"Mum—"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Time was suddenly moving too slowly. At least for Asteria, it was.

If only she could think of a hundred possibilities at that time, but she couldn't. Her eyes only watched blankly as the green ball filled with fury flew right past her and hit her mother in the chest.

And if that wasn't enough, her body fell backwards, arching into the smoke veil and slowly turning into nothingness.

Ria lurched forward, her frame shaking. If only she could reach her in time.. hold her hand and pull her back from that devious arch. Yes, I could reach her.

Her lips broke out into a small smile. She could save her. She knew it.

Although an arm around her stripped her away of her happiness. "No.. No, let me.." she mumbled with her hand reaching out towards Isabella, struggling to move forward.

Tears blurred her vision. She was slipping away. "No, let me go— Let me— NO!"

The battle had stopped; all eyes on the veil at the centre of the room.

"Ray..?" Harry's lips were trembling, his eyes not leaving the spot where she stood just moments ago. "Sirius.. where is.. where did she go?"

He took a step to walk there, but his godfather grabbed him by his arm. He looked at him, and found streams of tears running down his face.

"Harry.. she's.."

"Sirius, why are you..? Stop it. Stop crying. We— gotta— we gotta go look for her—"

He stopped him from going any further as his own stomach churned horribly. His own throat was choking on a lump of regret. But he had to..

He had to keep himself together for their sake.

Harry kept wanting to rush to Isabella, and while Sirius tried to keep him in place, his own mind felt blank and shattered. His vision was blurring.

"It will be different this time.. We'll make sure of it." His promise with Remus echoed in the back of her mind.

..four children, swearing to protect the fifth one from everything that would try to take her away from them.

They had broken their promise.

He gave a small sniffle and held Harry tightly as he struggled even more.

The Azrael's curse had won. Isabella had lost.

They had failed her.

Someone was chuckling far away from them. Carrow could hardly believe themselves as they watched the scene unfold in front of them.

Isabella Diggory was.. was finally dead.

They couldn't stop the chortle of victory that left their mouth. They doubled over with that feeling, and with every menacing laugh that shook their whole body, their eyes were lit with pure joy and blurred with tears for the first time in what felt like whatever.

What was that feeling? Carrow hadn't felt that in such a long time.

They looked up at the ceiling, the laughs and the tears never stopping. "Did you— Did you see me,? I did— I DID IT!"

"I DID IT, MOTHER!" Their throat hurt from the screaming, laughing and crying, but they couldn't stop themselves. Through the silence only their voice echoed. " I KILLED HER! DID YOU SEE ME? I KILLED YOUR MURDERER!"

"..Mum?"

All the chaos stopped.. everything around her, and for the first time, everything inside her too.

It couldn't be.. could it?

Death trying to strip Asteria away of happiness was already unfair.. but taking her away?

I didn't even.. I didn't even get to apologise to her.

"Mum!" Her lungs hurt with the lack of air. "Mum, I'm sorry—"

"Dear, please—" It was Tonks holding her back.

"No.." She pleaded, trying to shove her away, but she wouldn't budge.

Tonks tightened her grip despite the tears falling from her eyes. "Ria.." They didn't deserve it. "I'm— I'm sorry.. you can't—"

"No! Leave me—" Ria couldn't even keep up with her own self. She was weakly grasping at thin air trying to get to her mother. "Mum! Are you— Ca— Can you.. I'm—"

'No, she can't hear you. And even if she could.. why would anyone want to listen to a failure of a daughter?'

"I'M S— SORRY! MUM!" She yelled at the lone archway, trying to drown Carrow's voice.

'Right. Scream all you want and she'd still shut you out. Just like you did all those months ago.'

Asteria doubled over, her hands finding feeble support of the ground beneath her as raw cries clawed at her throat.

Why..? Why her?

Her body shook violently against the ground, unable to hold itself up. She was losing her senses slowly. She knew nothing else but the merciless ache in her chest. The rest of her body was just numb.

Why not just kill me instead?

Her voice tore with the mourns that left her mouth. She felt like her guts were twisting with every breath she took.. with every sound she emitted and every move her body made.

