McConn House January 2035 (fixed)

Tav closed his eyes when Rossa cried out for the woman who had abandoned her. It was too much for him to handle. His dear little sister crying out at a reflection in a mirror, hoping and wishing that the woman would change.

Eglantine's head lifted, not due to Rossa's cry, which she couldn't hear, but instead to the apparating of an auror team. Several wands pointed at her from many angles, forcing her to back up against the tree, like a cat cornered by dogs.
Ironically, her eyes showed fear and she looked nothing like the proud and merciless woman who had attacked the minister.

Kiara eye flared back to the mirror when the aurors arrived. And her eyes filled with horror... it all made sense now. Eglantines last statment about never seeing her again.

"No...." Kiara whispered... "She is turing her self in" she said as a tear went down her face.

At the same time she prayed no one got hurt.

Rossa looked franticly at her mother. "She's what?!"

Kiara nodded "She told me I would never see her again before she left Hogwarts... she must have told them where to find her. Else they wouldn't have found her otherwise" she explained.

Yet for a reason known only to her she wanted to go to her mother and the Aurors and stand between them. She was also keeping an eye out or Ciaran as a part of the group.

Tav rose from the couch and hurried over to his mum and sister to see what bothered them so. His mouth fell open as he watched the aurors close in on the dangerous woman.
"Be careful Da." he whispered, seeing his father, wand carefully extended to strike Eglantine.

Eglantine dropped to her knees, words hurled at her, yet unheard by those watching by mirror. Her countenance was pale and yet untroubled as if she knelt before her death in peace. Light flashed and the mirror's image faded away.
In the mirror's now black screen these words appear...

Kiara looked at the mirror in a mixture shock, horror, confusion and pain in her eyes. Rossa was sobbing in her arms and had since put the mirror on her lap.

Kiara's eyes darkened till they were nearly black, all she could hear was her daughters cries, and flurry of thoughts going through her mind.

"Eglantine was dead....."

And perhaps the thought that hurt her most all far more then she thought it would was that...

"and my Love... Ciaran killed her.."

That thought punched in to her heart like a sharp arrow, not only was her mother dead but the love of her life killed her....

This thought casued a conflict in her heart and mind, and something broke inside her.

Her eyes dulled and her face paled as she held her daughter, a large portion of her soul now trapped inside her mind unable to heal..

Only vaugly aware of the world around her, she wanted to get up and go to where ever Eglantine was right now.... but she couldn't... her daughter needed her to stay, and she would.

With dulled blue eyes she stared into space in her living room, she face strangly blank save for the tears the streamed down her face.

Amisds her sobs Rossa muttered "Daddy..."

Tav moved back from his mum and sister, shocked that the mirror had basically said... the aurors had killed her and she had left them. That was the only thing that made sense and yet it didn't. Why would she let them kill her?

The mirror flickered as Rossa muttered "Daddy" and Ciaran appeared in it. He looked angry, shoving his fellow aurors back from the still body. His mouth opened again and again as if he was screaming at his friends, angry at them for what they had done. When he was finally left alone, he knelt down and gently gathered Eglantine's still body into his arms and apparated away.

There was a pop within the house and Ciaran appeared standing there with Eglantine.
"Kiara." he murmured.

Kiara's dull eyes went to her husband and the body of Eglantine, she tried to register that maybe the mirror showed her a misleading picture, in fact that is that is had shown, Ciaran hadn't killed her someone else had... Unfortunatley the damage was done most of her soul or feelings were trapped inside unable to get out.

She wanted to say something anything... scream even.. but she couldn't. She had told him if Eglantine were killed she would be destroyed... well she wasn't destroyed in the litteral sense, but she was act far from her self.

Rossa noticed her mothers lack of reaction, still crying she shaked her shoulder. "Mum? Mommy?!"

However tears merely fell from her dull eyes and she said nothing, she hugged Rossa and continued to stare at Ciaran... with a ever blank look on her face....

Rossa continued to cry harder now scared by the way her mother was acting, and the fact her Grandmother was really dead, she let her self be killed.

Ciaran laid Eglantine on the empty couch and hurried to his wife's side, taking her hands in his.
"Kiara darlin." he murmured, patting her hands and looking into her eyes. "She's okay, love. She's not dead." he whispered, smiling. Turning to Rossa, he kissed her forehead, chuckling. "Rosebud she's alright. Go see, come come." he murmured again and again. Gently pulling Rossa behind him, he brought her over to the couch and showed her Eglantine.

