House of Lee
House of Lee
Later that afternoon as we were preparing to Disapparate from my parents house, my mum had suddenly gone misty eyed and insisted on double hugs, not just for me but Barnaby too. There had absolutely been some bonding between them all, I noted. Dad clapped Barnaby on the shoulder and said, "Travel safe kids, and don't forget you promised to let us know if anything, er, important happens Samhain."
Mum and Dad exchanged another of those gleeful looks before mum added, "I expect we'll be seeing you both again soon enough." I promised I'd be in touch and gave them one last wave before grasping Barnaby's arm and stepping into nothingness with him. Not knowing where his grandmother's house was located, we did side along Apparation again the same way I had brought him to my parents house.
When I opened my eyes my first impression was that we'd just travelled through time as well as distance. We had left behind a bright, sunlit afternoon and arrived at what appeared to be dusk in a very peculiar place.
I looked up and saw that the darkness was being caused by rows and rows of thick trees with dark purple, spiny looking leaves on either side of the narrow lane we'd arrived into. They were so tall and wide that they met each other in graceful arches some twenty feet above us and almost completely blocked out the sun.
Barnaby was looking around with a distasteful expression but he seemed to know exactly where we were. Sighing slightly, he took my hand in his and kissed it. "Don't worry about anything Grandmother might say Samhain. She's not all there anymore, and when she was, well, she was never the type to give praise or compliments. I mostly just ignore what she says to me."
I frowned. I hated thinking about anyone being cruel to Barnaby. I was much less concerned with what the old woman might say to me than what she could say to Barnaby. One thing I'd never underestimated about him was his sensitivity. Strong as he was, it was absolutely possible to hurt him and I suspected his grandmother had done so many times.
As Barnaby led me along the deeply shaded lane I prepared myself for the worst, but still hoped I'd get a chance to tell Madam Lee just how extraordinary her grandson was and make her see how wrong she'd been to treat him otherwise.
We walked in silence together until we rounded a bend in the lane. And then there it was just a short stretch ahead, Lee Manor. Barnaby had told me many times how it's impressiveness was really only in the size of it, and how it had fallen to disrepair decades ago. But I was still taken aback by how grand and foreboding it looked.
Deep purple carved marble pillars stood out front behind a black iron gate, thick with rust guarding the entrance to the grounds. Spiky looking hedges with fat, poisonous looking purple berries surrounded the entire property as far as the eye could see. It was anything but inviting and I was struck by how very different the homes we'd grown up in had been.
Barnaby raised his wand and cast a complicated looking non verbal spell to unlock the gates. They creaked ominously as they opened to allow us entry. I leaned in close to Barnaby as we walked on, irrationally frightened of the gates touching any part of me as we passed through them.
He hesitated at the bottom of the steps leading up to the front doors and turned to me. "There's one other thing I should tell you before we go in, Samhain. It's probably best not to touch anything if you can help it. Grandmother has never cared for gold, she's always been extremely generous giving away sacks full of galleons to anyone in the family or any cause she supports. But she cares a great deal about her heirlooms and trinkets and guards them jealously. So much that it's pretty likely she's gone and cursed most things she considers valuable. To prevent any of the family from trying to remove them from the house before or possibly even after she dies. Like I said, she's really not all there anymore but just be careful please. I've touched my share of cursed objects in her house growing up. And while she was usually willing to lift the curses on a Lee, I'm not sure she'd be gracious enough or even remember how to do the same for anyone who's not her own blood."
I tried to hide my growing concerns and assured Barnaby I would be careful, but this was starting to sound a lot more dangerous than simply a meet the family type of situation. It was reminding me all too much of my curse breaking days at Hogwarts and I very much hoped nothing sinister was lurking up ahead.
Barnaby and I climbed the dry, rotting steps up to the front doors and he raised his wand again to perform another non verbal spell. The heavy doors opened of their own accord, slowly and silently moving inwards.
"Only a blood Lee can learn the spells to get inside" he explained. "It's a family secret from centuries ago, nothing like Alohamora would ever work on these doors or the gates. In fact I think there's actually a jinx on them that would do something unpleasant to anyone who tried breaking in with magic." I filed that information in the very back of my brain, just in case I ever had a reason to visit there without Barnaby, which I was very sure I would not.