'Right.. let it all out.'

It was unbearable.. the ache, the regret, the guilt..

'Let it free.'

..the rage.

It was clawing at her insides trying to tear her apart and get out.

Let it take over.. It was her own voice.

..would it take Carrow's life?

Quietly, she held herself up on her knees, looking up once again at the stone arch, defeated.

"Ria..?" Tonks asked with a whisper. When she couldn't even hear her breath, she hurried to stand in front of her.

Not just her neck.. but her eyes had webs of black veins under them too. They were spreading all over her body; down her face, up her arms, darkening her vision until the white and the blue had disappeared.

That can't be.. Her eyes widened in horror.

"No.. no, Ria, stop—"

Succumb.

A shrill scream left Asteria's throat, hurling Tonks away and leaving a bloody trail on the wall she had collided with.

It finally tore her apart and set itself free; black mist whipping around like a storm with a glowing red core. It was roaring like a mad gust of wind.

"..an Obscurus?" Kingsley whispered in pure disbelief.

"Well, I'd be damned, Lagarde." said Mad-Eye, under his breath. And with two quick spells, he knocked out two death-eaters in front of him. They had to get Tonks to safety and bring Asteria under control. If not under control then..

"Black! Get Potter out of here! We'll handle it here— Watch out!"

And while Sirius watched her, drowning into even more and unredeemable guilt, a spell came their way. Sirius let go of Harry to dodge it, but the boy just broke out into a sprint.

"Harry— stop!"

He deflected another spell with his wand, his eyes setting on his deranged cousin. "Our fight before was quite rudely interrupted, don't you think?"

"I don't—" Furious, he fired a spell only for it to get dodged "— have time— for your bullshit, Bellatrix!" He couldn't stop the tears streaming down his face.

She laughed. "Alright then." She said, her eyes moving towards his godson. His eyes widened.

"HARRY—"

Sirius attacked Bellatrix again, hurling her back. Her aim missed; it hit the ground. And Harry only stumbled a bit before getting back up and running towards Ria.

"Come on.. you're outnumbered." Bellatrix sneered, angry. "Hand me the prophecy. And we might just consider letting you go."

"Shut up."

Harry was paying no mind to the fight that was going on.. or whatever else that was happening around him. His focus was only on Ria. He couldn't leave her like that.

"RIA!" He called for her, standing just a few feet away from the pulsing Obscurus. He couldn't believe his eyes.. "RIA! CAN YOU HEAR ME— IT'S— it's me!"

He couldn't believe that it was his Ria.

A few feet away from them both, Carrow was crouching on the floor, laughing to themselves again.

Oh, this was much more amusing than what I had imagined!

Asteria Edwards.. the last Azrael who was bound to bring liberation! Was darkness and entrapment in literal sense.

It's so poetic, she would love that.

Though a spell sent their way made them lose their balance; they missed it closely. They looked at the source.

Harry had his wand pointed at Harry, his eyes dark with wrath. "You.. You did this.." His voice was thick with bitterness.

Carrow stood up. "Oh.. I wish I did." They chortled. "But it still wouldn't have been my.. my magnum opus, you know? Nothing could ever surpass the way I killed that damn Azrael—"

Harry repeatedly threw spells at them, and they kept deflecting without missing one beat. "You— really— thought— that— DA— did— something—?" It was like a child playing against its teacher. "Do better, Potter. Crucio—"

He fell on the ground, his body twisting in pain. And the Obscurus gave out a thunder-like rumble. Carrow stopped, their eyes on the black mass of dust. 

It was weird.. almost as if the Obscurus was looking at them. They took a step back in disbelief as its mass swelled and swelled in a threatening manner.

That wasn't right.. an Obscurus isn't conscious the first time it is freed.

Carrow focused, trying to find Asteria in the dark torrent. But they clutched at their own head, finding nothing but a loud, agonising squeak.

But there was nothing but victory in their head and a smile on their face. She was... God, she was fascinating..

What was she doing with those weak wizards?

"What happened, Asteria?" Bellatrix made a taunt at her while she continued her fight with Sirius.

