The Life and Lies of Cassiopeia Rosier- Regulus Black

.pine needles. rainstorms. cedarwood.

.lost is not a place. it is a soul in paralysis... waiting to feel moved.

Two weeks. I was unconscious for two whole weeks. And even after the time I spent knocked out, Madam Pomfrey still made me stay another five days in the hospital wing. Every time I protested, she argued that head injuries were not to be messed with. They were the hardest to heal, even with magic and required time and plenty of rest.

But by the time that I had been cleared to leave, I was more behind on schoolwork than I had ever been in my life.

I hated being in the hospital wing, and I hated feeling helpless. So saying that the last couple days had been ridiculously terrible wasn't an understatement. I finally made Regulus leave my side. The only time he'd done so for two weeks was to shower and attend class. Sirius told me when Madam Pomfrey threatened him with detention, he told her he would use a permanent sticking charm and stick himself to my hospital bed. I was surprised that she let him stay, she was very strict with student visitors. But after I was awake, I made him go to his quarters to sleep, and eat his meals in the Great Hall.

Still, he came directly to the hospital wing after his lessons and stayed until Madam Pomfrey kicked him out at night.

Sirius and Regulus both had been murderously furious by what happened. After I had broken down, they coaxed me into telling them who was underneath the hoods. I had been so out of it that I didn't realize they hadn't seen who had attacked me. When I told them the only one I knew for certain was Mulciber, they wanted to immediately go wands blazing and haul him to Dumbledore's office.

As much as I wanted that, I didn't want the spectacle of the whole school knowing what had happened. And I most certainly didn't want Mulciber knowing how much he had broken me. I would die before I gave him that sort of power over me. I'd begged Regulus and Sirius not to tell anyone what happened, and eventually-but not without a fight- they agreed to take my secret to the grave.

When Lily and Remus came for the first time once I had been awake, I heard the preposterous story that Sirius had made up. Something about me being so tired after finishing my astronomy homework that I tripped and fell all the way down the stairs of the astronomy tower. And my telescope crashed into my head knocking me unconscious. They were quite worried, and Lily, ever concerned with my education wanted to know if my telescope was still in working condition.

I waited and waited for my brother to come and see me, but he never did. Part of me just thought he would come, if at least to see if I was alive. The reasonable and realistic part of my heart chided the other portion for being so naive and ridiculous. Of course, Evan wouldn't come, he didn't care about me in the slightest.

By the time I got out of the hospital wing, December had begun. I felt free as I walked through the halls, grateful to be out of the stuffy hospital. I hadn't told anyone that Madam Pomfrey was letting me out, and was eager to see the look of surprise on Regulus's face.

I walked into the great hall for the first time in weeks and was hit with the smells of fresh pine and crisp snow. The decorations were brilliant as they usually were. Hagrid went above and beyond to find the most beautiful pine trees. McGonagall herself did the decorating, with big beautiful baubles and ribbon spinning intricately in every which way. They had even enchanted the ceiling to drop snowflakes that disappeared before hitting the tables. It was so enchantingly lovely that it took my breath away.

I scanned the room, my eyes landing on the Slytherin table that I had sat at for so many years. The memories that I had made there all felt so far away. It was interesting to see how things could completely change in a matter of weeks.