She stumbled backwards, her ears ringing and her body shaking.

Her dad. Her dad had been in a car crash, all whilst she'd just been pissing about at Hogwarts, going on dates and seeing old memories.

Her dad, who had given up so much for her, and was such an amazing person, could possibly be d-

"Wh... what?" She asked, aware of James gasping and grabbing her hand but not turning to look at him. Her eyes were locked on Daisy's.

"He was in a car crash, Azalea," her sister cried, more tears coming. "He-he's at the hospital, but he's injured his spine so-"

"Take me to him," Azalea said, feeling hot tears on her face. "Take me to him, please-"

"I have given permission for it, Miss Edwards, and your sister shall escort you," McGonagall said. "If need be, the third task can be postponed."

The third task... Azalea had forgotten all about it. They still hadn't worked out that stupid fucking box, but she didn't really care in that moment as she turned, looking to James.

He was staring at her, concern and love and sadness in his expression, unsure of what to say to her.

"Can you come with me to the dorm?" She asked him, biting her lip. "I need to get some stuff-"

"Of course," James said without hesitation. "Come on."

"I will take your sister back to the entrance hall, Miss Edwards," McGonagall said, her worry and devastation evident in her tone. "You can meet us there."

Azalea looked at her, biting her lip to stop herself from sobbing. "Thank you, professor."

McGonagall gave her a small, teary smile. "You're welcome, Miss Edwards."

✾✾✾

She sobbed, her chest heaving as she held onto James in the only private space they could find; the stairs outside the seventh year Gryffindor boys' dorm.

Alice, Lily and Rose had been understanding as Azalea was packing, due to the fact that James was unable to make it up there. She'd gone up the stairs to his dorm to find him, and it had ended in them sharing an embrace on the dark stairs.

"I'm here, I'm here..." whispered James, stroking her hair. "It's okay, Azzie, it'll be okay..."

"Wh-what if it's not?" Azalea sobbed, leaning back to look at him. "I- he's been fighting for his life whilst I've been playing around here-"

"Shhh, you didn't know," James told her, pulling her back into the hug. "Listen to me."

When she continued to cry, he said more firmly. "Listen to me, Azzie."

The girl stopped crying loudly, her ears open and waiting for him. So he said. "I love you, okay? And your dad is gonna be fine. He's gotta be, if he wants to give me more overprotective chat."

Azalea gave a small, wet chuckle, looking up at him.

"I love you too," she told him, looking at him as though he'd hung the stars in her sky. "You always know exactly what to say."

James smirked again, nodding. "Of course."

Their lips met in a flurry of tears and smiles, but neither cared. Azalea just wanted to kiss him for a second, forgetting everything.

When she pulled away, everything came back, and she squeezed his hand. "I-I'm gonna go down alone, okay?"

"Okay," James nodded, knowing better than to argue. "I love you, okay? I'm gonna send an owl tomorrow morning, please send it back with news, okay?"

Azalea nodded, his hands cupping her face and wiping her tears.

"Love you too," she whispered, before picking up her bag and rushing down the stairs towards the entrance hall.

She didn't know what was going to happen.

But she did know James would always make it feel better.

✾✾✾

Even thought Daisy had had her car for a year and a bit, this was the first time Azalea had been inside it.

It was pretty nice. Small, but good. Their parents had paid for half of it and Daisy had paid for the other half, picking up shifts at a cafe in their village to pay.

Azalea had been absent for almost all of this.

Now, however, she was sat in the passenger seat, trying furiously not to cry as she flipped her wand over and over in her hands, biting her lip.

Well, that was until Daisy snapped. "Stop playing with that thing, it's putting me off."

Azalea rolled her eyes, but couldn't find a smart comeback to shoot at her. She stopped playing with her wand, and bit her lip.

"How did he...?" She murmured, looking down. "I mean, how did the whole thing- how did it happen?"

Daisy sighed heavily, shaking her head and saying. "It wasn't his fault. Police are saying the one who hit him was drunk, and... well, he hit him hard."

Azalea nodded, exhaling shakily. "When did it... y'know, happen?"

"An hour ago," her sister replied, biting her lip.

As the two sisters sat in the car, tears falling and chests heaving, Azalea decided that she wasn't going to just sit here and worry, she needed to do something about it.

"We need to talk about something," she said.

Daisy frowned. "What?"

"Just- just anything, please," Azalea begged. "We need to talk about something to get our minds off this."

Daisy scoffed, rolling her eyes. "It's not exactly like we talk anymore, Azalea-"

"How's life going at your school?" Azalea chose to say, asking Daisy about herself rather than talking about her current situation.

