Madness

I remember waving to the ghostly elder Longbottom as Neville looked at me in confusion before I traveled through floo. I used the ancient fireplace of the leaky cauldron after I said goodbye to Neville with a promise to write. I know that writing letters is the usual way wizards connect and I had been given tutors who taught me the formal etiquette on penning acquaintances, but other than writing to my uncle and betrothed, Neville was my first friend that I wrote to. This fact caused me both sadness and joy. I had missed having someone to laugh with other than family and someone arranged to talk to me.

As I walked through the slate grey castle-looking stones that made up the fireplace into the old rook shaped house, I could feel the green fire singe the ends of my dress robes and only years of practice due to growing up in the wizarding world gave me the capability to dance out of the way. After I stopped dancing, I could see Luna in a nearby reading chair laughing while holding a new edition of the Quibbler with a faraway look in her pretty light purple eyes.

Luna was wearing the most outlandish oversized sweater, which I knew Molly Weasley, our closest neighbor and mother of Luna’s best friend had knitted and gifted to Luna for the muggle holiday of Christmas, an event neither the Lovegood’s or Blacks celebrated. It dwarfed her skinny frame, an inherited trait both Luna and I shared. She paired the frankly ridiculous sweater with rainbow leggings and the cutest fuzzy Niffler shaped slippers that I had gifted her for Yule the year before. At least her hair was properly braided, showcasing Kreature’s love, as getting Luna to do anything traditional was a battle.

Luna looked up after several minutes of me waiting for her to notice me and said in the sweetest, slightly startled voice, “Cassie, I did not see you there.” She looked me over and tisked in disappointed before saying in the lightest of tones, “I see you did not wear your cork necklace. You know it only keeps the Nargles away if worn.”

I giggled slightly and looked over for a split second as a ghostly Lovegood ancestor, who had died in the Lovegood house, danced across the living room before I looked back to Luna.

It was all the distraction Luna needed to go on ignoring me even when I tried to tell her about my day and meeting my new friend Neville.

I had gotten used to this behavior of hers, especially in the last several years since the passing of her mother, but I still got this crushing sense of loneliest.

It always happens like this. My heartache from my families’ deaths lightens while I am busy but once I have a quiet moment it’s all I can do to keep myself from breaking down.

It was as I was about to have a breakdown standing before Luna in the middle of our circular living room, that I was startled out of my feelings. This was due to a brief shot of my magic, as well as a long squawk coming from outside, breaking me from the tears that had started to gather in my grey eyes. I could barely hear the bird even while straining my ears because of the rushing of the stream that backed up to our house. I focused hard and felt the briefest flash of magic that I knew instinctually went to my new talisman. I could then hear the bird as if it wasn’t miles away. It took me a few minutes of concentrating, as taught to me by Pandora before her death, and I was able to focus my magic. It came from my new talisman causing me such joy that I had been given such an amazing gift. I then fingered the ear cuff and grinned to myself. I daydreamed for a minute about the training needed to hone this gift while listening to the incoming bird.

It took a few minutes before I looked over and saw my betroth’s owl sweep into the room with the most beautiful snow-white wings. While flying I could see the mystically bred owl was as large as the average eagle, with a wingspan of over five feet. I took a moment by inhaling deeply, before allowing the bird the spot on my shoulder where my familiar crescent usually sat.

The bird gave me a long searching look with its almost too intelligent eyes before giving me a chirp. The male bird nuzzled up to my head and allowed me to pet it. It seemed to be holding still more for my comfort than its own comfort. He allowed a few more strokes before dropping a small beautifully wrapped parcel with a tiny note attached. I smiled and thought that this day was a bunch of ups and downs. I felt drained, even with my mind now focused on my new gift.

I inspected it and laughed to myself as the note only said the word Blaise. As if I would not know who had sent me the gift; my only birthday gift other than homemade cookies baked by Luna and the price of the wand from Neville.

I carefully unwrapped the velvet gift bag that was in the green cardboard box and opened it to discover gorgeous hand painted tarot cards that looked to be crafted ages ago. I could feel the death magic attuning to my own even while just holding the cards for a short while. Great-grandfather Arcturus told the Zabini family of my gift before his death, only after casting a magically bound secrecy oath to better protect me. I knew how expensive magical items were and these were heirloom quality. I felt so cherished in that moment and knew I would remember this gift for years to come. I knew the more a witch or wizard was in contact with a magical item the more their magic bonded to that item.

Those cards ended up traveling with me everywhere I went from then on.

It was later that evening, after I had taken a long soak due to the long day, in the clawfoot tub upstairs, before I dressed up once more with the help of the house elf Kreature into a beautiful Chinese red inspired wizard robe. The robe had beautifully patterned designs with long flowing sleeves as well as a space for my newly bought wand. I left my hair in the updo that I had worn all day as dictated by being born to an olde family. It is thought that proper females should always keep long hair up before magical maturity to increase prosperity.

I met Luna by the floo as we were traveling to the Bones estate together to join in the annual yearly summer solstice gathering bonfire to thank the deities for their gifts.

Luna and I gazed into each other’s eyes for a long moment in understanding, not speaking before I took her smaller dainty hand in mine and swayed into the nearby fire.

When we came out of the other side of the fire into a beautiful marble foyer with elegant white crown moldings, I knew we had arrived.

I breathed in deeply and felt my magic purr due to the ancestral magic of the Bones family that soaked the estate. “Their last name really fits the family”, I wryly chucked to myself under my breath.

Luna and I said our goodbyes to each other before walking through the glass French inspired doors, thanking the house elf’s who directed us outside to where the witches were dancing around the large bonfire.

I stopped and gaped wide-mouthed as I was amazed by the number of fairies with fluttering bodies who had joined in the dance.

I could already see some adults sneaking off to enjoy the ritual benefits of fertility to do what my adult mind even while in this child’s body knows is not cuddling.

I laughed to myself for a while before joining the ritual dance in honor of the sun. It took several hours of moving to the lyrical music, played by the enchanted instruments before it was time for the ritual of ”placing of wreaths”.

I met-up with Luna before the ceremony and gazed upon the bright moon with her before joining the other wizards and witches next to the large lake at the back of the estate.

Luna and I stood next to each during the ritual, before placing our respective flower wreaths, mine made of Chrysanthemums from our home garden, into the water. Once the magic was at its highest all the celebrants’ said prayers to their patron deities. I thanked both Lady Magic and Lord Death for their blessings while hearing Luna sing a prayer of song to the moon. Once the prayers were completed, most deities sent a patronus looking white whisp that inspired happiness over the water, causing a magical looking spiritual event.

By that time the wreath laying was over I was exhausted and felt my child’s body catch up to the late time. Both Luna and I thanked Amelia Bones, the hostess, as etiquette dictated before rushing home and passing out.

We both had contented smiles on our faces and this was a day we would not forget anytime soon.