El Salvador, May 1998
"Lo mataron!" The voice cracked through the brick in excitement. "The Dark Lord—at Hogwarts—The Chosen One—he is dead!"
A moment of silence erupted into cheers, fireworks sparking on the tips of wands. The Dark Lord's terror reigned over more than Europe, his influence was global. Even in tiny El Salvador, where Muggles and wizards lived amongst each other in chaos, extortion, and murder.
"Guess that means it's time for you to go home, isn't it?" He handed her a glass of tequila, and they raised them to each other with a smile before downing the liquor.
Rosalind wiped her mouth, enjoying the burning sensation of the liquid before shooting him a knowing look. "I guess so." She nodded, her curly hair brushing her shoulders and back. "For a while I thought I would never be able to."
"You miss it?" He leaned against the brick wall, the flickering pyrotechnics reflecting brightly off his thick belt buckle and scuffed cowboy boots. "I know you're going to miss eating all these pupusas because your dumbass can't cook."
Rosalind rolled her eyes, punching her friend in the arm. "I can make the essentials pendejo! And I've made them before!"
"That time you burnt them doesn't count," he said with a snicker. "Especially since not even the stray dogs would eat them—puchica vos!" He exclaimed as her wand shot out a narrow beam of light, stinging his skin. "What did I tell you about jinxing me?"
"What did I tell you about saying stupid shit?"
It was Ernesto's turn to roll his eyes. "Always with the same attitude of yours. That fat mouth almost got us killed a few times. How many times have you almost blown our cover?"
Rosalind's shoulders shrugged innocently. "No idea what you're talking about."
"Yeah, yeah," he shoved her head playfully with the palm of his hand. "Don't forget to owl me when you're back. Especially when you're looking for jobs. Americans love it when people travel abroad."
"We did more good than anything else, didn't we?" She answered with a laugh. "Of all the things we have done here…from working undercover to doing the cop's work. It was for the greater good."
Ernesto poured them another shot of tequila and raised his glass. "To the greater good, and new beginnings."
"Salud."
And they drank and danced in celebration with their comrades, celebrating not only their victories, but of the victories all over the globe.
For the last time, Rosalind was enjoying the tropical downpour of her parents' home country El Salvador. The moist earth, the green landscape, the scent of the rainforest, the flowing river—this has been her home for the last year. She said her goodbyes and informed her parents of her arrival. Although they were adamant she not go to El Salvador in the first place because they knew firsthand how violent it had become, they were happy their daughter was returning home. They had fled their country due to a brutal civil war, and Rosalind returned to join a group who did what they could to better the country's circumstances. But with the Dark Lord gone, there was no reason for her to stay any longer. His followers would disband or die out, or spend the rest of their lives in prison. For the first time in years, she felt at peace.
With her clothes drenched with the earth's tears, Rosalind held her breath for the journey ahead, clutching the rusty tin can posing as portkey. The dirt shifted beneath her feet and was replaced with carpet, with the faint scurrying of a tiny body underneath a bed running away from her.
The tiny human peeked from the covers, staring with identical features to Rosalind's: the dark caramel brown skin, the frizzy hair, the curious almond shaped eyes.
"Sissy?"
Hello! I am currently doing editing as I am also writing the (kind of) sequel. My chapter titles are always from songs or movies that have something to do with the chapter, and the quotes in the summary are from the chapter itself. Thank you for stopping by!
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