Chapter 6 - Three Simple Words

[DarkChild]

*Chapter 6 *

Three Simple Words

It was a quiet journey up the broken-down escalator of Buckingham Station and in to the thick London fog, that was tinged yellow. Marcus led Will along a maze of surprisingly deserted streets that lessened in upkeep as their walk progressed, Marcus holding Will tightly to his side. Will knew Marcus was preparing to Apparate at any moment.

‘’Where are we Mar-‘’ Will began, but Marcus put a finger to his lips, stopping suddenly near a Fish & Chip shop called The Royal Guard and looking up at an overcast sky, watching the sun become suffocated.

Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, Will felt as if everything in his body was being compressed violently - as if someone wished nothing more than to suffocate him.

Next thing Will knew he was standing in front of what looked like a restored stone chicken coop. Aside from an unkempt garden, an uneven dirt walkway and an oak door that was dangling off of one hinge, the house looked wonderful to Will.

Marcus spread one arm outward. ‘’Welcome home, Will.’’ He said, smiling slightly. Will nodded.

‘’Thanks Marcus.’’ Marcus’ grip loosened on Will’s arm and walked up to the door. No sooner had he placed his hand on the loose doorknob that it was yanked back; hard and rigid in its frame.

‘’Is that you Marcus?’’ a voice called from behind the door. The voice seemed young and tarnished with worry – a woman’s.

‘’Yes dear but a Death-Eater would say so too.’’ Marcus said promptly as if this was well-rehearsed.

‘’Ask the question Ellen.’’ He told her.

‘’Alright. What are the stones in my Wedding ring?’’ she asked him.

‘’Sapphire dear.’’ Marcus told her. ‘’Now, why did I decide to marry you?’’

‘’Marcus this is foolish!’’ Ellen said obviously embarrassed. ‘’Are-Are you sure no one’s with you?’’ she said rather worriedly.

‘’Yes.’’ Said Marcus flatly. He winked at Will, in hopes of bringing up his spirit. ‘’Quite sure, dear.’’

‘’Alright.’’ Said Ellen, sighing. ‘’Because you said while proposing to me – ‘Ellen Dauge, your love, your character, and your personality make you a much taller person.’’’

‘’Correct.’’ Said Marcus. Will was choking down a laugh as not to displease his Godfather’s wife. The doorknob twisted and a kitchen turned inside-out met his eyes. Every cabinet was thrown open and dishes seemed disgruntled at the mess, there was a shrill tinkling sound as the dishes ruefully cleaned themselves in the sink. A small wooden table was in the center of the pandemonium and had a bunch of mismatched chairs arranged haphazardly around it.

‘’Marcus!’’ said the same voice, only higher and more strained. ‘’You said you didn’t have anyone with you – my word-‘’ she stopped as Will walked in after Marcus, shutting the door carefully behind him. Marcus walked over to a rather short woman, two heads shorter than him and one head shorter than Will. She had dark brown hair that reached to her elbows and pleasing hazel eyes in a kind, rosy face. She wore dark purple robes that seemed to fit her loosely. Marcus nodded at the woman before she had a chance to say more.

‘’Will, this is my wife, Ellen. Ellen, this is my Godson Will.’’ Marcus said smoothly. Ellen smiled warmly at Will who gave a slight bow.

‘’Pleasure.’’ Said Will shortly.

‘’Well!’’ said Ellen cheerfully. ‘’Respectable Godson you have!’’ she jabbed her wand at a pot in the precarious jumble near the sink – it flew in front of her. She stirred her wand tip feverishly within the pot and porridge poured from her wand tip.

‘’Want anything, Will, dear?’’ Ellen asked, poking at the stove with her wand, igniting it. She placed the pot of porridge upon the flame and stirred it, humming an old Celestina Warbeck song.

‘’N-No Mrs. Flint I-I couldn’t impose-‘’ Will mumbled.

‘’Dragon liver!’’ she said, aghast, looking at Will. ‘’It’s not imposing if I ask!’’

‘’Sorry Miss.’’ Will said.

‘’No Miss. No Mrs. Flint, either, alright? Just Ellen.’’ She poked at the stove with her wand- ’’Immobulus!’’ she murmured, freezing the cooking of the porridge. She strode to Will and examined him critically. ‘’You look peaky Will.’’ She said simply after five adjustments of his head.

‘’So will it be maple sugar or treacle fudge?’’ she asked brightly, resuming her cooking.

‘’Treacle fudge, dear.’’ Said Marcus curtly, draping his cloak over a purely wooden chair.

‘’I was talking to Will.’’ Ellen said somewhat scathingly. ‘’Now go change. You look ten times fatter in Muggle clothing.’’ Marcus looked down hastily and then strode briskly down a hallway.

‘’Now, what’ll it be, Will?’’ Ellen asked, smiling. Will shook his head.

