February 1903

The graveyard just outside of Hogsmeade was empty as one of the last snowstorms of the winter season came down softly.  The sun was high in the sky but obscured by the clouds.  The air was still, other than the soft falling of the snow until the sound of a crack was heard and a hooded figure walked in through the entrance of the graveyard.

The figure made their way through the graveyard, fortitude in their step as they walked around each headstone. Their path was clear before them as they slowed in front of a round headstone.  Kneeling down slowly, they laid a fresh bouquet of flowers right in front of it.

Their hand reached up to pull the hood off, revealing the familiar features of Sebastian Sallow. He always made the time to visit her grave once a week during a lunch break from work because that was when he could be alone with her. Despite the emotional turmoil for that particular anniversary, he looked surprisingly well-kept.

He was freshly shaven, his clothes were pressed, and he was clean. He always made sure to look presentable before visiting her grave.

The falling snow began to rest over his brown locks, wetting them and causing several pieces to stick to his forehead but he paid no mind. Whenever he was there, the only thing on his mind was her.

Rosalie Anne Halston
February 14, 1875 - February 14, 1898
Brave until the very end

A soft smile graced his lips as he gently brushed the snow off the tombstone of his beloved. Examining the other flower bouquets around, he vanished several that had been dead, including the bouquet he'd brought the previous week, ensuring the cleanliness of her final resting place. He then arranged the peony flower bouquet - specifically lorelei peonies, her favorite - over the grave.

"Hello, my love," he whispered. "Happy birthday."

Sebastian wondered every day for the last five years why fate had been as cruel as it was to have his darling Rosalie die on the same day that she had been born. And yet, Sebastian also knew that she had died doing what she loved - helping others.

"You would be twenty-eight today," he began softly, resting against the headstone. "We would be married by now, just like we planned. I-I hope we would even have children —"

His throat tightened as his emotions began to get the best of him and he released a shuddering breath. Tears began to prick at his eyes, which he desperately tried to blink away, even if it was futile, even if he knew that she wouldn't care about seeing him cry. He knew exactly what she would say if she were there.

"There is no shame in a man showing his emotions, Sebastian," he could hear her voice in his mind, see the green of her eyes sparkling as she held his stare. "In fact, it takes a true man to wear his heart on his sleeve."

"It's snowing right now, most likely the last storm of the season," he continued, trying to change the subject as he began to think about the future that they would've had together had she survived that day. Or about the memories he had with her because it was one of the only things he had of her now, memories that could fade with time.

"You always loved the snow," he said with a laugh as he unintentionally thought of more memories with her. "I can't count how many times you and I had finished a quest during the winter when you took a second to notice the snow-covered ground around us. And you would always begin a bloody snowball fight. Though, you always cheated using your Ancient Magic."

The sound of his fond laughter carried through the empty graveyard as he recalled the sounds of their younger laughter or the unexpected squeal from Rosalie as Sebastian either chucked a snowball at her head or tackled her into the snow.

"Anne and Ominis send their love," he said. "So does little Rose, she's getting bigger and bigger every day."

At the mention of his niece, Sebastian smiled fondly. When he initially found out that Anne was pregnant shortly after Rosalie's death, he was nervous to be in her life because the only male figure he'd had mistreated him and he didn't want to do the same to her.

But if there was one thing that Sebastian Sallow loved, it was proving others wrong, even if that meant himself. And he was the best-damned uncle there ever was.

"They try to encourage me to move on from you," he said softly, the tears beginning to well up again. "But I know that we all still grieve for you, in our separate ways. And I know I should try moving on, but how can I go on in life when you're not there with me to enjoy it?"

He was only met with silence as his response.

"I know that I say this every visit, but it's still true," he said, sniffling as his emotions began to get the best of him. "There was a before you, there was a during you but —" he choked out a soft sob, covering his eyes for a few seconds as the truth to the thought was unbearable.

"But I never thought, in a million years, that there would be an after you, Rose," he whispered, the tears flowing freely now with him unable to stop them.

"I miss you," he sobbed as his head fell to rest on the cold tombstone. "I miss you so fucking much that I don't want to move on because it feels wrong going on without you. It feels wrong to even think about it. Maybe it's because of the blood pact we made, but I just can't —"

He cut himself off to let his sobs out as his face fell into his hands. He knew that he looked and sounded utterly pathetic but he didn't care at all. However, he was grateful that he was alone in the graveyard so he was able to mourn the loss of his fiancee.

"We should be married!" He cried anger in his tone. It seemed that anytime he visited Rosalie's grave, he experienced every stage of grief all over again. "You had the ring on your finger, we were going to until —" he stopped once again, the memory of Rosalie's fate still fresh in his mind.

It would always be engrained in his mind.

The short-lived victory. Rosalie collapsing to the ground. Sebastian pressing his hands to the bloody wound on her side. Him begging her to use Ancient Magic to save herself. But it was in vain.

With another sob leaving his lips, Sebastian pulled out a small flask from his cloak. He wasn't the avid drinker he had once been after Rosalie died, but whenever he visited her, he would toast to her.

