Redemption

Part 1: Remembrance

Elissa Redgrove glanced down the long corridor of her grandfather’s mansion before stepping into it. She had done this many times before and had not been caught yet. She found the stairwell and went down it slowly, fearing nothing but the amount of noise she was making. It was enough to awaken the house-elves, as well as her grandparents. She eventually found the sleeping portrait of a lady in a deep blue silk robe and pulled hard at the frame around it. Cautiously, Elissa entered, glancing behind her back every second to make sure that the door was closed, and no one was following.

Elissa picked up the candle, as well as a match and struck it to reveal a small and moderately dusty room, stacked to the ceiling with books and paintings. She set the candle down on a nearby table and watched the flames flick shadows across the ceiling before sitting down in a plush armchair near the abandoned fireplace. She made herself comfortable with a cashmere throw draped across her bare legs and thin nightgown. Her long raven-black hair set into a braid and slung over her shoulder, as well as the light reading glasses placed before her deep brown eyes gave her the appearance of being a somber child. Elissa was very studious as well as athletic, and at one time had played for the local Quidditch team.

Elissa picked up the book that sat beside the candle on the table. The cover was coming apart from eight years of refuge in moldy boxes. She drew a sharp intake of breath before coming face to face with the picture of her mother, a young blonde woman whose eyes revealed a sharp wit and good nature waving happily at her. Standing next to her was Elissa’s father, yet his face couldn’t be seen. A cigar or match had burned it until it almost created a hole into the paper. The man’s body was tall and visibly muscular beneath the wedding robes he had been wearing. He was obviously waving and holding her mother’s hand with his free one.

She sighed inwardly, trying to place a face or name on her father, yet couldn’t. But she didn’t have too much time to think about that. A sudden creaking noise from outside the portrait sent shivers up her spine as she blew out the candle and gently removed the book and throw from her lap. She almost made it into the abandoned chest, yet the door opened to allow a meager amount of light into the pitch-black room, illuminating Elissa’s features and making her gasp with surprise. Her grandfather, Magnus Redgrove, stood in the doorframe, his features bent with obvious fury and his night robes swirling around him.

"Whatever you think that you are doing in here, it had better be good," Magnus said quietly. His tone was venomous, and created more chills to spiral up her spine.

"I…I was j-just…" Elissa was too caught off-guard to come up with a lie, let alone the real reason she was there.

Magnus immediately noticed the photo album, which had fallen to the floor after being poorly balanced on the table and seized her arm. "You will explain this to me in my office."

Elissa let out a sob as he gripped her arm mercilessly, pulling her through corridors and doorways that were all too familiar for her. Finally they reached a large portrait of her Grandfather Magnus and entered. He waved his wand at the fireplace, creating flames licking to escape from their brick and marble strong hold. Elissa sat gingerly in the chair on the other side of Magnus’ desk and bowed her head.

"Now, explain," Magnus said, his tone icier than the snow that swirled outside.
Elissa began to shake terribly under the gaze from her grandfather, and could manage no more than a mere gurgle.

"Very well then. I though I made it clear to you that you are not allowed to be wandering around at night, didn’t I?"
Elissa nodded her head numbly; her thoughts forming into a question that if asked would mean certain suicide for her.

"Now, I told you that your… mother's …former study is off limits, didn’t I?" Magnus continued, looking stoic at the mention of his only daughter. "As for the photo albums, I guess I will have to take care of them myself."

"NO!" Elissa shrieked before slapping her hand over her mouth. She began shaking violently as tears threatened to pour from her eyes in a river to the floor. "No, please Grandfather. Those are the only things I have left of her."

"And to honestly think you would want to remember such a disgraceful woman and the man she though she loved," Magnus cursed under his breath, loud enough for Elissa to hear. "Does it not matter to you that your ‘father’ betrayed you? Your mother? This whole family, as well as his own?"

Magnus had never gone this far before. Normally, he had refused to say anything about the man, let alone her mother. Elissa knew that her mother had been an Auror, and had died while on a mission away from home when Elissa was two months old. The information about her father was even less substantial. She only knew he was pureblood and in Slytherin house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (The same house as her mother, as well as the same year).

"You are still too young to understand these things, girl. Yet understand this," Magnus seethed, his anger getting the better of him and turning him into a madman. "Your father, who by Satan is still alive, was not a good man. He killed people, and as good as killed your mother. You never forget that, you hear me?"

Elissa, now horrified, merely shook her head. He leaned back in his chair, carefully looking her over until he got to her face.
"It is too bad that you have the bastard’s features. Although, I will grant him that he was a rather handsome man in his youth."

Elissa shuddered under Magnus’ gaze and returned her own back to the floor. Magnus thumped the desk once before raising his wand and pointing it at his throat.

"Mala, please come and take Elissa back to her room."

The door slowly creaked open and a tiny house-elf dressed in little more than a tea towel crossed the room before bowing low. Elissa gently stood up and followed Mala out of the room. Once Elissa had exited, a great sigh of grief released itself from deep within Magnus. He remembered meeting Elissa’s father for the first time…the name, which he had vowed to never use again under any circumstances. The man Magnus had vowed to murder with his bare hands, if only to keep the bastard away from the child he had given up and the family he would never have. The man who had killed Magnus's only daughter.

* * * * *

Mala and Elissa had stopped outside of the same portrait of the lady in blue robes when Elissa asked to retrieve some things from within.

"Please hurry, Lady Elissa," Mala whimpered before Elissa once again climbed into the room. She grabbed the throw and laid it out on the floor in its abnormal square shape. She then began placing books and knick-knacks in the center until she couldn’t find any more things to keep. She finally stood and the front of her mother’s old desk, staring at it in wonder. Out of all the years that she had been coming into that room, she had not once noticed a hidden compartment on the side. She gently tapped on the latch and it came swinging down, along with an excruciatingly small package. It looked as if it were a ring box, yet she wasn’t certain. She picked up the package and placed it inside the bundle before tying up the ends and exiting the portrait to the waiting house elf on the outside.

They walked the rest of the way back to Elissa’s room in silence. Once safely tucked inside, Elissa opened the blanket once again and hid the books and objects in various places all around her room before focusing in on the box. She dusted of the paper and carefully ripped it open. A small black velvet box tumbled to the floor. She picked up the box and opened the lid. Inside was a beautiful silver wedding band that looked as if it would fit a woman’s finger. It glinted mysteriously in the light, revealing an inscription of some sort on the inside of it.

I love you, my heart, SS

Elissa let out a strangled cry before covering her mouth with her hand and letting a few cautious tears find their way down her cheek. It was her mother’s wedding band, given to her by Elissa’s father. She released her hand and picked the ring up out of the box, turning it over carefully in her fingers. The smooth metal instantly grew warm to the touch, giving her a feeling of love and tenderness, as well as a bit of mischief. She smiled inwardly before releasing the clasp on the silver chain already glinting around her neck and removed the Celtic cross hanging there. She added the dainty ring to it and re-hooked it, the warmth tender to her chilled body.

The ring gave her a renewed hope, almost as though it was her mother and father simultaneously speaking to her. Slowly, she sat up from her perch on the floor and crossed to her bed, determined to get a good sleep.

* * * * *