Chapter Fifty-Seven
Bowen Manor, April 1998
It had been a long time since Hazel had been to her old home. Over eighteen years, and in that time Bowen Manor had weathered down to a skeletal state, its walls weathered and tired, the porch sagging under her weight.
Pushing the old door open, Hazel stepped into the foyer that had once been grand, the crystals hanging from the birdcage shattered – the birds lying dead in the curved bottom of the cage. It had been here, at the bottom of the stairs, that Hazel had obliviated Mo.
She climbed the stairs slowly, looking through the large windows at the town; lights blinking on as it grew dark. The halls seemed smaller, more crooked and winding; the carpets were so threadbare they almost didn’t exist – the portraits on the walls had stilled long ago, dust coating their frozen forms.
Reaching the door that led into her own room, Hazel gently touched the drawing on its front; done long ago in a happier time. Crayon drawings of her and Severus, Boots and Pavo – a little girls dream in colored wax.
The door stood ajar, and pushing it open Hazel breathed in the smell of dust and empty book shelves. Her old robe still hung in the bathroom, dresses too small for her now were in the closet were she had left them. Her dresser was covered in the jewels Mo and the Dark Lord had given her over the years, strings of pearls ripped apart – Hazel barely remembered doing that.
“Mistress Hazel?”
Nearly jumping out of her skin, Hazel whipped around “Jily! You scared me.”
“Jily is sorry Mistress, it is only that Jily must ask you to come with her.”
“I was actually going to go -”
“Please Mistress,” Jily begged with her large eyes “He has been waiting so long.”
“Mo?” Hazel asked quietly, looking over at the vanity table covered in dusty jewels.
“Yes Mistress – Jily is afraid he won’t make it much longer, but if he saw Mistress…he my be able to let go.”
As much as Hazel didn’t want to see Mo, she nodded and let Jily lead her to Mo’s room. Not that she needed a guide, but the halls seemed to almost have warped over the years, wood coming up beneath the carpet and walls leaning one way or another.
“He is here, Mistress.” Jily said, waving her tiny hand at a door.
“You’re not coming in?” it embarrassed Hazel, but her old childish fear arose in her as she thought of having to be around Mo.
“No Mistress, Jily will be outside. But please Mistress – give Master Bowen the closure he needs to die.”
“Die?” the word sunk into Hazel like a cold rock, settling in her stomach with dread.
Jily nodded “Master Bowen has been sick for many, many years now Mistress; a fungus you see.” She tapped her head “It affects the thinker Mistress – Master does not know the difference between pretend and reality anymore. All those years of pretending to He Who Must Not Be Named … it was not good for him.”
The house elf left then, and Hazel took a deep breathe before opening the door. The room was empty besides a large four poster bed, and at first Hazel thought it was empty – and then the thin sheets moved, and she saw the frail body lying beneath them.
“Hazel?” a shaky voice croaked “My girl … oh my girl, I knew you would come back to me.”
Staying by the doorway, Hazel tried to swallow her fear “Hello, Mo.”
Mo turned his head to see her better, barely able to move at all. “How I have missed you Hazel, I’ve – well, I’ve been waiting.”
“For what?” reverted to a small child once more, Hazel stood in fear as she watched this hollowed out version of Mo speak.
“To go.” He whispered “To die – to finally die. In peace even, with you here.”
Feeling the threat of tears, Hazel walked slowly over to the bed. “I’m not sorry, you know.” She told him “For leaving you. I waited all those years for someone to rescue me, and I couldn’t – I had to get out of here. For myself, for my children.”
“Children.” Mo’s eyes filled with tears and he smiled feebly “What are their names?”
Feeling that it was safe to tell him, knowing the knowledge would die with him soon, Hazel sat down on the bed “Andrew and Sonia. They’re almost eighteen now – and Sonia’s going to have her own baby soon, getting married in a week.”
Closing his eyes, Mo sighed “And were they happy?” his chest rose and fell slowly, his breath was wheezy.
“I hope so,” she said quietly, taking his papery hand “I tried my best.”
Opening his eyes, Mo drank in the sight of Hazel – his daughter. “And you my lovely girl, were you happy?”
“Yes Mo,” leaning over, she kissed his cheek lightly “I was happy.”
When Morton Bowen closed his eyes for the last time he was at peace. With his daughter at his side he could leave the earth more whole than he had been in a long time – he had waited to die, waited for one last talk with his girl. Now he could join his wife and son somewhere uncomplicated and overrun by darkness.
Hazel left her old home quietly, asking the house elf to burry Mo with his wife and son. However, before leaving she returned to her old room – removing the pearl halted dagger from her drawer where it had been sitting for over eighteen years.
Dagger in hand, Hazel left Bowen Manor for the last time.
A/N: As you can see, the last four chapters have taken place in April. That's cause a lot happens in April.
As the book slowly comes to a close I feel a little sad...the next book will be the first one in the series not set during a war, but there will still be a war of sorts to battle? Anywho, I made a spring video for you all! I answer some pretty deep questions about LiS and EiR, as well as Underground Angels.
Question: (if you watch the video) what do you think of it? I just got a mac and I've only used iMovie and a different sort at school, and so I think I left some bits in there I didn't want to? Sorry. I do a pretty unatractive itching of nose in there somewhere. Sorry bout that. Other than my rudeness, how was it? Anything I didn't clear up?
Almost over! Also, there's an announcement about the 3rd book in there...better check it out...
Rose<3