Rose Petals ✿ Remus Lupin - Discontinued :(

Chapter 10

Days went by and the only thing on Belle's mind was her birthday party. Her letters were ready to be sent in her favorite desk drawer; all she need was the details from her parents. As she went to bed, another day gone where her parents had said they still needed to plan out things. She tossed and turned for what seemed like hours before actually falling asleep. She was sucked into a haunting dream, one that would not leave her memory for the rest of the summer.

Her feet dashed across the green, dewy grass as she attempted to run away from whatever was chasing her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight as she went as quickly up the hill as she could, her ribs and lungs aching for her to stop, but she knew better. 

Stopping meant death. 

The more she ran up the hill the more of Hogwarts was visible, but it was decrepit. Fire was burning from the rooftops and spells were being thrown back and forth in the air, the colors combining into brighter hues making the scene far more beautiful than it deserved to be.

Her wand. 

If only she had her wand, but being the idiotic girl she was, she'd dropped it. She couldn't tell where it was, only that it was not in her pocket. Everything around her fell to pieces as darkly covered criminals with skull-like masks crept into the school, spreading faster than an epidemic. The spine chilling howl of a dangerous wolf tailed Belle, making her breath hitch in her throat. It was in the distance did a red-haired figure scream, calling Belle's name over and over again to run faster. The red-headed figure, too, had dropped their wand. Belle called the figure's name, but it wasn't audible to her. It was like her head was enveloped in a water bubble, she could not hear the name.

She was older, she knew that much. She felt taller and heavier than usual, but she was still at Hogwarts, which meant she had to be an upperclassmen at least. More voices called for Belle to move faster, and colors flew past her head, trying to hit the creature behind her. They all seemed to miss, however, as the shots kept firing. She was almost up the hill now, only a few more feet to go, but right as she was about to reach the top, something latched onto her leg. It pulled her back down, slowly, almost as if on a conveyor belt. The screams faded and all that was left was the tugging feeling on her leg.

She turned, to see the beats that had caught her, but all she saw was night sky. And a moon. A giant, full moon. Her eyes scanned the open area, for she was not being pulled anymore, but standing straight up, Hogwarts gone completely. It was now just night. She turned around once more, finding a small table with a single rose in a glass covering, levitating above the bottom of the container. Scattered rose petals were on the bottom, the rose half wilted and half alive. It was a black rose, a pure ebony flower. It was still beautiful to Belle, though all she felt when she looked at the rose was dread. Her hand slowly reached out to touch it, but as soon as she did, the rose disappeared, and Belle's hands were covered in blood.

She screamed.

"Belle! Belle, darling, wake up!" 

Belle jolted awake, her dizzy eyes latching onto old Ariella, who looked more panicked than usual. Her eyes drifted to the window, where the moon was still high in the sky. Belle shivered at the moon, the nightmare still vivid in her brain. Her hands were covered in blood. Her head shook repeatedly as she tried so hard to forget the feeling of someone's blood on her hands. Ariella seemed to notice Belle, who was looking quite odd, but brushed it off; they had bigger matters to fret over right now.

"Belle, please dear, come with me." Ariella begged, to which Belle swung her legs over the side of the bed, taking the woman's hand. The woman took a deep breath before apparating, something completely foreign to Belle. She knew what it was, of course, as her parents had done it multiple times, but she'd never accompanied them in apparating. The feeling was nauseating. Belle had to steady herself for a moment before she could see again. When she peeled her eyes open, she was met with the uncomfortable white of a hospital. St. Mungos, to be exact.

"Ariella, why are we here?" Belle asked, though she already knew the answer, part of her still hoped her father had accidentally cut his finger with a knife or something.

"It's your mother, dear." Belle froze, her mind going blank. Her mother. Her mother was in the hospital. Something happened, again.

"She had another fall?" Belle whispered, staring at the floor. She wanted to move. She wanted to run to her family and cry and scream, but she didn't. She bundled it all inside.

"I'm afraid it's worse than that, my dear." Ariella too whispered, her breath shaking.

"What room are they in?" Belle asked calmly.

"Brie-"

"Please, what room?" The old woman saw the tears in the young girls' eyes, and couldn't take keeping it from her.

"214." The woman croaked, trying to grab onto the girls arm but Belle was already down the hall, leaving Ariella to sniffle by herself. Belle's mind was far too crowded for her to think clearly, so she did not apologize, nor excuse herself for pushing past people and families crying around a small girl in a hospital bed. She climbed the stairs, going as fast as her small legs could carry her up to the room where her mother lay, her father sitting in a chair next to the bad, gripping onto her hand. She did not alert the two of her presence when she stood in the doorframe, catching her breath and staring directly at her mother, whose eyes were closed and mouth slightly parted.

"Is she-" Belle croaked, making her father snap his head to where she was. He simply looked at her before shaking his head.

"No,no-just sleeping." 

Belle let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding,  a truant tear sliding down her cheek. Benjamin opened his arms, and Belle ran to him, sobbing into his shoulder as their third member of the trio lay unconscious in a hospital bed, on the brink of death.

-- -- -- -- --

For the remaining break, Belle spent her time next to mother's bed while her father worked hours on end. Her mother had woken up and was too weak to even move her arms, which caused another round of tears from both Belle and her father. Since then, her father had been working longer, staying later, and generally avoiding the hospital. Belle knew why, though. Her father had never been one to accept these types of things. He believed you could cheat death if you thought it could never happen. If he avoided seeing his dying wife, she wouldn't be dying anymore, which to Belle, was absolutely idiotic. She knew things happen, it's what keeps people human. Mistakes and tragedies. Belle watched as her mother opened the get well soon card from her parents, who had refused to come and see their daughter in the hospital because they were 'busy'. her mother frowned before placing the card on her beside table and looking at her daughter.

"You go back tomorrow, yes?"

"I don't have to." Belle stated, shifting in her chair. "I could stay here with you and papa."

"Don't be silly, darling." Her mother shook her head, failing to move well.

"Mum, I don't want to leave you." Belle whispered, just loud enough for her mother to hear.

"I know, Belle, I don't want you to leave either, but you have to make memories. Good ones." She smiled. The clock on the wall buzzed, signaling the end of visiting hours. Belle glared at the clock, as if intimidating it enough would make it reverse.

"I'll see you during Christmas, okay love?" Her mother grinned at her daughter, giving the girl a wink. "Don't change much."

"I won't, I promise. I love you, Mum."

"I love you too, my little rose petal."