5th August 1998

Dear Star Light.

Star Bright.

My first Star, who I saw That Night.

Just one Summer that let me see your Light,

But I will be forever grateful, for that Night…

I suck at poems; could hardly compete with your favourite ones, even if they are a bit morbid. Yes, that especially includes Edgar Allen Poe. And you know why.

Don't argue.

And don't brood over this until I see you tonight for our impromptu date. You shouldn't be able to, anyway. Percy's agreed to help you with any extra work for the Elders, so you can't get out of this.

Haven't seen you properly in two months because of those bleeding Death Eaters; any extra assignments you've managed to gain with your temper is not getting in the way.

So, don't try to –scare- away Percy, have any –discussions- with the Elders or anyone else and see you tonight at five by the Swinging Pendulum.

And don't bite your lip in anger.

Just makes you cuter-

His fingers curled around the parchment. If he hadn't already applied several heavy duty Indestructible Charms it would have worn away by now. Ripped, ink faded and mere dust in his hands.

But it had been the only item to escape his wrath. Everything else has been burned. Scorched beyond recognition and then carried away by the far winds.

This one hadn't. Managed to fall in between the drawer and the small inside space of the desk…

And not discovered again until he had realised…

Maybe it would have been better if he never had. Simply let it only be his own memories to scream, stamp and remind him of his own stupidity without… Without having this letter as well…

Double-edged sword. It would have been taken away from him by his concerned family and friends only they remembered… or at least, they believed he had been worse before.

So, he kept it. Carried it in his pocket when he had to be on the move. Placed under his pillow when he was granted the luxury of his own bed.

Always with him.

Always reminding him…

All of them had dealt with it differently. He needed the letter.

His sister needed the scraps she could find of what They had used to be. Had stitched it all together…

Still too many ghosts haunting their groups.

Still too many past mistakes… killing them slowly.

Night.

Sometimes it was a time to forget. She could fall into dreams of the Better Times and wallow in What Used to Be.

Or else she would be unable to.

Kick the covers off before pulling them back over on her again. Switch from side to side as she holds back her sighs. Though why she would bother as…

He always heard anyway. Waited for undeniable proof before he would call it. She could be completely still, keeping her breaths even as she fought back sobs and he…

His hand would rest on her. A slight squeeze as she tried to regain her composure.

She never knew if he would try to go any further. Sometimes he'd draw her closer to him, try to pull her into his arms so that he could comfort her properly in his bed. Other times, it was only a single touch, left there for a few moments before he would return to his own bed.

She used to venture downstairs, hide herself away in the shadows of the living room after raiding the kitchen. But that only added to the number who would notice her being up.

Bad enough with….

Worse when either of the two did.

Each had their own Darkness to hide from.

Each had their own way of dealing with it.