Heart of the Serpent: Ominis Gaunt (temporarily paused)

Chapter FIVE - Family Tree

- Two Months Later -

The dim, flickering candlelight tickled the shadows of the broom cupboard I'd converted into my private space. The wax dripped messily over the top of the little wooden end table and settled in heaps around the base. While I couldn't see the flames or the wax themselves, the quiet popping and the warmth of the freshly dripped wax had become a comfort to me. 

A constant in a world of irregulars. 

This little corner of my home had been my safe haven for the last two months since Aesop had returned me to my home.

Returned me to my parents.

The reunion, while comforting, had also been a mess of tears from my mother and even though he tried to stifle them, there was no hiding the cool press of my father's tears too as they dripped onto my cheek when we hugged.

Aesop had allowed us our moment before cautiously stepping in to talk of the wizarding world once more. My mother's fingers had dug deep into my shoulders and bruises as he spoke and though I wanted to tell her how much it hurt, I couldn't bare the thought of losing her touch all together and instead swallowed the pain. My father had kept surprisingly calm, keeping deathly quiet until Aesop had finished explaining what little he knew of what happened to me, and what had happened after that. The whole witch business still sounded senseless.

"I demand to see your Auror badge and identification." My father's voice never wavered.

There was a bit of shuffling as Aesop must have sorted around in his pockets until he found what he was looking for and passed it to my father. My only indication of his approval the sound of his satisfied hmph and more shuffling as I imagined he handed the badge back.

Aesop breathed a moment, a sound I'd come to associate with his thinking.

"I take it you are familiar with the Aurors then Mr. Harding."

"That I am." A pause. "My... family had some association."

I expected my breathing to pause, the chills to touch my skin, the wave of disbelief to kiss my cheeks, but none of that came. The day had been filled with enough terror and enough twists that even news such as this seemed insufficient to peak my incredulity any longer. 

My father and mother never talked of their families and would promptly change the topic whenever they were mentioned. They spoke not a word nor did they own any of the usual family heirlooms or records many of my classmates did. The family tree remained darkened and vacant past my parents. My mother had warned me young never to speak of them or ask any questions. 

And so I hadn't.

When no one spoke for what felt like an eternity, Aesop finally shattered the silence with the question I longed to ask myself.

"You know of the wizarding world already then." Another breathe. "Forgive me, I must only ask as Miss Wren here seemed to have no prior knowledge of the world... Are you a wiz-"

"A squib."

The conversation hadn't lasted much longer than that, despite my confusion.

Now, strewn amongst my pillows and blankets, the day seemed so very very distant.

Curling a loose thread around my index finger again and again, I marveled at the way my skin felt warm before the fingertip begun to chill to the air. Since darkness had taken over my vision, I'd found the feelings around me one of the only ways to ground myself when I started to feel lost.

Even pain was a comfort. 

Today had been one of the worst days and so I'd crawled with little grace into the cramped space I'd designated for myself. I didn't mind the brooms and dust pans in the room, though I think my mother did. Soon after I'd continuously made my way back here, she'd taken to hanging the brooms from the ceiling to keep them out of my way, mumbling about how dirty they were sure to get me. Even that hadn't kept the occasional prickle of a rogue bristle against my arm though. I couldn't see the dirt so I didn't much mind it either.