#ailajohnson

Checking the Prophet daily was almost an obsession, always praying as she did that she wouldn’t read a name she knew. It was a constant tension and yet after a while of every name being a stranger, she had lulled herself into a false sense of security. So for an article to name not one person she knew, not two people, but three was enough to almost make her heart stop.

The first place she wanted to go was Kenna’s but magic was still something of a tetchy subject with her sister. Mary had never told her that Isaac was a wizard and didn’t plan to even with this news. She definitely couldn’t show up already knowing Rosalind was dead when there was a chance Kenna didn’t know yet. There was some news that moved more quickly in the Muggle world but death wasn’t one of them. Particularly sudden tragedies that the Muggles would have no explanation for. So, Mary didn’t go to Kenna first. She went to Aila.

Except, Aila wasn’t there.

Mary’s heart was beating double time. Her fingers were grey from the crumpled paper that was still in her hand and her eyes darted around the street, back to the door, over her shoulder, through the window. Maybe the paper had downplayed it. Maybe she was hurt. She could be lying half-dead in a ditch somewhere all because of Isaac.

Isaac.

"Frank’s a good man,” Lily said, nodding her head. “In fact, one of the best I know. He fights for what’s right, sure, but he’s got a kindness in him that I’ll always admire. I know I can be kind too, but his just... radiates. He’s got a way of making you feel safe around him, y’know? It’s not just kindness. It’s something more, something that I can’t name, but that always will earn my respect.”

Failure. 

Bellatrix was taught that she couldn’t fail. That, no matter how hard she tried, she was made from perfection. This standard was a hard one to live up to, and even harder to maintain an image of when she had failed. Catastrophically. Her father didn’t blame her. He said that it was Andromeda’s choice, a wrong one, one they couldn’t forgive, but hers nonetheless. They seethed over this choice, but her father didn’t blame her. Narcissa didn’t blame her.

Her mother did.

She was alone in the study, sipping tea and trying to calm the storm inside of her; the roil of emotions that had plagued her in the days following Andromeda’s absence. Her mother had sat down beside her, looked her dead in the eyes and told her if you had just been a better sister, she wouldn’t have left.

Godric, had she failed. She’d let her sister leave them, but more than that she hadn’t given her the care she’d needed. Bellatrix had never been able to, she supposed. Although, these days, she found the knowledge that her sister hated her soothing. At least, if Andromeda hated her, and she pretended to hate Andromeda, her sister would be safe. In a way, she was still protecting her, despite it all. Maybe it was her way of making up for what she’d done. For not showing that care when she still had the chance.

“Andromeda,” she said, the word a slash of a knife. Once it was out, she quieted and said nothing more.

The thought of killing someone twists Ted’s insides. Violence is loathsome. Violence is not the answer. He’s his father’s son in those regards, seeking equality and justice through diplomacy rather than force. But... But he can’t say that there isn’t anyone he wouldn’t kill for. “I-- If I had to for my family. For Andromeda or Dora. I’d sacrifice anything for them, including my morals.”

@andyinthestars

When: Christmas eve, 1965

It was getting late. Normally, the twins would have gone to bed far earlier, but this year they were determined to stay up and wait for Santa to come, trying to catch a glimpse of the famous man in red. Earlier that night, they had made and decorated Christmas cookies, which were now sitting out on their most festive plate with a glass of milk for Santa’s arrival. 

December 1978

The last six months had been a bit of a whirl wind. A whirl wind of auror training, learning news spells, meeting friends, and Frank. Her feelings for the man had hit her like a ton of bricks. One day he was just a fellow trainee auror, someone who seemed to be able to beat everyone at duelling, but fall to pieces when paired with her. And then the next day he was her entire world. A whirl wind of a six month period, and she was sat celebrating Christmas with a sparkling engagement ring on her finger.

There had been no doubt that she’d spent the holidays with Frank. Her own family didn’t want her, whilst his seemed to welcome her with open arms. She hadn’t expected to be caught inside with Frank due to a snowstorm though. But, actually, it seemed pretty perfect that their first Christmas would actually be spent just the two of them.

“Seems to be no let up....” She murmured, coming away from the window where she’d been watching the snow fall, and sat back on the sofa, curling up into the side of her fiancé. “Not that I’m going to complain. I’m kinda excited to spend our first christmas together..... just the two of us....” Alice adored Frank, and was falling more and more in love with him. She was excited to spend the holidays with him. Undivided time, where they could just focus on each other. It sounded perfect.

She leant her head on his shoulder, and just sighed, enjoying his presence. This might not have been the way that they had planned to spend Christmas. But there was no where else she would rather be than at his side.

And maybe later they could go have a snow ball fight.

Uh. I mean they have there uses. They are very useful for keeping things in. Means I don’t really have to have a hand bag on me at all times. So I guess they aren’t too bad.

I mean I also personalised my death eater robes to have pockets in because a girl gotta carry stuff round, even when eating death you know.