"Don't you— dare!" He growled, and she gave out a shriek of laughter.

Carrow was quick to give her a look that she couldn't see because of their mask, but Bellatrix knew what they were saying.

Do it.

"Did someone take your dear mother away from you?"

The Obscurus gave a loud shriek, crushing rocks nearby with its force before charging towards Isabella's killer.

'It's a lie, Asteria.' Carrow spoke to her, trying to see if they could manipulate her in this form. 'It's a lie. She isn't dead. Wake up and see. Your mother is not dead—'

Ria's Obscurus did not buy into the lie, it seemed. Carrow took quick steps back, attacking it with any and every spell they could think of.

Now, let's test how strong you are..

Freezing charm. Petrifying charm. Shrinking charm. Destruction spell. Imperius curse. Killing curse.

Harry was screaming for her to stop, to come back to him; all to such an extent that his stomach hurt, but he didn't stop.

Killing curse. Killing curse. Killing curse!

When it didn't work, Carrow slashed their wand through the air like a sword, creating a whitish-blue shield between them. But Asteria broke through it, throwing them on the ground with the force.

Carrow looked up at her fiery red core, their chest heaving as their mind recognized Asteria's intent to kill.

Its black dust went on growing, building up like a beast when it corners its prey, and makes itself appear big and intimidating before pouncing.

"This is what you truly are.."

No. It was a Phoenix rising from its ashes.. rising not to be born again, but rising back from the dead.

Then.. Carrow felt something. 

A cold wisp of smoke against their back, and a firm hand grabbing the back of their neck. They laughed madly when a shield much stronger than theirs captured Asteria into a bubble-like structure.

The frustration and rage in the Obscurus's voice became more prominent. It became to resemble Ria's voice more and more as it banged madly against the shield to break it and get to Carrow.

"What is it.. my child?" He spoke as he stood behind Carrow, his slitted eyes looking up at Asteria's form in wonder. "What is it that you desire—"

His words were cut off by a spell, but he deflected it with a flick of his wand and Harry landed on his side several feet away, clutching his side and his head in pain.

"Do not.. interrupt me again." Voldemort said to him.

"Leave— her— alone!" Harry demanded, getting up to his feet.

His scar gave a nasty burn, and he clutched at his head again. He could hear Voldemort's voice in his head, just like all those days— like nails scratching against the walls of his mind, making him yelp at that terrible feeling.

He felt so.. so pathetic that he couldn't help.

"So.. Asteria. Tell me, do you wish to know who your betrayer is?" With a sly sneer, Voldemort grabbed at Carrow's neck, making them face her. "Don't you wish to take revenge?"

The Obscurus shrieked again, black dust transforming into claws and scratching against the shield, but all in vain.

"What if I give Carrow to you, my child?" He proposed, his hand now creeping up to the mask on their face, and Asteria calmed only a bit.

"Ah.. you would want that, wouldn't you?"

"Ria, don't listen to him!" Harry was quick to shout despite his poor state. "He'll never be the answer! He's the reason they're all dead!"

Voldemort blinked slowly, his gaze turning towards him. And his scar gave another blaze of burn. "Come to me.. with me. I will hand Carrow over to you." He looked at her again. "And you can do whatever you want to.. Kill Carrow too, if you want."

The Obscurus was the calmest it had ever been. If it had eyes, Harry would assume that it had been glaring daggers at Carrow like a vicious force. It was almost like..

No. She wouldn't. She would never go to Voldemort.. no matter how angry, how hurt she was.

He had to do something to free Ria from his trap. Something to distract her. Something—

"HARRY!" Sirius finally managed to take his attention. And Harry panicked, watching as he duelled with Bellatrix. But before he could make even one move, another yell erupted from him. "NO! STAY THERE— WITH HER!" Although his message was very clear, Harry could not read what his expressions were really trying to convey.

"Come on, Ria.." Carrow spoke now, and it sounded so familiar.. the voice. Harry would've even recognised who it was if it weren't for Voldemort messing with his head.

