Veiled Hearts ~ HP Fanfiction (Harry Potter X OC)

Chapter 41: Mourning Seraphina

Celestia faked a smile. "Thanks."

"Thank Lucius for giving you a name," the woman continued.

"Alright?" Celestia said, confused. Why should she thank her father?

"Thanks for coming," the woman said after a few moments of silence. "He provided me with your pictures once a year, but they didn't do justice to your beauty." After a while Seraphina continued, "You take after your father's side," the woman said, frowning. "You look so much like Bellatrix, my friend Bellatrix. Where is she?"

"In Azkaban?" Celestia answered, confused. Thinking back at the time when Sirius commented the same.

"In Azkaban?" The woman repeated to herself, her eyes glistening with tears. "Everything changed."

"Yeah," Celestia said, trying to deflect the conversation. Mrs. Blanchard offered her a chair, but Celestia shook her head, she had no plans on staying for long.

The sick woman began rummaging through her sheets and pulled out a ring from beneath a pillow, placing it on the edge of the bed. "Take it," she said to Celestia.

Mrs. Blanchard tried to snatch it, but Celestia pushed her hand away and quickly grasped the ring. Shooting a glare at the short lanky witch, she examined it closely, noting it's expensive look.

"It looks expensive," Celestia said, staring at the sick woman in confusion. Celestia sat on the nearest chair.

"Your dad proposed to me with this ring," Seraphina said slowly, she was staring at the ceiling "I kept it with me all these years in hopes of passing it to you."

Celestia raised her eyebrows. "My dad? Your brother proposed to you marriage? You guys...?" She made a disgusted face, trailing off.

Mrs Blanchard laughed softly.

"No!" Seraphina said, coughing. Her voice is weak, Celestia had to lean closer to listen, "I'm your mother. Your dad proposed to me with this ring — I recognised it to be goblin made, I suspected him but there was a misunderstanding — He abandoned me. I gave birth to you — but he didn't believe me. Lucius and Narcissa took you in as their own — I am thankful, I tried to make it right, went to regulus but he was missing. He called for me but I didn't go —" Seraphina was crying now, her eyes stared blankly at  the ceiling, "It was my fault, I knew he was after something, he talked about a cave — but I don't know maybe I imagined everything — I went to look for him but there was no cave, nothing was there, the elf told to leave and I was caught by Walburga, she handed me to my father and here I came — this is my mother's house, she was killed — so naive —"

"What are you talking about?" Celestia exclaimed, standing up abruptly. "I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but it won't work. I have a twin brother, for Merlin's sake, I can't be your daughter. You are imagining shit"

"A twin brother who looks nothing like you?" Seraphina questioned, her face softening. Her eyes are still on the ceiling, "Draco, my nephew, was born on 5th June. You, my dear, I gave birth to you on 19th May. Same year. My father took you from me, locked me here, and made Lucius register you as Draco's twin."

Celestia stood up abruptly, fed up with the nonsense. "I don't know what you're talking about. I am leaving," she said, dropping the ring on the edge of the bed.

"Take it with you," Seraphina said pleadingly, "Amelia will steal it now anyway. I want you to keep it."

Mrs Blanchard let out a roar, but didn't say anything further, Celestia took the ring and was about to turn to leave when, "don't look for him" Seraphina said, causing Celestia to freeze on the spot.

"What?"

"Don't look for your father," said Seraphina weakly, "he will only disappoint you, live your life as Draco's twin at fullest... And don't risk loving someone who won't offer you a future, I wish you happiness and success"

Without another word, Celestia left, she didn't know what to reply, clutching the ring tightly in her fist, She could hear Mrs. Blanchard calling Seraphina insulting names, telling her to die in silence, but Celestia couldn't bring herself to defend the sick woman. She ran back toward the guest room and locked herself in.

The next morning, Celestia awoke to the dim light filtering through the curtains, casting a somber atmosphere over the room. As she stirred from her sleep, the events of the previous night flooded back to her, and she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.

As she rose from her bed and began to prepare for the day ahead, there was a knock at the door. Celestia's heart skipped a beat, wondering who could be visiting at such an early hour. With a sense of trepidation, she approached the door and opened it to reveal Narcissa standing in the hallway, dressed in black robes.

"Good morning, Celestia," Narcissa said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "I'm afraid I have some news to share with you."

Celestia's stomach churned with apprehension as she listened to Narcissa's words. She couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creeping over her, fearing what news she was about to receive.

"I'm sorry to inform you that Seraphina, your aunt, passed away last night," Narcissa continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "She succumbed to her illness, and there was nothing more that could be done."

Celestia's heart sank at the news, a wave of sadness washing over her as she processed the information. She was alive last night, she talked and they had a conversation, how can she be dead so suddenly? Despite the strained relationship she had with Seraphina, she couldn't help but feel a pang of grief at the thought of her aunt's passing. Was she telling the truth? Or she was imagining things?

Celestia nodded silently, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. She knew that Seraphina's death would have far-reaching consequences for the family, she could still hear seraphina's warning echoing in her mind.

As she followed Narcissa out of the room, Celestia couldn't help but wonder what would become of Blanchard Manor now that Seraphina was gone. Would the secrets hidden within its walls finally come to light, or would they remain buried forever?