The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

39. Festering Irritation

By the time Eliana had gotten an opportunity to check on Remus, Althea was fast asleep on the floor of his office, using her arm as a pillow while Remus was lying curled up by his desk. Shutting the door softly behind her, Eliana crouched by Remus as she said quietly, "I'm going to take Althea to bed, but I'll be back, all right?"

He nodded his head, curling back up while she went to her daughter, gently rousing her and leading her in her exhausted haze through the corridors, into Gryffindor Tower, and finally into bed.

.

When Althea awoke, it was to discover it was nearly eleven in the morning. A small pile of presents sat at the foot of her bed. As she sat up, she glanced over at Hermione's bed. Some remnants of presents and wrapping paper sat at the foot of her bed, leading Althea to believe she had already gotten up. Pulling the first gift toward her, Althea was unsurprised to find a large collection of books from her mother as well as another from Hermione. Harry had given her a large box of her favourite sweets while Ron had given her an odd candy from Honeydukes that seemed to have been made from tree sap. Next, came the usual gift from Mrs Weasley of one of her sweaters in forest green and some fudge.

Setting these aside, she reached for the last gift. There was no one else she could think of that could have possibly given her anything. As she held the small package up, she searched for a note, but there was none. Cautiously, she opened it, accidentally tearing the bottom as well as the top. A glitter of gold caught her eye as the gift fell into the folds of her bedspread. Frowning, she flattened out the sheets.

It was a small, elegant necklace of a bright gold that glimmered in the early morning light. The chain was intricately woven in small, sturdy spirals. From the end of the chain hung a small charm about the size of the pad of her thumb. It was shaped like a tear with a small line of diamonds so small they looked like stars curling from the top to rest by the glimmering opal embedded in the gold. It was a shimmering blue and green opal that fluoresced under the light.

It was the most beautiful necklace Althea had ever seen, but she was confused. Who would have given her such a beautiful gift? After searching through all the wrappings, she was fully satisfied it had no note. With a small frown, she got up and quickly dressed. As she reached the Common Room, however, with the necklace in her pocket, she was surprised to find such a tense atmosphere in the room.

"Everything all right?" she asked, glancing from each of them with a frown.

Hermione was staring darkly at a broom in Harry's hands while Ron kept stealing envious glances at it.

"Fine," Ron and Hermione snapped simultaneously while Harry avoided her gaze.

"All right," Althea said awkwardly. "I'm going to go wish Mum a Merry Christmas. I'll see you three at the feast?"

No one answered. Giving them each one last, awkward glance, she left the Common Room, making her way down the stairs and finally reaching her mother's office. Eliana was sitting at her desk, brewing a fresh batch of Pepperup Solution.

"Merry Christmas, Mum," Althea said, embracing her.

"Merry Christmas, Althea," Eliana said affectionately. "Anything good for Christmas?"

"I got some books, some sweets, and a Weasley sweater," Althea explained. "But, Mum, I also got this without a note or anything."

Pulling the necklace out of her pocket, she handed it over. Eliana frowned, her brows furrowed as she examined it closely. Pulling out her wand, she muttered a few quiet spells.

At last, she put away her wand and admitted, "Nothing seems to be wrong with it, but who..."

"That's what I was wondering," Althea admitted, taking it back from her.

"Secret admirer?" Eliana suggested with a teasing smile.

"Oh, please," Althea said with a laugh.

"Here," Eliana said, taking the necklace from her and unlatching it.

Moving Althea's hair out of the way, she clasped it at the back of her neck. Adjusting it to rest in the middle of her chest, Eliana smiled, moving a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"It looks beautiful on you, Althea," she said.

"Thanks, Mum," she replied. "I love you."

"I love you too," Eliana replied, embracing her again.

She could not help the tears that prickled at the corners of her eyes. She had never thought, never hoped that when she had been forced to leave everything and everyone because of the small child growing in her womb that that child could come to mean everything to her that her friends and family had been. She had still missed them, undoubtedly, but she could not bring herself to regret any of it. Each moment, every tear, every heartache had led her to this moment, wrapped in the arms of the daughter she adored with all her heart.