The Hunger Games: Heirs

Chapter One

Peeta and Katniss sink into the mattress. Their son, Finnick, left for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this morning at 11:00.The girl, Primrose, has been going for the past few years. The Mellark parents have never been more afraid.

A thousand miles away, Primrose Mellark sits in the Gryffindor common room, crying. Her brother, Finnick, was sorted into Hufflepuff. Far away from her, but not as far as she thinks. This very morning, when she was helping him get ready, her mother cried. Not when they said goodbye or anything sentimental like that, but when Primrose tucked in the back of his shirt. Nothing special. At least not to anyone who wasn't in the Everdeen residence the day of the 74th reaping.

Only two floors down, Finnick lays in bed, sleeping. On his bedside table lie pictures of his family, his namesake, his "aunts" (Johanna, Enobaria, and Annie), and a dried primrose. In the bed parallel to his, the Cresta-Odair's son, Magnus, lays awake, thinking about how this will be his final year at Hogwarts.

Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket are drinking champagne to celebrate Effie moving in with him the week prior. Haymitch is having too much, and while Effie minds somewhat, she finds herself to be laughing and crying. The table they sit at is mahogany, selected by Haymitch during the 75th games, during one of his few sober moments, specifically for the day when he planned to ask her to come and live with him.

During these times in Panem, virtually everyone is happy. The districts are producing at maximum level, poverty is slim, and President Paylor is as good as ever. It is the first time, since before the Dark Days, that people are happy and prospering. This is why the Capitol has dubbed this time the Age Of Prosperity.

Katniss and Peeta are scared.

"Finnick and Primrose will be okay," Peeta tells her, "There are worse games to play." he tells her. Katniss often has nightmares, but tonight's is the first Peeta has had in years. As opposed to normal,it's not about losing Katniss. This time, he's back in the 74th games, when the Careers turned on him and Cato slashed his leg right down to the bone. In that moment, Peeta knew he was a goner, that he would never again see his family, never taste the bakery bread again, and never see the gray eyes of the girl on fire. So, he does what he's good at. Dresses like a rock covered in moss, sooner to die of natural causes than murder by the Careers,let alone anyone else. Suddenly, his dream changes. He's standing on the Cornucopia and Cato has him in a headlock. The dream continues on script, but the last thing Peeta sees before he wakes is the broken face of Cato as the mutts tear him apart.

"Peeta! Peeta!"

He opens his eyes, relieved to find that he will, in fact, see the gray eyes of Katniss again. She shakes him slightly,only for him to look up and give a weak smile. She leans down and kisses his forehead, not having to ask about the dream. Having known each other for nearly thirty years, she can tell. Peeta embraces her, still so relieved as his hands and lips touch her neck gently. Even though Katniss trusts and loves him completely, she can't help being reminded of the same hands on the same neck, but with a totally different motive. A motive to kill her.