We Will Shine {Book 6 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 31 - Think of the Children!

~Astra~

Wren really did want to help me. I appreciated that. But I was slowly falling apart, and didn't know exactly what she thought she could do to stop it.

She did understand a little more than my other friends, I supposed. She'd been broken down to nothing, and still managed to pick herself back up. Maybe, when all of this was over, I would be able to do that too. If all of this was ever over. If I would ever be able to fully trust my mind.

But Wren was making stupid decisions at the moment. Choosing Haverna to be her secret keeper? I had no idea what had gotten into her. And now she and Ciara had somehow found out that Eris Prince was related to Severus Snape, and accidentally let it slip to Lacy Macmillan and Trilia Bones, the two biggest gossips in Gryffindor and Slytherin, respectively. I didn't know exactly what they hoped to accomplish there, but if it was to make Eris angry, they were doing a pretty incredible job.

Albus, Colette, and I had not been the first people Wren told about Eris's family history. We hadn't been near the top of the list. I knew why; she was frustrated with us about how we'd reacted. I didn't see how she could blame us. Haverna was a horrible person, and clearly Wren was making a bad choice. We were just looking out for her. She was the one that was overreacting.

As it was, though, she was avoiding us now. Kind of ironic, considering she'd told me she'd be there for me whatever happened. If she really had any idea what I was going through, how hard this was, she'd be here, she would listen to us. As it was, I wasn't planning on letting this go anytime soon.

After a week, it was starting to get a little old.

Colette, Albus, and I were sitting alone at breakfast for the eighth time in a row. Albus was snickering at Eris Prince, who had just walked into the Great Hall and been surrounded by several third years asking if it was true, if she was really related to Severus Snape. She always threatened the people that came up and asked her that, but it always ended in everyone laughing. Somehow, Ciara and Wren had managed to take away all of her credibility.

I sighed. This would have been more entertaining if Wren weren't being so difficult and were here with us, instead of halfway down the table with James and his friends, looking like she didn't even miss us.

I glanced at Colette. Her face was hidden behind the Quibbler, a normal occurrence. "What's the news?" I asked dully.

"More muggle murders," Colette said, moving the magazine down so we could see her face. "A family of five. The youngest was one, and the oldest kid was only eight."

"Oh, that's sad," Albus said, growing serious. "Where?"

"Outside of Edinburgh, I think. That's not the interesting part."

I raised an eyebrow. "Interesting part?"

Colette nodded. "Only three bodies were found. The two parents, and the baby. The other two children are just gone."

"Gone?" Albus asked. "Like they haven't found their bodies?"

"Not exactly," Colette said. "Before the aurors got there, muggle authorities discovered that the kids got picked up from school in their parents' car, but that was two hours after the time of death."

I frowned. "That doesn't make sense. Why bother with the kids if they're not even around when you kill the rest of them?"

"Doesn't fit if you're one of Stillen's agents just trying to blow off steam, which is the working explanation."

"You think there's another reason?" Albus asked, his voice dropping to a whisper as he leaned forward.

I frowned. "Weren't there a couple dozen disappearances over the summer, too?"