***Well my lovelies, it has been a month... and I am very sorry I left it like that, and for so long too! Our favorite couple is engaged!! BUT it isn't a happy ending just yet... dun dun duuuuuuun! Read to find out? Sorry again for the slight hiatus! :) Happy reading! xoxox***
Lennox had failed to make an appointment with the minister before she had turned of age, but yet again did she receive a letter from Harriet Beacher with Ministry Financial Affairs. She had decided to take Max with her to the Ministry, getting permission from Dumbledore to leave the school for a few hours to speak with Miss Beacher. She dressed in her nicest clothes, something she had told Max to do as well, but before they were off she had to send a letter to her mother once more. It had been weeks since she had written her first letter, with no reply. She had decided to send out one more, in high hopes of finally getting a response. She dressed in black round toed heels, along with a lacy black dress that buttoned up in the back. She put her cloak on as she walked outside into the crisp morning air. The snow had gone, but the cool weather still remained. She walked briskly to the owlry, letter in hand and ready to send. She approached her owl, only to see a small letter and box clasped in its talons. She held out her arm for Amadeus.
"Hello sweetheart." she gently stroked under his beak, taking the items from his claws. She opened the envelope, reading the scratch handwriting that had marked up the page.
Lennocelia,
I wanted to do this properly but since you are not going to be around today and I have other important things to attend to this is how it has to be. Like I said, you can change your mind at any time about me, but if we are going to remain betrothed for the time being I would at least like you to acknowledge it every time you look at your hand, which is why I am giving you something important. It belonged to my Grandmother Prince, and it now belongs to you. Be safe today, I shall see you soon.
S.
She raised an eyebrow, opening the small box only to reveal a sparkling ring on the inside. It was a set of two pieces of shining silver, woven around eachother like a basket, with diamonds encrusted in each of the loops. It was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen in her entire life, and she put it on her left ring finger straightaway. She had not experienced this level of happiness since the death of her parents, which left a strange but good feeling in the pit of her stomach. She admired it, reaching her hand out in front of her to stare at it. She kissed it quickly, giving the enveloped letter to her owl. He flew away, and she left the owlry. She stopped by the dungeons to escort Max to Dumbledore's office. When the two entered, she spotted a black clad figure seated across the desk of the Headmaster. She saw him sneak a glance at her hand, causing him to smile secretly to himself. She bit back a smile as well, heading towards the fireplace.
"We will be back as soon as we can headmaster, although I am not sure how long it will take us. I have no idea what Miss Beacher wishes to speak to us about. Whatever it is though, I am sure it will not take us all day." she explained courteously to Dumbledore. He smiled, and allowed them to floo into the Ministry. Lennox saw a flash of red and green before the world spun around her. It was almost as terrible as apparating, but a lot dirtier. She arrived in the Ministry only moments before Max, and they approached the head desk to receive instructions on where to go.
"The Kingsleighs! The Financial ward is three floors up, just take the lift to go up, and three doors left. Have a great day!" the receptionist explained, waving them off. They both approached the elevator hesitantly, feeling better when they noticed a lift operator. They boarded, telling him where they needed to go, and he brought them. The entire trip took less than five minutes, and they were standing in front of the door to the woman who had summoned them there in the first place. Lennox knocked quietly, hoping she was not interrupting anything important. She had made sure to get her and Max there promptly, not a minute early or late. They were greeted by a woman with fiery red hair and green eyes.
"Ah, hello! You must be Lennocelia. Come in, the both of you!" she stated cheerfully, walking around her desk to take a seat. She seemed very friendly, something that Lennox was happy to see. The woman took the last drink of her tea, setting it down softly onto its saucer.
"Right. I will try to get you back to school as quickly as I can, with as little pain as possible. Who is this you've brought today?" she motioned to Max.
"Maximilian Kingsleigh, the second eldest in our family." she told the woman, who smiled brightly when she realized this.
"Very well then. I have taken into review the past year's financial struggle for your family. You live in a muggle apartment complex, supporting all of your siblings with the muggle jobs you and Maximilian have gotten, and often it was difficult for you to pay your rent when needed. And, on top of it, you lost your home just before it was time for you to return to school this year is that correct?" she was reading from various files that were sitting motionless across her wooden desk. Lennox nodded, looking down for feeling ashamed of their situation. Max grabbed her hand, squeezing it lovingly like a supporting brother does for his sister in a time of need.
"Yes that is all correct." she spoke quietly, feeling tears in her eyes.
"Well then I have some good news for you." the siblings looked up at Harriet Beacher quickly, then glanced at eachother.
