Gemini moaned out in pain as her mercury eyes peeled open. A throbbing ache thudded in her head, heavy and persistent, as if concrete pressed down upon her. Was this what a hangover felt like? Blazing white lights stabbed at her vision, leaving her momentarily disoriented and bile rising in her throat. "Fuck. Am I dead?" she groaned. Death at eleven had never been on her agenda.
"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.
"You look worse than I do, Dad," Gemini croaked. A watery chuckle escaped him, and he pressed a scarred hand to his lips, desperately stifling the sobs threatening to spill forth. "Don't you ever do something that stupid again," he warned sternly, running shaky fingers through her tangled hair. "I'm grounded, aren't I?" Gemini attempted to lighten the mood with a smirk. "Oh, you know it," he replied, unable to suppress a faint smile.
Her lips curled into a bright grin as her gaze wandered to the piles of candy strewn about her bedside. Eager to indulge before Madam Pomfrey arrived to check her vitals, she eagerly opened a packet of Fizzingly Fae's. "To be fair, I should be classified as an amazing daughter. My last wish was for you to inherit my secret stash of chocolate."
Remus swiftly shook his head, a hint of humor mixed with regret. "My only desire is to have you alive and breathing."
"GEMINI!" A shout interrupted their heartfelt moment. 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, easing the tension from the air with his worry.
"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!"
Gemini spluttered, "P-Potter! I know I'm beautiful, but calm down! Thank you for the chocolate frogs, though." A plucky grin spread across Harry's face, brightening the mood further. He had cried over her, frantic and fearful for her safety, before other visitors had arrived—though that memory remained unspoken between them.
Watching this encounter filled Remus with a tidal wave of emotions. His daughter, so much like his late friends, drew echoes of painful memories of James and Lily. It overwhelmed him. Forcing himself to clear his throat, he spoke up, trained to save Harry from embarrassment in moments like these. "Sweetheart," he began softly, "I'm going to floo home now. I'll see you at the train station in a few days; please stay out of trouble until then." He shared a tight embrace with Gemini before shaking Harry's hand. "I love you, Cub."
"I love you too, Daddy," Gemini replied with heartfelt sincerity as Remus turned to leave.
"See you later, Moony!" Harry called after him. Remus froze mid-step and turned around, almost in disbelief. Harry Potter bore an uncanny resemblance to James, and it twisted something deep within him. Being around Harry was still painful; a reminder of his past failures.
"Hope you don't mind me calling you that! Gemini talks about you all the time," Harry said, squeezing Gemini's hand, as she fought back laughter at his bright red cheeks. Remus managed a sad smile, "It's quite alright, Harry. Thank you for looking after Gem." Then he exited before either could see the tears brimming in his eyes.
___________________________________
"So that's what happened," Harry explained as he and Gemini strolled out of the hospital wing, heads still buzzing from the encounter.
"Wow," was all Gemini could manage as they made their way toward the Great Hall, their usual seats by the Gryffindor table awaiting them. The revelation that Harry had faced Voldemort again, partially overcoming him, played on her mind. The troubling notion that Quirrell had been Voldemort all along made her snicker as she recollected how she had pranked the notorious dark wizard. Merlin, her mother would've been proud.
"These decorations leave much to be desired," Gemini announced with a scoff, her plate filling with mashed potatoes while casting a disapproving glance at the Slytherin banners hanging about. Ron pushed his plate away, turning toward Harry. "Do you think Dumbledore meant for all this to happen? Sending you your father's cloak and whatnot?"
Harry shook his head slowly, thoughtful. At the head table, Dumbledore nodded at McGonagall, who stood up to clink her glass, demanding silence in the noisy hall.
"Another year gone," Dumbledore began, "Now, as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding. The points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with 312 points..."
Percy exchanged glares with Ron at this announcement. "Third place goes to Hufflepuff, with 352 points. In second, Ravenclaw with 426. And—"
Cheers erupted from the Slytherin table, their flags waving triumphantly as Dumbledore continued, "First place, with 472 points... Slytherin."
The Gryffindors clapped along, if only half-heartedly. Dumbledore then raised a hand, silencing the room. "Well done, Slytherin. However, recent events warrant reconsideration. I have a few last-minute points to award." Slytherin's cheers faded as they looked worried.
Clearing his throat, Dumbledore announced, "First, to Miss. Gemini Lupin-Black. For remaining level-headed during stressful situations and bringing light through the darkness, I award 40 points." Shock swept over Gemini as the table erupted into applause. "Good job, gorgeous," Harry whispered, his hand resting upon her back.
"Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley. For the best-played game of wizard's chess Hogwarts has seen in many years... I award 40 points." Ron's face turned crimson as twins shouted, "THAT'S OUR BROTHER!" Percy joined in the applause, no longer critical of Ron's skills.
As panic rippled through the Slytherins, Dumbledore continued, "Thirdly, to Miss. Hermione Granger. For displaying remarkable intellect when others were in peril, I award 40 points." Hermione ducked her head, flustered by the attention.
"Fourthly, to Mr. Harry Potter. For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award 40 points."
The Gryffindor table erupted. "We're tied with Slytherin!" Hermione cried out.
"Lastly," Dumbledore said, "it takes bravery to stand up to your enemies, but even more so to stand up to your friends. I award 10 points to Mr. Neville Longbottom." Silence blanketed the hall. Neville looked utterly befuddled before the Gryffindors exploded into celebration.
"If my calculations are correct," Dumbledore smiled, "it seems a change of decorations is in order." With a flourish, the green banners transformed into Gryffindor red and yellow. All eyes turned to the red hourglass, filling to the brim.
"Gryffindor wins the House Cup!" Hats and cheers exploded through the Great Hall, excitement resounding everywhere except for a furious Draco Malfoy, who slammed his hat upon the table in frustration.
What a memorable year it had been.
___________________________________
The train station buzzed with life as the Gryffindor quartet climbed aboard the Hogwarts Express, a familiar whistle signaling the train's departure. "Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?" Hermione mused as they settled into their compartment.
Harry shook his head. "I'm not going home. Not really."
Gemini felt a pang of guilt for her excitement to see her father. "Harry, you're always welcome at my place. Anytime," she offered. Harry appeared taken aback for a moment before recovering. "Oh! Thanks. We'll see."
As they munched on an assortment of sweets, laughter and conversation filled the air, the warmth of friendship surrounding them tightly. The year might have been fraught with danger, but they emerged together, bound by their experiences, excited for whatever lay ahead.
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SABAISM | H. POTTER
FanfictionSABAISM (noun) : The worship of stars. For centuries, people have looked up to the stars and became instantaneously bewitched due to the pinpricks of light. Such an enigma they are, burning bright in the darkest of atmospheres. Never snuffed by the...
