The Gables

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Esmerelda Smickett

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Esmerelda walked despondently in her front door, she had just delivered the news that her long time friends husband was killed in a fire. She had never felt so morose in her life. She went straight for her comfortable easy chair and flicked her wand at the fire, mentally saying what spells she needed...the fire lit in the hearth. She sat down dejectedly, she wasn't really too upset that Giovanni Fiorelli had been killed, it was having to tell the family and then discovering that Maeve had been with him. But, only one body had been found, everyone fled the scene...even the barkeeper Thanatos. So, where was she?
Esmerelda couldn't even begin to imagine what the child was going through, but best she stay with her grandparents for now, Esmerelda would collect her when the time was right. Surely they didn't want the child to go to the funeral, she would be too distraught.
Esmerelda sighed...why couldn't life be simpler. First she had discovered on her vacation the beauty that was New Zealand, had on impulse quit her old job at Hogwarts Scot. and applied here. And within a day or so of getting the post discovering that she was seriously ill, nothing that magic could cure..just one of lifes little hiccoughs. It broke her heart to retract her application and retire from the work she loved, but it couldn't be helped. She would live out the rest of her days here, at The Gables, surrounded by her friends. But, now it seemed one of those friends was missing. Essie hung her head low and began to cry. Great wracking sobs that shook her old frame.
 
After leaving The Silver Snake...

Maeve apparated outside the picket fence, she didn't want to set off the various jinxes and alarms that Essie had up to protect the place. She walked to the gate and whipered the password, if Essie was nothing else...she was paranoid. Maeve walked to the front door and tapped it gently waiting for a reply.
She could hear footsteps coming to the door, Essie answered.
Maeve took one look at her and broke down in tears.
 
"Maeve!" Essie cried out loud, dragging the other woman into a ferocious hug, "Oh, my dear child..come in, come in! You've heard the news then? Oh, sit down here."
Esmerelda guided Maeve to a nice comfortable armchair, she stoked up the flames and nodded at the kettle. The switch flicked on and started boiling.
"What happened to you love, we presumed the worst after the fire. Poor Andromeda, it can't have been easy for her, she loved him so very much!"
Essie patted Maeve on her lap, "How are you holding up?"
 
Maeve looked at her, "Essie...what... what are you talking about? the fire at the Leaky Cauldron? Luxen Silverback, you remember him from school don't you? he, he rescued me, I was waiting for Giovanni to show and he never did!"
Maeve leant forward in her chair, "I was unconscious and he healed me, I came too not long ago and came straight here!"

Panic had creeped into her voice.
 
Esmerelda stood up slowly. "Oh my! oh my!" she kept repeating.
"I think I'll get you that drink first...perhaps firewhiskey instead of tea though."

When Esmerelda had poured the drinks and gave one to Maeve, she relaid everything that she knew...Giovanni's body being found outside the Leaky Cauldron, having to tell Maeve's mother the news. She told her that Andromeda had moved all her belongings over with her help of course earlier and now was at work in Honeydukes. She watched as her friend crumbled before her eyes. There was nothing she could say or do to ease her pain, so she didn't try.
 
The day after Giovanni's cremation:

Maeve removed her black coat, feeling almost hypocritical for having to wear it. But, it had to be done...his family had come and paid their condolences, they wanted to take his urn back to the family fault and she let them. She was empty.
Except for the little girl whom she heard crying herself to sleep at night, she might not have found the strength to get up in the morning.
It was guilt, guilt was tearing at her soul. She had been whisked away to safety by Luxen and Giovanni had shown up to be killed by the crumbling building. There was an inquest apparantly. Maeve didnt see much point.

Maeve thought about Luxen, she tried not to - it didnt do her any good too. Yet, there she was at her husbands memorial touching her lips at the memory of another man! she blushed ashamed of herself.

She would go to Obsidian Harbour tomorrow and buy Andromeda a new broom, she would like that. Maeve walked upstairs and changed her clothes, she would go over to the Harbour now to see if Andromeda was around...it was getting late.
 
