Chapter One:
"A Dear Friend Departed"
Her name was Cindel Reams. She was an American from Bronx, New York. The orphan from the 18th street Bronx Boarding School for the Abandoned and Unwanted Minors,was one of the greatest witches of her time. And now she lay in a deep sleep that she would never awake from. Cindel Reams as of November 16th, 2029 at age 42 was now just a legend, a story, and a dearly departed friend. Who unfortunately claim her own life.
The room hummed with the silent sound of crying and soft sobs. The air was stale in the unventilated room, and smelled heavily of flowers; yellow buttercups and babies breath. She had been one of the most well respected Aurors in the Ministry of Magic. She had been a best friend, a sister to Rossamund Malfoy, sadly, however, she had never met her dreams of becoming a mother.
The loudest sobs were coming from a middle aged woman with loose brown curls, her face red from crying, her cheeks stained with tears. She let out a noise, a dry sob, muttering inaudibly into her hands.
The blonde man sitting next to her had his arm wrapped around her waist and was resting his chin on her shoulder. His silver eyes were blank and hollow. This shell of a man was once one of the heroes of the war. This was Draco Malfoy.
Beside him was a young boy about Seventeen with his mother's blue eyes, sat looking with eyes as hollow as his father's. The only differences was his had tears.
On far end of the pew sat on lone girl, who wore no mask of emotion. She was a skinny girl, short but lanky girl with a thin face and rounded nose. Her pale face was framed by dark brown hair, her bangs were straightened and clung to her skin, but the back was a wild mess of ruined curls.
She knew her father was angered by her unpleasant appearance but she paid him no mind, silently staring at the elegant casket before them, surrounded in a man made jungle of buttercups and babies breath with the random assortment of roses, daises, and lilies. Her cold eyes shined behind a wall of tears, she refused to let any fall. Like her mother her cheeks were stained with trails made by her tears earlier.
Her body trembled and threatened breaking down or giving out on her. In fact she had wanted to stay home, rather respect the woman alone in her room then sit amongst a teary mass of what she thought to be unimportant people.
But her father, like all things pertaining to her life, disagreed fully. She stared holes into the casket, hoping Cindel would just pop the top open and climb right on out. Sure she was somewhat cold, not frozen, just cold, but she had her reasons for it. She was not the boldest nor the bravest or smartest, however she had a way of always been able to comfort Catherine in a way no one else could.
Draco looked over at his daughter, eyes narrowed. She was looking down now, fiddling with her wide array of bracelets. One was a gaudy silver charm bracelet with so many charms it would take patience and an hour off someone's time just to examine each closely. It was one of her favorites, a gift from Cindel that she had since the day she was born.
She moved onto the next bracelet, it was woven and in the middle was a small oval surface with a rune etched on it, the rune for growth. The rune was placed inside a thick black circle, the circle being a symbol of love. That bracelet had been from her love.
Draco wrinkled his nose. "You wore those ugly things to a funeral, no respect." He scoffed loudly. His wife Rossamund turned to him putting a finger over her quivering lips.
The girl let out a soft growl which was hidden under a rumble of thunder overhead. 'Perfect day for a death…' She thought rubbing her eyes which seemed brighter with the dark circles under them.
At first one would think it was a bad makeup job, however it was the impact of many sleepless nights, which were becoming more frequent since Cindel's death.
Draco's gaze trailed to the coffin where one of his dearest friends laid. His face showed no emotions just a blank stare but inside his head was spinning "Why….Why did you go from us, my dear friend. Didn't you understand that you are the glue that holds this family together? What happened to the girl I once knew, did you truly die that day? I always believe you would recover for that but I was wrong. I'm sorry my friend. All of the signs where there, right in front of me….I could of stopped you, but No, I let my pride stop me and now your gone." Draco tore his eyes from the coffin and he looked upon his only pride, his son.
Draco breathed in deeply, wanting to remember the sweet smell of the flowers around him, as he did this he wondered what was going though his son's mind.
