Written for the QLFC Season 6 - Round 5
Chuddley Canons - Beater 2 (stand-in)
Prompt: Use the title of a story written by your Beater 1 for inspiration.
[Beater 1 is HeatherGrey07 and title used is 'Her Story']
Optional Prompts - None used as writing on behalf of another position.
Word Count: 1,042
The day was the fifteenth of April. The year was eighteen eighty-five. The spring rains were wetting the farmer's fields and helping to cultivate new life. Not far from the fields, in a small village in the country of England, there was a small house. The house itself wasn't particularly interesting but, inside, another new life was being born.
The screams of the woman would have been heard for miles if not for the silencing charm which had been placed upon the house. She lay on her bed, in the birthing position as the midwife had instructed her. The baby was finally coming and soon it would be the end. She clutched at the pillow as she screamed in an attempt to dull the pain.
"Alright, I think one last push should do it," said the midwife.
"I can't... please I just can't."
The woman sobbed. She had done this twice before but, this time, it was far more terrible.
"Nonsense," said the midwife. "Now push!"
Her body seemed to react to the words and the woman began to push as hard as she possibly could. She let out a suppressed scream as the baby slid from her and into the waiting arms of another midwife. For a moment, there was silence. Then, thankfully, the baby began to scream.
"Oh, thank mercy," said the woman.
"Well done," said the midwife, smiling down at her.
The midwife then gave her a potion to help soothe the pain and she instantly felt better. It took a little while for them to clean up and weigh the baby, as well as all of the other things midwives had to do, but then finally her baby was in her arms.
"How perfect," said the woman.
"It's a girl," said the midwife.
"A girl? How perfectly wonderful."
There was a knock on the bedroom door and then a voice came from the other side.
"Is it done? Can I come in?"
One of the midwives went to the door and opened it slightly.
"We are not finished yet and it may get a bit messy. This is not a place for men," said the midwife.
"Damn that, I don't care about any of it. Now let me see my wife!"
He pushed past the midwife and strode over to his wife's side. He looked down at the baby with complete love and adoration. The man then turned to his wife and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. She smiled up at him before the two of them returned their gazes to their new child.
"Is it healthy?" said the man.
"She," said the woman. The man gasped. "And yes, she is a bonny child."
"She's beautiful," said the man.
The man reached for the baby and the woman held her up to him. He held her delicately in his arms, never breaking his gaze from hers. He kissed the baby lightly on the forehead and found tears begin to roll down his cheeks. After a few moments, the man turned back to his wife.
"I am so proud of you," said the man.
The woman smiled in response and the man handed their daughter back to her.
"Go and fetch the boys," said the woman. "I'd like them to meet their sister."
Before leaving the room, the man stooped down to give his wife a long and lingering kiss. As he walked out of the door, the older midwife gave him a disapproving look while the younger merely smiled at him. The younger midwife was packing their things away while the elder cleaned the equipment with her wand. It wasn't long before they were finished.
"Alright," said the older midwife. "We'll be off now, dear. We've done everything we can for today but if you find you need any help then we are only an owl away. You've done this before so you should be fine but we'll be back every day this week to check on you. See you tomorrow."
"Thank you," said the woman. "Both of you, really, just thank you."
"You're most welcome," said the midwife, smiling. "Goodbye now."
"Goodbye."
Mother and baby were finally alone at last. She looked down into her daughter's beautiful brown eyes and couldn't help but fall in love. The birthing itself was all but forgotten. All that mattered to her in that moment was that little baby. She smiled down at the baby. She was sure that her face might break from how much she was smiling at her daughter.
"Mama loves you, little one," said the woman. "I will never let anyone hurt you. You are precious and perfect and wonderful and I love you so much."
A single tear rolled down her cheek but it was not a tear of sadness. It was a tear of complete of utter joy. The women bent her head and touched her lips softly to her daughter's head. As she pulled away, she could have sworn that a tiny little smile was playing on her daughter's lips. It was then that her husband returned with their two sons. The eldest was five and so had some comprehension of what was going on. The youngest was not yet two but the smile on his face spoke volumes.
"Boys," said the woman. "Come and meet your baby sister."
Their father nudged the two of them forwards and they came to stand beside the bed. Their mother showed them the baby and the younger boy reached out his hand and patted her gently on the head. The elder merely stared at his sister with a slight twinkle in his eye.
"What's her name?" said the older boy.
"I don't know," said the man. "What do you think, darling?"
"Her name is Ariana," said the woman.
"Ariana Dumbledore. What an utterly perfect name."
The family stood there in that little room, in that little house, in that little village. And they thought how perfect that moment was. All five of them were engrossed in their little bubble of happiness. And they had no idea what horrors they had yet to come.
For my name is Aberforth Dumbledore. I was that younger son. I am the brother of Ariana Dumbledore.
And this is her story.