispering to her, "it's Amethyst, protects and relieves stress and anxiety. It calms your mind and helps you sleep. Protects you from negative dreams."
"Ali-" Jocelyn began to say, knowing how much Alice values her crystals, "keep it, I've got plenty. Now go to sleep, Josie."
"Night, flower-child," Jocelyn smiled softly, "Night mum,"
"Night, Joss," Lily replied,
"I'm sorry ag-"
"Joss, you know we love you and hate that you go through this but shut the fuck up before, I take that Amethyst and beat you with it," Dorcas said from her bed grumpily.
"Night, Dora."
"Night, love."
IT WAS EXTREMELY RARE when the entire friendship group got together. It only really happened on the first day back from breaks. So, It was no surprise when Alice and Frank wanted everyone to get together and only a third of the Gryffindors showed up on time.
Alice sat sideways on a velvet-red chair, waiting for the rest of their friends to arrive, contrastingly to her companion, Frank, who was pacing impatiently.
"Mate, can you sit down, you're making me seasick," James dictated.
"You can't be seasick Potter, you're on land," Lily corrected, "marry me, Evans?" James retorted without any hesitation, "I said no, in 1st year, I said no in 2nd, 3rd and 4th. I said no on the train, I said no last week, then again on Monday, then again Tuesday, then again this morning. I said no in History and DADA. What else do I have to say for you to stop?"
"Yes?" Sirius said cheekily from behind his magazine, Lily sneered at Sirius and James and went back to reading her book.
Marlene walked in coolly, acting as if she was right on time. "Where have you been?!" Frank placed both hands on his hips, impersonating Lily perfectly. "Nowhere, Grandpa, jus-"
"Stalking Dorcas?" Alice smiled, "yeah, she wasn't there," Marlene admitted.
"Where wasn't I?" Dorcas questioned, walking down to stairs, "Nowhere!" Marlene said unnecessarily loud. She cleared her throat before saying, "I was looking for you in the library but you weren't there."
"Ok! Ok, sit down." Frank clapped his hands and looked at his friends, "Where's Joss and Remus?"
"Oh! Sleeping. She had a bad night last night, so I sent her up with soup and a potion. I'll fill her in on what she missed though,"
"And Remus is sick," Peter added nonchalantly.
"Alright, without further a due," Frank projected his voice as Alice stood up next to him, "we wanted to tell you,"
"Ohh, I know what this is about, I can't believe you didn't tell us sooner!" Marlene interrupted.
Frank visibly relaxed, he was most scared for the girl's reactions, knowing they were really protective over their little flower-child.
"So who is it?" Marlene asked
"What?"
"Jocelyn's admirer!"
"WHAT?" All the boys said simultaneously, standing from their relaxed states.
"The one who is sending Joss love letters?" Marlene said quietly, knowing she just dug her own grave.
"I'm sorry? Love letters?'' James repeated.
"I have a feeling that's not what we're talking about."
"'Ya think?" Lily said, standing up, hitting Marlene on the back of her head with a book.
"Can someone explain what's happening?" Sirius said a lot tenser than he was before.
"Well-I-um-You see- we-um,"
"That wasn't English, Mars," Peter chuckled.
Lily sighed before standing, taking the spot of Frank and Alice, who were holding their tongues.
"Jocelyn has been receiving love letters," Lily continued, "No, we don't know who they're from or where they're coming from but they are coming frequently. Only this week she's gotten about 20. She's not telling us anything and we weren't supposed to tell you," She sent a death glare towards Marlene.
"But now you know and now I'm going to tell you to not do anything. She gets really excited when she receives one so don't ruin it. It's none of our business so she'll tell us when she's ready."
Lily exhaled and slumped back into her position on the couch.
James stood up abruptly and said, "As Jocelyn's big brother, I deserve to know!"
"Come on, Pads," He motioned to Sirius, who looked quite rigid.
"Wha-?" Frank said as they left.
"No!" Lily yelled at the boys.
And before they knew it everyone was screaming over each other, not noticing Frank and Alice standing there impatiently.
"SHE IS MY SISTER AND I CAN DO WHAT I WANT! WHEN WE GET MARRIED YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT TO DO BUT WE AREN'T! YET!"
James screamed as Sirius slid down the slide that formed when boys tried to go it the girl's dorms.
"STOP! YOU IGNORANT LITTLE SHIT! SHE'S SLEEPING!"
"I DON'T CARE! WE SHARED A WOMB FOR 9 MONTHS! I'M SURE SHE CAN TALK TO ME WHEN SHE'S A LITTLE SLEEPY!"
"UGH!" Lily raged, storming out of the common room, followed by Dorcas and Marlene.
"Wormy! Mate! Come over here and help us!" James yelled from the girl's stairs.
Frank disappointedly put an arm around Alice and mumbled under his breath, "By the way guys! Al and I made it official, we are now boyfriend and girlfriend! I might be more excited than I was at Bar Mitzvah!" He smiled sadly.
"Really? Oh, that's amazing Frankie!" Alice said quietly, trying to cheer her beau up.
Frank placed a light kiss on the top of Alice's head in gratitude. "I think so too."
A NOTE FROM ME:
• Frank and Alice are literally so cute omg
• Marlene being a terrible liar is canon, prove me wrong.
• Alice and Frank being jewish is also canon, prove me wrong.
• Hope y'all are amazing! If it was your birthday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! if it wasn't: HAPPY DAY!
• Be kind, Safe and Smart! Hope you enjoyed it!
• who do y'all think is sending the letters 👀
• 1950 story word count •