Diana didn't tell her grandmother about the letter she received from Minerva McGonagall, the letter informing her that she would soon be ripped away from everything and everyone she loved. The first reason was because to say it out loud would make it seem real, and the second was that Diana still suspected Marie didn't fully believe her, and from a purely objective standpoint, her coming down from her room with a letter that magically appeared "by owl" didn't seem to make the story any more believable. If Diana wasn't clutching the letter in her hand, then she wouldn't have believed it either.
Marie's plan to go to the police station the next morning was halted due to an unexpected downpour which caused Witherly Lake to start flooding, and with it, several road closures. Marie, Sarah, and Diana stayed inside the house, the turmoil outside seemingly reflecting the inner turmoil of Marie and Diana. It was an awkward, tense day where they had to pretend everything was normal in front of Sarah, who seemed to pick up on the fact that there was something unusual going on and seemed a bit more depressed and withdrawn as a result. Diana was alert and on edge, half-expecting McGonagall and Flitwick to pop up at random and scare the hell out of her again. But it wouldn't be them, right? Diana thought, nodding absentmindedly as Sarah told her about the paintings she sold yesterday, oblivious to her mum's worried expression, The letter said "other representatives" would show up. And just what would these "other representatives" be like? If McGonagall and Flitwick were supposed to be the ones to win her over, Diana didn't even want to think of what the backup team would be like.
Her friends must have been bored being cooped in the house all day, as Claire, Becky, and Olivia all called and left voicemails on the answering machine. Diana didn't return a single call, which was a decision that she would later come to regret. She wouldn't even know what to say—it didn't feel right to keep secrets, but it didn't feel right telling her friends what was happening, either. She knew it sounded crazy and she didn't want her friends to think she was crazy, even though Becky at least would be willing to believe her. And telling other people was against the rules, right? She didn't want her friends to have their memories modified the way her mother was.
The day concluded without any notable events, and the following day, the downpour subsided to a light drizzle. After breakfast, Marie took Diana to go to the police station as promised. Once they walked into the station and the police saw Marie, Diana knew by the expressions on the officers' faces that this wouldn't be a productive conversation. The Amberton police felt that Marie and Sarah were both nutjobs of a different flavor (Sarah for being Sarah and Marie for insisting that Satanists drugged her daughter), and after Diana finished telling them her testimony, there was no doubt in her mind that all three generations of the White family would now be viewed as being completely mental.
Diana avoided eye contact as she described to the police officer the appearances of the little man she met in the library and the woman who showed up at her house. She explained that they talked about magic but left out the parts that actually showed them using magic, until her grandmother interrupted and told her to tell the officer exactly what she thought she saw, as "proof" that she was drugged. Diana felt like crawling into a hole as the police officer coughed politely to hide his laugh.
"Did you happen to bring any of the cups you believe were, er, laced with narcotic substances?" the officer said, trying valiantly to maintain a neutral expression.
"No," Diana mumbled. She thought of how the cups literally vanished into thin air. "They took the cups with them."
"Of course they did!" Marie snapped at the officer, eyes narrowing. "If they left them there, do you think we'd be stupid enough not to bring them? Why don't you call the library to follow up on the midget instead of talking to us like we're a bunch of idiots?"
Diana winced at Marie's tone and choice of words. Marie felt like the police dropped the ball majorly when it came to how the police treated Sarah and her rape accusations, and didn't hesitate to let it show. The police officer bristled. "Mrs. White, I will be contacting the library now, but I do not appreciate this aggressive tone. We're here to help."
Marie just glared as he got on the phone to call the library. "A complete waste of tax dollars," she whispered to Diana, shaking her head. "How much you wanna bet they wouldn't have called if I didn't ask them? See, you gotta be willing to advocate for yourself, honey, otherwise people will just walk right over you."
Diana said nothing, biting her lip as the officer continued his phone conversation. Privately, Diana felt like Marie was being unfair, though she understood where her grandmother's anger was coming from. The officer hung up the phone and looked at Marie and Diana with a wary expression. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I spoke with Mrs. Parsons, the librarian at the front desk, and she did say that there was a rather short man who entered the library on Sunday. It's possible this is the man your granddaughter was talking about."
"Ha!" Marie cried in triumph. She then made her voice louder so one of the other police officers standing by the water cooler–the one who snickered loudly when they walked into the station–could hear. "So there's proof that we're telling the truth? Interesting. And what time did the man leave, then?"
