２２ Ｓｅｐｔｅｍｂｅｒ １９８１

９ｐｍ

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IT WAS A QUIET September night, the still air punctured only by the occasional hoot of an owl or honk of a car. A chilly breeze swept over the city of London, almost as if a curtain of frost had been draped over its inhabitants. Maisie Mallard felt it, even in the confines of her compact, yet warm apartment. The young mother strode over to the bedroom she shared with her husband, peering inside the crib in the corner of the room. There lay Iyla Mallard, wrapped in a white blanket, peacefully sleeping. The soft inhaling of her two-year-old daughter calmed Maisie, whose heart was beating faster than normal.

Maisie was anxious. Particularly more anxious today than any other. But as she brushed the soft baby hairs away from her daughter's face, she reminded herself that they would be just fine. All she would have to do was wait until they came back from the meeting.

"Mum?" a child's voice called. Turning around, Maisie looked down to see her oldest daughter in the doorway. The little girl bounced into the dark room, a grin on her small face. "Mum, I was playing Exploding Snaps and it blew up in my face! With a big boom!" Serena Mallard shouted in glee, tiny hands imitating the explosion.

Maisie lightly chuckled, picking up the three-year-old child. "Quiet, Serena. Iyla is sleeping."

"Well, why don't you wake her up? All she does is sleep," the little girl crossed her arms, unwilling to lower her voice.

Iyla stirred, always a light sleeper. Maisie cooed her back to sleep, exiting the room. "She's a baby, Serena. And babies need their sleep. Like you."

Serena gasped, obviously offended. "I am not a baby! I am four in a month!" She counted on her tiny fingers, lifting up four of them. "See? I'm grown!"

Maisie rubbed some of the soot from the cards off the little girl's face with a chuckle. "Sure you are. How about some hot chocolate for my grown-up Serena?"

"Yay!" the young child clapped, wiggling out of her mother's grasp and onto the floor. Maisie laughed, entering the kitchen after her daughter. She had just pulled out two mugs from a cupboard when she heard a quiet whizzing sound. The woman immediately stiffened, pulling out a  small golden compass she always kept in her pocket. Maisie popped open the cover of the compass; its dial was spinning out of control, which only meant one thing: someone was nearby. Maisie whipped out her wand.

Just as she expected, there was a knock at the door. "Mum, who is that?" Serena asked quietly, voice quivering in fear. Though she was only three, she knew well enough that whenever her mother pulled out her wand, it could only mean something bad.

The mother didn't answer; instead, she pulled Serena behind the couch. "Stay hidden and quiet, okay?" Maisie's heart pounded in her chest as she inched toward the door. With her wand outstretched in front of her, she peaked through the peephole. "Who's there?" Despite her nervousness, Maisie's voice was sharp and commanding.

"Hm, perhaps the people that live here?" an irritated voice replied. "Open up already, it's freezing!"

Maisie sighed in relief and opened the apartment door. There stood Esmae and Elliot Mallard on the other side, both sporting long cloaks in the chilly wind. The pair hurried inside as Maisie quickly locked the door again. "Honestly, Maisie, I know you can see my blonde hair in the dark. It's practically a highlighter."

Maisie simply shrugged. "Had to make sure it was you."

"As you should. Esmae needs to be a little more cautious," Elliot said, bending down to give Maisie a light kiss on her lips. "Hope you didn't worry too much while we were gone, love."

"Oh, no, I wasn't worried at all! You two didn't even cross my mind," she replied sarcastically.

"Daddy!" Serena exclaimed as she jumped out from behind the couch, wrapping her arms around Elliot's leg.

"Ah, is that my Serena?" Elliot said with a bright smile, picking the girl up and spinning her around in the air. His green eyes twinkled in glee as he looked at his eldest daughter. "It's nine o'clock! And you're still awake? And what is all over your face?"

The little girl giggled. "I was playing Exploding Snap and it went boom all over my face!"

"Let me fix that up real quick, then," Esmae chortled, pointing her wand at Serena. She muttered a spell and the soot on Serena's face completely vanished.

Serena touched her face, and when nothing appeared on her small fingers, she clapped once again. "How'd you do that?"

Esmae winked at her. "Magic love, magic."

Maisie picked up Serena from her father's arms, setting her down on the floor. "Sweetie, why don't you go change into your pyjamas and get ready for bed?"

The little girl looked between the three adults, shaking her head furiously. "No! I want to stay out here with daddy and Aunt Esmae!"

