I looked down at the newspaper that was sent to me the next morning. Apparently, right after a rushed trial of Gareth Greengrass a prison break occurred at Azkaban last night. Within the missing prisoner list was not only him, who was on his way to there, but Voldemort’s daughter Delphini.
I threw the paper on my bed. Ailean picking it up and smiling. It was too easy for him to get into my room. I’d need to find a way around that some time. “So Del is finally out.” Del… I nodded my head and went to my trunk.” I suppose they were waiting for Gareth then.” He sighed. “Who do you think knew about the case?”
For such an average looking trunk so much fit into it. I had to bend down to my waist to sort through everything. Where was it… “There is more than a few possibilities.” Ailean walked over and helped me dig. He easily found the quill I was looking for. “Do you think Rob’s group is aware yet?” I turned back around and took the quill from his hands. “No, but soon.”
When I went to turn away from him he waved his hand in my face. Younger brothers were annoying. “Do you think she’ll approach them?” I just walked away from him. “No. Delphi will avoid anything Hogwarts for awhile.” His usual sulk inducing topic popping up. “She isn’t avoiding those two brats.”
I put the quill down to make my bed. “No, she is not.” Ailean appeared on the other side to help me get the sheets straight and perfect. The messier they were the more I was bothered. “We’re her family. Not them.” After smoothing the folded sheet a few times I looked up at him. “That is an obsession. You know that.” He crossed his arms like a child. “Still. Those two didn’t help her one bit. Not like we’ve done.”
Next it was time to fix my pillow. Cadmael had bought me some to bring here. One of them was incredibly large and if it was not put straight first everything was off. “They did help her grow as a person.” Ailean threw me one of my smaller ones. “That doesn’t count!”
I reached for the extra throw at the bottom of the bed. Cadmael had taught me how to knit. I made it myself. “Ailean. You must not get so excited about her.” He helped me straighten it. His eyes glossing over the beautiful black fabric and the silver inlaid in it. “Why don’t you get more excited. She’s our family. Our only real family.” Not to me… Cadmael was my family. “It’s a family that came with even more burdens.”
He rushed over to my side of the bed. “So what. It’s better to be that than a Yong! To be a part of that family after everything they did to us.” I loved my little brother but it was infuriating that one of the few topics that caused him to have feelings was this one. “The legacy given to her must remain burried. We both know that.”
He scoffed at me. “You’re a Parseltongue, Hyo-Eun! You’re an heir to Slytherin just like Del! And me!” Who cares. I sighed. “That doesn’t matter. The legacy is dead and will remain dead. We do not live for the impractical and useless, remember?” Ailean didn’t say anything so I continued. “You can find a way to protect her without it.” My bed was done.
I went to collect my school supplies. “Even she learned that through all of this.” My brother appearing besides me with one of my books. “So then we help her create a new legacy.” I could only shake my head in frustration. “That isn’t easy.” He turned away from me annoyed. “But you are helping that Potter twat!” As if…
Gently placing my hands on his shoulders I turned him around. “Are you seriously comparing the two of them to me?” He started to pout. “She is your family. Not him. Even with his famous father he still has siblings and friends. All she has is us.” My hands dropped from his shoulders. “It isn’t that simple. Stop making it seem like it is.”
Ailean’s body started to shake. “Del saved us!” No she didn’t. She had nothing to do with it. All she was was circumstance. “Cadmael saved us.” He was glaring at me again. “Cadmael and Del saved us. We owe her our lives.” And there was one of my triggers, owing someone our lives. I would never owe anyone my life. Ever. The only thing I would ever do is protect my brother. I glared at him angry. “And does she not have them.”
Finally, my brother truly started to calm down. All it ever took was returning him to somberness. “She is finally out. The three of us must be free.” For such a cruel child there was a part of him that remained so innocent and naïve. Children like us didn’t get freedom. I sighed. “Of all things…Why must you give your heart to this impossibility.”
He gently took my hand. “Because we have power now. We can overturn impossibilities.” I pulled my hand free. “For fuck’s sake, Aliean. She is out for now. Can’t you settle for that.” He shook his head no. “Not until she is really free.” I couldn’t help myself. I slapped my brother across his cheek. “None of us are free. Stop acting so deluded.”
My brother’s body began to shake. His hands curled into fists. “You said we would one day! You promised me to fight for it.” I’ve spent a lifetime spoiling him. Allowing him to always get his way in the end. “And I am…” I picked up one of my school books. “I am at this shitty school, talking to these shitty people, pretending to be a fool everyday and taking blood oaths. What have you been doing? Scuttling around and taking notes? Seducing a boy for the fun of it.” Ah… I let myself vent to much.
Ailean leaned forward towards me but I took a step back. “Hyo-Eun I…” I held my hand up to him. I didn’t want to hear it. There’s already so many feelings on my mind and things to do. “Enough, I don’t want to hear anymore. Corriander will be back any minute and she can’t see us upset.” He ignored me and pulled me into a hug. “No matter what happens we always have each other.”
I squeezed my brother. It was hard to remember sometimes that even when he was mouthing off he was still dependent on me. I could feel a few drops of water dripping on to my shoulder. “It’s too soon to lose each other. It’s too soon.” I sighed and pat his back slowly. “I’m sorry.” He slowly let go of me. “Me too.”
He turned to pick up the newspaper. After I threw in some green powder he threw it into the flames. Ailean took the time to fold it into a paper airplane. It made my heart hurt. Remembering, how young he was.
A few moments later the fire roared up slightly and the sound of whispers and hisses could be heard from the flames. Ailean turned to look at me. I shook my head tiredly. “She says hello.”
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