He gently pulled me through the doors and they immediately slammed themselves shut behind us with a terrible crash, making me nearly jump out of my skin. Barnaby didn't react at all to the noise, but he gave me an apologetic look for forgetting to warn me. Obviously it was something he was used to. I nervously chewed my bottom lip as we ventured deeper into Lee Manor, wondering if there was anything else frightening or that might jump out at me.
"Does your grandmother know we're coming Barnaby?" I questioned. "It's so quiet in here, seems like she might not be home." "Oh she's home alright, Grandmother never leaves the house, not for years now. I think I know where she is" he replied quietly, leading me up a steep, creaky staircase.
At the top was one more door that Barnaby unlocked with a wave of his wand, it opened into a much darker area than the one before. The first floor had windows and some natural light, although they were mostly covered with heavy drapes. Up here there were no windows at all. The only light came from candle stubs mounted in dull silver brackets, flickering dimly in the otherwise pitch black hallway.
We passed by several closed doors before arriving at one that was partially open. Barnaby knocked softly on it and called out, "Grandmother?" before entering. I swallowed and hesitantly followed him into the room.
It turned out to be an enormous, ancient looking library. Not as large as the Hogwarts library, but not too much smaller either. It was dimly lit by old fashioned gas lamps, and it was incredibly dusty. We snaked our way through several long rows of books and over to a small sitting area set against what seemed to be the only window in the whole room.
In one of the high backed chairs sat Madam Lee, who was absolutely not what I'd expected at all. I had always pictured her as, well, grandmotherly looking. But she didn't even look as old as my parents. She had not a single wrinkle or even a gray strand in her rich auburn hair.
I figured her to be at least in her sixties but she looked to be no older than thirty, at most. She was also deeply involved reading a heavy volume written in a foreign text I didn't recognise. She didn't acknowledge us as we approached her.
"Grandmother?" Barnaby tried again. This time she heard him and looked up from her book. I heard the words coming from her mind just before it happened and pulled Barnaby to the side a split second before she pointed her wand at us and shrieked "Homenum Revelio!"
I felt the air move as something huge swooped past us, but there wasn't anything to see. I clung to Barnaby unsure if it was safe to move. But he was already straightening up saying sternly, "Grandmother, I'm not a ghost! It's me, Barnaby, and I've brought someone to meet you. This is who I told you about, Samhain Strixx. Didn't you get my owl?"
She lowered her wand and looked at both of before saying, "Ah, Barnaby yes, come closer. And a girlfriend you say? Do come here dear, and let me have a look at you." Barnaby had to pull on my hand a bit forcefully to get me to move my feet, but I obligingly shuffled forwards again.
"Closer, closer" she beckoned, until we were no more than a foot from her chair.
I hesitated, not sure what to do next. Something was telling me it might not be the best idea to try to shake her hand, remembering Barnaby's warning not to touch anything, I erred on the side of caution and included Madam Lee in that. I was also worried any sudden movements might result in another spell being aimed at us, I noticed she kept a tight grip on her wand. And that her hands, adorned with multiple silver rings on every finger, looked to be much older than the rest of her. I shivered slightly, hoping she couldn't sense how I felt.
Madam Lee peered up at us through shockingly violet coloured eyes, the likes of which I'd never seen before. She seemed to be making a careful assessment of me, making me feel like a flobberworm being studied in a Care of Magical Creatures class at Hogwarts.
I was getting more and more uncomfortable with her silent staring, until she did something so strange I couldn't have moved an inch if I'd wanted to. She leaned forwards swiftly and inhaled deeply. "Hmm, a halfblood" she asserted.
I looked at Barnaby in alarm and saw a look of shock and anger cross his handsome face. But before either of us could say a word, Madam Lee continued. "Skinny, and the hair, no doubt some stupid new fad. But powerful, oh yes, very. This is the so called Curse Breaker then, is it Barnaby?"
Barnaby looked positively livid as he retorted, "First of all Grandmother, she is not an 'it'. And secondly, you can speak to her yourself, and nevermind what kind of blood she's got! I've told you about Samhain. Many times."
She stared at me again for a long moment before saying, "Forgive me, Samhain. It's been, a very long time since I've had company. Please excuse my lack of manners, I am regrettably out of practice." Words completely failed me then but I managed to nod my head as Barnaby sourly replied on my behalf, "Of course, Grandmother."
"So" she said. Flicking her wand at the table and conjuring some delicate looking mugs and a steaming pot of tea, which she made no move to offer us. "Samhain, tell me, are you quite as smitten with our Barnaby as he tells me his is with you?"
