Black
Remus hated funerals.
He hated how one day someone you loved and cared for could be gone the next day.
He hated how you could never say goodbye to them properly.
He had gone to many funerals as a young boy, it seemed everyone’s grandparents passed away all at the same time. But he had never gone to a funeral for someone his own age ever.
When he held Solana in his arms, his heart broke into a million pieces, but he refused.
He refused to say goodbye to her now, he refused to go to her funeral.
This would not be the end of them.
He refused.
☾
9th June 1978
Everything was black.
Solana couldn’t move, she couldn’t open her eyes, but she could hear voices– was she supposed to hear voices?
When you die that’s it, isn’t it?
She concentrated, but she couldn’t hear his.
The voices she heard weren’t familiar.
Maybe they were Angels?
Angels taking her to her next destination.
Did Angels exist?
“She’s lost a lot of blood,” a woman’s voice said in a panicked tone.
Surely if she was dead they wouldn’t worry about her blood loss.
“We’re losing her–”
Solana was confused. She wasn’t dead but she was dying.
“Lana,” a voice whispered next to her.
She tried to move her head in the direction of the sound, but she couldn’t. “Lana, don’t leave yet. Please don’t leave.”
She tried to speak, tried to tell the voice she couldn’t hold on.
“Please, Lana, this isn’t how we end. This isn’t how our story ends.”
The voices stopped, then nothing.
☀︎
Her eyelids were heavy as she squinted at the harsh lights above her. Her mouth was dry, in search of a glass of water she turned her head and saw him, wearing a signature jumper and sleeping slumped in a very uncomfortable position, his hand close to hers.
“You’re awake,” a voice on the other side said to her.
She turned her head, giving her a quick sharp pain “Sirius?”
He gave her a small smile, “How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” she tried to lift herself up but winced as the pain in her stomach worsened.
“Healers said you’re not supposed to move,” he warned.
She slowly leant back down, looking back at Remus. “How long has he been here?”
“Since you got here–”
“How long has that been?”
“About three days,” Sirius winced.
Solana swallowed hard, remembering what had occurred. She cleared her throat. “Um, what’s happened with–”
“It’s sorted,” Sirius said.
“What do you mean it’s sorted?” Solana asked.
“Dolohov won’t bother you, neither will Cygnus or Druella.” he told her.
“How–”
“The Potter’s, they paid off the debt–”
Solana shook her head. “No, I can’t ask them to do that–”
“You didn’t, they’ve already done it.” Sirius said, he shifted in his seat as his cousin furrowed her brows.
“They don’t even know me,”
Sirius shrugged, “They don’t have to, and unlike the family we grew up in they are actually human, also James is a very good negotiator.”
Solana’s lips curved into a smile. “So I’m… I’m free?”
Sirius nodded, his smile grew bigger. “Yes, Lana, you’re free,”
She let out a small chuckle, she would never have to worry about Antonin, she would never have to worry about her father, or her mother.
“Sirius?” she said, looking at him.
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry,”
His brows narrowed. “What for?”
“These past years, I haven’t been– I’ve been a bitch for the majority of our time at school,”
“Yeah, you have–” Sirius nodded.
Solana rolled her eyes. “You’re supposed to say no I haven’t.”
“Yeah but Effie told me I’m not allowed to lie,” he grinned at her.
Solana smiled, “I’ve missed you,”
Sirius began to hesitate, “I guess I’ve missed you too? I mean, you’re not really important to me–”
“Fuck off,” she swore.
He laughed, “I’m kidding, I’ve missed you too Lana,”
They both looked back at Remus.
“Do me a favour though,” he said.
She nodded.
“Don’t break his heart, he loves you so much it’s crazy.” he told her.
Solana looked back at her cousin. “I won’t,”
“Good,” Sirius said, “Right, he’s gonna be awake in a sec,”
“How do you know?”
“Because when I leave I’m going to slam the door really loud–”
“Or you could just nudge him awake,” Solana suggested.
Sirius shook his head. “Nah, that’s boring,” he stood up, then flashed her a smile before slamming the door with a loud bang.
Remus didn’t stir.
Solana shook her head, Sirius was still an idiot.
“Remus?” she attempted, he looked at the bedside table, a packet of cockroach clusters lay half empty, she reached over grabbing the packet, as she reached in the bag Remus began to move. “Did you seriously wake up because you heard the cockroach clusters?”
“Mmm?” he murmured, his eyes still closed.
“Remus?”
“Yeah?” he said, then opened his eyes quickly. “Lana!” he reached for her hand, wide awake now, “You’re– you’re awake?”
She smiled, stroking his hand with her thumb. “I’m awake.”
“I told Sirius to wake me when you woke up,”
“He tried,” Solana nodded, she cupped his cheek, he had a stitch on his lip and his eye was yellow from the bruise. “How are you feeling?”
Remus tutted, shaking his head. “Forget about me, are you okay?”
“I’m sore, but I’ll be okay,” she said, “I’m sorry for what they said about you,”
“I'm used to it–” he brushed her apology off.
“You shouldn’t have to be,” her voice was low and soft.
Remus squeezed her hand lightly. “My mam always told me that it doesn’t matter what people think as long as I surround myself with people that have good intentions.”
“Your mother always says the right things,” Solana smiled, she looked down at her lap.
“She does,” Remus agreed, he noticed her smile fading, he stroked her hand with his thumb. “Your parents didn’t deserve you, you know that, right?”
Solana bit the inside of her cheek, “I thought my mother would have let me go, I didn’t think she would have done that,”
“You don’t have to worry about them ever again,” he promised.
She looked at him, her eyes glossy. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she whispered. “I love you,”
Remus lifted himself up to kiss the top of her head. “I love you too,”
Solana felt the weight lifting from her, she was free, she was safe, and she had Remus by her side.
She had everything she ever wanted, she could now live her life the way she wanted to.
And that's what she was going to do.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾☀︎⋆⁺₊⋆