Fixing Old Traditions | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

𝑬𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒚-𝑬𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕

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summer 1976,
something about 
charlie
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Arguments and crying weren't how she thought she'd be spending her summer. Whenever Ethan wasn't crying throughout the night, Theo and Charlie would be arguing till the morning light. Despite the start of her summer not being what she expected, it was still better than going home to her mother.

Aimee had learned a lot from Laura, she didn't want to seem annoying constantly asking questions about muggles. Laura didn't seem at all bothered, actually encouraging it, just as she was curious about wizards and magic, Aimee was curious about muggles and their world.

"Jake," Laura said, gaining his attention, "I'm just going to take Aimee into the village, will just watch Ethan for me?"

"Yeah of course have fun, you two,"

Laura guided her through the village, she could sense that Aimee was a little nervous being surrounded by Muggles. Laura assured her that she would be fine, and to let her do a lot of the talking, they walked the centre of the village, past the old bakery that had stood there for almost three centuries.

"I know that Jacob's birthday is coming up soon," Laura spoke, "while I knew what to get him last year, I was hoping you can get him something from Ethan,"

"Oh erm what like?"

"Is there anything from your world that he really likes, sweets or style of clothing,"

"I'm sure I could think of something, what have you bought Theo?"

"Right, so me and Theo got into a debate about my sweets and wizard sweets, he claims that your sweets are a lot better than mine even though he's never tried them, so I got him a box, with various sweets, with a few cans of fizzy drinks,"

"I like few muggles sweets and drink, I usually share them, with Mary and Lily on the train,"

"There you go you've tried them and like them, your brother Theo can be really stubborn,"

"Believe me I know," the two girls laughed, as Laura glanced to her left,

"Hey, do you want to make a phone call?" She asked,

"Really, who are we going to call?" Aimee asked Laura put some money into a payphone, dialling the number,

"It's ringing," Laura passed Aimee the phone,

"Hello?"

"Charlie?"

"Yes?"

"Ahh, I'm using a phone, It's Aimee can you hear me," she heard him laughing

"Yes, I can hear you, are you coming back soon? Dinner is nearly done,"

"Yeah, we'll come back now,"

Aimee handed the phone back to Laura, she hung up the phone as the two girls made their way back home. Laura wanted to show her a game that Ethan loved to play, she draped a blanket over his face. Then she quickly lifted the blanket off him, saying 'peek-a-boo, I see you,' Ethan waved his arms around giggling to himself.

"I just put the blanket over him," she asked, Laura nodded, she draped the blanket over her nephew.

"Peek-a-boo," Aimee said, lifting the blanket off him "I see you," Ethan giggled as he saw his aunt, playing with him.

"You're seriously going out there," she heard Jacob raise his voice at Charlie

"I have a right to serve the order,"

"Not with your life!" Theo said,

"What's going on?" Aimee asked Daniel who watched from the doorway

"Charlie's been called by the Order," he whispered

"No, you can't go," she said, drawing Charlie's attention

"Look, I don't need your permission to leave, I promised dad, that I would take care of you, all of you," he said, he sighed "if that means fighting with the order so you don't have to, then so be it, I promise you, I'll come home,"

Charlie morphed into an owl, heading towards the window, Jacob changed into a fox, running towards the owl, he grabbed hold of the owl, Charlie twisted his head around to peck at the fox to let him go. The fox squealed, loudly Jacob released the owl, morphing back to himself, though he now had a gash under his eye.

"Jake, that looks really bad?" Aimee said, "wait here," she left the room to retrieve her wand, she held the wand up to his face.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked, she rolled her eyes at him,

"Episkey!" she cast, healing the gash on his face.

***

The four Burke, sat in the living room anxiously waiting for Charlie to return home, the hours went by, before they knew it were 1:30 am. Aimee and Daniel had fallen asleep resting their heads on each other, Theo told Jacob to go upstairs to Laura he promised he stay awake until Charlie returned home.

There was a knock at the door, Theo and Jacob, braced themselves, tightly gripping their wand in their hands. Theo opened the door, drawing their wands up, they lowered the wand when they realised it was one of the Prewett brothers. Theo gestured for him to come inside, Aimee and Daniel woke up at the sound of the door closing.

"I wish I was on better circumstances," he spoke, the two youngest Burkes listened carefully "There was a surprise attack, many people were killed-

"Was Charlie one of them?" Jacob asked, Fabian didn't answer, just lowered his head.

"No! He can't be," Daniel said,

"We shouldn't have let him go," she spoke, her lip trembling, "you should have stopped him!" she yelled at Theo and Jacob

"He wouldn't listen!" Jacob shouted back

"One of us should have gone with him,"

"What and be dead now too," Theo snapped,

Aimee slapped him across the face, racing up to her bedroom, she slammed her door, her chest tightened. Restricting her breathing, tears streamed down her face, she slumped on the floor, with her knees against her chest, she saw a bird fly through the sky.

She wiped under her eyes, walking over to her window, she opened the windows fully, standing on the window ledge. Aimee looked down, the drop wasn't too high, she looked back at her door, hearing her brothers argue and Ethan cry. She leapt out of the window, morphing into a dog.

She hid the bushes in the neighbours garden, as her brothers heard a thud from outside, they looked around, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. They retreated back inside, a white dog emerged from the bushes, taking one last look at the house, then she ran.