Growing Up: Sequel to Secret Existence

Chapter 9: Goodbye Potters

The next twenty four hours passed in a blur and I was alone crouched over a grave, Olivia’s grave. I still had my wedding band on my finger. Kreature was watching Sky and Dumbledore had left. Kreature had been watching Sky almost the whole time. I was under James’s invisibility cloak, Dumbledore had it. I didn’t even think to ask why.

The tears continued flowing down my cheeks onto the soft new dirt that had been put over the fresh grave. So many of the graves were like that. The grass hadn’t even started to cover the freshly turned earth yet. Every death had hurt, but not the same. She’d become my life. I’d failed her when it mattered the most. I looked up at her headstone.

Olivia Black

To the world you may have just been somebody,

but to all of us you were the world

Beloved Wife and Mother

1960-1981

Dumbledore had chosen the quote, I had been too frozen, but it was perfect. She had been my entire world. A sob wracked through my body, “Olivia.” I cried quieter, I couldn’t afford to grieve loudly. “I’ll miss you. We’ll all miss you.” Dumbledore took me home soon and I sat on the couch. Kreature brought me soup, but I couldn’t touch it. I was frozen until the thirtieth when the elf got fed up with me. He brought me Sky and left. I don’t know where he went, I didn’t care.

The little girl’s eyes were red and puffy along with her nose. When she saw me she launched herself at me and held on tightly squeezing my leg until I lifted her into my lap. Her little arms snaked their way around my neck and held me in a death grip. I forced myself to stop crying. I’d sworn to protect her, I had to stop and do right by Sky. She was my life now.

“Uncle Siris,” She sobbed.

I pulled her off, but in my lap still, “What’s up kiddo?”

“Aunt Livi is gone and Hope is gone, and I miss them!” She started to sob again and launched herself back at me. I felt my breath catch again and I realized she didn’t understand at all.

I took a deep breath that didn’t seem to work, “Sky, did anyone tell you what happened?” She shook her head. “Sky, do you remember the beach?”

She nodded, “The bright green lights. And one hit Aunt Livi and she fell down.”

I nodded and tried not to cry, “Well, when the light hit your Aunt she died,” I stopped myself, that wouldn’t help. “She went to heaven.”

“When she coming back?” She said fisting her eyes.

I held my breath before answering, “She isn’t.”

“Is Hope in heaven too?”

“No,” I told her, “Hope is with Uncle Remus.”

“Why?”

“You know how you’re here with me instead of home with Mommy and Daddy and Harry?” She nodded. “Well it’s like that.”

“How come it safe for me hewe and Harwwy at home and Hope wit Uncle Wemus?”

“Because it’s not where they think you are,” I told her.

“Who?”

“The bad people,” I told her.

She nodded, “Like the cwazy haiwed lady?”

I nodded, “Yeah sweet heart.”

She put her head on my chest, “Uncle Siris, is it okay dat I’m still sad?”