Shooting Star

Chapter Twenty-Four

It's been four months since my parents died. Remus was pressuring me to tell Sirius what was wrong with me, but I insisted nothing was wrong.
Ms. Strout, the head of the Janus Thickey Ward (where I worked), made me go home early today. She said I looked terrible and to go home and get some rest. And she hadn't even seen me burst into tears after leaving Mr. Bode's room.
I sat in the living room, trying to write a letter to Natalie.
I wasn't sure why I was writing her. She hated me. She thought me a freak. She blamed me for our parents' deaths.
But then again, perhaps it was my fault. The muggles could have just thought it a car accident and it actually have been something else. That probably was the case, too.
There was a knock at the door, but I ignored it.
My parents hadn't deserved to die. They were good people, more or less. Sure, my father wasn't always the best, but still. And my mother was absolutely a saint.
They're dead. Natalie hates me. I'm all alone.
There was another knock. "Eliza, it's me. Open up." Remus called. No.
Of course, I have Sirius, Lily, Remus, James and Sev. I love them more than anything.
But they'll be able to take care of themselves, I'm sure.
My father's gun was sitting on the table in front of me. I stared at it, contemplating.
Remus knocked again. "I know you're in there, Eliza. I need you to let me in, okay?"
Tears welled in my eyes.
Surely Lily would keep the boys in check.
I picked up the gun, turning it over in my hands.
"Eliza." He sounded worried now. "If you don't open the door, I'm coming in."
I sucked up my tears and shoved the gun under the couch cushions. I took a deep breath to calm down, not wanting him to see me like that.
I got up to open the door. "Hey, Remus. What's up? Sorry, I was asleep."
He gave me an unbelieving look, but nodded. "You ready to go?" He handed me flowers.
"You got me flowers?"
"Yep. Figured you'd like them. I also got some for your mother." He held out another bouquet.
"You're sweet, Remus, you really are. You know I love you. But you really don't have to come."
"I'm not letting you go by yourself."
"How did you even learn I did it?" I asked, turning back inside to put the flowers in some water.
"I showed up at your house and you said you were going." He said.
"Oh, right. There's mistake number one." I shot him a smile. "Thank you for the flowers."
"You're welcome." He held out his hand to me.
"Are you sure you want to come?" I asked as I took his hand.
"Of course. Lead the way."
I apparated us to a cemetery. He put his arm around me as we walked through the gates and through the rows of tombstones.
I stopped him and pointed. Natalie was kneeling in between my parents' graves. "Let's go home." I said.
"You mean you don't want to talk to her?"
"I do. She doesn't."
"If you want to do it, do it. I'll come with you."
I pulled him after me to go kneel beside my sister. He handed me the flowers, and I placed them on my mother's grave.
"What are you doing here, freak?" She spat at me, her face tear stained.
"Same as you." I avoided looking at her.
"You know," I said after a while, "This would be much easier for you if you accepted God." I said gently.
"You're the damn reason I don't." She snapped, jerking her head to glare at me. "You're supposed to be an abomination. You aren't supposed to be real. Witchcraft is a sin. It's fake! You're a sin. You can't be real! But no, you are! You're the damn reason I don't trust that shit."
I stood up. "I'm sorry, Natalie. I do love--"
She pulled out a gun.
"NATALIE!" I screamed, but she pulled the trigger.
Remus shoved his hand over my eyes and turned me away as I started shrieking. People around us screamed too.
I kept shrieking. I was covered with my sister's blood. I had my sister's brain all over me.
Remus, thankfully, had taken a muggle studies class, so he yelled for someone to call the police as I kept screaming. "Shh, shh, it's okay." He told me, turning me to face him, away from my sister's body. He brushed my hair back, but his fingers got stuck up in the blood.
I broke free from him and dropped down beside Natalie. I put my head to her chest, but it didn't move, and her heart didn't beat.
Those moments of hoping my sister was alive had calmed me for those few seconds, but then I remembered that I was getting drenched with her blood as I did so. I started screaming, and Remus pulled me up and away. He hugged me to him. "Shh." He whispered, smoothing my hair. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay, Eliza."
When the police arrived, I forced myself to calm down and answer their questions.
"Hey, back off." Remus told them, putting his arm around me protectively. "She just watched her sister die; does she really need this?"
"I'm okay." I lied to Remus. "May I use your phone?" I asked the police officer. "I need to call my uncle."
"Of course." He handed me his phone.
I called Uncle Arthur.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Hi, Uncle Arthur. It's Eliza." I said.
"Hey, girly. What's up?"
"I need you to come here." My voice cracked.
"What's wrong? Eliza?"
I started crying again, so I handed the phone to Remus.
"Hi, this is Remus Lupin, Eliza's friend. We're at the cemetery where her parents are buried. We ran into Natalie, and she killed herself." Remus paused. "Is she okay? Uh, well. I mean. She's as good as can be expected for being covered with her sister's blood."
After a moment, Remus handed the phone back to the police. "He'll be here in about ten minutes." He told me, hugging me.
I buried my face in his chest.
"You're so kind." I told Remus after a moment. "I love you so much. Thank you."
"Of course. I love you too." He said quietly. "Your uncle's here."
My uncle came straight up to me, not looking anywhere else. "Go on home, Eliza. I'll let you know what happens."
"Thank you." I said distantly. I'd hug him, but I was dirty.
Remus and I walked a little ways before disapparating.
He had taken me to Sirius'. Sirius was sprawled out on the floor, asleep.
"Oi, Black. Wake up." Remus said abruptly.
"No, don't wake him." I said quietly, but he was already up.