A/N - Hope you like! :'DDD Feel free to vote and comment, thanks! (Jade can sing part 3 :'D)

PART ONE - CAIT

The summer after this year was Cait's bleakest, by far. It was worse than the summers she had found out that her parents would be with her no longer.

Now, instead of being with her at her house, Jade was in St. Mungo's. The question of whether she would wake or not would forever haunt Cait. The fact that there was currently no cure for Jade's condition pierced her heart into pieces.

Preethi and Laverna had came to visit. They had all planned a summer get together during one of their study sessions, with Jade. It was supposed to be the best summer, but...

Cait had never felt so empty. Jade was her entire world; her heart. Cait couldn't accept the possibility that Jade would never wake. She was trying her best to be optimistic, but this summer she needed to cry it all out.

Laverna gave her a hug. She didn't say anything, as though afraid whatever came out of her mouth would just make Cait more upset. Cait clutched Laverna tightly, shaking as she tried to keep her composure.

"Let it out," she finally said. "We're here. You can let it out."

When Cait opened her eyes, tears streamed down her face as she sobbed it out. No one said anything for about ten minutes. They all just wallowed in Cait's tears. Cait could feel her eyes burning from crying all summer, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. Whenever she thought about Jade, the tears kept coming.

Preethi finally spoke. "I'm helping Mrs. Lin monitor Jade's condition. It's still the same, but I have faith Jade will wake one day." She finished firmly, as though trying to convince herself. "We just have to be patient."

She's still alive. Cait reminded herself. Just not here with us.

She nodded at Preethi. When Cait looked up, Preethi was looking at the table with an intense stare. Cait already had a lot of thoughts rattling her mind from everything that happened. She wasn't sure what Preethi was thinking, but her brain didn't have much room for much else.

Cait finally withdrew from Laverna's hug, sniffling. "What have you been doing this summer?"

Laverna pointed to herself in question before replying. "Just trying to take this all in, staying with my grandaunt. Not really anything exciting." Her gaze turned longing, but she didn't say anymore.

Cait nodded, before proceeding to sit in silence once more with her friends.

The friends she made because of Jade.

Preethi and Laverna eventually had to leave, but they both gave her their support and remarks about seeing her when school started back up. They Apparated away, leaving Cait sitting in her dining room.

Alone.

Cait really wanted to talk to someone who had nothing to do with Jade. Her grandfather was currently sleeping, and she didn't want to wake him. In the meantime, Cait tried to think of something else she could do.

She sighed, standing up her chair as she walked to her room. Her bedroom walls were peach colored, but Cait wanted them to be a different color. Peach was a bit too happy for her.

Cait set up an easel, taking deep breaths before starting to paint. She squirted out black onto a tray before making firm brush strokes. Her grip on the paintbrush was tight as she then dipped the brush in a tan color.

She had finished most of the face after about an hour, but there were still the eyes left.

"The eyes are the hardest part." She flashbacked to when Jade tried to draw her.

Pain flooded through every part of Cait's body. Her brush wavered to the point where some droplets splayed onto the canvas.

She dropped the tray, crying out as she ferociously dipped her paintbrush into the green paint. She flung it all onto her bedroom walls, sick of seeing the happy peach color.

"Why! Why! Why!" She screamed, taking the cup of murky water and splashing it onto the wall. Once she emptied out the contents, she threw the cup onto the ground before sinking onto her bed. Her bedroom window happened to be open, and after she screamed from the hole in her heart, some birds rapidly flew off in startlement.

"Damn it, why?" Cait whispered, more tears spilling from her eyes.

After crying into her pillow, Cait took a deep breath and sat up, burying her face in her hands.

If Jade didn't wake up this summer, Cait would have to go to Hogwarts without her. Preethi and Laverna would be there, but it wasn't the same. They would all finish their last Hogwarts year, without Jade.

My mum, my dad, and now Jade. What have I done to deserve all of this? Cait asked herself.

"Talented as always." Cait's eyes shot up from the sudden voice in her mind.

"Jade?" She called out, rushing towards the canvas. She had done better paintings before, but she could picture Jade liking this piece of artwork too. "Jade?" Cait called out desperately, spinning around the room in endless circles.

Nothing replied back.

Cait took heavy breaths before collapsing back onto her bed, clutching her pillow.

I'm going delusional. She shut her eyes, her body unable to stop shaking from the agonizing pain of having her heart torn apart.

PART TWO - ADONIS

Adonis hadn't left his room in days. For the past week, he preferred to vacantly stare at the gray weather outside than deal with human interaction. He hadn't joined his father and aunt for dinner since his mother died this summer. His father would send the house elf, Kitty, up to his room to deliver his meals. Laverna, Adrian, and Cassius had sent him letters throughout the summer, but he hadn't even opened them yet.

His mother... Adonis would never forget everything she had done for him. She had given him love since the day he was born. She had taken him to Diagon Alley when he received his Hogwarts letter. She had comforted him when his father didn't come home from work, so he wouldn't feel alone. The list was endless. A part of him felt empty. He would never get the chance to do anything with his mother again. He never even got the chance to tell his mother that he and Laverna had started dating.