"I can feel how much you want to kill me.. How maniacally you want to laugh over my body once you get your revenge. Just like I did when I killed your dear Mum." Carrow aggravated her further. "She'd want this, Ria.. She would be so damn happy if you avenged her death, you know.." They hissed. "Go on.. take the offer."

Just how mad was this Carrow? Harry clutched at his stomach, feeling a horrible churn, but then he became aware of the orb clutched in his hand.

There was a beat of silence, and black claws dug into the shield, shattering it like glass. The Obscurus roared, its core glowing Azrael's golden now. And Voldemort did nothing but laugh as he admired her.

Such a gift you left for me, my dear Katherine.

Truly impeccable.

"RIA!" Harry screamed. And the smile on Voldemort's face disappeared as he saw him toss the glowing glass orb to her.

Carrow leapt forward, trying to summon the prophecy towards them, but Asteria's pull was stronger. "NO!"

The Obscurus swallowed the orb, crushing it to dust, and for a moment, Ria was here again; feeble, listening to the lowly whisper of the prophecy.

But she couldn't stay for long.. not with all the miserable feelings stirring inside of her. They weren't even inside her now; they were coming to life.. draining all of her until she hoped there was nothing left.

"Flee!" Voldemort's voice echoed off the dark walls.

Ria lunged towards Carrow, and they tripped on their feet as they ran from her Obscurus. It chased them across the room, through another door as they ran towards an escape they knew of. It was like a beast; almost twice the size of once.

The Dark Lord had made it clear.. that he had to have either Carrow or Edwards at his side. Carrow was to save their life until Edwards had submitted to Him.

So, run, my child. Their father, Amycus Carrow's voice echoed in their mind. Don't let death catch up to you. Not unless our Lord succeeds.

Not unless you have fulfilled your part.

The fight far away had stopped, Bellatrix had her eyes wide as she stared at the ground, where the prophecy's white dust laid.

Her lower lip quivered, eyes watering. "No.. No! NO! WHAT DID YOU DO? WHAT DID—"

"Master, I am sorry, I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus Black!" sobbed Bellatrix, flinging herself down at Voldemort's feet as he looked down at her.

"Master, you should know—"

"Be quiet, Bella," said Voldemort dangerously. "I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your snivelling apologies?"

His eyes were fixed on the crushed prophecy too. "I have nothing more to say to you, Potter," he said quietly. "You have irked me too often, for too long." He raised his arm, the spell right on his tongue. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"HARRY— MOVE!"

Harry ducked. But a headless golden statue of a wizard had sprung alive in front of him, guarding him from the Killing Curse.

"What—?" said Voldemort, staring around. And then he breathed, "Dumbledore!"

Harry looked behind him, his heart pounding. Dumbledore was standing far behind him.

"Sirius.." he said to him. "I need you to go to Asteria's aid."

It took him a while to register his words; his breath was still trapped in his lungs at the thought of Voldemort's curse hitting Harry.

"I know you might be hesitant to trust me again." Dumbledore continued. "But I give you my word.. that the rest of us all shall leave the Ministry alive tonight. Therefore I need you to take her and leave."

He looked at Kingsley and Mad-Eye. The rest of the Death-Eaters had either fled or been defeated. The two had been attending to Tonks; Kingsley was trying to stop the blood leaving her wounded head. Moody gave him a look saying that they were going to escape too.

Sirius then looked back at Dumbledore. "There better not be one scratch on my godson by the time I return."

He ran towards the door Carrow and Ria had gone through. It was easy to say which one, since the door had been demolished and the doorway had been broken through by Ria's Obscurus.

There was a mixture of worry, anxiety and guilt pitting in Sirius's stomach. Whatever that came next after they would escape tonight wasn't going to be easy..

Bellatrix made a move to follow him, but in a swift move, Dumbledore had sewn the broken pieces of the doorway back together, sealing it shut. "Not so soon, Bellatrix."

He then looked at Voldemort. "It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom," he said calmly. "The Aurors are on their way—"

"By which time I shall be gone, and you dead!" spat Voldemort as he sent another Killing Curse towards him.

Asteria had never felt this way before. For once no one had control over her. Not even she herself had, but..

