The mood in the house was sombre. As people began to drift away, back to their respective homes, Elijah was allowed moments to think, to feel, and to really just relax. In the last few days the garden had become his refuge. There he could hide amongst the trees and, if he so dared, within the maze that acted as a barrier between the house and the forest. It had been something that had been grown after Alice had died. It had always been there but it had stayed trimmed and low so Stelladora could watch them while trimming the rose bushes or whatever garden chore she was taking part in. After Alice, the shrubbery became a wall; or wall
s. It was to protect Elijah. He knew the maze better than anyone, though. A protective mechanism it was not but at the same time, and to a certain degree, it was. If he was the only one who knew how to properly navigate it then he would have the upper hand if there was any danger. Elijah knew now that a stinging spell to the crotch would dispel any wayward attacker; not that anyone wanted to off him to his knowledge.
A door slammed above Elijah and he looked up at the open window as voices floated out. He quickly picked up parts of the conversation and was disappointed to hear that it was about him. His aunt was concerned; worried even, and had called a ‘mother’s meeting’ to discuss it all. From what he could hear though, the other women in there were less than pleased. They had their own children to worry about; they simply didn’t have the time to worry about someone else’s. Elijah snorted in disbelief and shook his head, tapping the end of his cigarette and sending the ash to the floor. They didn’t have time for him. Of course they didn’t. Their own children understandably garnered much more of their attention but with Viktor being called away for spring training, Elijah was feeling alone. He didn’t want Khaat’s understanding word. He didn’t want anyone’s word. They didn’t know how it felt. They didn’t. They never would. They couldn’t insist they did because the person they lost was someone they loved; someone they knew. Elijah hated his mother with every fabric of his being. Now he realised that he’d barely known her. The locket was proof enough of that. It now meant everything to him. Everything else was behind a brick wall in his mind. That was what he wanted to focus on. It’s what he had to focus on. He wanted to know her. No, he
needed to know her.
A shaky sigh left Elijah’s lips and he dropped his head into his hands; but not before flicking his cigarette away. His shoulders shook as the wind danced across them and he felt the heavy locket pull the chain out of the open part of his shirt at the top. The locket fell into his hands and he felt them warm slightly. Elijah cupped his hands around it and ran his finger over the top, tracing the flower engravings and her initial with his nail. Elijah bit down on his lip and clipped it open, bracing himself for the burst of light.
No sound met his ears.
Elijah cracked an eye open and looked at the locket. It lay innocently in his palms, unmoving. Elijah frowned a little and brushed his finger across a tiny piece of rolled up parchment that lay in the velvet within the locket. Elijah closed it, the click meeting his ears over the twinkle of the birds. He placed it back underneath his shirt and let it rest against his heart where it belonged. Elijah slowly unravelled the parchment and as he did, it expanded in size and grew. He sucked in a breath upon realising that the parchment had been ripped from a book of sorts. He wetted his lips with his tongue and pushed his hair back out of his eyes. He turned the page around so the text across it was upright ad he began to read, his heart pumping rapidly against his ribcage.
Monday, August Fifteenth, Nineteen-Eighty-Eight.
Marina Harrow, age eleven.
I don’t know how to write these things. In school they teach us how to write with Muggle pens. I don’t like them much myself but other children like me, there was an annotation here that said ‘magical’ and it made Elijah smile through the tears that had gathered on his cheeks, find them easier than quills. Mummy took me and Iskra to Diagon Alley today. It was for me but Iskra had to go to work. Adric came too and he had to hold onto my hand instead of Iskra’s because mummy had Ivana in the pushchair. I got my Durmstrang letter last week. Mummy wanted to go to Diagon Alley instead of the precinct in Sofia where all the magic shops are. She said that Diagon Alley is better. I don’t know how but this nice lady gave me a really big lolly pop.
