"Happy Birthday!"
A bushy-haired girl burst through the floo, all smiles and bursting with energy as she presented two wrapped presents with neat little bows. Pride shone in her eyes, a bounce in every step.
"Thanks, Hermione," Harry said, taking the green checkered present. Beside him, Mara grabbed her own pink-colored box. Each present was meticulously wrapped and had a tag that said each of their names.
Once both presents were gone from her hands, Hermione leaped forward, pulling Harry into a crushing hug.
"Oh, I missed you so much! I've got so much to tell you. Oh, I brought souvenirs too! I can't wait to share them with you."
"That's great, Hermione," Harry smiled at the excitable girl, a bit strained at the corners. "But, um, Hermione."
Hermione let go of him, seeming not to hear him as she rambled on about the shops she visited. She dragged Mara into the same crushing hug but Mara simply stood still and let it happen, even leaning her head onto Hermione's shoulder.
"Hermione," Harry tried again.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, turning to Harry while still hugging Mara, who was now leaning her whole body into Hermione. Hermione staggered under the weight of her redheaded friend.
"Mara, you're leaning on me too much."
"She's not leaning," Harry finally told her, "She's asleep. It's 4-30 am, Hermione. You're seven hours early."
Hermione flushed.
Sure enough, both Harry and Mara stood in the foyer of their Manor, dressed only in pajamas and socks. Harry's hair stuck up and around like it had learned the secret to defying gravity. He didn't even have time to grab his glasses when Aura had woken him up rather rudely.
Mara was much in the same boat. Her hair was more of a rat's nest, her pajamas crumpled from sleep.
His parents were both still asleep when Aura delivered Hermione's letter and Harry had rushed to get Mara up and get to the floo before she arrived.
A loud snore came from Mara's unconscious body, now bending over as Hermione struggled to hold her weight.
"I just thought- Oh no," Hermione didn't finish as she lost her footing and both she and the sleeping girl fell backward. Hermione crashed onto the floor, right onto her back as Mara fell on top of her. The bushy-haired girl groaned in pain.
Mara rumbled in her sleep, grumbling nonsense under her breath but didn't wake. Her mouth fell open as she snored, drifting into sleep once more.
Harry was much too tired for this.
"I'll get Dad," he sighed.
"Wait," Hermione cried, attempting to push Mara's limp body off her, "aren't you going to help me?"
Harry snorted. "Once she gets a hold of somebody, she holds them like a koala. It's useless. Only Dad can get her off. Stay here. I'll be back."
With that, Harry charged up the stairs much to Hermione's protests behind him.
"But I - HARRY!"
Like a good host, Harry stayed up to give Hermione a tour around the Manor. Unlike his sister, who had to be carried up to her bed by their Dad, Harry was wide awake.
"Where are we going now?" Hermione asked, amused.
Harry pulled her along down a never-ending hallway after their very hearty breakfast. Harry dragged Hermione off as soon as breakfast was over, intending to show her something "amazing" in his words.
They stopped at the end of the hallway, only a large double door at the end, intricately carved within the mahogany wood. Harry turned back to her with a huge grin and both his hands on the doors.
"The library, obviously."
And with that, Harry thrust open the double doors. The two took a few steps in and Hermione's jaw dropped open.
Despite the manor's conservative look, the library was grander than anything else she had seen. Three stories tall, there were bookshelves lining three of the four walls, going from the ceiling to the floor. The last wall was made of floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out onto a pond big enough to perhaps call a lake and a lush forest.
A flock of deer roamed the plains by the pond, small and large, seeming not to notice the windows in the slightest.
Rows upon Rows of books lined the walls and the shelves. Ladders climbed to the platform on the second and third floors.
Even bigger than the Hogwarts library, there had to be hundreds of thousands of books.
Hermione had never seen something so beautiful.
"It's amazing," She sniffed, wiping her watering eyes.
"Dad had it built for Mum on their wedding anniversary. It's kinda been expanding ever since," Harry told her with a proud smile.
"Is there a filing system? Hogwarts used its own filing system but most of the world uses the Dewey Decimal System. How do you file Magic books under the Dewey system, anyway? Would it be Generalities or Religion? It's not science or math,." Hermione rambled.
