It's Family, Sort of

It took a lot to shock a Rookwood but when Mairen divulged what it was that had happened, Theodore felt his whole body seize up. He stared at her, disbelief desperate to fall over his features. It didn’t, though. There was nothing to disbelieve. She was telling the truth. Taking a hasty breath, Theodore stroked his fingers through the front of his hair as anxiety swept over him. The idea that there was someone responsible and that Keiran had been right all along settled an uncomfortable feeling in Theodore’s gut. It meant that there was justice to be had. Mai was right: Keiran would want it, too.

Theodore looked over to the sofa where his daughter was cuddled up under a blanket, mindlessly staring at the television, chewing a hangnail on her left hand. He shook his head, letting Mai know silently that she wasn’t listening to them and he stepped across to her, standing in front of the redheaded witch, reaching back for his arms across which he ran his hands, trying to rouse some warmth and comfort into her skin as he looked for her gaze. He lifted one hand to her cheek and gently swept away a little bit of hair, curling it behind her ear before bringing his fingers underneath her eyes.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he insisted firmly but quietly. “Maybe it’s better that, at least until after Christmas, he doesn’t know. Let him have these celebrations, then we’ll ruin his New Year, okay? I hope that Keiran has a little more Slytherin about him to know he can’t just confront someone if they’ve murdered your father.” Theodore chuckled a little despite himself. It was absurd, really. He would have accused the man of having no Rookwood in him at all if he went and did that, told him he was all Gryffindor, complete with no brains and no sense of self-preservation. There was necessity in slyness.

“You don’t have to tell him,” Theodore pointed out, quickly clarifying that, “I can. If you don’t want the dubious honour, I can do it.” He dropped his hand and took hold of hers, rubbing his thumb over her palm before stepping back and clearing his throat, his eyes glancing blandly over in the direction of his daughter who basked in the luxury of ignorance. He swallowed and drew his fingers through his hair again, absently remembering he needed a haircut, before holding up his hands, gracing her with a hesitant look.

“Who… who did it, Mai?” He asked gently.

Mairen found herself immediately grateful that she had not made the mistake of allowing herself to cry. He seemed to be searching for signs of it as he brushed his fingertips long her cheek, but she merely looked up at him and let her eyebrows tug together in the middle. Theodore was right, though, about the fact that they should wait until the next time they saw him to say something. She supposed it probably would not be too incredibly difficult to keep from talking to Keiran, after all. If nothing else, she could claim that she had promised to spend time with Esme and play keep away from Mr. Hayes. Well, the living one, anyway..

She nodded at his suggestion, biting her lip. Her fingers itched with the desire to reach up and take hold of the hand he had brought up to her cheek, but that was just as nonsensical as her earlier idea. It felt all the more ridiculous when he stepped back and she found herself frowning at him deeply.

"I'm not a child, Theo," she snapped, not entirely meaning for her Gryffindor impatience and bravado to rear its ugly head. "Nor am I a coward. I know I should have told him, but I don't need you to do that for me. I may have been a little afraid, but I was trying to protect people," Mairen pointed out, wondering if he thought that she was weak or merely not able to handle herself. "I'll do it myself."

His question kept her from pushing to her feet and leaving the room, despite having lost her temper a bit. So she sat on her hands to try and keep herself calm. "Ana Levski... That Ministry woman." A frustrated huff escaped her as she shook her head, absolutely incapable of hiding her hatred for the woman. Despite what had happened with Scorpius, Ana did not have any idea how much the redhead disliked her.

"She was his friend, Theo," she pointed out quietly, her aggression curbed a bit by the sadness and disappointment she felt both in herself and with Ana. "Ana and Keiran got on pretty well before, but she admitted it right to my face. She found out what Aiden was doing and had him killed. She didn't do it herself, but... As much as I wish she would have some retribution for it, I can't see how to do so without jeopardizing those she's threatened. Merlin knows she would look to me, first, so I couldn't very well start causing real problems."