Existing in Radiance

Chapter Five | Hester House, August 1991

Chapter Five

Hester House, August 1991

 

            The twins often fell asleep to the sound of a gentle piano melody that drifted through the halls from the music room. It had once belonged to their grandmother, their own mother’s namesake, and it was often inhabited now by none other than Remus Lupin.

It was in the music room that Remus now sat, fingers drifting across the keys. Hazel stood beside him, watching his hands as he watched her; something in her wanted to sit down and kiss him right then and there, snog up on the piano and begin to fabricate her happily ever after.

Yet she resisted.

As he finished she clapped lightly “Beautiful, as always Remus.”

Blushing, he stroked the keys “Thanks. It’s something I’ve been toying with, every time I come over; there's no piano at my house.”

“You’re always welcome here, Remus.” She said “And please come, the kids are so mad at me that having you around might soften them a little.”

“Are they really that angry?” he asked.

Hazel sighed and sat beside him, swirling the wine in her glass “Furious.”

“They must have known though,” he reasoned “I mean, they’ve been trained all their lives; going to Hogwarts would just set them back.”

“Don’t say trained,” Said Hazel with disgust “I was trained. My children are not being groomed like I was, only prepared for whatever they may face in their lives.”

They spoke of the day’s events, a whirling mess of screaming and arguing. There had been tears, but angry ones; the twins had been informed that they would not be attending Hogwarts in the fall, unlike all the other eleven year old witches and wizards.

Sonia had gone into a rage, accusing her mother of imprisoning them from the rest of the world, called her crazy; she’d said everything to Hazel that Hazel had told herself, only out loud. To hear her precious eleven year old daughter, the bane of her existence, say such things had Hazel in tears. Andrew had been equally angry, though he’d sat quietly and shook with anger

Hazel was beside herself, though in last few hours since they’d stormed off to bed she’d calmed down a bit. Remus had arrived, poured her a glass of wine and played for her; slowly she had relaxed, letting the wine sooth her and the warm summer melt her bones.

Sitting on the piano bench so they faced each other, shoulder brushing Remus’ she felt the guilt come back to her; what if everything Sonia had screamed earlier was true? Was Hazel imprisoning her children, just like Mo had to her?

“Hazel, stop worrying.” Remus interrupted her musings and took her hands in his, kissing the smooth back “The twins will forgive you, if not now then later. When older they’ll understand what you did for them.”

“Have I done anything?” she asked “In the end what does this amount to? If He Who Must Not Be Named returns then it may be worth it, but if he doesn’t…then what is the point?”