Vita Mortem

George sat in the Hospital Wing, keeping watch on Scarlet as she lay motionless on the bed. He wondered why Scarlet had that kind of fear, of being forgotten and he suddenly felt bad for all the times he had joked about not seeing her join them. It was a common occurrence for Scarlet to speak up in conversations, and then realize that no-one had seen her, laughing it off as people jested about it, seeming like she was fine with it. From what had happened with the boggart, George now knew that not to be true.

“I’m sorry, really, I wouldn’t have made those kind of jokes if I had known you were that afraid.” He swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling awkward as he glanced around, “If it makes you feel any better, you’re way too pretty to not be noticed, at least to me.” He could feel his ears heat up at his confession and he heard a cough, turning quickly to see Ravan standing there, a grin on her face.

“Were you about to confess to her while she was unconscious George?” Ravan tsked, clicking her tongue, “You might get a better reaction if she’s awake,” Ravan stated with a wink, teasing him and watching the blush spread to his cheeks.

“Would you look at the time! I… promised Fred... I’d help him come up with more ideas for pranks, er, gotta go, bye!” He blurted out in a rush before dashing out of the Hospital Wing like a madman, bumping into Professor Lupin on his way out.

Ravan had moved around and was hovering over Scarlet, worry creasing her eyebrows as the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor joined her on Scarlet’s other side. Ravan looked up, evaluating Professor Lupin’s facial expression, her own demeanour calm and she became relaxed.

“When are you going to tell Scar?” Ravan asked, her voice is a soft whisper, her eyes dark. The Professor felt the same prickle of uneasiness that he had felt when the Boggart had taken the form of Ravan’s fear, however he didn’t feel as threatened.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about?” he replied, not skipping a beat.

“You shouldn’t lie Professor, it’s written all over your face. The way you look at Scar in class, the pride you try your best to hide, even now, the worry that’s evident on your face, those are the feelings a father has for his daughter,”

Professor Lupin paused as he watched Ravan warily, “Funny, I was always told I had a good poker face,” he responded.

Ravan smirked, “Not to me. I can read your facial expressions like a picture book.”

Lupin looked at her in defeat, before moving his gaze to look at Scarlet sleeping peacefully. “She looks so much like her mother,” he sighed, brushing Scarlet’s hair away from her face. “As soon as I saw her, and then found out her name, confirming my suspicions, I couldn’t stop thinking about Katie. How she’d be proud of her, seeing her grow up into an intelligent young woman, a skilled witch.”

He looked up at Ravan again, pulling himself out of his thoughts. “I will tell her, soon. I just don’t know how,” he whispered, running a hand through his sandy hair, “Being a father again after twelve years won’t be easy.”

Ravan gave an eerie stare before glancing up, “Looks like visiting hours are up,” she stated with a hum before Madam Pomfrey made an appearance. Just like Ravan had predicted, Madam Pomfrey came over and told them they had to leave, ushering them both out of the Hospital Wing so as to not disturb the patients within any more.

.
The door shutting softly was heard throughout the silent Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey making her way to her office. Patients stirred, the noise echoing in their sleep, except for one patient who was still awake.

Scarlet opened her eyes, a faint glimmer shining over them. Professor Lupin? The kind-hearted, stern, quiet professor being her father? And Ravan, her best friend, the only person Scarlet trusted with her life, knew.

They didn’t tell her. They didn’t tell her when she deserved to know. Scarlet had always been angry at her father for leaving them behind, and to learn that it was a man that she had previously respected and admired was the last straw. Twelve years and he couldn’t contact her at all?

If anyone had seen her face at that moment, they would have noticed a change in the normally quiet, bookish Scarlet. Her eyes changed, glowing brightly as she lay there, a small smile on her face.