Fixing Old Traditions | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒚-𝑶𝒏𝒆

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sixth year,
boggarts
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The last few weeks of summer, seemed to feel like years, the days dragged, while Ethan kept everyone awake and busy. Aimee still hoped that she could persuade her brothers to let her stay at home, rather than go back to Hogwarts. They even insisted on taking her themselves to make sure she actually boarded the train.

Charlie's life had been honoured in the Daily Prophet. She kept the page, intending to make it a page in her scrapbook, accompanied by many pictures of him. Aimee was aware that her friends would know, she prepared what she would tell them 'I'm fine, thanks,' hoping that would be enough, though it wasn't the most convincing she didn't want to talk about her brother's death, but rather talk about the life he lived.

She felt as though all eyes were on her, looking for her reaction, waiting for her to break. Aimee was caught off guard when Dahlia came hurrying over to her, she began crying as she hugged Aimee. It had been many years since the Burke brothers had seen the cousins and Dahlia was clearly hurt by the news of Charlie.

Aimee saw Regulus and Evan about to board the train, she walked on the train with Dahlia. The three brothers waited until the train left the station as they didn't trust her not to try and jump off. Dahlia sat with Aimee even if she sat with Regulus and Evan, Dahlia knew Reg from class and always thought he was a nice Slytherin.

"How are you?" Regulus asked

"I'm fine, thanks, how about you?" Aimee asked him,

"It's quieter at home," he admitted,

"Aims, if you ever need anything," Evan began, "you know, I'm always here for you," she nodded, hugging him, while Evan tried to imagine what Regulus and Aimee were going through, he would never truly know what it felt like to lose a sibling as he never had one.

She saw the Trolley lady go past, she left to go and get some sweets, she bumped into some, she smiled, upon seeing him. Remus offered her some chocolate even though he had just bought it for himself, he didn't ask how she was doing, it was clear how she was feeling.

"You can have it, I don't mind, I was getting it for Peter anyway," Remus handed her the chocolate, her eyes welled up, he wrapped his arms around her knowing she didn't like people seeing her cry. He held her head against him, to prevent anyone from seeing her cry.

"I'm fine," she said, wiping under her eyes, she noticed a new scar on him.

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine," he told her, "you know if you ever just want to go for a walk, get away for a bit, all you have to do is ask,"

"Thanks, Rem, how's Sirius?" she asked, finding it strange that he hadn't come to find her.

"He's worrying about you, he was going to talk to you then he saw you with his brother and he can't face him yet-

"I understand," she nodded

"I hope you feel better soon, Aims"

***

Aimee attended her classes, with a positive mindset, though it quickly vanished once she sat in her seat. She couldn't focus even just for a few minutes, she found herself, drawing little pictures in her book, in one of her books, there was a page about animagi.

She drew an owl on the top of the page, halfway down the page, she drew two foxes, adding light shading to make the two foxes look a little different. At the bottom of the page, she drew a badger, realising she hadn't left any place for herself, she turned the page, drawing two dogs, colouring one with black ink.

Aimee hadn't been paying attention to anything, in class, or her friends despite how much they tried to involve her. Sirius went out of his way to make her laugh all the time, sometimes he was successful though she quickly returned to not caring anymore.

She sat in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, they were faced with a boggart, she hurried to the back of the queue. Praying for some interruption to avoid facing a boggart, there were many things that she thought the boggart could be. She desperately tried to clear her mind, of all that scared her.

'All her brothers dead,'

'the dark lord'

'death eaters'

'her mother'

"Excuse me, Professor, might I borrow Miss Burke for a moment?" Professor Slughorn asked, she thanked Salazar for saving her.

Aimee followed her head of house to his office, unsure of what he wanted, to her knowledge, she hadn't done anything wrong. Professor gestured for her to sit down, he offer her a biscuit, though she declined his offer, more curious to know what he wanted.

"Miss Burke, it's been a month of school, and I can't help but notice your grades have slipped concerningly low, your professors have reported that you aren't engaging in class like you normally would,"

"I'm sorry Professor I don't know what to say,"

"It's alright Miss Burke, I'm sorry for your loss, if there's any help I could put in place, I'd more than willing to,"

"Thank you, Professor, would it be alright if I skipped the rest of class, I don't want to face a boggart right now,"

"I understand, I'll inform your Professor," Aimee smiled at him,

She wandered the castle, finding herself in the astronomy tower. Not a sound could be heard, Aimee wondered why she had rarely come here, it was so peaceful and relaxing. She flicked her, wand conjuring a few small birds with fluttered around the tower. She hadn't realised that she had been at school for a month. While her summer dragged, the school weeks were flying past her.