In the sunlit kitchen of her Nottingham home, Mary Macdonald pondered the warm mid-August weather bathing the surroundings in a golden glow, devoid of any hint of clouds. Sensations of foreboding had greeted her earlier that morning as she stirred from slumber to commence her day's preparations. Initially dismissed as the chill breeze permeating the hallway, her unease lingered, compounded by the vacant space beside her in bed, a familiar absence in the life of the Lady of the House.
A decade had passed since Mary had embraced this Victorian townhouse with its resplendent yellow facade, sprawling front yard, and expansive rear garden, transforming it into a sanctuary enriched with memories and mementos of cherished moments. Every nook and cranny bore witness to a life well-lived, adorned with snapshots of landscapes, childhood reminiscences, familial milestones, and globetrotting adventures.
Redirecting her focus from a framed photograph capturing her daughter's tentative first steps, Mary turned her attention to the culinary task at hand. Amidst the hustle of preparing lunch and overseeing her children's summer schooling, she remained mindful of the delicate balance between familial obligations and professional commitments.
Despite their aversion to summertime academia, Mary recognized the necessity of her employment in sustaining their comfortable lifestyle. Memories of her accident in July 1981, followed by a period of disorientation swiftly dispelled by the joy of motherhood, lingered as poignant reminders of life's fragility and resilience. Raised within the foster care system, Mary's journey to independence had been fraught with hardship, culminating in her ascent from humble beginnings to culinary prominence.
Summoning her children to the table with a blend of maternal warmth and gentle admonition, Mary savored the fleeting moments of familial camaraderie amidst the daily bustle.
"Food is ready! So come inside, wash up, and let’s eat together! Preferably before it gets cold," Mary called out, her voice carrying a mix of affection and urgency.
"Yeah, yeah, be there in a second, mum!" came the nonchalant reply from one of her children.
"Lily Marlene, I mean it! We have to get going by two, so move your bum inside," Mary insisted, a hint of authority creeping into her tone.
"Wow, mum, you pulled the full name! Good one!" her child teased.
"Evan James Macdonald, you as well! I don’t see you already inside eating with me—" Mary retorted, interrupted by her son's jesting response.
"Mum, stop fretting; we’re basically already by the sink," Evan reassured her, his tone laced with playful exasperation.
Shaking her head at her children’s antics, Mary closed the mesh cover and sat down at the dining room table, waiting for her children to join her.
Once the two got back, Mary let the kids serve themselves first before also digging into the delicious dish she had prepared after her kids asked her to prepare it for them.
“Mum, I love you. Seriously. Like so much—" Lily began, her sentiment interrupted by her brother's interjection.
"Eww, finish chewing before you talk, Lily! That’s disgusting," Evan admonished, a hint of playful disgust in his voice.
Lily only began chewing her food louder than before, with her mouth now not even closing at all.
"Lils, please listen to your brother. That’s not a pretty sight, darling," Mary chimed in, her maternal concern evident in her gentle reprimand.
Rolling her eyes, Lily finished chewing before continuing her sentence.
"Okay, so before I was so rudely interrupted—“ giving a pointed look at her brother, who just rolled his eyes at his older sister’s antics, Lily continued, “I was going to say that I love this so much! Thanks for making Nyama Choma again, Mum! I love this."
Agreeing with his sister, Evan nodded his head while serving himself another serving of the dish. Mary just smiled at her children and thanked them both.
A comfortable silence stretched on for the rest of the meal until the family slowly dispersed after they each washed their dishes.
"Kids, don’t forget to be dressed and have all of your books ready before two! I’ll be angry if you don’t!" Mary's reminder echoed in the silent house.
A chorus of ‘Yes, Mum's echoed in response.
Mary turned on the fan in the kitchen and made herself tea, because even if it’s summer, tea is always a good choice.
Sinking down into the somewhat uncomfortable kitchen chair, Mary watched the Telly report about a convict named Sirius Black who escaped from prison a couple of days prior.
She could feel the headache coming before she fully registered that she had heard that name before.
“Sirius Black… Why does this sound so familiar…”
From the Telly, the blonde and lean reporter could be heard talking more about the man.
“Black was imprisoned in 1981 for murdering 13 people and facing two charges as the main suspect in the Potter murder at Godrics Hollow, a small town east of Mansfield. Black had…” drowning out the noise of the Telly Mary stood up and went to the kitchen cabinet to find her pain relievers.
Finding the box of pills, she took out one and put the rest back on the top shelf. Downing the pill, Mary sat back down with her head in her hands.
The visions were a normal occurrence when it came to her episodes. They technically aren’t a symptom of temporary amnesia, but the doctors said that it was understandable that they did occur in the case of excessive trauma to the head and trauma in her past.
The visions kept blurring all over each other. Flashes of Red, Blonde, and Brown—three girls laughing, school uniforms, and quills—have now become a near-constant part of her life.
What was new was the Flash of four boys, around the age of fifteen, maybe even older: a tall and tan one with scars on his face, another tall one (a bit shorter than the first one though) with tan skin and glasses, an average-height boy with dirty blond hair, and the last guy. The shortest of them all, long black hair, grey eyes, a smirk (or was it a full smile? Mary can’t remember) on his lips, waving at Mary.
“Hey Mary! Sirius got rejected by Re—“
“Mum! You okay?” Evan shook Mary’s shoulder while Lily stood next to him, both looking worriedly at their mother.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. The heat is getting to me, I fear... Either way, it’s time to bring you to school, so come on!”
Taking her bag and car keys, Mary closed the back door and completely left the house with her children. Locking the door, she got in the car and drove off of her street and onto Main Road.