A\N: I forgot to mention that the previous chapter was inspired by my friend Lisette, who used to play dead when she was a little girl and did it so convincingly she scared her family. Also, some of the content in that chapter was inspired by a Sailor Moon episode. Again, though, most of the ideas were mine.

Voldemort. Every witch and wizard from the toddlers to the ancients know that name, and they fear it. For twenty years, Voldemort was like a gigantic black shadow that covered the wizarding world, enveloping it in darkness. But in the year of 1977, when I was eleven, Severus was eighteen, and Summer was nine, Voldemort was a mere rumor, an uncertain whisper in the world of adults, a growing dark spot on our bright horizons that we didn't see.

I can still remember what happened on July 6 of that year. Severus, Summer, and I woke up and went down to the kitchen for breakfast as usual. Mother was sitting at the table in her nightgown, weeping, while Twinkle stood by and patted her shoulder.

"Mother, Twinkle, what's wrong?" asked Severus.

Twinkle looked at us with large, sorrowful eyes and replied, "Your father is leaving to go and join the Death Eaters."

The Death Eaters. That was what the new dark wizard Voldemort called his followers.
Summer was the first to act. Before we could stop her she dashed out the door.

Sev and I looked at each other and followed.

Father was marching up into the hills with a look on his face that was so hard and cold it would make one shiver just to look at it.

Heedless of the expression, Summer sprinted forward and attached herself to his robes. "Father, what are you doing?" she cried.

"Get off!" cried Father, pushing her to the ground. His voice was like a winter wind, harsh and biting. He often used that voice with Severus and myself, but he had never used it with Summer before.

Undaunted, Summer clung again to his robes. "Father, please don't leave," she begged.

Father again shoved her to the ground, roughly this time. Glaring fiercely at her, he pulled out his wand, pointed it at her, and yelled, "Crucio!"
Father had used the Cruciatus Curse on Severus and myself more times than I can count. He had never used it on

Summer, though, and it was horrible. Summer fell onto her back, her arms and legs tucked inward. She was jerking, and twitching, and rocking back and forth, screaming in agony. Poor Summer. I knew how that felt.
Severus quickly drew out his own wand and performed the counter curse.

Summer slowly sat up, trembling and breathing heavily, her beautiful blue eyes swimming with tears.
Father turned and continued up the hill.

"Don't go," Summer softly pleaded, her voice become tight and high pitched as it always did when she was about to cry. "I love you."

She spoke these last words with a sort of desperate hope that they would convince Father to stay. In was all in vain. Father reached the top of the hill and disapparated with a small pop. Summer began to wail.

Severus turned on his heel and dashed into the house, leaving me to comfort our sobbing sister. I knelt beside her on the ground and put a hand on her heaving shoulders. "Shh, Summer, it's okay."

Summer sat up and glared at me through her tears. "No, no, it's not okay. It'll never be okay. Our father is gone. Oh, Servus, what are we going to do?" With that she started wailing afresh and threw herself into my arms.

I held her close and stroked her hair, but I doubt that either us felt any better. The truth was that while I would not miss the yelling, the beatings, the drinking, and the jinxes, my father's departure made me feel as helpless as Summer did. I wanted to crawl into a pair of warm, waiting arms and sob my sorrows out on a sympathetic shoulder as well.

Summer's sobs increased in volume and intensity, and I wracked my brains on what to do. Who could we run to? Mother was probably too busy with her own grief, and Twinkle wouldn't be able to understand our pain. Then it hit me. Of course. Who had Summer and I always run to when we were in pain and needed some comfort? "Come on, Summer girl," I said, letting go of my sister and holding her hand, "let's go find Severus."

Summer sniffed, dried her tears, and allowed me to lead her into the house.

We found Severus in our bedroom, seated on his bed, starting to cry himself.

I climbed up on the bed, hugged him, and laid my head on his chest while Summer climbed onto the bed and laid her head in his lap.
The three of us stayed in that position for a long time, crying until we were exhausted.

"Severus, don't leave us," Summer begged when we were through.

"I won't. I promise," Severus replied, hugging us tightly to him.

I closed my eyes, listening to the soothing rhythm of his heart, while I grabbed Summer's hand and squeezed it tightly, letting out a sigh of content. My heart still hurt, but I knew that things would be all right. As long as I had my older brother and baby sister, everything would be fine.