Beneath Her Skin

Chapter Six

Alastriona was watching Darcy tear through her wardrobe, "I don't have anything to wear!" Darcy cried out, she was panicking, she had been for hours. First in the living room, then Alastriona's room and now in her own room. "I don't know what to wear, what's appropriate? What's right to wear?" Darcy ran a hand through her dark brown hair, it had grown past her shoulders since they'd left Hogwarts for the summer.

Alastriona stood up and went to her friend, "It's okay." She put her hands on Darcy's shoulders, "This day, this week, probably the entire year, is going to be horrible. Theo's going to need us now more than ever." Alastriona's hand dragged over the options, "It doesn't matter what you wear, Darcy, that won't be what Theo remembers... he'll just remember that you were there."

Darcy breathed in deeply and nodded slowly, "You're right." She picked a simple navy blue dress from her wardrobe.

"That's nice. It matches your eyes." Alastriona glanced out of the window in Darcy's room, "Maybe wear some tights with it, doesn't look like the sun will come out today."

Darcy grabbed some tights as well.
Alastriona left her alone to get ready and went to her own room to do the same, she locked the door.

As soon as that click sounded Alastriona lost her strength and leaned heavily against the door. She tried to hold her breath to stop the tears but as soon as she let the breath in again the tears dropped and silent sobs shook her body.

There was a part of Alastriona that didn't want to do this. She didn't want to go, to see the grieving people or feel that familiar heartache when watching someone's world fall apart through their eyes. But she had to do this. For Theo. She needed to be there as a friend, a shoulder, a comforting face to look for in the crowd.

"Come on, pull yourself together, Alastriona." She said to herself. She picked herself up off the ground. On her bed was a dark burgundy dress with long sleeves. Simple. And probably something she'd never wear again. 

Once it was on she smoothed it out and took in a shaky breath. "I can do this. I can do this." She repeated to herself in the mirror. There were dark circles under her haunted brown eyes. "It's for Theo. I can do this, for Theo." 

"We're ready, lass." Her Uncle Finn called from downstairs.

Okay. Here we go.

Alastriona walked downstairs to find Darcy and her Uncle Finn waiting by the front door. Her uncle was dressed nicely in a black suit with a blue shirt and navy tie. His hair was sitting in a mess of fiery red curls on top of his head but his beard was combed and neat, a few grey hairs could be seen.

Darcy grabbed Alastriona's hand and they walked to the car together and sat in the back seat, Uncle Finn didn't waste time and took off. He gripped the wheel tight to stop the shaking in his hands.

It had been years since he'd been to a funeral, he remembered like it was yesterday. 

It was just a week after Elliot and Alastriona had been discovered and the whole town of Lothbeg had arrived for the funeral, as well as many witches and wizards who had known Elliot. Finn hadn't been sleeping at all, Alastriona was still suffering from malnourishment and was up crying at all hours of the night. 

He had her in the pram next to him, she was finally asleep. The service came to an end and an endless amount of people came up to him and gripped his shoulder or hugged him tightly, giving pitiful glances to young Alastriona.

Finn stood in the cemetery until Alastriona woke up and cried out, it snapped him out of his reverie, he was a guardian now. He needed to look after the tiny little redhead before him, he'd protect her no matter the cost.