ex-witch ✔️ | g.w. post war

epilogue | 01

ELINOR WOKE UP feeling... incredibly sleepy.

Which was odd, since she had spent the last ten hours being asleep.

"Ellie?"

Elinor's eyes peeled open. The curtain was drawn closed, the lamp was turned off, and the only source of light in her hospice was the yellowish gleam from the busy St. Mungo's hallway.

Under the dim lighting, George's flaming red hair turned ashen.

"Hey..."

He took a seat on her bedside as he reached for her limp hand, kissing her knuckles softly.

Elinor's eyes travelled sluggishly to meet his and she smiled. She croaked back, "Hey..."

George kept his promise. He vowed to stay with her and be the first person she saw when she woke up. And he did.

"How are you feeling, love?" He whispered as he brushed some stray strands of hair off her pale face.

"Sleepy," Elinor admitted, causing George to chuckle.

"You're cured, Elle. We have to return every few months and make sure it stays that way, but your head's cured," he said as his fingers rhythmically caressed her head, "Hermione and Mum is taking your family out to eat. They still can't stop asking about our world. Marco asked me to make him fly and he shrieked like a little girl when I levitated him."

Elinor mustered enough strength to chuckle lightly and shifted her position.

"Go back to sleep, Elle."

"Will you stay?" She whispered hoarsely.

"I'm not going anywhere," George said in assurance.

With his melodious voice and the feel of his soft, warm lips pressed against her forehead in mind, Elinor closed her eyes and fell back into a state of torpor.

☆★☆

THE ROUSSEAUS WERE enjoying a slow, nice dinner when a bluish magpie flew right through the door, earning a series of shrieks as it circled over their heads.

And then the magpie spoke.

It actually spoke in George's voice.

"Ellie! Ellie, I can cast a Patronus now! Can you believe it?! Whoa-ha-ha! Bloody hell! This is brilliant!"

Elinor smiled toothily, feeling genuinely happy for his accomplishment. This would be the first Patronus he could conjure after the death of his twin brother.

But then the magpie spirit dispersed into thin air and she remembered that there were four Muggles in the room.

Ezme was the first to react. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

Etienne was too stunned to shun his daughter for cursing out loud.

"It—" Elinor cleared her throat, flustered, "It's a corporeal Patronus. Like a spirit animal that contains positive force conjured by— it's— it's George."

Bielle gaped like a fish out of water.

Elinor hurriedly said, "I'm sorry! I know there are too many things and information to take. I'll tell George to tone it down a bit. He often forget how new all these are to you."

"No!" Cameron exclaimed, "That is so cool! So you can communicate like that?!"

"Yes!" Ezme added in pure excitement, "Tell him to do it again! Wait, I'll call him myself."