Chapter 9

Once upon a time…


Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she ran through the trees, her stomach raw with agony. Fear of her mothers wrath coursed through her veins as the vicious woman screamed after her from the steps of the house.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, while the girl sat nervously in front of a piano, her eyes scanning the audience for her father. As they locked eyes, he gave her a big thumbs up to accompany the proudest smile she had ever seen anyone wear. Her stomach churned and her sores flared as she locked eyes with her mother, wearing a no less wide but for a more venomous smile than her father.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, she sat silently, hearing her parents screaming from upstairs. Her father had found them, the marks left on her skin by her mother, looking so very much like his own, and as she sat in undeserved guilt, she heard a large bang, and a curse from her father.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, she sat alone in the police station, a small blanket draped over her as she quietly sobbed watching the policemen take her father away. A doctor came and talked to her, but Elizabeth didn't like him very much. He kept using her mothers word for her, the word her father refused to use.


Elizabeth's heart was racing, as other children from the orphanage chased her through the forest. Unfortunately she was smaller, and slower, and suffered silently through the pain. She didn't understand why they hated her, the matron's said it was her affliction, but she didn't care, she had been beaten worse before.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, the new boy at the orphanage gave him his only toy, a small wooden car. It was the first kind thing anyone had done for her since her father was sent away. She cried that night, but they were happy tears. The nurses gave her more pills to stop what they said were mood swings.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, now in her teenage years, as the kind boy had taken her hand for the very first time. She didn't dare to look up however, painfully aware of the redness on her face. Elizabeth suspected the kind boy was just as red as her.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she walked out of the cursed orphanage for the very last time, a bag over one arm, a bottle of pills abandoned on the ground, and her hand comfortably interlocked with the hand of the kind boy, now man, that she loved so dearly that it hurt. There was no hesitation for them to look into each other's eyes anymore.


Elizabeth's heart was racing, her hand shaking as she signed the paper excitedly, laughing wildly with the kind man. Her gaudy white dress made her look fairly ridiculous to the people in the courthouse, particularly alongside her now husband, whose tuxedo was almost Victorian, top hat and all.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, the pain becoming increasingly unbearable. Where was the kind man, her husband. She needed him, she was pushing a human out of her and she needed him. Why didn't he come? The nurse, Meredith, took her hand, and told her everything would be okay.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she hyperventilated. The nice man's name, her husband's name, was now etched in stone. She looked down at the miracle in her arms. How would she do it alone? Meredith put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, as if to tell her; she wasn't.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she chased after her little girl through Meredith's small house, the two of them giggling until it hurt. Eddie was almost impossible to keep up with as she grew out of her toddler years, and her creative and inquisitive mind had made her into quite the trouble maker. She was glad she had Meredith, who considered the little angel, or perhaps monster, to be her honorary grandchild, which Elizabeth and Eddie wholeheartedly agreed with.


Elizabeth's heart was racing, when she opened the letter, but there was no need to be nervous. She was now approved to work as a nurse. Meredith gave her a proud smile, one that reminded Elizabeth so much of her father that it hurt.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she helped the doctor reattach their patient's finger. She wished she could say it was the stress, or the blood, or even how long she worked, but the real reason her heart was beating so fast was the man's eyes. When he introduced himself, he did it through a grunt, flirting with her to distract himself from the pain. She couldn't help but laugh. Before he left, he asked for her phone number. She couldn't help but say yes.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, while she felt the speaker's waves pound her chest. Martin's absurd dancing kept her on her toes and giggling, while the way he looked her up and down was enough to make her feel nervous and excited.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, a kiss is all it took. While the world melted away, she could hear the curtain of Meredith's front window moving. She knew she'd be telling her everything when Martin finally bid her goodnight, but for now the two of them were the only people in the world.


Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she excitedly recounted her evening. His smile; bright enough to light up a room, His dancing; completely out of tune, his laugh; as crazy as the moon. It was with Meredith, simply talking about that dazzling man that Elizabeth came to realize. For the second time in her life, she was in love.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, her nerves palpable, standing before a determined, and rather adorable Ollie Green gazing up at her as if she were a puzzle to be solved. It was Eddie, her little monster, who made the first move, walking right up to Ollie and asking if she was now her big sister. Martin barked out a laugh, and patted his daughter on the back. Elizabeth was worried for a moment, but was reassured when she saw Ollie's small, shy smile accompanied by an impost imperceptible nod.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she chased her girls through the trees, bringing up similar memories of running from her own mother at their age. Like in her childhood they were lively girls, scrapes on their knees and far happier running wildly through the forests than playing calmly inside. Unlike her childhood however, her daughters would not be running in fear. Her girls would know what a mothers love felt like, even if she only learned it first hand from Meredith.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, looking up into the eyes of the man she loved. This ceremony was far more traditional than her first wedding, but no less exciting. Once his vows had finished making her tear up, their adorable little ring bearers approached. Not for the first time, Elizabeth was relieved Ollie had accepted her so easily, and as the older girl led her step sister through the aisle, she could see Meredith blowing her nose from the front row.


