Forgetting the Wilted Thorn Rose
Alazia (Noun)
The fear that you're no longer able to change.
Severus would go to delay the visit with his old teacher. Time continued to pass and at that point, he had been nearing a full days rotation away from Ember and Aven. With the twins, chaos only brewed and the more time Severus spent away, was more time the encounter poisoned his chance of forgiveness. As time ticked by, so did the soon to be lightening sky that would warn of the impending time limit. He stood with his toes at the edge of the forest that guarded and shielded the quaint farm from the outside world. He took a moment to pull his wand from his sleeve and once secured, he passed the property line that although allowed him through, radiated a tension across the property.
Slipping between trees and avoiding the exposing light of the high held moon with slick footed skill, his eyes caught every obstacle and his feet mastered every barrier and eventually, Severus broke through the thick forest and stepped into the flower-dotted field with the stone farmhouse that sat off to the far side. He noticed smoke rising from the chimney and a single light flickering in one of the downstairs windows. Picking up his pace for only a quick few steps, Severus quickly froze as a chill touched the back of his neck and a sharp spark ignited against the skin.
"What are you doing here..?"
It was Aven's voice that came from behind, it's tone a low rumble that hummed with an energy that would nerve that of even Lucius. As the threatening tingle ran through his veins, the sparking from the wand tip that pressed against the back of his neck began to ache and burn his muscles within his already damaged throat. Aven waited for an answer and let out a low growl as seconds past and not a sound came from, Severus.
"Oh, so now you won't talk to me, either?" He mocked.
Severus closed his eyes and he let a breath came from his nostrils that brought his shoulders slumping and his fists balling then released. A sharp flick of his finger and the quill and paper rose from inside his shoulder bag and set itself properly between them.
"Note passing?" Aven scuffed darkly with a jab, "Come now Severus, are we really back at Hogwarts?" he mocked him viciously and the energy picked up bringing the mans skin to itch and arm hair to stand on edge.
"Aven.."
The magic pulled back slowly as Severus was heard within the mind and in the edges of the air, but the wand continued to hold contact against his skin so he continued.
"I have wronged you and Ember... I see that now and I'm here to... I'm here to apologize." Aven scuffed at the man's awkward sounding start. "There are things people do that can not be so easily forgotten, and after everything, you have given me back…."
The wand was completely withdrawn now, and Severus stood on the spot for a long moment before pushing himself to turn to look behind him. The space was now empty and cold as Aven had long since vanished from the spot. He looked around once more before continuing to the farmhouse. He quietly stepped up the few wooden steps, and just as quietly, pulled open the porch door and slipped inside without a sound. No one was in the kitchen, though, the candelabra over the table illuminated the small space as an outlined, full shadow. As he turned from the kitchen to start up the stairs and physically jumped and pulled his wand when the towering form of Aven flashed for only a moment on the top the stairs like a strike of lightning. As he ascended, he grits his teeth but that did nothing as from his first step onto the top stair he flinched again, his heart skipping as from his peripherals, the man flashed again at the end of the darkened hall but was gone when he looked.
What the man was doing was playing with the trauma he hadn't yet recovered from, and he didn't like the game that this twin played at all but there was nothing he could do or say on the matter so he didn't say anything about it all. Stopping before the door which had the candlelight flickering from under it's crack, Severus paused for a moment with his handheld as a fist, his knuckles cracking under his thumb in a nervous habit he had at one point picked up without noticing. He eventually knocked and waited a moment before the bedroom door quietly opened on its own. Aven flashed again in a standing position at the side of her bed. It was only a moment, only a blink or a flash, but he saw him there. Standing by her sitting form with his arms held around his back and a sick energy striking from the twin for the moment he was visible. He approached to see her alone and sensed the room finding nothing at all beside himself and the fire-eyed woman who pulled her legs up and watched him angrily from her bed.
"Well, since you're here... What form of communication will be conversing with this time...Should I get my quill, you antisoc-"
"I know clearly of my sins and I see my disloyalty…." He interrupted her, but she remained quiet and listening. "I wronged you when you are not allowed to be wrong by me."
She looked at him as if she was waiting for more and he sighed irritably before bringing the connection back with her,
"I'm sorry."
The look continued and impatient anger twitched on his features, showing a limit being reached as again, she silently asked for more of him. But he should have known better and had. Ember was not one to let another off the hook so easy, and she used weaknesses to her advantage in times like this. For him, it had always been emotional actions and words, and she had always a tendency to push him past his discipline.
"I would like to come home, and I'm sorry for finding myself at the actions of such foolishness. It wasn't right. Will you allow me back?"
The smile broke her face to his admitting heart and she pushed up on her knees and wrapped her arms around the stiffening form of the Potions Master who had dealt with more hugs in the past 24 hours than he had for the entirety of his adult life.
He moved away the moment she allowed it and looked down to watch her as she gave a tired smile as a nod to her head.
"It's time for bed." She nearly yawned. "We can talk more when you want... I have the help doing the chores so we can all sleep in. I'll see you tomorrow."
He gestured at the waist and turned to leave the bedroom, stopping when the whisper of his name came from the bed.
"Severus... I um.. Look, I don't want you here out of debt.." Ember started quietly. "You just got a new life and I can't have it controlled by m... I'm sorry for what I said.. and if it's what I said, that is the reason you're here now... Then I messed up... Maybe. Maybe now that the war is over.. Lucius can we swayed and..."
Severus's hand rose and she stopped her words and he slowly turned to face her.
"What's right is right, and as of now, that's all that's important. Narcissa knows I am alive as well, as do the Weasleys. Though they know less, they know enough. In the coming time I will send off correspondence and now that they know, they will accept my letters..Until then, if you will have me, I wish to remain here."
Severus gestured a silent departing and slipped from the bedroom, watching the door handle as it slowly clicked as the door slipped into the latch. Turning up, he flinched again upon seeing the very real, physical form of Aven who stood illuminated in the moonlight of the open hallway window. He would stand in silence, shrouded in shadow and moonlight, glaring coldly at him until he had slipped into his designated bedroom at the end of the hall and closed the door.
