The Magic Within

Chapter 29

It took a couple of days to convince everyone, Harry in particular was very hesitant about her going back to the house but he quickly realised that Lavana wasn't kidding about sneaking out herself. She also told him about the things she left behind. Eventually, he agreed but he made sure to warn her about the things that she would see once in the house. 

So on the 1st July, Lavana and Teddy made their way back to the old house, this time with around 20 Aurors to be on the safe side. They really were being a lot more careful about safety. It was fine, it helped knowing that there were many trained witches and wizards but these were Aurors who still hadn't caught Alistair so she had her wand at the ready, just in case. Lavana felt anxious, nervous and very sick but she was ready to see what had happened to her home.

Her family had been living in America for a year now and Lavana had spent less time here because of school but she had thought of this house as her home fairly quickly. Now however, as she looked around at the broken picture frames that had once hung neatly in their golden frames or at the table in the kitchen where her family would all sit together, everything just looked cold and bare. And dark. Was the house always this dark, she thought to herself. Now that she was here she felt like she was struggling to remember what the house had once been like. She just knew that the place now looked like a miserable mess, no different to how she was feeling.

Lavana made her way around the house, through bits of plaster scattered on the floor, past the broken walls with scorch marks etched onto it. The whole scene was playing in her head as she imagined what must have happened that evening. She imagined Alistair making his way through the hallway, stomping... no, maybe he was quiet, as if he was stealthily hunting his prey. At some point though, her family had realised he was there. She could see that from the fight that must have happened in the kitchen. Shards of glass which were once cups, lay on the floor not like they were before when they had lived in the cabinet.

Lavana made her way round the table, careful not to touch anything. The house had been searched top to bottom for any clues by the Ministry looking for anything that might tell them where Alistair was and most importantly where Ambia was but apparently they hadn't found anything or they just weren't telling Lavana.

She bent down to look under the table after seeing something that caught her eyes. Blood. Splattered onto the leg of the table. Who did it belong to? Was it Ambrose? Ambia? Alara? Jacob? Or even Alistair? Lavana hoped it was his. She hoped that he didn't escape unhurt. The creaking of a door opening made Lavana jump and stand up with her wand out, ready to attack if she needed to.

"Relax. It's just me." Teddy was standing in the doorway with his hands up as if he was surrendering to her. He looked scared, as if even he was unsure of what Lavana might do. She didn't blame him; she also had no idea would she might do anymore. She had no intention of hurting Teddy but right now she didn't trust anyone. How could she be sure that it was even him?

"Lavana, it's me. I'm Teddy Lupin. My parents were Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin but I don't remember them because they died in the Battle of Hogwarts. We have been friends since your first year at school when you thought that you could beat me at my own Quidditch game." He smiled at her. "Obviously I won."

It was good enough, Lavana thought and she lowered her wand, showing that she believed him and bent down again to examine the blood.

"Did you know that there's blood here? Right under the table." She pointed at the table leg staring at him with her eyes wide open.

"Yes I did know. That blood has been tested. Someone must have just forgotten to clean it up." He told her calmly, still staying away from her as if she was contagious.