But she had never ever felt that.. that free.

There was something liberating and satisfying in the way she was chasing Carrow. In the back of her head, she had always desired to hunt them down, just like this.

Oh, if only she could take them to where her mother was now.. gripped by their throat and having their head pushed against the ground until they bled at her mother's feet.

Maybe she could.. maybe she could take her to the stone archway and..

The core of the black storm glowed once again— of excitement— for a moment, and Carrow tried to increase their pace. They knew a fireplace was nearby.. they could escape.

Her Obscurus was moving ferociously, gripping at the ground, trying to get so close that there'd be only one swerve left until she had Carrow's body trapped—

A fiery blazed across her front, and she back away. She tried to lung for Carrow again, but the fire was spreading, blocking her path.

No.. No, it was perfect. Carrow had been just a pounce away. I could've— Strands of the Obscurus reached out for them, but only to be blocked by the fire again. It was forming all around her, as if trapping her in a sphere she couldn't go beyond.

"No.. NO! NO!" The shriek that left was Asteria's now, as she helplessly watched through the gaps.

A familiar blaze of green fire went off in the distance.

Carrow had escaped.

Shouts left Ria's mouth repeatedly as the restricting fire around her swallowed her whole— some of them filled with agony, some with anger, some with madness.

Why couldn't there be one.. just one merciful instant where she could make her mother proud?!

By the time Sirius caught up with her, a sphere of fire had surrounded her. "Ria.. Ria— I'm here—" Though his voice disappeared in his throat when his eyes caught something in the fire. "Fawkes?"

The Phoenix was flying around her, building a nest of fire. Once his nest was completed, it went on shrinking and shrinking. And then.. there was a blinding light. Sirius ducked because of the shockwave that left the sphere.

An awful silence made him look back up. And he saw Fawkes slowly descending down to the ground.. with Ria.

Not her Obscurus.. her.

Sirius didn't know if it was a sigh or a cry of relief that had left his throat, but he ran towards her as Fawkes gently placed her down on the floor.

"Ria?" He gently patted her cheek. Her black veins were slowly turning back to normal. "Ria.. Godric, please be alright.. please be.." He checked her pulse. It was very slow.

He sighed again before looking at Dumbledore's phoenix. "Fawkes, heal her, please!" Though his expression changed when the bird did nothing but stare at Asteria's face. "Fawkes— come on—" He stopped, knowing his requests would go in vain. Right.. right, he wouldn't listen to anyone else but his master.

"Then take her to.. to.." He gulped, his throat feeling sand-dry.

Dumbledore's order was fresh in his mind, but so was Harry.. so was Voldemort. They were facing each other in the room beside them.

But Isabella's death.. Ria's shouts.. they were still making his ears ring.

He looked down at her, her ashy pale face, her sunken eyes. Wherever Isabella was.. he knew she was suffering, looking at her daughter's state.

After all that had happened.. after James and Lily, after Daniel and Bella.. he was already far too lost in his own eyes. Irredeemable. But if they lost Ria too..

Sirius gently lifted her weak body in his arms. "Fawkes.. can you.. can you take us away.. to wherever Dumbledore has told you to?" He asked, his heart heavy.

The Phoenix let out a small squawk, jumping and settling on Sirius's shoulder. He spread his wings and caught fire, disappearing with the two.

As soon as Sirius's feet hit the ground, he saw a lady dressed in white stare back at him. She sighed in relief as soon as she saw them.

"Oh Merlin! Here— on this bed—" He did as she told him and laid Ria there.

And as she checked her, Sirius blankly stared at her. He was sure he did not recognise her. And by that logic, she should be screaming now.. letting everyone know that a notorious criminal, Sirius Black, was here.

"Pa— Pardon me.." he said, his mind still very blur. "Do we.. Do we know each other?"

"No." She shook her head, her attention on Ria. "No, we don't. I'm Esther Goldstein. I'm a new Healer at St. Mungo's.. transferred recently—"

"Could you be—"

"Yes, I know Tina Scamander and Queenie Goldstein. I'm a distant relative. And I joined the Order just five months ago." She said in a hurry. "Could you please stop chatting and let me focus now?"

