For Assignment #6 Magical & Mundane Literature (Task Three: Write about someone with an overactive imagination.) and QLFC Round 11 (Puddlemere United, Seeker). The latter had the prompt to write about a missed opportunity on a snowy night, which I interpreted quite broadly (I think).

Word Count: 923

it's not paranoia if they're out to get you (but what if they aren't?)

She had always loved it, letting the wind blow through her hair as she rode a broomstick through the skies of first her home and then, later, Beauxbatons. She didn't even mind if it was during what could possibly be called a snow storm, like it was now.

It was a shame to think that this might be her last time doing it during the day, but it was the truth.

Leila Lahaye would die tonight, there was no denying it, and she was voluntarily making her way towards her death. Granted, it would not be a permanent type, but it would be a drastic change nevertheless.

Leila would do anything to protect her little sister Adélie, even if it meant that she would become undead. It was the only way she could protect Adélie from the threats that were forming in the shadows.

Becoming a part of them seemed like the only sensible choice. How else could she know what was going on, what they were planning, and how to get sweet innocent Adélie far, far away from it all?

Leila would not risk it. Ever since they discovered that Adélie was a squib, Leila had not stopped worrying about her for a second. How could she, with both Grindelwald and Voldemort out to conquer Europe in the last century and Merlin knew what else?

Nicolas Flamel had died, and if he wasn't safe with his over six hundred years of experience, then who was?

Her little sister was only seven years old. It was her duty as the older sister by over a decade to make sure she survived. After all, there was no one else left to do it, with the possible exception of Lucien, but he was only fourteen. Their mother has died during their little brother's birth—the boy itself had died before then—and their father had followed them earlier this year after a horrible case of dragon pox. Had they not managed to get permission for Adélie and their father to stay at Beauxbatons, Leila would have left the school without a second thought.

Protecting Adélie was what she did, and thus it was not essentially different from what she was doing now.

She shook her head as she began leaning forward as she approached her destination. She had flown for a while and had been deep enough in thought that she barely noticed that the sun had set some time before.

Night was always the time when shadows became more pronounced than ever. That's when Adélie was in the most danger, that's when Leila should be with her the most.
But it was fine. She was here so she will be able to help Adélie better than ever before. And Lucien was with her. He could help Adélie.

The snow got stronger once she landed. Her footprints were at least an inch deep as she made her way to the person waiting to her under an oddly single lamp.

Adélie lied in the arms over her older brother Lucien.

"Where is Leila?" she asked. Their oldest sister was normally always around her, so it was more than strange for her not to be.

Lucien sighed. "You know how she's convinced that we're all in danger of dying soon, especially you?"

Adélie nodded. It was rather hard to miss, after all. She didn't know where her older sister got the idea, though. At the moment, everything seemed to be rather calm and she had managed to get Lucien to swear to tell her if that changes in ways Adélie could not see herself for whatever reason.

"She's convinced herself that she needs to be a vampire to protect you. I have no idea how she got to that conclusion, before you ask." Lucien held his hands up in front of him. "I tried to stop her, but she is too stubborn."

"Is it terrible that I don't want her to come back?" Adélie questioned quietly, searching for Lucien's bright green eyes.

Lucien began to stroke through her hair. "Why do you want that?"

Adélie thought for a moment and then sat up as she explains. She winced a bit as one of Lucien's fingers had been caught in a tangle, but it was fine.

"She's always her usually. She's so... overbearing? I think that's what it's called?" Lucien nodded and Adélie continued. "Leila never lets me do anything on my own and nothing is ever really fun when she's around. I get that she wants to protect me, that she's trying to keep me safe now that Dad is also gone, but it's just too much."

Lucien nodded slowly. "That she's going to be a vampire has nothing to do with it?"

Adélie angled her head to the side. "I don't think so. I know that most vampires can control their thirst after a year or so and that Leila would never hurt me."

"But what if she hurts other people?" Lucien inquired.

"Then I don't want her around me at all anymore," Adélie admitted quietly.

"I understand that," Lucien agreed. "But let us talk about something else now, shall we?"

Leila never came back.

She was turned into a vampire, but when she tried to still her new lust for blood after the transformation was over, she went to the next best person.

And that person happened to be a wizard near the top of the government. Safe to say that she was escorted to prison shortly thereafter, as her trial did not take all that long.