"Fine," she got a breezy, one word reply. "I mean, Sophie just got a boyfriend and he's a complete dick, but apart from that it's just boring."

Azalea chuckled slightly, wiping her tears and saying. "What makes him such a dick?"

"He just is," groaned Daisy. "Like, he's so boring, and he always wants to snog Sophie and the two of them together just makes such a bad couple."

Azalea giggled slightly, shaking her head.

"You know... our schools really aren't that different," she chanced at saying, unsure of how her sister was going to react to it.

Daisy just scoffed, saying. "Yeah, right. My greatest obstacles are gossip and boyfriends, yours are like, spells and diving into lakes."

Azalea shook her head, laughing slightly. "Daisy, you know... going to Hogwarts isn't everything."

The girl didn't reply to this, opting to just agree half heartedly and hum along to the song that was playing softly on the radio.

But after a second, Daisy glanced at Azalea and asked. "So how is your weird tournament thing going, anyway?"

Azalea bit her lip, saying. "It's going fine, I mean... two tasks down, right?"

"Yeah, mum and dad tried to explain it to me and I didn't listen," Daisy said. "What is it again?"

Azalea summarised. "You and a partner do three tasks, and get points depending on what place you come."

"Oh yeah," nodded Daisy, keeping her eyes on the road. "And you're with James?"

"Yep."

"Who is now your boyfriend?"

Azalea sucked in a breath and nodded.

"Yep."

She watched Daisy's face carefully, yet didn't see any reaction. She was nodding, shrugging as she said. "I always thought the whole hating him thing was a bit much, anyway."

'Attention seeking' were the exact words she'd used before, but to be honest, she wasn't even speaking with a bite right now, and there were bigger issues.

So she just shrugged and said. "Do you... have your eye on anyone?"

Daisy nodded. "I have a boyfriend."

Azalea looked at her, gasping slightly. "You kept that quiet!"

"Yeah, why would I tell you?" Daisy frowned, but again, her tone wasn't biting. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, cause it's all new, we've only been dating for two weeks."

"What's his name?" Azalea asked with a knowing smile.

"Daniel," her sister replied. "And do not say anything about alliteration otherwise I will actually punch you."

Azalea's lips curled, and a small smile ghosted onto Daisy's face.

Then the two sisters were bursting out laughing, wheezing with the amount of mirth they were feeling.

Azalea looked at Daisy in shock, half disappointed, half happy.

Because it had taken their dad being in a car crash to get them this close.

But also, they were actually getting along, and she hadn't seen Daisy smile, let alone laugh with her, in years.

She didn't know what to feel.

✾✾✾

Azalea hadn't actually minded hospitals until now.

Everything was just so... clean. And the light was so bright, and fucking hell, it was making her want to throw up.

Daisy navigated through it expertly, not stopping for a break or to talk at all until they got to a door, and she stopped flat out.

"What?" Azalea murmured, as she watched the look on her face grow from indifferent to fear.

"I'm just warning you..." the girl murmured. "He looks quite bad."

Azalea nodded, swallowing the major lump in her throat. She wasn't sure if she was ready to see this, or whether she wanted to.

But she was brave. So she walked forwards slowly and pushed through the door, preparing for the worst.

The room was just as clean and bright as the others, and inside it was a bed and a chair. The chair contained Annabelle Edwards, who had tear tracks on her cheeks as she looked down at her husband.

Azalea gasped, shaking her head. Her father had a banadge on his head and his arm was in a cast. He had a spine brace on, and his eyes were closed.

"Azalea..." her mother beathed, a small smile coming onto her face as she rushed forwards, enveloping her daughter in a hug.

Azalea clutched at her, her own tears streaming out.

"I'm sorry, mum," she cried, not knowing what else to say. "I'm so sorry..."

She wasn't even sure what she was sorry for. For the fact that she wasn't there, maybe, or for the fact that this had happened to them, or for the fact that her sister who hated her had had to be sent to get her because it was so bad.

"No, no, listen to me," Annabelle pulled backwards, looking her in the eyes. "It's not your fault, okay? None of this is."

Azalea nodded, saying. "But I still could've been there."

"No, no listen to me, it's okay," said her mother firmly. "I love you, okay? And your dad's gonna be just fine."

They both turned to where Christopher was lying, motionless, so unlike his usual self. Daisy was holding the hand that was poking out the cast, biting her lip hard.

"Okay," Azalea said. "Um... he's- he's gonna wake up, right?"

Her mum gave a small nod, saying. "He's going to survive, but he might have some lasting damages."