He nodded. "Yeah— Yeah, sorry. Sorry.." He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair.

He didn't want to think about her. He wished his brain could just stop. But it wouldn't.

It wouldn't. It wouldn't. It just wouldn't.

His eyes burned with tears, and he sniffled. They had just apologized to her. She had just forgiven them. They were going to try their best to make it up to her.

They had just gotten their best friend back.

And now..

His attention snapped onto the empty bed opposite to Ria's. And his eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

He then took a good look around the room. They were definitely in St. Mungo's. But it wasn't a regular ward. Maybe, it was a private one..

"I'm sorry for the outburst before." His attention snapped onto the Healer as she walked towards him. "I just— I panicked. Dumbledore sent me a message through his Patronus just a minute ago.. that he needed me to be here, urgently."

"Is she going to be okay?" He asked, trying to appear strong, but she could pick up the despair in his voice.

Esther sighed, glancing back at her for just one moment before facing him again. "Well.. there are no serious injuries on her body. No sign of a spell.. or curse. She must've fainted out of exhaustion. She looks drained. So yes.. she will be fine once she gets proper rest."

She then looked at him with concern. "Are you.. Are you okay?" She asked.

"Hmm? What?"

"Did something happen?"

He must've not noticed the tears gushing out of his eyes. Because he seemed surprised when Esther had offered him some tissues. "Oh— I— I'm sorry.." He said, hastily wiping them away.

"No worries." She smiled gently. Though their small talk was interrupted when a group of people stumbled inside the room. She rushed towards them.

"I tried to close the wound as much as I could, but she's lost a lot of blood." said Kingsley as he and Moody laid Tonks's unconscious body down on the other bed.

Esther gently tilted her bloodied head, examining the wound. "Is this all? There's no other injury? Spell maybe?"

"No." He said with a huff of breath. "Just physical impact to the head."

They were still there.. Harry and Dumbledore.. and so were Voldemort and Bellatrix.. Sirius stared into blank space, his wand clutched so tightly that his palm was beginning to redden.

"What— What happened?" A shaky voice had showed up at the door. McGonagall was still recovering from the prior attack on her orchestrated by Umbridge. She was moving slowly with the help of a walker.

"I recognised your voices— and then Tonks—" The rest of the words were long forgotten when her eyes stopped on Asteria. And an uneasy sound left her throat as she slowly sauntered towards her.

"Oh, dear— what happened to her?" Her voice quivered with concern, taking a hand into both of hers.

"Where are Remus and the rest of them?" asked Moody.

"Back at Hogwarts." Esther muttered, her brows stitched together as she focused on the healing spell. "Dumbledore only asked me to be ready here if there were any grave injuries."

"The rest of them?" McGonagall looked at Moody with a troubled expression.

"They went down to the Department of Mysteries.. the children. Seven of them." Her eyes only widened in horror at his answer. "Voldemort must've lured Potter in."

"The Death-eaters showed up.. and so did Voldemort." Kingsley continued. "We barely escaped. Dumbledore showed up just on time."

Minerva sighed silently, looking back at the girl as she felt her hand cold into hers. Why did she always had to have a bunch of reckless idiots in her batch of students?

She looked at Fawkes, who was standing very still besides Asteria, curiously looking at her face. "Didn't he try to heal her?" She asked.

Sirius came out of his trance and slowly shook his head. "That's what I wondered too.." he muttered. A Phoenix always helped an Azrael, no matter what.

Another sound of footsteps echoed towards them, and a very dishevelled looking Remus entered now. His eyes fell on Ria first, and he rushed towards her, gently stroking her forehead.

"She's fine, just unconscious, Lupin." said Esther. And he gave her a nod of acknowledgement. But then, a groggy groan made him whip his head around. And his eyes widened with panic.

"Oh Merlin, what— are you—" He rushed towards Tonks, taking her hand as her blood-stained pink hair made him panic even more.

"Lupin! Lupin— careful with her head—" Esther tried to stop him, but when she saw him gently wipe the tears off the corner of her eyes, she physically relaxed.

