Though This Be Madness
The crack of apparition echoed between the castle walls. Parvati spun out of the spell and took a deep breath. This was it. Her last idea, the last place she could think of to look. Hope and despair warred for footholds in her heart like they’d done since the war ended, and she began her search.
And there she was. After three years and more cities than Parvati cared to remember, she’d finally found Lavender in an old Danish castle. She was sitting on the castle wall, the sheer drop just below her, hugging her knees to her chest and staring out at the ocean. She looked small. Vulnerable in a way she never used to. Which was ironic, all things considered.
Her quiet voice carried to Parvati.
“To be or not to be. That’s the question. Live or die…” Her voice trailed off and she leaned forward, making Parvati’s heart drop.
“Lavender,” she whispered, terrified of startling her.
Lavender turned towards her, her face pale in the moonlight, the werewolf scars stark against her neck.
“This is new.” Her voice was exhausted. “Was dad’s ghost busy tonight?”
“I’ve been looking for you.” Parvati’s voice cracked, the words woefully inadequate for the situation.
“I’ve been looking for me too.” Lavender let out a hollow laugh. “Are you here to haunt me?”
“No, love. I’m here to bring you home.” Parvati said gently, edging closer to Lavender and the drop-off.
“Home.” Lavender’s voice held a growl that testified to her new nature. “I don’t have a home. My dad kicked me out. Told me to leave and never come back.” She shook her head slowly. “Told me I was a failure. A disappointment. That maybe if I had been faster, smarter, then Greyback wouldn’t have… Anyway, he said I’d be better off dead.”
“Lav…”
“But I can’t even do that right. I’m too scared, so I just keep running. Frailty, thy name is woman, I guess.” She shrugged. “Now dad appears occasionally and taunts me for my cowardice.”
She looked up at Parvati, her eyes haunted.
“Are you really here?”
Parvati closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Lavender.
“I’m really here,” she said, and Lavender collapsed against Parvati, sobs raking her body, her grip desperate.
“How did you find me?”
“I’ve looked everywhere I could think of. And then I remembered—”
“The Room of Requirement. Reading Hamlet together, hiding from the Carrows. I said I wanted to see Elsinore.” Lavender smiled through her tears. “That’s the last time I was happy.”
“Me too,” Parvati whispered. “Please, Lavender. Your home is with me.”
Trying to pull away, Lavender shook her head. “Pari. I’m an abomination. You don’t understand—”
“I do understand. You’re a survivor. You’re amazing.” Parvati refused to let go. “And I need you. Without you, I was drowning. For three bloody years, life’s been empty. Now, let’s go home.”
Slowly, Lavender nodded. Gripped Parvati’s hand to apparate.
“Ok.”
One word that contained a universe of promise.