Love Triangle

Goodbye Daddy

  Tears streamed silently down my cheeks as I watched the dark chestnut casket sink deeper into the ground until it was swallowed by the earth. The minister said a few words that I couldn't comprehend through my racing thoughts. I couldn't believe he was dead; my father was dead.

Despite the growing war, today both sides—muggle and wizard folk alike—joined together at the funeral. My father's family were all muggles, but his friends and his wife's side were from the wizarding world. I watched as people wiped their eyes, looking down at the all but empty casket.

They found bits of him, that's all they could recover after death eaters got ahold of him. Bits and pieces of what used to be a great man, an exceptional wizard and a courageous auror.

I felt someone gently intertwine their hand with my own. When I looked up, George's eyes offered kindness and comfort. Gratefully, I squeezed his hand. Not even a second passed before Fred was by my side, his hand taking my free one. They were my best friends, and I was comforted by their presence during this dark day. "Goodbye daddy..."I whispered as the tears burnt my cheeks.

When the funeral was over, my mother and I and some of our friends retreated to our new temporary home: Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Immediately after my father was discovered dead, some members of the Order of the Phoenix came to sneak my mother and I away from our home. They feared for our safety, and they were right. If we had stayed even an hour longer, we would have been killed by death eaters.

Benjamin Thorne was one of the top aurors at the Ministry of Magic, and one of the most despised. Perhaps it was because of his status as a "mudblood" or his affiliation with the Order, or maybe it was because he put away a great deal of dark witches and wizards that you don't want to make enemies with. Either way, after the return of You-Know-Who, it was no surprise that death eaters would target my father.

I just never believed he could actually be killed.

Fred, George, and I made it inside of Grimmauld Place where we were greeted by Sirius Black. He offered me words of comfort which I accepted with as much gratitude as I could muster up. Once Molly Weasley and my mother entered the house, Molly immediately went to the kitchen and Sirius to my mother.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't be there, Julie." Sirius apologized in a heavy voice. "Ben was a remarkable wizard and an even better friend."

"Thank you," She sniffled, attempting to smile through tears. When she saw me, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around me tightly. "My Nixie..." She whispered. "I love you, darling."

"I love you, too, mum." I murmured back. "We're going to be okay."

Her tears hit my shirt like bullets, and I wished to comfort her even though I knew it was a lost cause. She clutched onto me a moment longer before releasing me. Molly offered her a cup of tea, which she accepted before retiring to bed.

I followed her lead, going into my room and shutting the door behind me. There I crawled into bed and snuggled into the sheets. I burrowed my face into the pillow and sobbed quietly. At seventeen years old, I should be happy and excited for the future. My final year at Hogwarts was just two months away, and I should be eager to return, but I wasn't. I dreaded the future, couldn't bear to even think about what darkness it might hold.

There were stories about the First Wizarding War, but never did I imagine I would live to see its return... his return.

A loud pop echoed in my ears, bouncing off the walls. It was shortly followed by another pop, and before I knew it, I felt two people sitting on my bed.

"Nix," Fred pleaded, "please don't cry."

George whispered, "It's killing us seeing you like this."

Slowly sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and tried to stop sniffling. "I... I just can't believe he's gone." I murmured.

Fred and George didn't leave me alone that night. They sat faithfully on my bed as we stayed up talking about my father, about the war, the Order, the future. We were seventeen. We wanted to be adults, but truthfully, all of us were terrified. We wanted so much more than what we thought we would get in the future. But we didn't know what was in store.