McConn House January 2035 (fixed)

Eglantine glanced down at the cane, which had fallen to the ground where she had dropped it. Her accident and her husband's death had caused physical and emotional wounds that she no longer felt. Maybe because there was another pain...one far deeper than even the anguish of a lost husband.

"Directly?" she murmured, lifting an eyebrow. "But I did harm someone... more than one." she insisted. There was something present, at the tip of her mind, just beyond her understanding.
"What did I protect you from?" She remembered Rossa's begging for forgiveness and shuddered. "Myself...is that what I protected you from? You feared me."

Horatio finally pulled away from Ara, unable to stand it any longer. Going to Eglantine's side, he took her hand in his.
"It isn't what your thinking..." he protested, trying to soothe her without making it worse. Unfortunately, she nodded, her answer proving their attempts to keep her from the dark memories had failed.
"Oh no... it is far worse than that, isn't it?"

Rossa looked tring to keep her tears from falling, why did remembering her have to just make things worse?

"No... you stopped a boy at school from hurting me more... you stopped him, after that I asked you something and that upset you... I was scared that I upset you, or made you angry, not because I thought you would harm me... you never would do that" Rossa explained softly several tears going down her face.

Kiara stepped forward and pulled Rossa into her arms, "shh darling..." she said stroking her daughters hair.

"Eglantine.... it is complicated.. you see, When you went into dark arts the general pulbic feared you even though you harmed no one. Well people do.... mean things when they are scared.." she said softly as she kissed Rossa's forehead.

Eglantine nodded, forcing herself to believe Rossa. She saw the tears and immediately wished she had not said anything.
"Please..." she whispered, "Do not cry."

The door slammed open and Ewan and Ean burst in, looking happy and out of breath. "We made the biggest snowman ever!" Ewan shouted. Ara quickly rose to take the twins out, but Ean had already spotted Eglantine.
"What's she doing here?" he asked, curious, looking from Ara to Kiara.
"Why's Rossa crying? Is something wrong?" Ewan asked, shrugged past Ara to go over to Rossa. "Is this about Ean breaking your cup?"
Ean's eyes were wide.
"I did my best to glue it back..." he murmured.

Eglantine felt overwhelmed with confusion at the two boys. There were so many people... so many tiny fragments of memories. Horatio's gentle hand around her waist helped, but it hardly soothed her tangled thoughts. "Who are they?" she whispered softly. Ara sighed, folding her arms.
"Come on boys, lets go look at your snowman." she tried, attempting to get them out of the room. They didn't move.

Horatio helped Eglantine sit down and then motioned for his youngest sons to approach. "Ewan, Ean McKevin..." he murmured softly. "Eglantine, these are our sons." Both twins looked torn between looking confused and just plain curious.
"Yeah..." Ewan spoke up, biting his lip. "I'm the oldest and Ean's a bit younger. You probably don't remember us, but that's okay."
"Uh-huh, we understand since we were just annoying little kids." Ean piped up, smiling at his attempt to be helpful. "Are you okay now?"

Rossa couldn't help but smile at the twins, they were so carefree, much like her younger brother Beagan, who was alot like the twins.

"Don't this isn't about a cup, a cup can be fixed no worried" she to assure the twins.

She wipped the tears away, not wanting to upset anyone else, "Sorry... I will be fine" she said putting up strong face once again like her Mum.

Kiara sighed, and looked at Eglantine, she couldn't even imagine how overwelming and confusing this must be for her.

"Eglantine, if you have questions about anyone in this room you can ask, or if you feel this is to much and you need a moment alone you can do that to. No one here expects you to get this all in one day" she said softly, tring to be as comforting as possible.

Ean sighed, obviously relieved that Rossa had not been crying about the cup. He patted her on the back anyway, trying to comfort her.

Taking a slow breath, Eglantine sighed. "Would each of you say who you are?" she asked softly. Ara nodded, taking her seat once more.
"I'm Ara, your...um... daughter." she murmured, not looking at Eglantine. "I have a twin, Ava...she left." Edwin nodded.
"Yeah, but she'll come back. I'm kinda a weird one... but I'm your oldest son." Eglantine raised an eyebrow at "weird" but let is pass without comment.

Her gaze fell on Kiara. "Rossa is your daughter..." she murmured.

Rossa chuckled and ruffled Ean's hair, "Thanks uncle Ean" she said with a smile to confirm she felt better.

Kiara nodded patting Rossa's shoulder, she decided no was not the best time to explain how she was her real daughter so she went with the next thing to the truth.