Elizabeth's heart was racing, when Martin told her the news. She knew he was a soldier, and that this might happen, but suddenly it was real. She asked Meredith to watch the girls for a little while, she needed to give her soldier a proper send-off, and remind him of all that would be waiting for him at home..

Elizabeth's heart was racing, while she chased her daughters through the trees. This had become a common occurrence, bordering on Sunday afternoon tradition. The happiness she could bring out from her girls was infectious, and even knowing that coming home to a house without martin could not dampen these moments of joy.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, her fury simmering as she tried to listen to this 'Doctor's' nonsense. That word, that terrible word, schizophrenia. It reminded Elizabeth of the words manic-depression, the ones they incorrectly slapped on her at the same age. The one her mother used as an excuse to beat her, the one the matrons used as an excuse to feed her those pills. She knew her daughter, she knew that she was not deluded, not schizophrenic, and also she knew what kind of medication these 'antipsychotics' were. She would not have her daughter choke down pills that killed her soul from the inside.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, the shock palpable as through the open door she stared at that man, that impossible, frustrating, beautiful man that she had married. The only thing he had to say was 'surprise'. He was home, for good now apparently, and Elizabeth felt herself releasing a breath she held since he left. Her family was whole again.


Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she listened to the song Ollie sang for her. She had wrote it at school, she was told, and though Elizabeth prepared for the silliness to expected from such a class project, she was quickly dismissed of that assumption. Ollie's voice was magnificent, the song heartfelt, and when Ollie thanked her for being her mother, Elizabeth held her and wept.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she attempted to stifle she and her daughters tried to stifle their laughter. Martin was a truly hopeless cook, but he insisted on cooking dinner, and even as his girls watched him, he insisted all was well. The cartoonishly large stack of dishes, the burnt parsnips and the chicken still in the fridge told her otherwise. None of this frustrated her, like she knew it should. She had seen too much misery for this to be anything other than a funny story to tell.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, the sight of her Edwina shared a piano stool, with Martin, being taught the names of the notes. Eddie was a little too young for it, but her husband was so excited to teach her that he just couldn't help himself. One day, she would tell Eddie that music not only connected her the man who became her father, but also to the kind man who would have been as well.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, as she chased her daughters through the trees, a game they played so often that it became something of a tradition. Her Martin, her beautiful soldier was there with her this time, simply content to watch the girls play as he strummed his guitar. As she raced, Elizabeth felt her breaths get deeper, and quickly realised she was lying on the ground. The sound of her husband voice asking what happened slowly grew quiet at unconsciousness took her.


Elizabeth's heart was racing, her mind scattered as the doctor's voice began to muffle. The world began to spin, and only settled when Martin took her hand in his. But when she looked up to him, the strength he had always presented broke as their eyes met and his tears began to stream. The world began to spin again.

Elizabeth's heart was breaking, Her little Ollie had lost one mother, and now she must lose another. She just hoped this would not extinguish the flame in her heart, the light in her eyes. Her little monster, her beautiful Edwina, named after that kind man who helped create her, didn't understand yet. Elizabeth would have to leave that horrible task, and so many others, to her dear Martin, just as she would have to leave him.

Elizabeth's heart was fading, she knew it wasn't long now, she could feel it. She knew that Martin would carry on for the girls, even if he would be a broken man in every other way. Dying was the easy part, being left behind was the truly cruel fate, she knew that from experience. She was glad Meredith would be there to help, but she knew that wouldn't be enough. She just wished she knew how things would turn out without her.

Elizabeth's heart has faded, leaving behind her earthly duties unfulfilled, grief for all those who loved her, but also an example of living a life: to be full, even if it can't be long; by embracing love and letting it outshine the darkness.


Author's note.

A bit of a different chapter this time, going back a little before we return to Eddie's letter and the aftermath.

As I prefer to keep things subtle, and not reveal too much about what's going on in the fic, so I recommend you skip the rest of the note if you would prefer that. With that being said, thank you for all the kind words about my little story, it always makes me so unbelievably happy wherever I see another review, favourite, kudos of follow come through.

I don't want to spell it out too much, but considering how I touch on mental illnesses, disorders and disabilities I figured those curious may want some clarification. Elizabeth was misdiagnosed with Bipolar disorder as a child, possibly at the insistence of her mother. Elizabeth, being a witch, has reported seeing, hearing and doing absurd things with none of the signs of lying that most children would possess, so it's slightly more realistic that a professional would come to the conclusions of schizophrenia, but it is still often misdiagnosed, especially in children.

Sorry for the very late updates, I never wanted to be the author that updates so irregularly and rarely, but here we are. We are very close to the point in the story where a natural break occurs between the first part and the second, which will begin when Harry arrives at the burrow. Harry and Hermione will be central characters, and the story continues when they go to Hogwarts, though I have no interest in literary retelling canon, at least the parts not changed by Ron's growth and Eddie's presence at Hogwarts. Some people have asked about ships, and right now I'm considering this a Romione fic. I had an idea for one that I'm planning to roll into this.