"There's proof that there was a man with that description in the library, not that he said anything about…magic," The police officer said, brows furrowed. "And as for what time he left…" The officer paused again. "Mrs. Parsons didn't recall him leaving the library."
Marie frowned. "'She couldn't recall him leaving?' Come on. How many midgets are there in Amberton?"
The officer and Marie got into another spirited back-and-forth, which Diana tuned out. She knew why Mrs. Parsons didn't see him; he had to have disappeared from the library the same way he disappeared from her house. She started to feel queasy at the thought of the sheer amount of power these wizards had over regular mortals.
In the end, the presence of the man was enough for the police to tell Marie that they'd keep an eye out, and asked Marie to contact them if anything unusual happened. It was a platitude at best, and Marie was not happy as they entered the car to drive home.
"Unbelievable. As useless now as they were when I kept trying to tell them the truth about your mum," Marie muttered, beeping her horn loudly at a group of distracted, laughing teenagers wandering around in the middle of the road.
"There's not much they could do, Grandma," Diana said. "If we had more evidence, I bet they would have done something."
Marie sighed, eyes softening. "You're a good kid, Di, just like your granddad. And because you're good, you think most people have good intentions. But the truth is, most people don't. Most people want to just do what's convenient for them and would be willing to screw you over for it. It's a sad truth of life. The only person in life you could truly rely on is yourself." She paused, then amended, "Well, yourself and family. Family's bound to you by blood. And there's a power in that like no other."
Diana knew that Marie was referring to Diana's maternal lineage, but she thought about the letter about her father and shuddered involuntarily. "If I have to rely on myself, then I'm already screwed."
Marie laughed, eyes glittering with mirth. "Give yourself some credit, honey. You're stronger than you think. You got my genes, you know." She winked.
Diana smiled; her grandmother's confidence was contagious. Marie turned on the radio and Rod Stewart's voice filled the car. Diana looked out the window and thought that things might be okay.
That feeling of comfort was short-lived. As the two entered the house, Diana's skin prickled as she heard voices. Sarah was talking to what sounded like another woman. Not McGonagall, but someone else. Marie was frowning too, and they made their way to the sitting room, where Sarah was pouring tea for two individuals who were seated across the table. Upon hearing footsteps, Sarah spun around, beaming at her daughter.
"Honey! I have some great news! You're being accepted into a special school for gifted children!"
Diana felt herself grow cold and looked at the pair on the opposite side of the table. The two individuals were polar opposites: one was a round, cheerful, gray-haired older woman with a smile on her face, whereas the other was a lanky, sour-looking, black-haired younger man who was scowling. Marie turned to Diana and asked bluntly, "Is this woman the same one from Sunday?"
While they seemed contemporaries in age, the woman in front of her seemed much less prim and put-together than McGonagall, if the unkempt hair and dirt stains on her outfit were any indication. "No…"
Sarah looked quizzically at her daughter. "What woman from Sunday?"
Diana looked up to her grandmother–Marie was here, she'd take control of this conversation. Marie responded, keeping her narrowed eyes on the two interlopers. "Two other fools showed up on Sunday peddling nonsense to Diana about this supposed school. It's just a scam, Sarah." She then addressed the strangers. "We're not interested. You can leave now."
The two strangers didn't move, though the woman's smile faltered slightly.
Marie bristled. "Well? Are you leaving, or am I going to have to call the cops and have them show you where the door is?"
"Mum!" Sarah cried out in protest.
The woman glanced at the man next to her, who seemed to be sulking and wasn't about to offer any help. The woman cleared her throat and gave a strained smile. "Before we do that, I think–since we're all here–some introductions are in order. I'm Professor Sprout, and this gentleman over here is Professor Snape." Snape's eye twitched slightly, but Sprout ignored him and continued. "And yes, we are here to talk about a school Diana's going to be attending, but we also have some not-so-good news to talk about too. Personally, whenever there's good news and bad news, I always pick the good news first, since it puts one in a more positive, healthy mindset in order to better handle the negative news. So, we'll start with the good. The good news is that Diana has the privilege of attending a special school for gifted individuals. Highly prestigious, with a very esteemed faculty, if I do say so myself. Diana should have received a letter already, and she already spoke to some of the other faculty. It's called Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Sarah's smile fell immediately. Diana felt her mouth grow dry. Marie started to grow red with anger. Before any of the Whites said anything, Sprout continued, "You see, Diana is a witch, and because she's a witch, our Ministry feels it's important to—"
"Get the hell out of our house," snapped Marie. "We don't want you here."
