The Secrets of The Sighted (Golden Trio Era) {3}

Lies Are Leaked

Parvati looked older somehow since the last time Mikayla saw her, her golden brown skin seemed to have lost some of its light, as her brown eyes meet Mikayla's blue ones. "Do you have anywhere we can speak privately?" Mikayla asks while taking Fred's had to silently portray to Parvati that he was included in this private discussion. "Um, yeah. We can talk in the greenhouse." Parvati responded and began leading Mikayla and Fred towards the small glass greenhouse in her back garden.

Inside the greenhouse it was much bigger. There was a wide range of plants that are used for potion brewing, from African Red Pepper to Wormwood, the Patils seemed to be growing at least one of every plant ever used in potions. "Abba is a potions enthusiast. He believes growing his own ingredients make the potions more successful." Parvati explains noticing that Mikayla had been scanning all the plant name boards as they walked towards the round table and chairs at the other end of the greenhouse. "My granddad was the same way. He always said that plants that were nurtured by the potioneer as they grew would work better in potions than when there are mass produced." Mikayla admits with a fond smile.

She thought back to a time when she was a little girl, around 8/9, sat in her granddad's apothecary in Hogsmeade, watching as he brewed complex potions and explained what everything did to her. That's when she first fell in love with that form of magic, creating something new with materials that didn't often mix together outside the craft. Inventing was her granddad's passion, trying new combinations or simplifying some of the hardest potions to brew. He wanted to write a book, be the next name in potion making, where schools would be taught his methods instead of Libatius Borage or Arsenius Jigger.

Mikayla took a seat across from Parvati once they reached the table, Fred sitting down in the seat next to Mikayla. "Are you okay with Fred being here?" Mikayla asks, she really should've asked beforehand but she was afraid to talk without his hand to hold. "I suppose he knows everything?" Parvati inquires, "Yeah, I do." Fred answered for himself, Parvati agreed to allow him to stay since he was already caught up with the topic of conversation.

"So, there's a lot that we need to unpack from what has happened over the past school year, specifically how it's events have negatively affected your mental health, my part in it and for me to tell you somethings that will probably make you hate me..." Mikayla slips her left hand into Fred's right, as her eyes never left the curious and sorrowful look in Parvati's eyes. "Do you- would you like Padma to join us? I don't mind her knowing as long as she swears to secrecy." Mikayla asks as she realises that what she's about to reveal is going to be a lot to take in, and if Parvati truly does hate her when she learns the truth then it would be a good idea that Padma would be there to comfort her sister. Parvati looks revealed at Mikayla's permission to grab her sister, "Yeah, that would be great actually."

Parvati gets up and leaves the greenhouse in search of her twin sister before they could delve into what Mikayla is withholding. "See, you're doing great already. You giving her a lifeline to help her process the trauma that Dumbledore has inflicted on her." Fred tried, Mikayla offered him a sad smile, "I'm as much to blame as Dumbledore in this one. And before you argue against me. I was just like Parvati two years ago and I didn't even try to explain to her what had happened, I didn't even think about telling her when I found out, I didn't try to protect her from the grief. That's on me. I'm trying to atone it now, but I fear that I might be too late. You didn't hear her Freddie, she sounded so broken, so lost..."

Before Fred can respond the greenhouse door reopens, Parvati and Padma walking side by side to rejoin Fred and Mikayla at the round table. Mikayla's eyes lock with those of Padma's, the Ravenclaw eyes are slanted in distrust and warning, but Mikayla does not take it personally. Padma had every right to be upset with Mikayla, not that she knew why just yet, but she knows that Mikayla incidentally caused her sister's mental health decline and her distrust is completely valid in Mikayla's mind.

"So what I'm about to tell you cannot be repeated to anyone outside us four for the next year, agreed?" Mikayla requests, they all verbally accept to her request causing the blonde to nod at her boyfriend, silently asking him to soundproof the greenhouse and prevent any form of eavesdropping. Fred stands up and silently sets up the wards, silencing charms etc around the glasshouse, while the three girls watch him quietly. "All set." Fred tells Mikayla, retaking Mikayla's hand as he sits back down in seat next to her. Mikayla drew in a shaky breath, as she tried to decide how to tackle this intense conversation.

"Firstly, I'd like to apologise to you, Parvati, for keeping you in the dark. I wasn't solely my decision but I take accountability for not pushing for you to be told the truth about what happened to Avery." Mikayla began, she knew an apology was in order and felt it was important to get her regret out before she explained what she was sorry for. "On the 22nd of September you, along with the rest of the Wizarding World, were lead to believe that Avery had committed suicide in the early hours of that morning. This was a lie. A cover up, for other things that were at play." Parvati gasps out a sob at Mikayla's words, Mikayla looked away to stare at the table to push on.

"The day before I found out that Avery's biological parents made a Blood Vow with Voldemort, meaning that once she was of age, Avery would become a Death Eater, even if she didn't want to. With this information, Dumbledore acted rashly and did what he thought would protect the Wizarding World from the destruction Voldemort could cause with a Máistir Eilimintí, which Avery had the potential of becoming." Mikayla paused as she felt Fred's hand squeeze her own, as to signal that one of the girls were about to interject. "What's an Máistir Eilimintí?" Padma asked in the beat of silence. "A Master of Elements, someone who can control earth, water, fire etc... To unlock those abilities, Avery would have to kill someone intentionally or accidentally. Something Voldemort could force her to do via the Blood Vow. With me so far?"

Mikayla looks up to see the Patil twins nod simultaneously, looking a bit paler than usual at the new information. "At first, Dumbledore lead me to believe that he had killed Avery, to stop her from falling under Voldemort's control and destroying the Wizarding World as we know it. And for two weeks I utterly broke down, isolated myself in the Muggle World to try and process her death. But after two weeks of suffering, Dumbledore revealed that Avery never died." Parvati's jaw dropped in shock, tears seeping out of her eyes and forming trails down her cheeks. "She's alive?" Padma questioned in utter shock, "Kind of... Avery has been put in a permanent state of slumber, I don't know by who, but I know that Dumbledore was behind it."

Mikayla decided that it was best not to bring up that Snape is control of when Avery is reawaken, his betrayal of Dumbledore is fresh on everyone's mind, and knew it would install fear for Avery's wellbeing if they knew that Snape was the castor of her sleeping spell. "The plan is that she will remain in this state until the war is won or the castor dies, whichever happens first. I was sworn to secrecy, but I never actively tried to tell you the truth or ask Dumbledore to tell you, and I'm terribly sorry for that, Parvati. I didn't protect you from your all consuming grief, or try to ease your mind, as I'm sure Avery would've wanted me to."

Parvati jumped to her feet and unexpectedly wrapped Mikayla in a massive bear hug, the blonde freezing as she had not expected this reaction whatsoever. She believed Parvati would've screamed her, ended the companionship they've build over the past six years but instead she was being embraced by a sobbing girl, muttering gratefulness in her ears. Mikayla got to her feet and held Parvati back, as it was more comfortable than having Parvati bent awkwardly to hug her as she sat. "I forgive you, Mikayla. You protected her and you've given me hope for the future. Thank you for telling me." Mikayla was lost for words, she looked over Parvati's shoulder to see that Padma was also crying. Not for Avery. Not from relief that Avery is alive, but for her own sister. For the fact that Parvati was going to be okay. The lies of Dumbledore finally leaked to save her sister.