As the Stars Drift By

The Past

"Are you staying at school for Easter holidays, Ama?" Regulus asked, not looking up from his book. Regulus was the only one who ever called her Ama. When he was much younger he'd had trouble pronouncing the 'th' in her name, so he'd resorted to calling her Ama. He hadn't stopped calling her that since.

"Yes," Thea said. "Mum and Dad said we don't have to go home this time, might as well stay here. Besides, if I went home, I'm sure it'd just be a repeat of Christmas break." Their parents had spent the last holiday break berating Thea for being a Hufflepuff. It had been her mother's favorite subject to bring up for the entire week and a half. Her father had voiced his displeasure as well. Thea would rather not deal with that again if she could help it.

"I'm sorry," Regulus said. Thea's pencil paused as she looked up. Regulus was now staring out across the Black Lake.

"You don't have to be sorry, Reg," Thea said. "You didn't do anything. You're not them. You're not like them." Regulus turned to meet her gaze. For as well as she knew him, Thea could not place the look in his eyes. Regulus had always been reflective and nuanced, even from a young age. But Thea was normally always able to read his moods and emotions. It came with being twins. Now, however, now she was stumped.

"Reg, seriously, it's okay," Thea said. "I'm fine, We'll be fine." Thea did her best to reassure him. She was never all that good with words. Instead, she reached her hand out to hold Regulus's as she finished up her drawing.

"Right," Regulus said, squeezing Thea's hand once. "We'll be fine."

As she sketched in the last details, Thea leaned back to evaluate her drawing. It wasn't perfect but she thought she'd done a good job of emphasizing the lighting and shadows of the piece. Where her words might've failed, perhaps her drawing could cheer Regulus up to some degree. He did usually like to see her pieces. She tore it out of her book, handing it to Regulus.

He stared at the sketch for a few moments. "You've made my nose wonky," he said with the utmost seriousness.

"What? No I haven't!" Thea leaned over to look at the drawing again. She looked between Reg and her sketch. The nose was perfectly fine.

"Just teasing, Ama," Regulus smiled. "It's perfect, as always." Thea huffed and rolled her eyes, but her heart warmed. She was glad Reg liked it. Even if she had no one else on her side, she had Regulus.

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April 2nd, 1974 - Second Year

Prominent Wizarding Family Dead in Vicious Attack

The headline of the latest Daily Prophet issue stared back at Thea as she did her best to eat breakfast. Her father always read the paper in the morning -but lately, seeing the paper had been making her sick. Voldemort had been on the rise for the past several years. She'd heard others talk about certain attacks or acts of violence while at Hogwarts. But they were all just kids -it wasn't like they discussed the Death Eaters every single day. She'd been able to go about her first at school, largely unaware and unhindered. But now Thea fully realized just how bad things were becoming.

Her father had read the Daily Prophet every day she'd been home for Easter break. And every day Thea saw a new headline about a horrible death or violent attack carried out by the Death Eaters and Voldemort

"How's the paper today dear?" Walburga asked as she ate.

"Same as always," Orion gruffly replied, without putting his paper down. "Nothing particularly interesting to report." Her father talked of the death of an entire family as if it was the weekly weather forecast.