After she said this, she ducked her head, turning so her two daughters didn't see her cry.

Azalea just concentrated on something else, heading round the bed to look at her dad properly, and sit down next to him, relaxing her wobbly legs.

"I love you, dad," she whispered. "Please wake up."

And as she and Daisy made eye contact over their unconscious dad, they both knew that no matter what, they'd support each other through this.

All at once, the past six years of jealousy and bitterness didn't matter.

Nothing else mattered in the face of this.

✾✾✾

Dear Azzie,

I hope you're doing okay and that your dad's doing fine, please reply to this owl with news because we all want to make sure you're alright.

Love you so much,

From,

James

Azalea clutched the letter to her chest that night, as she sat up in her makeshift bed.

Her dad still hadn't woken up, and her mum had had to go home for the night so it was just her and Daisy that stayed, the redhead volunteering to sleep on the floor because there was only one bed.

The owl pecking at the window was what had awoken her, looking at the clock on her dad's bedside to see it was about midnight. James had clearly been unable to wait. Abd Azalea, who was unable to sleep, was now trying to write back a message on the other side of the parchment her boyfriend had sent to her.

Hey James,

Dad's gonna be okay, but he's still not woken up yet. On the plus side, I think Daisy's beginning to warm to me again.

Love you, see you soon,

Azalea

The girl bit her lip and folded up the letter, giving it to the owl and sending it off, back out the window.

The only bad thing was, it gave a small screech before it left, jerking Daisy awake.

"Jesus, what's going on?" She asked, rubbing her eyes for a second before opening them to look at her.

"I'm sending a letter," shrugged Azalea.

"Oh, yeah," nodded Daisy, seemingly remembering where she was. "Forgot you had weird ways of doing that at your freaky school."

The word 'freaky' brought Azalea back to Christmas, when the girl had screamed at her and told her she was a freak, and that she'd ruined her life.

"Listen..." she said, coming over to sit on the edge of the bed Daisy was on. "We need to talk."

"Oh, yeah?" Daisy asked, smirking slightly.

Azalea was confused, because she'd never really seen this side of her sister before. Daisy had only ever been the model older sister when she was younger, then the bitter, jealous one when she was older. She'd never seen the side of her that was sarcastic, that stood up for herself, that gossiped or laughed or did anything but roll her eyes and scoff.

"What do we need to talk about?" Daisy asked.

Azalea shook her head. "I don't know, maybe the fact that we went from screaming and shouting to fine in a matter of a day?"

Daisy sighed, dropping eye contact with her and looking down. Azalea bit her lip, unsure of whether she'd gone in too hot or not.

Her sister just nodded, looking down at her and saying. "Well... I guess this whole thing has made me... reevaluate things. And, uh... I also realised I've been pretty shitty to you all these years, so... yeah."

Azalea bit her lip, tears sparkling in her eyes as she looked at her sister in the dark room.

"Well, I'm sorry for the favouritism," she said, biting her lip. "And I'm sorry that I got into Hogwarts and you didn't."

"Well, I'm starting to get over that," Daisy said, smiling slightly. "I don't really think I'm into performing spells anyway, and whatever else you weirdos do."

But the way she said 'weirdos' wasn't like how Azalea had got used to her saying it. It was more... amused.

"It's not just spells," smirked Azalea, finally feeling comfortable to joke about this with Daisy. "It's potions as well."

"What, d'you all chant round cauldrons?" Her sister smirked.

"Fuck no," Azalea giggled. "But we do have cauldrons."

"Oh, of course," Daisy joked. "Can't have a wicked witch without her cauldron, can you?"

"Hey, I'm not wicked!" Azalea giggled.

"Could've fooled me."

And as the two sisters laughed in the dark hospital room, their unconscious father not five metres away from them, Azalea felt happy with her whole family for the first time in a long time.

"You know, I..." she said once they'd stopped laughing, tears welling up in her eyes. "I've really missed you, Dais."

Daisy smiled down at her, nodding as her own eyes filled up. "I mean, I-I've tried to tell myself I haven't, but... I've really missed you too, Azalea. My little sister."

They both chuckled, tears falling and eyes filling.

"Now get up here so I can hug you," Daisy told her, and Azalea giggled loudly before crawling up to join her, embracing her sister as tight as possible because she'd not had an opportunity to in years.

And up above them, very high up above, Lily Evans looked upon the scene with a small smile, tears filling her bright green eyes.

Because whilst jealousy and bitterness had torn one pair of sisters with flower themed names apart, she had no doubt it would make the next pair stronger and stronger.

History repeats itself, after all.

But maybe not everything needed to be replicated.