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╔═══════════════════════════╗ XIV. BONUS CHAPTER: REUNION ╚═══════════════════════════╝
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
THE AFTERLIFE WAS a dark, quiet place, Eloise noted. Very much the opposite of the loud, raging battlefield she left only moments before. She felt guilty, though. Guilty for leaving her nephew. But at the same time, her heart swelled with excitement.
Would she finally see them again? Would she be able to see them in something other than a memory in her Pensieve?
"Hello, Ellie," came a voice. "Long time no see, little sister. Or should I say big sister, now?"
Eloise could no longer hold back her tears when she turned around and saw James Potter and Lily Evans standing in front of her, wide smiles on their faces.
"James?" she breathed.
"It's good to see you again, Ellie," said James, pulling his not-so-baby sister into a bone-crushing hug.
"Hey, where's my hug?"
Eloise let go of her brother and saw Sirius. She walked up to him, and instead of hugging him, smacked him on the arm.
"You idiot— taunting Bellatrix during a duel— you died—"
"Woah, woah, woah! This is not the warm welcome I was anticipating, Little Potter. Especially after you cried so much. Don't deny it— you missed me."
Eloise wouldn't deny it, because it was true. That was why she was so angry with him for being so careless. Losing Sirius was like losing James all over again.
"Oh, shut up you—" and only then did she notice the other man standing beside Sirius. "No! You m— no! Remus— your son! What about your son? And Tonks?"
"Tonks is here too," said Remus softly.
"No . . ." muttered Eloise in disbelief. "Oh, no . . . but Teddy—"
"Teddy will have Harry and Andromeda," Remus reminded the woman.
Eloise looked downwards, now feeling horrible for the infant who was now an orphan.
"I hope I'm not crashing the reunion party."
And for the first time in eighteen years, hazel eyes met icy blue.
"Reg?" she asked, voice cracking.
"Hello, Love. It's been a while," said Regulus in an oddly soft voice.
Without a moment's hesitation, Eloise barreled into Regulus, hugging him and never wanting to let go. Oh how she missed him.
"I-I missed you . . . I missed you so much."
She couldn't even find it in herself to be angry with him for leaving her with only a note and without a proper goodbye, because Merlin, she was so happy to have him back.
"Shh . . . I'm right here, darling . . . I'm right here. I'm so sorry, Love . . . so sorry for leaving you."
"No, don't apologize . . . You were trying to do the right thing. Just— just don't leave me again."
Regulus pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, and murmured, "I wouldn't dream of it."
Sirius cleared his throat.
"Uh, hate to break it to you guys, but we're dead. There isn't really a way to— Ow!"
Sirius rubbed the back of his head, glaring at Remus who smiled innocently.
And for the first time in over a decade, everything was alright.