Again, I didn't know what to say. From our interactions so far I found Madam Lee to be extremely strange, and quite frightening, but I thought her mind was still every bit as sharp as mine was. I tried to make sense of that, as I fished for whatever the correct response was to her question. Finally I settled on simplicity and honesty, and realised this was the exact chance I'd hoped to have with her.
"Yes, Madam Lee, I am. I love Barnaby very much-" "Are you quite sure about that, my dear?" She asked quickly, cutting my reply short. "Yes." I said with conviction. "Of course I am. Barnaby and I are both very sure about each other, we know what we want."
She smiled at me and turned her attention to Barnaby again. "Well then Barnaby, I assume you are here for the ring, if not my blessing?"
Barnaby was quick with his reply too. "I'd like both Grandmother, if you would be so kind. I've already asked Samhain to marry me and she's accepted. It was important to me that you meet her, but if you don't want to continue with some of the Lee traditions, we'll respect your decision."
"Nonsense." Madam Lee said, springing agilely to her feet, which I noticed were quite veiny
and enclosed in a pair of extremely high and pointed heels.
"We are nothing if not a traditional family, bear that in mind Samhain. I don't think I'd be wrong in assuming Barnaby has barely begun to explain our many, ancient traditions to you? Marrying into a family as old as the Lee's carries a certain weight and responsibility with it." She said as she strode purposefully over to a bookshelf set against the wall. She motioned for us to join her.
As we approached the bookshelf she reached up to a large black book titled 'House of Lee Family Bible.'
It was the only book on the entire shelf that was completely dust free. She pulled the book out several inches and the whole wall swung inwards to reveal a shallow, unlit vault, no more than a few feet deep and containing only a very large, jewel encrusted chest standing atop a deep purple carved marble pillar, identical to the ones we'd passed by on our way through the grounds, only not as tall.
She gave the chest a series of taps with her wand and threw the lid back for us to see. Inside everything glittered so brightly it illuminated the vault. Looking into the chest I had an errant thought that if a niffler ever got loose in there it might just die from excitement.
Madam Lee rummaged around in the chest for a moment before unearthing a small, purple velvet box and handed it to Barnaby without opening it. He took the box from her and pocketed it quickly, also without opening it.
"Well, now you have the ring the dear, and of course my blessing as well." Madam Lee said as she closed the chest and tapped it again with her wand to lock it back up.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to attend the wedding, but I do expect a visit afterwards to make some arrangements. Do you understand?" She was speaking directly to me now. And I really did not understand what she meant about 'arrangements', or why she was certain she wouldn't be able to attend a wedding when we hadn't even set a date yet. But I thought it wouldn't be gracious to say any of that. And I figured the least we could do would be to visit her again. So I nodded slowly and said, "I think so."
"Excellent." She smiled at me again, but it was a rather cold smile. I noticed it didn't reach her shockingly violet eyes at all. "Thank you Grandmother, we'll send an owl to arrange a visit as soon as we're married." Barnaby told her. "We do have to be going now though, I'm taking Samhain to the Amethyst Avenue house and I don't want to be Apparating in the dark."
"Very well Barnaby, I look forward to seeing you both again very soon. And Samhain, dearest, welcome to the family." Madam Lee bade us goodbye and I noticed again that very chilling smile of hers, how it looked almost like she was baring her teeth at us as we left the library.
Barnaby and I both walked much quicker exiting Lee Manor than we had entering it, and didn't speak a word until we had left through the rusty gates and were hurrying back up the now very dark lane, Barnaby in the lead.
"Samhain, I don't know what to-" Barnaby started, but I cut him off with the same tactic he had used on me the previous night at my parents house. I stopped him in his tracks by pulling him down to my height for a kiss.
Throwing my arms around his neck I crushed his lips to mine and let my fingers twine themselves through his soft auburn hair. I didn't stop kissing him for several long minutes. And when I finally released him he was smiling again and said, "How very cunning of you Samhain. A perfect example of Slytherin's favourite attribute."
I giggled, "I figured if it worked on me it would work on you too. How are you feeling now?"
"Starving actually" Barnaby said with a sheepish smile as his stomach announced its agreement in a loud growl. "Then how about you take me to dinner and we can both digest everything that's happened today?" I suggested. "And I've got a lot of questions for you too."
Dinner was apparantly the magic word. Barnaby didn't miss a beat, taking me on side along Apparition again. We landed just around the corner of a romantic looking little bistro in a much more modern area. He opened the door for me and followed me inside.