Sprout blinked.
"If it's any consolation," Snape drawled for the first time, "We only arrived at the behest of the headmaster. Personally, I have no desire to be here either."
"Good. Then go, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out."
Sprout turned to Snape, baffled. "Severus, explain to me what's going on. I don't have the same Muggle knowledge you do. I know there's a history here, but—"
Sarah's eyes were glazed over, but the word 'Muggle' stirred something in her, and panic suddenly filled them. "D-diana's not a witch!" she whispered. "She's not…she's not a bad kid. She's not evil. She's not."
Sprout quickly glanced between Sarah and Diana (who couldn't help but feel tears welling up in her eyes) and frowned. "I understand that you've had horrific experiences in the past, and you have our heartfelt sympathy. No one should have to experience the tragedies that you did. But we're talking about your daughter here, Miss White. Magic itself isn't evil, and Diana can't change that she's a witch. It's something you're born with. She always had magic. She's not a bad person because of it."
Sarah looked at Diana with traces of fear in her eyes, and Diana's heart shattered into a million pieces.
Sensing this, Marie snapped, "That's it, I'm calling the police." She turned around and stomped into the kitchen to reach the phone.
Sprout turned to Snape in alarm. "What's the police, Severus?"
Snape gave an overly dramatic sigh. "They're like Aurors for Muggles." He raised his voice so Marie could hear from the other room. "These histrionics are entirely unnecessary."
It was only after seeing these two in action that Diana realized how composed and professional, in retrospect, Flitwick and McGonagall were, and why Dumbledore chose to send them first. Snape and Sprout were clearly the B team. They didn't seem to understand the concept of tact at all.
Snape took out his wand. Sarah's eyes grew numb as she folded her arms and gripped them tightly, slouching out of the way. Diana felt panic rise in her. "Please d-don't curse my grandma!"
Snape's dark eyes locked onto her, and Diana felt like wilting then and there, but tried her best to maintain eye contact despite her nerves. "Hmph. Perhaps she should be a more amenable host then."
Sprout sighed in exasperation. "Severus…come on, now." She looked at Diana with a kinder expression. "Your gran will be fine. Professor Snape isn't going to curse your grandma. He hasn't done one of these visits in a while, and seems to have forgotten how to behave properly." She said the last part obnoxiously loud, which Snape pointedly ignored. He muttered a spell under his breath, and Diana waited to hear if her grandma was in trouble, but all she heard was a string of curses, which didn't mean much, coming from Marie.
Marie walked back into the room, eyes flaring. "What did you do to the telephone? It's not working."
"They used magic, Mum," Sarah mumbled softly, eyes full of tears.
"Bullshit! All misdirection and sleight of hand, that's what it is. I don't know why you freaks decided to target our family, but I've had enough of it!"
Sprout looked at Marie in amazement. "You think magic isn't real? But your granddaughter received the Hogwarts letter, I thought? And Professors McGonagall and Flitwick showed up here on Sunday. And, well–we're here now!"
Diana felt Sarah's gaze on her, but didn't make eye contact and stared at the floor instead. Marie snapped, "I know what happened. I still don't believe it. What I do believe is that you idiots drugged my daughter and granddaughter. And I also believe that you'll get your arses handed to you in court when you get charged for pulling this shit. What you're doing is a crime."
Snape leaned back, a nasty smirk emerging on his face. "Perhaps a demonstration is in order, Pomona?"
Sprout gave him a look of warning. "I'll handle it." She raised her own wand and the teapot and cups on the table raised and rotated in midair.
Marie gaped and blinked, and Sarah became more rigid. Diana wasn't looking at the floating items, but instead was looking directly at Snape, who was examining her closely as if she were a specimen on display. What's his problem?
The cups and teapot returned to the table, and Sprout looked at Marie expectantly. Marie's mouth closed and she sputtered out, "Hallucinogens. That's all it is."
Now it was Sprout's turn to gape. Snape rolled his eyes. "Allow me. Perhaps a different form of magic will suffice."
He stood up and strode a few steps closer to Marie, who was glowering at him. He paused for a moment, staring into her eyes, and Marie winced and put two of her fingers to her temples, as if feeling a headache was coming on.
