𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐘 | 𝐉.𝐅.𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑

𝐗𝐈

XII: THE DASHWOOD FUNERAL

The day was dark and gloomy. It was raining heavily, as is usual in England but to James Potter, it seemed even the heavens were mourning the loss of Lucy Dashwood. His best friend. His number one. His girl.

There, seated in the 1st row, were the last remaining Dashwoods. Marie and Johnathan, who had been in Manchester at the time of the attack.

Marie was completely broken. Her sobs were silent but shook her whole core. He felt sympathy towards her, but he couldn't do much.

She was holding onto Johnathan like her life depended on it, and maybe it did. After all, he was one of the last things Allistor and Louise Dashwood had left behind.

Johnathan was silent but confused. He had understood that now he would stay with Marie all the time, but he hadn't fully grasped that his parents and siblings were not coming back.

"Mummy? Daddy?" He'd ask. "Lulu? Nickie?" He was looking around, searching for his family, but only finding the solemm faces of the attendees.

James's eyes travelled the small crowd. Among the faces he managed to recognize Andreea, a girl Lucy had befriended a week before Easter. Robert was there too, hanging onto Sirius and Remus, who were in tears themselves.

The bigger part of the funeral service passed, allowing for whoever wished to give a small speech.

Marie went first, talking about the day her parents had brought her and her brother home. She then talked about the day they had picked up Lucy and how much growing up with her was a blessing in disguise. Her speech was closed with a part about Nicholas and how it had been with him. Everyone could see the tears that fell from her eyes.

After she finished,the podium was left empty. He inhaled and exhaled, made his way to the podium and cleaned his throat.

"Hello. Some of you know me as James Potter, one of Lucy's dear friends. To me Lucy was a gift. A gift I definitely did not deserve and wish I had more time to appreciate." He momentarily paused to breath before continuing.

"She was someone who was supportive, not only to those she was friends with, but also to those she was only acquainted with. She simply wished for us to have a wonderful life." James paused once more to swallow the lump lodged in his throat.

"She was someone I wish could have lived a longer life and find the happiness she sought after so hard." James paused and dug his hand in his pocket, fishing out a slightly wrinkly paper.

He took two deep breaths and read its contents, telling an abbreviated version of their first meeting.

After he was finished, Robert stepped up to the podium. His eyes were red, signalling his constant flow of tears.

James himself hadn't cried. He was simply there. An empty shell of him was all that he was at the moment.

"I remember when I first told Lucy of my attraction towards males. She simply waved it off as if I was telling her about the news. She never once judged my choice of lovers out of disgust. Sometimes she even encouraged it. I... I'm sorry." He stopped to clear his vision, tears once more invading it.

He deemed himself incapable of continuing and nodded to Remus, who was standing by to head up himself.

"To me Lucy was someone whom I could tell my deepest secrets without any worries. She respected my wishes for secrecy and never once told someone about anything." Remus started, half reading half reciting his short speech.

"I remember that back in our second year she was willing to jeopardize her whole friendship with James simply for my sake." Remus smiled, the memory of Lucy telling him that he could've been a Dementor and she'd still be friends with him.

"That was the kind of friend Lucy was. Always making sure we were happy but never pursuing happiness herself. All I hope is that she reaches it in the after life. Thank you." He finished, bowing his head before leaving the podium, giving it away to Sirius.

"Okay, so I'm not that great with speeches but here it goes. Lucy always looked out for me back when we first became friends. She was one of the first people I ever opened up to about my life back home." Sirius told the crowd, eyes lingering in his younger brother who had tries to be inconspicuous.

"She was the one who taught me that my parents and family name didn't have to define who I was. That my worth was far bigger than the house I had been sorted in. All that I wish for her is to find peace." He finished and left the podium to help comfort Rob, who was hugging Remus.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. The short time he had spent in the Dashwood family home was spent hearing condolences from people he had never met, people who only seemed to care for the family after their death.

He wished he could throw them out, keep them away from the two last Dashwoods so that they could mourn in peace.

After everyone had finished talking Marie's ear off she headed over to James, an envelope in hand.

"James. Lucy wished for you to have this. I already gave Rob his." Marie told him, her light French accent who somehow still lingered gently coating her words.

She handed him an envelope with his name written on top in the familiar handwriting of Lucy.

He accepted it with a murmured thanks and put it in his pocket, so he could read it at home.

Soon his parents called him and the others to come back home.

The day had been exhausting for everyone and James only wished for his bed.

He got his wish and that night as he went to sleep, an image of a smiling Lucy was the only thing he could see.

_________________

And that's it for the funeral chapter.

I'm going to miss Lucy. But it has been done.

Anyways, only one more chapter to the epilogue.

I'll see you all next time!