It Can't Be True (Memory)

[Ophelia Zabini]

Ophelia was in a blissfully happy state as she bustled around. She held her wand in her hand, waving it over brooms, her vacuum cleaner and her duster, smiling in satisfaction as they began to wander around, cleaning this and that. Retreating to her room, Ophelia shut the door and flicked the lock. The double bed remained un-made, and with a flick of her wand it made itself.

Her eyes found that photos on the beside tables. She moved over to the bed and sat down on Alex's side of the bed. She picked up a photo frame that hadn't been there before he'd left for work that morning, and she smiled at the contents.

It was her and Alex, on their 1 year anniversary. Her arms were around his waist, and his draped over her shoulders. They swayed, laughing happily as the laughter danced in their eyes. Behind them was a beautiful night, the stars shining bright.

She placed the photo down, grabbing another one that she hadn't noticed before. This one was when they were at Urelic, each in their house uniforms with the duo's 2 best friends - Kate and James. Kate, James, Alex and herself all had their arms around each other as they smiled, but then clumsy Kate swayed and fell over, sending the others into fits of laughter as they pulled her up and back into the picture.

Ophelia placed this picture next to the other one and moved over to the bookcase by their bed, her eyes scanning the rows as she trailed her pointer finger delicately over the bindings. Her fingers grasped one of the books, and just as she went to pull it out, her phone rang shrilly.

Turning, Ophelia danced over to her phone and smiled as she saw it was Alex's mother. "Hello Dora, how was your day?" Ophelia's smile turned into a gasp as her eyes widened. "What? Hit by a car?" She began to pace as she listened to Dora explain how Alex had gone to run across the road, and a speeding German couple had crashed into him. Frowning, Ophelia was dying to ask her next question. "Is he alright?" She stopped walking as she awaited a response for 5, long seconds.

The silence confirmed her fears, but still she clung desperately to her hopes. "Is he alright? Dora goddammit you answer me now!" Ophelia screeched into the phone, feeling an anger she had never felt before. Fear churned her stomach as she began to feel slightly dizzy, swaying slightly on her legs. As Dora whispered the answer, Ophelia let out a squeak and collapsed, the phone clattering to the floor.