The rest of the summer continued as it had begun – the house was generally quiet, with the only noises being the occasional vacuum cleaner downstairs or the rare friend that came over to play with Taylor or Leon. Isaac generally stayed to himself either in his room or in the foyer, and I tended to do the same. My father had not spoken to me since that day, mostly because my mother had told him never to go into my room – apparently with four other boys in the house it was my only "sanctuary". Now that I refused to come out of it except for meals, I made sure that he had no opportunity to repeat his unkind gesture.
It was one of those Monday afternoons in August where I knew I should have gone outside because it was the last time it would be nice before the late summer heat and humidity set in, but once again I was barricaded in my room finishing the last of my summer work. My potions essay had lay finished on my desk for a couple of weeks and as I scratched the last words of my charms essay ("The Use and Regulation of the Memory Modifying Charm"), there was a clicking on the sill of my window. I rose, wearily, to open the window for Socks, who had returned alone with another letter. He had returned empty-legged the time I had sent him out with Sirius' money. This time he seemed to be compensating for that, nipping gently at my hands until I untied the letter. Patting him on the head, I allowed him to return to his cage and finish off the mouse he had hunted the night before last. Returning to my bed, I pushed a pillow up against the wall and set my charms essay, my ink and my (new, second favorite) quill on my nightstand. Curling up in a ball with my back against the pillow against the wall, I carefully ripped open the letter and began to read.
Ana,
I hope the rest of your summer has been going by well. James wanted me to tell you that he is expecting you sometime this week to go to Diagon Alley with us. Lily is looking forward to having another girl nearby – Jay isn't here yet either. I'm sorry I didn't write you sooner, but Lily told me not to worry, that you and James were writing.
Speaking of James, he's looking over my shoulder as I'm writing this and he says thank you for the money for Sirius – apparently he went to Gambol and Japes and got a whole bunch of joke stuff. Fireworks, itching powder, some sort of biting candy, etc.
Off to the side, a little note was scrawled in James' handwriting. HI ANA! it said. Someone, probably Remus, had charmed it to fade in and out of the page. I chuckled and continued.
From the sounds of things, it seems like Sirius was really grateful. Apparently while his mother was getting her hand out of the newest edition to the Black museum (a biting vase), Sirius was able to sneak a letter out to James. He said that he was sorry he couldn't write more, but to thank everyone for the help.
We all miss you Ana. We hope to see you by Saturday.
Remus
I tossed the letter back on my nightstand and curled up in a ball on my bed. I only hoped that my father would allow me to visit James. I was sure that he would – the Potters were pureblood Gryffindors after all. Glancing at the alarm clock on the side of my bed (it was five o'clock) I turned over and faced the wall, pulling my pillow underneath my head.
At least Sirius was having fun this summer. He may have gotten in trouble for his revenge, but at least he was able to laugh it off at the end of the day. My mouth turned upward at the thought of his mother, the fat old witch, dancing madly around a hallway attempting to remove a vase's teeth from her hand. With that thought, my eyes slowly fell closed and I drifted off toward sleep.
Two minutes into finally being relaxed, I heard a soft knock on my door. Without looking up, I called "Come in" and I heard the door handle turn quietly and the door drag softly against the carpet. A pair of feet made their way around the end of my bed, then a pause, before I felt a small depression of the mattress near my ankles. The person then crawled up the bed until he was lying down between me and the wall.
"Hi Isaac" I whispered, opening my eyes to find his brown ones looking pitifully at me. "What are you doing?"
He was quiet. I knew that he probably wouldn't say anything for a while. He usually didn't talk when he was under emotional strain. He mostly just sat quietly or went and played with his toys until he was calm enough to speak. I reached my right arm over his body and pulled him close to me. We had a particularly strong bond, my brother and I. Taylor was too old for us – he was always hanging out with his friends and never had time for his siblings. Even Harvest and Leon weren't as close to us – they weren't family in the blood sense and there always was something stronger between blood siblings.
Isaac and I laid there in silence for a while. I could feel him breathing against my chest – he was smaller than me by a good foot, and his hair, brown and fine, was tickling my nose. Then…
I sneezed. Hard. Hard enough that my whole body spasmed.
If Isaac had been asleep he wasn't now. He looked up at me with those big brown eyes and laughed. I couldn't help but smile.
"Why you little…" I started, reaching for his sides and tickling him until he couldn't breathe for laughing. When we were done, we collapsed back onto the bed and silently stared up at the ceiling. It was Isaac that broke the silence.
"Are you okay, big sister?"
I looked over at him with a sad smile.
"Of course I'm okay." He looked unsure, as if he was confused between my words and the truth on my face.
"Cause you haven't come out of here since breakfast. You never come out anymore. Bean and I are lonely." I smiled at the reference to his little stuffed rabbit. He never went anywhere without Bean. I glanced up toward the end of the bed, and sure enough, the little white rabbit was sitting in the corner against the wall. "We can't play hide and go seek because Bean doesn't know how to play unless you're playing with us." His little six year old voice was getting to me. I felt so bad for abandoning Isaac simply because of my spat with Dad.
"Big sister's been busy." I replied. It was a lame excuse, and he knew it. Curling up tighter against my stomach, he hugged me with his one free arm.
"I miss you big sister. Don't go away again this year."
I almost started crying again. I had gone to Hogwarts last summer and he had waved goodbye as I had left for Kings Cross, holding Bean tightly against him. I couldn't tell him that I was leaving this week! He would be miserable.
"I have to go Isaac. All my friends are there at school." I pushed him away a little so that I could see his face. He looked up at me, his eyes almost wet. "But you know what? I think that you and I should go out and play today. How about hide-and-seek with Bean! You know he would like that."
And, like every six year old, Isaac leaped up onto his feet – he bounced on the bed, all worries forgotten. Then, racing out the door, he grabbed the lonely little rabbit with one hand and yelled behind him "You're it, Ana!"
I smiled softly and proceeded to put my head back down on my pillow, sighing.
One…two…three…four…
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The week finished in the same fashion – I slowly began to emerge from my bedroom/refuge day after day. I had told my mum about my departure on Friday for James' house, but my father didn't speak a word to me, or anyone else for that matter, when I was in the room. I did begin to smile more as Isaac got me to play hide-and-seek with him and Bean so many times that week. I would wake up in the morning to find him curled up next to me, sleeping as quietly as a mouse with Bean curled up around his head. One such morning (Friday, as it were), I smiled down at him and kissed him on the forehead before pushing myself up and off of my bed. I successfully avoided waking him and as silently as I could I pulled the chair away from my desk and began writing Remus back a note.
Hey-
I should be leaving today (Friday), so I may get there before this letter does, but I must ask a favor of you. If I seem upset at James' house, please don't ask me why. Tell the others that too. My summer has been alright but there might be some issues that come to light this afternoon with my departure.
Send everyone my love until I get there.
~Ana
Socks had seen me pull out the piece of parchment and he had his leg out to me when I had finished folding the letter. Tying it to his leg, I gave him a final pat on the head and then unlatched my window to let him out.
"Take this to Remus at James' place," I said. "And then you can stay there. I'll be there after a little while". I thought for a moment, and then continued. "And whatever you do, don't give James the letter. I don't care if you have to peck at him". Socks gave an acknowledging hoot and then spread his long wings and took off into the morning sky. He began his ascent just as the sun did and I closed the window as he disappeared from sight.
Sighing, I pushed the latch down on the window and went back over to the bed. Isaac was still laying there, sound asleep. Shaking him gently to wake him up, I helped him to his feet and led my groggy little brother down to breakfast, wishing myself luck on the way downstairs.
