Gryffindors princess

Pawn

He smiled at Astrid like she was his very own hero, gently opening the box and holding it to his chest. His very own pocket watch made from the metals of various items that belonged to the whole Clearwater family tree.

She explained how she made it extra personal by using the metal from a dog tag she had asked Nick to make and design that one Friday a few years back when they all add busied their schedules with pottery, painting and metal classes.

And how she got everyone else, like the Weasley's, Remus, Sirius and whoever else had mattered enough, including Cedric to engrave a line each in order to make the vines that circled around the watch itself.

She felt proud that she could have given him something so small yet so significant, even if she knew it wasn't her hands alone this watch was supposed to leave. It was always meant to be a gift she and the eldest Clearwater would give to Lorenzo.

"Okay" Astrid sighed, reminding herself to not get emotional, not even for the camera her father was pointing her way, both parents wiping their own tears as they watched "Nick" she pulled him to her now "this is a Clearwater family tradition, I got mine too my first day of Hogwarts. So, wether you keep it, wear it, use it, store it away or even burn it and trash it, it's entirely up to you"

Children don't forget much, not things that happen when they're young, even if they're too young to comprehend what's going on. The first instance Astrid faced was not one she couldn't forget, but when she saw someone else suffer through trauma. When Lorenzo was young and had gone into a state of shock from the bledshed he'd witnessed in his childhood bedroom. With magic they were able to repaint and clean off Astrid's blood from his toys and with a wet rag, drenched in hot water wipe the splatters off his face. They still decided to throw away the blankets, replace the carpet, garbage the curtains and give away the toys. That was, one month until they got rid of the house itself, making the harsh decision of leaving the beloved home that meant more to them than anything. The house all memories with their friends had been made in, the engagement party for Lilly and James held in the backyard. They didn't sell it, deciding that once it was entirely safe, they would return. The time that would always stick was when Jasper came home at four am in the middle of winter, only five days before Christmas. Lucille had began to yell at the sight of him, Astrid watching from the couch after her mother had woken her up in a fright. Lucille only stopped yelling when she heard a shaky boys voice, crying from behind the man who looked exhausted and torn down. He shook his head, Nick taking a step away from him and revealing all shades of bruises running from his face to his arms. If pain could be personified it would be her mother who collapsed her hands around her mouth, her knees giving out and her eyes set on Nick. He was six than. His father came home drunk after a night of gambling and his mother just never tried for him. She wasn't his target most nights anyways, it was always the youngest boy, his fault was that he hadn't grown up faster and escaped that place like his siblings did. Sometimes Astrid thought wizards like Nicks father must have been worse than Voldemort ever could be.

"Are you sure you want me to have it?" Nick asked, hesitant

Astrid smiled at him, she would never fill the void in his heart that family had left behind "you're a part of the family aren't you?"

"Hey hey!" Edmus' voice came from downstairs, forcing everyone out of their sad moods "breakfast is here!"

"Right on!" Ron cheered, racing down the stairs with Harry, Hermione jogging at their tails as she called for Astrid

"I want everyone out of the house at ten thirty, come on, breakfast now!" Lucille left yelling for the twins and Ginny to follow suite so they could leave for the station on time "it's already nine thirty"