McConn House January 2035 (fixed)

Kiara sighed, so much time was gone.

"I first met you Eglantine in he late summer of 2018, is know January of 2035.. 17 years has passed since the day we met Eglantine. The people in this room are very close to you, myself included. We are all quiet close with Horatio as well since he started teaching at Hogwarts." she explained looking into Eglantines eyes

Seventeen years... how had she forgotten so much? She turned to look at Edwin. He was older than 17... but she would ask about that later on.
"Who am I married to?" she asked, knowing she would have never had a child out of wedlock.
Horatio beamed, kneeling down to look her in the eyes.
"You married me, Eglantine. January 2019 and we've been very happy." Eglantine felt tears come to her eyes. She didn't remember being happy with him. Saw him only as a friend whose friendship she cherished.
"I do not remember." she whispered. Horatio nodded.
"That's fine... I can remember for both of us."

Rossa Sighed this was to much, she wanted to be happy she really did... but she couldn't.

Not being able to take it anymore she got up and ran from the Kitchen, tears streaming down her face. It wasn't fair, she looked and sound so much like the grandmother she had known. Now she was this innocent, scared women... she was not her grandmother...

She ran up to her room and slamed the door shut, shaking the surronding walls.

Kiara wanted to go after her daughter... if anything she knew how she felt, she could understand what Rossa was going through, this very second she did.

But she couldn't... not yet.

"Ciaran.. could you?.." she asked partially if he could go and talk to Rossa. If anyone had the nack for calming Rossa down it was her Daddy.

Knowing what was going through Eglantine's mind she had someone else to talk with.

"Horatio Perhaps you could tell her about happy times while you were married?" she trusted Horatio to keep certian things off limits. Like kiara being her daughter and all that.

"Edwin? I need to talk to you for a moment" she said walking out to the living room away form everyone else.

Ciaran nodded, rising to go after his daughter. As confusing and emotional as the whole event was to him, he could hardly imagine how much greater the confusion and pain was for his young daughter. Ascending the stairs, he gently knocked on her door.

"Rossa, darlin. It's Da." he murmured, waiting patiently. He knew how deeply Rossa loved her grandmother and how deeply she had been hurt by Eglantine's submersion into Excessum. Now to have the whole past torn away and replaced with a new truth... how did one cope with such a reality.

Horatio nodded to Kiara, deciding it was an excellent idea, both to keep Eglantine's mind occupied, since he already notices she was putting far too many pieces together.
"I proposed to you under a oak tree. There was snow and you were so cold. We had taken a walk along with Esis and Edwin. You remember Esis, don't you?" Eglantine nodded.
"Esis took Edwin along with her and we stopped under the oak. You said how much you longed for spring to come again and we had a short conversation about that." He went to go on, but Eglantine closed her eyes and looked away.
"What is it? Is something wrong?" Horatio asked, worried.
"You remember it in such detail..." she murmured. Horatio smiled.
"It was worth every second of memory."

Edwin nodded, going over to Kiara as she walked out.
"Okay...I'm here." he murmured, slightly worried about what Kiara was going to say.

Rossa sniffed, and sat up on her bed though tears still dripping down her face.

"You can come in... Da" she said wiping her face with her sleeve. Being sure to keep her buirsed wrist covered.

Kiara smiled as she heard Horatio's memory, a happy perfect sweet memory. She truely hoped she could share some memories with Eglantine..

She sighed when Edwin joined her.

"Edwin, she is going to ask where you came from, who your blood father is, and for her it won't make any sense. Now I am not sure what to tell her, in order to explain your existance we will have to explain Execcsum and everything to do with it...."

"Something I am not certian she can take at the moment..." she said and plus she was not sure who was there that knew the secret of Edwins origin and prefered not to explain now.

"Now we need something to tell her untill later...." she said unsure of what to do.

Entering the room, Ciaran went to Rossa's side, wrapping his arm around her. "Darlin, if ya want ta talk, I'm here for ya. If ya don't I'm here ta." Tears filled his eyes as he gently reached to wipe the wet splotches on her cheeks. His little rose should not need to cry...

