Hey everyone!
I have no idea if anyone will even see this as the email glitch seems to have delayed things. I have been writing for NaNoWriMo and have some parts written for all my stories so I am hoping to continue with bi-weekly updates. I'm also hoping to get back on track with set days to update. Things are slowly looking up again!
Lots of love,
LSH xxx
Breaking Traditions – Part 67:
Meredith had gone for a walk around the Gardens of the place she'd grown up with her mother and sister-in-law.
"I see my Father and brother do not know how to react to me," she said as the group were sat down by the lake.
"They didn't think they were going to have to face what they chose all those years ago," Priscilla spoke as she looked at her daughter, "but now that you're back they will have to confront their decisions that were made. You should never have been put in that position," she said.
Meredith nodded as she watched Rosalie standing and trying to walk before falling back to a sitting position.
"They will have to but it is about time that they were brought to account. Father has wormed his way out of facing it," she said as she looked back at her mother, "but first we have my niece's birthday party coming up don't we?" she asked and Narcissa nodded.
"Yes. She was born right around the time that Draco went to Hogwarts so we are hoping to get Draco off the start of term or we'll have a family birthday with Draco here and one without if needed," she said, "I do not want Draco missing the start of term so that may well end up becoming the best option," she added as she looked at Meredith. "I didn't think that I was going to see you again at one point."
"I wasn't sure I was going to come back but I have a niece now and I have been undercover for so many years now that it's time for a change," Meredith replied with a sigh as she looked down at the glass she was holding in her hands.
"Why did you choose to go undercover?" Narcissa asked, needing to know the answer.
"I wasn't undercover on one assignment Cissa," Meredith answered, "it was a series of ones that I still do not feel safe to speak about. I finished one undercover assignment, had a few days off to tie up things and then I was off on another one. I was running from the Malfoy name… what my father and brother were," she said, "I didn't want to escape you or my Mother but I needed to escape the Malfoy name… the Death Eaters."
Priscilla remained silent. She'd had a feeling that was why her only daughter had been gone for so long. She also knew that Meredith needed to make a name for herself and that was only going to happen if she was away from her name that she'd carried her whole life.
"I don't blame you," Priscilla said finally, "I, too, can understand what you feel. I had wanted to get away myself but I was still working to convince your father not to force your brother to join them. You he knew was not going to follow. Being an Auror would have put you in a position that neither of us wanted. He would have used you in a way that nobody would have forgiven you for," she said.
"I am glad Father saw sense there but he shouldn't have forced Lucius but, then again, Lucius had his own family to protect as well so he would have understood what Father was going through," she said with a sigh before drinking her drink again, "I didn't help… I just ran and never looked back. I should have stayed."
"No," Narcissa spoke as she looked at her sister-in-law, "you did what you needed to do and looked after yourself. You Mother is right and Voldemort could have used you if he'd have got his hands on you," she said and Meredith looked up at Narcissa before reaching to squeeze her hand.
"It seems that you and Mother are not angry at me," Meredith said, "but Father and Lucius…"
"Are torn Mer…" Priscilla said as she looked at her, "they are ashamed of what they were and are remembered for but they also know what a difficult position they put you in," she said as she thought, "I think the three of you will need to sit down and talk about things and clear the air."
Meredith sighed as she processed her mother's words. She knew that Priscilla was right and that the three would have to talk eventually but she needed sleep and that was something that would come in time.
"After sleep Mother. I feel that we will come together eventually and speak of the matter," she spoke as she looked at her mother, the sounds of Rosalie's rattle breaking the silence.
"You will do or I will force the matter and that is something that I do not want to do," Priscilla replied as she looked at her daughter, "to have you back is all that matters to me now."
"What are your plans?" Narcissa asked as Rosalie crawled over to her aunt and Meredith took the girl in her arms and stroked Rosalie's soft and chubby cheeks.
"Readjust to being myself again before going back to work at the Ministry," Meredith spoke, "I have agreed to return to the Auror Office and be myself this time," she spoke as she looked at her mother, "I'm not walking away from something that I love," she said and Priscilla nodded softly.
"I would expect nothing less of you," she said as she looked at her daughter, "you were made to be an Auror and Cissa and I know that you would die on the job if you had to. Being an Auror has always been the job for you… your dream," she said as she watched her daughter.
"It has. Ever since I was a young girl, that is correct," Meredith spoke as she chuckled as Rosalie grabbed her hair, "you really like hair don't you Miss Rosa?" she said as she freed her hair from the little one's grip.
Silence fell as the three witches drank their drinks. Rosalie's toys were the only sounds that could be heard for a while and the sounds of water against the shore of the lake mixed with it.
"I will speak to them though," Meredith said as she had decided that enough time had passed, "we'll have to clear the air or else that will make things uncomfortable for everyone."
"That's my girl," Priscilla said, "that's my precious girl."