You Were too Young to Die

Chapter 7

AU REVOIR

( Goodbye )

They were again gathered in Dumbledore's office.

Sirius, Remus, Peter, James, Lily.

" We failed professor, " Remus blew . " I don´t want to continue any more working for you. We were not able to save them. It´s finished. I hand in my resignation. "

" Me too, " Sirius declared.

One by one, Lily and the Marauders explained to the Headmaster that they didn´t want to make other missions. Lily ended, eyes filled with tears :

" I don´t want to witness, powerless, the massacre of other innocent people, Headmaster. I had been a good-for-nothing during all this mission. I am not even capable of saving friends' life. I am sorry Headmaster. I won´t accept other tasks. More competent people exist, don´t they ? "

Dumbledore didn´t try to retain them. He let them leave. When they had all gone out of the room, He went near the window and looked at them going away, head bowed, in an attitude of discouragement, Sirius walking in front, James puting his arms around Lily's shoulders, and Peter, the last, more afraid than the others, as usual. Dumbledore sat down again, his eyes put on the photograph pinned to the wall: seven smiling faces, seven innocent teenagers knowing nothing about life...

What were they, today ?

Seven adults but also seven children... Disillusioned, uncertain...

What did I do ?

They were not ready to assume and to accept these missions... They were not ready to see their friends dying... To see dying simply...

But who is ready to see dying ?

***

Lily and James asked for the room 211 at the reception of S^t Mungo´s Hospital. The nurse looked at them with a big smile then indicated a door.

" Here. "

They followed the direction given by the young lady and found themselves in front of the room 211. Lily turned to James, hesitated a bit before coming into the room.

***

" Alison ? "

The young lady laid on one of the beds didn´t answer.

" Alison ? It is me, Lily. "

Still no answer.

" You remember, doesn´t you ? "

This time, the fair young lady with freckles whispered with an inaudible voice :

" Who is Alison ? Who is Lily ? "

Lily squeezed her friend´s hand, tears in her eyes.

Au revoir, j´essaie de sourire

Au revoir, pour ne pas pleurer

Au revoir, ces mots se déchirent

Au revoir, j´ai tant de peine à te quitter

" Alison is married to Franck. They have a baby. It is a boy. His name is Neville. "

" Neville ? Like my son... "

Lily´s heart jumped for joy. She encouraged Alison :

" Yes, that's right. It is your son´s name ! "

" My son ? I have no son. What do you tell me ? "

" Of course not " Lily hastened to say, discouraged.

" And Lily ? Who is Lily ? "

" This is me. "

" Anything. Lily is a flower. A white flower which smells very nice. "

" Yes, it is. But it is as well my first name. "

" I had one friend who was called Lily, before. But she died. They all died. "

" Who die ? "

" Everybody. Lily, her husband... "

" How was her husband ? "

"

Her husband ? She had no husband. A flower has no husband. "

Au revoir, il faudra apprendre

A nous voir avec d´autres yeux

Au revoir, essaie de comprendre

Qu´au revoir ce n´est pas tout à fait adieu.

Lily shook her head letting fall down her tears.

Oh... Alison.

I wasn´t able to save you.

Alison.

They hadn´t rights to do that.

" Miss ? " Alison asked.

" Madam. I am married. "

" Why ? "

" Well... Because I love a man and I wanted... "

" Who is this man ? "

" His name is James. James Potter. "

" Potter ... That rings a bell... A boy... "

" Yes. "

"

No... I don´t know who he is. "

Au revoir, comment veux-tu que je t´oublie

Au revoir, nous nous sommes tant aimés

***

Lily went out of the hospital holding James's arm, crying.

" Calm down Lil... "

" No, it is all my fault ! "

" No, it isn´t honey, it isn´t. "

" It is. Do you realize that Neville has no more parents ? "

" Don´t say that... You must believe, my darling. Maybe magic will find a means to cure them... Maybe their state is going to improve. "

" But Dumbledore said that... "

" You are not forced to think what he said... It is necessary to believe in it... It is necessary to believe in it with all your heart and then, Alison and Franck will be saved. "

" You believe ? "

" I am sure of it. "

Après tant de tendresses et tant de folie

Comment trouver la force de se quitter

***

Dumbledore, sat in the waiting room of S^t Mungo´s Hospital, saw James and Lily go out. Lily was sobing.

Oh my dear... I should do something. I can not let them face that alone.

They are too young. I did not think it. I believed that they could...

Lily was sobing.

***

Once in his office, Dumbledore took a quill and a piece of parchment.

James and Lily,

Please, come to the Castle for Easter next Sunday.

Kindest regards,

Dumbledore.

He multiplied the letter in four copies, modified the head and sent them to the Marauders, thanks to four owls.

I let them two weeks to think. In two weeks, I find my Marauders and Lily as before. I ask them for working again with me. They will accept, I am sure of it.

***

Lily unsealed the envelope that Dumbledore's owl had brought. She quickly read the contents then tightened it to James.

" We are invited in Hogwarts for Easter. "

" Yes, we are... And do you know what I think ? "

" Yes I know. "

" Really ? "

" Yes. Dumbledore is going to persuade us to work for him again. "

" Exactly. And I will accept. "

Au revoir, la dernière page

De l´histoire vient de se tourner

Au revoir, il faut du courage

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