Scorpius sighed and stole a glance at his watch. "Come on, Merlin this is so boring, I mean I Loved my Aunt Cindel dearly but Why are we here…..what is the point in crying over someone who can't hear or see us…I could be home catching the last bit of the Quidditch finals…."
Rossamund was paying no mind to her family. She didn't notice her son's impatience, or the aurora of intense emotions surrounding her husband. And like always she didn't bother glancing towards her daughter. Showing any kind of sympathy based emotions towards her caused a fire to ignite in Draco. Inside her heart hurt. Cindel was like a diary to her, a diary with arms to hold her as she sobbed. Life after marriage was like a sinner going to the deepest depth of Hell. It only sounded bad, but the emotions and raw feelings it came with it were worse then death three fold. She whimpered shaking here hands.
"Am I alone now? Why…why did you leave me?" She cried softly hoping her small whimpers and sighs did not anger any one. Inside she was angry, but not at Cindel. More at the world and how she herself once was. Once she had been a cheerful, carefree girl. Now she was a wife, just a simple wife with the permanent taste of firewhiskey in her mouth. She looked up a moment, eyes locking with the casket again. "You left me….." She whispered under her breath.
Catherine was watching her mother slowly crumbly. If her mother had gave a damn every once in a blue moon she would feel bad for her. She figured this was karma at its worse, however she wondered why she had to suffer with them. She touched her bracelets sadly. Thunder rolled again and light flashed through the dark windows. Her eyes traveled back to the pew behind her family.
Behind the Malfoys sat the Potters. The once proud and Heroic Harry Potter sat with a blank pale face.
Harry, who was one of the wizarding worlds highly exclaimed Auror, sat beside his wife Ginny. Ginny showed not a look of sorrow, but of boredom.
She tried aimlessly to hold Harry's hand. But He keep shoving it away, until finally after Ginny's third try he turned his head to her "Stop it, I don't want to hold your hand" he said in a cold tone.
He had not meant to sound so cold towards his wife but she simply didn't understand. She would never understand the heavy thoughts weight on his mind and his, now broken, heart. "Cindel Why did you leave?…you still had a whole life ahead of you. I just don't understand why? You yourself always spoke highly against the idea of taking your our life. And now here I sit about to lay you in the ground. I just want to know what horrible thing could have driven you to do the one thing you loathed?"
The Funeral Director stood and took a deep breath "If everyone please stand we shall carry the deceased to the grave site." Everyone stood up, Rossamund had to be pulled to her feet by her husband, for she had no strength to stand alone.
Four men dressed in black robe turned the coffin so it could be carried out of the small building. The men picked up the coffin and carried it down the aisle.
As they passed Draco and his family they followed close behind. Draco shot a most hatefully glare at Harry as he passed him.
Harry only frowned and follow after a young girl who could only have been Draco's daughter. Ginny was clinging to his arm, but he ignored her.
They all stepped out into the black night. Lightning crashed and thunder rolled, rain feel heavily upon the morning witches and wizards as they stayed close behind the coffin.
The four pallbearers walked up a small hill to a tall cherry blossom tree, which had a freshly dug grave. The men placed the coffin on a metal contraption which would lower it into the grave. People gather around the coffin to bid their beloved friend one last goodbye.
The Funeral Director opened a black binder. He read from the pages with very little emotion. " Today we bury not only a fallen Auror, But also a fallen Hero, who used her wit and knowledge to help bring the final end to the War and restore peace in not only the Wizarding world but in the muggle world as well. When She finished her final years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, She had helped established new standards in the teachings of the defenses against the dark art classes, and still is held as one of Huffepuff's most valued students and Quidditch player. She was the friend everyone turned to be it for advise, a should to cry on or simple to have a good laugh. She was a very kind and caring woman to everyone she met.'
He shut the book slowly "Now if anyone would like to say a few words before we place her in her final resting place" He look at Draco and nodded. Who gave a small nod back and the director walked away to give the grieving friend time and space.