Esmae grinned, bending down in front of her. "You can come back out after we have a little adult chat, alright, Rena?"

Serena pouted, tugging on her aunt's blonde hair. "Promise?"

"We promise, now go on!" Esmae smiled as she gently guided Serena to their shared room. Once the young child was finally behind the closed door, Maisie turned to her husband and best friend, dark brown eyes narrowed.

"Why are you two still in your coats and shoes? Don't think I haven't noticed."

The Mallard siblings shared an uneasy glance before taking a seat on the small brown couch, staring up at Maisie as if she were their mother, reprimanding them for childish behaviour. "Well, you see," said Elliot, "at the Order meeting, Professor Dumbeldore assigned us to keep watch in one of the Muggle neighbourhoods..."

Esmae nodded. "We won't be gone for too long. There has been some activity in the area and Dumbledore simply wants us to check it out for a little while, see what's going on."

Maisie immediately shook her head. "No, no way. You two just got home from a three-hour meeting, which was supposed to end an hour and a half ago. You aren't leaving again."

The siblings sighed, knowing it would take much more than that to convince Maisie. "I know, and I'm sorry love, but the meeting went on longer than planned because we had to change locations in the middle of it."

"Those Death Eaters have got to find something better to do than stalk the Order," Esmae said, rolling her eyes. "It's quite annoying, having to sneak in and sneak out all the time."

Ignoring her friend, Maisie turned to Elliot. "Did Dumbledore send anyone else out?"

Her husband nodded. "The Longbottoms are already patrolling another neighbourhood in the southern end of London. Lenora Rosier and Audrey Laine are out, as well. Sirius and Peter..."

"They offered to take our place," said Esmae, "well, really, Sirius forced Peter to finally do something other than attending the meetings. Anyways, they couldn't because they needed to meet with Lily and James for something important."

"Sirius said it was urgent, and Professor Dumbledore needed two other people to go so... we offered," Elliot finished rather quietly.

Maisie paced back and forth in their small living room. She knew if she was still officially in the Order, she would, without hesitation, have volunteered to help. It was different, however, watching her family walk straight into the unknown while she was stuck in the run-down, four-cornered apartment. Maisie wanted nothing more than to be in on the action, or at least know for sure her family was coming back home to her.

Esmae, who always seemed to know exactly what was going through Maisie's head, gave her a small smile. "I know you hate being stuck here, Maisie. I would too-"

"But you aren't!" Maisie finally exclaimed. "Eridani hates you as much as she hates me, Esmae! Why wouldn't she come after you, too?"

Esmae was not in the least offended by her friend's outburst, understanding her anger. "Because as long as she remains obsessed with Elliot over here, she wouldn't dare come after me. You, on the other hand... I can't be too sure of, since you're the one that married my brother." The blonde lowered her voice."Maisie, she's just like her cousin."

"Bellatrix is a psychotic murderer. She has no boundaries, no restraints," said Maisie. "Eridani may idolize her cousin, but she's nothing like that awful woman. We've known her for years and we've always put her in her place back at Hogwarts. I don't see why I have to be hidden away from her now! I know what she's capable of, and if not me, then we can most definitely handle her!"

"Love," Elliot spoke softly, "Eridani has changed and I'm afraid it's not for the best. She isn't like how we remember. Besides, someone has to protect Serena and Iyla. Eridani is... unpredictable. She may not hurt the girls personally but... I wouldn't put it past her to send someone else to do the job."

Maisie frustratedly messed with her short, curly hair. "I know, I know, and I would never let anything happen to my girls as long as I'm alive but- it's just- why do you two have to go out? The number of people that died this half of the year alone..." The woman sighed. "Marlene Mckinnon's family and nearly all of the Bones were completely slaughtered in July. The Prewett twins were murdered only last month. Poor Molly, she was devastated! And sweet Dorcas Meadowes... she was personally killed by You-Know-Who himself not even two weeks ago. Not to mention the rest of our families are dead. What if... what if you're next?"

Elliot stood up, cupping his wife's face in his hands. "This is war, love," he whispered, wiping her tears away. "It's cold and unforgiving and takes the lives of the ones we love but we have to keep fighting."

"And we'll keep on fighting until it's over," Esmae proudly announced, grinning at her best friend of seventeen years. "So will you, Hawthrone."

The woman sniffed, chuckling at the use of her maiden name. "It's... it's been a while since anyone called me Hawthrone. I suppose it's because they didn't want to upset me."

