Moonlark Rising

Ron is an insensitive bludger

Keefe

Keefe's head was throbbing as he slowly sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. Elwin came bustling into the room with a plate of elixirs. "Drink this before you talk to Fitz," he commanded. 

Keefe obliged, if only because he wanted to know what was going on. Although the fact that Ro was in front of him smiling that wicked little smile helped. Now that he thought of it, though, the smile wasn't exactly the same. 

Sadder, almost. When Fitz walked into the room with the same worried expression Ro had, that's when he knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Keefe asked. "I'm pretty sure that the worry face you're making isn't for me."

Fitz's face looked heartbroken, then he said reluctantly, "It's Sophie.... she's missing."

Sophie

Sophie walked into one of the offices of Number 12 Grimmauld Place and took out her scissors, thread and trackers. Sorting the cloaks into three piles based on who they belonged to, she began sewing them into the lining.

She had just finished when she heard the others get back, so she left the school supplies on the table in the upstairs parlor. Harry, Ron and Hermione ran upstairs and claimed their things, putting them in their rooms before coming back.

She smiled at them, but the smile quickly faltered when Ron asked, "You said earlier you don't like fire. Is that because you exploded something in potions class?"

"No," she said, all pretense of being happy gone. "I got caught in a burning building. I barely escaped with my life." Frowning slightly, tears catching in her eyes, she continued, "Not everyone in the building was so lucky, though."

She left the room before she broke down.

Harry

As soon as Sophie was gone, Hermione whacked Ron on the back of the head with a book.

"Ow! What was that for?" he said. "You obviously hurt her, Ronald Weasley! Someone died in that fire, and she probably knew them! Like an IDIOT you brought it up to her, and now she probably hates us!" Hermione yelled. "I'm doing damage control."

Harry looked at Ron only after Hermione left. "She's right, you know. That wasn't very nice."

"How was I supposed to know someone died? It's not like she wears a t-shirt that says 'don't ask me questions, someone died!' Ron complained.

Harry wondered idly who had died in the fire, and how old Sophie had been. Was she an orphan, like him? Had she lived with horrible relatives? Was she adopted? 

Harry couldn't imagine what it would be like to walk into the fireplace if his parents had died in a fire. How had she been able to tolerate it? Harry put a damper over his questions for now. He would let her tell her story how she wanted to, tell him as much or as little as she wanted.

Keefe

Fitz's words brought a new wave of panic. Anticipating his question, Fitz told him, "I don't know where she went. Nobody knows. Every last tracker was removed. No note, but she disappeared very neatly. It could have been a kidnapping, but it's more likely that she ran away." 

He ran his hand through his hair, then continued in a mutter, "Based on what I said, I don't blame her..." Keefe's mind focused on Fitz's words. 

Sophie's obvious sadness. The awkwardness between the two of them. When he had said he was sorry, she hadn't corrected him. Fitz had done something.

Against his better judgement, Keefe asked "What happened? What did you do?"

"We..." Fitz said reluctantly. "We had an argument about her parents. She wanted to stop the search for some reason, and I can't be in a bad match, my family is shunned enough already! Then... we broke up." 

Keefe was both angry and... hopeful. He hated himself for being hopeful. Breaking up was bad. If Sophitz had broken up, Sophie would be sad. He shouldn't feel hopeful.

"You were an idiot, giving up Blondie because of stupid rules." Ro said suddenly, mirroring his thoughts.

"I know," Fitz said. "I was a jerk. I don't really deserve her." Keefe's best friend shifted uncomfortably. "Sophie was here, you know. It took a lot of persuasion to get her to leave you. I just hope we can find her. She wouldn't have left if you were still unconscious. That's the only thing keeping us from ruling out kidnapping."

Keefe thought for a second. "Have they tried to issue a trade or sent a muahaha we have the moonlark message yet? If they really have her, they'll try to get you to give them more things they want for Sophie, then keep her and the traded items. It's how they work." 

Fitz looked rather queasy at that idea. They sat in silence for a bit until Elwin came in and told Fitz it was time to leave. Keefe lay back on the cot, searching through his memories to piece together what happened. 

He remembered collapsing,then hearing Sophie's voice, pleading with him to stay with her. Flashes of her face through the shadows... then blank. Until he had woken up and learned she was gone. He would search for her though. He had a tiny chance. That was enough for him. But first, he had to find her, and rescue her from the Neverseen, and his mom.

Yeah, this is set after Legacy. Unlocked was not out when I wrote this UwU