Eglantine was deathly pale, her skin almost translucent. A seemingly lifeless hand hung over the side of the couch, but her chest rose and fell with short shallow breaths.

Rossa wipped her tears off with her sleeve looking very confused.

"Daddy? what happened? we saw in the mirror..." she muttered and pointed to her mirror. "We saw her get cursed... at first it looked like you did it" she said with a sniff. "What happened to her?" she asked as she hugged her father.

Kiara was slowly trying to break out of her transe. Rebuild her heart, as she understood Ciaran's words, it was taking time to rebuild though.

Light slowly entered her eyes again, however she couldn't say anything just yet.

Smiling softly, Ciaran hugged his daughter to him.
"What mirror, love?" he asked, slightly confused, but nevertheless happy that he had been able to save his mother-in-law if for other reason than for his wife and children's happiness.
"I advised we attack her with a stunner, but Avas used the killing curse." he paused, still trying to figure out exactly what had happened himself. "The green light hit her and surrounded her, but instead of her dying, there was a shriek and she fell asleep as it were. She changed into what you see now...as she used to be." Daring to hope, he looked back into Kiara's eyes. "Excessum may be gone, Ara."

Rossa sniff again and went to get the mirror form off the table, "This mirror Daddy it let is see what happened, well mostly.. she gave it to me earlier today." she said.

Kiara swallowed finally looking more reasponsive and she brought a shaking hand up to her mouth. And she hugged Ciaran and whispered in almost broken voice.

"Thank you Love...." she said.

Then she turned to Eglantine who lay on the couch, could it be true? could Excessum really be gone? after all these years? If so now what were they going to do? Things were hardly the same between them anymore, Kiara while she loved her mother, and was glad she was alive. Still harboured alot of pain caused by her actions... her whole family did. Tav resented her, Horatio was heart broken, she couldn't even being to imagine how Ava and Ara felt about all this.

Things would never be the way they were... could they?

Ciaran stared at the mirror, wondering what sort of enchantment was woven into it. A revealing charm or a locating one? He was not certain, but knowing how Eglantine loved his daughter, even when lost in darkness, he didn't view the object as dangerous.

Kissing his wife, he sighed deeply. "Anything for ya, darlin." he murmured. And yet, he wouldn't have been able to do anything had Eglantine not allowed him her location and not attacked...

Eglantine's eyes fluttered open, clear green without any trace of darkness or mist. Nor were they blank.
"Eglantine?" Ciaran murmured, wondering how much she would remember and if Excessum was truly gone. Eglantine wrinkled her nose slightly, cocking her head to the side in an familiar gesture of confusion.
Not far from them, Tav crossed his arms, willing himself to not attack her for all the grief and pain she had caused. How they could be so happy about the situation was beyond him...
"Where am I?" she asked softly, her voice back to its regular soft lilt. Ciaran sighed, remembering she had never really been to their home before.
"Our home, Kiara and I's." he assured her.
Eglantine nodded.
"And who are you and Kiara?" she asked, this time looking painfully innocent.
Ciaran's mouth dropped open with shock.

Kiara blinked, she didn't know who they were? biting her lip she asked, "Eglantine? what is the last thing you remember?"

Rossa started wided eyed she couldn't believe it... she didn't any of them anymore?

"Grandmama?" she whispered, she voice trembling slightly.

Kiara's eyes flicked to Rossa and went to guide her young teen into her arm.

"Hold on for a bit Sweety" she whisper to her hugging her close once again while turning her gaze back to Eglantine.

"I am Kiara McConn, this my oldest daughter Rossalyn, my Husband Ciaran and eldest son Tav" Kiara said as she introduced each person in the room in turn. Wondering if the names would jog her memory.

Eglantine decided the younger woman looked kind enough and therefore listened silently to the question and without fuss gave her response.
"I went to bed after giving Bella her piano lesson." she stated carefully. The young woman whispered Grandmama as the woman hugged her and Eglantine began to feel uncomfortable. She had had dreams like these... strange, scary ones filled with people not knowing who she was or she not knowing them.
The names all sounded unfamiliar and distant. Except... she had heard of Headmistress Kiara, the young Headmistress of Hogwarts. Her brother had been pushing her to send in her application for Hogwarts, but she wasn't ready yet.
"Are you Headmistress Kiara of Hogwarts?" she asked, hoping some small thread of knowledge would hold her up.

