The story is written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Round 4.
Team: Puddlemere United
Position: Beater 2
Task: Write about the Shakclebolt family.
Prompts:
3.(word) rare
5.(word) print
10.(dialogue) "You got a package for me?"
Word Count: 1250
I'm Coming
"The human heart has hidden treasures,
In secret kept, in silence sealed;
The thoughts, the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures,
Whose charms were broken if revealed."
[Let me put before you the tale of the Shacklebolt family. Of Asha Shacklebolt and Zain Shacklebolt and their love. Of Nova Naaz and Asha Shacklebolt's relationship.]
…
"Asha, Nova has brought a package for you."
Asha sighed pulling the book away from her lap and heading downstairs.
"You got a package for me?" she asked her sister, watching her discard her cloak on the couch. She walked up to her stiffly handing her the small package in the hand along with a letter.
She glanced at her sister from the corner of her eyes and rushed away upstairs her letter and package clutched tightly in her arms.
…
[One glance at the letter and Asha knew it was a package from Zain. But she couldn't tell this to anyone. After all, her love was forbidden]
…
"You are hiding something, aren't you?" Nova asked, her voice having a certain edge as if she already knew the answer.
Her sister had been acting differently towards her, since the package had arrived. Always acting suspicious and trying to pry into her room at any chance she got.
"Just say what you want, Nova. I'm done with your games." Asha said, gritting her teeth in irritation and gripping her wand a little too tightly.
"Games!" her sister screeched suddenly moving past her and towards her desk where the letter was kept. "It's you who is playing games with us."
"I don't know what you are talking about." Asha hissed snatching the letter away from Nova. There was a sudden panic in her eyes which unfortunately Nova didn't miss.
"I've read the letter, Asha. Don't you dare pretend. I know what is happening." Her sister cried pointing her finger in accusation and betrayal.
"Who is it? Tell me. It's that boy again isn't it? The one Abba forbid you to meet." She asked again.
"I'm not telling you anything Nova." Asha said, eyes wide at her secret being revealed.
"I already know! The letter said 'Ek Kom', I know what it means. I know it's the boy, he speaks this gibberish. I'll tell Abba and Amma what you are planning!" Nova whispered throwing the letter at the floor and walking towards the door.
"N-Nova! Wait! Don't tell them please. You don't know everything. Wait!" Asha begged her sudden resolve to stay calm shattering as Nova disappeared from her room. She sank to the floor grasping the letter as tears slid down her cheeks, reading it again, looking at the familiar print and then stopping, her hands resting unknowing on her belly.
'Ek Kom'
I'm coming.
…
[But she couldn't wait any longer. So Asha decided to run away. Away so that, she could meet up with Zain and love him without fearing]
…
(Present day. Two years later.)
"I didn't expect to find you her. Asha" The woman spoke quietly, her brown eyes looked dead. Her young face looked aged and masked by grieve, quite different from what it used to be. She stood leaning on the door frame, clutching her wand.
"N-Nova please. You have to understand…" Asha pleaded. Her panicking eyes darting back and forth to the baby in the crib and then to her sister.
"Make me understand then." Nova spoke again, voice breaking in between. "And don't worry, I won't run to Abba and Amma and tell them anything. They are dead." She said seconds later and the silence continued.
She watched as Asha went numb with shock sinking in the chair nearby. Nova didn't move an inch. Her face was still set emotionless. So much different from the Nova, Asha knew.
"D-dead? How?" Asha whispered.
"Muggles. I don't know the rest. I wasn't there." It was true. Her parents' death was a mystery.
The silence continued. There was the sound of wailing and whimpering and Asha was quick on her feet moving towards the crib and soothing the baby. Once calmed down and the baby in her arms she turned at looked towards Nova who was staring at the baby with slightest bit of surprise.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt." Asha introduced, looking at her sister for a reaction
Nova nodded, "How old is he? One?" Nova asked.
"One year, eight months old. " Asha could see the realization spark up in her sister's eyes and before Nova could say anything she said, "Yes Nova, I was pregnant that night when I ran away."
"With his child." Nova said.
"With our child."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Nova whispered, her eyes travelling towards the baby, his dark skin and then his brown eyes which looked back at her with the curiosity.
"I quite remember begging you to hear me out, sister dear. Don't you remember? I tried telling Abba but he had already forbidden me to meet Zain." Even though Asha's voice was calm, Nova could still feel the anger the venom laced in those words.
"Zain?"
"My husband."
"Abba was just doing what he thought was right. He wanted you to marry a pureblood Indian family Asha. If only he knew…" Nova defended their father.
"Zain is a pureblood." Asha pointed out. "I haven't broken down the pureblood line, Nova."
"Yes, but he is not an Indian!" Nova countered, finally moving away from the door and walking inside the room, few steps closer to her sister.
"Stop defending him! I was young and in love. This pureblood talk is a nonsense. You know that too!"
[The moments shared in between were in silence. Each sister staring at one another with a mixture of emotions. From grief, regret and anger to confusion and irritation.]
"I'm sorry!" Nova burst out. She hastily wiped her eyes, preventing any tears from slipping.
Asha blinked. Out of all the things, she didn't expect an apology. Seeing her sister apologize was rare.
"I know I made a mistake that day." Nova continued. "I saw the letter and I panicked. I knew you were going to run away. It would destroy Amma and Abba….I was right. When you ran away, Abba was distressed. Amma kept weeping and crying that it was Abba's fault. They were a total mess. It hurt seeing them fall apart.
"I rented another apartment then. Moving away, trying to cure my depression. I was away at Delhi when an owl arrived telling me they were murdered. I was devastated. I came to England and then I met you." Nova was freely crying now.
Asha felt her own eyes well up with tears and the stinging was too much for her to bear she let the tears fall.
[Anger was the only thing that caused them to fall apart. It was Asha who stepped forward and accepted the apology. Guilty herself too. She introduced Nova to Zain and despite the awkwardness she knew that it was going to be alright. The bond between them hadn't broken maybe just rusted and in need of polishing again and the time would come when they would be a part of each other's life fully and completely.]
On you face I can see
A streak of pain
I can see how I am
Driving you insane
I can see how tears
Have left so many stains
I promise to never
Hurt you again
Not a shard of remorse
Will ever remain
I know my apology
Will not be in vain