"Your husband first proposed to you in front of the Eiffel Tower. You were wearing a red dress that you regretted purchasing because you felt it was too much of an expense. You originally rejected him because you were afraid of being chained down by marriage, but a week later you felt you couldn't imagine living the rest of your life without him and called him back to tell him that. How very…touching," he sneered.
Marie blinked a couple times as if clearing her mind, then raised an eyebrow in a show of bravado. "Am I supposed to be impressed, Chuckles? Was that supposed to be an attempt at 'mind reading' or some crap? It ain't exactly a secret. You could have asked anyone in Amberton about that."
Snape scowled. You tell him, Grandma! There was another moment of silence where he looked Marie in the eyes, then said, "When you were in Year 4, you put an anonymous love letter in the desk of Lawrence Bell, who deservedly mocked it. He thought it was Evie Spencer who wrote it and let everyone know, and she ran from the room with tears. You felt awful since you were the cause of her misery, but were far too embarrassed to say anything. Is that common knowledge too, I wonder?"
Marie blinked and paled slightly. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then slowly sat down, eyes guarded and suspicious. Snape sat back down, smirking in triumph, and Diana wanted to punch him in the face.
A heavy silence descended on the room that was finally broken by Sprout. "I trust that cleared up everything, yes?" Marie looked stony-faced, Sarah looked miserable, and Diana looked anxious. Sprout continued, "So, er, like I was saying, we came here for a couple reasons. The good news—well, I thought it was good news, but–the good news is that Diana is accepted into Hogwarts. I thought you might know this already, but well, I was told that only Diana was told and her guardians didn't know, so we just wanted to make it clear that she'll be taken care of there and be treated well. And then we have the bad news." She sighed. "Diana, I'm guessing you didn't tell your family about the bad news, right?"
The bad news had to be her father coming to take her away. She felt like she was plunging into ice water. Her mother's reaction was what she was dreading the most. "Um, I told my grandma, but not my mum…"
Marie said nothing, but kept glaring at the intruders. Sarah started wringing her hands anxiously. Sprout cleared her throat. "Ok, well, there's no use beating around the bush then. I'll just come out and say it: the Ministry feels like the best choice–since Diana is a witch and all–would be to have Diana live with her magical parent, which would in this case be Lucius Malfoy."
Sarah let out a strangled cry of protest, then lowered her face so her black hair acted as a curtain to shield her expression. Marie snarled, "You people got a lot of fucking nerve, I'll give you that much."
Sprout raised her hands in a pacifying gesture. "It's not our decision, it's the Ministry's. Trust me, we don't want this, either. We're aware of the….terrible background situation. We're just here to tell you that it's been decided, and we're going to tell you what your options are."
"I–He–he can't come here. He just can't. I can't see him," Sarah whimpered.
Sprout fidgeted in her seat. "It'll be someone from the Ministry who comes to pick up Diana, not him."
"However," Snape added, "it is possible that contact may be required, depending on how you choose to proceed."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Marie exploded. "You're out of your goddamn minds. He skips out on paying child support for eleven years and then has the stones to try to take full custody? Why the everloving fuck would any court give a convicted rapist custody?"
"Well, that's the thing," Sprout said nervously, "he wasn't actually convicted."
Sarah's eyes glazed over as Marie shook her head in disbelief. "Then you people are goddamn fools, all of you. I refuse to even entertain this idea. Our courts said Sarah had custody now."
"Your courts don't matter," Snape said bluntly. "This change will happen, regardless of your personal feelings. You can sit here bemoaning that, or you could consider your options from here."
"And on that note, let's discuss the possibilities," Sprout quickly cut in, giving Snape another warning look. "We were told that if you accept the arrangement, he would likely be open to allowing some sort of regular visitation. It would provide good optics, which is what he needs now." She gave a dark chuckle, then grew more serious. "I strongly recommend that, as the other option could be seen as a bit extreme."
"They're going to erase our memories, Mum," Sarah whispered.
Sprout looked alarmed. "N-not Severus and myself! But, er, it is true that if you don't accept the arrangements and resist the Ministry, then that is the typical procedure. So, I think it's in everyone's best interest to take the deal and—"
"I can't see Lucius again!" Sarah wailed. "He'll just…no, no I can't."
Sprout bit her lip. "There is a third option. The third option is to fully and willingly relinquish your child to the Ministry. You won't lose your memories, but you won't your daughter again unless she chooses to see you upon becoming a legal adult in our world."