Tav left the room, heading for the door and ignoring how sick he felt. He needed to find Kaylie... It was too much to hear Eglantine so innocently asking questions because her memory was gone. Kaylie would listen to him, not debate or defend, just listen and gently soothe his worries and pains.

Deciding Horatio would be able to assist Eglantine and since he was her friend even long before their marriage, Ciaran carefully slid out of the picture to firecall Horatio in the kitchen... he had some explaining to do.

Thankfully both Ara and Ava were not at home, shopping or something and Horatio had just returned to the home alone, leaving his charges at the zoo with Edwin. Apparently he had forgotten his coat and had stopped for a bite to eat.
"Horatio!" Ciaran hissed from the fire, nearly causing the older man to choke on his sandwich.
Turning, Horatio pinned his nephew/son-in-law with sad blue eyes.
"Horatio, we have Eglantine. She gave us up her location and was cursed. She's not dead though!" he hastily assured him. "She's just lost her memory. Sounds like back to after her husband died but before she came ta Hogwarts."

Horatio stood, silently in shock at the information. His wife possibly without Excessum... back like she had been before their marriage, the sweet kind-hearted woman with a passion to teach children. It sounded to wonderful to be true and yet he wanted it to be so much he didn't care. Even with her memory gone of their marriage, children and deep love, Horatio knew Eglantine would know him and love him. They had exchanged letters during her depression and he had helped her all he could. He knew he looked older due to his own years of depression than she would remember... but he hoped she would be too happy to notice. He knew he would be.

As soon as Ciaran stepped out of the way, Horatio was through the fire and heading for the sitting room. Ciaran stepped in his way, holding up his hands to stop the larger man.
"Uncle!" he protested. "She's lost her memory..." he reminded Horatio. Looking happy beyond words, Horatio nodded.
"I know I know! Isn't it wonderful!" he agreed, brushing past the confused Ciaran.

Hurrying into the sitting room, Horatio spotted Eglantine on the couch and all but ran to her side, scooping her up into his arms to twirl her around. To his absolute delight, Eglantine giggled happily, burying her face in his chest and holding him tightly. She looked strange in the dark black robes but her smiling face allowed him to think they had jumped so many years back into the past with the only trouble being when she had been robbed of her husband.

"Horatio!" Eglantine gasped, smiling as he scooped her up. Finally someone who looked and was familiar. Her dear friend, Horatio McKevin would never lie to her, never hurt her.

Kiara nodded "Yes I am" she said with a small smile, to Eglantian. She had forgotten how innocent Eglantine used to be... in a way.

"I know you are confused, and it is to long a story to explain just yet, no one will harm you though... I promise" she said.

She sighed when Rossa cried softly into her robe, "Rossa Sweet heart, why don't you go back to your room? We will talk later.." she said.

Rossa nodded and sent a sad glance to Eglantine before going to her Room.

Kiara looked shocked at first at the absolute happiness on Horatio's face, it had been a long time since she had seen Horatio look so happy.

She couldn't stop the soft smile on her face, though she was worried at Tav hurried departure with him feeling under the weather. But concidering what just happened she couldn't blame him she supposed.

-The Next Morning-

It had been more or less agreed that everyone needed to discuss what they were going to do with Eglantine. She had been exhausted and quite ill from the entire event, her magical power almost none existent, thanks to years of Excessum.
Therefore they had put her to bed and gone there fairly quickly themselves... drained and tired.
Now they had to face their troubles.
One by one they would troop in from many locations to make the McKevin and McConn family.
Horatio had spent the night in Eglantine's room and refused to be separated from her even for a meeting.

Kiara was out in the kitchen having a cup of coffee having more or less a most sound night sleep she had in years, but due to her insonitic habbits she still woke up very earily thought must have gotten at least 6 hours of sleep it felt good to rest bit soundly.

But know that had a new worry... what to do with Eglantine now that she knew virtually none of them save Horatio. The thought of telling her about her life came to mind, but then she second guessed herself. The woudn't be doing the best for Eglantine, it would be for them. Plus she doubted Eglantine would believe them anyway.

