warrior | sirius black

twenty

twenty

✯

Empty. That was all she felt as she clutched her mother's letter to her chest after reading it the first time.

My Dearest Rosie,

I'm afraid that I'll be dead before you read this letter. They found us -- the Death Eaters. I'm sorry if this letter is rushed, they're downstairs and your father is trying to hold them back by challenging them to a duel. Your father always had a knack for dueling, but I'm afraid he can't hold both of them back. Remember that we love you very much and we always will. I know you'll want explanations, you can ask Cordelia. I love you so very much, please don't worry about us. Stay safe. Stay strong. Hold onto your friends. I love you. Mummy and Daddy love you. We'll watch over you.

Difdl nz kfxfmsz cpy voefsofbui nz cfe. J mpwf zpv. 

Elizabeth & Alexander Winters 

Rosie held onto the letter, tears streaming down her face and falling on the ground. She analyzed the elements to the letter. How her mother's writing got shaky towards the end, the tear droplets, and the worst of all was that she wrote 'Mummy and Daddy.' Rosie knew that they only ever said Mummy and Daddy when there was something wrong, like if one of them was upset or if Rosie was hurt.

She couldn't believe it. Her parents were dead and she wasn't there to help them. Panic settled into her nerves and throat as her mind flashed back to the night she was attacked. She sobbed as she realized it could've been the same people -- people she could've gotten locked up if she could've been strong enough to remember what happened.

"Rosie? Rosie? Are you alright?" Lily asked frantically, going to Rosie's side immediately. Remus, who was trailing behind Lily quickly rushed after her, the sight of his best friend in tears breaking his heart.

Lily's owl then arrived and dropped the newspaper onto the table, the opening article reading 'Renowned Potioneer and St Mungo's Mediwizard Found Dead in Home. Alleged Death Eater Attack.' Under the large title lay a picture of Rosie's Parents, a photo they took on their honeymoon, and their names 'Alexander and Elizabeth Winters.'

Lily gasped inwardly at the article, Remus doing a double-take as well. They looked at the letter Rosie was holding in her hands and connected the dots. At least she didn't find out from the paper, they thought. 

Sirius, James, and Peter then walked into the Great Hall as if it was a normal day, leisurely walking to their seats until they saw the tears leaving Rosie's eyes. Sirius was the first to react, practically jumping over the benches and tables to Rosie. James was quick to follow, running to comfort his friend. Peter followed the two, a twinge of undetected guilt in his eyes.

Before any of them could reach her, Lily gestured to the article, the bolded title causing all of them to stop. They all averted their eyes to Rosie, silent tears running down her face as she stared off out the window. The doors of the Great Hall opened as McGonagall entered, her own hands holding The Daily Prophet.

"Miss Winters?" McGonagall asked the silent Rosie. She knew that Rosie had already found out, but she wanted to make sure that she was ok. Rosie looked up at the Professor, her tear-stricken face shocking McGonagall. In all her years, McGonagall had never seen Rosie cry. Rosie was always strong, she never liked letting her emotions show. Even when her close Aunt Margaret had fallen ill overseas in America and died, she didn't cry.

"Alright, let's go to my office now deary," McGonagall said carefully, gently patting Rosie's shaking shoulders. Rosie quietly complied, still grasping her mother's letter in her hands.