Presenting the broom:


Maeve walked up to Andromeda's bedroom and tapped lightly on the door.
"Honey can I come in?" she asked, in her hand was the new broom. She had brought it earlier and as wretched as she had felt then, she felt so much better now. She had gotten to talk with a really nice man, Nicolas he had said his name was...he had engraved the wand as well. It looked fabulous.

Maeve opened the door slightly and peered in, Andomeda was sitting at the window seat staring out, the day after tomorrow she would be at HNZ, it was hard to imagine that her little girl was so grown up now. She looked so sad and lonely, sitting there. Maeve cleared her throat.
"Sweet heart, I have something here for you!" a little lie now, would heal some of her daughters pain she thought, the screaming and fighting from the last few days had taken their toll on them.
"I had to go and collect it, a man from the store sent an owl to say your broom was ready!"
 
Andromeda heard her and looked at her quizzically.
"Daddy got that for me?" she looked now at the beautiful broom in her mothers hands. A sienna storm... she thought it was the most beautiful thing she had seen in her life.
She reached out her hand gingerly for it.
"Mom..look!" she pointed to where an engraving of her fathers patronis was etched on to the handle and cuff. She couldn't help it, just when she thought she had no more tears left, they came. Like a dam had burst, she was enveloped instantly in a huge embrace by her mother.
"I miss him Mom," the two sat there on the window sill crying.
 
Maeve held her daughter close, rocking her back and forth as she did when she smaller.
"I know love, I know", she hadn't once said to Andromeda that she missed him, she couldn't lie that blatantly, her daughter was sure to see through it. For now Maeve would make like Giovanni was the great hero her daughter thought he was.

'Oh, Lux' she thought...'I think you saved me in more ways than you know!'
 
Tin watched the exchange silently and hidden, He had been ordered by his master to watch Maeve for any signs that the memory charm might be wearing off. His master had been very pleased to find out Giovanni was dead and even considered himself the murderer.
 
Andromeda has left for school:


Maeve returned from the trainstation with tears streaming down her face...
her baby girl had left, Essie was away most of the time, doing goodness knows what! Some retirement, she thought smilingly.

Maeve sat at the kitchen table, twiddling a piece of cloth.
'what should she do, she had a temporary position at Flourish and Blotts but she was off today'. She looked about the house and decided instead on a nice stroll around The Gables orchards.
 
Visiting in Yorkshire:

Esmerelda was staying at her friends house, giving Andromeda and Maeve the time they needed to adjust and work things out together.

She was sitting with her knitting when she remembered her little host of jinxes to protect the house, she had lifted them momentarily so Andromeda would not get hurt unnecessarily. she must remember to put them back up when she got back. Until, Andromeda returned again at any rate.

"The poor dears", she clucked to herself, "the poor dears"
 
It had not even been a full week that Andromeda had left for school, Essie had not returned from her little holiday. Maeve felt at a complete loss - possibly the mad reason she had, had for going to The Silver Snake earlier.
Her head hurt something terrible, perhaps it was all the stress, she didn't know. She had begun having very bad dreams in the last two nights... she was in terrible pain and terrible danger. She kept seeing images. flashes that made no sense - but when she woke, she found she couldn't hold on to the vague images anyway.
 
Dearest Mom,

I know I've only been at Hogwarts a few days, but
I thought I would write to you, to make sure you were alright.
I miss you and well, I'm sorry Mom! I didn't mean to be so mean
to you, I guess I was hurting and I didn't know how to deal with
it.
The classes here are going well, I've had two so far, the
man you said owned the store where Daddy got my broom, well he
isn't just the Defense against the Dark Arts professor, he's also the
head of our house. He seems pretty cool, especially since it was in
the prophet about him being an Auror.
I made lots of friends on the train and even met up with
Blane again too. He's in Hufflepuff though and I...I got into Gryffindor.
I know it's not Ravenclaw but I feel really good about being in this
prestigous house, big shoes to fill!
I will write again soon, must try and study some now.
I am eating enough and getting plenty of exercise, you can pass that
on to Nana, I know she'll ask! I love you Mom.

