Potter | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 161

Throughout the next week, James and Jenna took turns to stay at the Hospital for twenty-four hours a day, Sirius and Lily staying with them as well.

Their biggest shock was when the healers announced that Euphemia was diagnosed with Dragon Pox as well, although hers wasn't even near as bad as Fleamont.

She was still conscious and perhaps still rather healthy, even though the healers insisted that she should stay at the Hospital. She was allowed visitors and looked just as her usual self at first, but as the days proceeded, she seemed to be getting worse and worse.

But Fleamont was in no state to even be allowed to have visitors. He was still unconscious after a week, with no progress in his health.

Jenna hadn't slept or eaten properly for days now and she looked thinner and paler than ever, her hair not changing from silver. She barely talked and there was nothing Sirius could do to make her feel better.

That day, Jenna was at home with Sirius, while it was James's turn to remain at the Hospital to stay with his parents alongside Lily.

But as Jenna was sitting the the living room, gazing into the fireplace emotionlessly, her attention was caught bu Sirius who just walked out of their room.

He looked paler that Jenna had ever seen him and there was a miserable expression on his face that couldn't go unnoticed.

"What?" Jenna asked, getting to her feet as she sensed that something was obviously wrong.

"I just got a Patronus from Lily," Sirius whispered, his eyes red as he gulped. "I'm so sorry, Jenna."

She didn't even wait for him to say anything else. With her heart pounding in her chest, she ran out of the house and Dissaparate.

"Jenna, wait!" Sirius shouted after her, but it was too late. She was gone.

Jenna had gone back to the hospital. She was running up its soulless halls, empty of any feeling except for the fear she had. She was frightened. More frightened than she had been her whole life.

But she finally surrendered herself fully to that fear when she saw James and Lily sitting outside her father's room, holding each other in a tight embrace, crying quietly.

At the sound of her approach, they looked up at Jenna. She looked down at her brother, his face wet with tears and his eyes red behind his glasses.

Lily looked down, not wanting to look up at Jenna, knowing that it would only hurt more.

"I'm so sorry..." James whispered, his tears streaming down his face as he looked up at her. "You — you should probably go say goodbye."

Jenna said nothing else. She just turned on her heels, taking steps toward her father's room. Once she opened the door, the healers around his bed glanced at one another and quietly left the room.

The moment the door closed behind her and she found herself alone, Jenna found it almost impossible to breathe as she stared down at the white bed from afar, where her father's lifeless body lay, his head peacefully facing the ceiling, his eyes closed to never open again.

Jenna took hesitant steps toward his bed, her mind blank, her throat sore. She couldn't blink. She couldn't get herself to breathe.

She felt her world crashing down around her as she stared down at her father. Fleamont's always laughing lips weren't moving. His bright face no longer beamed up at her.

Jenna let out a sniff as she dropped herself down the chair beside his bed, her tears streaming down her face.

"Dad..." she whispered, even though she knew that he wasn't going to answer. Knowing that she could never hear his voice again. Never hear his silly jokes or his laughter. Knowing that their house would be silent and soulless forever.

Jenna sat there for minutes. She felt like time had stopped. That the world had ended with him. But then, why was she still breathing? Why was her heart hurting so bad?

She didn't know how long she was sitting there, but she was dragged back to reality when a healer walked into the room.

"Miss Potter?" she called her softly.

Jenna didn't want to leave his side. But she knew it was time. So she just slowly got to her feet, placing one last kiss on her father's forehead, which now had a slight green tinge, her eyes burning from the tears.

"Goodbye," she whispered.

Not bearing to look at him another second, she turned on her heels and left the room.

Once she walked back into the hall, Sirius had arrived as well and was trying to comfort James. At her sight, Sirius quickly got to his feet. It was the first time that Jenna was seeing him cry.

"Jen —" Lily was trying to say, but Jenna cut her off when she turned to face James.

"How's Mum?" she asked him in a weak tone.

"Not good," James muttered.

"Does she know?" Jenna asked, not bearing to mention her father's name.

"No." James shook his head weakly. "The healers say it's better if we don't tell her yet... it will only make her feel worse."

"I — I think I'll go visit her," Jenna whispered, turning around to walk down the hall, where her mother was. She didn't want to stay with the others. Her heart couldn't bear it.

Jenna hesitated at her mother's door for a second to wipe away her tears. With that, she knocked softly on the door and walked into the room.

Her heart sank as she saw her mother's weak body on the bed, looking thinner than ever. Euphemia feebly opened her eyes halfway, and managed a small smile at her daughter's sight.

"Hey," she said brightly, but her voice sounded different than always. It didn't have the same spirit to it.

"Hey," Jenna whispered, going forward and sitting on the chair beside her bed.

"How's your father?" Euphemia asked, being forced to shut her eyes close again out of the weakness.

Jenna gulped, doing everything in her power to prevent herself from crying. "He's... feeling better."

"Good," Euphemia sighed, looking more at peace by those words.

But that was enough for Jenna to burst into tears. She held a hand over her mouth to muffle out her sound, looking away from her mother so she wouldn't see her tears.

"Oh, don't cry..." Euphemia whispered, mustering all the energy she had to move her arm and hold onto Jenna's hand. "My brave little girl... don't worry... I'm not scared to go..."

"I-I don't know what I'm s-supposed to do without you," Jenna said between her sobs. "P-please don't leave m-me."

"I'm not going anywhere," Euphemia smiled up at her. "I'm always going to be with you."

Jenna held onto her hand tighter, her tear dropping onto the bedsheets as she looked down at her mother pleadingly.

"I'm so proud of you, Jenna... and James..." Euphemia then struggled to take a deep breath. "I was... so lucky... to have you both in my life..."

Jenna said nothing. She just cried silently, holding on tighter to her hand as Euphemia smiled up at her for the last time.

But then, Jenna's world crumbled down as she felt her mother's hand go cold, her lifeless eyes staring up, the ghost of her last smile still on her lips.