Existing in Radiance

Chapter Nine | Hester Grounds, November 1 1991

Chapter Nine

Hester Grounds, November 1st, 1991

 

                            The last of autumn was twirling down from the trees as Hazel walked down her favourite path, leaves catching in the straw of her hat. It was the quickest and prettiest way to get back from Molly’s, and Hazel enjoyed her weekly walks to and from the Burrow – she liked it better than dissaparating.

Rounding the bend, Hazel had to blink to check if what she saw was real; a man close to her age was sitting with his back against a tree, reading glasses perched on a lovely long nose. Walking closer, Hazel cleared her throat.

“Excuse me,” she said, and the man’s head jolted up “But you’re on private property.”

The man smiled and marked his page – Hazel noticed he was reading Pride and Prejudice “Am I? Must have wandered more than I thought.” He stood and was easily two heads taller than Hazel. “I just moved into the old place on Timberline Road.”

“Oh!” Hazel knew the place; it had been under renovation for months now, and she’d been watching it carefully “That’s a lovely spot.”

“Yes, I’m quite liking it. Sorry for crossing the property, don’t know the boundaries yet.” He was smiling at Hazel in a way she didn’t recognize; not longing, like Remus, or eager, like Sirius. He didn’t look sad the way Severus had looked at her sometimes. His face was simply…open.

“Do you live nearby?” he asked.

Nodding, Hazel pointed South “Just over that way.”

“Do you live alone?” eyes the colour of pebbles twinkled kindly, and Hazel felt safe with him – something she hadn’t felt for quite a while.

“No,” she replied “I live with my brother and children.”

“Oh good,” he said “Then it would be perfectly appropriate to take my arm so I can walk you back home. Would that be alright? I do like meeting new people.”

A little taken aback, Hazel merely nodded and accepted his arm.

“My name is Joseph,” he told her as they walked down the path, feet trotting over brightly coloured leaves “I just moved in a week ago with my daughter Evanna – she just turned six.”

“I’m Hazel.”

Hazel wondered if he was married, and felt deeply horrified – but her question was answered without her even having to ask.

“I’m a widow,” Joseph continued “My wife, Annaliese died in childbirth. We’d only been married a little over a year, but it was quite some time ago now.”

“I’m very sorry,” Hazel was surprised how open Joseph was; how he just told her private things like they were for everyone to know. It was something Hazel could never do. “My mother died in childbirth as well.”

“Were you raised by your father then?” he asked, and Hazel was fully ready to steel herself – but to her surprise felt the story pouring from her like spilled ink.

“I was born in an orphanage,” she explained “My house had been raided, and my father was murdered. My mother was able to hide my brother and went to London; she managed to get to the orphanage and birth me…but she didn’t make it.”

Joseph didn’t look very surprised “You found your brother again, I assume?”

Nodding, Hazel reached into her basket and offered Joseph a biscuit “Years and years later. I was adopted at six and didn’t even know I had a brother until I was twenty-one; shortly after I became pregnant. Winston – that’s my brother – brought me to live with him.”

“You were never married?”

“No.” said Hazel shortly, but Joseph didn’t look judging or disgusted; he looked empathetic “My children have never met their father.”

He sighed “That’s very sad, is he still…well, alive and kicking?”

For some reason it didn’t bother Hazel that Joseph asked such things – it felt kind of nice to tell someone “As far as I know yes. He isn’t…well, he didn’t run with the best crowd.”

They reached the road, and after a few more minutes of talking about Pride and Prejudice came to Hazel’s driveway. The twins were a little ways up, playing on the old tire swing. They stopped when Hazel came into view, eyes wide.

“This is me,” she said, dropping his arm.

Joseph looked up at the grand house appreciatively “Beautiful house, Hazel.”

“Thank you,” Hazel’s gaze drifted over her home “It’s been in the family for generations.”

“I had a lovely time,” he said, smiling broadly at her “Would you possibly like to come over for supper one night?”

Glancing back at the twins, Hazel smiled “I would like that very much, thank you.”

“Wonderful!” Joseph bowed and turned to go “I’ll pick you up Sunday at six – is that good?”

“That’s perfect.” They parted, and Hazel walked up the lane towards the twins.

“Who was that?” asked Sonia, jumping off the swing, dark curls bouncing.

Andrew tripped over; peeking behind Hazel at Joseph’s retreating figure “Is he nice?”

Laughing, Hazel took their hands “He’s very nice. That’s Joseph; he just moved into the old place on Timberline Road.”

“What did he want?” Sonia craned her neck back to get a lat glimpse of him.

“Nothing dear,” said Hazel, deciding to keep this secret to herself a little longer “Just a nice chat.”

“Oh.” The twins said together, and Hazel hugged them close, suddenly very glad to just have them right there with her.

A/N: Happy Saturday! And yay, it's October! Halloween soon!

Question: Thoughts on Joseph?

Rose<3