Missing You but doing fine,

Andy
{that's what my friends call me here!}
 
Maeve read and reread the letter, smiling. Her daughter was so grown-up, so brave. No wonder she had gotten into Gryffindor, Maeve penned a letter back home straight away to let them all know how Andromeda was doing. So very proud of her, she was. When that was done, Maeve called her Snowy Owl to her and attached the letter, watching as she flew away.

"Right", Maeve sighed, she picked up her wand and walked outside to the garden, then wondered around to the back of the house where she had a host of obstacles like a wizarding training ground set up. Her magic was rusty, her spells were not as fine tuned as she would like them to be. So, she had decided to practise. Especially with the nightmares she'd been having, they weren't a good omen, she knew that much!
Maeve practised for what seemed like hours, the sweat glistened on her. She wiped her brow looking at her watch as she did so. She hadn't even noticed the time, not mind the darkening of the sky. It was past seven o'clock. She was supposed to be meeting Luxen for dinner at his place. She walked back to the house to get ready, she hoped he wouldn't mind her being late!
 
Patrick arrived at The Gables, totally unexpected but hoping for a decent welcome non-the less! He walked carefully up the path, expecting Essies alarms to go off and quite frankly a little amazed that they hadn't.
He called out first before trying the handle. He never knocked and was not going to start now!
The door was open - he walked in. The place seemed as cluttered and odd as ever but where was everyone? He knew he had missed seeing Andromeda off at the station, he wished he had been there for her after Giovanni died. He put his bag on the ground by the door and called out again!
"Woman of the house! Where are you? Maeve? Essie?" Patrick sat at the table, hearing movement from upstairs.
 
Essie heard the voice and smiled, she had returned only moments earlier to an empty house and had quickly set about getting Patricks room ready. She waddled her large frame down the stairs and into the kitchen where she saw him already comfortably seated at the table.
"My dear boy!" she smiled opening her arms out for a hug.
"You have grown! Why just look at you!" she surveyed him from head to toe.
"They've been working you way too hard that team of yours. Or is that supposed to be the other way around?" she smiled.
She set about getting some food prepared or at least her kitchen did!
 
Patrick smiled as he saw his old transfiguration teacher come into the room, he stood up and hugged her. Raising his eyes to heaven as she referred to him as 'boy'. Somethings never changed.
"I think it's a bit of both, we want our team to win the next world cup, so I have to work as hard coaching them as they do practising. Of course I'm only assistant coach. But from the grapevine I've been hearing a promotion could be on the cards!" he smiled watching her give the briefest of nods to the kettle that automatically swooshed into life. A knife started cutting slices of bread and cheese.
"So, where's my sister then?" he asked her as she sat down.
 
"Do you know...I haven't a clue really!" she frowned, "I'm not long back myself but I did think she was expecting me. I know she knew you were coming today! She's been very absent minded recently but with all that's happened I suppose who could blame her!"
Esmerelda placed some bread and cheese on a plate and passed it to him.
"Now tea or coffee?" she poured his choice and suddenly said, "My word, I nearly forgot... do you remember a Luxen Silverback? Well they met up again. It was he who rescued her from the Leaky. Maybe she's with him now!"
 
Patrick accepted his coffee with a smile but splurted his first sip on hearing Luxen's name.
"What?" he slammed his cup down on the table, "Essie - either she's deranged from grief or Maeve needs a serious wake up call! Has she forgotten what kind of a creep the guy is?" he was fuming now, remembering all the horrible things Lux had done to his sister at school. She had taken it all so bravely, Patrick had jumped into the foray plenty of times but never got the better of the other boy. Always fought with a pack of other Slytherins.
Patrick stood up and thanking Essie, he moved away from the table.
"I think I'll go and have a walk about Diagon Alley, maybe i'll bump into her! I'll do my unpacking later!" he went and kissed Essie affectionately on the cheek then let himself out.
 
