The Marauders and the Ghosts of Hogwarts

Chapter 12

Sorry it's been so long since I updated, I had finals and they sucked. ANd then I just got super unmotivated. But I did this instead of the million assignments I have to do.

Back with Dorothy and Cece.

Cece's POV:

"Is this real? Are you real?" Cece said, her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.

Dorothy laughed, but tears started to streak down her cheeks. 

"Yes, I'm real, I'm here."

Cece rushed forward her arms wide, Dorothy opened her arms too. But instead of hugging her lost love, Cece passed right through her. She turned around immediately and saw Dorothy shiver.

"I'm so sorry, oh my god." Cece said quickly, she felt awkward and vulnerable, she hated it.

Dorothy turned around to face her.

"No, no! Don't be sorry! It's not your fault, I wish I could hug you." She gave a weak smile. 

They stared at each other for another moment. Cece noticed the smile lines around Dory's eyes, her skin had aged and wrinkled, her hair had a few grey streaks. She was so different, but she was also the same. 

"You look exactly like you did when I saw you last." Dory finally said.

"And you look so different." Cece smiled when she said it so Dory would know it was meant in a gentle way.

"I'm so sorry." Dorothy whispered. "If, if I had known, I wouldn't have left you here-"

"Stop, I'm okay. I want to hear about you, tell me everything."

"I, well, I..." Dory stammered, she avoided eye contact with Cece. "I have a partner." She finally whispered.

Cece smiled. She was so relieved that Dorothy had found someone else. It hurt, that she couldn't be with Dorothy, but she pushed those feelings away for the time being.

"I'm so glad. What's her name?" Dory looked up at that and smiled a genuine smile.

"Her name is Aria. She's a muggle." Dorothy stepped over to the piano and took a seat on the bench. 

"Does she know? That you're magic?"

"Yes, she does, and she loves it." Dory was grinning now.

"Good. You deserve to be happy." Cece said. "Now, you said that you went on adventures in your letter, tell me everything."

And Dory told her, she told Cece about the world and how it had changed. She told her about how she had met Aria, in muggle bookstore, and how they had just clicked. Dory told her about seeing her parents again after running away. How they had screamed at her, and how her brother had stood up to them. How he had hugged her and said he missed her. At which point Cece made a comment about how she had 'always liked little Tommy'. 

And in turn Cece told Dorothy about her time spent at Hogwarts. The children she had watched grow. And about the two Black brothers sitting just down the hall. Cece giggled through stories of her interactions with Nearly Headless Nick, and her attempts to become friends with Rowena Ravenclaw (they were acquaintances but nothing more) and how she now understood why Peeves was so scared of the Bloody Baron.

They talked, and it was wonderful. They would always love each other, but with the absence of the other that love had changed. It was no longer a burning love, it was now a gentle one. What had once been romantic was now platonic. Dorothy had been her best friend before her girlfriend. 

Lily's POV: 

It was weird seeing James like that, she normally saw the annoying overzealous version of him. But right now he was calm and quiet, making sure the rest of the group didn't speak loud enough to disturb Cece and Dorothy.