It was late in the afternoon, the sun was out but there was this unbearable suffocating heaviness in the air. Odelle said it was because their house was too close to the lake, but Jessa was convinced of something else. She didn’t tell Odelle, though. Her older sister enjoyed making fun of how little sense Jessa made when she tried to explain something.

Now, they were out with the house-elf, just a little outside their gardens. Odelle seemed concerned, but the nine-years-old Jessa was more concerned with the small turtle slowly making its way to the cucumber purposefully placed on her foot.

“Can we go to the park today?”

“No.” Odelle answered automatically as she paced slowly, kicking the grass.

“Why not?”

“You know why.”

“He doesn’t have to know everything.” Jessa moved the cucumber to the other foot when the turtle almost grabbed it. The creature turned around to patiently re-take the journey.

Odelle didn’t answer.

“Are you mad he always uses Muffliato when he talks to mum?” Crouching on the ground, Jessa leaned her chin on her knees and looked up at Odelle.

There was a strong kick, dirt popped out of the ground and a “No”.