ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ᴡᴀʟʟ | ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴇʀᴀ

xliii. the end

Callie opened her eyes.

Ceiling. That was what she saw first. Old, beige ceiling with brown specks. Then the smell of rosemary lingered in the air and calmed her entirety.

What happened? was her initial question. Callie knew what happened. The fight with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. But the memory was a bit fuzzy and she couldn't recollect every bit of information. Not even when she tried her hardest.

She and Dumbledore went to the Ministry, they managed to convince them, they flew to the Lestrange Manor with the Aurors, they fought against the opposing force, then the locket was destroyed, and then Voldemort. Then, then what happened next? Right, she was stabbed by Bellatrix. And the last thing she saw was Regulus' crying face.

Regulus.

The thought of him made her aware of a weight on her right forearm. She craned her head, though it felt heavy, to see what it was.

It wasn't a what. It was Regulus, sound asleep and peaceful on her forearm.

A small, loving smile crept up to her lips. He looked so peaceful there, just breathing with his eyes closed and unwrinkled face. He's got a few bruises, some are more visible than the others but she knew none of them will scar.

"You've got yourself a very dedicated man."

Callie gasped and looked to her right. Madam Pomfrey was smiling and raising an eyebrow, looking at Regulus. She thought the old lady was harmful to them.

But as her words registered in her head, her cheeks flushed light scarlet.

Madam Pomfrey sighed, shaking her head and gave Callie a cup. "He never left your side ever since he rushed you here. Drink. It'll help your senses back," she said when the girl wouldn't take it.

Callie feared it was laced with poison. But why would Madam Pomfrey do that? She wouldn't. So she took it and looked back at Regulus.

How he brought her there, she had no idea. But she wouldn't deny the butterflies fluttering in her heart like crazy. He never left her.

"He kept insisting even if I shoo him away," Madam Pomfrey added as she gulped the warm, grassy juice. "He wasn't even intimidated. Too dedicated I must say." She shook her head again, showing disappointment. But it turned into a sealed smile. She rested a hand on her shoulder. "He's rare, best to keep him." She tapped her shoulder as a reminder. Ah, young love.

Callie nodded, embarrassed. But it dissipated quite quickly. I never intend to let him go, she said in her head, putting up that small smile again.

Madam Pomfrey left, leaving the both of them in silence. She brushed his hair. The ends were tangled- okay maybe not just the ends. He seemed like he hadn't brushed his hair for quite some time. Well with the battle and their journey before that, how could he?

Regulus shifted in his seat and slowly his eyes opened. Callie greeted him with a wider smile.

"Hey."

Regulus seeing her awake after waiting immediately sat up straight and smiled. "Hey." Just his tone in that single word, she knew he was excited to talk to her again. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than ever." Callie sat up and Regulus helped her.

"You scared me out there."

"I'm sorry. I didn't notice where she was until it hurt." She held her right waist where Bellatrix had stabbed her. That made her wonder, what happened to her and everyone else? Everything, after she was stabbed, was even fuzzier than the rest of her memories.