Sarah gave Diana an expression that was a bit difficult to read. Diana suspected Sarah was seriously considering the possibility, and it made her feel a rush of bitterness, insecurity, and despair at her mother's cowardice. Then again, it's not like I'm in any position to talk. I'm not exactly brave myself.
"Absolutely not," Marie answered firmly.
"I can't have my memories erased again, Mum," Sarah mumbled. "It—it ruined me the first time. It made me…different. They're going to take her no matter what."
The words felt like a punch in the gut. Marie turned to Sarah with a furious expression on her face. Diana shrank back in her seat and blurted out without thinking, "Is there any way to just—just take away my magic? I want to be normal."
"No, there's not," Snape replied brusquely.
"But what if I just…don't use any magic? Can I stay here then?" If Mum even wants me to stay….
Sprout shook her head quickly. "There can be severe ramifications if a witch or wizard represses their magic. You can become a danger to yourself and to others. It's of utmost importance to receive the proper training."
"But all my friends are here…" she whispered.
Snape looked completely unmoved, but Sprout gave a sympathetic smile. "You'll make new friends at Hogwarts easily, don't you worry about that."
"So is that all then?" Marie said, folding her arms. "The reason you came was to say wizards are coming for my granddaughter and they want us to give her up, and you're saying she's going to be forced to go to the witch school in September. Is that it?"
"Yes, I suppose that's what it boils down, but–"
"Alright then," Marie said, standing up. "Message received. You can leave now."
Snape didn't need to be told twice. He stood up as Sprout looked at him with a frown. "Come on, Severus, we can't just leave now. They don't even know the timeframe!"
"Fine," Marie said thinly. "Tell us when these other clowns are going to show up, then."
Sprout's lips pursed, but she let the insult slide. "As it happens, there's a bit of a legal holdup that's preventing the transfer from happening as quickly as it normally does. Professor Dumbledore expects that everything will be ironed out within a week or so, but you likely won't get a notice before then, with the way things move at the Ministry. Keep an eye out for owls just in case."
"Okay. Bye."
Sprout tilted her head at Marie warily. "You haven't said which option you were planning on pursuing."
"Because it's none of your damn business, that's why."
"But if we knew, we could help prepare you for–"
"Pomona," Snape interrupted, "it's been made abundantly clear for a while now that they're not receptive to what we have to say. I see no other reason to waste our time any further than we already have."
"For once, you and I are on the same page, Smiles. Door's right there," Marie said, pointing.
Sprout stood reluctantly, but before she made a move to go to the door, Sarah cried out, "Wait!"
Snape and Sprout looked at her. Sarah swallowed, then said in a wobbly voice, "D-Diana can't live with Lucius. He can be such a cruel man, and Diana…she's a sweet, soft little thing. It would be like presenting a lamb to a wolf. Please…"
Sprout's eyes glimmered with sympathy. "Miss White, there are many in our world who share similar concerns with you. In fact, part of the reason for the delay is because there are currently attempts to legally ensure the safety and protection of your daughter, and other magical children who find themselves in similar situations. The staff at Hogwarts…we're not the enemies here. We're concerned with Diana's well-being too. Diana will be safe with us."
Diana felt Snape's cold eyes studying her again. "My personal suggestion, Miss White, is for your daughter to be less of a lamb."
His tone didn't make it sound like an insult for once, but Diana was unsettled all the same. What is he expecting me to do? Sprout looking earnestly at the Whites. "If there's anything we can do to convince you that our intentions are noble…"
A strange expression crossed Sarah's face. "Show me your arm."
Sprout blinked. "Excuse me?"
"If you want to show that you have good intentions, then…I want you to lift your sleeve up so I can see your arm."
What was her mother talking about? Understanding flickered in Sprout's eye as she lifted her sleeve up and showed Sarah her left arm. Sarah turned to Snape, who was looking at her with a stoic expression. He slowly lifted his right sleeve, revealing a pale forearm.
A trace of panic started to emerge in Sarah's eyes. "Your left arm, not your right."
There was a long pause, and a heavy sense of tension descended on the room. Sarah swallowed. Sprout and Snape glanced at each other, expressions unreadable. Sarah's voice raised, reflecting her increasing nerves, "I–I've seen it so many times, and it's always on the left arm…the mark of the p-people who took me. The ones who—"
She couldn't finish the sentence. Marie's eyes started to grow cloudy. "Well?" she asked, with a clear edge to her voice. "Do you need a handwritten invitation, Chuckles? Just raise your sleeve up."
