Raven | 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 17

Alexandra stared down at the elfish woman, who had gone very pale and was looking around anxiously. "You know something, don't you, Edna?"

"Now, wh-why would you say that, Miss Starling?" Edna smiled nervously, getting up to her feet briskly.

"Look, if you know something, you have to tell me!" Alexandra said desperately. "Please..."

"I — I better go get the dinner ready," said Edna and before Alexandra could argue any further, she had left the room.

      Alexandra thought that if there was a slight chance that her grandfather was innocent and just as oblivious as her in this situation, now it was gone. Edna had proved it by the way she had behaved.

      Alexandra knew that Edna had no other choice than to obey her grandfather's demands, seeing as her elfish side was bound to him. But this was proof enough that her grandfather knew something about her parents' mysterious death.

     He had to know the truth.

     But there was also another thing bothering Alexandra lately. There was no news of her parents' bodies and graves being found in the Daily Prophet. Someone was trying to hush it all up.

But Alexandra tried to shake the matter off her head as she changed out of her clothes into more comfortable ones after taking a quick shower and went downstairs for dinner.

Their dining room was rather gloomy with a large table inside and a chandelier above it, lit by candles on it. Edna had already set the dinner table for Alexandra and Mr. Starling, though she never dined with them.

Mr. Starling took her usual seat at the end of the table and Alexandra sat down on his right side as they both ate in silence.

"You better go with Edna to Madam Malkin's robe shop first thing tomorrow," said Mr. Starling, not even bothering to look up at Alexandra as he spoke. "The Malfoys are hosting a Christmas Ball just like the previous years. Abraxas is outdoing himself again."

       Alexandra mumbled something inaudible under her breath that was hard to catch.

      "What was that?" Mr. Starling asked.

      "I said I'm not coming this year," Alexandra finally got the courage and said it out loud.

      Mr. Starling put down his fork and glanced up at her through his cold eyes. "I beg your pardon?"

       "I said I'm not coming to the Ball!" Alexandra said louder this time, sounding highly unlike herself. "Not until you tell me the truth about my parents."

       Mr. Starling's eyes lingered on her a few seconds longer before he gazed down again, remaining silent and going back to his dinner.

        "So you're just going to ignore me!?" Alexandra almost yelled, feeling the anger fill her up. "How long have you known that their graves were in a village called Castle Combe, where they used to live!? How long have you known that they hadn't died of Dragon Pox!? How long have you known that they were murdered!?"

      "Don't raise your voice at me, Alexandra —"

       "Then stop lying!" Alexandra shouted, tears now streaming down her face as she got to her feet. "I've been visiting empty graves for the last fourteen years! I — I went to them when I felt alone, when I needed someone to talk to! H-how do you think that makes me feel!?"

       Mr. Starling stared up at her emotionlessly. "There are things that you don't understand."

       "Then help me understand!" Alexandra retorted angrily. "If you know why they died and who killed them... you have to tell me. I deserve to know the truth, Grandpa."

      But he only sighed, looking away. "I'm only trying to keep you safe."

      "How!? But telling my best friend to stay away from me because he's a Muggle-born!? By lying to me for fourteen years!? By keeping the truth from me!?"

      "Yes!" Mr. Starling snapped, getting to his feet sharply. "I'm trying to protect you by keeping the truth from you, Alexandra! Now quit this nonsense and stop acting like a child!"

       "No... not until you decide to treat me like an adult," she whispered.

      And then, before Mr. Starling could say anything else or to stop her, Alexandra had taken out her wand and stormed out of the dining room.

      Ignoring his yells and calls after her, she tried to wipe the tears away as she left the entrance doors to the house and she ran outside and passed the iron gates as quick as humanly possible.

      When she was sure that she was out of sight and in a safe distance, she raised her wand arm and in a matter of seconds, a loud BANG erupted the place as the Knight Bus appeared before her.