The Eagle and The Snake: A Tragic Love Story

87. Christmas Comparisons

Luna and Carly continued going to the Potter Manor regularly, intent on fixing it up room by room.
The fact that it had been empty for nearly 20 years, meant that lots of creatures had made it their home.
The girls spent hours spraying Doxy repellent from top to bottom, and Doxy's weren't the only nasty pests that had entered the home.
But Carly and Luna weren't afraid of anything, and they were determined to turn the Potter Manor into their forever home, so no household pests were going to stop them.

They only took a short break to participate in Christmas traditions with the Malfoys and Bellatrix.
On Christmas Eve, Carly decided that she wanted to visit Godric's Hollow and lay some flowers on her father's grave.
Narcissa had offered to accompany the girls, but Carly only wanted Luna with her, as she knew she was going to have to see the place her father died. And she only wanted Luna to see her be that vulnerable.

The pair apparated to Godric's Hollow in Muggle clothing, in case anyone spotted them.
They saw the large statue of James, Lily and baby Harry at the entrance to the town, and Carly couldn't help but roll her eyes at it, for she had been left out entirely.
Instead of dwelling on it, they headed for the Potter's cottage, easily recognisable by the caved in roof and plaque outside the building.
The plaque spoke of Lily and James's bravery, and how the house had been left untouched since that night, in their honour.
The sign had also been graffitied by people wishing Harry luck, on his quest to defeat Voldemort.

Luna stepped closer to the cottage, but Carly stopped her.
"Wait. I don't think I can do this" trembled Carly.
"We don't have to go in if you don't want to. We can just stay outside and look at it" Luna said softly.
"Thank you... I just don't think I am strong enough to see the spot where my father died. Especially not since I'm currently serving the man who killed my father. It just doesn't feel right" admitted Carly.
"Then we will just stand here. We don't have to do anything that you aren't comfortable with".

The cold winter winds froze the girls, but neither of them moved a muscle.
Instead, they just stood in silence, showing their respect for the dead, who had been killed in such a horrific and brutal way.
Carly refused to allow herself to cry, since she had such a tough reputation. So, when she couldn't take it anymore, she turned away from the cottage and headed towards the graveyard.
Luna and Carly passed several surnames on gravestones that they recognised, like Dumbledore and Peverell. But they didn't stop until they reached the gravestone of James and Lily Potter.

Carly bent down and leant the bouquet of red roses she had brought with her, against the headstone.
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed, is death" recited Carly, as she traced the words on the stone with her finger.
"It's not as ominous as you think it sounds. It's not about finding ways to avoid death, but about facing it, because it's just a part of life" replied Luna.

"But James and Lily didn't exactly die natural deaths. They were murdered by our boss" mumbled Carly.
"Don't blame the dark lord for that. Peter Pettigrew is the one who sold them out, and Dumbledore is the one who failed to protect them. The dark lord may have been the one to cast the final blow, but they had been let down by a lot of people before then" reminded Luna.
"You're right... It just hurts to see the place my father is burried. Andy never took me here when I was a child, because she thought it would hurt me too much... She was right about that. And it hurts more than it would if I was not a death eater, because now I have guilt on top of my sadness" admitted Carly.

"Me and my dad used to regularly visit my mothers grave. We didn't like it to ever be without flowers, which is why we went so often, bringing new ones with us" revealed Luna.
"That's nice... I guess you've always been better at facing death than me" sighed Carly.
"I've had a lot of pets, and as a child I made friends with many magical creatures, all of which I had to see die. So, I guess I have always accepted death as just a part of life" admitted Luna.