Edwin nodded, his hands digging into his pockets.
"Yeah...maybe we could use the same story Viper used with the ministry. You know... I came from the DNA potion from Richard DeLanquar and mama. Of course, she'd probably wanna know why she did that, but it would be better than, you know." He reached out and patted his sister's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Kiara. I'll do my best to help."

Rossa hugged her father trying to stop the tears.. but finding it difficult.

" It is just so hard.... yesterday she helped me when I was in trouble and smiled at me... now she doesn't even know I exist" she sobbed.

"She isn't.... grandmother anymore, she doesn't even remember mum..." she sniffed.
___

Kiara thought about it and nodded " I guess that will have to do for now... We can tell her the full story later..."

She gave Edwin a small smile, "Right back at you Edwin" she said with a nod.

"Okay lets go back, and hope she will accept our answer" she said starting to move back to the kitchen.

"I know darlin..." Ciaran murmured, tear running down his own cheeks, hugging Rossa close to him.
"But maybe this is a good ta." he gently lifted her chin to look at him. "She can know ya without Excessum now. She's still the same person." he comforted.

--

Nodding Edwin followed Kiara back to the kitchen. "Oh and we should probably keep Esis and Ava away from her for now..." he added.

Rossa looked into her fathers eyes, noting that he was crying to. She swallowed an nodded forcing her tears to stop, as she wipped her dad tear away.

"I guess.... its just, it isn't the same, sure we can tell about our memories... but her own memories of the feelings in the past will be gone... and Really even with Execcum what did she do? she never hurt anyone.... well not directly, it was always the peoples fear of her that hurt us" she muttered and subconsiuosly rubbed her forearm. It no longer hurt but she knew it was there, she could have gotten a whole lot more then that if her grangmother hadn't shown up.

Kiara nodded, "Yes... Esis talks to much... she will say something she shouldn't, and Ava.... well I am hoping she will come around sometime... I Think she is just concered about this as the rest of us, she just doesn't want to admit it." she said.

Ciaran was deeply touched by his daughter's small hand reaching up to wipe away his tear.
"Are ya goin ta be okay?" he asked softly, gently stroking his little girl's cheek. "And there still there. I've heard of people gaining back their memories after terrible spell accidents and stuff. Maybe it'll be the same with yar grandmother." he sniffed back a few more tears. Rossa was so sweet and intelligent, every day she grew more and more like her mother.
"Yar right, she didn't do anything except delve a wee bit deep inta darkness. And they wont be hurting us anymore, kay."

--

"Yeah, not to mention she can't keep information quiet to save her life..." Edwin muttered. He didn't even want to talk about his sister. It bothered him immensely how she had acted. Ava had always been...strange, but surely his sister had a conscience...

Rossa nodded sniffing back more tears and hugged her dad tightly. "I will be okay, Daddy, thank ya" she said with a sniff and her dad's accent slipping in.

"And I hope some of her memories come back, it is weird, her looking at everyone like they're strangers" she said quietly.

"She was the only one I told my Animagus form to..." she muttered as she rested her head on her dad's shoulder and glanced at the mirror she had gotten her just yesterday, yet it seemed a life time ago.

She gave her father a small smile, "I wanted ta surprise ya and Mum when I finally got it down" she said not wanting her beloved father to think she hadn't trusted them.
____

Kiara nodded, and patted Edwin's shoulder as they went back to the kitchen. "Don't worry, things will work out eventually.... I hope" she said with a sigh.

Pleasure filled Ciaran's eyes at Rossa's "confession". "What's yar form, darlin?" he asked, proud that she had been able to complete a complex work of transfiguration. It would appear that his daughter never failed to surprise him. "And we'd never think anything but be proud and happy for ya, love." he murmured, kissing her forehead. "Me growing rose."

