Kaez Alexandrov
Head Administrator
Posts : 1101
Join date : 2010-09-19
Age : 31
Location : Knockturn Alley
 | | Subject: An Unexpected Ally Wed Nov 24, 2021 7:58 pm | |
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“Protego totalum, salvio hexia, muffliato, cave inimicum, fianto duri…”
I waved my wand muttering incantations around my tent, preparing to lay down for the night. I took a deep breath once I finished, taking in the scene as the sun set on the beach where my parents had met in Bulgaria; memories flooded me of our last vacation here as a family 17 years ago, the summer before my father vanished.
I walked inside my tent and reached into my bag, taking out my magic 8-ball to communicate with the ancestors; I gave it a kiss and gave it a shake.
“Is our family safe?”
“Reply hazy, try again.”
I gulped and took a deep breath.
“Is Morgan safe?”
“Very doubtful.”
“Is Noah safe?”
“Signs point to yes.”
“Am I safe?”
“Cannot predict now.”
I held the ball to my chest and laid back on my cot, looking at the tent’s roof which began to be pelted by rain. The sound of the rain and the waves crashing on the shore made my eyelids heavy.
I hadn’t been able to get any sleep in weeks; the constant struggle for survival was starting to weigh on me; just a few hours ago I had to fend off some snatchers in Italy. Word had gotten back to the Dark Lord about my quest to find allies to aid in his defeat which put me higher on his list.
I lifted the ball and gave it another shake.
“Can I sleep?”
“Yes definitely.”
I curled up with it, laying on my side as I looked at the pictures I placed on the end table. Mum and dad posing, a fussy Morgan in our mother’s arms and me on my father’s lap; the entire family before grandma Cassie’s passing at the Alexandrov Ball; Morgan and Remus with little Clarisse; Noah and Sirius with their daughter Elizabeth; and a picture of my best friend Andromeda with Teddy and my goddaughter Nymphadora.
All of them reminders of why I had to keep fighting.
I closed my eyes trying to keep negativity at bay.
“Everything will work out in the end, this is all part of the prophecy...”
I kept repeating that last line until exhaustion took over me.
***
Loud thunder caused my eyes to flutter open, I squinted as I got used to the dim morning light.
I took out grandmama’s pocket-watch and opened it to reveal the face of it. It contained two halves of a globe showing the northern and southern hemispheres. The large clock revealed it was 9 in the morning, while the small window on top let me know it was 7am back at home.
I stretched and got up to peek at the outside.
The wind howled and the rain picked up, the beach was empty aside from some brave men taking on the waves.
I walked back to the bed and picked up my magic 8-ball again giving it a shake.
“Is everyone alive?”
“Yes.”
“Should I stay here?” I shook again.
“Cannot predict now.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and gave the 8-ball a kiss before putting it inside my backpack.
Deciding it was best to move on from here I put the picture frames inside the table drawer and recudio’ed my furniture so I could fit it into my extendable bag. I changed my hair to blonde and my eyes to green before I put on my cloak and put my hood up to protect me from the rain as I stepped outside; I took down the tent and put it into my backpack as well before strapping it to my shoulders.
The growl coming from my stomach reminded me I hadn’t eaten in a couple of days. I took out my wand and making sure no one was looking I cast finite on the protective charms and began to make my way to town in search of food.
The town was mostly empty except for those who were making their way to work. As I admired the Bulgarian architecture I frowned at the fact that there were no restaurants open yet.
I kept walking down the street in hopes of an open establishment when a bang came from one of the alleys; I walked closer and there was a sign that read “The Veela’s Song Inn” swinging against the wall due to the strong winds. I looked around to make sure I wasn’t being followed and I made my way inside.
The inn was much larger than the outside let on; I looked up to see the ceiling was enchanted to display a warm summer sky, contrasting with the gloomy weather outside. A few witches and wizards occupied the tables, having their breakfast. Two house elves were on a stage in the corner playing their gadulka and tarabuka creating soft and bewitching melodies.
“Dobre doshli,” the man behind the counter welcomed me with a smile.
“Good morning,” I replied in perfect Bulgarian and approached the counter.
He seemed to stare at me intently, as if trying to figure me out.
“How can I help you?”
My stomach growled.
“I would like to order some breakfast.”
“What’ll you have?”
I thought for a moment as I looked at the menu behind him and smiled seeing items I hadn’t had since I was a child.
“I would like some banitsa with a glass of boza,” I looked at him, “if you could add a bit of firewhiskey to the boza that would be great, it’s cold out.”
