"So, you mean to tell me, you had a deathly disease for years, were expected to die in less than two months, got cured just three days ago, and I'm only finding out now?" James asked Naomi in a baffled voice.
Naomi sheepishly winced. "Yes, but to be fair, I didn't tell Peter either,"
James scoffed, looking at her incredulously above his glasses.
She couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle. Currently, her and James were sitting alone at the Black Lake, lazily dipping their feet into the lake and chatting amongst themselves. The rest of the group; Lily, Marlene, Dorcas, Alice, Remus, Peter, and Sirius, were all eating lunch. However, James and Naomi had both decided that they weren't hungry, simply choosing to calmly sit and talk.
"What're you laughing for?" James suspiciously asked her.
Naomi shrugged. "Nothing, really, I'm just really happy."
"Why's that? Is it Sirius?" James slyly asked.
She slightly blushed and shook her head. "Yes, but it's not just him. It's all of you guys,"
"Aww, I'm touched," James pretendedly placed his hands on his cheeks and gasped.
"Stop!" Naomi laughed, lightly pushing his shoulder.
James retaliated by grabbing her in a neck-hold and ruffling her hair, fondly smiling as he said, "You're kind of like the little sister I never had; so easy to pick on, yet so loveable."
"James," Naomi shrieked. "I'm not Sirius, let go of me!"
In the midst of their friendly banter, a younger boy came up to the pair from the castle and walked up to them.
"Excuse me," the boy said to them, causing James to let go of Naomi and curiously glance at the boy.
"What is it?" James lazily asked.
Naomi cast him a look. The boy was clearly nervous.
"Professor Dumbledore has sent me to get Naomi Serdeys to come to his office," he said in a light voice. "Here," he handed Naomi a piece of parchment.
Before they could ask further questions, the short boy ran off.
"That's weird," James scratched his head.
Naomi nodded in agreement but said nothing, choosing to open the letter. She read it aloud:
"Ms. Serdeys,
Please head down to my office once you receive this letter. This is not regarding the events of last night, but it is still something of much importance. On another note, I adore lemon drops.
Yours Truly,
Professor Dumbledore."
There was a slight silence, before James asked her. "What do you reckon he wants you for, then?"
Of course, James had already been told of what had happened last night, which was why he wasn't confused.
"I don't know," Naomi admitted. "I'll just have to find out."
With that, Naomi stood up and began to head in the direction of the castle. As she walked through the corridors and by the students, she couldn't help but ponder what other reason Dumbledore would want to see her, other than to discuss the events of last night.
Before she knew it, she was already in front of the two gargoyle statues protecting his office.
"Password?" One of the statues said in a cool voice.
Glancing at the letter in her hand, she said in the form of a question, "Lemon drops?"
She was instantly granted access. She walked in, and when she reached his office, she apprehensively knocked on the door.
Within seconds, she heard the familiar voice of Professor Dumbledore, "Come in."
With a deep breath, she lightly twisted the door handle and walked into the room. Professor Dumbledore was calmly seated at his desk, and in front of him was another man, but Naomi couldn't see who he was, as his back was facing her. The only thing she could see was his head of dark brown, slowly greying hair, but other than that, the man was unidentifiable.
"Professor?" Naomi uneasily asked, wearily glancing at the man whose face she couldn't see.
She wondered why the man was even there, but when he slowly stood up from his chair and turned around, it was like time stopped.
His identical bright blue eyes, his days-old stubble, his dark brown hair; it was Rodrigo Serdeys, in front of Naomi.
She gasped, her mouth dropping wide open as she stuttered, "D-Dad?"
"Ms. Serdeys, your father received a letter that you sent him, and he wanted to see you. I'll leave you be," Professor Dumbledore said respectfully, giving Naomi a knowing look before he left the room.
"I—W—What are you doing here?" She stuttered incredulously when she heard the door close, completely taken aback and surprised.
"I got the letter you sent me," he said in a croaky voice, taking a step closer to her. "I had to see you one last time before you..."
That was when Naomi realized; her father still wasn't aware that she had gotten cured; he was still under the impression that she was going to die within the next few weeks. But, she stayed quiet, not telling him anything just yet.
"Naomi," her father began. "I know that you must hate me, and I've neglected you when you needed me the most, but—"
"Stop," Naomi commanded in a firm voice. "You're right, you were never there for me when I needed you. When mom died, you shut everyone off, and you stopped caring for me. And when I was diagnosed with cancer, you weren't there to give me hope; to help me."
Her father gave her a weary look. "I know—"
"But," Naomi continued as though she weren't interrupted, "that doesn't mean I hate you. You've been a terrible father, but you're still my father; I could never hate you, even if I tried," she admitted exasperatedly.
Her father looked at her with surprise. He said, "You have to understand, when your mom died, I felt like I had lost my entire heart; you and her made up my entire world. So when you were diagnosed with cancer and expected to die, it had felt like you were already gone. I was weak; I couldn't handle the pain of losing you two."
