Another long day at the Ministry, pouring herself into paperwork that needed to be filed by 9pm that night, and Hope was
exhausted right down to her bones.
But the one thing that had gotten her through those excruciatingly long hours was the thought of seeing Osian and Arwen. If she was lucky, she'd catch them right as Osian was tucking Arwen into bed, giving her enough time to kiss her baby girl good night, perhaps sing her a soft lullaby to help her drift off. Lately Arwen's favourite one was Suo Gân, one that Osian had taught the both of them over breakfast the other morning.
Apparating just outside their doorstep, Hope's fingers wrapped around the cool metal of the doorknob, a small smile on her face. It was good to be home in time to join in on night time rituals. Twisting the doorknob, Hope pushed open the door, prepared to tiptoe into Arwen's room to join her little family... only as she caught a glimpse into the living room, her blood ran so cold that shards of ice penetrated her entire body.
"No," she breathed, running forward after a moment's pause.
"NO! No, no, no... Arwen, baby." Knees slamming on the carpet, Hope's fingers reached out, touching the frozen, delicate skin of her baby girl's face before moving to her neck, desperately trying to find a pulse, any sign of life but she was
gone. "O-Osian, what..." But as she reached out for her husband, his shirt drenched in blood, deep cuts marring every inch of his visible skin, he wasn't breathing either. He was... they were
both...
A sob ripping from her chest, Hope clutched at the two of them, her arms wrapping around their lifeless, her eyes falling shut so she didn't have to see them, their
bodies, any more. She didn't drift off to sleep, didn't dare, and it wasn't until she heard a
tap, tap, tap at the window that she opened her eyes again, early dawn sunlight flooding into the room. Blinking, Hope's eyes moved to the window, and with a wordless flick of the wand from her pocket, the owl flew into the room, depositing a small piece of parchment into her lap.
You fucked with my family. You don't get to keep yours.
A split second later, there was a burst of flame and bile flooded Hope's mouth, her heart aching so hard that it was fit to
break because she
knew who it was. She knew who had sent it.
Fenrir Greyback, the man that... that had
taken her first family away from her, the one Hope had
nightmares about since she was 10 years old. She'd never gotten him locked up, but that
monster who had helped tear her mother and father away from him? Her shaky testimony, in front of all of Wizengamot, had helped lock him up for
12 years. Twelve years, and now... twelve years later... he was set free once more. He was... had The Cursebreaker
helped? Had he stolen Hope's new family away from her too, ripped them straight from her life?
Fumbling for her wand with trembling hands, Hope sent word to the Ministry of Magic. She had no proof, but they
had to know. She had to tell them. She
knew who had done this, who had... and they
needed to get locked up
now, before they ruined anyone else's lives.
The loud click of somebody apparating sounded and Hope, blood drenched over her clothes from where she'd been laying in... in her husband or her daughter's or
both of their blood, scrambled over, her eyes crazed and frenzied until she saw who it was.
Derek. The... the man she'd talked to a few times in the kitchen area, had talked
relationships with, and immediately, her urgency dropped, replaced with a sob that ripped straight from her chest.
"They... they killed... he... Osian, and... and... and Arwen - my.... my baby, they're.... Derek, he killed them. It was Greyback, I know he - he sent an owl, but it... it... I know I'm not making sense, but it set on fire and he - I... it's gone, but he sent it."