The man wrote it down on his notebook and tore the page, a small hand belonging to a house elf popped up from behind the counter to grab the order and took it to the back. The man smiled at me.
“I’ve never seen your face around here before, are you looking for a room?”
“Oh, no,” I shook my head, “I’m visiting for the day.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood as I felt someone was looking at me, my eyes shifted to my left where a hooded figure sat a few tables away.
“We don’t get many visitors around here,” my attention was back to the innkeeper, he began to wipe down the counter, “where are you from?”
“Egypt,” I half-lied, “I’ve been on a quest to visit as many countries as I can before I have to settle for a job at Burkinabé.”
“Egypt, eh?” He crossed his arms as he examined my features, “you don’t look Egyptian to me, if I didn’t know better I’d say you’re from around these parts.”
“My mother’s side of the family is Turkish, that’s probably why,” I gave my best smile, “will the food be long? I’m afraid I’ve got lots of exploring to do, there’s only so many hours in a day.”
“My apologies,” he gave me a nod, “I shall check on Pukhkav.”
With a small bow he retreated back to the kitchen where I caught a glimpse of about a dozen house elves hard at work.
I tapped nervously on the counter as I waited for him to return, still feeling the stranger’s eyes on me. The hooded figure stood up and my stomach dropped seeing them walk towards me; and out of all the empty stools at the bar they picked the seat next to mine without saying a word, and without lowering their hood.
Right then the innkeeper walked out with my plate of banitsa and my spiked boza.
“There you go,” he set them in front of me, “you say you are travelling the world, what currency do you currently carry?”
“I’ve got Galleons on me,” I said, reaching into my pocket.
“That’ll be 1 Galleon, 3 sickles.”
I set down 2 Galleons on the bar.
“You can keep the rest as a tip,” I smiled at him.
He smiled back at me; though he hid something underneath, it seemed like a trace of sadness.
“That’s kind of you, Miss, thank you.” He gave me a nod and looked at the person next to me before proceeding to dust off the bottles of alcohol on the shelves behind him.
My stomach growled once more and it was useless to resist the meal in front of me; it didn’t feel like there was anything off about the mystery person yet, not until they decided to speak anyway.
Waiting a few moments to see if they would try to strike up conversation, I began to eat taking advantage of the fact that I wasn’t currently alone with them, and downed my glass. With the final bite I gave a content sigh and pushed the plate away from me.
I looked at the innkeeper.
“Thank you for the hospitality, mister…”
“Ivanov,” he gave me a nod.
“Ivanov,” I smiled, “that was my grandfather’s last name.”
“Ah, finally something true slips from your mouth.”
My eyes shot to the figure, her voice clicking right away.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I went to stand and she grabbed a hold of my arm.
“Ah ah,” she whispered, “don’t make a scene.”
I locked eyes with Mr. Ivanov, he hung his head not wanting to look at me and went back into the kitchen. My heart began to race, I tried to apparate but I couldn’t within the inn.
“I’ve got you now, Sahar Alexandrov,” I could see her grin from the corner of my eye.
“Manya,” I gulped.
She put her hood down.
“I knew you’d remember me,” she got closer and gave me a sniff, “it’s been a while since France, hasn’t it? Winter of 76… that’s almost five years.” She chuckled, “Karkaroff will be so pleased with me, he might even convince the Dark Lord to mark me.”
“Is that what counts as an achievement nowadays?”
I attempted to shake her off, but she dug her nails into my arm and poked my rib with her wand. She got so close I could feel her breath on my neck.
“Oh I do hope they let me play with you before they kill you,” she whispered in my ear. “Here’s what we’re going to do, Miss Alexandrov: there are about 5 mudbloods in this establishment as far as I’ve gathered from their thoughts, and I won’t hesitate to kill them all; you can come quietly and I spare them, or you could make things very difficult for yourself. We’re going to walk out that door, and you’re going to be a good girl and not try anything funny. Understood?”
I looked into her eyes.
“You are a heinous woman.”
She grinned.
“Thank you, it’s one of my best qualities,” she stood and pulled on my arm, “move, both hands where I can see them.”
I gulped as I walked towards the door, my hands to my sides. I looked around for a sign that someone had noticed, but between the performance and their food nobody bothered to look back.
“Mother, help me…”
“Your mother can’t help you now,” Manya sneered as she opened the door, “the Dark Lord sought to it.”
