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

The Mind Mystery

Mikayla looked around, something strange catching her eye as she desperately searched for something to change the subject, "look, it seems we have a new orb colour, I've never had a black one before." In fact, Mikayla has never seen a black orb in anyone's mind before, which felt rather unsettling as she stared at her own. "Does your list give any hint of what Black might mean?" Molly questioned while moving towards the list of the colours the orbs take and the main emotions it correlates to.

Black was labelled as mystery, which didn't really provide either of them with any sort of extra information on what the contents may entail. Molly would be going in blind, while Mikayla would have to impatiently wait to get an answer on whether she should witness whatever memory the orb beholds. The two women walked together, a nervous glance shared between them when they arrived at the shelf that contained a single black orb.

Molly hadn't known what to expect when she took a hold of the orb to view the memory, but a wave of sickness rushed through her before she had the chance to look. That was strange, usually while infiltrating someone's mind you feel no physicality to your body. Yes you can move and interact with the memory orbs, but it was only emotions felt while in someone's mind. You are somewhat detached from your own physical reality while in someone's head, so to feel such a sensation was alarming. However, she was pulled into the memory before she could alert Mikayla of this change of circumstances, taking note of it to bring up once she escapes Mikayla's mind.

Molly realised almost immediately why she had felt so uneasy, because as soon as she arrived in the memory she noticed that it wasn't coming from Mikayla's perspective. That fact has created more questions in her head than answers she's yet to be given. She had been following a sleep walking Mikayla to her haunting childhood bedroom when she passed by a mirror. She saw herself as a woman in her late fifties/early sixties, whom she recognised as an old friend, Alina Carra. "Don't worry, Molly, we're always watching over her, we will show you what Mikayla will have no recollection of." Molly jumped as she looked over to see ghostly versions of Enya and Sirius, that looked like they were twenty years-old again.

Molly was in shock but didn't allow it to distract her from the task at hand, they couldn't see her and she couldn't interact with them. They knew that it would be her that was witnessing Mikayla's memory, and that brought Molly some comfort that she wasn't alone in worrying about Mikayla's wellbeing. She inwardly wondered whether Alina had prophesied this before her death and knew about what is about to happen to Mikayla or if even in the afterlife, Aevus seers can have visions. It is something that she may task Mikayla to explore after the war, just out of curiosity more than anything.

Mikayla startled herself awake as soon as she had arrived in front of her old bedroom's door. "Why did he have to bring her here of all places?" Enya asked Alina as she watched a series of different expressions flash across the blonde's face. "Her mind is weakened by fear and unease, it's the only way Dumbledore can weaken her enough to corrupt her mind." Alina answers Enya as Mikayla finally frowned at the door, shaking her head before saying "You can do this, Mikayla, don't give these memories the power to hurt you. You are not who you were all those years ago, you're stronger and much more loved." Molly's heart ached as she watched Mikayla's shaking hands reach for the doorknob, pausing to hover over it as she closed her eyes.

Molly and the spirits of Mikayla's beloved late family members were silent as they watched Mikayla try to regulate her breathing and stop her hand from shaking. A gasp escaping Molly's mouth as words began to scratch into the door while a deep blue light shoots out from the handle. It travels up from Mikayla's shaking hand, all the way up to her eyes that shot open to reveal the deep blue light temporarily replacing her eyeballs. Molly quickly read the words that had carved into the door, she recognised that it was Latin however she couldn't translate it all, she only knew what the last word was;

Libera mentem, fac vacuam, actum exsequere nullo repugnante. Imperio.

Molly knew the unforgivable Imperius curse well, during the First Wizarding War she had been a victim of it once and she had heard many cases of it from Arthur during the aftermath of Voldemort's initial demise. "If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him. Dumbledore could've left her a map or a letter with instructions, but no instead he wanted to manipulate her mind from beyond the grave." Sirius spat as they followed Mikayla down the stairs, all of them flinching when she tripped on the three steps from the bottom and fell to the ground. Luckily, she had somewhat saved herself from terrible injury by landing on her left side, but the bang was enough to know that she would be left bruised by the fall.

