Searching around

Searching and flee

To the light nothing can hide

No one is safe from their fate

Death

For you kiss

Sin a lie

Embracing unkind

Nothing is safe from their fate

Death

-Death in its Arms by Samhain

No. Why would she be gone? Marie didn't deserve this…Marie deserved it the least out of anyone in the world. But it had been her. Not the people that should die, but my sister.

What if…well, surely there was some kind of magic…a kind of magic to bring her back to me.

But no, even in my bereaved state, I knew this was ridiculous.

"We've got your trunks packed…we thought it would be best if you came home for just a little while…a few days," my father told us in a careful tone. I gazed up at him. No…no…his eyes were shining, tears falling down his cheeks. No. Dad didn't cry. I'd never seen him cry. Why wasn't he staying strong, holding this together?

But no, it wasn't his fault. She was his eldest child. He had more right to be upset than I did.

I nodded into his chest, sniffling. Suddenly, I remembered Albus. Looking up, I saw that he was still standing by me, his hand limply holding to mine. He offered me a wry, sympathetic smile. I pulled off of my father and tightly embraced Albus. He hugged back just as tightly without hesitation. I stood there, tears still flowing, my head burrowed under his neck. This was good. I was safe.

But I had to go. Giving one last, tight squeeze, I looked blearily up at him. Al smiled kindly, then ushered me back towards my parents.

Al was the last thing I saw before we flooed out of the Professor's fireplace.

When we stumbled out of the grate in our own house, I was shocked to see people already in our home. Some of them rushed over to us, to make sure we were okay.

"Erm…I think we need a few minutes alone…" my father mumbled.

We got back to my parents' bedroom, and I fell onto the bed, and Trent followed my example. I scooted over and wrapped my arms around my brother's skinny frame. Trent burrowed his face into me and hugged me back.

"We're going to be okay," I whispered into his hear. I only hoped I sounded more convincing than I felt. Trent pulled in a shaky breath in reply, and I rubbed his back lovingly.

"When we said it was an accident last night…that wasn't entirely accurate," my father said softly. I looked confusedly up at Dad, urging him to continue. He consented, saying, "Someone set off the explosion…an Irish man…D…Dúnmharú…or something…"

I took a sharp breath, looking at my father. "Albus' father has been telling us about him," I muttered.

"Right. Well, it seems he's getting rather dangerous…"

"I think…I believe we'd better go see the people who've come to talk with us," my mother said breathily as she grabbed my father's hand, and they left me and Trent alone.

"Why?" Trent's soft, small voice came from my lap. I looked down at him, seeing his big brown eyes glimmering with tears.

"I don't know. I just don't know." I brushed a piece of blonde hair off of his forehead. It was true, that I didn't know, and I hated not having an answer this time. I hated not being able to control this…but I knew one thing: this son of a bitch was going to pay for killing my sister.

He nodded carefully. "I s'pose that…that we've all got to go sometime…Marie, just earlier than most," my brother offered quietly.

"Why aren't you in Ravenclaw?" I joked gently. "You're too mature for your age. You shouldn't have to worry about these things…" I hated that my brother couldn't just have a normal life.

"I know." I looked at him, slightly surprised. "But neither should you. You're too good for this…"

"Stop it…" I mumbled. What was he talking about, me being too good?

"You could be bawling your eyes out right now…but you're not. You're staying with me." Trent was looking at me, and I could see that he meant it.

"Nah, family sticks together. No matter what."

I knew the people that came to visit us only wanted to help, but I couldn't stand it. My parents kept saying how lucky we were to have so many people who wanted to be there. The people that came, they just didn't understand, they didn't know. They couldn't know what I was going through. Most of the people that came by hadn't ever met Marie anyways. I just wanted them to leave, to let me be able to think. I hated these people.

"Oh Isabelle!"

I let out a strangled cry as my thoughts were interrupted by a hysterical woman squeezing me to death in her arms.

"Isabelle! Oh, dear, I'm so sorry!"

"Tha-thank you, Mrs. Adams…"

Mrs. Adams was my insane neighbor, and I was pretty sure she was one of those people who'd never really met Marie.

"Sh-sh-she just sounded l-like such a w-w-w-wonderful person! Oh, how you must miss her!" she sobbed into my shoulder. Why the hell was this lunatic crying? I was supposed to be crying, but her…she was just obnoxious.

"I-erm…would you excuse me…" I muttered and stood up, pushing away. I flew out of the door to the backyard and sat down in the little garden.

At that second, the reality of this hit me all at once. Yes, she'd died two days ago, but I hadn't processed what it had meant.

I'd never see her smiling, hear her laughing with me as we teased Trent. I wouldn't ever smell her sweet perfume again, I couldn't talk to her anymore.

I broke down.

"How am I supposed to handle all of this?" I sobbed to myself. "All of this…by myself."

And the creep that caused the explosion. What did he think he was doing? What was his problem? Why didn't he know that the most amazing person in England was in there, working, helping people however she could?

I wasn't sure how long I'd been sitting there crying when the door opened. Trent's tiny body was framed in the doorway. I looked up at him, calming myself down.

Smiling slightly, I patted the ground beside me. "Come here."

He staggered over and plopped down. I put my arm around his shoulders and asked, "How're you doing?"

Trent looked up at me with his round, chocolate eyes. Achingly, I realized they were the same as Marie's, only brown instead of blue. "I'm holding up…the funeral…it was tough." We'd had the funeral on January 16th, the day after it had happened. "Though, why wouldn't it be?"

I nodded in agreement and patted his back. "We'll be okay…everything's going to be okay…" I said and pulled him towards me.

"Why does everyone have to take over our house, though?" he inquired. "I know Mum and Dad appreciate it, but I can hardly go to the bathroom without a 'Oh, Trenton, I hope you're okay! Would you like me to do anything? No, I didn't know her, but I'll pretend I loved her,'" he mocked, and it was rather accurate. I laughed painfully and thought of Mrs. Adams. "Oh well. It's dark," he murmured. I realized that night had, in fact, fallen.

I pulled myself up, then reached out to wrap my arm around Trent.

"Everything's going to turn out fine…" Maybe, if I said it enough, it would make itself true.

"Right. Family sticks together. No matter what," he told me faintly.

So…I feel a little better about this chapter than I did the last one. It's still sad, though.

In response to some of my reviewers…

AliS256: Thank you so much! I haven't decided if Al will have a crush or not, yet. Probably not, 'cause of Izzy just losing her sister and whatnot…

jasminebrooke, I love Fred Albus JPLE, and everyone else that requested romance: …sorry?