Chapter 4 - Confrontation (2/2)
Eileen blinks in shock and confusion as she stutters back, ”They, they won't take me back!”
”Maybe, that was before, but now you have two children. And given that you're the last of the line, maybe, after all, these year's they've finally changed their minds. And despite our being half-muggle, we still carry the last of the Prince bloodline,” Rowan persuasively reasoned.
Eileen trembles as she slumps back into her seat in thought. ”I don't know,” Eileen flatly said.
”We don't stand to lose anything more if you don't at least try to send an owl,” Rowan steadfastly replied.
Eileen raises a wary gaze to her once soft-spoken daughter. Rowan, despite always being rather studious and quiet, she knew no fear when it came to her twin brother, Severus. It did not matter how drunk, Tobias, her husband was, Rowan would always without any hesitation shield Severus from any danger. And that even included school as more often than not, her daughter returned home battered and bruised, but victorious.
After a minute, Eileen pensively says, ”You seem different.” Not able to understand where her soft-spoken daughter had suddenly gone.
”Even small animals will eventually bite back,” Rowan retorted as she raised the left side of her unruly hair to reveal a bloody, hideous scarring wound. Eileen's eyes filled with guilt as she presses her lips together in guilty understanding. ”I'll be back,” Eileen stiffly said, before grabbing her purse and rushing out.
The house is silent for a moment, before Severus unhappily says, ”Wait, why do you want us to leave?! What about Lily?!”
Rowan seriously turns to face Severus and says, ”It isn't safe to stay here anymore, Sev. You saw what father did just a day ago, after his drunken stupor. It won't be long before he escalates and that is highly likely given the fact that he felt no remorse this morning when he saw me.”
Severus opens his mouth to protest as guilt crosses his face as he recalls how Rowan took the blow intended for him. The scene of his twin sister suddenly going limp in a pool of blood flashes before him. Severus hadn't even able to do anything as their father left without a word nor much less even pausing to check if Rowan was still breathing.
”And besides, Lily will be attending Hogwarts this year too, you'll see her then,” Rowan persuasively added.
Severus ignores the guilt felt within him and crossly narrows his eyes at Rowan. ”How can you be so sure?!” Severus fiercely snapped.
”I just am,” Rowan truthfully answered.
Through gritted teeth, Severus stammered, ”I, I- won't forgive you, if that's not the case, Rowan.”
”That won't happen,” Rowan confidently replied.
Severus brushes past Rowan in annoyance and heads outside leaving her to ponder her next course of actions as she took a seat in the old velvet green armchair. After much thought last night, Rowan had deemed that the wisest and safest course of action would to be to return back to the Prince family. Even if the Prince pure-blood household turned to be distant and cold towards them that would still be far better than remaining in poverty with an abusive, drunken father.