Naomi frowned thoughtfully. "I don't think that what you did can be justified," she carefully said in a slow voice. "It'll take me some time to fully forgive you,"
He frowned sadly.
"But," she continued. "I have all the time in the world; my cancer's gone. I was cured three days ago."
Her father gasped. "What? Can that happen?"
She nodded, and he scratched the back of his head, clueless. "Why, that's brilliant."
She slightly slumped her shoulders. She expected a slightly more enthusiastic reaction, but then again, this was the same guy who practically ignored his daughter's existence for over half of her life.
"Well, I guess you better get going," Naomi suggested, not quite knowing what else to say.
"Right," and he hesitated before saying, "I'll write you."
Naomi's eyebrows lifted up in surprise.
"Oh—Okay." She said, trying not to show that she was so surprised.
Her father grabbed some floo powder left in a sack on Professor Dumbledore's desk, before stepping into the fireplace, shouting out his address, and disappearing with a single poof. The moment he left, Naomi let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding.
She heard the door behind her click open, and she swivelled around, met with the sight of Professor Dumbledore.
"Sir," she said when he walked in. "How did you know that my father wanted to see me?"
There was a twinkle in his eye as he peered at her above his half-moon shaped glasses. "He reached out to me through a letter."
Naomi nodded thoughtfully. "Oh,"
"Don't assume that something is already broken, without trying to mend it first," he said knowingly.
She was slightly confused by what he said, but nonetheless she nodded and bid him farewell, before leaving the office.
She began to ponder on what Professor Dumbledore had said to her. Was he saying that in reference to her relationship with her dad? Was he giving her advice? If he was, then why did he have to speak in riddles?
She shook her head, and speedily walked through the halls until she finally made it outside. James was still at the Great Lake just as she had left him, but he was now with the rest of their friends, as lunch was already over.
"There she is!" James roared the moment he sighted Naomi approaching their group.
She shook her head at his rowdy behaviour but still smiled, joining them on the grass. She turned to face Sirius, and she was surprised to find that he looked slightly flustered, a warm tint to his cheeks.
"Why do you look so... bashful?" Naomi asked Sirius curiously.
She had no clue why, but her friends went off into a fit of laughter at her obliviousness. She had the feeling that she was missing out on something.
James laughed. "It's because Sirius—"
Lily elbowed him sharply. She chimed in, "It's nothing."
"Right," she murmured suspiciously, but otherwise let it go.
The group fell into separate conversations, and at one point, Sirius moved to sit beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders.
"What did Dumbledore want to see you for?" Sirius murmured quietly when no one else was listening.
"My father," she quietly began, "he came to say goodbye."
Sirius furrowed his eyebrows. "Goodbye? Why?"
"He wasn't aware that I had gotten cured, so he was under the impression that I was still going to die." She answered with a sigh.
"Did you tell him that you were cured?" Sirius looked at her.
"Yes, and, I think he wants to repair our relationship, after all these years," she hesitantly admitted.
Sirius looked surprised. "Well, what do you want?"
"I think I'm willing to give it a chance," she breathed. "It'll take a lot of time, but I want to give him a chance."
Sirius nodded, "That's good, Naomi."
They became silent for a small moment, but not for long; Sirius always had something to say.
"Hey, do you reckon Marlene has a thing for me?" Sirius abruptly asked out of nowhere.
Naomi glanced at him in confusion. "What? Why are you asking that?"
Sirius meekly shrugged, bashfully looking away. "I'm not sure, but she always seems to be giving me extra attention, and it kind of freaks me out,"
Naomi slightly laughed.
"What? You think I'm lying," Sirius huffed indignantly.
"Oh, no," she let out a puff of air in laughter. "But, yeah, I think Marlene has a thing for you. Something may give me a hunch."
Sirius stared at her thoughtfully. "Well, it doesn't matter, I've only got eyes for you."
Naomi smiled. She seemed to be doing that a lot more lately.
"Naomi, I've been meaning to ask you something," Sirius began.
Naomi glanced up at him with her big blue eyes in confusion. She asked, "What? What is it?"
He gave her a meaningful glance before asking her, "Will you be my girlfriend?"
Naomi slightly widened her eyes, and Sirius continued.
"I know that we've liked each other for quite some time," he slightly let out a breath, "and I couldn't imagine another girl to date; another girl to kiss; another girl to laugh with, to tell my secrets to, to tell her," he tucked her hair behind her ear, "that I love her."
She peered at him, her ocean blue eyes meeting his tornado grey ones.
"What do you say, Naomi? Will you be my girlfriend?"
Naomi blinked frantically. "I—yes—of course I'll be your girlfriend, Sirius!"
"Alright!" James popped his head in and grinned at the both of them.
Sirius and Naomi swivelled their heads around to see all of their friends, with smug smiles on their faces.
"Were you guys listening to our entire conversation?" Naomi said exasperatedly.
"Yes," Remus shamelessly said, "and we enjoyed every second of it."