   
Hey Mom, Uncle Patrick and Essie,

       Hope you don't mind me writing a joint letter but between studying,
     classes, eating, hanging with my friends and....flying!! I don't have too much
     time for letter writing!
           Yup! I said flying... it was only once. I found this really cool room
      and was able to fly there! Only problem now is that I can't find it
     anymore! I didn't want to get into trouble with the headmistress for flying
    on the pitch but well, I still haven't gotten permission. But, I can't stop now!
    I've flown once and I need to keep it up! So, I figure I'll get up either really
    really early or sneak out really late and fly! The only problem with that is
    if I get caught my house loses points and I don't want that to happen. The
    older students are really nice and our prefect Bruin is also our quidditch captain.
   I don't want them to get mad with me if I end up losing points for our house.
    What would you do uncle Patrick?? You were a Gyffindor and a flyer!
    I've been trying to weigh up my passion for flying against getting into trouble -
    And my flying is winning each time! Maybe I should just lock my broom away
    and not think about it for a while. But, I know i'll go dizzy! I can't do it!
    I cannot lock it away that's a silly idea!

           How are all of you anyway? Is it good having Uncle Patrick around Mom?
    Essie I hope you don't mind but I have invited my bestfriend Zuka to come back
   on the holidays maybe even Blane, if that's ok with you Mom. The thought of
   them alone at the school, is just awful! Think about it anyway please!
        I'm fine, really. We had DADA the other day and did about Voldermort. Had
   to write a piece on the Dark Arts. I don't think I did very well though, went and
   asked Professor King about a comment he had made afterwards. So not endearing myself to him! Hope this letter has been long enough to keep you all
  entertained. I miss you all and have enclosed a small letter for you to send on
  to Nana and Pops.

                                               All my love,

                                            Andy -----   Ace to you uncle P!!

               p.s. twisted my ankle mucking about but it's ok now! really!
Click to expand...
                       
 
Esmerelda wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, the onion that was getting
sliced right beside her was having an awful effect.
She read the letter again and smiled at Maeve.
"She seems to be enjoying herself. She doesn't mention Giovanni at all this time!" Essie looked up at her.
 
Maeve smiled taking the letter from Essie's hand, she reread it again to herself and a part of her was a little sad that her daughter hadn't written a more personal letter just for her.
"I don't think she should be sneaking out to fly though! I know she adores it but..all the same, I would hate to get a letter saying she got expelled or something!"
Maeve bit her lip with worry, Andromeda could be wilful and head strong, her Irish and Italian heritage were a heady combination, add to that her red hair and Maeve felt a little grateful that Andromeda would be spending most of her teenage years at Hogwarts. Volatile, stubborn but as sweet as can be. She adored her daughter but with everything that had happened recently, she didn't think she had given her enough thought. Her mind seemed so vague and unsure every time she thought about her or Giovanni. Yet, she could remember her recent times with Luxen with remarkable clarity.
Perhaps it was guilt that made her memories drift. She sighed.
"I should write to her again this week", she turned to Essie and smiled.
 
Patrick came quite literally bounding into the house! Punching his fist in the air and whooping loudly.
"I did it! No need to worry about our Ace anymore." Patrick held up a letter, "I've been accept on to the staff at HNZ as nurse. I can still head over to the pitch and play on my days off but I can also keep an eye on her - as well as doing my job of course!"
He was beaming from ear to ear broadly.
"I know I said I was hoping to get the coaching job but well, I figured this was more important. I have the necessary skills from being assistant coach to heal people. Maeve I wasn't there for her when she needed me most, now I'll just be a step away!"
He smiled and bounded up the stairs, gathered his things and was back done in the blink of an eye. "Keep my room warm for me - we'll be home at the holidays!"
 
Maeve stared after her brother - he was mad!
But, she had to admit she was thrilled. He could keep an eye on Andromeda make sure she was alright. Maeve knew her little girl would be putting on a brave face as often as possible but it would take one little slip up and Maeve knew Andromeda would crumble. She wanted so badly now to have her here with her, she turned to Essie.
"This is good! Isn't it?" she sighed, turning again to look at Patrick.
 
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