Perfect Illusion: Scars Saga 2

The Brightest Star

Prologue:

The Brightest Star

1 November 1981

It was a day like any other, the day that changed everything. The streets outside were busy. Halloween was done, the Christmas shopping season had officially begun, and Jonathan was getting into trouble his uncles would be proud of.

He discovered how to make a toy fly when he was only a year old. Now, at two years, he had about ten toys zipping around the small flat, knocking into books and sending pictures falling to the floor. I was racing around the small flat trying to soften the blow of the falling objects.

When the photo of all of us at Harry's party smashed, I decided I'd had enough. I pulled out my wand and said, a little breathlessly, "Finite Incantatem."

Instantly all the toys froze in mid-air before coming to a gentle rest on the floor. Jonathan merely looked at me before grinning like a baby Cheshire cat. All ten toys rose back into the air and continued their previous flight. My head dropped listlessly as I heaved a great sigh. Jonathan laughed hysterically; it was hard to remain angry when he laughed like that. Soon, I was laughing too. His squeals magnified as I began tickling him.

"I am never leaving you alone with your uncles again. They are no good for you!" I said with a laugh.

Just then the door to my flat burst open. The toys came crashing down and I whipped around, wand drawn, ready to blast away the intruder who dare threaten my son's safety. Fortunately it wasn't an intruder, merely an over eager uncle.

"Merlin, Sirius! I know it's been a while, but did you really forget how to knock?"

Sirius simply stood motionless in the doorway, pale-faced and wide-eyed.

"Sirius? Sirius, what is it? What's happened?"

He stumbled, still speechless, to the couch. I locked the door behind him before hurrying over. Jonathan began to cry.

"Damn it, Sirius, snap out of it." I snapped my fingers in front of his face for emphasis. "You're scaring Jonathan, and me!"

Finally he looked up as though seeing me for the first time. "They're...they're dead."

"What?"

"They're dead," he repeated a little louder. I took a step back.

"No...No. They can't be..."

I refused to believe what he was saying. Dead? It wasn't possible. Jonathan was still wailing. He waddled over to Sirius, who subconsciously put an arm around the little tyke as he leaned into his leg.

"They're dead," he said again.

"Stop saying that! How is that even possible? They were..."

"He betrayed them. He betrayed all of us."

I couldn't breathe; my world was crashing around me, and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. Sirius must have seen the panic in my eyes and it spurred him into action. He leapt from the couch and took my face in both of his hands.

"You have to leave; he's coming for you next."

"Leave? I can't..."

"You have to, Kate. He's killed them and he's coming for you. I'll be damned if I let him get to you."

"How much time do I have?" I asked, pushing back the tears for now.