The Hunger Games: Heirs

Chapter Eight

Three months later, the Mellarks find a letter on their doorknob.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Mellark,

Due to personal reasons, your two children currently attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have been permanently suspended. We were informed that you, Mr. Peeta Mellark, are responsible for the death of Finch Crossly in the 74th Hunger Games. Given the fact that your wife was your ally, and that we are not without mercy at Hogwarts, you have been given a choice. Either you will both be trialed at the Ministry of Magic with Mrs. Hermionie Granger, or your children face indefinite suspension. You have 48 hours to respond by owl. If your children are to be expelled, they will have three days to pack their belongings and say goodbye, following the 48 hours in which you shall respond promptly.

Best wishes,

Professor Rosalite McGonagall

Peeta and Katniss are shocked. This is extremely unfair, given the circumstances of the arena. Katniss gasps when she reads the letter,and Peeta squeezes her hand as he wonders which they should pick.

Annie's holiday party is some form of a success if you consider all the milestones completed at it. 1. Annie threw a holiday party without the help of Magnus, who stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas this year. 2. Annie threw her first holiday party with the help of Peeta, who helped her with decorations, frosted cookies, and whatever else she needed him to do. 3. Effie got drunk, which is less of a milestone for her so much as a milestone for Haymitch's persuasive skills. 4. Speaking of persuasive skills, Katniss and Peeta ask Annie about Maya. 5. Peeta made Annie cry.

"Annie, do you know anyone named Maya?" Annie covers her ears with her hands and squeezes her eyes and mouth shut tight. "I was only wondering. You don't have to answer," replies Peeta, immediately on her side because it is impossible, for him, to push her further into madness, not without Finnick to help her through everything. Peeta knows what madness feels like. So many times has he dug his wrists into the handcuffs, trying to save everyone from himself. Annie has never been hijacked, but maybe her hands on her ears is like him with the handcuffs.

Annie nodding brings him back to reality. When Katniss asks if she cried during the Quarter Quell reaping, Annie bursts into tears and Peeta and Katniss simultaneously pull her into a hug. By the time Annie releases from them, Peeta's hood is soaking wet and Annie's eyes are red and puffy.

"It's okay," says Katniss, "She cried because she loves you and didn't want you going into the arena again." Annie hiccups and shakes her head slightly.

"It wasn't me she didn't want in the Games. It was Finnick. She loved him, too, you know."

"Annie, I'm so sorry," Peeta takes her hand in both of his while she continues,

"After I got back from the 70th Games, we were swimming and a wave pushed me under and she grabbed me. She held me under. I blacked out until Finnick found me. He was my mentor, and I think Maya tried to kill me because of how much Finnick loved me." Annie is sobbing by now. She pulls out her wallet and finds the picture of him, so beautiful and happy. He had been waving at her at the time, and she was so happy to see him that she took the picture. She sobs into the picture, making the ink run, which only makes her cry harder, ensuring that the photo cannot be salvaged. "It's okay," she mumbles, "I have more." Katniss and Peeta have no choice but to follow her into her room, where she opens a drawer filled with photos. Not just of Finnick, but of everyone. Annie always has a camera, and when she won the Games, she spent her wealth on miles of film and one camera. She takes pictures of people she loves when no one's looking, or when they are and she just has to. There must be hundreds in the drawer, and they are of everyone they've ever met and more. Haymitch and Effie laughing together. Katniss and Prim dancing at her own wedding. Baby Magnus at Katniss and Peeta's wedding. Johanna blowing a kiss to Katniss' protruding belly before Prim was born. Enobaria with two-year-old Finnick on her shoulders. Gale in his uniform. Peeta frosting the wedding cake, his face in extreme concentration. Even the morphlings from when Finnick introduced her to them. Annie did not become a mentor when she won the Games. She was too far into madness.

And Finnick. Too many to count. She saves these the most, because there is no chance she will get any more of him.