Sacrifice

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

May 3, 1979

Hogsmeade Public Library, Hogsmeade, Scottish Highlands

There was a pensieve at the Hogsmeade Public Library. It was rarely used and tucked out of sight on the second floor between a stack of magical cleaning manuals and some celebrity wizarding magazines.

As much as she didn't want to. Laire had spent the last seven days walking past this pensieve in her library and feeling drawn to it. In her pocket, Regulus' vial of memories felt as though it were burning a hole through the fabric. Laire wasn't sure which of her weaknesses drew her in this direction. Her trouble with trusting? Her curiosity? Either way, Regulus' words about trust were the only thing keeping her from tipping that vial into the pensieve and sliding inside his memories.

The more days that passed, however, the harder resisting her curiosity became. She hadn't heard anything from Regulus. Not a floo message. Not an owl. Not a Patronus. Not even another unexpected late-night visit to her home. There had been an attack in Liverpool and twelve muggles had been found from deaths so grotesque and unusual that the muggle media was struggling to explain it. Fear was spreading, thick, dark, and heavy through the wizarding community. Most patrons didn't even come to the library by themselves anymore.

Laire's focus was currently on her close friend, Irma Pince, who was sitting next to her at one of the library's corner desks. Irma had just gotten a job as the librarian at Hogwarts, but there was no semblance of joy in her expression. In fact, Irma's face was streaked with tears.

"He killed him himself," She was saying between quiet sobs, "Simply because he was there."

"You-Know-Who himself?" Laire quietly exclaimed, shock apparent in her voice, "What could he possibly want with your father?"

"Nothing," Irma sniveled, "He was just a muggle in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was trying to bring me some scones my mother had made. He wanted to help me clean up my house in Keenbridge before the prospective buyers arrived. He just wanted to help me get a good sale so that I had a nest egg to fall back on while I'm living at the school".

Laire was speechless. Her half-blood friend had been there for her all through their years as Hufflepuffs. Laire's own muggle parents had grown quite close to Kendrick Pince and would be devastated to hear the news. Without words to recognize her friend's pain, Laire pulled the black-haired witch in for a tight hug.

"I'm here whenever you need me to be," She said, gently rubbing Irma's back, "Tell your mother that too. Enid Pince is always just as welcome as you are at both the library and my house"

Irma dried her tears with the sleeve of her woolen grey cloak, "Speaking of my mom, she's waiting for me at The Three Broomsticks now. We're planning a nice memorial for him. I would invite you, but we're quite frankly frightened of gathering in large groups now."

"I know," Laire responded gently, "No hard feelings. Wish Enid the best for me".

She helped Irma to her feet and led the grieving witch to the library doors.

"Stay safe, Irma."

Even after the doors to the quiet, rainy streets had been closed for a while, Laire still stood there, staring emotionally at where Irma had just been.

There was too much at stake. Anything could happen. It was getting bad. As a muggleborn herself, Laire's own days could be limited.

"Screw it," She murmured to herself under her breath, pulling the tiny vial of slippery silvery liquid out of her pocket and heading for the second floor. This wasn't the time or place for secrets and regrets.