AMORTENTIA // Luke Patterson *COMPLETED*

•Chapter 30•

"Alright everyone, dinner is served, kids, you can all go eat outside, I'm sure you could all do with some fresh air." Grandma instructed.

"Have fun outside, kiddos!" Teddy teases us as he starts dishing up his dinner, from the large amount, stacked on the dinner table.

"That means you too dear." Grandma pats Teddy's back as he groans in frustration.

All the kids hurry to get food, before heading outside to chat and eat. Soon all 14 kids are sitting in a circle, eating and chatting about random things.

"So Dani, Petula tells me you've been hanging around some boys recently." Domonique says.

"Petula Dursley told you that I was hanging around boys?"

"Unfortunately, yes. She told me about them too. She says that all the girls in the lower grades find them attractive." Dominique puts a roast potato in her mouth, while waiting for my answer.

"Well yes, I have been around these three guys, but it's not in the way you would think. They're just very interesting people, who I wish to know better."

"In more ways then one." James whispers to Fred - they both snicker, but I throw some of my peas at them to shut them up.

"Don't listen to them Dani, I'm sure James is just jealous that he doesn't have girls running around after him." Roxanne shoots James a glare.

"I do too!" Looks like someone hit a nerve.

"Anyway, I'm sure that Dani is responsible enough to do the right thing when it comes to boys." Teddy smiles at me. Teddy has always been protective of me, but honestly right now he has nothing to worry about.

"Can we change the subject please, I really don't want to talk about stupid boys."

"Sorry sis." James sincerely apologizes.

"So malfoy, why are you here?"

"Louis! Don't be rude." Dominique disciplines her younger brother.

"I just mean, it's not usually likely that Draco malfoy would allow his son to come to a weasley Christmas, let alone come to one himself." Louis had always been someone that you needed to keep quiet at times. He is a lot like uncle George in that way - he never knows when his opinion is not particularly needed.

"Well, after Albus invited me around for Christmas, I had told my father that I wanted to be with your family, after your loss. He agreed because he knows how that can feel." The mention of Julie's death makes me upset once again. This whole day, I've barely thought about it, but now that it's returned in such a huge wave, the emotion is overwhelming.

I place my plate on the floor and get up, deciding to go for a walk. I hear someone get up after me, but stop soon after.

"Just let her go, she needs time." Albus whispers.

I walk around to the front of the house, and look into the window - that shows the kitchen. I see all the adults laughing away, even Draco malfoy cracks a smile. It hurts to see so many people happy, when all you want to do is curl up in a ball and never come out again.

"Accio broomstick." I know that I'm not really supposed to use magic when I'm not at Hogwarts, but using a simple spell won't get me into any trouble - as I've learned from James over the last few years.

When the broom arrives, I hop onto it and as I'm about to fly away, someone interrupts me.

"You can't leave us now Dani." I turn my head and see my dad standing there.

"I just need to be away for a while." I try convince myself that what I want is what is best.

"I know you're hurting right now, but your family is here to help."

"You don't know the pain I felt. The pain I'm currently feeling. I saw my best friend be murdered in front of me." Tears start to slip out my eyes, but I still face away from dad.

"I think we both know, that I know what that kind of loss feels like. I watched some of the best people in my life be killed, right in front of me."

I stand there silent.

"You know who else has lost someone right in front of them?" I turn toward him, waiting for his answer. "George wasn't ever alone, he always had someone there. I think he felt a worse pain by loosing his twin, and look at him." He points inside, I watch as uncle George wraps his arm around Charlie and laughs loudly. "I can tell you admire him more then anyone else in this family, so maybe you should take a few pointers from him. He may have lost his best friend, but his life still carried on. He got married and had kids. He made his life happy again, that's not to say that you can't still miss someone, in fact, you'll always miss those that are gone. By keeping their memory alive, you will never forget them, even if they are gone forever. Sometimes we wish that some kind of magic was made to bring back people, but unfortunately, there is no such thing"

"I just don't understand why he had to do that to Julie, she wasn't even doing anything wrong."

"He?"

I look up at my Dad with shock when I realize what I've said. I don't think that I could lie to him now, so I think I should just tell the truth now.

I start by telling him how the three boys have been suspicious since they first came to the school. I tell him about everything that I've seen them do, and what I've heard. Most importantly, I tell him what happened the night that Julie died.

I decide to leave out the conversation that Reggie and I had a few days prior, just because I don't think it's something that needs to be said at this moment in time.

"Why didn't you tell us at the school?" Dads voice sounded angry.

"I was in shock?"

"Danielle, there is a killer loose now, more people could get killed, because you never said anything. I thought I raised you better then that." He snatches the broom out of my hand and rushes inside. I watch through the window as he speaks to aunt hermione, but everyone else is listening too. They all turn to look at me when dad finishes, all of their faces - are covered with pity, except one.

Malfoy knows.