Things Left Unsaid

The last few years have been a blessing. Edward knew that now better than ever. But as every blessing this one had a limit of time to work under. Nothing lasts forever. He always knew this wouldn’t as well but perhaps he had grown soft, been too close to the light to ever see the darkness gaining field over him. He had just expected that once it came it would come directly over him and not attack him in the worst way possible. Elizabeth was the love of his life, the reason why the mark in his arm hadn’t consumed him completely. They could do with him what they wanted but to hurt her instead, that was too much for him.

It has been already a few days after the accident when he finally sat down to write. His first intentions were to direct himself directly to his son and for a couple of times he tried to write to him. But he never has written him a letter, not since Stephen had gotten into Hogwarts. Merlin’s beard! He wanted to. So much. He had always wanted to be the one Stephen could share all his experiences in Hogwarts with but he feared that by doing so he would be in danger. He feared they could track him and find out who he was and therefore use him to get to him. Stephen knew nothing of this and he was the last person that had to suffer because of his, Edward’s, own mistakes. He thought it would be best to put some distance in between them, both Stephen and Adriana. And it was already too painful to watch them grow up without being a part of the process… Edward decided against it. He would write to the headmaster himself so that, at least, Stephen didn’t have to receive the news through a piece of paper.


Dear Headmaster,

I thereby request Your Excellency’s assistance in a situation as fragile as this is. My wife had recently been victim of an accident that has left her in a very poor condition. Prognosis is yet unsure but for the time being she is out of harm’s way. My request to you is to put our son’s, Stephen Meyers, mind at ease. As it was yet unsure of what the future held for his mother I had prevented myself from alarming him and therefore he shouldn’t know yet of what has happened. I beg your understanding for the sensibility of the situation and why I do not wish him to acknowledge the situation by his own means or by an unreliable source but would also guarantee him a form of support I know you will be able to give him while I cannot.

In addition to this, if it is his wish, I thereby authorize him to come visit his mother at St. Mungo’s. My wife would be more than glad to see him. I just ask to learn whether he chose for or against this visit so that the proper preparations could be arranged.

Kindest regards,
Edward Meyers

In less than a few minutes Willow, the family owl, was already flying away carrying the scroll Edward had given him. He watched the owl go fly away until he couldn’t see more than a small dot in the greyish sky of London.

He didn’t know yet if this was the best he could have brought himself to do concerning his son but he hoped that someday he would be willing to understand all he has done as his and Adriana’s father. He wasn’t sure if forgiveness would be on his son’s list of vocabulary towards him but he didn’t need complete blind forgiveness, and he knew he didn’t exactly deserve it that way, but the starts to understanding would be enough for him.


Later, after crossing a few Spring storms Willow approached Hogwarts’ fields. However, the course was different from the usual. He didn’t soar down to the Great Hall as it was usual to meet with Stephen as he was used to. It wasn’t either in the direction of the Gryffindor’s tower but up above a different tower. In a matter of seconds, he had landed by a window at the side of the tower and hooting softly while pecking the glass to let whoever was inside know he was there.

Keiran Hayes was way down the list of people Selwyn thought would abandon their job to go off on a wild goose chase.  If you could even call it a wild goose chase.  It wasn't that wild.  

Of course, he'd done this kind of thing before, but Selwyn assumed that had been in the heat of the moment and that he'd got it all out of his system.  He should have known better.  Now, Selwyn was stuck running this school.  He didn't want to run this school.  Shylock was wearing his ring, and he'd managed to get Dominique on board with a wild scheme of his own.  He'd had plans to quit at the end of this year himself, actually.

Now, all those plans would be put on hold, at least until they found someone more suitable to become Headmaster of Hogwarts.  Selwyn didn't fancy keeping the title for long.

But for now, he was relocating to the Headmaster's Tower when an owl interrupted his unpacking.  Bloody owls and their bloody... instincts.  He was sure nobody could know of his sudden change in fortune so quickly.

Selwyn's forehead creased as he read the letter.  This was exactly why he didn't want to be a headmaster.  People made assumptions.  Like the assumption that you liked children, or were good with children, instead of that you'd gone into teaching out of a nebulous sense of duty.

He was certain that if Mr Meyers had known his letter was going to be received by Selwyn and not Keiran, he would have thought twice about sending it.  Still, now that he had read it, there was nothing to be done except what it suggested.  That irritated Selwyn, too.  Of course, he would have offered the kid a shoulder to cry on anyway, but Meyers didn't have to presume that.

"Flipsy," he said to the air, and waited.

"How can Flipsy help Master?"

Selwyn startled badly, before turning.

"What have I told you about doing that?" he demanded.  