Esmae shoved her brother to the side, who was very much offended, to wrap an arm around Maisie. "Or because you changed your last name to Mallard," the blonde chuckled, "but... you'll always be a Hawthrone. And even though our parents are gone, they aren't forgotten. Neither are their names."

Maisie snorted. "Since when were you the philosophical one?"

"Since ever," said Esmae. "I've lived with my brother for twenty-eight years, his infinite wisdom rubbed off on me, unfortunately..."

Elliot then came over, sliding his sister's arm off of Maisie before holding her shoulders, staring into her dark brown eyes. "I promise love, nothing will happen. You'll see, we'll be back before you know it."

Maisie looked uncertainly between her husband and best friend, who were awaiting her answer. She took in a long breath, looking up in determination. "I know if it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to go. We all have to do our part in this war."

Elliot lightly kissed his wife once more before walking over to the door Serena had disappeared behind. They promised to call the little girl back after all. Esmae and Maisie watched as he placed a hand on the doorknob, whispering, "I had a strange feeling we were being spied on." He then swung the door open, causing the small child leaning against it to fall back.

"Aha! Just as I expected, spying on us," said Elliot, scooping up the giggling three-year-old in his arms. "You haven't changed into your pyjamas nor have gotten ready for bed."

The child shook her head, curls flying left and right. "No bed! I want to hear adult talk! But I couldn't, you were too quiet!" Serena placed her small hands on her father's face and looked seriously into his green eyes. "Be louder!"

The adults glanced at each other before laughing. Maisie quickly went into her room, coming back out with baby Iyla cradled in her arms. "I didn't want to wake her up but I felt like she should be out here!"

Esmae rolled her eyes. "You're acting like we're sailing across the sea or something. We'll be knocking on that door in two hours, max."

Serena's brown eyes widened in fear. "You are leaving?"

Esmae quickly picked up the child, poking her nose with a smile. "Just... running some errands. We won't be gone for long."

Iyla then stirred awake, raising her tiny arms above her head as Maisie brushed a few hairs off her forehead. They all looked at the baby who stared back at them, her eyes brown and wide. "Looks like Iyla's awake," Elliot said softly, kissing the top of his daughter's head.

Iyla gave a small giggle, holding onto Elliot's pinky finger. Esmae grinned before glancing down at her watch. "Elliot, it's nearly ten..."

The siblings looked at each other, their previous smiles fading slightly. Esmae placed Serena back on the floor before the pair headed over to the front door. Maisie followed, Iyla in her left arm while her right hand held Serena's. She watched as Elliot and Esmae opened the door, a cold breeze immediately rushing the tiny apartment. "Come back to me... alright?" Maisie said quietly.

Elliot quickly came back inside, cupping his beloved wife's face once more. They stared into each other's eyes and were suddenly back at the Hogwarts welcoming feast where they met. The Gryffindor common room where they first kissed. The Mallard's backyard where they married. They didn't need to say anything to know how much they loved each other.

Elliot leaned down and kissed Maisie one last time, ignoring Esmae and Serena's groans. "There's nowhere else I would want to go. I love you, Maisie." He then looked down at Iyla, the baby looking back at him wide-eyed in her mother's arm as he pecked her forehead. "And I love you, my beautiful little Iyla."

Serena crossed her arms. "Hey! What about me?"

"Ah, how could I forgot my sweet Serena?" chuckled Elliot, bending down to her level. He placed a kiss on the little girl's cheek. "I love you too, Rena."

Esmae chuckled. "You guys are saying goodbye like you'll never see each other again. Hurry the hell up Elliot." She lightly shook her head as her older brother gave his family one more smile before running out the door.

Maisie looked at her best friend, her blonde hair tied in a loose bun as it's always been. Esmae was the first person she had ever met in the magical world. The first friend she ever had. The first sister she would ever get. "Be careful, okay Esmae? Please just... stay alive."

The blonde rolled her eyes before walking back into the apartment. She stood in front of her shorter friend, holding out her hand. "Lemme see your compass for a moment." Maisie didn't bother questioning why, dropping the magical object in Esmae's hand.

"Perhaps I should have gotten you a pocket watch all those years ago rather than a compass, but we all know you would have gotten lost in Hogwarts without it," Esmae mused. She flicked open the cover, running her thumb over the slightly cracked glass. "As long as you have this, I'll always be here with you. Elliot and I, we'll always be here."