"Your biological mother was admitted into St. Mungos on September the thirteenth of last year. I do not know if you were aware of this, but your mother possessed a great fortune left to her by Lennocelia Gregorovich. The fortune was not for her, but for you. She was unable to take money out or put any in, but she owned it and was to sign it over to you upon your coming of age, or upon her death. Well one month later, she passed away. And you have turned seventeen. I have called you here to sign your name upon the bank account. It belongs to you now." she smiled at the two of them, who had looked like a couple of fawns in headlights. Lennox swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat, and dared to ask how much she was receiving.
"H-how much exactly.... was left to me?"
"ʛ1,000,000." she took no hesitation to give them the exact amount. Lennox could have fainted. Had she heard correctly? One million Galleons? That was over four million muggle pounds... She was aware that her grandmother was obscenely rich, but she was oblivious to the fact that she would ever leave it to grandchildren...
"I'll tell you what. We will schedule an appointment for the end of May, then everything can be transferred over to your name just in time for you and your family to take a nice vacation. You deserve it. Congratulations dear." she told them as they got to their feet. Max hugged his sister as if he would never see her again, an embrace which she gladly returned. Harriet Beacher could only look at them with much excitement in her eyes, realizing that this was a godsend for the Kingsleighs.
"One more thing before you go Miss Kingsleigh, your mother left this letter for you before she died." a piece of parchment flew over to her, landing in her hands. Yes... Katrina Adams Wright was dead... which would be the reason she did not return Lennox's messages. She stuffed the envelope in her cloak pocket, and left with her brother. She could not help the smile on her face as they walked back towards the fireplaces.
"Max," she let out a deep breath, "do you realize what this means for us?" she nudged him as they stopped in the main hallway. He smiled at her, motioning to her pocket.
"What did she write?"
"I dunno. Might as well read it quick though eh? Probably won't be that important." she unfolded it, her eyes scanning the page. It took a good minute before her smile was wipe off her lips completely, and a tear began to roll down her cheek. Max saw her expression go from happy, to depressed, to angry, to mortified all in the passing moments. He noticed her face growing red with fury and her hands begin to shake. Her eyes were narrowed as she read the letter.
"What the... Lennox are you alright?" he questioned as her legs buckled. She dropped to her hands and knees, the paper crumpled up in her fist. She began to scream and yell, tears flowing from her eyes. People were beginning to stare as Max tried to help her up and get her to the fireplace nearest to them.
"Lennox! Lennox what did it say?" he interrogated, pulling her body.
"No! Don't touch me! STOP!" she managed to get out before he finally reached his destination. They were back in the Headmaster's office in a matter of seconds, but that did not stop Lennox's episode. She was too heavy for Max to keep ahold of, and they both collapsed out of the fireplace at the feet of Severus and Dumbledore. She was still yelling, her face smushed against the hardwood of the office.
"What is wrong with her?!" Severus asked immediately, pulling her up to wrap his arms around her. Max did not find this strange, he was too in shock to even realize what was happening.
"I'm not really sure. She started to read a letter that was written to her by our birth mother and she started going crazy. I had to drag her out of the ministry!" he defended himself. She buried her face into Severus's body, keeping her fists clenched at the memory of the damned letter. Dumbledore gently reached for it, surprisingly receiving it with no fight by Lennox. He read over the note carefully, giving it to Severus and putting a hand on Max's shoulder.
"Mister Kingsleigh... it is time you and I had a little chat. Come." he motioned for Max to follow him. He did hesitantly, leaving Severus alone with Lennox. She continued to cry, not saying a word. He held out the note with one hand, keeping his other arm around her body as he read.
To my daughter,
If you are reading this, I am probably dying or already dead. In any case, there are a few things I feel the need to tell you before you go off thinking life is great. I married your father when I was very young, and even though he was a muggle, divorce was not an option. I am a Wright afterall. I couldn't leave him when he beat me and tortured me, so I did the only thing I could possibly think of. I had a baby. I hoped for a girl, and I got one. I had you. I was glad, because I knew he was sick enough to go from beating and hurting me, to you. I remember all those nights when I would hear you scream from inside your bedroom. It was music to my ears, because it meant he wouldn't come home at night drunk and ready to beat me. It was you he wanted to hurt, and I can honestly I could not have cared less. I also want you to know that I do not appreciate the fact I did not inherit any money from my mother, but she left her fortune to you instead. I never thought you deserved it, being the snotty little bitch you always were, but now it is becoming apparent to me that you will indeed be receiving it by the end of the year. I should thank you though, for killing your father I mean. It was the best thing your useless little self could have ever done. Enjoy your money, but just know your memories will haunt you for the rest of your life.
If this woman was not already dead, Severus decided, he would have murdered her himself.