The French Redhead☆Jily AU

《ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ #27》

25th September 1976, Hogwarts

"Sir, we have to see her, please," Isadora pleaded with Dumbledore, her eyes puffy and red from hours of crying.

"Miss Donnell," Dumbeldore started, "I understand that you are concerned about Miss Madison-Williams but you have to wait until tomorrow, that's the Hogsmead weekend."

"With all due respect, Sir," said Sirius, "she's in coma for Merlin's sake! How can we not see her? A day without study won't bring the world to an end!"

"Mr. Black," McGonagall warned. She was ignored. "Offended," she muttered.

"Please, sir, please," Emmeline sniffled, hands shaking.

The aged wizard sighed in defeat. Standing up, he kept a pouch of Floo Powder on his wooden table, and signalled McGonagall to go with them. She nodded silently.

Isadora came out of the fireplace at St. Mungo's where Kate had been removed to last night. She brushed the soot off her clothes and waited for the others.

"This way," Professor McGonagall said as she went towards the reception, where a young woman stood, checking out her nails.

"Excuse me," said the Professor, "we are here to see Katherine Madison-Williams. 16, Metamorphmagus, was brought here yesterday night."

The woman looked up and her jaw dropped when she realised that if was the Minerva McGonagall in front of her. She stuttered, "Y-yes, Ma'am. Room no six on the third floor."

The Marauders+ Isadora followed McGonagall to the lift which took them to the third floor. All the while, Isadora and Emmeline were sobbing and shaking. Dorcas, while not crying, was looking gloomy and worried. Sirius remained slumped against the wall, while James kept assuring them that she would be okay.

"Some people do come out of coma, okay?" He said.

"Some being the key word," Sirius retorted. Everyone glared at him and he closed his mouth.

"Welcome to the third floor. For lasting or permanent injuries," the mechanical voice of a woman announced, making everyone cringe at her not-so-motivating words.

"You should go inside. I-I'll be outside." They could swear that the professor was almost crying.

"Who first?" Sirius asked stupidly.

"Someone who won't break down easily. Which means me, James, or you. I'll go first." Dorcas opened the white, spotless gate to the private room and disappeared inside.

Isadora sat down beside McGonagall, who was staring determinedly at the floor with a hopeless look on her face. Emmeline sat beside them and Sirius wrapped his arm around her shoulders while James leaned against the wall.

Ten minutes passed in odd, spine-chilling silence. The only sounds where Isadora or Emmeline's occasional sniffles and sobs, and James tapping his foot impatiently on the wooden floor.

At last, after some five-hour-like-minutes, Dorcas opened the door with red eyes and a bowed head.

"Serious coma," was all she muttered before crashing into the seat beside Emmeline and kissing her forehead.

"Alright, let me go now." Isadora stood up with shaky limbs. She saw Emmeline and Dorcas share a worried look, but she ignored them and opened the door.

Kate lay on the bed, eyes closed, pale, weak-looking and her face was peaceful. At least she was not in pain.

"I'm sorry, Kay," Isadora whispered to her. "I'm sorry for everything. Sorry for hurting you, sorry for not realising that you liked me too. I love you Kay, I really do and I know that I don't deserve someone as amazing as you. But I still love you. Forever."

She knew that she was babbling. Desperately, as though someone would not let her finish what she wanted to say. After all, it was her fault. If she hadn't been so oblivious, maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

28th September 1976, Beauxbatons

"Look how quickly September has passed," Mary commented as she sipped her evening coffee in her dorm.

"Oh, well, time flies," Lily said wisely with a sage-like nod.

"It really does," Marlene agreed.

"And how quickly people grow up," Mary said with a smirk. "It just seems like yesterday when Lily said that she hated that 'arrogant messy-haired British boy in that coffee shop'. Look how quickly they started loving each other! I mean, not lying, I did have a small crush on him."

"First of all," Lily snorted, "that can't be described as growing up and he does not love me. And, most importantly, Remus would love to hear about this, I'm sure."

"Oh, he would love it," Marlene said sarcastically.

"You are not serious, are you?" Mary exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"No, he's a boy," Lily said with a smirk, ignoring Mary's question.

"Please don't tell him," the brunette squeaked, sounding like a rat who was being repeatedly prodded with a fork.

"Oh we'll try," her other two best friends laughed teasingly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

29th September 1976, London

"What you are telling me," Judith shrieked, "is that you fought with her and then she threw herself at the car?!"

"No! I mean, sort of but she wasn't paying attention to the road!" Daniel stammered as his eldest daughter raged at him.

"SHUT UP!" Judith yelled. "First you take Mamma from us and now Kate too? What do you want? Do we mean anything to you?"

"Believe me, I'm sorry," Daniel pleaded with her, shaking.

"It's too LATE FOR REGRET!" Judith screamed harshly and then locked herself inside her room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

30th September 1976, Hogwarts

A blanket, known as silence and grief, had wrapped itself over the Marauders and Isadora. No one laughed. No longer did Sirius joke and fool around, no longer did James spend his time with them, he was usually flying on the pitch. No longer did Emmeline smile and laugh, no longer did Dorcas rant about anything to make them laugh, no longer did Isadora enjoy the coming winter, her favourite season.

Despite the chatter of the common room, Emmeline remained wrapped in Dorcas's jumper and a blanket as she sat beside the fire, staring at the waving flames, which crackled every so often.

Sirius was sprawled against the couch, staring out of window, where a faint outline of a figure was flying on his broom: James.

Dorcas's hands were moving on her Ancient Runes essay, but her eyes were unfocused and her mind somewhere else. Isadora was slumped in an armchair, with dark circles under her red eyes and her cheeks sunken and expression miserable.

The snow was falling outside, but James continued to fly, higher and higher, until he could stare at the whole of Hogwarts. He could almost hear what Kate might be saying right now to him: "Bastard! If you fall down and die, I swear I'm not coming to your funeral!"

He smiled in the memory of his best friend, but the smile dropped as quickly as it had came. With a deep and sad sigh, he landed on the snow which covered the pitch.

She'll be back, he reminded himself. Her memories haunted everything at Hogwarts, everything. She was in the fantasy section of the library, she was in the Arithmancy classroom, her laugh echoed in the astronomy tower. She was everywhere, but not quite here.

She was in a deep, dark, empty and endless void.

A/N: *sniffles* H-here's a tissue guys, take this *breaks down into renewed sobs* T-take care and stay safe.

Love,
~Aurora♡