Esmae looked up, a bright smile decorating her features as she placed the compass back in Maisie's pocket. She placed a kiss on Iyla's cheek and quickly picked up Serena, spinning her around. "See you lot in a bit! Gotta do my thing, save the world, ya know." She bounced toward the front door and with a final wink, Esmae disappeared into the night.

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The small London apartment was silent, save for consistent muffled tapping on the carpeted floor. Maisie Mallard was bouncing her foot up and down in nervousness, watching as the clock on the wall struck twelve. The young mother had finally managed to get Serena into bed only an hour before, the three-year-old insisting on yet another game of Exploding Snaps.

After making sure Iyla and Serena were safe and sound in their rooms, Maisie locked their doors, placing a protective charm over it. She didn't know why she was more worried now than she ever had been. But from the moment Elliot and Esmae left, she hadn't felt the same.

It was almost as if the chill from outside somehow seeped underneath the cracks in the walls, enveloping Maisie in a blanket of cold dread. And the longer Maisie sat bouncing her leg on the floor, the more she noticed just how quiet it was. There were no more honking cars or hooting owls; the night was completely still and suffocating.

The soundless apartment was shattered a minute past midnight. It was Maisie's compass that wailed first, followed by a banging at the front door. The mother jumped up from her seat, heart pounding as she held out her wand in front of her, peeking through the peephole the second time that night.

Neither Esmae nor Elliot were waiting outside the door. Three other people stood in the cold, glancing over their shoulder every other second, wands clasped in their hands. Maisie's hand shook as she swung open the door. The light from inside the tiny apartment shone on the three figures, illuminating their torn-up cloaks and the specks of blood splattered on their faces. "Sirius, Lenora, Audrey... are you alright? How are you here? Only secret keepers know which door to knock on-" the young mother cut herself off. "No..."

Sirius had an arm around a shaking Lenora Rosier, leading his fiancé into the apartment. Audrey Laine took it upon herself to lock the door behind them; the pink-haired witch couldn't look Maisie in the eye, else she would start crying.

Sirius ran a frustrated hand through his hair, unable to formulate an explanation for his friend. "Maisie..."

Lenora looked down at her feet, long black hair falling over her face, voice cracking as she spoke. "I'm... so sorry." She suddenly flung herself onto Maisie. "W-we couldn't save them! We tried but it was t-too late!"

Lenora hadn't mentioned any names, but Maisie knew who she was talking about. Just like that, her knees buckled, and Maisie Mallard fell to the ground. She felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and torn apart right in front of her.

Audrey covered her mouth with her hand, tears silently rolling down her cheeks as Maisie hesitantly looked up at Sirius, her brown eyes widened in a sort of haunted gaze. "Please, please tell me what I'm thinking is wrong. Sirius, my friend, please tell me they're still alive."

The black-haired boy couldn't answer Maisie while facing her. Sirius Black turned around instead, staring the opposite wall before swallowed thickly. "It was Eridani and the Lestranges. Nora, Audrey, and I found them and called the rest of the Order... but we were only able to catch Eridani. By then it was too late. Elliot and Esmae... were dead."

Sirius's words echoed through Maisie's mind, taunting her, tormenting her. The twenty-eight-year-old, who had already lost so much in her young life, let out a heart-wrenching scream. Then another. And then another until her throat was dry. Until all she felt was a pain too great to endure.

Iyla suddenly awoke to the screams, crying in her crib. Audrey quickly wiped her tears and stood, running to the baby and cradling her in her arms. Serena, awoken by the noise as well, creaked open the door of the room she shared with her aunt. The small child wandered toward the living room, confused as to why a man she had never seen before leaned against the wall of their apartment, a hand covering his eyes. Fear coursed through the little girl's body when she spotted her mother, broken and crying in the arms of a woman she had never met. "Mum?"

Neither Serena nor Iyla Mallard would come to understand what had happened that night until years later.

They wouldn't come to understand that the person that had destroyed their family in the course of a single hour would be back to do it again.

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Author's Note:

Hey, lovelies! I hope you all enjoyed this prologue (which I ended up publishing nearly three months after the introduction chapter lol).

There's a bit of foreshadowing in here and maybe even a hint to a new Sirius Black book?? I haven't yet decided if I wanted to write a marauders era story even though I started it, but if I do, it won't happen for a very long time. :)

Anyways, if any new readers made it this far, I hope you enjoy the rest of my book! I'd also appreciate any votes or comments, if you'd like to of course! With much love,

~Lena