Chapter 285 - Sorry is not always Enough Ⅱ (1/2)
With Eileen gone, Reginald merely nodded at the two male Filch's before walking inside. ”Offspring?” Roderic finally croaked as if not still understanding what was going on. Was Eileen, the old Prince's bastard?
”Hello Caretaker Filch,” Rowan kindly asked, the Hogwarts caretaker. ”How goes your summer?”
”Restful,” Argus admitted as he glanced at his brother. ”And-.” Argus paused as his cheeks turn splotchy red. ”My apologies, we don't mean any ill intentions.”
”I know,” Rowan truthfully stated as she eyed the husband of Eileen. The man must be a thick given that he still hasn't put the pieces together. What was with Eileen's taste in men? It would appear that neither of Eileen's husbands seemed to possess much intelligence, to begin with. Eileen really would have been better off marrying Alphard Black.
Rowan winces imagining being related to Walburga or Bellatrix Black. That was not a pleasant image whatsoever in the end. Perhaps, being a Snape had been better in the end.
Roderic finally says, ”Little lady, how is my wife related to the Prince's?”
”She was once the only daughter of Reginald and Sira Prince,” Rowan distantly answered. ”Then she was disowned.”
Roderic snorted and said, ”Merely because I'm a poor pureblood? How crude and vile of the old Prince!”
Argus had the rather strong urge to slap his own face and scream at his brother to shut his bloody pie hole! ”I'm sure that is not what Miss Prince is referring too,” Argus hastily interrupted.
Roderic sullenly quiets down before eyeing the tall, slender girl that greatly resembled the Old Prince. Though strangely he felt that there was some resemblance to his wife there as well. But then again, the old Prince had said this girl was his granddaughter.
”Are you the product of one of the old Prince's sown wild oats?” Roderic asked as Argus finally bit his lip unable to keep silent anymore.
”My parents were married, I can assure you,” Rowan flatly retorted, not quite believing just how thick this guy was.
”Ah, then whose child, are you?” Roderic naively asked.
”I can see, why Eileen likes you,” Rowan changed the subject. ”You must love her and your son very much.”
”I do,” Roderic swore with all his might.
”Then be good to them,” Rowan softly said, before turning to Argus. ”I suppose that we will be seeing you again in September, Filch.”
”Likewise,” Argus inclined his head as he watched the girl head inside. The front doors closed rather softly as if sighing. Argus let out a breath of relief that he hadn't know he'd been holding in.
”I knew she was a good one,” Argus muttered under his breath knowing full well, that the girl could have said the truth. But did not out of consideration for his brother and him, rather than for her mother.
Argus sighed to himself as he listened to his younger brother mutter things under his breath. Argus always personally thought that despite having magic, Roderic had secretly been dropped on his head by their parents when he was just a baby. There must seriously be something wrong with him! Because despite being a squib at least he could still put two and two together!
*
Inside Prince manor, Rowan makes her way to her twin brother's bedroom, before climbing onto his bed to lie down next to him. ”Are you sure, you don't want to see her? She hasn't left yet,” Rowan asked Severus, who had his back pointed towards her.
”Did you know?” Severus sharply asked as his back became rigid and stiff.
”Know what?” Rowan feigned innocence.
”That she had a son with her new husband.”
”Ah yes, Filch, let it slip during detention one evening. Amazing, what you can learn in the strangest of places.”
Severus whirls around with vivid anger in his eyes. ”Then why didn't you say anything?!”
”Would that have changed anything at all?” Rowan said with a shrug. ”That boy is a Filch and you are a Prince. And our chances of meeting him are ever so slim. We are, after all, roughly thirteen years older than him.”
Severus opens his mouth, before closing it in an angry line. Flopping back onto the bed, he stares at Rowan's long braid strewn across the bed. ”Why didn't she ever say anything?” Severus hoarsely said unable to hide the underlining hurt in his voice. ”We wouldn't have said anything. So, why Rowan?”
”I don't know,” Rowan gently replied as she reached up to touch Severus's cheek with her thumb. ”People can be complicated, Sev. Some things appear to be relatively simple and aren't and there are things that appear to be quite difficult but are in fact simple.”
Severus leans into Rowan's gentle touch for just a moment, before pulling roughly away. ”We already said our goodbyes, didn't we?” Severus rather quietly murmured refusing to allow himself to be weak-minded on the subject.
”We did, indeed.”