Chapter 5: Prophecy

Kassandra Lovegood was having tea with a banshee. For anyone else, that would be scary, strange, and completely unheard of. For Kassandra, it was merely a normal afternoon with tea, cookies and a banshee named Miralene sitting across from her. Kassandra dipped a cookie into her tea and watched Miralene as the banshee described life for the creature kind during the war.

"I've been working in Noctern Alley for a few weeks, selling banshee tears," Miralene said matter-of-factly. "They come in handy to both sides. I've sold them to potion masters and pregnant mothers alike. The taste of the tear removes stress if you can believe it."

"I can believe it deary," Kassandra said with a smile. "I believe my daughter in law has purchased a few from you."

Miralene tugged at a coil of greasy hair, studying the woman in front of her. Kassandra Lovegood was tall and thin, with piercing blue gray eyes and fine blond hair pulled up into a bun. The Lovegoods were one of those rare wizarding families who took the female last name during marriage. Kassandra stroked Miralene's bony green hand as she gazed off into the distance. Her grip got tighter as her back arched and her mouth opened wide. A pale, shapeless mist began to form into figures as Kassandra's voice took on a high, rasping quality.

Miralene saw a spider turn into a woman. Next, she saw a vela with full glamor removed. The final figure was a man half way through transforming into a wolf. There were other figures too, but Miralene's mind finally caught up with her ears and she began to pay attention to the prophetic words.

"On the night a Lily draws her last breath, a banshee receives her heart's desire. A bumblebee will meddle even beyond his death, yet good prevails in the heart of fire."

The grip on Miralene's hand loosened and Kassandra sat up. She looked at the banshee, who was frantically writing down the prophecy on a tea napkin. Kassandra's hand reached out snake-like and took the prophecy, making Miralene hiss in anger.

"Hush, death bringer," Kassandra said soothingly. "I only wanted to read it. It's not often my visitors have the forethought to actually write my words down. It looks like you have a hard future ahead of you. You're going to have to involve yourself in the war a little more than you'd hoped."

Their conversation was cut off by a ring at the doorbell. Kassandra answered it and ushered a voluptuous woman into the dining room. Oh yes Miralene had seen her before. How could she forget that aura? It wasn't as strong as Kassandra's was, but it was carrying an aura far stronger. Pandora Lovegood eased herself down onto a chair and smiled charmingly at Miralene.

"I think we've met before," she said. "We made a transaction I believe."

"This is true," Miralene said with a nod. "How far along are you now sweeting?"

"I'm only 3 months along," Pandora answered as she poured a cup of tea. "My husband Xeno is very proud. We just found out today I'm having a baby girl."

Kassandra flitted out of the room for a moment with a huge smile on her face. She returned not 2 heartbeats after, holding a large tome with a leather cover. She set it down on the table before Pandora before sitting back down again.

"You'll be needing that, my dove," Kassandra beamed. "The Lovegood womens' secrets now belong to you and your daughter."

Miralene excused herself and left the tidy house behind. With a swish of her tattered robes, she was gone from that place, and back to her fixer-upper Victorian home. She set the napkin in a secret drawer and got herself ready for her shift selling tears. She picked up the jar and shook it. It was almost empty, but she could rectify that. On the way out the door, Miralene cried happy tears into the jar, her heart swelling at the thought of having a son of her own.

"Hey mother," said a voice from the open door, "I came to visit."

Miralene looked up from the jar and closed its lid. There in the doorway stood her daughter, raggedy and unpleasant as a banshee could be. She looked at the jar in Miralene's hands, sniffing with disdain.

"Really mother?" she asked as she followed Miralene toward The Leaky Cauldron, "You're selling tears to get you through? What self respecting banshee does that?"

"One who doesn't want to fit the mold anymore, Zalaya," Miralene said sternly. "I won't tell you how to live your life, but I do ask you to leave anyone I'm close to alone. I don't need any friends dying."

Miralene and Zalaya bickered all the way through Miralene's shift, Zalaya threatening to sell her services as a bringer of death. The sad part was that some people took Zalaya up on that offer. She left with a toss of her head.

Miralene stirred from her daydreams, rubbing at her florid face. She did so miss her daughter, but she had unfortunately perished in the war. She had 3 other daughters, but they didn't live on the same contanent. She was just about to get up and wake Harry up from his nap when said toddler climbed into her lap.

"Where did you come from, little sparrow?"

"Mooey falled aseep," he said as if that explained everything, which it probably did.

"Next time you stay with Moony, okay?" she told him seriously.

"Aww," was her reply.

A/N Hello beautiful souls. I suppose you're wondering about the use of pet names throughout the story. I think that it makes for a more fluffy and unique story, which is what I'm going for. Let me know what or who you'd like to see next. Rosebloom