Sirius got up to chase after Remus, but even if Sirius seemed annoyed, he was grinning like a love-struck idiot.
"Naomi, I'm so happy for you guys!" Lily walked over and sat beside Naomi where Sirius had been sitting, beaming. "You guys make the cutest couple!"
"Thanks," Naomi smiled. "Now we just have to wait for you and James to get together."
"I—what! Naomi!" Lily shouted incredulously. Though, the pink blush to her cheeks and warm smile was enough to clue Naomi in.
Dorcas and Alice were laughing at Lily in the background, and Naomi smiled at them. She glanced to the boys, and was not surprised to see James and Sirius rolling around, and Remus rolling his eyes at them.
Naomi sighed contentedly. She felt perfectly happy surrounded by her friends. She glanced around, and she was not surprised to see Marlene sitting by herself and not talking to anyone, but she couldn't help but wonder; 'where was Peter?'
She realized that he was sitting back on a bench, simply analyzing his friends.
Naomi furrowed her eyebrows and cautiously walked over to Peter, leaving her friends.
"Peter?" She said aloud, and his head snapped up at her voice. "What are you doing, sitting here? Why don't you join us?" She said to him, carefully watching him.
"O—O—Okay," he stuttered.
He walked by her, but not before giving her a deep stare. Naomi was befuddled by his weirdness. Of her entire friend group, Peter was the least interactive and close to her. She wondered what the reason could be.
Shaking her head, she walked back to the lake and sat down, and Sirius quickly came to sit beside her.
"Hey," Sirius grinned when he sat down beside her.
She smiled. "Sirius, there's some grass in your hair."
She reached over to get it out of his long hair. When she was done, she softly removed her hand from his hair and met his eyes.
"Sirius," she said softly.
"Yeah?" He asked, leaning in closer to her.
"I love you," she didn't know where the urge to tell Sirius that came from, but she had felt the need to say that. She needed to remind him.
I genuine smile overtook Sirius' face; not a cocky smirk, or a goofy grin. A genuine, blissful, and happy smile.
"I love you too, Naomi," he said in a low, husky voice.
She smiled, that was the second time she had ever heard those words come out of her boyfriend's lips.
He leaned down and placed his hand in her golden, long hair, softly pressing his lips onto her's. She fluttered her eyes shut, and when she pulled away, his hand was still in her hair. Sirius opened his mouth, probably to say something romantic, but the moment was suddenly disturbed by James screaming.
"Watch out!"
Sirius and Naomi turned around in alarm, and they were both shocked to see James jump into the Great Lake, with all of his clothes on. All of the water had splashed onto Naomi and Sirius, and they were both soaking.
"James!" Sirius and Naomi shouted in sync.
Naomi cringed and squeezed her hair, causing water to drip off of it.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Sirius shouted.
"Well, that's what you two get for the PDA," James cockily smirked, happily swimming away.
"That's it!" Sirius said, and before she knew it, her boyfriend jumped into the pool and swam after James, fully clothed.
A load of water splashed onto her once more.
"Sirius!" She groaned.
"Sorry!" He shouted after her, but his apology was drowned out by James' high-pitched scream.
"Help! I'm being drowned!" He dramatically wailed.
Sirius was wrestling James in the water, and James was quite clearly losing. Dorcas and Alice began to laugh aloud, and place bets on who was going to win their so-called 'fight'.
Lily shook her head and walked over to Naomi. "Look at those idiots."
Naomi couldn't help but giggle.
Remus walked over, having overheard Lily's comment. He agreed. "I know, right? I can't believe she calls one of them her boyfriend."
He pointed to Naomi, and Naomi lifted up her hands innocently. "Hey, you call them your best friends, I wouldn't be talking!"
The three of them went into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Naomi felt pure bliss. Even if Marlene and Peter were in the background being miserable, Naomi was still happy.
James and Sirius were wrestling, Dorcas and Alice were placing their bets, and Naomi, Lily, and Remus were laughing their heads off. It was then that she realized; this was her family; this was her home.
At the start of her sixth year, she thought that she was going to die, and wanted to make the most of the few months that she had left. However, she hadn't known that she would get rid of all the right people in her life, while getting cured of her cancer, and going along a rollercoaster of friendship, trust, and love.
As she sat laughing with her friends, the wind blowing through her golden hair, and the sun casting a warm feeling over her, she thought; 'This... This is life.'
•
Wow.
I have so much to say. Happy new year, everyone! Let's make 2019 the best!
I said I would publish this chapter on the first, but I'm two days late. Just the norm.
I can't believe that this is the last chapter! Now, I'm going to ask you guys something very important. This is up to you.
Do you want an epilogue?
Comment here for YES.
Comment here for NO.
Please point out any spelling errors I made in this chapter and help a girl out; I had no time to look over this, I'm in such a hurry!
I really hope you guys enjoyed this story, and tell me if you want an epilogue or not!
Q: Nike or Adidas?
A: Adidas
Vote and leave a comment to make my day!
Love,
Manny