She pushed me through and as soon as I stepped outside I took hold of the door and slammed it against her, giving me time to take out my wand.
“Levicorpus!” She shouted and I was lifted off my feet, she took a hold of my wrist and attempted to disapparate with me.
I struggled against her as we breezed through the sky, both of us trying to apparate to different places; she punched my nose to break my concentration before I kicked her in the chest causing her to lose the air in her lungs. I tried to shake her off as I tried to apparate away but she held on tight. In a panic I took us to the closest place I knew: my grandparent’s house in Varna.
We landed hard against the dark oak floor, I heard Manya scream and could see blood gushing from her arm, her hand having been splinched from her; before I could do anything a green flash flew past me.
“Avada Kedavra!” I heard my Baba shout, and Manya’s head thumped against the wood, falling silent as blood puddled around us.
I looked back at her wide eyed.
“You killed her.”
“Would you rather it had been you?” Baba’s Bulgarian accent was heavy, she took my hand and helped me up, “oh dear, your nose…” she pointed her wand to it, “episkey.”
I groaned as my nose snapped back into place.
“Thank you,” I looked back at the body, then at Baba, “were you expecting anyone? That was a quick reaction.”
Baba nodded.
“Your mother told me you would be here,” she walked over to the desk that sat out the window and began to ruffle through its drawer. The tawny owl in the cage next to her staring with curiosity.
My eyebrows raised.
“Did she really?”
She took out a letter and handed it to me.
“See for yourself.”
I opened the envelope and took a look at the parchment, on it in my mother’s handwriting was written:
‘Mayko Drina,
Lightning will strike 13 March, 1981. 11am.
The enemy falls at your hand; a life on fire will come to an end.’
“She sent me that letter two years ago,” she walked over to the old arm chair by the fireplace, “come sit.”
I nodded and looked around as I walked towards the sitting area; though my grandmother looked young aside from some gray hairs and a few wrinkles, the house had deteriorated over the years. The dark purple floral wallpaper was beginning to peel, the furniture looked worn, I could hear water dripping from upstairs. Even the phonograph playing Bulgarian classical music didn’t sound as lively as it used to when I was a child.
I took off my backpack and laid it next to my seat. As I sat down, a loud sneeze followed by the sound of sparks and a squeaky bed came from their bedroom down the hall.
“Was that Opa?” I looked at Baba.
Her faint smile faded away, she nodded.
“Luka has dragon pox.”
“Oh…” I looked at the letter in my hand.
She nodded.
“The moment he got ill, I knew that is what your mother meant,” she played with her wedding ring, “we could not risk having a healer over and I can’t get near him, the elves look after him, but he…” Baba took a deep breath, “there is nothing to do but wait.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I put the letter down on the coffee table.
“Oh, don’t be,” she shook her head and picked up a small bell from the table and rang it, “I will finally be free, and I can move on to a new chapter.” She looked around the room, “I am ready to move from here.”
A young house elf dressed in a tunic that matched the navy curtains in the room walked in and gave a bow.
“Yes, mistress?” He spoke in Bulgarian.
“Prepare the garden, Gradi, and have Pesen make Sahar and I some rodopski tea,” Baba never took her eyes off the fire.
“Right away,” he bowed and made his way down the hall.
She looked at me.
“Have you heard from Vin?”
I shook my head.
“Not recently, he sent me an owl about three months ago saying you-know-who hired more snatchers and he wouldn’t know where they would go. I suspect he’s been too busy making sure Morgan is okay.”
“I do wish it did not have to be this way,” she gave a mournful sigh, “Anastasia was the best daughter I could have asked for, your father loved her so much; you could have all been happy.” She took out her handkerchief from her bosom as tears began to fall, “our families have lost so much, keep losing so much.”
I reached over and put my hand on hers.
“We have, but so have many others during this time, that’s why we have to keep fighting.”
She nodded.
“You know, I never agreed with your Opa’s views; a lot of people think I did but,” she shook her head, “I thought it was evil what the Nazis did but if I became a sympathizer I would have been in big trouble; these so called Death Eaters are no better than them.” She looked back at the body that was now soaked in blood, she looked back at me, “I want to join you, you are too soft to be out on your own.”
I smirked.
“Baba, I’ve been doing this for six years.”
“Yet I had to kill her.”
I frowned and sat up straight.
“I don’t kill.”
“No,” she stood and began walking towards Manya, “you escape from them and you leave them free to continue hunting and killing.”
She pointed her wand to the corpse.