"I'll explain it later." Harry laughed. "Nev and Ron won't be here till later so we have a few hours to read if you want."
"May I?" Hermione beamed, looking up at him hopefully.
"Anything you want," Harry smiled.
"And here is the pitch," Harry said, right as the sun began to rise. He and Hermione walked towards the field after the thorough tour around the house. Aura flew overhead of the two, stretching her wings as she did every morning. She hadn't even woken when Hermione first showed up but she was there now.
Their Manor wasn't as large as some others (coughmalfoycough) but it was home. Besides the Manor, they had the gardens, including a hedge maze made of Lillies (Their Dad's attempt to be romantic), the woods which surrounded the house for over seven miles in every direction, and this, the quidditch pitch.
"How much money does your family have?" Hermione asked with exasperation, her eyes wide as she took in the 100-yard pitch including the three rings on each side. "This is like a football field."
Harry shrugged, "About the same length, yeah. What can I say? Dad likes Quidditch. My Great Grandfather was a master pioneer so he had a fortune saved up and we still have donations from random people thanking Mara so we're pretty well off. We're nowhere near the richest family, though. Neither are the Malfoys if you were wondering," Harry explained.
"Who is?"
"Technically? The Blacks, I think. They're the oldest living family. My Uncle Sirius is the head now and he doesn't even know how much money they have. Not to mention all their properties too. The main account is something like thirty-six billion gallons."
"Wow," Hermione gasped.
Harry laughed and turned to Hermione with a mischievous smile. "Wanna fly?"
"What?" Hermione turned to him, bewildered and slightly fearful.
Harry grinned and let out a loud whistle. He leaned back and Hermione was about to start demanding answers when the loud whoosh reached her ears. In the distance, a long broom was racing towards them.
Like a jet in the sky, the broom only barely halted in front of Harry, lowering to the grass just enough to let them step on. Harry immediately threw a leg over, hovering in the air as he settled on the broom.
Hermione did have to admit it was a brilliant broom, though. A sleek black wood with a solid handle which Harry clutched lazily with one hand. Like a sports car but in broom form, Hermione could even spot his initials in an emerald green writing at the top of the handle. Other emerald green etchings went down the broom in a delicate but smooth pattern.
No matter how beautiful, though, Hermione still wouldn't get on.
"No," Hermine shook her head firmly.
Harry grinned, "You said you'd take lessons last year. How are you going to get better if you don't try?"
Hermione flushed. She did remember saying that, in fact. She had barely passed the flying lessons last year, never managing any of the advanced techniques like the barrel roll which Harry had been all too happy to show off again and again.
It did bug her that she still couldn't properly ride a broom.
Hermione bit her bottom lip, debating with a war inside her.
Harry's smile softened, "it's okay if it makes you uncomfortable. You don't have to, Hermione. I just thought it would be easier to ride here with me than riding the death traps they call school brooms."
He had a point. And he knew it, too, judging by the smug look hiding just behind his eyes.
But Hermione also knew that if she said no, he would back off. Harry would never make her do something she didn't want to.
Hermione sighed, giving in and Harry knew he won.
He nodded to the back of the broom, just enough room for her to sit behind him. Hermione blushed as she slipped one leg over the broom, sliding behind Harry. The invisible restraints slid into place, hardly noticeable except to her keen senses.
Hesitantly, she tried to see Harry's reaction as she slipped her arms around his waist, her face bright red at the closeness. He was warm like the sun beating down on them. His back rumbled, vibrating as he chuckled and Hermione flushed even further, attempting to glare at him through his back.
"Ready?" He asked, humor lighting his voice.
"No," Hermione said honestly. "Just do it."
Harry laughed, his rumbling laugh vibrating where her hands held him around his waist. Harry wasted no more time as he kicked off from the ground and the broom lifted into the sky. Beside them, Aura chirped as she circled around their rising form. Her wings glittered in the morning sunlight.
Hermione's stomach dropped as they rose and she clutched Harry even tighter, her irrational fear of falling strangling her logical side. They rose slowly, a particular kindness Hermione appreciated.
