InsaneJournal

Who: Holly, Nicholas, and Marie Wilson
What: Family reunion!
When: 4 May 1998; early morning
Where: Home in Dover
Rating: PG

Holly slept away the day and most of the night in the spare bedroom that had always been hers at the Vances. She was tired from the battle, from traveling around the country, from picking up the pieces and mourning friends. She’d been practically falling over where she stood when Tabby’s father took her in Side-Along, and she fell asleep the second she hit the pillow. For a moment, she thought it had all been a dream, and she didn’t want to open her eyes to find herself back in Hufflepuff. But she could feel the warmth of the sun, and there were no windows in the dorm. It hadn’t been a dream. The war was over. She could go home. Holly looked at her watch. Not too early, not too late. They’d be awake, but they wouldn’t have left for work yet. She was dressed and down the stairs in just a few minutes’ time. Papa Vance was the only one downstairs. She gave him a squeeze and kissed his cheek and promised she’d be back for her things, but she had to go, and she was out the door. She found a place out back, protected from view, and turned. It was just as she remembered it. She hadn’t been back here in almost a year, but nothing had changed. It was still that same house she grew up in. She tucked her wand away, out of sight, and slipped around to the front of the house. The car was still here. She was practically in tears when she reached the front door and hesitantly rapped the knocker. It felt so odd, knocking at her own door. She didn’t have her key, but then, she didn’t need one. Maybe she should have just gone in the back. And then the door opened, and Holly threw herself into her father’s arms, sobbing. God, they were real. This was real. She was home. “Nick, who was it?” Holly looked up as her mother came around the corner. “Holly?” The teenager pulled her into the embrace, clinging to her parents as tears that had gone unspilt all year poured out of her. “Honey, what happened? Why aren’t you at school?” Holly couldn’t answer, couldn’t find the words. She knew what had happened, wanted to tell them everything, she was so happy just to have them back, she didn’t care if she frightened them, because it was over, and she didn’t have to hide who she was anymore. It was like her mouth didn’t work, like her voice had fled. She just cried and held them until the tears stopped flowing, and she slowly pulled back to take a good look at them. “You cut your hair,” her mother said, fiddling with a curl. Holly gave a watery laugh and nodded fervently. Oh, there was so much more that had changed, and she couldn’t wait to tell them everything. Maybe with some details left out. No need to go into the torture. “I love you,” Holly said softly, burying herself in their embrace again.