Lucille Rose Potter

Chapter 55

"Rosie!" Lucy squealed, running into the older woman's arms.

"Lucille Evans!" The bartender scolded, "you have been home for nearly two months and have yet to visit me."

"I'm sorry," Lucy squeezed her tighter, "I've just been so busy."

Rosmerta pulled away, frowning at the girl.

"You're so skinny," she remarked, pinching at Lucy's arm, "come on, we're going to get you something to eat, where's that boy of yours?"

"Sawyer caught a friend outside," Lucy said, sitting down, "he'll be here in a minute."

By the time Sawyer got inside the Three Broomsticks, Lucy had three plates of food in-front of her.

"Rose force-feeding you?" Sawyer laughed, resting his hands on her shoulders as he came up behind her.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded, "says I'm too skinny."

"Well I think you're perfect."

"Do I hear Sawyer Thorton?" Rose leaned on the bar infront of them, "how're you doing kid?"

"Good, Rose," Sawyer replied, "how about you?"

"I am doing great, thanks," Rose winked, "now that you're both here...tell me, are you dating yet?"

The pair went instantly red and Rosmerta's eyes bugged out of her head.

"Don't tell me..." she gasped, "you are!"

Lucy nodded shyly.

"I knew it!" Rose shouted, "Merlin! I can't believe it finally happened....SIMON YOU OWE ME TEN GALLEONS YOU COW."

"You were betting on us?" Sawyer asked incredulously.

"Obviously," Rose grinned, "Simon's been a knob, going against the two of you every chance he gets."

Lucy and Sawyer just stared at her.

"Oh...never mind," her eyes lit up, "so.....how'd it happen?"

>•<

"Lu! Lockup please!" Aberforth called from the apartment.

"Ok!" Lucy hollered, throwing the rag she was using to wipe down the tables over her shoulder.

On the way to lock the front entrance, Lucy saw someone sitting at the bar out of the corner of her eye.

"Excuse me," she walked towards them, "the bar is closed."

They jumped and looked up at her startled, it was a young woman, one that Lucy had seen in the bar multiple times over the course of the break.

"You can see me?" She asked gently, her voice was shy and slightly hoarse, almost as if she never used it.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "ma'am, are you ok?"

"Ariana," the girl smiled, "my name is Ariana."

"My names Lu—"

"Lucy," she smiled politely, "Lucy, I know."

Lucy was starting to become uncomfortable, "can I help you with anything? Do you need to use the Floo?"

"No," the girl laughed, "it is quite nice to talk to somebody though, I haven't had that privilege in years."

It clicked in Lucy's head.

"You're dead," Lucy gasped.

Ariana nodded, "I am."

"Ariana..." Lucy mumbled, "I know that name....Ariana."

The girl watched Lucy with an amused expression on her face.

"You're Abe's little sister!" Lucy's eyes widened, "I thought you looked familiar! He has a picture of you hanging up on his wall."

"Mhm," the girl hummed, "I like visiting here," she said softly, "watching you with him reminds me of how we used to be."

She twirled a strand of her blonde hair, "I used to visit all the time...my brother, he was so lonely, it was upsetting to see him like that, but ever since you came, I haven't had the feeling that I needed to watch him always, because he had you... you changed my brother, made him a better person and gave him a better life, and for that I am forever grateful, Thank you."

Lucy couldn't find the right words to say, so she didn't say anything and let the silence speak for her.

"I must be on my way," Ariana sighed, "it's exhausting staying here, I don't know why or how you can see me, but I am grateful that you can. Please tell my brother to stop blaming himself, he needs to let his grudge against Al go, it's been too long now." She let out a huff of air before recomposing an emotionless expression, "It was nice to meet you, Lucy."

"Bye," Lucy whispered, but the girl was already gone.

Lucy locked the pub doors up quickly, blew out the singular lantern that offered almost no light and sped off to the apartment.

"What took you so long?" Aberforth asked as she closed the apartment door behind her, he was prepping barrels for the next day.

"I—uh," Lucy cringed.

"Lu?" Aberforth looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"Ariana was in the bar," Lucy said rushed.

"Ariana?" Aberforth looked at her, "a girl from school?"

"No," Lucy shook her head, "Ariana."

Aberforth stood up and looked at her in shock, "you don't mean..."

Lucy nodded.

"Just now?" Aberforth asked.

Lucy nodded again.

"Well I'll be damned..." he breathed, crossing over to sit at the counter, "did she say anything?"

"Yes," Lucy said, grabbing his hand, "she's been watching over you, she told me to tell you that it wasn't your fault and to let everything go...including your grudge against Albus."

Aberforth inhaled sharply, "it was my fault," he sighed, "Albus and I...we got carried away, poor Ariana faced the consequences."

Aberforth took his hand out of Lucy's grasp and used it to push her hair out of her face, "you remind me of her...you know? You and Ariana couldn't be any more different, but it's little things, little things that make me draw similarities."

"Like what?" Lucy asked.

"Ah...how you scrunch your nose when you disagree with something," Aberforth paused, "your compassion, the way you hum to yourself when you work."

He smiled blankly, seemingly lost in thought.

"I love you, Uncle Abe," Lucy got up and kissed his cheek.

"I love you more," he smiled, "now go get some rest kiddo."

"I will," Lucy nodded, "I'll tell you the next time she visits."

"Thanks doll." Aberforth looked at her adoringly.

"Goodnight, Uncle Abe."

"Night, Luce."