The higher they got, the more nervous Hermione felt. Hermione shut her eyes in fear, trying to get used to the weightlessness she felt. Only a single piece of wood between her and the ground. Soon enough, they stopped rising and Harry shifted.
"Open your eyes," he whispered to her.
And her trust in him bigger than her fear, she did without hesitation.
The Horizon was just starting to light up from the rising sun. The swirling twilight faded away as the color burst through the clouds, giving birth to the new day. Colors swirled, dancing together as far as the eye could see, past the tree lines that stretched on forever. Like a painter had splashed the sky with this moment, Hermione thought there was nothing more beautiful.
The sunrise reflected in her eyes, Hermione felt every early morning breath in her lungs, breathing in the very beauty before her.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, starstruck.
"It's my favorite time of the day," Harry told her, almost out of breath like the scene had knocked the air out of his chest. He leaned over his shoulder, giving her a huge grin, "Not so bad, right?"
Hermione startled, almost forgetting her free-swinging legs below her, how they were dozens of feet from the ground. She smiled back, wiggling her feet in the free air.
"I guess not," She murmured.
Hermione doubted, however, it was the broom that made her feel so safe.
The longer they stayed up there, the more comfortable Hermione got. Aura swirled around them, coming so close that Hermione was almost able to reach out her hand to touch her shining golden feathers. It was at this moment that Hermione realized why the Sun Phoenix had been so revered.
It truly looked like her feathers were golden drops of the sun. Aura chirped as Hermione's fingers just barely grazed the phoenix's wing. Like she could reach out to touch drops of the sun, the world was burning just for them.
Nothing else existed at this moment.
"FOOD!" A tearing scream tore through the moment like a sudden shattering vase.
Instinctively, Hermione looked at the source of the sound, the ground.
With a yelp, Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry's chest, clinging to him like a koala to a tree. Aura screeched, quickly flying away from their flailing broom. Harry yelped at her sudden movement and the broom terrifyingly tilted to the ground. Hermione screamed, shutting her eyes as she prepared to fall but they never did.
The broom stabilized and Harry coughed out, sounding choking "Can you please let go?"
Startled, Hermione realized she had one arm wrapped around Harry's throat and immediately loosened, moving both her hands back to his waist, still too mindful of the potential fall they had almost taken.
"I'm so sorry!" Hermione cried, "Get me down! Get me down!"
As she shouted like a madman, she felt Harry wheezing as he broke into guffaws of laughter. The broom lowered to the ground, slowly and it felt like ages until Hermione's feet landed back on the dirt.
Hermione shakily collapsed off the broom, clutching fistfuls of dirt into her hands. She breathed in and out, nearly on the verge of a panic attack.
Slippers of two smushed and old griffins appeared out of the corner of her eye and Hermione looked up.
Mara, in her pajamas and slippers, her hair still a mess much like earlier in the morning, stood, her arms crossed and a shit-eating grin across her face.
"So, what have you two been doing?" She asked, winking at Hermione.
Hermione flushed, jumping to her feet as Harry approached her from behind. Harry sent his twin a cross look as he held his arm out. Aura settled down on his arm, nuzzling into his cheek as he pets her feathers calmingly.
"Practicing flying," Harry said.
Mara wiggled her eyebrows, "Are you sure that's all you've been doing?"
Hermione turned bright red, embarrassment crowding her as she now realized how intimate the two of them had seemed.
"Mara!" Harry scolded and Mara only giggled before rushing into the house.
"Come on, she's just being stupid," Harry rolled his eyes and smiled at Hermione. He dropped his arm and Aura took off in flight, probably to go hunt. He paused and leaned closer until there were only a few centimeters between them. He frowned, a pondering look upon his face.
Hermione blushed bright red, stammering out a "W-what are you doing?"
"Hold still for a moment," He said, his hot breath brushing across her cheek.
She watched his hand nervously as he pushed a few strands of her hair away from her face, tucking them gently behind her ear.
He smiled and leaned back. "There. Now I can see your face clearly."
Hermione felt like she couldn't breathe, her face was as hot as the sun as Harry smiled at her, turning away and following his sister back into the house.
It took a few moments before her heart restarted and before she realized what she was doing, her embarrassed face was covered in her hands.
