A/N: I own nothing but what you don't recognize. Feel free to review, it's appreciated. Thank you in advance to anyone who does! <3
The soft patter of footsteps resounded off the old cold walls, as a middle aged woman hesitantly travelled to the wooden door at the end of a darkly lit abandoned hallway. Stopping before the door she cautiously scanned around her, making sure no unwanted attention was upon her frail form.
Turning the brass handle, she silently slipped through the opening of the door, shutting it behind her. The darkness of the new room seemed to both calm and frighten in a manner inexplicable. Leaning against the thick door, she took a moment to gather her thoughts and to stable her shaking limbs.
It seemed that as of lately her body was slowly betraying her, and little time remained. Time was her greatest disappointment for it seemed to always fail her; time as a constant enemy had created a battle that would inevitably consume her. It consumed all beings in one way or another, but to Artemis Holden it had been her constant companion.
Tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, as memories began to run through her mind. Only hours had passed since she has checked herself out of St. Mungos, but it felt like a lifetime ago. One week ago she had been rushed there after passing out while presenting a proposal to the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and now she stood in the familiar room at the end of her journey.
She recalled the words of the kind healer who has treated her during her short stay.
“Ms. Holden, we have received the results of your tests. I really don’t know how to put this or really explain it properly to you, but it appears that… well it appears that our course of treatment has failed” sighing, he had forced himself to make eye contact with her. “We had hoped that the doses of medication and magical properties would eliminate the lesions. It was an experimental treatment course, and no one would have been able to guess the reactions within your body. It appears now that the virus has spread.”
Tears had sprung from her eyes, as she trained them towards the generic bed spread.
“Is there anything left we can do?”
She knew the answer, but she had to cling to the last glimmer of hope within.
“I’m afraid not m’am. I’m so…”
“How much longer?” she had cut him off.
“It’s hard to say, as your case is so rare. It could be days, or a month. Look is there anyone I can contact for you? A husband? Family? Friends?”
Shaking her head, she turned her back to the healer as she tried to hide the tears that were falling from her eyes.
“No, there’s no one left.”
Stirring from the memory of the dreadful day, she realized that it was truly at the end of one’s life that all the mistakes and all the memories that truly count, come thundering back. It was the irony that death was life’s final wake up call; it ends up bringing everything to the table. Just a few weeks ago Artemis would have sworn that she was happy, with a successful career and a nice home. She never realized just how alone she was and she missed the constant companionship she had when she was young.
She grew up attending a magical school, a school within a majestic castle in a remote location. She had many friends, friends with whom she was inseparable. Lily Evans was her best friend, along with Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. And now they were all dead. Killed as an act of war, betrayed by their best friend Peter, and now she was all that was left.
After the death of James and Lily Potter, she had retreated into her career unable to cope with the loss of her loved ones. The man with whom she was sure she had loved was put away in Azkaban for their death.
Regret coursed through her body as tears began to shed uncontrollably from her eyes. Sirius Black. He had been one her best friends growing up, a constant companion, but she had always felt something more for him. Regret. She was never able to put to words these feelings, her insecurities had made sure of it. She feared the repercussions of her actions, she couldn’t live without him, even if it meant all they were to each was friends. Neither had ever settled down with anyone else. Time had made sure of that.
Shaking, she slowly picked herself up from the cold marble floor. The virus was taking its vicious toll on her. It wouldn’t be long until her lungs collapsed, she could feel the laboured breaths.
Making her way to her final destination she saw the empty room and the lone object that she sought which stood within the middle of the dark room.
“All my life, I have cowered in the background afraid to take any chances” she spoke to herself, “All my life I have been afraid to live life. It wasn’t until it was too late that I now realize all the mistakes I have made and what I have missed out on.”
Coughing she took a minute to steady her shaking body.
“I am so tired of missing out on love, missing out on relationships because I am afraid to be hurt. Sirius, I should have told you long ago how I felt. I was so afraid. I’m tired of being scared and I’m tired of time. Time was taken away from so many people. Time was taken from us. I don’t know what awaits me in death, but I hope it’s you Sirius. I hope that in a world where time is not a factor anymore, we can finally be together.”
With the last of her energy, Artemis Holden stepped into the veil, and in her last seconds she swore she saw Sirius Black standing there waiting for her.
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