Chapter 17: Easing the Void
The quaint, multi-story house of the Garcia family stood on the edges of London, no differently than any other. Despite the eccentric and cramped nature of its residents, the family had done a remarkably excellent job of blending in and assimilating into the locality. However, one noon during the middle of the week, as the dregs of summer began to peter out, they violently disturbed the relaxed, blase nature of the area. As the thunderous, wrathful voice of its Matriarch pierced the peace and quiet like a blazing lance.
"ALEJANDRO!!!" Her voice roared out, rattling the entire house.
"Dear… it's too early for yelling…" Felix groaned as he walked out from his study.
"Lo siento, Felix, but it's important." Maria told him.
"I'm starting to see what part you got from your mother." He muttered as he began refilling his coffee from the coffee maker.
Immediately, Alejandro ran into the kitchen to greet his mother. "Y-Yes, Mami?" He asked nervously.
"Why have you been ignoring your sister!? You are not a hermit! You are a Garcia, and Garcia's spend time with their familia!" Maria scolded, her eyes practically staring into his soul.
Alejandro looked at his mother in confusion. "Who have I been ignoring among my sisters?" He asked, not getting where this was coming from.
From behind Maria's legs came the form of Mari. As soon as Alejandro looked upon her, he saw a posture of betrayal. Her eyelids quivered, her nose sniffled, and her eyes screamed of pain. Despite the strings of his passionate heart being pulled, it left him more confused than he started.
"Marisol…?" Alejandro asked in disbelief.
"Et tu Alejandro… Et tu?" She sniffled.
Alejandro walked up and knelt to her. "Mari… I haven't been trying to ignore you. I was so busy because I had to pack, help Eddy and Gabby finish their shopping for Hogwarts, and, today, I have to take Cielo to the vet…" He told her, sounding genuinely regretful. "If you've been feeling neglected because I haven't been able to spend time with you, I'm sorry."
"You spent all that time with everyone else except me!!" Mari shrieked, flailing her arms about as she did. Which caused confusion in Maria, who only now realized that something was amiss.
"Mari… I'm sorry if I've been making you feel ignored. There's just been so much going on to prepare for the new year at Hogwarts. But just because I've been busy doesn't mean I love you any less." Alejandro replied, looking genuinely saddened.
"I'm the only one who can't go. I hate this! I hate all of this!" Mari shrieked out, tears beginning to flow from her eyes.
To her surprise, Alejandro pulled his baby sister into a hug. Though she initially struggled, Alejandro held her gently but firmly until she tired herself out enough to listen. Rubbing her back, he offered his baby sister some comfort as she clung to him and cried.
"Don't go… please don't go…" Mari whimpered as she hugged Alejandro.
"I have to go, Mari. If I'm going to earn a living in the wizarding world and bring you back a lot of magical goodies, I need to. Besides, Eddy and Gabby will need me there with them." Alejandro told her sadly as he rubbed her back.
Mari did not answer with words. All she could do was crumple into her brother's arms and cry into him. Alejandro did his best, but then he felt another set of arms around him. To his surprise, his parents got down on their knees and pulled them into a hug. It put a smile on his face as they just kneeled there, holding her in their arms. Time did not matter, the impending deadlines they all had did not matter, the entire wizarding world did not matter. Mari mattered.
They only then began to let go of the hug when she finally began to stop crying. Mari looked up at her brother, the edges of her eyes red from crying and her hair a bit frazzled. After a small sniff of her nose, she finally spoke.
"You're coming home for Christmas." She said sternly, as if making a law of the universe.
Alejandro smiled and patted her head. "Of course, Mari. And I'll bring you back all kinds of magical treats and gifts." He told his baby sister firmly.
That did little to dissuade the fierce look Mari gave him, as if she had somehow transmuted into a tiger. However, Alejandro gave a devilish smile as he wiggled his fingers. Being a big brother allowed many avenues to learn the dark sibling arts. And now was the perfect time to use them.
"Does somebody need a visit from the tickle monster?" Alejandro asked playfully.
"You wouldn't dare." She hissed, her eyes squinting like a snake's.
"Try me, Mari." Alejandro replied before beginning to tickle her tummy.
The reaction was instant. Gone was the hardened, distrustful look of Mari's face, and in its place was one of immense joy. She cackled and flopped about like a fish out of water as Alejandro tickled her. Their parents watched with beaming smiles. Things would only get weirder in this house after this school year. But they would not have it any other way.
Meanwhile: At the Burrow
The living room of the Burrow was consumed in a cloud of negativity as Ron scowled on the couch. From breakfast, he sat there and stewed, staying as motionless as the gargoyles on Hogwarts' battlements. Ginny and the twins tried to get him to move or speak, but to no avail. Even Percy threw a quip or two that would normally have annoyed Ron, but they did little other than make his nose twitch. Thus, in the beginning of the afternoon he sat, his mind churning and pondering.
'Why can't I talk to Harry? Why is he ignoring me?' Ron thought, barely summoning the strength to blink.
It was at that moment that Ron cried out in pain as he felt a sharp pain in his leg. Looking down, he saw one of the gnomes, having snuck away from Ginny's spell practice, had waddled up to him without him knowing and bit him. Shaking his leg, he forced the gnome to let go.
"You wanna bite me, ya' little git!? Then chew on this!" Ron roared before rearing his leg back and punt kicking the poor, hapless gnome through an open window and over the fence.
It was then that, after the quiet returned, he heard a loud, heartfelt laughter from a nearby room. "Oh, that's a good one, Mafalda!" Echoed the distinctive voice of Potter.
"I know, right!? Oh, wait till you hear the one I heard about Malfoy!" Mafalda giddily replied.
Ron did not hear the next part, as his anger boiled over. He stomped out of the living room into the garden, determining in his hazed state that fresh air is what he needed. He did not get the peace he required, however, as he saw a pack of Gnomes rummaging through the garden. HIs eye twitched at the sight of them as he whipped out his wand.
"You know, I never did get to practice that Levitation Charm again." Ron scowled menacingly. "Wingardium Leviosa!" He replied, swishing and flicking his wand to the motions of the spell at one of the Gnomes.
The nearest Gnome raised its eyebrows before being sent flying over the fence. However, the spell's near-perfect usage did little to dissuade Ron from using it repeatedly. As Gnome after gnome was sent flying, one tried to exact revenge upon Ron. However, it was stopped by Scabbers, as it bit into its leg with the ferocity of a scorned rat. Little did either of them know, until too late, that soon Ron levitated them.
"Have a nice flight!" Ron called out as he used his wand to begin spinning the gnome. Then, with a flick of his wand, he sent it flying over the fence.
"WAAAAAHOOHOOHOOHOOEEEY!!!" Came a sound from the direction the gnome was flung in.
Ron looked on in disbelief as the yell echoed in the distance. "... Bloody hell, these gnomes just keep getting goofier and goofier…" He muttered in disbelief.
Yet, despite him having violently ejected the gnomes from the garden, it felt hollow. He still lost his friend to his family. And he simply did not know what to do…