"Oh no," She whispered to the empty room.
By the time noon rolled around, everyone was in a rush. Harry and Hermione had been forgotten in the library to read in peace while Mara still slept.
Their parents had rushed around decorating and preparing for the party. Half an Hour past noon had their Mum heading upstairs to Mara's room. There had been a loud thump like their Mum had dumped Mara out of bed and onto the floor. Harry heard it all from the library, including the very colorful swears pouring out of his sister's loudmouth.
No doubt their Mum was attempting to wrestle Mara into a dress again.
Ten minutes before one, Harry had to drag Hermione from the library before Neville and the Weasley would get here. Breena was off somewhere for the day, too many people being too loud according to her. Aura was similar. Though Aura's feathers had grown out and she was healthier, the mental wounds still existed. She didn't like large crowds, even after experiencing Hogwarts last year.
Neville arrived first, falling head-first out of the floo and onto the floor. Mara was practically bouncing on her heels now, palpable excitement on her face.
It took only seconds for Mara to yank Neville to his feet and crush him into a huge hug. Neville's cheeks went pink before she stepped back and Hermione gave him a hug next.
Harry offered him his hand with a smirk and Neville grinned as he took it. The two boys turned their basic handshake into their overly complicated mess of a secret handshake.
"Did you ever get the stink out of your Mum's carpet?" Neville grinned teasingly.
"Fortunately," Harry replied dryly, "But I'm still gonna give the twins hell when they get here."
"I'd pay to see that," Neville laughed.
The next to arrive, exactly one minute before one, was a familiar redhead and her purple messenger bag.
"Lily!" Mara exclaimed with a huge smile. She rushed over to the fireplace to pull her friend into a hug.
"Hullo, Mara," Lily giggled, hugging her back.
"It's so good to see you!"
"You as well!" Lily grinned, still dressed in her usual multi-colored stockings.
Harry nodded at her, not knowing her very well and she smiled. She opened her messenger bag and Mara unintentionally took a step back, eyes wide.
Lily reached in, rumbling through it, sticking her hands farther down into the bag than they should really go.
All the while, she mumbled to herself, "Where did I put it? No, that's not it. Nope. Nope."
Various sounds came from the bag, including a large snarl and hiss. Mara raised her eyebrows but didn't comment.
"Here it is!" Lily declared triumphantly as she brought out two square packages, tiny in her hands, each about the size of her palm. One was wrapped neatly in green and black while the other in red and white.
"Here you go!" She held them out, one in each hand.
The twins looked at the crumpled presents, torn and paper shredded in places with what looked suspiciously like claw marks, and then at Lily's bright face.
"Thanks!" Mara smiled as bright as she could, throwing out her suspicions of the present. The paper was rough on her fingertips and for some odd reason, damp.
Despite her strained smile, it was enough for Lily, who offered her blinding smile to Harry, who only stared at the present as if it would bite him.
Mara shoved an elbow into his side as harshly as she could, flickering her eyes to the present and him sternly.
He sighed and took the present by its barely holding on bow. "Thank you," He mumbled.
"You're so welcome!" Ever oblivious, Lily grinned brightly. "I've never been to a birthday party so I wasn't sure what to do but I hope you like them!"
Mara's smile softened as she noticed Lily's anxiousness hiding behind her bright eyes.
"I'm just glad you came, Lily. I'd rather have my friends than any present any day. Though it is greatly appreciated."
Presents, after all, were not always given with kind intentions. Mara knew that well.
Lily blushed.
Much to Mara's delight, as they waited for the next guests, Lily got along swimmingly with Neville (who she also presented with another similar gift, this one is a dark blue and silver color) who was all too happy to share the adventures of his home greenhouse projects.
His newest project, he explained, is the Jinmenju Tree. A tree with a mysterious ability to grow fruit with faces that were often heard laughing.
Harry had given it to him as a seedling when they were six and it'd only just now produced its first harvest of fruit.
He presented one of the fruits to them with a huge smile, about the size of an apple with a fleshy pink color. Startlingly, the front of the fruit contained what looked like creases in the skin exactly in the shape of eyes and a huge smiling mouth.