And they couldn't forget about the many witches and wizards in the wizarding world out for her blood.

"What a mess" she muttered taking a sip of her Coffee.

Ciaran sighed as he entered the kitchen and saw Kiara. He had awoke to find her missing from her side of the bed and had sought her out. Without a word, he crossed the floor and enfolded her in his arms, offering her what small amount of comfort he could.'

"We've had messes before, lass." he whispered in reply to her mutterings. None this large, but it was too early to admit defeat. "Eglantine never hurt anyone really." after all, the minister wasn't very popular himself... people could forgive someone for attacking him.
"All we have is a woman who scared a lot of people by what she could do... not what she did."

Edwin entered the kitchen and nodded in agreement with his brother-in-law.
"Yeah, Kiara. Mama is going to be fine. Better than she ever was." He was excited about the whole thing... too happy to have his mother back to care that the rest of the world wasn't too thrilled. Ara followed after Edwin, looking exhausted.

"Anymore coffee, Kiara?" she asked, covering a yawn with her hand. Ava hit her in the back of the head as she came in.
"Ouch, what was that for?" Ara squealed, grabbing her sister's arm. Ava pulled away, sticking her tongue out.
Hopping up to sit on the counter, Ava yawned and folded her legs.
"Soooo..." she trailed off. "What now? St. Mungo? Or do we simply drop her off on someone's door with a note saying 'Beware she bites' on her?" cocky and sarcastic, Ava didn't want to admit she was happy as well to have her mother back. Ara nearly attacked her, however Edwin reached out and kept her back, assuring her that attacking Ava would only provoke her to greater anger.

Kiara sighed and leaned into Ciaran's arms, dispite the good night sleep she felt tired. And she had conflicting emotions, she was happy Eglantine was back and Exesscum was gone, like the end of a bad nightmare.

Then she was Sad, the events the shaped hers and Eglantines relationship no longer existed to Eglantine. It was as of it never happened. It was sad she didn't remember any of her children or grandchildren. Rossa was heart broken, she had heard her daughter sobbing into the late hours of night.

To Rossa her grandmother was dead, the woman resting in to bed down stairs was a stranger to her, she never met her before. As much as is pain Rossa to feel it or think it. The woman her mother called Eglantine my as well have been dead.

Kiara deep down also felt anger, pure anger that Eglantine became one with Exesscum in the first place, anger at the wizarding world for taking there fear of Eglantine out on her and her family.

Kiara looked at Edwin and sighed she didn't know why he was in such a good mood nor did she understand his statment. His mother no longer knew he existed how was that any better.

Kiara nodded to Ara, and waved her hand, filling a cup fulll of steaming hot cup of coffee.

"There is cream and sugar on the counter." she said.

And then she regarded Ava's question, "That is what we are hear to talk about Ava, at the moment I am not sure what we are going to do" she said.

Ara took the cup, glaring at her twin as she did so. Despite everything, Ara had, like Kiara and Rossa, hung onto the idea that Eglantine was not all bad and that she'd come back. It meant the world to her... and now, she wasn't sure what to do with her dream coming true. It scared her more than anything else...

Sighing at Kiara's statement, Edwin leaned against the counters.
"Seems fairly obvious to me." he muttered. "We tell her what happened...slowly reintroduce her to everything. Memories don't make a person." like his father, Edwin refused to even think his mother may be gone.

Ava rolled her eyes.
"Edwin... she died okay. Live with it." With the final bitter syllable, she jumped down from the counter and sauntered out of the kitchen, calling back over her shoulder. "you can try to revive the dead if you want, but I've got things to do." Truthfully, she didn't... but she wasn't about to tell them that.

"Who am I?" a soft voice asked from the doorway. Edwin looked up and hurried over to Eglantine's side, smiling kindly at her. She looked pale, but better than she had before. Leaning slightly on her cane, no doubt dug out of storage by Horatio, Eglantine looked prepared to teach a class.
"I know I have done something wrong." that was obvious from the way these people were treating her. "I want to know what and why I do not remember it." despite the soft tone, there was the clip of authority to it. Edwin sighed.

"Okay... first off, I'm your son, okay?" he murmured. Eglantine just nodded. Edwin gently led her over to the kitchen table and helped her be seated. "You...um... went into dark magic." And Eglantine's worst nightmare came true. The Rosier blood humming within her veins, despite all she had tried to do to tame it had won...

