A/N: Well, we're back. Once a week for an update seems good to me, at least. It's finals week and we've been grinding our brains in the ground like HELL. Though I think that it was just for one class-and that's over. Thought you'd like to know. Also, we have no idea how many people are reading this, so if you would, leave a review. Nothing much, just an "I've been here" kind of thing would rock. The self-esteem thing would just improve dramatically. And with school winding down, it'd be nice for some feedback to keep us alive. Without further ado-
Chapter 7: Coping and Adapting
The air was so dense in the room that, had any of them the strength or desire, they could have cut through it with their wands-no magic required. Instead, all three girls were slumped over in the armchairs facing the fire. It had been hours since their meeting with the headmaster, and after distraction, denial, and all of those other things that come before acceptance, the Halkras were exhausted.
Lakhi was perhaps in the best shape of the three. Fred had indeed cheered her up, but the fact that she left before hearing about the prophecy gave her a lot less to worry about than the other girls. She was simply upset about her parents and cousin, nothing more. Ali had cried earlier, but after her moment of weakness had passed, her calculating mind swung into full gear. Even without memories, she was trying to decipher the mystery surrounding her family. Now this was a puzzle which she would solve.
Last but never least, Megna had curled up into a ball in her chair. She was pure emotion, but like always, never showed it. Thousands of scenarios flew past her eyes, but she care enough to try and understand them. Sighing, she stood.
"Lakhi," she whispered. "Go to bed." Her sister looked up at her, abut to argue. "No. I mean it. The headmaster will need you for your memories tomorrow, and besides, one of us will have to be awake in the morning. Ali's in one of her deep thought phases, and I, well, never mind about me. You're getting some rest whether you like it or not."
Closing her eyes, Lakhi swept up the stairs, scowling at her bossy sister. She was right, but that didn't mean that Lakhi had to like it.
Megna turned back to her other sister. The oldest child, even though it was only by eleven minutes, Ali was never one to leave any stone unturned. She wouldn't come out of that train of thought until she came to a conclusion, or until someone threw water on her. Not wanting to deal with an extremely pissed-off sister at this hour, Megna put a shield around her to keep her warm and keep her from doing herself any harm, grabbed her broomstick, and strode through the portrait hole.
It was pitch-black outside, and close to freezing too, but that wasn't a problem. Right now, the only thing that Megna really wanted was to get numb and wipe away everything that had just happened. Mounting her broom, she flew off towards the top of the castle. Flying was, after all, the best sort of therapy.
She had been up in the air for hours-the sun would start rising soon, which meant that Megna's lark was over. Someone or the other would be up soon, and the last thing that Megna wanted was to be seen - deaths in the family or no, the professors seemed strict about curfew.
Heading back from over the Forbidden Forest (it really wasn't that dangerous from high enough up,) an uneasy feeling hit her. Picking up speed, she got back to the school as fast as she could. The feeling was more than that now, it was full-blown panic. Making it back to her quarters at a sprint, she collapsed into her bed, not noticing the absence of Lakhi.
On the roof of the Astronomy Tower, a pitch-black owl settled in for a much-earned day of rest.
A/N: Please DO review!