The fruit giggled as Neville carved it into pieces for them to try.
Mara didn't.
Lily said it tasted like a sour peach with a hint of citrus.
Mara almost threw hers out the window.
The Weasleys, as both Mara and Harry had expected, were late. Almost two and a half hours later than the time they told them, which luckily was an hour before the actual party.
When the fireplace roared to life once more, they hurried to greet them.
Ron's fiery red hair and freckled nose came out first, his lanky arms and legs stumbling through, tracking ashes onto the floor.
He brushed himself off, coughing from the amount of dust in the air.
"Ron!" Hermione was first to react as always, tackling him into a hug. She let go just as quickly, a huff on her lips.
"You didn't reply to any of my letters," She accused him.
"Yeah, well," Ron scratched his dirty nose, "Fred and George kept stealing them."
Behind him, the fireplace roared again and one brother's arm slung itself around Ron's shoulders, a grin on the twin's face.
"How could we resist?" Fred grinned.
Another roar of fire and a second arm, belonging to a second brother wound around Ron's other shoulder.
"Ickle Ronniekins, getting letters from a girl," George wiped a fake tear from his eye.
"They grow up so fast," Fred pretended to sniff. "Soon, they'll be married."
"Gross," Ron and Hermione blanched. They avoided each other's eyes, stepping away from one another.
"I'd never marry her!" Ron protested, "She's too bossy!"
"Bossy?" Hermione gasped, "Well, you're just ignorant!"
"Take that back!" Ron growled.
"You first!"
"Children," Neville stepped in, giving each a scolding look.
Immediately, the two fell silent but kept giving one another harsh glares.
"It's okay," Fred patted Ron's back sympathetically.
"You'll find love again," George sadly shook his head.
"Gerrof!" Ron brushed their hands off him.
"Well, this is quite a reunion," Mara deadpanned.
"You'd almost think they'd forgotten whose birthday it is," Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry, mate," Ron said sheepishly.
"It's nice to see you!" Mara tackled him into a hug.
"Oi, what about us?" Fred protested.
"Three months and not even a hullo," George huffed.
"Sorry," Mara grinned mischievously, "But Harry called dibs."
"Dibs?" The twins spoke together.
Harry's green eyes locked onto the two with a fierceness they hadn't seen before.
"Oi, is this about the letter, then?" Fred laughed nervously.
"It was just a prank." George backed up. "You won't hold it against us, right?"
The fire roared again and a new figure stepped out.
Percy smoothed his ruffled robes, prim and proper like always.
Immediately, Fred and Goerge ducked behind him, hiding behind his back.
"What-?" Percy sputtered as they clung onto him, re-ruffling his robes.
They didn't have time though, as the fireplace roared for the last time and outstepped two figures.
Bill Weasley was tall and thin, taller by far than any of his brothers and rivaling even their dad. Mara gaped up at him as he towered over them but his presence, though, was not the least intimidating.
With long hair in the signature Weasley red, he, however, tied it in a long ponytail. A long fang earring hung from one of his ears, and he dressed as one would see in a muggle rock concert.
The first thing Harry thought was 'Sirius would like him'.
"Hey," Bill nodded to them.
Mara swooned.
"That's Bill," Ron said embarrassedly. "Charlie's still in Romania. Hasn't come back all summer."
"Nice to meet you," Harry said.
"Is that a Goblin fang?" Lily asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Yeah," Bill smiled. "I got it from the Goblin Orchave as a trophy for passing their test."
"You have to pass the Orchave to become a curse-breaker, don't you?" Hermione asked, fascinated.
Bill nodded, "If you want to work with the Goblins, you do. Some don't and just work with wizards."
"Bill's the best!" A loud, young voice popped up.
Bill's impression was so striking that they almost missed the little girl tucked under his arm. But her bright red hair was unmistakable.
With shiny brown eyes, she peered out at them, shyly as she clung to Bill's arm like it was a lifeline. She had a young and sweet look about her that made you want to protect her.
"Are you Ginny?" Mara asked with a bright smile. "I'm Mara. It's nice to meet you."
Ginny's face turned as red as her hair. She squeaked and ducked behind her eldest brother.