After a long pause filled only with a soft sob from Rossamund, Draco stepped forward and place a single white rose on the top of the coffin. He then place his hand on the cold wood and mutter something under his breath and walked back to his wife.
Scorpius followed his father's lead and placed his rose on the coffin as well, he said nothing as he took his place beside his father once more.
Rossamund watched her family move next to her, eyes on her. Draco nodded towards the coffin. Holding the rose in her trembling hands she walked forward, biting her lip so hard that a thin trail of blood ran down her chin. She sniffled placing the flower on the wet wooden surface. She leaned over kissing the coffin's lid. "You're my best friend…just because your gone doesn't mean that I'm going to stop talking to you!" She muttered loudly with a weak forced smile. "I wish it was me in there instead of you…I'm sure everyone else does to." She jumped slightly when a hand fell on her shoulder. She turned, eyes wide like a deer in head lights. Draco's hard stare had softened for the moment. "Let's go Rosie….c'mon." He whispered. The nickname she once swooned over meant nothing to her now. It was just a title. She appreciated his sweetness but she knew it was not real. It was empty and hollow like his eyes. She forced a tiny smile in response sniffling taking his hand.
Catherine watched as her father escorted her mother back. She knew it was a show. Their family was just a cast in a demented play focused on pleasing the crowd. They were Malfoys after all. Just actors…..actors in ugly masks. Without meeting her father's eyes she moved forward to the coffin, eyes on the rose.
She was watching the water droplets run off its silky white petals. It was a beautiful thing. A beautiful thing on a dreary day. A beautiful thing against the mass of gloom and disgust which was that of death.
She let out a heavy sigh as she neared, lightning streaking across the sky, a thunder rolling like that of a million drums. She flinched a little, as if the noise physically hurt. She knelt down, feeling her family's gaze burning into her back. Mud soaked her knees and made a disturbingly gross sound. She knew she must have looked stupid, getting all dirty, but she really didn't give a damn. She touched the brass on the coffin, the metal cool beneath her fingers. The fourteen year old was trying hard not to cry, that was being saved for when prying eyes could not gaze upon her weakness.
However, the hot tears fell anyway, disobeying her. "You left me. Damn you. Damn you!" She whispered loudly. "I still love you though….I'll always love you. You've left me with so many memories…..if you gave me every memory there would be more pieces then Lego Land…whatever the hell that is." She chuckled softly. Slowly she rose, brushing the wet globs of mud from her pants.
She placed the rose on top and stared a moment. So many droplets….so many droplets dripping off so many petals. Thunder ripped through the air. The storm was growing. "I think that's you…watching me? Your hurting my ears you know. Thanks." She actually smiled a little, looking up. The water beat down on her face and she smiled wider. "I love you!"
Rossamund watched quietly, confused. She hoped Draco wouldn't get upset. She couldn't handle that right now. Catherine walked back to them, her mother staring at the jeans. "At least….you didn't ruin a nice dress?" She laughed nervously, which sounded more like a choking sob.
Draco turned to walk away with his arm around his wife's waist once more. He leaned to his son and mutter in a firm voice "Get your sister in the car, but act like her escort".
Scorpius nodded and moved to his sister side, he gently took her arm but had a too firm of a grip.
She whispered harshly "I can escort myself , Daddy's boy"
"I don't really give a damn, Father told me to do something and I will follow his orders" He hissed back with cold malice.
Before she could retort, he was leading her to the car. "Oh there's the car, being so distraught, I would on never found it, thank you Brother dear" she said in a fake tone.
Scorpius gave her a mean glare before opening car down and motioning for her to get in.
Draco left out a angry sigh and roughly shoved his with into the car. He shut the car door a bit hard and walked to the other side to get in also. Scorpius took his set behind his father.
Catherine was looking out the window to her aunt's grave, wondering why Harry was standing alone.