‘’No!’’ Ellen said. ‘’You are going to eat some breakfast! Even if I have to feed you myself!’’ she said rebelliously. Will gave a small smile, but still didn’t say what his preference of sugar or fudge would be.

‘’Try treacle fudge.’’ Said Marcus, Apparating next to the table and combing his wet, straggly hair. ‘’Ellen has a special ingredient.’’ He told him as she laid a bowl of porridge in front of Marcus and pecked his cheek.

‘’It’s cinnamon.’’ Ellen whispered childishly, laying a bowl of porridge in front of Will, who though hungry, waited until Ellen was seated with her porridge. ‘’My mother taught me and her mother before her. I say I think that is what won Marcus over.’’ She said, smiling at Will who was already half done with his own bowl. He had never tasted anything so filling in his memory.

‘’Nonsense.’’ Said Marcus, waving his spoon-free hand, and eating a spoonful of porridge. ‘’You were just perfect, Ellen. Which is why I asked you to marry me, at eighteen.’’ A dull blush crept into Ellen’s cheeks.

‘’Now Marcus, I assure you, I’m nowhere near perfect-‘’

‘’-And I assure you, to me you are Ellen. You did not win me over with your fudge. You didn’t have to cook till we were eighteen and out of Hogwarts! It was your spirit and your looks, Ellen.’’ He smiled at Ellen, who ducked and continued to eat her porridge, her cheeks rogue with flattery.

Will ate his porridge in silence. He hadn’t heard his own parents flatter each other so lavishly nor had he ever heard his father tell Pansy he loved her. Will felt warm. He greatly enjoyed being with a loving couple who made their adoration for each other so obvious. It was a big change from his manor life, but Will felt more at home, there, sitting with Ellen and his Godfather, eating warm, filling food than he ever had before.
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The rest of the day, Will felt as if he was walking upon a cloud, miles away from what he knew at Salazar’s to a new beginning of a life of bliss, happiness, and for the first time in eleven years, love. He remembered every hot, delicious spoonful of the chicken soup Ellen had made for lunch. He remembered every moment of Marcus fuming about the newspaper, and loved ever minute of the sour words he had to spit about the news and how the majority of the Daily Prophet staff had the brains of gnomes. He remembered, that at three, Marcus told Ellen he loved her and kissed her forehead. His parents never did that. In fact, Will was sure the only body they had ever kissed was the body of Lord Voldemort.

It was seven in the evening now and Ellen was spooning meatballs onto a plate in front of Will, Marcus engaged him into a comical conversation about women, as Ellen moved gracefully around the table, placing more meatballs onto the plates each time.

‘’-And so Will, women are creatures of vast complexity that us men will never understand, no matter how many books a Muggle or Wizard writes about it.’’ Marcus explained.

‘’But, then if women are as complex as you say they are Marcus, how come you and Ellen are-‘’

‘’-Perfect for each other?’’ said Ellen, chuckling softly and rapping the ladle on her husband’s head.

‘’Yeah.’’ Said Will eagerly. ‘’How come?’’

‘’Well, people are different, Will.’’ Said Marcus, after some thought. ‘’Ellen and I, we believe that a couple should love and cherish each other.’’ He held Ellen’s hand that suddenly grabbed on to the back of his chair. Tears were in her soft eyes.

‘’We know your views on the matter may be contorted but-‘’ Marcus began.

‘’-But that doesn’t matter!’’ Ellen practically screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘’Because you are with us now, Will.’’ She whispered, anguished, gulping sobs.

‘’Ellen, it’s alright…’’ Marcus soothed, patting his wife’s hands.

‘’Ellen-‘’ said Will, getting off of his seat and placing his hands upon her shaking shoulders, ‘’-I’m okay. I really am. So, don’t worry about me. I-I’m really not worth it.’’

‘’Don’t say that!’’ Will stared up and saw that Marcus was looking lividly down upon Will’s body. ‘’Don’t you ever say that!’’ Will shrank to his knees. He coiled up, and shielded his head, best as he could. After a few moments, Will rose his head.

‘’You want me to cry, Marcus?’’ he said feebly.

‘’What?’’’ Marcus asked, helping Will to his feet, Ellen, looking fearfully upon Will, childlike. ‘’Wh-what are you saying?’’

‘’I’m asking if you want me to cry as you hit me.’’ Will said.

‘’You’re what? Just who the hell taught you to-‘’

‘’My father.’’ Said Will disgustedly.

‘’He hit-‘’ Ellen said fearfully.
‘’Yeah, he did.’’ Will admitted. ‘’He did it after he shouted every time, whether it concerned me or not.’’

‘’Oh Lord-‘’ Ellen said, her fingers trembling. ‘’I- well good night.’’ Without even kissing her husband, Ellen ran down the same hallway Marcus had walked down earlier that day.