"She's been talking about you all summer," Ron rolled his eyes, "Figures she'd hide now."
"Oi, don't hurt the wee thing," Fred conked Ron on the head.
"How could you hurt such an innocent heart?" George conked him on the other side.
"Ow! Stop it!" Ron growled, pushing his brother away.
Mara laughed. "That's okay. Since everybody is here, the party can officially start!"
And start it did.
Dad and Sirius were in charge of the games while Mum finished up the cake.
Harry, Ron, and Neville won the treasure hunt in the backyard, just barely beating out the combined team of Fred, George and a giggling Ginny hoisted on their shoulders. Mara's team, unfortunately, lost after Hermione and Lily argued for twenty minutes on how to get the enchanted sock out of the tree, leading Mara to climb up herself only to lose her balance. She got the sock but she also ended up with a few cuts and bruises.
Dad and Sirius then released fairies all over the yard, handing each of them a magical net to capture them. Surprisingly, Lily won by leaps and bounds. She ended up with 53 fairies in total out of 100. The loser, of course, was Neville who ended up crashing into a tree face-first three times.
When Mara questioned her on her athleticism, Lily only laughed saying she was normal. It took everything Mara had not to tell her that summer saluting across the field, gripping onto a tree branch, and swinging herself fifteen feet in the air to catch one fairy isn't normal.
Harry won the obstacle course, having been training with Dad and Sirius all summer but since he had an unfair advantage, the win was given to Fred and George who sped through it like demons. All with their little sister giggling as they passed her between their shoulders like a football.
Hermione ended up winning Musical chairs, with true singing chairs, after nearly kicking Neville off the winning seat. Mara got out first, too absorbed in singing with the chairs to realize it had stopped. All is well though.
They ended with a Quidditch game, because of course. Hermione, Neville, Percy, and Her Mum all sat out. Harry got the blue team consisting of Ron on Keeper, Dad and Sirius on chaser, and Fred and George on beater while Harry played Seeker. Mara, however, got the red team consisting of Remus (reluctantly) on Keeper, Ginny on Seeker, Lily, and Bill on Beaters, and Mara and Emilia on Seekers.
It ended in a tie after Fred and George took out Remus with a well-aimed shot by the bludger right to the ribs. They got revenge though as Emilia ended up distracting Sirius and Dad enough so Mara could score four quaffles in a row. Lily and Bill proved a vicious team as they fought off Fred and George's onslaught of twin telepathy.
Despite not winning a single game, as she sat at the long table with her twin on one side and her childhood friend, Neville on the other, all her friends and family gathered around, she couldn't be happier.
No matter how cheesy their singing Happy Birthday was, no matter how silly the faces her Dad and Uncle Sirius were making.
As Mum lowered the beautiful cake in front of them, lit with floating candles in all of their favorite flavors and colors, Mara could only think one thing.
This was the best birthday she'd ever had.
Amid the night, when all had fallen quiet as sleep took hold of the exhausted children, something stirred.
With the children in their beds, a dreamless sleep upon their tired little minds, one soul was restless.
"No, no," She murmured, tossing and turning in her empty room. The shadows on the wall, lit by the glow of the moon through an open window that had not previously been open, crept towards her disturbed sleep.
The cat, who woke at her tossing, only laid her head on her bonded side, hoping to bring her some comfort, though she knew it wouldn't.
"Take…me, not them…"
Sweat coated her figure as echoes of children's laughter rang in her ears.
A slender hand approached a gate, a whispered word given by a betrayal, and a house appeared out of thin air.
Covered in vines, an overgrown garden, and too many locks on the door for a quiet neighborhood. The children ran by the house, without any clue, dressed in plastic masks and carrying foolish bags of sweets and treats.
There is no knock. No warning.
The door burst open.
There's crying in the emptiness. Fear and resolve were mistaken for courage as a pale woman stands in the way.
'No. Not them,' she says.
Her voice is echoed by the sleeping girl in her bed, thrashing in her sleep.
The hand is raised, an offer made to step aside.
'No.'
'Then die,'
A flash of green and the woman falls.
"NO!"
The screams of the dead ring in her ears as the girl awakens.
