In The Fight To Survive (Golden Trio Era) {4}

Beyond The Bouquet

Mikayla walked for a while, the steps were small and calculated as she still feared that she would trip over something. Mikayla's hands flew up in front of her when she sensed she was about to walk straight into a wall. In her head, she knew it was impossible for her to walk into any wall, as she had been lead in the opposite direction of the house and shed. With this in mind, she took one more step forward and reached further out away from her body. She grasped at the vacant air in front of her, until a buzzing sensation grazed against her fingers and her eyes shot open.

As she was blinking away the blurriness from squeezing her eyes shut too tightly, the hand on her wrist let go and Mikayla realised that she had made contact with the protective wards around the Burrow. She hadn't realised that she had covered so much distance, she looked to her right hoping to catch sight of whatever essence was leading her. As expected, there was no one to be seen and for a split second Mikayla felt like she had imagined it all. She took a step away from the wards, shaking her head and drawing the conclusion that she must be delirious from all the potions Andromeda gave her.

Until the invisible hand returned, this time on her chin, pulling it downwards, as Mikayla looked downwards she felt herself become a little dizzy as white lights began dance in her vision. When she saw that there was a bouquet of purple roses and dark maroon tulips, Mikayla kneeled down to floor in disbelief. There was an envelope attached to the flowers, with 'For Kayla' scribbled on the front of it. Mikayla hesitated picking up the letter, her hands were shaking so much as she stared at the scrawl that was notoriously her sister's. "Open it, Kayla." Mikayla let out a sob as a voice that she hasn't heard in a while whispers in her ear. She felt the hollow hand rest on her shoulder, that shook up and down, as silently sobs raked over her whole body.

Mikayla's hands moving to the ground, hoping that it would stabilise her as the tears left behind trails running down her cheeks. "Av?" Mikayla gasps out, not looking up from the ground, afraid that her sister's essence will be lost if she does. The hand squeezed her shoulder, "will you just open the letter, please! Being here hurts." Avery's voice begged in her ears, echoing in her mind as she tries to commit the sound to memory. Mikayla was terrified that she would forget what Avery sounded like in their separation. She had recordings of Avery's singing voice from their videos for Madam Malkin, but that was different than just hearing her talk normal.

Mikayla turned the envelope over, seeing the Carra family seal, and her whole body began to shake. To end her sister's suffering, Mikayla broke the seal, and with it, Avery's essence faded away, as she read;

Kayla,

Boo! Isn't that what ghosts say in those Muggle films Mam let us watch on Halloween? I know I'm not technically a ghost, but it must feel like I am to you... since ya know, the whole Blood Vow fake suicide diabolical. And before you freak out, I am writing to you from the past, right before I was put into this permanent slumber, which I consented to for your information.

I wanted to protect you one last time before disappearing for a while. I wanted to save you from making an impossibly difficult choice on what my fate should be. I would've caused you to have a whole morality crisis and I am the last person who wants you to bend your views to suit me.

Okay, I'm waffling too much, I asked Snape to make sure you get this once Harry's protection spell has ended, and now I'm questioning my decision to put so much fate in someone who is giving me crazy Death Eater vibes, but I'm desperate. I chose this timing because I felt it gave you more time to deal with everything that you'll face this year, Dumbledore gave me a brief and I'm not happy about it whatsoever, but I felt this was my little sister moment to cheer you up.

You becoming the face of the rebellion against Voldemort scares the shit out of me, but not as much as you doing anything without your friends by your side does. And I already know that beautiful brilliant mind of yours has been spiralling as to what your separation from your friends means, so I'm here to offer some guidance. You're sacrificing the glory of Horcrux Hunting to save lives. I know how tempting it must be to just run off with your friends, the world be damned, but I also know that you'd never let someone die without even trying to save them.