“Scourgify,” the blood puddle disappeared, “levicorpus.”
The body lifted off the ground, and Baba moved it into the fireplace, with a flick of her wand the fire intensified, instantly cremating the body, leaving nothing of the Snatcher but ashes.
She sat back down in her chair.
“You have to understand that these people should be treated like vermin, even lesser than; they have no sympathy, so no sympathy can be given to them.”
“I see where Morgan gets it from,” I looked at the remains.
“I did not fight the Nazis, I could not save my son,” her eyes were pleading, “let me take a stand with you, let me make a real difference.”
I looked at her for a moment and reached into my bag pulling out my 8-ball and giving it a kiss.
“Let’s see what the ancestors have to say.”
Baba looked at me puzzled but nodded.
I gave the ball a shake.
“Should Baba join me?”
“Without a doubt.”
I stared at the answer with eyebrows raised.
“Well?” She leaned closer, “what happened?”
I shook it again.
“Should Baba join me?”
“It is decidedly so.”
I blinked and looked at my grandmother.
“Welcome to the Light Catchers.”
“Light Catchers?” she tilted her head, “what is Light Catchers?”
I gave her a soft smile.
“It’s what I call my allies,” I kissed the ball before putting it in my bag, then I reached back in and took out a pouch and pulled out a coin engraved with firefly. “Everyone who joins gets one of these,” I handed it to her. “They’re all magically connected with my own, I plan on activating it during the final war so my allies can join in battle.”
She looked at the coin, she smiled at me.
“Thank you.”
An older female house elf dressed in a tunic matching the couch fabric walked into the room with a tray carrying the tea set, she gently but shakily put it down on the table and gave a bow.
“Your tea, Mistress.”
“Thank you Pesen,” Baba put the coin in her bosom and poured our tea, “how is Luka doing?”
Pesen lowered her head.
“Not good, Mistress, Master Piper is as green as a grindylow and his fever keeps elevating…” she looked up at Baba, “he had a seizure after his last sneeze, third time this morning. Val doesn’t think he has much time left.”
Baba nodded and handed me my cup.
“Grab my purse and pack my clothes and essentials into it.”
Pesen bowed.
“Yes, Mistress.” She then made her way to the bedroom.
I inhaled the aroma from the tea and couldn’t help but smile as it brought memories of drinking it with my father when I was younger; we would cozy up next to the fireplace and he would read my favorite stories as we sipped on our tea.
One sip of it and my body already felt warmer.
I looked at Baba.
“So what will happen with the house elves? It would be too risky to take them with us.”
She took a sip of her tea.
“They will be leaving, they were only here to help me with Luka.”
I nodded and we both drank our tea in silence for a moment, the clock ticking and the rain lashing against the windows drowning out Opa’s soft groans of pain.
“May I ask something?” I broke the silence.
Baba nodded.
“Yes?”
“Did you know about Opa’s views before you married him?”
She looked down at her tea.
“I did.”
“How come you married him if you didn’t agree?” I took the last sip of mine as I awaited her answer.
She chuckled, shaking her head.
“I was not given a choice,” she looked at me, “our marriage was arranged by our parents, my mother did not want us to end up poor and the Pipers had a lot of money and they were pureblood,” she looked around her decaying home, “lots of good that did me.” She sighed, “but despite that he took very good care of me, gave me my greatest treasures.” Baba looked at the family portrait above the mantle where she posed with Opa, dad, and her late son Dimitar. “We were a happy family before the war, he changed after that…”
“I can understand,” I sighed and looked down at the leaves at the bottom of my cup, it was an arrow pointing in the direction of their bedroom. “I think we should go to him.”
She nodded and I stood, extending my hand to her for support. We locked eyes for a moment, and her tears began to flow once more; I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and a nod before we began making our way down the hall. With each step Opa’s groans grew louder, and I braced myself for what I’d see past that door.
The doorway was carved with protection runes that worked to keep the illness contained, inside my grandfather lay in bed being tended to by an elderly male elf who also dressed in a navy blue tunic.
Opa’s skin was a dark green, covered in welts that would sizzle and pop which the elf tried to contain with damp cloths; he gasped for breath as he groaned. He looked so frail that though he was far from being my favorite family member, it brought tears to my eyes too.
“There, there, Master,” the elf spoke in German as he wrung out a towel and placed it on Opa’s forehead, “it’s alright.”
Opa slowly turned his head and his gaze fixated on Baba and I. He attempted to raise his hand but he didn’t manage to keep it up for long.
