The Patronus Charm- A Lily and James Fanfiction

Chapter Forty: Wasting Away

PC Chap. Forty

I drop the last box on my foot. "Ouch!" I mutter harshly as I pick it up.
James glances over at me. "The funeral is on Saturday, which is our first day of Easter Break. The wedding is last weekend of the break."
"I know."
"Okay. Let's head to my house. Father is happy that you're coming over. He needs a smile, I reckon. He's been at work a lot and when he isn't working, he's with Mum."
"Any news on her?" I ask as I follow James down my street.
James shakes his head. "No."
I grab his hand and hold it tightly. "I shouldn't have asked."
"No. It's fine. How are you feeling?"
"Less numb." I admit. "I still can't believe it."
"I know. Dad was sent to investigate the scene, Lils. He said that if was awful. He knew who they were and that we were dating."
We arrive outside Potter Manor. Unsurprisingly, the grass is greener here than it was at my old house. James walks us through the outer gate and up to the front door. "Blinky?" James calls.
With a loud crack, the small house elf appears. "Master James, you brought Miss Lily!" She cries cheerfully.
"Is my father home?"
Blinky looks at James with big sad eyes. "He is visiting your mother." She squeaks.
James nods. "Okay. Thank you." He turns to me. "I'd like to make a trip to Mungo's. If you don't want to come-"
I interrupt him by pressing my lips to his. "James, I'll come. Of course, I will."
He smiles at me and kisses my cheek. We take Floo powder this time. Thank goodness.
We arrive and stumble out of the fireplace. I flick ashes off my sweater.
James grins at me. "You have ashes in your hair, Lils."
I pull my hair out of the messy bun and shake it out. "Thanks, James."
"Let's go figure out where Mum is." He says simply.
"James, are you going to be okay?" I ask hesitantly.
"I don't think either of us knows the definition of okay anymore. I don't know."
"Alright." I walk up to the front desk. A young nurse with vivid blue hair and a bored look, sits at the desk. "Excuse me-"
"What do you want? Hair colour spells are not something we reverse here. I pity that colour looks awful." She says sourly.
Ouch. I like my hair...
"My girlfriend's hair is natural, thank you very much. We would like to know where Mrs. Dorea Potter is."
The nurse rolls her eyes and scans a piece of parchment. "Ward 16 for Magical Attacks, third floor on the right."
James passes the desk and starts walking. We climb two flights of stairs and walk into the ward.
"Wait," I say. "James, are you sure that you can handle seeing her like this? Look, my grandmother got sick a few years back and we went to see her. She didn't look like the grandmother I remember. She was dying of cancer."
James tilts his head down. "I have to see her before she dies."
"There's no-"
"Lils, she is gone. Whether she lives or dies, my mum is gone. I have to see her."
"Okay."
I follow James to the ward desk.
"James, I'm sorry." A familiar voice says. A tall lanky man with a hardened face gets up. Frank.
"Frank." James frowns.
"I was on the mission. Please, don't tell Alice. I tried to protect her, but two spells hit her at the same time. I've been here for your father every spare minute that I've had." Frank explains.
"It wasn't your fault." James says bitterly. "No one could have stopped two spells like that. Thanks for being with my father. Is he with Mum?"
Frank nods. "Lily, do you want to stay out here?" He offers.
"Please, Lily, I don't want to go alone." James begs.
"Okay." I agree softly.
"James, she's awake." Frank states with a frown.
James' face contorts painful. He looks happy, yet undeniably sad. "She isn't functioning well, is she?"
"Memories, mate. Her head is scrambled. She can talk in full sentences, but she isn't okay."
"Let's go." I grab James' hand.
Together, we walk into the room. A pale elderly lady sits on the bed, wearing a hospital gown. I can barely recognize her from the smiling lady that I met at Christmas.
Mr. Potter turns and looks at us. He stands. "Lily, I'm so sorry about your parents, dear."
I nod gratefully.
"How's your sister doing?"
"As well as she can." I answer with a sigh.
"James," Charlus says softly. "She...she remembers you, but her short term memory isn't any good."
James winces and walks over to the bed. "Hi Mum."
Dorea's eyes light up. "James! I've missed you!" She sounds almost like herself, but less like the respectable Auror side of her and more like a younger mum.
"Mum. I've missed you too." James says with a sad smile.
"Who's your friend?" She asks.
James' face falls. He takes a deep breath. "Mum, this is my girlfriend, Lily Evans."
"Lovely to meet you!" She takes my hand and grins proudly. "My little James is grown up."
"He's wonderful, Mrs. Potter." I say as I pat her hand.
"He's the Head Boy at Hogwarts."
"Mum, she's the Head Girl."
"Oh! What a lovely couple! How are your friends?" She asks excitedly. Oh... She can't stay with a conversation for long...
James launches into a conversion about the Marauders.
Charlus leans over and says quietly." Please don't let James shut you out. He needs someone to talk to."
I nod. Tears filling my eyes as I watch James struggle to make conversation with his mum. "Merlin, I just lost my parents and now..." I trail off.
Charlus nods. "It's hard. There's always magical advancements in this field." He says bravely.
"I'm sorry. My grandmother died years ago and I can remember the days watching her waste away. It was hard and it didn't get better." I mumble.
"I understand. It's heartbreaking... James is so upset." He scratches his head. "You should take James back to the manor. He needs to be out of here."
I nod. "Alright." I walk back to James. Gently, I tap his shoulder. "James, we need to get going."
"Oh. I can't wait until Christmas Break! I'll get to see you again!" Dorea declares.
James sighs. "Mum, it's almost Easter."
"Silly me." She chuckles.
"Bye Mum. I love you."
"Bye James."
James cringes when she doesn't return the comment. Oh James...
I guide James out of the room. I grab his hand and apparate.
We land in a field about a mile away from the manor.
James' eyes are full of tears. "She's really gone." He whispers brokenly. "She didn't even know that it's almost Easter! It's her favourite holiday..."
"James." I say softly. I grab his hand. My hearts aches for him. He's losing her. My mum was there one day and the next she was gone. I lost her, but not like this. I didn't have to watch her waste away into someone I didn't know... She was just gone. Taken by the cruelness of a monster, who's never known love. I lost both of my parents, but James is watching as his mum dies.
James wraps his arms around me and we start crying into the middle of a field in the darkness.
...................
AN: hi guys. This chapter was heavy and hard to write for me. Losing someone like that is extremely hard. I lost someone that way- so it brought back some difficult memories. Sorry it took so long for this update, but that's why.
I've been busy with studying for an exam so that's another reason this is late...
I posted a new story, The Protectors, so if u guys would read it would really mean a lot to me.
Thanks.
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