The boy with green eyes is awake before he knows why.
Groggy, in a state between sleep and not, he can only blink at the ceiling, eyes falling closed then jolting open as something keeps him from dreaming.
Something is wrong. Aura's talons tick on the bedframe above him, one after another as she shifts. A nervous habit. Their bond is awake with anxiety now, an unknown fear swirling from Aura.
His senses come back slowly, like relearning how to walk for everyone. He smells the fresh linen, the leftover scent of dinner drifting down the hallway. He hears the quiet of the night, crickets chirping in harmony outside his window. He feels the weight, a soft, suffocating hug of the blanket across his body. Then a slight chill on his nose from the drop in temperature.
He sits up in bed, needing no clock to tell him how late it was. The blackened sky outside his window told him that.
As he rubs the crust from the corners of his eyes, his heart jumps out of his chest.
There, at the foot of his bed, stood a dark figure. A shadow, staring at him with its two glowing eyes.
He hears the ruffles of Aura's feathers, another fear response as her fear bleeds into his own. His heart races as he reaches for his wand but as he blinks, he realizes it's not a shadow or an intruder.
It's Mara.
Or at least, a pale imitation of her.
His sister stood still, silent at the foot of his bed, her hazel eyes now a glowing shade of pink in the darkness.
The same glow burst from her forehead, illuminating her features in an upsetting way. Like a scene from a horror movie, Harry's mouth ran dry as his stomach twisted painfully.
"M-mara?" He gulped out, quiet in the stillness.
Her pink eyes, unfocused and bleary, snapped to attention, focusing on his own.
"Shh," She whispered, placing a single finger to her lips, "They'll hear you."
Though quiet her voice was like a jet engine to his ears. His heartbeat wildly in his chest, so loud he imagined it echoed around the room.
Shaky and hesitant, Harry sat up in bed, squinting through the darkness without his glasses as he gulped down his nerves.
That's when he noticed it.
Despite her open eyes, she swayed lightly on her feet. Her eyes stared in a single direction, hardly ever blinking. Though it had been many years, this wasn't the first time he had seen her like this.
Mara was sleepwalking.
"Who will hear me, Mara?" Harry played along.
His sister swayed, not answering. Harry followed her empty gaze to the window. Moonlight poured through, illuminating the bottom of her feet, bare and red from the chilled air.
"Something scary is outside."
She whispered, her wide eyes glowing in the darkness and he could only imagine what she was experiencing. Nothing good.
"What…What's scary?" He trembled, clenching his fists into the blanket, not wanting to know at all.
But her eyes only grew wide in terror as she opened her mouth to speak. For a moment, her lips trembled, hands slamming across her lower face like trying to keep something inside. Tears, glistening from the glow of her eyes, poured out but not a single sound left her mouth.
He threw the blanket off of his legs, ignoring the chill and intending to get up for his sister, maybe to lead her back to bed or something when a loud, piercing shriek suddenly rang out.
For a second, he thought perhaps, he was imagining it for she hadn't even moved an inch but sure enough, his sister was screaming, eyes wide open in horror of something only she can see.
A waking nightmare.
"It'll hurt us! Stop! Stop!" Her piercing cries, mixed with sobs clenched around his heart, shame, and guilt making their home as it always did.
And then, like a marionette with its strings cut, Mara collapsed onto the floor. Her head banged across the floor, the room falling silent once more.
Panic set in his features as he attempted to scramble to his sister's fallen form but before Harry could move, the door burst open with a slam. Their Dad stood on the other side, eyes wide with panic, in his disheveled pajamas. He took one look at the collapsed form of Mara and burst into action.
Mara whimpered, muttering incoherently as she grasped her head. Dad lifted her up easily into his arms. Though she was much bigger than when they were young, their dad didn't strain an inch, holding Mara as a baby curled into his chest. Her red hair in the darkness spilled over her shoulder covering any part of her face Harry could see.
"Shh," Dad hushed Mara, rocking on the balls of his feet gently as Harry had seen him do so many times in their youth. Outside the door, a google of faces appeared, staring with varying concerned looks into the room.
"Dad," Harry started.