“Drina,” he whispered.
She nodded from the doorway attempting to smile.
“I’m here,” she spoke in German, her voice breaking.
She cleared her throat, “I’m here.”
His gaze turned to me.
“Stassie.”
I felt a pang of sorrow in my stomach, I shook my head.
“Sahar.”
Opa took a long wheezy breath, squinting his eyes to take a good look at me.
“You,” he coughed, smoke coming out of his mouth. He took another breath, “get out,” he attempted to get up groaning in pain, “you wretched little--.” He gasped for air falling back onto his pillows, “traitor!”
“Master, you must calm down,” the elf placed a damp cloth on his forehead.
“Sh-she… achoo!” Several sneezes came over him, spreading sparks all over the room. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he began to seize. The elf scrambled around with his tools as the bed rattled.
“Val,” Baba called out for him and shook her head, “it is time.”
Pesen and Gradi walked towards us after hearing all the noise, and they walked into the room. They bowed their heads as Opa’s body slowly began to go limp, his chest sinking as he let out his last breath.
And just like that, the Nazi chapter of our family came to an end.
I looked at Baba as she stood there, tears streaming down her face but remaining silent. I gave her hand a squeeze as we watched how the elves began to undress the body and gave it a wash before wrapping it entirely in a glistening white shroud. They cleaned the room and took down the barrier, Val walked towards us and bowed.
“He is ready,” he looked up at my grandmother.
She nodded and walked over to her husband, she lay a hand on his chest and kissed his head.
“Thank you,” she whispered to him and stood straight, pointing her wand to him she lifted his body, and we followed them back to the garden.
The fenced in yard was covered in a floating black tarp, and though it was raining violently the soil beneath our feet was dry. In the middle of the garden was a hole carefully dug out by Gradi, surrounded by blue cornflowers. The headstone at the other end had gold engraving in German:
Luka Vincent Piper
20 July, 1903-13 March, 1981
Dimitar Leon Piper
13 August, 1928- 4 May, 1945
‘The strength of family
is left in the hands of
those brave enough to
carry on its legacy.’
I stared at the quote for a moment, thinking that it was ill fitting for my grandfather and uncle; but it brought me back to my mother’s side of the family. So many of us had sacrificed so much to put an end to the Dark Lord’s reign, and despite all the pain we had to carry on the legacy.
We made our way to the grave pit, I leaned forward and below I could see Dimitar’s body covered in the same white glistening shroud, it was so clean that it didn’t seem like it had been buried for almost 36 years.
Baba began to gently lower Opa’s body next to his son’s, and once nestled into place she bent down to pick up some of the soil and sprinkled it on top of them, a few of her tears getting mixed in. The house elves looked at me and I took a step back; they gave me a look of understanding, and nodded before they began to shovel the rest of the earth into the pit.
Though part of me felt guilty about not showing proper respect, I couldn’t bring myself to empathize with people as evil as the Death Eaters themselves.
There was a moment of silence where they all bowed their heads, and once they stood straight my grandmother took a deep breath and dried her eyes.
She looked at me.
“Excuse me, I have owls to write, make yourself at home,” she gently stroked my hair before going inside.
I stepped back into the porch and the elves followed, with a snap of Gradi’s fingers the tarp was gone and rain fell upon the grave; they all retreated. I made my way after them, locking the door behind me; I caught a glance of them in the kitchen filling up their goblets with rakia.
They raised their drinks.
“To freedom!” They exclaimed in Bulgarian and clinked their goblets together before taking a sip.
Pesen looked at me and gave me a soft smile.
“Come in, miss,” she grabbed another goblet and Gradi poured the drink. She offered it to me.
I smiled and nodded before approaching her and taking it.
“Thank you.”
Val sat up on the step stool and sighed.
“Poor Master Piper, struck down by his hatred.”
“About time, too,” Gradi piped up.
“Gradi!” Val whispered sternly.
“He’s right,” Pesen took a sip of her rakia, “the man was a nightmare.” She looked at me, “I don’t blame you for not participating.”
I gave her a sympathetic smile.
“He definitely wasn’t the nicest of people.”
Gradi looked at me.
“He’s dead now, you don’t have to bottle it in.”
Val grabbed the nearby broomstick and whacked his head.
“It’s true!” Gradi groaned, rubbing the growing lump, “I bet even Mistress Aleksandrina is glad to finally be rid of him.”
