Pureblood Problems 🌙 Remus Lupin Love Story

Chapter Eighteen ~ The Letter

"It's different this time, Thea, I'm telling you!" Hazel ranted and I smiled, affectionately shaking my head. Lucius had thankfully decided to spend dinner in the common room with his cult so I had a peaceful evening.

"If I had a galleon for every time I heard that sentence, I'd be richer than every pureblood put together," I joked and she scoffed, laughing and whacking my arm playfully. "I will say though, she was your first love, remember in third year how much you kept overthinking if she was flirting or being nice"

"Well I'm sorry, I wanted to make sure she was actually interested in girls before I made a move and thanks to your plan, I can finally have her and not have to worry about getting married off,"

"As long as you're happy, I wouldn't care if you married a Hufflepuff woman," I smiled and her face lit up as she linked our arms, eating her breakfast she'd been ignoring.

That look.

The look of happiness in her face. That's why I did all this. For them. For that look. For that look to never be taken away. As long as that look continues to burn, I'll be content with whatever fate awaits me.

I did have around twenty minutes of happily enjoying my dinner, talking more to Hazel about her girlfriend when suddenly, a gold line letter smacked me in the face.

Thanks Zeus.

"Ow, what in merlin's name," I rubbed my cheek as I set down the slice of toast I was munching on to pick up the mysterious envelop.

"Oh," I whispered to myself as i delicately picked up the letter, scanning the hand writing before turning it.

My blood ran cold as I looked at the seal. St Mungos. I had been writing back and forth with the nurses there but this letter felt different, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I knew something was wrong.

"Ophelia!" I called out sharply, not a single care that anyone could hear me as i shakily stood.

Her head snapped towards me and at the sight of my terror stricken face, she knew.

I clumsily stepped out of table and gestured for her to follow me as I rushed out of the hall, my legs like jelly.

"Thea! Thea, what's wrong!?" She called softly as we stood in the abandoned hallway.

For the first time, Hogwarts felt cold, eery, every small clatter making me jump. I shakily opened the letter and read it aloud.

Miss Thorne

With deepest condolences I regret to inform you that your mother, Evangeline Thorne, passed away in the early hours of last night.

I hope you find some comfort in the fact it was painless. She asked to write you and your sister a letter during her final moments of which I have attached to this one.

Head Healer, Miriam Watt

Numb.

Even as ophelia started wailing, I couldn't feel a single thing. I'd like to blame it on the shock, but I'd be lying to myself if I did.

I blacked out for a while, swallowed by my own thoughts.

I didn't notice dinner had ended. I didn't notice the students once again flooding the halls. I didn't notice ophelia carefully taking her addressed letter. I didn't notice Magnus as he whisked her away. I didn't notice Hazel calling me. I didn't notice the marauders circling me, protecting me from the hordes of students.

It was all a blur. Like slow motion, the movements around me became glitched, only gatherings of distorted light.

Ringing and muffled shouts filled my ears but I still stood there, staring into space with a blank look, wondering why I felt relieved.

My mother is dead. Why do I feel relieved?

My hands trembled, Hazel carefully took the letter from my hands, leaving me with only the parchment labelled 'My darling Althea' written in my mother's messy hand writing.

My mothers last words to me. My mum, the one thing that grounded me, that kept me from throwing everything away. She's gone.

Why?

The relief returned once more and I swore I felt my mothers energy enveloping me like a warm hug.

She's at peace now, I knew that.

No longer in pain. Away from all the horrors of this world, this war, this family....she's free. Finally. My mother's soul died a long time ago, only now her body has joined.

But...what about what she left behind.....What about us? What are we meant to do?

I took the time to notice the hallway was once again abandoned, leaving me with Remus, James, Sirius and Hazel.

"Thea?" His voice as soothing as the sweet smell of lavender and the warmth of the sun hitting your skin on a hot day.

I only snapped out of my state as he cupped my face, staring into my lifeless eyes.

He knew words wouldn't help, he knew I was too overwhelmed to even process them if he had.

I didn't care about anything else in that moment, the war, Lucius, the plan, as he rubbed his thumb over my cheek and looked down at me with eyes so full of concern and warmth. They felt like home. Under his gaze I was safe, I was loved, I was happy.

I gave him a weak smile, my eyes overflowing with tears and he wiped away every single one as they fell. I love this man with my whole heart. Yet, life is selfish...or maybe I made it that way.

He kissed my forehead, the gesture so tender it broke me in seconds as all the emotions hit me at once, full throttle.

I don't remember much after I collapsed into his arms. All I know is that he held me the entire time, whispering reassuring words into my ear and letting me know he was here for me to matter what.

Hazel begged him to let me go, to allow her to bring me back to the dorm for rest but he was too stubborn for his own good. He refused to let me go for even a moment.