The cool grey stones rose to meet her fingertips as she walked calmly up the stairway. Her mother always told her to listen to her intuition, and her intuition was clearly yelling that she belonged here in this surreal world. Nothing could substitute the feeling of stability that she had when she walked across the rickety staircase or the feelings…oh, the feelings, that resulted in him wrapping her in his strong arms and second guessing her doubts.
One world. That was the only place that a person could belong. It didn't matter how talented at masking, or how beautiful the façade. Nothing mattered, because you could only have one. Uno. The magic number. That's what her mother told her, her little brother raising an eyebrow at the confrontation. You couldn't have more, you couldn't have less.
What's more, you couldn't have ties anywhere. None. No empty promises and lost futures. That's what her mom told her when she gave her one last hug, and then ushered her out the door. Forgetting is the easiest thing, if you can manage it. That was what her mother told her as she leaned against the plain wooden entryway. You shouldn't yearn for something that you will never have again.
Ordinary. The place that she had left to become herself. It doesn't hurt so much to be normal. That was what her brother whispered in her ear as she bent down to say her last good-bye. You could always become normal again. It was so easy; just pretend that it wasn't true. That was what her brother told her as he clung to her waist and sobbed into her robe. It was so, so easy to pretend.
Honesty was what she lived by. She hung her head and told them that she could not pretend. And that one world was all she could handle. That she could not have ties, they would bring her down.
Good girl. That was what her mother told her as she kissed her forehead and used her sleeve to dry all of their faces. Never look back and forget all you can. That was what her mother told her as she shooed her down the driveway, her dried tears replaced with fresh ones.
Don't go. That was what her brother sobbed out toward her, as she stared at the ground and tried to forget the screaming and the tears and the past. She found that she couldn't. Love you. That was what her brother wailed after her as she finally disappeared, leaving only saltwater tears and paper promises in her wake.
Welcome Home. That was what a big-boned red-haired woman said when she hugged her. Your poor mother, what would she think of you leaving? That was what the woman asked as she let go of the tall blonde. Leaving and never returning. Not even an owl. Poor woman. The red-hairedlady sympathized. Poor woman indeed.
"She told me to do it." Katie blinked tears out of her eyes, as she mounted to rickety steps in search of George. "She told me that it was the best. That I couldn't belong in both muggle and magic worlds." As she climbed the steps, the girl left a trail of tears. Behind her, the words echoed on, unsaid but still heard. "My mother told me. Told me because she loved me."