“I’m just happy we get to go back home,” Pesen leaned back against the cabinets.
“Where are you guys from?” I tilted my head, “if you don’t mind me asking.”
She smiled brighter.
“We belong to the Krum family, Master Krum is Mistress Drina’s brother; he asked us to come give her a hand with Master Piper.”
“As soon as the Mistress discharges us, we’ll be on our way,” Gradi didn’t try to hide his smile.
“That reminds me, we have some packing to do,” Val stood up and looked at me, “I hope you can be a strength for Drina, she really is a kind woman.”
I gave him a nod.
“I think we’ll be a strength for each other.”
He smiled and the three of them bowed before walking out of the kitchen.
I took a look around the room before walking out as well, walking down the hall I saw my grandmother at her desk scribbling away with her raven feather quill. She no longer seemed to be crying, her posture was straight and I could catch a glimpse of a smile as she wrote on the parchment; perhaps Gradi was onto something.
I made my way up the creaky stairs and encountered the first bucket, I looked up at the ceiling and noticed a hole in the wood that was partially rotting away. I took my wand from my pocket and aimed it at the leak.
“Reparo,” I flicked my wand, but the hole remained.
“It’s no use, Miss,” I looked behind me to see Pesen walking up the steps, “Master Piper’s hatred grew into the house, she’s sick.” She patted the bannister, “one’s home is a reflection of the Master’s interior, your grandparents were both sick and broken in a way…”
I looked around.
“I’ve never heard of that happening but I’m inclined to believe you,” I looked down at her, “sounds like you know them pretty well.”
She nodded.
“The Krums would come visit from time to time since the Pipers couldn’t leave the house, they would bring us with them; Master Krum noticed how bad things were and he brought your father to live with him at home for a few years so as to not risk him accidentally becoming an obscurial after they went into hiding.”
“I didn’t know…” I frowned, “that’s horrible.”
Pesen gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
“The family can move on now.”
I gave her a soft smile.
“We will.”
She smiled back at me and bowed.
“I shall be getting back to my final duties now, but it was wonderful meeting you.”
“It was nice meeting you too,” I nodded.
With one last look she shakily walked back down the steps and into the living room.
Carefully stepping past the bucket I made my way further down the hall past all the Piper family portraits, and noticed the spare room’s door was ajar. I pushed it further and my eyebrows raised in surprise of all the Nazi memorabilia and awards strewn everywhere; there were several buckets in this room collecting the leaks. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and a nauseous feeling took over me, and I forced myself to shut the door instantly making me feel better; though I felt like I needed to sage myself later.
Giving myself a good shake I made my way over to what I knew to be my father’s room, and smiled as I opened the door seeing that everything was exactly as I remembered it; no sign of decay anywhere.
Memories flooded back from the times we had come to visit all those years ago.
I couldn’t help but laugh as I walked inside, seeing the dent Morgan had left on the wooden dresser when she hit her head jumping off the bed. I remember the four of us sleeping on that bed; dad would read us his childhood books which remained on the shelf with a bit of dust on them with his Durmstrang trophies as bookends. I walked over to the corner where the golden Quidditch mobile I accidentally broke still hung with one less chaser on the strings. All of these things were evidence of better and simpler times.
“Sahar!” My grandmother called out.
“Coming!”
I took one last look around and noticed a picture frame face down on the end table next to the door, I picked it up and my eyes watered seeing mom and dad snuggled up at the beach as Morgan and I built a sandcastle. I held the frame to my chest, taking a deep breath before walking out with it and closing the door behind me.
Downstairs the three elves stood in front of my grandmother in the living room.
“Thank you for all your help,” Baba smiled down at them, “I know it was not an easy two weeks away from home.”
Val bowed.
“It is an honor to serve the House of Krum, Mistress.”
Baba handed him an envelope.
“Please give this to my brother.”
“As you wish,” he took the letter.
“Now go,” Baba gave them a hug, “stay safe.”
They hugged her back and Pesen turned to look at me.
“Good luck, Miss.”
I gave her a nod.
“Thank you.”
The three of them apparated away, Baba turned to her owl and handed it an envelope.
“Take this to Vincent.”
The owl nuzzled against her hand and flew upstairs to exit through one of the holes.
Baba picked up her purse and outstretched her hand to me.
“Come, I have somewhere we need to go first.”
“Where?” I asked, raising an eyebrow but taking her hand nonetheless.
“You will see.”
And with the familiar pull on my navel, we disapparated into the air.
End of Chapter | |
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