"So, Mikayla won't remember any of this?" Sirius asked Alina while they all made their way out to the Orchard, "no, Dumbledore is actively possessing her to do his bidding, while Mikayla is experiencing a blackout episode through the Imperius curse, it's essentially severing the tie between true reality and her mind for a temporary period. Even if she was to try and view this memory, Mikayla would only see darkness. It's important that nothing stops her from opening what he left for her; it will solidify the Order's victory." Alina informs them as they reach the Orchard, they watch as Mikayla hunches over a half buried stone, and begins using her hands to unearth it. "What possibly could be so important to go through this much effort to manipulate our seventeen year-old daughter to retrieve?"

Enya was seething as Molly took note of Mikayla's blank expression, something so unnatural on her adoptive daughter that was felt so deeply that her face would be encompassed by whatever emotion she was living. "Albus believed Mikayla would never go looking for his buried parcel because she was so distrusting of him after she obtained her mind-linking abilities. Rightfully so, it appears that Mikayla was able to see through his 'all knowing' façade to see the truth that he only bared the knowledge of what he weaved into destiny. However, there is a silver lining to this, it will never happen again." Time escaped Molly, it seemed that Alina had magically fastened the pace of the event of Mikayla's possession. She watched Mikayla pull the rock that had blocked her prize from the ground, her knuckles white from squeezing it so tight as a silvery wispy strand seeped into her skin.

Her fingers gently felt the ragged edges of the rock, searching for the sharpest point while muttering under her breath the words that had appeared for Kingsley moments before she infiltrated the blonde's mind. "Seeker of truth, tread with care, for the answer you seek is not laid bare. The essence of life, crimson and bold, the Seer must offer to break the hold. Spill the essence, let it flow on the fire, only then you will discover destiny's daring desire." Fred appeared just as Mikayla prepared herself to slash her palm off the rock's edge to open the canister, pulling her off the ground. "Mia, I've been looking for you everywhere. What are you doing out here?" Mikayla's eyes snapped wide open at Fred's words before the memory came to an end.

Molly returned to the orbs room of Mikayla's mind, catching as the blonde placed a yellow 'happy' orb back on the shelf that was labelled; May 28th, 1994- Quidditch Cup. It was the first time Gryffindor had won it in years, and Mikayla felt she needed to allow herself to get wrapped up in the guilt-free fun and joy of the day. Nowadays, she couldn't enjoy life without feeling guilty for doing so, Valentine's Day was the only exception as she wouldn't allow guilt to ruin that almost perfect day for her. "This memory isn't yours, Mikayla. Alina planted it here for me to see, she said that if you were to try and look at it all you would see black. I know what happened to you, and you should know that it isn't something that will ever happen again."

Mikayla nodded, accepting Molly's reassurance that what she's been through today was a freak occurrence that will never repeat itself, offering her adoptive mother a somewhat relaxed smile. "We should get back to the others and see if they found anything, before you share what you saw." Molly agreed with Mikayla's suggestion, remembering how Alina had said that it was important that Mikayla opened the canister. She still had no idea what it contained but she internally promised herself to be a strong support system for whatever it was, for the sake of winning the war. However, Molly took a moment to hug Mikayla, feeling an overwhelming need to tell Mikayla about how loved she is.

"You know, Mikayla, you are so incredibly loved, both on earth and beyond. I promised your mother that I would do all I could to support you on your journey of freedom from Fergal, but you should know that your Mam and Dad are always watching over you. No matter how lonely you may feel at anytime, you will never have to face your demons or your victories alone, even if you can't see your company, they are there every step of the way cheering you on." Mikayla sniffled as she squeezed Molly tighter, unable to verbally thank her for her words and all that she's done for her, but was able to spit out an "I love you, Mum." Molly whispered to Mikayla that she loved her too, before they were pulled out of Mikayla's mind by Arthur.