𝑃𝐻𝐼𝐿𝑂𝑃𝐻𝑂𝐵𝐼𝐴|𝙏.𝙈.𝙍+𝙃.𝙅.𝙋

|l o s t|

—AS SOON AS RIGEL NOTICED SOMEONE FOLLOWING HIM, HE TURNED AROUND AND POINTED HIS WAND AT THE PERSON. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were both grinning like they had won the lottery. "Avada—"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." said Granger.

"Excuse me?"

Ron laughed. "You're outnumbered."

"You're literally two people. I've killed about 8 Order members the past hour." Rigel pointed out.

Ron's face hardened. "And one of them was my sister."

"That's right." Rigel rolled his eyes as if it was obvious. "Avada Kedavra."

"No!" Hermione exclaimed, watching in horror as Ron's dead body hit the floor.

She immediately muttered a spell Rigel couldn't hear, but it made him clutch his side in agony.

"It worked." said Hermione in awe. "You've only got 5 minutes before you die, Harry. Maybe you should've chosen our side. You would've lived."

Rigel didn't say anything, watching as she apparated away with Ron's body.

'Tom..'

'Rigel?' asked Tom's voice in Rigel's head. 'You're here, aren't you?'

'Near the quidditch pitch. Hurry, please..'

••

Whatever Tom was expecting was not this.

"Ri!" He rushed over to his boyfriend, holding him in his arms immediately. "Stay with me, alright? I'll save you—"

"You can't." murmured Rigel weakly, holding his hand. "It's Dumbledore's spell.. the one."

Tom didn't have time to ask how Rigel knew, his eyes tearing up as he connected the dots. "No.. no, no, no. I can't lose you. Don't close your eyes. Please—"

"Shh. Listen to me." Rigel put a hand on Tom's cheek, ignoring the fact that he was in extreme pain. "I love you, Tom."

"Rigel.. please don't leave me." Tom practically begged, tears starting to run down his cheeks. "You— you just beat depression! You have so much to hold onto! Please, don't close your eyes— please!"

Rigel wordlessly pointed to his lightning bolt scar with a small smile.

Tom held onto his body tightly and pushed his hair back, kissing the scar. "Please don't go.. don't leave me. You're all I have. You're the only person I've ever loved. Please.."

"You'll be fine without me, Tom. But please.." he released a shaking breath. The sound made Tom's heart break. "Please take care of my sister.."

"Come on— don't, please, Rigel!"

Feeling his eyes start to close, Rigel smiled at him one last time. "I want to say something I've never said before.."

"Rigel.."

"Shh." Rigel hushed, holding onto his boyfriend's hand tightly.

"I never hated you..
Thanks for showing me that I had nothing to be afraid of.."

Tom felt like he couldn't breathe when Rigel's hand slipped out of his.

He brushed Rigel's curls away from his face, kissing his lightning bolt scar one last time, not wanting to let go of his now-dead body.

Tom had felt his heart breaking many times before, but now..

His heart shattered.