A Losing Game

Epilogue Pt.2

(Lorenzo's Pov)
15 years later
September 27th
I was at the Manor in the garden.

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the death of Draco and Aurelia. They would've been 33.

Every year we all meet at the Manor, and place dahlias around their grave.

Their loss took a heavy toll on us, and it took a long time to feel normal again.

Everyone dealt with their grief differently.

Daph and I used our traveling money to buy an apartment, and we spent lots of time at the manor.

We were always with Narcissa and Lucius.
It really helped us, we relied on their support

Pans left her internship at the ministry, and Theo stopped his quidditch training, but continued coaching. He liked being with kids, their happiness helped him feel better.

Although once his shift was over he'd return to his mourning.

Pansy's and Theo's bright personalities went dull. Theo pretty much went silent.

They too needed support, so they were always at the manor with Daph and I. Although they sat and listened, not much talking.

Finally there was Astoria and Mattheo.
They grieved in opposite ways.

Astoria was always crying, it took her a while to learn to collect herself. She also graduated a year late.

She couldn't bear to be alone at Hogwarts, so she moved into the manor.

I know what you're thinking, of course no one wants to be alone.

Thats wrong.

We almost lost Mattheo.
He went through a very rough path.

Everything started normal. He lived at the manor so he'd be there 24/7. But after two weeks he returned to auror training.

Auror training is the hardest job for wizards.
Before the loss Mattheo was gonna go four days instead of five, because five was too much.

After the loss he willingly went all seven.

Mattheo's never been good with his feelings, and the grief was too intense. He didn't know how to deal with it, and he refused our help.
Hardcore auror training served as a distraction.

He ended up moving out of manor and started living at home. Mattheo isolated himself, and that caused a divide. Him and Astoria broke up, and we stopped talking to him for months.

Don't get me wrong we always tried, but he never answered. After two months of knocking on his door everyday we gave up.

Almost all of us.
Astoria never stopped.

It took her four months, but she did it.
Astoria said when Mattheo finally opened the door he was on the verge of death.

We had no idea, but he started abusing substances. He'd get drunk or high everyday.

But the second he saw Astoria he took her in. Not because he wanted her support, not because he wanted to stop running, but because he loved Astoria.

That's another thing I forgot to mention.
Astoria stopped eating.
She became merely skin and bones.

When Mattheo saw her like that it broke him.

There actually was a similarity between Astoria and Mattheo's grief.

They were both destroying their body.

So Mattheo would spend time with Astoria, but only her. Astoria convinced Mattheo to train four days a week.