No, he would never have that anymore because she was ripped away from him. All because of a stupid blood malediction. She was gone. For good.

He nearly jumped when his bedroom door opened.

"Adonis?" his father's rough voice called from behind him.

Adonis tilted his head towards the door opening. "Yes, Father?" He moaned.

His father strolled in, closing the door behind him. He took a seat at a chair next to Adonis's bed. "It's been a week, my boy."

"I'm sorry I haven't come down for dinner this week. I just... need some time alone." Adonis replied.

His father shook his head. "It's been difficult for me too." He joined Adonis in staring at the gray weather outside. Both of them were silent for a few moments, before his father slowly continued. "You mean a lot to me, my son, even though I was never as affectionate as your mother. She was always better at that. I know that I cannot give you the same amount of love to you as she did, but... it is just you and me now. Your mother would want us to spend more time together now that she is... gone."

Adonis gave a curt nod. "It's fine, Father. I understand you and Aunt Alecto have work."

His father turned and placed a hand on Adonis's bed. Adonis flitted his gaze to meet his father's. "It's your last year at Hogwarts. Have you decided on what you want to do after Hogwarts?"

Adonis shook his head. "I have absolutely no idea. I haven't had time to think about that either given everything that's happened."

His father sighed. "Well, I'm sure you are aware that the Dark Lord has... returned." Adonis knitted his eyebrows slightly. "I want you to know that... there is a place by my side waiting for you after you graduate."

Adonis sat up a little straighter. "You mean... with you and Aunt Alecto?"

His father nodded. "Are you interested? It would mean a lot to me if you and I could stand together. Father and son."

Adonis opened his mouth to respond, but found that he was at a loss as to what he should say. A part of him wanted to say yes. Now that his mother was gone, he yearned to be closer with his father, but Laverna and Jade's memory flashed through his mind.

"You saw Jade at that place... right? Did you see what happened?" Adonis ended up asking. Dumbledore had told everybody a version during the End-of-Term Feast, but he wanted to hear his father's side now.

His father gave a slow nod. "Yes, she had cast a spell, but it backfired on her. She was engulfed by a golden light. Her condition in St. Mungo's is not due to the Killing Curse, son. Your Aunt Alecto can confirm my words too. We both saw golden light, not green."

Adonis merely closed his eyes. "It's fine. I believe you." He slumped against his bed with a sigh. Why did Mother and Jade have to die? Even though Jade isn't technically dead, she might as well be. There was no hope for my mother the day she was diagnosed. Jade's never going to wake up. He hated to admit it, but he didn't want to give himself hope to only be disappointed in the end.

His father pursed his lips. "I know she was your friend for a long time. She was deemed a blood traitor. I'm afraid the Mudbloods have gotten to her. I'm sorry, son."

Adonis clenched his fists. If Gibbons had just stayed away from her, maybe this wouldn't have happened the way it did. Jade was taken in by her. I don't know how Gibbons managed to do it in a year, but she got Jade in her Muggleborn grasp. His grief was soon replaced by anger. He could feel the rage boiling in his chest. He knew Gibbons didn't actually kill her, but she had put a target on Jade's back. That, Adonis couldn't forgive.

His father finally rose and strode towards the door. "You look tired, son. I'll... let you rest some more."

Adonis snapped his eyes open. He lifted his left forearm up so that he could see it. He tried picturing the permanent mark that would go there if he said yes, and what that would mean.

If I join my father and Aunt Alecto, I'll be disrespecting Jade, and I'll lose Laverna... I don't want to lose Laverna, but... a part of me wants to stand with my father. I don't know what to do.

Adonis then found himself calling out softly. "Father."

His father peeked his head through the door again.

Adonis turned and cleared his throat. He exhaled a deep breath, trying to calm the anger in his chest. His gaze hardened for a brief moment, but then returned to its vacant stare. His father was waiting for a reply, so Adonis finally proclaimed.

"Give me my last school year to think about it. I'll have an answer for you when I graduate."

His father's eyes lit up and he gave a nod, smiling at him. "One year, son."

The door shut. Adonis buried his face in his hands.

He would definitely see Laverna and his friends, Adrian and Cassius, after the summer. There were also Laverna and Jade's mutual friends, Patil and... Gibbons. Adonis let out a groan when he thought about her.

He had fought with Jade about Gibbons, and now he had to live with the fact that his best friend had died hating him. They never got the chance to make up, and now he wouldn't see her again. He gritted his teeth, angry that Gibbons had driven a permanent wedge between them.

He sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead before looking at the empty skin on his left forearm again.

Yes, one more year with Laverna, Adrian, Cassius, Patil and... Gibbons.

And then he would decide.

--

A/N - Thank you all so much for reading to this point! I plan to post like an Acknowledgements thing tomorrow but for now I'm going to bed since it's like 3:00am for me :'D XD

To Be Continued in: