𝑃𝐻𝐼𝐿𝑂𝑃𝐻𝑂𝐵𝐼𝐴|𝙏.𝙈.𝙍+𝙃.𝙅.𝙋

*alternative chapter*

|This is an alternative chapter, aka what would've happened had Rigel not died.|

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. I think I can do this—"

"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."

"No, no. Hold on. I can do this." said Tom desperately, pointing his wand at Rigel's chest as he began muttering some spells.

"Tom— you.. you can't.."

"Yes, I can. The— the spy already told me what he suspected was the healing spell. Just hold on."

Rigel let out a shaking breath, holding tighter onto Tom's other hand. "It hurts.. it hurts so much.."

Tom's eyes teared up at the amount of pain in his boyfriend's voice. Trying to swallow the lump in his throat, he continued, "Just hold on, Ri— for me. Please."

Rigel nodded, trying extremely hard not to let his eyes close as Tom started on parselmagic.

••

A few minutes later, Tom was finally done.

He held onto Rigel's body tightly. "Did it work?" He whispered, tears already escaping his eyes.

Rigel felt the pain vanishing in a second, but he was still very tired. "You did it, love." He murmured.

Tom's face broke into a wide smile, but the tears in his eyes were still there. "Sleep, dear. I'll be with you. I'll take you to St. Mungo's."

His boyfriend nodded and closed his eyes, immediately falling asleep.

••

It was a few hours later, and the Black family (+Tom, of course) were at St. Mungo's.

5-year-old Cierra frowned at her brother, who was sleeping on the hospital bed, but looked exhausted. "Bubba?"

"He's alright, Cierra." said Remus, putting his daughter on his hip. "Tom saved him."

"He didn't live because of me. He lived because he was strong." Tom said and walked over to his sleeping boyfriend, running his fingers through his curly hair.

Sirius, who had tears in his eyes, immediately broke down crying and walked out of the room.

"Dada?" Cierra asked in confusion. "Dada is sad?"

"No, he's happy." Remus said with a soft smile. "We all are."

••

About an hour later, Rigel woke up to two strong arms holding him.

He looked to his side and noticed Tom sleeping next to him, which made his heart melt immediately.

He started playing with his boyfriend's hair, deep in thought.

He had almost died.

He almost left Sirius and Remus.

He almost left Cierra.

He almost left Tom.

Tom opening his eyes snapped him out of his thoughts. They both stayed silent for a few minutes until Tom said, "I almost lost you."

Rigel sighed and hid his face in the crook of Tom's neck. "Thank you for saving me."

"I almost lose you." repeated Tom, clearly disturbed as he stood up and started pacing, pulling on his hair. "It was all my fault—!"

"Tom."

"—If I had stayed— you would've stayed, as well! You almost died because of me—!"

"Tom."

The said boy finally stopped his rambling and looked at him. "What?"

"I'm not dead you know."

Tom glared at him, while Rigel gave him an eye-roll in return. "Really? I hadn't noticed." He sarcastically said, sitting down next to him again.

Rigel immediately curled up to his side, smiling when Tom kissed his head softly.

Tom stopped as he remembered something. "You said you love me."

"Tom, I've literally told you that before—"

"No, but that was almost your last words." explained Tom, his eyes tearing up. "You would've wanted your last words to be 'I love you' to me?"

"Of course, I would." Rigel said as if it was obvious and rolled his eyes. "Gosh, darling. What did you expect?"

His boyfriend shook his head, letting out a sad chuckle. "You almost died and your first instinct was to tell me that you love me."

"Tom, you're absolutely adorable, but you can be so fucking dumb sometimes."