The War | The Sister Book #4 | Harry Potter Fanfiction

Chapter Two

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Mad-Eye is dead.

There is very little in my life I consider to be definite. I feel like I'm falling, and I won't know where I'm going to land until I finally do. The world will crack back into being and this limbo of conflict will dissipate to reveal a peace. I just don't have a clue as to what that peace will be. I'm beginning to dread it. 

Mad-Eye always seemed so immortal. I didn't think he would be the one to go. 

When we had been told, Harry went so quiet. He didn't know what to say. I know he thinks it's his fault, that Mad-Eye died for him. That's not true. It can't be. Even Mad-Eye wouldn't risk it all for one kid- There had to be another reason. Harry may be the chosen one, but there's more to this war than that. Way more. There has to be. 

I open my eyes, frowning in the darkness at the mess of boxes that hide beneath Ginny's bed. I can hear her softly snoring, her breathing intermingled with the soft sound of Ink's crackly purr. The more awake I become, the more aware I am of the layer of sweat that sits on my skin. A moistness seems to hang in the air, and as I adjust to the darkness and quiet, I hear the faint sound of crickets chirping outside.

God, I hate summer. 

I roll onto my back, pressing my hands into my face and taking a breath. When I went to bed I had been wearing a sweater over my short sleeve shirt, but I removed it in a huff a few hours ago, and it landed somewhere across the room. My bed is small, sitting on the floor between Hermione and Ginny. I slept in Hermione's bed through summer, but seeing the state she was in when she arrived, I was happy to give her a bed off the floor. It's the little things that help with grief. I didn't know what else to do. 

Do I regret it? Maybe just a bit. 

I stare up at the ceiling, with its wooden beams and twisted patterns, grown into the wood as the tree it belonged to grew. I rarely have nightmares anymore, thank god. Insomnia follows me like a buzzing cloud of flies, scattering my thoughts and making my heart flutter anxiously, but I don't wake up crying anymore. 

Suddenly, I hear the sound of footsteps outside the door. This isn't odd, really, I mean the number of people in this house is ridiculous, but still, as I hear them descend the stairs, I prop myself up. Maybe they're having tea downstairs. I can't stand it in here. I may as well join them. 

I push off my blanket, getting up and slipping out of the room and onto the landing. The dim moonlight shines through the small window and I smile to myself. It's funny how even on hot nights any air that you haven't been sitting in feels cooler. Hearing the front door open and close, I frown. I begin to hurry down the stairs, across the living room and out the door, into the perfectly clean and cool evening air. The breeze flows at my flowy white pyjama shorts and I take a breath, savouring the salty, dusty smell that hangs in the air. 

I see the person ahead of me, walking away from the house with a backpack slung haphazardly over his shoulder. 

"Harry?" I call, and he stops. He turns, sighing when he sees me. "What on earth-"

"I'm leaving, I have to start finding the Horcruxes-" 

Am I hearing him right? Am I really? Is he really saying this right now? To me?

"Harry, you're not leaving now. No way." I say quickly walking over to him, "Even if we overlook the fact-"

"I never wanted anyone to die for me." He says, frustration bubbling below the surface. I look at him in disbelief, 

"Mad-Eye didn't die for you, and even if he had- Leaving now would mean that whole expedition was for nothing." I say, stepping towards him, "You may be the chosen one, but this is a whole lot bigger than that." 

He sighs, "But I don't care about a wedding. I'm sorry, but I just don't." 

I shrug, "I don't really either, but what else am I going to do? Leave? I'm not going anywhere without Hermione, and Hermione won't leave without Ron, and there's no way in hell Ron will miss his brother's wedding." 

"I can't just sit here."

"Harry..." I say, walking over to him so we're only a metre or so apart, "Let's go back inside, okay? Tonight isn't the night. Save the world tomorrow. Next week." I raise an eyebrow, "And don't you dare even think about leaving me behind. I'm part of this too." 

He sighs, tilting his head and thinking. I nod at his backpack, "I'd love to see what the great Harry Potter deemed vital for a save the world mission at this time of night." 

Harry rolls his eyes at me, ruffling my hair as he starts to make his way towards the house. I follow him, savouring the slightly cool evening breeze before I step back inside the stuffy kitchen and close the door. I bite my lip,

"Harry?"

He turns, dropping his bag onto the table, "Yeah?"

I look down at my feet, "I keep seeing things. It's getting harder to ignore them."

"Sorry, what do you mean, things?" Harry asks, walking over to me and frowning, 

I shrug, "I think - I don't know - but I think it's what Voldemort is seeing, or doing. I just know it's him." 

Harry nods, "Try not to let him in."

"I know that, but-"

"What's he doing?"

I shake my head, "I don't know. He's just always there, and, well- I'm scared, Harry. He scares me." 

xxx

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

It's weird writing this book idk why cause it's the last one but also idk weird

What are you doing today?

I value each and every one of you,

Taylor xx