The markings scattered his back, interlocking and over-layering to weave a tapestry of anguish and indescribable pain.
As she opened her eyes, the comforting smell of coffee and parchment filled her nose. For the first time in 5 years she had opened...
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Harper paced back and forth, her hands dug deep into her pockets as her gaze remained focused on the floor. All the while she kept pacing. Back and forth and back and forth, over and over again.
"Harper, stop it." Elizabeth Brooke insisted as she stood in the doorway, watching her daughter move around constantly.
"I haven't heard back. Why haven't I heard back?" Harper asked, continuing to pace. "Who even is this boy? I've never heard you speak of him before. Is it that one that wrote to me?" Elizabeth questioned, folding her arms. "Remus? Yes, yes." Harper nodded. "Well stop it. Your grandparents will be here soon and your grandmother will kill us both if you don't behave."
Harper stopped pacing, turning on her feet to finally face her mother, "I don't really care what she thinks."
Elizabeth sighed, "Oh Harper would you stop it? Is it too much to ask for you to behave and be polite?" "B-be polite?" Harper gritted her teeth, "I've heard your little meetings in the study... I know about the war." She hissed now.
Elizabeth paled, her eyes widening drastically as she attempted to make sense of what her daughter was saying. Harper had never been closer to the edge herself. She hadn't heard back from Remus and was terrified of how the full moon was going. She was also tense from the constant mysterious visitors that kept roaming through her house and holding private conversations with each other in locked rooms.
Times were growing darker and still Harper couldn't seem to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. The only light she could focus on was Remus and with him struggling due to the growing intensity of his transformations, things were not looking good.
"Don't you dare talk about such things!" Elizabeth attempted not to shriek, "Do not mention anything of the sort ever again. You don't understand." "Well tell me then." Harper folded her arms, replicating her mother's position.
Elizabeth brushed a strand of hair out her eyes and behind her ear, "Just calm down and sit. Nothing else is of your concern." "Calm down? Why won't you just let me visit Remus? I can apparate there and back - I'll be gone an hour, tops." Harper pleaded. "No. I don't see why you're so worried, what can possibly be wrong?"
If only she knew.
A knock on the door caused a cold shiver to run down Harper's spine. Her grandparents had arrived. They were not only visiting, but were soon to be moving in as they believed that Elizabeth was not controlling her daughter and if Harper were not controlled she would surely destroy their family's reputation.
"Mother!" Elizabeth's exclaimed, rushing to pull open the door.
Instead of being greeted by the two elder wizards, a small and hunched over house elf stood before her pulling a rather large bag behind him.
"Mrs Brooke?" The house elf croaked. "Ms Brooke." Elizabeth corrected, "Who are you?" "Mistress, I am White the house elf. I serve Mr Brooke and Mrs Brooke." White explained.
Harper appeared beside her mother in the doorway and looked down at the house elf.
"Grandma sure looks a lot older and shorter doesn't she?" Harper commented, earning a cold glare from her mother whilst she smirked to herself.
"I'm White the house elf, Mistress. You must be Miss Harper Brooke?" White asked. "Well I am, it's a pleasure to meet you." Harper knelt down and held her hand out towards the house elf. "Harper. Don't shake its hand." Elizabeth pulled Harper up as she noticed her parents arriving now.
Red Brooke was a rather large man - although this did all consist of muscle - who waddled towards the front door and held his large arms open to greet his child and grandchild. The man was friendly and his warm smile simply did not match his cold eyes or threatening attitude towards those who didn't know him. Jane Brooke was a different story. She was a very small woman, about a foot and a half shorter than her husband, and about a foot thinner too. Her long grey hair was pulled back into a tight but, straightening out her face as well. Everything about the woman screamed perfection, from her pristine scarlet lipstick to sparkling boots and freshly manicured nails.
"What did I say about letting that bag touch the floor?" Jane snapped at the house elf. "Sorry Mistress." White stammered quickly, snapping his fingers and causing the large bag to now hover in the air.
"Harper!" Red pushed his way through and embraced his granddaughter strongly, "You're looking gorgeous!" "Thanks..." She mumbled, attempting to discretely pull herself away. "And Elizabeth! How are you doing? Glad we're here?" He turned to his daughter now.
"Inside. Go." Jane poked the house elf with her walking stick, urging him to go inside. "Yes Mistress." White responded, staggering inside to stand at the end of the hallway with the bag and await further instructions.
"Harper. Your hair looks like it needs a brush." Jane commented, eyeing her up and down. "You day that every time." Harper replied coldly. "And yet you never seem to tidy it up." Jane tutted.
"Maybe because I don't care what you think." Harper whispered under her breath to herself.
Harper not only feared her grandmother, but despised her with every fibre of her being. The woman was cruel and cold and nasty.
And that's why Harper decided she didn't care what Hell she would be put through when she returned. She needed to escape and she needed to see Remus. So, she made her way quietly up to her bedroom and with a crack, disapparated.
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A/N
So I've officially written the ending of this book (including the final chapter and the two epilogues) and wow I hate myself
Anyway, updates might be a little slow for a while because I'm still planning out the events of the seventh year at Hogwarts for everyone