It was tradition.

"I love you so much, Rosalie Halston," he whimpered before raising the flask and downing a drink in her honor. "It will always be you for me, even if death has already separated us."

With one gentle kiss to her gravestone, he stood and turned to exit the graveyard, sniffling as he left his fiancee's grave behind, the grave that was completely empty underneath.

-

Roughly 3,000 miles away in Salem, Massachusetts, the sun was beginning to rise as dawn broke over the small cottage that rested just on the outskirts of town. That situation was best considering the family that occupied the home.

In one of the two bedrooms, a female figure lay on the bed, her eyes closed as she slept but what she saw behind her eyes raised her heart rate. The scene before her showed that of an unfamiliar but familiar figure kneeling in front of a gravestone, a scene she often saw. She couldn't make out the name on the slab of stone, but she knew the figure was one she'd always see in her so-called visions.

It had been happening ever since she'd been found with a severe case of amnesia five years prior in New York City. She was injured and the only items in her possession was her wand and a necklace that she refused to part with, as well as a few basics details she remembered.

Ever since she'd been found, at times, she would see the perspective of another person.  From what she could tell, it was always the same person. She didn't know who it was or where they were, but she would receive small glimpses into their mind and see from their perspective. It was always strange to her but she never recognized where they were or could see clearly who they were with and she never heard any word that was uttered from the other person's end.

She didn't even have a chance to see their face in these small glimpses.

And once a week, she'd always witness this person visit this particular grave and stay for an undisclosed amount of time.

"Mommy!" A young voice exclaimed excitedly as they jumped onto the bed and woke the sleeping figure, the vision cut short.

With a heavy yawn, Rosalie Halston opened her eyes and gazed down at the small boy climbing into her bed. His green eyes gleamed with happiness as they registered that he had succeeded in waking his mother. The familiar eyes belonged to her four-year-old son, Elliot.

"Good morning, my dear," she greeted, kissing his freckled cheek. "Where is your sister?"

As if on cue, Lorelei came running into the room, her dark auburn hair that she inherited from her mother flowing down her back as she hid something behind it. Her eyes, however, were hazel and Rosalie could never figure out where they were from. Her own eyes were green, as were Elliot's, but Lorelei had beautiful hazel eyes. She supposed that she inherited them from her father, whoever he was.  And both children had freckles adorning their cheeks and nose, a trait she could never stop admiring.

The young girl carefully climbed onto the bed, sharing a knowing smile with her twin before they smiled innocently at their mother. The action caused Rosalie to sit up cautiously, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, and rightfully so.

"Alright, what have you two gotten up to?" She asked.

The twins had recently begun to show early signs of magic and it was causing grey hairs for the single mother as she desperately tried to keep the magic at bay and a secret from the no-maj's who lived nearby. It was also part of the reason that the family lived on the outskirts of the town in a small wooded area nearby.

How else could one explain why the greenhouse had been burnt to a crisp one day and then back to normal the very next day, simply because Lorelei had a tantrum and set it ablaze without even touching it? Or why all manner of wild creatures - both magical and non-magical - would make their way to the cottage because of Elliot's curiosity when it came to animals? And yes, it meant every wild creature would come and just sit outside the home.  Even Rosalie couldn't explain that one herself.

"Happy birthday!" They both exclaimed, placing the handmade card into her hand.

Rosalie immediately smiled as she looked over the card the twins had decorated for her, complete with a family portrait of the three of them, as well as an unfamiliar fourth figure she didn't recognize.

"Who is that?" She asked, looking curiously at her children.

The figure had the same brown shaggy hairstyle that Elliot had, another mystery as to where he got it from. The picture had been drawn by two four-year-olds, so it was not like it was professional. That did not make it any less special.

Elliot and Lorelei peered over her shoulder at what she was referring to and smiled. "That's Daddy!" Lorelei explained to her like it was the simplest answer there could have been. "Don't you think it looks just like him?"

At the explanation, Rosalie's throat tightened as she smiled softly at the innocence of the twins. "Yes, it does," she said softly, her gaze falling back down to the picture as she swallowed the lump that had developed in her throat.

Instinctively, her fingers found the necklace that was lying against her chest and twirled it between her fingers. It was one of the only connections that she had to the life she'd had before, one she didn't remember. 

She didn't know why but it felt wrong to part with it, no matter how much time had passed since she'd been found.  The necklace itself was particularly interesting.  It had what almost looked like a dull nail running through the middle of it and the charm itself was designed around a red gem.  Rosalie always wore it under her clothing to keep it close and safe.

"If I remembered his face, I'm sure it would look just like him," she whispered, her finger brushing across the figure in the drawing.

-

She's back!!

I just wanted to change one small thing but I ended rewriting most of this chapter. Also, we just got WiFi and it's being stupid, so next update might take a minute but I'm working on it!

Also, Elizabeth is now Rosalie because I liked it better idk

And poor Sebastian... I'm sad just thinking about the emotional turmoil he's going through and I'm writing it.

Please vote and comment!

-Syd♡