‘’Is that complex?’’ Will asked. ‘’I mean, she didn’t even kiss you.’’

‘’Well, to anyone who’s only known Ellen, a short time like you, Will, it would be considered complex, but to me, her husband, no. Ellen is just frightened is all. She fears for your safety. Always has.’’ Marcus explained.

‘’What are you talking about?’’ Will asked. ‘’She knew me as long as I’ve known her. We met just this morning.’’

‘’I’ll explain once you’re in bed. Think of it as a bedtime story.’’ Said Marcus, ruffling Will’s hair. ‘’Now-‘’ Marcus paused and a long, gray T-shirt and gray checkered flannel pants appeared in the floral-print chair at the table. ‘’-Change in to those and then I’ll show you to your bedroom.’’


Once curled underneath a warm, soft blanket in a clean, polished, dark-wood bed-frame that rested below a fully intact window, Will was overcome by sudden drowsiness; he never felt this soft, sweet drowsiness at his old house. The drowsiness there was cold and sharp. It poked at his person like daggers, but this drowsiness was like sinking into a warm bath. Marcus, wearing a woebegone dark blue nightshirt was sitting at the end of his bed.

‘’Don’t go to sleep yet, Will.’’ Said Marcus warmly. ‘’Don’t you want your story?’’

‘’Yes.’’ Will said, sounding like a six-year-old.

‘’Well, alright. I’ll tell you-‘’ Marcus paused. ‘’Eleven years ago, surprisingly, your parents baptized you. It was a quiet, unpublicized ceremony. The baptism was done by an old man by the name of Joseph Zabini. As you know, your parents made me your Godfather. I had of course, married Ellen before your parents married each other and when she heard Pansy was in labor, giving birth alone for some unknown reason, she ran to her aid. Turns out, after ‘bout a day, you came out. You were breach, which explained why on Earth you took so damn long.’’ Both Will and Marcus laughed at this. ‘’After you came out, Pansy was admitted to St. Mungo’s because of persistent pains. Turns out, Pansy was violently ill, with what the Healers never found out-‘’

‘’That woman deserved it.’’ Will said under his breath.

‘’I’m not saying anything, Will. I favored your mother, much more than your father as a person, not saying I agreed with Pansy’s views on things, it’s just your father was a coward. Was given the opportunity to have glory and power and prestige, granted to him by Voldemort when he was sixteen, but turned out, he was too much of a coward, so Severus Snape took up his opportunity. After that happened, Snape was thrown into Azkaban, and hasn’t been heard from since. Most think he’s been dead for years. Anyway, even after your mum was admitted to St. Mungo’s, your father still didn’t show up. He finally came back, ‘bout a week after you were born. Ellen and I stayed with your mother until Draco came to her. When Draco arrived, her pains lessened considerably, but Ellen confided in me that she was worried for you. She was worried that your birth, Draco’s return, and the pains were connected in some way. When, they were cleared to go back to Salazar’s Hollow, we went our separate way to London, here. Since then, Ellen has been worried sick about you. She fears your parents, and now that you broke free of your parents’ lives she still worries for you.’’ Marcus told him.

‘’But I don’t understand-‘’ Will said, pushing himself up on his pillows. ‘’Why is she still worried? I’m here. With you two now.’’

‘’She always had had a soft spot for you, Will. Secretly, she’s wanted to take you from Salazar’s all this time, but it never happened. She and I both knew, we’d be killed if we tried.’’ Marcus told him. Will yawned. Marcus laughed softly.

‘’There you are.’’ He rose from the bed. ‘’Now get some sleep. You’ve had quite the day, William.’’ Will rolled over, clutching the blankets around his bag-of-bones body and was asleep within seconds. Marcus bent over Will’s body and kissed his forehead. ‘’Good night Will. I love you.’’ He whispered. He turned around and was just about to turn out the lights when Will opened his eyes and looked at Marcus.

‘’What?’’ he said, aghast.

‘’I said ‘Good night Will. I love you.’ ‘’ Marcus repeated.

‘’You love-‘’ Will gasped, his throat swelling.

‘’Yes.’’ Said Marcus, backtracking to Will’s bedside.

‘’I love you too.’’ Will murmured, the new words felt strange, but soft upon his tongue. Will wrapped his arms around Marcus’ shoulder. Marcus smiled and ruffled Will’s hair again.

‘’Now get some sleep, Will.’’ Marcus turned around and was at the door, about to close it and go to his wife when Will’s voice came out of the darkness, his doll-like body silhouetted against the soft, dull moonlight that came through the net curtains.

‘’Marcus?’’ he asked.

‘’Yeah, Will?’’

‘’Can I call you Dad and Ellen, Mum?’’ he asked timidly.

‘’Of course.’’ Said Marcus immediately. ‘’Good night, son.’’
‘’Good night, Dad.’’ Will murmured. Marcus smiled through the darkness and closed the door.