SABAISM | H. POTTER

FOURTEEN. | THE END OF FIRST YEAR

Gemini moaned out in pain as her mercury eyes peeled open, their silvery depths clouded and unfocused. A throbbing ache pounded at the base of her skull, each pulse echoing like a hammer striking stone, heavy and relentless, as if a slab of concrete pressed down upon her. Was this what a hangover felt like? She'd never had one before, but the sensation was so overwhelming—her mouth dry as parchment, her tongue thick and useless, her limbs leaden and uncooperative. Blazing white lights stabbed at her vision, leaving her momentarily disoriented and bile rising in her throat. The sterile scent of antiseptic and potion ingredients filled her nostrils, mingling with the faint, comforting aroma of chocolate that lingered in the air.

"Fuck. Am I dead?" she groaned, her voice hoarse and raw, barely above a whisper. Death at eleven had never been on her agenda. She blinked rapidly, trying to force her vision to clear, to ground herself in the present.

"Maybe with a mouth like that, young lady," came a familiar, somewhat strained voice from her left. Both pairs of eyes locked, and Gemini found herself gazing at a disheveled Remus Lupin, slouched in a rickety chair beside her hospital bed. The dark circles under his eyes were even more pronounced than usual, his caramel curls a wild mess—proof of stress that weighed heavily on him. His tweed jacket was rumpled, and his tie hung askew, as though he'd dressed in a hurry and had not slept in days.

"You look worse than I do, Dad," Gemini croaked, her lips curling into a weak, teasing smile. A watery chuckle escaped him, and he pressed a scarred hand to his lips, desperately stifling the sobs threatening to spill forth. His fingers trembled as he reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead, his touch gentle, reverent, as if afraid she might shatter beneath his fingertips.

"Don't you ever do something that stupid again," he warned sternly, though his voice quivered with relief and fear. He ran shaky fingers through her tangled hair, smoothing it back with a tenderness that spoke of sleepless nights and endless worry.

"I'm grounded, aren't I?" Gemini attempted to lighten the mood with a smirk, her eyes sparkling mischievously despite the pain.

"Oh, you know it," he replied, unable to suppress a faint smile. The lines around his eyes softened, and for a moment, the weight of the world seemed to lift from his shoulders.

Her lips curled into a bright grin as her gaze wandered to the piles of candy strewn about her bedside. There were chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, and a half-eaten cauldron cake, evidence of concerned friends and well-wishers. Eager to indulge before Madam Pomfrey arrived to check her vitals, she eagerly opened a packet of Fizzingly Fae's, the sherbet fizzing on her tongue and making her nose tingle.

"To be fair, I should be classified as an amazing daughter. My last wish was for you to inherit my secret stash of chocolate." She winked, her tone playful, but the words hung heavy between them.

Remus swiftly shook his head, a hint of humor mixed with regret. "My only desire is to have you alive and breathing," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. He squeezed her hand, his thumb tracing soothing circles over her knuckles.

"GEMINI!" A shout interrupted their heartfelt moment, echoing through the hospital wing with the force of a Bludger. Remus turned to see Harry Potter fumbling away from Hogwarts' Headmaster. The elderly man found it amusing as Harry tumbled out of the hospital bed he had apparently occupied before. Springing to his feet, Harry dashed to the bedside, ignoring the two older males entirely. He wrapped her in a fierce embrace, his arms trembling with relief as he buried his face in her shoulder. The warmth of his touch eased the tension from the air, his worry palpable.

"Oh Merlin! I've been so worried about you! My Gem, you can never do that again. I woke up a couple of hours before you, terrified you weren't going to wake up. Oh, and I saved you my chocolate frogs!" Harry's words tumbled out in a rush, his green eyes wide with concern, his cheeks flushed with emotion.