Chapter 22
As the train finally came to a stop, Kalevi and Draco gathered their belongings and made their way off the train. The cool spring air greeted them, contrasting with the warmth they had felt in the compartment. Kalevi's heart raced with anticipation as he scanned the platform, searching for the familiar faces of his parents. And there they were, standing amidst the crowd, their smiles widening as they caught sight of their son.
Kalevi hugged Draco tightly, whispering to him.
"I love you, I'll see you in a couple weeks," Draco's heart skipped a beat as he heard Kalevi's words. His eyes welled up with tears of joy, realising the significance of this moment. It was the first time Kalevi had ever said those three powerful words to him. The sincerity in Kalevi's voice echoed in Draco's ears, filling him with warmth and love.
"Love you too," Draco mumbled, hugging back for a moment before pulling away. Kalevi took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he knew would be a difficult encounter. He stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest, and approached his parents. As he looked into his father's eyes, he could see the flicker of disappointment and disapproval. It was a look that Kalevi had become all too familiar with over the years.
"What was that?" his father asked quietly, voice filled with disdain, as he gently hit the back of Kalevi's head. "You don't want people seeing us as weak with such useless affection, do you?" His tone was dripping with disapproval, causing Kalevi's heart to sink. The weight of his father's words hung heavily in the air, suffocating any semblance of joy that had previously filled the room. Kalevi glanced at his mother, hoping to find a glimmer of support, but her eyes were downcast, avoiding any confrontation. "Do you have any respect for our family's reputation?" he continued, his tone dripping with disapproval. Kalevi's heart sank even further at his father's words. The weight of his disappointment and disapproval seemed to crush him at that moment.
"I'm sorry," Kalevi managed to stammer out, his voice barely above a whisper. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, the tension thick in the air.
***
As Kalevi stepped through the doorway of his childhood home, a rush of bittersweet memories washed over him. The familiar scent of his mother's cooking mingled with the aroma of polished wood, creating a sense of warmth and nostalgia. After months away, he had finally returned to the place that held both comfort and pain in equal measure. As he wandered through the rooms, each corner seemed to whisper secrets from his past, reminding him of the laughter and tears that had once filled these walls.
As Kalevi continued to roam around the house, lost in his thoughts, a soft voice interrupted his reverie. Startled, he turned to see the Karlsson family's house elf, Ninsey, standing before him with a look of concern on her wrinkled face. "Mestari Kalevi," she began, her voice filled with both familiarity and care, "Tunnen painon, joka kuormittaa sydäntäsi. Voinko tarjota apuani millään tavalla?" Ninsey's confusion was clear.
"Kiitos Nisey, voin kuitenkin toistaiseksi," replied Kalevi, "Ilmoitan sinulle, jos teen," he continued.
"Kuten haluat mestari," she responded softly, going back to her chores. Kalevi watched Ninsey disappear into the kitchen, her words lingering in the air. He couldn't shake the weight of her concern, nor the ache in his heart that had brought him back to this place. As he stood in the quiet hallway, memories flooded his mind, each one a piece of his past that he had tried so hard to forget.
He walks up to his bedroom, lying down in his bed, exhausted from the weight of his memories. The old room, once filled with joy and laughter, now felt empty and cold. The walls that used to echo with the sound of his children's laughter now seemed to mock him with their silence.
The family kneazle, a small and fluffy creature with eyes full of curiosity, approached Kalevi as he slowly got up from his bed and gently placed his rat back into its proper cage. The kneazle's presence brought a hint of warmth to the otherwise desolate room, reminding Kalevi of the love and companionship he had lost over the years.
"Mestari Kalevi?" Kalevi quickly turned around to where the voice was coming from. "Rouva Karlsson lähetti minut auttamaan sinua pakkaamaan," Ninsey said, entering the boys bedroom beginning to go through his closet. "Suunnitelmat ovat muuttuneet, lähdemme ylihuomenna Suomeen. Malfoyille on ilmoitettu,"
Kalevi turned towards Ninsey with a mixture of surprise and gratitude in his eyes. "Kiitos, Ninsey," he said, appreciating her act of kindness. As Ninsey continued to organize his belongings, Kalevi couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope ignite within him.
"Mestari August oli suloinen poika," Ninsey began speaking as the two folded his clothes. "Sinä ja hän olitte ainoita, jotka olette minulle mukavia," she continued. "Olin järkyttynyt kuullessani hänen kuolemansa," she mumbled, not looking up. "Varsinkin niin läheisen ystävän toimesta," she said as she placed his clothes in the trunk. "Se mursi äitisi, ja se oli ensimmäinen kerta, kun näin isäsi itkevän," she paused as she closed the trunk. "En voi kuvitella katsovani hänen kuolevan edessäsi," she said as her eyes watered slightly. "Olen niin pahoillani mestari Kalevi"
Kalevi's eyes watered as he heard such a close family friend speak of his brother, and even though he already knew that he was gone, it suddenly felt real. Kalevi took a deep breath, trying to compose himself before responding to Ninsey. "Kiitos, Ninsey," he said, his voice filled with both sadness and gratitude. He couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort knowing that Ninsey understood his pain and was there to support him. As they continued to organise his belongings, memories of his brother flooded his mind, each one a reminder of the void that would never be filled.