Chapter 274 - Malfoy Wedding Ⅳ

A particularly loud scream finally snapped Rowan out of her shock and caused her to return to her senses. All of sudden her brain and eyes come into focus as she finally realizes that there is a great shining bubble-like shield around her. Sparks splash onto the bubble shield to no avail as rather brightly colored hexes and curses let out nasty hisses at being detained by the spell.

The pale, tight-lipped figure of Aunt Georgine firmly stands before Rowan with her wand unfurled as she maintains the magical shield around them. Glancing back, Rowan realizes that Sirius and Regulus are gone. An unknown part of her brain supplies the much-needed information.

In the very instant the killing curse hit Abraxas Malfoy, Walburga Black without any hesitation had instantly grabbed her two sons and apparated away with them to safety. The rest of the members of the Black family in attendance had instantly done the same except for Orion Black. Out of courtesy or respect, Orion Black remained behind to aid Georgine Prince. While Georgine Prince covered the front and took the brunt of the attacks with the defense shield spell, Orion attacked from behind at the otherwise engaged enemies.

With a fierce barrage of spells being cast by both sides, Rowan blinks again to see the desolate figure of her grandfather kneeling next to a very still body. Blinking again as if her eyes and mind didn't quite understand what they were seeing, Rowan blankly stares at the heartbreaking scene before her. Suddenly the puzzle piece snaps into place with a horrifying loud clatter just who it was that her grandfather was cradling in his arms, her grandmother, Sirsa.

A soft almost inaudible whimper caused Rowan to flinch at the soul cutting sound. Turning around in her haste, she almost trips as her heartaches in staggering pain at the unbearable sight before her. The deep opal colored eyes of Severus glitter with something equally horrifying and heartbreaking.

A terrible ache cuts across through Rowan's chest like a lightning bolt striking a tree in half. Unable to bear the sight, Rowan finds herself whispering rather numbly, "Shh," while covering Severus's tearful gaze with one of her hands and pulling him into her arms.

Severus doesn't even fight her as he usually would and limply allows himself to be held while his eyes are covered by one of Rowan's hands. Much like when they were children, Rowan whispers softly into his ear repeatedly, "Shh, don't look. Don't look."

Rowan didn't know how long she whispered to Severus, but when the barrage of spells finally ceased to roar around her, her voice was hoarse, and her mouth felt dry. Her hand is somewhat wet and damp, but she did not remark on it.

The bubble-like shield around them flickers for a second before vanishing around them. Georgine lets out a tired sigh at having maintained the defense spell for so long without letting so many powerful curses and hexes inside. She had to keep the children safe.

Georgine winces as she flexes her fingers that are still clenched around her wand. Glancing down, she notes that her fingers are ghastly pale from her painful grip on her wand. A rustle behind her causes her to immediately whirl around to only find Orion Black holding up his wand and hands up in a show of peace.

Georgine tilts her head in a tiny bow towards Orion in a show of her thanks. Orion at any other point in time would have flashed her a smug smile at her show of thanks. However, on this now somber occasion, even he knew better than to take said sincere thanks lightly. It was a show of good faith and a sign of acknowledgment on her part.

Orion replies by nodding his head slightly at her and hoarsely says, "It was my duty, nothing more."

Georgine still nonetheless nods her head at him again, before turning around towards the bridge and groom. Georgine grows still and stiff as she takes in the figure of her older brother pressing a kiss to the forehead of her sister-in-law, Sirsa. Georgine must have gasped for Orion whirled around and froze at seeing the figures before him.

Orion opens his mouth to speak to only close it again at finding his mouth so very dry. His finger tightened around his own wand as a trace of anger and pain can be seen on his face. Today was to be the happiest day for his niece and to be nephew-in-law. And yet, why had it been thusly destroyed?

Despite her pain at the loss of someone who she considered more than a friend, but rather a sister, Georgine blinked the moisture from her eyes. Pulling herself straight, Georgine turns her gaze towards the children. Tucking her wand into her gown, she gently removes Rowan's hands from Severus and pulls them both to her.

"Come now, children, let's get you home and in bed," Georgine croaked not waiting for a reply for them. She only glanced up once to meet the cold, desolate eyes of her brother, Reginald. Reginald merely nodded at her in gratitude as she carefully apparated away with the twins.

The three of them all too soon landed on the gravel path at the edge of the woods, 7th Meadow Lane. The air is warm and humid as birds chirp in the woodlands, while squirrels and various other critters scurry around. A swarm of swallowtail butterflies emerges from between the trees and circles around them playfully before fluttering on their way.

The heartwarming scene does little to warm their frozen hearts. The three remain standing there beneath the warm sun for some time until in a rare gesture, Georgine gently reaches down to take one of the twin's hands into her own, before tugging them along behind her. A slow trail of tears is still dripping down from Severus's opal eyes when Rowan glanced up at the sky in surprise.

There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and yet Rowan had clearly felt a drop of water fall onto her neck. Blinking in disbelief, Rowan brings her free hand to her face to only find that it is wet-. With tears? She couldn't even recall the last time she had ever cried.

Georgine hid her sorrow much better constantly blinking the moisture out of her eyes but never allowing a single tear to fall onto her cheek. The walk across the green lawns of Prince manor felt heavy and extraordinarily long as they seemed to sink deep into the green grass.

Georgine's lips twitch with some emotion at seeing the two small figures waiting for them on the white marble steps of Prince Manor. Dawn loudly sniffed as Tadbey hugged his wife to his chest. They had felt the painful tearing of the binding vows between house elf and that of the Lady of the house, Sirsa Prince. They had instantly without a doubt that Lady Prince was gone.

"Miss Georgine!" Dawn cried out with tear-filled eyes as Tadbey merely kept holding his wife up in his arms.

"And the master?!" Dawn bitterly asked, but profoundly grateful that her son, Laldey did not sense her distress and remained sound asleep in his cradle.

"Brother is with her," Georgine hoarsely whispered as Dawn burst into tears. "Prepare the manor to hold her body until cremation. And send for the craftsman to engrave the stone tombstone that is to be placed in the Prince family graveyard."

"We will," Tadbey obediently replied for once, before gently dragging his sobbing wife away.

Georgine glances down at the children and tugs them along to her quarters. It had been some time since Rowan had been to see Georgine's quarters, but she found that she couldn't appreciate the gorgeous artwork and exquisite furniture pieces. It seemed as nothing in the world seemed beautiful anymore.

Pulling off her outer robes, Georgine pulls the covers back from her bed, before solemnly saying, "Climb on in, you two."

Rowan and Severus didn't need to be told twice as they both shed their robes and kicked off their shoes. The twins cuddled together in Georgine's bed as their heads lay to rest on her lap. Georgine softly hummed to them until they fell asleep or at least pretended to be. Wiping a tear or two from her eyes, she patiently waited for her brother to return. No doubt, it'd be much later. But he would return.