"Yes I am your daughter... you named me your heir, some years ago. Before I married legal name was Kiara Delanquar. I guess Edwin isn't the only weird one in this group." she said with a small laugh.

Eglantine nodded slowly. That made sense... sort of. If she had gone to teach at Hogwarts and befriended Headmistress Kiara... then apparently adoption had followed. Something must have happened to Severus in order for his to have lost his inheritance. Maybe it had been death, maybe not.

"I see..." she whispered, less but still confused. It was almost as if she had fallen into an alternate reality with dream like memories of having been there before.
Ean patted her shoulder.
"I'm glad you're feeling better." he stated sincerely. "I like seeing you."

Ara's eyes widened and she rose from the table, rushing out of the room. Horatio went to follow her but decided against it. Within moments she reappeared, trying her best to keep Esis from following her.
"Oh come off it, back off silly." Esis chuckled. "Kiara, Edwin! Help me out here."

Kiara sighed esaperatedly, just who they didn't want to visit just yet.

Giving Rossa's shoulder a pat she got up,and went to the door leading out of the kitchen.

"It is alright Ara, you okay?" she asked her younger sister and looked at Esis.

"Esis? You called?" she asked.

Some how she doubted she could keep Esis from Eglantine, if only she could convinces Esis to watch what she said around Eglantine, even then she didn't have much faith it would do much good.

Ara nodded, quietly motioning to her mother's cousin.
Esis folded her arms over her chest.
"Of course I called, silly." she exclaimed, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "Ava was all upset when I saw her, so I came to see what the hell's going on and looky there, it would appear you're all having a heart to heart with Eglantine. Since this is not a "common" occasion... mind explaining?"

Kiara sighed, "Esis, it is hard to explain...." she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Esis... Eglantine has lost her memory back to before she worked at Hogwarts, Meaning she doesn't remember anything over the last 17 years we are just explaining afew things to her.... Please Esis.. she is very confused and overwelmed right now. Please watch what you say to her.." she said hoping Edwin would help sometime.

Esis' mouth fell open and she appeared lost for words, which for Esis was a big thing.
"Whoa..." she muttered, instantly becoming serious. "Trust me, okay." she smiled, patting Kiara's arm. "I can be careful when I want to be... don't forget how old I am, pet." she winked. Most people dismissed Esis as a fun-loving witch shy of a full load, but Esis had deeper feelings than most realized.
"Besides she'll know me and I'm not the one she just found out she's married to and had four kids with... or her daughter or grandchildren. Honestly I might be the best one to talk to her."

Kiara sighed and bit her lip, Esis was such a wild card, one never knew how she would react to something. and she was probably right, out if all of them Esis would be the one who had changed the least since Eglantine last remembered her.

"Alright.... I am sorry Esis, your carefree side tends to.... take over my view of you.." she said, the day catching up with her.

"We were aviding explaining about Exesccum for now, we will do that later, so to not overwelme her to much" she said.

"Good idea." Esis beamed. "You take care of Excessy and I'll go have a wee...promise-to-watch-every-syllable-I-utter conversation with Lenty." she winked.
"And I prefer free spirit to "carefree" or "eccentric" or "wild"..." she joked, wrapping an arm around Kiara's shoulders and the other around Ara. "You both really need to relax just a tad... and I mean in life in general not in just this situation.

Ara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you always say that Aunt Esis." she muttered.

Kiara shook her head, usually she thought she was rather layed back, ask any of her children. But she was also a big worry wort, in fact she planned on making a floo call to Tav's to make sure he was alright. As he left in such a hurry the day before and with everything going on she couldn't help but worry.

"Concidering the circumstanced Esis, I would say I am quite relaxed" she muttered back, heading back to the Kitchen.

Esis snorted. "*You* would say... *I* would not." she smirked. Hurrying into the kitchen, she had to assure Edwin and Ciaran as she passed by them that all would be "watched".

"Eglantine." she stated simply, waiting for the younger woman to notice her. Eglantine looked up slowly.
"Lachesis..." she murmured, eyes widened with surprise but not a undesired one.
"You remember me right? And I haven't changed at all." Esis assured her cousin. "The same wacky, cognac obsessed me."

Ean and Ewan both giggled.

Kiara chuckled at Esis, that was the truth... out of all of them Esis hadn't changed in the last 17 years.

She sat beside Ciaran, she whispered in his ear, "Has Tav called you since yesterday? he left with out a word yesterday, and he wasn't well either.." she said. Tav may have been fully grown wizard and in a few months going to be a father. But she would say it over and over again that didn't mean she would stop worring about him.

She kept a ear out for Eglantine and Esis.