"Flipsy must not apparate behind Master Thorfinn because it creeps Master out," the elf recited.

"That's right," Selwyn agreed, but he didn't ask why the house elves continued to do it anyway.  He didn't have time to get into an argument with it now.  "I need you to go and find a boy called Stephen Meyers and bring him up here.  And I don't care if any students see you, it's the twenty-first century for Merlin's sake."

But the blessing hasn't been for all. Stephen had always been a lonely wolf, lion, if you will. What made it ten times worse when he came from a family of snakes. Or at least, that was what he thought the real reason of the fight was. It sure had began years before his entrance upon Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It sure had started way before he was called in to the Gryffindor's table instead of his father's dearest Slytherin. But it did become worse after that. Letter decreased every month to two or three to one and then to one a year only to end as none a year, not even Christmas. He had wondered if at the end of the year he would have someone there at King's Cross waiting for his arrival. That there was. That was what grandparents were for anyway, but he had even expected more from them throughout the school year.

Bitterness aside. Stephen was very fond of his family. Possibly very fond of the memories that had stayed behind that, unlike these he was making nowadays, were made of something good and even better to remember. He missed them the whole year. He missed his father as he was years before, the one that would take him to Quidditch matches and would actually talk with him other than coldly staring and glaring.

As it was he had no idea of what it could be happening from their end. Hopefully nothing but nowadays one could never get their hopes to high at the risk of breaking after the fall.

Selwyn was no Keiran Hayes and certainly no Albus Dumbledore. He wasn't the sort of person who set up wards so he'd know who was outside his door before they even knocked. Selwyn had been in trouble enough times when he was at school to know how irritating that was.

So he moved from the Tower's personal quarters to the office and began sorting homework assignments. At least this room was much larger than both his previous offices. With a couple of sets of nesting tables, he'd be able to pile his work on things instead of the floor, and perhaps prevent his office looking like a total disaster for once.

When the house elf came to find him Stephen was both surprised and curious. Never in a million years he would guess what that was all about. He didn't even think he was in trouble; quite frankly, for a Gryffindor he didn't even get into that much trouble.

He stood up packing his belongings in the bag and went upstairs to the headmaster's tower. Luckily the house elf stood around long enough to get him through the eagle passage way. When at the door, he knocked.

"Come in, Stephen," Selwyn called out, as he read over the letter again.

How was he supposed to do this? Selwyn wasn't exactly a fan of Stephen's dad's plan - for him to simply owl back and tell him whether his son wanted to visit his mother, presumably. Nor was he well equipped to be breaking news of this sort. But then, Selwyn often found himself having conversations he was not well equipped to be having with students at this school. He could only hope he would be better at it than he anticipated.

No, Selwyn had another plan in mind. If the kid sincerely wanted to see his mum, Selwyn would have no trouble taking him over to St Mungo's today. To hell with what Mr Meyers thought of him for doing it.

Stephen peaked in still hesitant. He had never before encountered himself in the headmaster's office. Or in any professor's offices to be fairer. The news of professor Haynes leaving had shaken every student and the same came with professor Thorfinn assuming the place. The first one being the more striking, of course, as he had never had anything against any of them.

Closing the door behind him Stephen stepped forward closing the desk not really sure of what was happening. "You had me called, professor?"

The kid looked intimidated, and Selwyn cursed Hayes for never taking responsibility over anything in this school. Even when he had been here, it had pleased him to hob knob with the likes of Granger and her mates, rather than actually look out for the welfare of the students. All of that had been left to Selwyn, and the students hated him for it. He could empathise with them; he'd never liked adults interfering in his life when he was that age, either.

"You're not in any trouble, Stephen," he told the boy. "Sit down, please."

Selwyn didn't know what kind of relationship Stephen had with his parents, but the letter implied there would be crying involved. He didn't want the kid to faint or need a trip to the hospital wing on top of it all.

Stephen took a few seconds to proceed as asked and sit down in the chair in front of the desk. His will was to urge the new headmaster to go on with what he had to tell as the anxiety was killing him faster rather than slower. But he stood silent as he waited for the news to come not so sure of where to look at. He would have laughed at his looks if he was watching from another angle that it wasn't his own eyes.

Once the boy was sitting, Selwyn took a chair himself. He made a mental note to set up some kind of lounge arrangement near the fire for unfortunate meetings like this. Something so that a desk didn't need to be between them, making it feel like it was still a dressing down.

"I've had a letter from your parents," he said, indicating it, but not offering it to the boy. "It seems your mother's been in an accident. She's all right now, but she's still in St Mungo's."

He wasn't going to say anything about visiting until he saw Stephen's reaction to the news.