Mary was six when she heard that her sister had been murdered.
She didn't understand. Her mother struggled to explain through her tears that it was the same thing that happened to her father- it was all blood, blood, blood, and it spilled, spilled, spilled, and after that they never, ever came home.
"But, Mum," Mary, said. "How can Lavender be dead? She was at Hogwarts, right? She was safe there, right? Lavender also always said that she was a member of Dumbledore's Army, so nothing could get to her."
But her mother just shook her head and wrapped her arms around her, sobbing. "No, honey. Yes, Lavender is dead. Yes, she was at Hogwarts. Yes, Lavender was one of the original members of the D.A. But, no, honey, she wasn't safe there. Not this past year, Mary. Very, very bad witches and wizard broke into the school, Mary, and tortured to students for a whole year. Then more of them came in, and the Order and the D.A. came and fought. Thousands of students and adults alike were killed, and your sister was one of them. She is a hero, Mary, never, ever forget that. Lavender, for all her faults, is a hero. She died for you, for me, for us, and for the Wizarding World. Never let anyone tell you otherwise."
Mary looked into her mother's eyes- just like Lav's- and believed her. She never saw her sister again; never heard her laugh, saw her smile, heard her voice. But when she went to Hogwarts, she made sure she honored her. Lavender always loved daisies.