Kiara could practically taste the tension between her two younger sisters, the were so different. She then raised her eyebrows at Edwins statment that memories didn't make the person. She begged to differ, if she forgot 17 years of her life she would be a very different person then she was today. It was experinceces that made people who they were. True they could tell all Eglantine what happened over the last 17 years, but her feeling and acconts of the situation were gone forever.

"I don't know Edwin..." she tried to say before Ava walked out.

"Ava.." she said trying to call her little sister back. Her fiesty sister did love her mother she knew that. She just didn't want to show it.

Then Eglantine came into the room and started asking questions, she pitched the bridge of her nose when Edwin droped the bomeshell on Eglantine, first telling her out right that he was her son, and then telling her she went into dark arts just like that.

Kiara sighed she felt a headache coming on, "What happened to introducing all that to her slowly Edwin?" she asked.

She looked at Eglantine worriedly, wondering how she took that information in the back of her mind she wondered is she would ask who Edwins father blood father was. In fact she didn't even now if Edwin him self knew the truth of his "birth".

With a sigh and holding on to Ciarans hand she said " Eglantine... it is a long and complicated story. Its best we start off slowly... That is if you are sure you want to know?"

Then Rossa entered the room she looked just as warn out as her aunt Ara and her eyes were blood shot form crying alnight. She was still wearing her night gown having most of her clothes still at hogwarts and her clothes from yesterday were being washed.

Since the sleeves on he night gown were short she put a wrist band over wrist to hide the ugly burise, that she had only let Tav see less far. She sent Eglantine a sad glance before quietly sitting beside her mother and father.

Edwin shot Kiara an apologetic glance, shrugging his shoulders. Listening to Kiara, Eglantine nodded slowly. Of course it was a long and complicated story. It could not be something simple... not with so many people and the dark arts. Did she want to know? She wide eyes flittered toward the door, wanting Horatio. He had fallen asleep in the chair beside her bed and she had not wanted to wake him... but now she wanted to be with him and feel safe. The sad, pitying glances everyone was sending her terrified and angered her.
"I...very well." she murmured, looking at the young man who had claimed to be her son. Apparently she was married... to whom she could not even guess, but apparently they had been married long enough to produce a child of 20 or so years. And Kiara... why was she here? Had Eglantine hurt a Hogwarts student or something? No, that wouldn't explain why the woman's husband and children were here... or why Eglantine was at their house.

Kiara knew the look on Eglantines face all to well and turned to Rossa, "Rossa sweetheart can you go and get your Grandpapa? Tell him Eglantine is in the kitchen with us."

Rossa nodded and went to the other room to wake Horatio.

"Grandpapa?" Rossa whispered toughing his shoulder slightly. "Wake up? Grandmama is awake in the kitchen" she said softly.

Horatio yawned as Rossa tugged on his shoulder and opened his eyes. Smiling his granddaughter, he rose from his seat and stretched.
"Thank you, dear." he murmured, leading her back toward the kitchen.
He figured Eglantine probably felt lost being with so many people she did not know and therefore hurried to take her hand in his.

Rossa returned when with her grandfather and went to take her seat beside her father. She sighed and rested her head hand and leaned on the table top, she tried her very best to keep the tears from cascading down here face again. Well she was glad her grandfather was happy with this at least.

Kiara sent a sympathetic glance to her daughter, she knew just how she felt.

Then she turned to Eglantine, it was best to start at the beginning.

"Alright, Eglantine, you did end up coming to Hogwarts, first as the Transfigurations professor, then you took on muggle studies. You and me became quite good friends, we learned much about eachother and soon started to trust eachother and Care... for eachother. During your time you bcame head of Gryffindor house and a little later my Deputy Head. Horatio came to teach history of magic and became head of Hufflepuff.." she stopped there wanting to give Eglantine a chance to let everything sink in and ask questions.

Feeling doubtless more at ease with Horatio there, Eglantine listened to Kiara. It sounded like a story... someone else's life revealed to her. Her own was nothing like it. So she had taken the Hogwarts position, two of them no less. And had become Head of Gryffindor and then Deputy Headmistress... apparently Kiara had trusted her and had truly befriended her. The fact that Horatio had joined the staff as well surprised her, but she didn't say so.

"How many years?" she asked.