𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter thirteen; A Summer Attack
" I think the bad thing's already here. "
FLEAMONT AND EUPHEMIA noticed straight away that something was off between their children. They'd never gotten along in the traditional sense, but there was the constant teasing, bickering, laughing, there was always something. Madeline and James were, and always had been, unreasonably loud kids.
But they were silent from the moment they met their parents on the platform until they stepped foot into the Potter home. Madeline wordlessly dragged her trunk upstairs, a task that was usually soundtracked by James' laughter until she hit the middle of the staircase, where he'd take over.
But the brunette pulled it all the way to her bedroom, a loud 'thunk' resonating throughout the home as it rolled up every individual stair.
"What's wrong with them?"
"Please don't ask me to understand the minds of our children," Fleamont whispered as James passed by them, "I still don't understand half the things they say."
"You don't?"
"Not a clue," Fleamont shook his head.
It was nearing two in the morning when Madeline emerged from her bedroom. She'd opted out of dinner, sleeping through sunset, only to be awoken by the sounds of her stomach growling.
The brunette padded quietly to the kitchen, carefully selecting an apple before moving to get herself a cup of water. The blue plastic clattered into the sunk as the lights flicked on, Madeline spinning quickly around only to see a disheveled James standing in a similar state.
"Sorry," He mumbled, "Didn't know anyone was awake."
"S'fine," Madeline turned back to the sink, "I was done in here anyway."
"Oh. Okay."
Madeline collected her apple and held her cup beneath the faucet, agitated enough with the tap's slow flow that she accepted a cup half empty. She awkwardly hurried past James, before taking the stairs two at a time.
The apple softened on her bedside table overnight.
ϟ
Summer became a blur almost instantly. Madeline had done just about the same things, re-organizing her bedroom four times, writing more letters than the poor Potters' owl could carry, and most noticeably, found brand new ways to avoid her brother at every turn.
It shouldn't have been a big deal, honestly, but both Potter siblings were hard-headed so it simply turned into a terrible game of chicken.
That was until James finally broke, his worry winning over the after the incident in early July.
"Dad!"
The entirety of the Potter family was shocked at Madeline's shout, it'd been eerily quiet and for the girl to come bounding down the steps like a bull in a china shop, it was safe to say no one needed any more excitement for the remainder of the year.
"Madeline!"
"I have to go to St. Mungo's!"
"What?" Euphemia stood worriedly, it seemed only now that the family was realizing Madeline's yells were not ones of excitement, but ones of panic, "What's wrong, Maddie?"
"It's Kai, he was visiting his Aunt's and there was an attack, Blue says he'll be okay but I have to see him," Madeline rushed out in a single breath.
"Okay, alright," Fleamont stood, maintaining his composure as he gently grabbed Madeline's shoulders. "Listen to me, Maddie. I want you and James to take Floo, and do not let him out of your sight and stay in his, no matter what."
"You're not coming with us?"
"I'd like to try and figure out what's going on with these attacks," Euphemia spoke for herself and her husband, "I no longer believe they're coincidences. But we can't have anything happen to either of you, so go see Kai and don't worry about us."
Madeline nodded, pressing kissed to her Mum and Dad's cheeks before shoving whatever shoes she could find on her feet and hurrying to James' room. She heard faint chatting coming inside, but she didn't exactly care.
James Potter was happily talking to Sirius Black, their two-way mirrors hard at work, but both halted words as James let out a yelp.
"You can't barge in!" James shouted angrily, "Learn how to knock!"
"Normally, I would, and you know that, but please just put on shoes and come with me."
Both Sirius and James were worried by the girl's unusual wavering voice.
"What's the matter?"
"Kai's at St. Mungo's, there was an attack and I know you don't like him but he could've died, James!"
"I know," James reassured, standing up quickly and shoving his feet into the sneakers Remus had given him that Christmas, "We're going, are Mum and Dad—"
"They're trying to figure out what's going on with the attacks."
"It's obvious, Mads, something bad is coming whether we like it or not."
"That's the scary part, James," Madeline breathed out, "I think the bad thing's already here."
ϟ
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was worryingly full. That was the first thing Madeline Potter noticed. Full of patients and visitors and far too many people drowning in sadness.
"You already knows he's okay, Maddie."
"Physically," Madeline mumbled, nervously wringing her hands as they were lead towards Kai Declan's bed.
When they arrived at where he would be, the only thing separating them a plain room divider, Madeline paused.
"Isn't the whole point to see him?"
"How would you feel if that was Sirius?" Madeline questioned quietly, "Remus, Peter— how would you feel if it was one of them?"
"I. . . don't know. But, I know I'd want to see them."
Madeline nodded, rounding the divider she instantly frowned at what she saw.
Kai Declan was a sad reminder of the boy he once was, dark waves framing his face made his skin look more ghostly, eyelids shut with his eyelashes gently flirting with his cheeks.
"Maddie!"
Madeline let out a pitiful sigh when Bluebelle hugged her, the blonde herself seemed to have tear tracks down her otherwise flawless cheeks.
"How long have you been here?"
"Few hours," Bluebelle mumbled, sniffling slightly. "His parents are talking to some aurors right now, once he comes to he'll have to as well."
"Bloody need to just let him be for now," Madeline shook her head, pulling away, "He's so. . ."
"Not Kai," Bluebelle finished, turning to face the boy. "At all."
"What happened?"
"Well, you know his aunt married a muggle. . . suppose that made them targets. Kai was just. . ."
"Unlucky."
"Yeah."
Madeline tightly held onto Bluebelle's hand, the girls wordlessly standing at the end of Kai's bed. He was such a lively person, and for him to be even unconscious set them on edge.
And James realized how fragile the world was. Not in a ground-breaking way, but just in the way that he now knew he'd been blind his whole life. That one day someone could be pranking, playing quidditch, staying with family, and the next day they could be laying in a hospital bed.
Anyone. Him, Sirius, Peter, Remus, his parents, Lily. Madeline.
James Potter didn't like that reality had just caught up to him, but he needed it and even he could admit that much.
( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
Kai, Blue, and Mads are
such a cute trio oops