Serena Black || 𝑪𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒐

Knocking on Heaven's Door

• Serena Black •

„Death never comes at the right time,
despite what mortals believe.
Death always comes like a thief."

Clink light on, off again, clink light on. The strangely annoying sound of the flickering lamp echoed through the hospital wing like dramatic drumbeats to exciting parts in films.

Only unfortunately, this was no film.

This was the bitter reality and there was no hero in sight who would normally rescue the dying girl from her distress. In real life there were not always happy endings.

There was nothing left of the cure, only the splinters on the floor indicated its past existence. After what felt like an eternity, the tense silence was interrupted by her mother's sobs. This seemed to snap the others in the room out of their stupor. "What have you done, Sirius?" whispered Remus in a trembling voice.

Shocked, Serena's father finally looked up from the pile of shards. "I-I didn't do this.... I-I didn't mean to," he stammered.

"Severus." Remus took one deep breath and, considering the gravity of the situation, seemed to want to talk calmly and reasonably to his former school rival. "Is there any more of the antidote?"

"No," Snape replied coldly, looking at him with such an expressionless expression as if he had never been more indifferent to anything in his life.

"But there must be someone who has more of the antidote!" complained Serena's mother angrily, looking at them all in turn. Apparently no one had enlightened them as to how elaborate and rare the potion was, which could destroy even old poison cells that had long since taken hold.

"I doubt that...", Remus began to enlighten them, but he was rudely interrupted by Snape, "It's not something you could just buy in a shop. The cure must only be ingested in the first three hours after brewing, otherwise it becomes pure poison."

"Sni... Severus," Sirius put in, taking a deep breath. "I beg you, please make the cure again."

Snape just looked at him blankly. "Even if I were to do you that favour, Black. Brewing takes a total of twenty-four hours, and the way I assess this situation, Miss Black won't last that long." His gaze flitted for a split second to the sick girl in the bed, whose father had now shed all pride and dignity. Dropping to his knees, he tugged helplessly at the potions master's cloak. "Please, you must help her!"

Katherine, meanwhile, had one hand pressed to her mouth to muffle her sobs and with the other she reached for her daughter's hand, who watched silently as Snape plucked the clutching hands from his cloak. He turned on his heel and disappeared from the room without another word or another turn.