--

Edwin didn't say anything else as they reentered the kitchen. Staring into her mug, Ara looked lost in a daydream or possibly a nightmare. Eglantine had risen from her chair and was looking out the window. Horatio sat by his daughter, gently stroking her red hair.

"Where is my brother and his family?" she asked softly, not turning around. She wanted to see Bella and Severus... her brother and his wife. For no reason other than she knew them.

Rossa smiled, "I told ya Daddy, it is a surprise, I haven't go it perfect yet, so ya will have ta wait" she said with a giggle and hugged him again.

__________

Kiara froze at the question, most of her brothers family was dead, Edmund as far as she knew lived like a hermit now in germany, Bella lived with her husband and child, where she wasn't sure. She wasn't sure how to explain the all the others were dead. To her she had just seen them all alive yesterday.

"Your brother, lives in Germany, somewhere and I believe Bella lives with her own family now. As for the others, well...they.." she wasn't sure how to telll her. Even if she did why would she believe her. To her she was a stranger.

Ciaran chuckled, "Very well, lass. Want ta go back down? or stay up here?" he asked.

--

Eglantine nodded carefully, reaching out to place her pale hand against the window pane. "Severus is dead...I can feel it." she murmured. Horatio looked up immediately at her statement. What did it mean that she could feel her nephew's lack of life?

Rossa thought for a moment and sighed, "I guess I will go back down Daddy perhaps I can still be of some help" she said wipping the remaining tears off her face, and she stood up.

"Thanks Da" she said with a nod, he always knew how to cheer her up.

______

Kiara paled at the statment, "Yes... I am afraid he is....Eglantine, I am sorry....." she said.

She bit her lip, "You could feel it?" she asked faintly

"Good thought, darlin." Ciaran beamed, kissing her forehead again and slowly rising from the bed, wrapping his hand around hers. "Yar welcome, rose."

--

Eglantine turned around slightly cocking her head to the side as she studied Kiara. "Yes... why is that so surprising? You said you know me well. Seventeen years. How would you not know about my ability to sense life close to me?"

Horatio sighed, obviously relieved. "We simply forgot, love." he murmured.

Rossa smiled "Love you Da" she said as she opened her bedroom door and headed back down staires.

________________

Kiara winced, she had known of the ability, but she always associated it with Execcum for some reason.

"Of course, sorry I forgotten about that" she said with a sigh, what did she get the feeling this wasn't going all that well.

Ciaran smiled, following his daughter. It lifted his heart that she was smiling again. Reentering the kitchen he went to Kiara's side for support, nod doubt that she needed.
Whispering in her ear, he assured her that Rossa was better now, at least for now.

Eglantine shivered, folding her arms over her thick black robes. In the chaos of the day before, she had not changed and was still enfolded within heavy voluptuous black robes. Still she felt cold as if something was lacking from her.
"What did I do in the dark arts?" she asked, noting that her wand was not on her person. In fact she didn't feel it at all, as if it had been lost along with her memory and family.

Rising from the table with a final pat to Ara's shoulder, Horatio began to pace. "I think it would be best if we saved that for later." he murmured, softly but firmly. "Slowly is a pace for the patient, but the best course I believe."

Kiara gave a small smile at Ciaran, "That is good, I knew all she needed was her Dad" she said holding his hand, feeling slightly better now that he was near her."

"Horatio is right Eglantine, it is a long, and complicated story, one that that may be to much for any of us to retell at the moment" she said. Personally she thought it would be better if they tolded her when a little trust had been gained, it seemed odd, all of them explaining this and Eglantine didn't really know any of them, Horatio as the exception.

Rossa bit her lip and decided to sit by her aunt Ara, who seemed like she could use all the comfort she could use as well.

She patted her aunts hand, knowing this was difficult for all of them.

Ciaran squeezed Kiara's hand gently, glad he could be of some use.