We flooed there. I don’t know when but we did. When we got there though, Mummy bought me and Adric some cookies and that was when the nice lady gave me the lolly pop. She had a BIG wart on her nose. She looked funny. It made me giggle. Mummy told me off for it but the lady laughed back. She said that I looked funny. I happen to think my sun dress looks rather nice, actually! The lady said she liked it. I don't know though.
We went to the big bank after! I can't remember what Mummy called it but it was really nice and big and stuff! The Goblins looked really funny but they stayed with me and Adric while mummy went to get some money. Then we went to get my things! I remember the wand bit the best though! 10 inches, mine is. It’s ebony or something, Mr. Ollivander said, and it has a unicorn hair in it! It’s really pretty! I love it! I’ll never break it! I promised mummy! I know where I’m going to hide this diary though. Iskra would tease me and Adric would rip it. We are home now. We are back in Bulgaria. I’m going to hide you in a book. I’m going to hide you in my favourite book! The Beedle and the Bard! Do you know that book, diary? I’ll always hide it there. No one ever reads it but me. I’ll hide you there forever, and ever and ever! I promise diary! I promise! Then when I’m big and I have babies I will let my biggest find you and he or she will read my adventures! There was a tiny addition at the end; one Elijah had to squint to read. He frowned a little as he brought the paper closer to his face.
Elijah darling, know that I love you. Know that I have always loved you that never for a moment have I hated you. You were always first and foremost my son, my only son. I hurt myself in hurting you, darling. I pray that you forgive me. For if it is my last wish, I wish for you to forgive me. I love you my darling, my sweet, beautiful boy. I can only hope that you be the parent to those children that your father and I weren’t to you or Cecilia. Just remember that through all of our flaws that we love you; we always did even if it was not always obvious. Often, it’s the only thing you can do – love them. Look to the bookshelf if you wish to; the bookshelf in mine and Viktor’s room. Open it if you want.Elijah bolted from the garden. He threw the double doors open and ran through the house, chucking his shoes off of his feet and zipping past his cousins and second cousins that were wandering about the house in search of this that and the other. He ascended the large, sweeping staircase in the foyer, taking two steps at a time. His heart was pounding in his ears as he threw himself up the stairs, almost flying. Magic propelled him down the hallway towards his parents’ bedroom. He threw the door open and tripped over the rug. He slammed his hands down on one of the shelves of the bookshelf and gasped for breath. Elijah looked up and lifted his hand. He plucked the battered, old copy of the Beedle and the Bard.
Bringing it down, he almost dropped it and in doing so, a book slipped from the pages onto the floor. It expanded as the parchment had done and Elijah leaned down to pick it up. He sucked in a breath as the rough cover brushed his fingers and he picked it up carefully from the ground. Her name was in on the front in gold lettering and the book was being held together just barely by a belt tied around it. Elijah’s fingers ghosted across the brass buckle and he nibbled on his bottom lip. “I do so want,” he whispered, releasing the book from his binding. The belt, broken, fell to the floor and Elijah retracted his claw. The fur flattened and turned to skin as the book fell open.
A picture shone against the page, held down by masking tape. Elijah held it up to the light and watched as his father dashed across a field hot on the heels of his mother. His hands went to her hips and he picked her up, pulling her onto her shoulder. He began to spin and giggles escaped her mouth. It was then that the sound met Elijah’s ears. The book slammed shut and the pattern on the locket began to engrave itself on the front. Elijah’s eyes widened as the book opened once more, the pages flying past until it reached two blank ones. Then, footsteps began to walk across the page, dragging ink behind them. Dates appeared and Elijah realised then what was being asked of him as the road was being drawn by the shoes. “Why, though?” he whispered. “Why me? Why not Cecilia, huh? She was the second take wasn’t she?”
Elijah felt a breeze ghost past his ears and he thought for a moment that he heard the words, “Because you’re the only one that can.” But of course, why would he have heard such silly things? That is a ridiculous notion is it not? He was just hearing things; wasn’t he?
by 