There was another long voice, then Snape said, flatly. "No, I will not."
Oh, shit. Diana felt her palms starting to sweat. Was Snape one of the people that abused her mother? Sarah said they sometimes wore masks, right? She wouldn't have recognized him, if that was the case. Sarah started breathing quicker, eyes full of fear as she backed up a few steps. Marie turned to Sprout with a look of disgust and anger on her face. "So what is this? Some kind of Good Cop/Bad Cop Routine? You make it seem like we have no choice, but really you're in with the bastards that put my daughter through hell?"
Sprout's eyes were wide and panicked. "No, i-it's not like that! We're not in league with the Death Eaters."
"Then why doesn't he show us the arm?" Marie demanded.
Sprout had nothing to say to that. Snape's eyes fell on Diana again, who was looking up fearfully at him. He then turned to Sarah, who had tears in her eyes. "Miss White, I was not…involved with what happened to you. I made some choices in the past that I regret, but those choices do not reflect my current allegiance. Unfortunately, my word is all I can give to you."
"Yeah, and your word doesn't mean jack shit," Marie spat out angrily. "Both of you need to get the hell out of this house immediately. During your next little cult meeting, tell my daughter's rapist that if he comes anywhere near my property, I'll cut his balls off with my garden shears."
Sprout looked exasperated. "We're not working with Lucius Malfoy, Mrs. White. We're sympathetic to what your family experienced and–"
"Don't piss in my ear and tell me it's raining. Get out."
"Please, just listen to reason!" Sprout begged. "When the Ministry comes, the best option would be–"
"We don't give a damn about your 'options'!" Marie yelled. "We refuse all three, and we'll go down fighting if necessary."
Sprout gave Marie a look of pity. "I really wish you would reconsider. You have until the Ministry comes to decide."
"I don't care what you think. Get the fuck out of our home."
Sprout and Snape finally made their way to the door. Snape looked back and said emotionlessly, "Don't bother thinking about traveling. The Ministry will be able to find you wherever you go. This isn't meant to be a threat, it's simply a statement of fact."
Marie opened her mouth to argue, but Snape disappeared into thin air with a popping sound similar to Flitwick's. After giving the Whites one final, sympathetic look, Sprout did the same.
Marie and Sarah stared in disbelief at where the two professors were for a few seconds. The tension was thick again. Not being able to handle the pressure any longer, Diana blurted out the first stupid thing that came to her mind: "I guess there was no reason for them to even walk to the door."
After a few seconds, Marie replied, face still pale: "Guess not."
Sarah then burst into sobs and Marie walked over and hugged her. Diana felt like she wanted to go by Sarah and comfort her too, but the look Sarah gave her earlier was still ingrained in her mind, and she kept her distance. Marie looked at Diana and gave a forced smile. "Honey, is it alright if you head over to your room for now while your mum and I talk for a moment?"
"Um, sure," Diana murmured, and quickly headed upstairs, thoughts swirling.
It was a lot longer than 'a moment'—it was a conversation that lasted several hours. Diana wished she could say she stayed in her room the whole time like an obedient child, but that wasn't the case for today. She opened her door and periodically made her way to the stop of the stairs to listen in on what her mother and grandmother were saying.
"I know it's hard, but you need to pull yourself together!" Marie whispered urgently. "Diana feels terrible right now, can't you tell?"
Sarah's cries got heavier and she said something that Diana couldn't hear. Marie hissed, "Stop it! You can't take any more pills than what the doctor said, it's dangerous. It doesn't matter what's happening now."
Sarah said something undecipherable again, and Marie sighed and said, "I know, I know. I'm going to call the cops again. We'll figure something out. But you need to be strong here. You're teetering towards the edge and that cannot happen again. Your daughter's relying on you."
Diana couldn't make out the words her mother was saying, but could pick up on the angry tone. "You're just saying that because you're upset," Marie said with a sigh, "None of this is her fault, okay? She's still the same kid…"
Feeling numb, Diana crept back to her room. Later that night, her grandma came in to comfort her, acting confident that she had some kind of plan to deter the wizards from coming back. Diana nodded dully, knowing inwardly that any plan was either nonexistent or doomed for failure. Diana said the minimal amount of words, and spent the rest of the night locked in the prison of her own morose thoughts.
Sarah didn't come to see her that night. Diana didn't expect her to. She knew what was apparent: something irreparably broke between the mother and daughter that day, and there was no going back.