"Very well." Eglantine murmured, turning back to the window.
"Ummm... can I ask you... erm why?"
She saw the girl at the table in her mind, frightened.
"Did he harm you?"
Her own voice asked.
"Grandmama?"
The short-haired girl murmured, sounding both amazed and slightly afraid.
"There is no need to fear."
Came her response.
A small squirrel and a mirror reflected in the window pane. A rose twisted around them...
"There is no why...only how and when."
The girl looked terrified when she spoke... the words seemed foreign, but had come from her own lips. Eglantine was sure of it.
"I... I am sorry... I... shouldn't have asked... I... I am sorry..."
ROSSA The memory of her granddaughter finally came free from the jumbled mess of memories.

She turned slowly to find the girl. Smiling softly, she held her hand out to Rossa.
"There is no need to fear." Eglantine murmured softly. "No more how or when..."

Rossa snapped her head up from her place by Ara's side to face her grandmother.

Her eyes were wide almost not wanting to believe here ears that her grandmother actually remembered her.

Her Father had been right, perhaps she would come back to them, she only how the dark magic that started all this didn't as well.

Standing up the young teen slowly, made her way over to Grandmother taking in her smile again it had been so long since she had seen it turly

"Grandmama?" she asked, her voice timid.

She remembered her... that thought caused an overwelming sense if relief to wash of her.

A single tear trailed down her face before she drew her self into a hug to her Grandmother.

"Grandmama...you remember.." she said through her tears.

Kiara had tears in her eyes as she watched the scene with a smile, hope of have Eglantine back again was once again strongly renewed.

Horatio felt his eyes fill with tears which he held back with great self-control as he watched Eglantine return Rossa's embrace. It was a start to remembering them all... a new beginning for his wife, the mother of his children and the grandmother of theirs.

It made sense that Rossa would be first... after all, she had been the last person Eglantine had seen, not including Ciaran, before the attack.

"Yes, Rossa. I remember you." Eglantine murmured, gently touching the girl's face and wrists. "You were hurt... a fragile squirrel." she whispered, biting her lip. The flood of memories for the young woman before her swept over her. Rossa as a baby... as a cooing toddler, growing in seconds as she had in years. Until the memories stopped and there were only a few missing pieces...

Fear struck Eglantine suddenly and she pulled away from Rossa. The memories that were faded seemed to point to one thing... she had hurt her granddaughter. Despite feeling that she would never have done such an action... the blurred memories did not appear to lie.
"Oh what have I done?" she murmured, covering her mouth with a hand and turning away to look out the window.

Rossa looked to her grandmother in concern and carefully moved closer to her, did she remember something else, something she rather not remember?

Kiara looked in concern as well but stayed where she was, if anyone could put Eglantines fears at rest it was Rossa.

"Grandmama? whats wrong?" she asked in a small voice as she stood beside her. She wasn't to sure what her grandmother felt bad over, so she did the first thing that came to mind.

"It will be okay Grandmother... things always work out for the best" she said putting her gently hand on her grandmothers back.

Ara reached out and grabbed her father's hand, keeping him from rushing to Eglantine's side. She did not think he would be very helpful at the moment.
"Wait, papa." she murmured, holding his large hand tightly.

Eglantine closed her eyes.
"I hurt you..." she whispered. Memories of several different tears came to mind and she lifted her hands up to eyes to look at them. They were far paler than normal, but it had been awhile since she last remembered looking at them. Scars crisscrossed the white skin, and she wondered how many of the injuries had been offensive and how many had been defensive. "I hurt many people, didn't I?"

Rossa bit her lip as she rubbed her grandmothers back, she glanced at her mother wondering what to tell her, It all depened what her grandmother ment by hurt, she had not lay a hand on any of them..but she had been the focual point of most of there grief over the years.

It was sad really, the only people Eglantine had ever hurt had been the people who loved her the most.

"You didn't harm any of us if that is what you mean? you never harmed anyone directly..." she said gently.

Kiara perked her head up they were heading to dangerous territory. "Rossa sweetheart" she whispered as she shook her head.

"You didn't hurt anyone Grandmama, you protected me" she said, offering a smile.