Existing in Radiance

Chapter Seventeen | Ottery St. Catchpole Country, October 1994

Chapter Seventeen

Ottery St. Catchpole Country, October 1994

 

            Hazel had always wanted a wedding dress. Since she was a child the idea of a dress made specifically for something wonderful was a dream, impossible to reach.

And now, hung delicately from a dummy, was her very own wedding dress.

There were just a few finishing touches, but it was almost complete; the pearl belt had to be secured properly and the train was just a little long…but it was hers.

Joseph and Evanna would be moving into Hester House, where the little girl could be exposed to magic and her step siblings – the twins and she adored each other. It was becoming more obvious that Joseph’s daughter had magical ability, and Hazel was pleased to think that even one of her children would get to attend Hogwarts – even if it was her step child.

“Mamma?” Andrew poked his head in the door, smiling as he saw the dress “It looks really good, Mamma.”

Hazel smiled and stroked the embroidery “Thanks Andy. I’m going over to Joseph’s now to help pack up a bit more, but I’ll be home for supper.”

“Do you want me to come?”

“In a little bit, with those boxes from the basement.” Looking away from her dress to her son, Hazel felt pride bloom within; Andrew was such a good boy. Though just two months past his fifteenth birthday, he wasn’t much of a boy any longer. “Where’s your sister?”

Andrew shrugged “In her room; I think she’s looking at maps again.”

Narrowing her eyes and going over to him, Hazel gave him a stern look “Is she really Andrew?”

Fidgeting under his mothers gaze, Andrew avoided her eyes “I…she was there this morning.”

Hazel sighed and left her room, Andrew following her down the stairs to the front foyer “When she comes home tell her to meet me at Joseph’s; I’ll need her help, too.”

“Yes, Mamma.”

Going on her tiptoes to kiss her sons cheek, Hazel brushed his blonde hair back “You’re such a good boy, Andrew.”

He grinned “I know. Now go Mamma, Joseph’s probably waiting.”

After fixing his hair, Hazel put on her cloak and left, walking to Joseph’s. She was only a minute away when she saw the sky.

Breaking into a run, heart hammering and mind frantic, Hazel pleaded with the universe for it not to be true – it couldn’t be true. Not after all these years.

A cry was wrenched from Hazel’s throat as she broke into the house, rounding into the dining room to see her nightmare come to life. She should have known, seeing the dark mark hovering in the sky…right over Charleston House.

On the floor lay her life, her new beginning; Joseph and Evanna, sprawled on the floor, eyes open and glassy. Though she knew they were dead, Hazel kneeled in the pool of blood and checked their pulses, begging for Joseph’s pebble eyes to shine again.

It had been the cruciatus curse, she knew it; their wrists had been slit to write the message written crudely on the dining room walls.

“Mamma?”

Hazel turned to see the twins through her blurry eyes, standing in the arched doorway and nearly as pale as Joseph and Evanna.

“They’re dead.” She whispered.

Andrew stood behind her “Oh Mamma…”

As if frozen to the spot, Sonia read the message on the wall “You cannot hide forever…” she said, voice choked as if the words hurt to utter “Mamma, what does this mean?”

Reaching out, Hazel brushed Joseph’s hair back from his forehead, completely ignoring the chill seeping throughout the house, the blood soaking her skirts. “I knew this was a bad idea…” tears dripped from her chin, mixing with the blood pooling collectively from Joseph and Evanna’s wrists. “I shouldn’t have done this.”

“Mamma.” Said Sonia urgently “We have to go, it can’t be safe here. Tell her, Andrew.”

Andrew shot his twin a poignant look “Give her a minute, Sonia.”

“It’s not safe here Andy, we should get her away.” Argued Sonia, tugging at his arm “The people who did this might come back.”

“We don’t know that, or who they are! So just…” Andrew looked down at his mother, tears streaming as she stroked her fiancées pale face “Just let Mamma say goodbye.”

So they stayed, watching the light fade over Joseph and Evanna’s corpses. And with the light, Hazel’s hopes of a new life slipped away. 

A/N: Yes I know I take forever to update but I FORGET, okay? It happens. I'm busy.

Question: Yay or Nay on me killing Joseph? I felt bad about Evanna though. She was only nine, and we didn't even get to see her. Oh well.

And in case you missed it, I updated Underground Angels too. 

Hope all of your first days back at school were a success!

Rose<3