Ciaran shook his head. "No, he didn't." he returned, worry rising in him, but he quelled it long before he voiced it. "Kaylie's got him, I'm sure, lass." he assured his wife. After all, Tav's wife was a strong-willed witch, who would be able to handle even Tav.
"Me bet he's already at ease and feeling better."

Esis patted Eglantine folded hands. "First off, its been awhile, but it shouldn't take too long to answer any "big" questions you have." Eglantine remained silent, blinking slowly.
She had remembered Rossa... she had already decided to let the rest of the memories come back on their own. No mixing up of emotions and fears.

Kiara nodded with a small smile on her face, Kaylie was a strong young woman, "I sure you are right Love" she said with a sigh. Of all her children Tav took Eglantine's turn the worst and it made her feel ever worse cause the reason he did was because of her.

"Though I hope he didn't go to work today, it must be chaos at the ministry because of this." she whispered. Still keeping an eye on Eglantine and Esis.

Edwin and Ara slipped into the other room, both making sure their absence would not be greatly missed.
"Did you tell her?" Ara whispered. Edwin shrugged but then shook his head.
"No, I didn't want to worry Kiara. She has enough on her plate as it is." Ara sighed, heading for the door.
"Well, I'm glad you kept it secret then... the less they know about Ava the better." Edwin nodded in agreement.

Ciaran noted that Edwin and Ara slipped out, but didn't say anything. Most likely they just wanted a private conversation or a breath of fresh air.
"Aye, must be chaos... but me team is good. Besides they think she's dead, lass. May be less mess than we thinks."

Kiara nodded to Ciaran silently "I guess, and to think everyone might be celebrating.." she said softly as she shook her head.

She noticed Edwin and Ara leave, but thought noting of it, they all needed a bit of space.

Then Beagan stepped into the kitchen, his eyes were wide with all the people in the one room.

"Mum, Da! what happening? Why is everyone here?" he asked his head swerving around looking at everyone as he popped beside is father.

Ciaran patted his son's head, smiling at him.
"You remember when we told ya that yar grandmother was sick?" he asked, gently breaking the situation to his son. "Well she's not ill anymore. But her memory is missing pieces. She needs our help okay."

Eglantine began to ignore Esis' murmurs, it was a habit from blocking the rather odd things her cousin usually said.
"May I go outside?" she asked, Kiara. Horatio sighed.
"You're not a prisoner, Eglantine. You don't have to ask." he assured her. Eglantine did not look convinced. Instead she rose quietly and reached out her hand for Rossa to take. "Please allow me to go outside." she whispered.

Beagan nodded, "Oh, okay Da" he said as he sat beside him and he looked in awe at the blond haired woman who was his grandmother, he had only been every young when his grandmother got sick. So he had not met her very mant times that he could remember.

Rossa blink "Of course Grandmama... you don't need my permission, do you want me to go with you?" she asked.

Eglantine nodded, Rossa was the only one she remembered with some clarity. Even Horatio and Esis, despite her lack of changing, were hardly as comforting as they thought.
"Yes, please."

Horatio opened the kitchen door for them and transfigured a heavy blanket over a chair into two thick coats. Handing them both to Rossa, he nodded to her. He was certain if anyone could help, it was Rossa. Her natural sweet nature and care would no doubt lift Eglantine up.

"Aren't we going to eat?" Greta asked, her pet snake coiled around her arm and hand. It, her fluffy cat, was under the other arm, hissing at the slimy creature. Her hair was messy from sleep, but her eyes were alert. Ewan came over and took the snake from her, sliding Theo into his pocket to play with. Ean backed away, terrified of snakes, to hide behind Kiara.

"Is she really better?" Ean asked Kiara.

Rossa nodded with a small smile " Alright"

She took the coats from her Grandfather and nodded to him. She handed a could to her Grandmama.

"Here Grandmama, it is January so it is kinda cold outside" she said softly.

Kiara nodded to Greta "Yes darlin... is anyone else hungry? I can whip some thing up quickly" she said as she patted Ean's shoulder and sighed.

"I hope she is Ean" she said softly.

Eglantine did not take the coat until they were outside, waiting until the door had been shut. It was odd to wear muggle apparel, especially after having sworn never to wear muggle clothes again, after her husband's death... seventeen years... she was 67 years old now, older for a muggle and middle aged for a healthy witch. Without a wand and having very little memory of what happened to her after closing her eyes to go to sleep after giving her niece a piano lesson... maybe it had even been longer than seventeen years.

Smiling Greta sat at the table and patiently awaited her breakfast along with Edwin who slipped into the other seat. Ean hung back, either not hungry or trying to stay away from the snake Ewan had.