Tonks was crying as she looked up at Remus. "Shh.. it's okay. It's okay. You're okay.." he tried to console her, but she only shook her head. Everything felt too surreal for her liking.

Her death was still fresh in her mind, playing over and over again.

"It's okay.. you're alright." He continued to coax her. "They're all alright too. They're at Hogwarts. They were all conscious and fine by the time I left and—"

He stopped instantly, gulping. Hesitantly, he looked back at Sirius. "Where are Harry and Bella?" He asked.

Sirius was still too lost. What am I doing here..? Harry's still back there.

His eyes were brimming again. I wasn't there for her.. I wasn't there for her when I needed to be.. and I'm doing the same with Harry..

What am I doing here?

"Sirius—"

"Dumbledore's there with them." McGonagall answered on his behalf, as she exchanged glances with Moody and Kingsley. But when they cast their eyes down, her poor heart almost skipped a beat.

"He's at the Ministry, isn't he?" She asked again for confirmation.

"He is." Moody answered.

Remus, though, hadn't stopped looking at his best friend. Something was wrong. He could feel it deep in his bones.

And why was he acting so weird?

"Sirius.." he said. "What happened at the Ministry?"

It seemed that Sirius's feet had moved on their own. Maybe I should go back for him.. make sure he's fine and he returns safely. Maybe I should—

And Remus became so irritated with the lack of an answer that he moved across the room and just grabbed him by his collar. Minerva gasped with her hand to her mouth, Esther gave out a squeak of surprise, while Kingsley moved to separate them, but Remus just wouldn't let go.

Sirius struggled against his grip. "I need to go back—"

"Are you going to tell me what the fuck happened there or not?!"

There was a beat of silence, where Sirius looked like he had snapped back to his senses. He gulped. "Remus, please—"

"Where are Harry and Isabella?" He asked, calmly this time.

Their conversation had halted when something glowing entered the room. They all stared at it for a while.. at what looked like a ghostly bird.

"Stay at ease for now." It was Dumbledore's message. "Harry Potter has been safely sent back to Hogwarts. I shall take care of some matters at the Ministry before returning to the school too."

The Patronus disappeared, and some ease settled across the room. But then..

"And.. And Isabella?" asked Minerva.

The air had vanished from Remus's lungs. It was the first time he had heard her voice so laced with fear.

Sirius couldn't meet anyone's eyes now. And it was as if their hearts had dropped down to hell.

"She's on her way, right?" asked Remus, his eyes watering. "She's on her way here? She'll be here any time now?"

Another sob from Tonks gave it away, and Esther just moved to aid her, leaving the others some room to grieve.

McGonagall slowly sat down on the nearest chair she could find; her heart felt like it would burst out any moment. That hopeful.. happy little girl. Tears streamed down her face before she could help it.

Remus's hand was slightly trembling with nervousness and wrath, but his grip on Sirius's shirt was tightening. "It can't be.."

Sirius shook her head. "I'm sorry."

His grip loosened, and he ran a hand through his hair. For a moment, he had forgotten how to breathe.

"I'll— I'll be back— Keep an eye on them." He gestured to the beds in the hospital room before storming out of there.

And then he felt hot tears spill from his eyes. His chest had never hurt this way before, searing with ache as if a hot iron were kept pressed to it.

Deep down, he had always vowed to protect her.. since the day he had first met her, when she had revealed to them that she was an Azrael.

He had vowed to always be there for her.. when she had made him her friend.

He had also vowed to never let her spend the rest of her life with a monster like him, despite knowing that she liked him just the way he did.

And finally.. he had vowed to always love her, no matter what. It wasn't romantic love after a point, but it was still love.

No matter she didn't like him anymore; no matter she admitted to him with tears in her eyes that she was so in love with another man that it hurt; no matter she had his daughter; no matter she had lost her family because of him.. no matter she hated him.

No matter he had lost her once..

Merlin, he had always loved his Ray.. no matter how many times he had lost her.

But it was over now. That lost would never be found, ever again.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

[word count: 5400]

ESTHER GOLDSTEIN
(morena baccarin)