𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫 | n. tonks

xxiii

Hadley was silent the whole way back to Grimmauld Place. She felt much like she did the night her dad was attacked. She was numb; no one knows what to say when you watch the place you grew up burn down.

She couldn't help but resent Harry a little. After all, if he wasn't there, then the Death Eaters wouldn't have shown up. Every bad thing that's happened happened because they were unfortunate to be with Harry when it happened. If he hadn't been there, Hadley would still have her childhood home.

"You can't blame Harry for this, Hadley," Tonks said after Hadley told her about what she thought caused the Death Eater attack. They were sitting by the window in the older girl's room back at Grimmauld Place, a mug of hot cocoa each in their hands. "You know he didn't want any of this to happen. This war isn't his fault."

"I-I know, it's just..." Hadley sighed and leaned the side of her head against the window. She stared down at her mug of cocoa, watching as the steam rose from it. "Why do they have to hurt others too?" she asked in a whisper. "Why...Why do they have to kill people when it's Harry that they're after?" Hadley looked up at Tonks, tears glistening in her eyes.

"This is about Sirius, isn't it?" Tonks asked, sadness in her voice. Hadley nodded numbly.

"B-Bellatrix was taunting Harry about it," she whispered. "She...She doesn't care that she killed the only family he had left. She was so...so...proud of it, a-and I just don't understand why someone would pride themselves in causing other people pain."

"She's an awful person." Tonks set her mug of cocoa aside and moved to be closer to Hadley. She put an arm around her, and the redhead leaned her head onto her shoulder. "You have to be really sick and twisted to enjoy inflicting pain on other people...Especially your own cousin..."

"I-I'm so sorry." Hadley's teary ocean eyes met Tonks's mocha ones. "I-I keep forgetting that he was your cousin, a-and that this is happening to you too."

"It's okay," Tonks said gently, her voice quiet. "You knew him longer than I did, and you have every right to miss him."

Hadley looked out the window, slowly sipping her cocoa. She was worried about Ron and Ginny. Ron had gotten hurt numerous times from running around with Harry, and Ginny had almost lost her life in the Chamber of Secrets 4 years ago. Hadley couldn't help but blame herself for these things. She was supposed to protect them as their older sister, but she was so busy causing mischief with Fred and George that these things went unnoticed to her.

She knew Tonks was right. It wasn't Harry's fault that these things happened. They were just kids. They weren't prepared to fight a war against these adults that wanted them dead simply for their existence.

"I just wish there was more that we could do," Hadley whispered. She leaned her head onto Tonks's shoulder.

Tonks sighed sadly. She wrapped her arms around Hadley's waist and kissed the top of her head. "I know..."

Hadley wished this was just the worst of it, but there were bound to be more attacks, deaths, and disappearances. The only thing she could do was focus hard on her training and be prepared when the battle began.