"It's okay," Their Dad sent him a strained smile, "I've got this. Go back to bed."
And he was gone, taking the distraught girl with him.
Harry scrambled out of bed to face his awakened guests.
"Uh, it's okay, she just had a nightmare," Harry rambled out to their expecting confused faces.
Ron and Ginny were the only ones still in bed, as Harry couldn't spot them. The twins and Percy stood a little away, Hermione and Neville in front. He even caught sight of Mara's friend, Lily, hanging out of her guest room.
Harry pleaded they didn't hear the shake in his voice, that they listened without questioning.
Only Neville seemed calm, a knowing and pitying look on his face.
"Alright, back to bed," Percy luckily took charge, ordering his siblings. The twins had more tact than their youngest brother as they only slightly complained, joking once more as they headed back to their shared guest room.
Percy made sure the twins were in bed, arguing quietly with them before heading to his own room.
Hermione lingered, shifting between where Harry stood and her own room, unsure of which way to go. It took a few nudges from Neville before she finally decided to go back to her own room. The two split ways, sending lingering looks at Harry, who only smiled reassuringly.
Lily Moon was last. She waited a few seconds, locking eyes with Harry as if she knew something he didn't but at last, she stepped back and her door closed with a snap.
Harry's legs broke under him like he had been hit with a Jelly-legs jinx. A cold sweat uncomfortably dripped down his back.
Harry had seen Mara's nightmares dozens of times, hundreds even over the years.
But never like that.
His throat parched, Harry decided to go for a glass of water before bed. And hopefully, fall asleep some more. Everything was quiet once more like nothing had ever happened.
But Mara's screams still rang in his ears.
As Harry approached the kitchen, his feet following the familiar path, even in the dark, he spotted a bright light coming underneath one of the doors.
Muffled voices poured and Harry crept up to the door, leaning over to see through the partial crack.
"Something's trying to get in," he heard Mara's soft voice saying.
"I know, love," His dad's gravelly voice, dark from sleep. "It's okay. It won't get in."
"They're knocking on the doors, wanting to come in…"
"Have some chocolate, okay? It'll make you feel better."
Harry looked through the door. Mara sat at the table, a glazed look in her eyes. Only one of the lights was on, illuminating the table. One of the pots on the stove was being stirred wandlessly as His Dad moved back and forth through the kitchen, exhaustion on his face.
"Trick or treat, they sing," Mara sang, her voice barely above a whisper.
A shiver ran down Harry's spine at her song.
The sister with a bright smile, the one he knew was missing as he looked at the broken imposter at the table.
Harry swallowed, uncomfortably but entered nonetheless.
Mara's eyes snapped to him immediately, wide and unseeing, glassy from the earlier tears. Luckily, her eyes were no longer glowing, though not entirely back to the hazel he knew.
"Harry?" Dad asked, tiredly rubbing the stubble on his jaw. "What is it?"
Looking at the dark shadows under his father's eyes, Harry knew how much he loved them both. Dad and Mum were always the two to help them whenever Mara had a nightmare. Dad wouldn't be getting any more sleep.
He'd spend the night coaxing Mara into taking a dreamless sleep potion, making sure she stayed asleep for at least a few hours until morning broke.
And Mara would wake up, not remembering any of this.
Like it never happened.
"I just wanted some water," His voice caught in his throat, made worse by the terrifying, unblinking stare of his sister.
He hated nightmare nights.
But Dad nodded, waving his hand as a glass filled itself up with water. Harry grabbed the water as it floated in mid-air towards him and turned to leave, letting Dad do what Harry couldn't.
But as he passed Mara, still feeling her chilling eyes on him, quick a beartrap, she caught his wrist in her hand.
Harry turned to his sister, shivering from the uncomfortable look on her face.
"Don't let it in."
Harry exchanged an uncomfortable look with Dad, who only shook his head sadly, sending him an attempt of a smile.
Harry nodded.
"Thank you," He whispered.
Satisfied, her lips curled into a smile and she let go of his arm.
Before she could change her mind, he left.
As he leaned against the closed kitchen door, his heart racing in his chest, he downed the glass of water in one gulp.
He could only think of one thing.
He thought she didn't get nightmares anymore.
