Beneath Her Skin

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Finley Breen sat with his head in his hands on the couch, impatiently waiting for his niece to arrive. He'd only just arrived home from work and made a perfect cup of tea when the fireplace suddenly ignited in green flames. 

The second he'd seen Alastriona's professor standing there his hands started sweating and they hadn't stopped. 

He needed to see her. He had to see if she was really okay. Alastriona was the light in the dark after his brother had been killed and it had stayed that way for his whole life, as long as she was around then Finn didn't need anyone else. Raising her and watching her grow into such a strong willed, gifted young lass has been the highlight of his life and he sometimes wondered if maybe Elliot would be upset with him for treating her as his own child at times. 

Finn's head lifted up at flames erupting and he saw her. Little Alastriona. His niece, looking so small with only her head poking out of the oversized blanket she was clutching around her.
It reminded him of the first time he'd met Alastriona.

It was the day after she was born and Finn, Sloane and Maeve all gathered at Elliot's house.
Elliot was so large he'd made her look even smaller in his arms but he'd passed her to Finn so gently, so carefully, like he was carrying the most precious jewel on earth. And he was.
When Finn took her in his arms he'd gazed down at her, terrified that she'd start crying, instead she shifted ever so slightly before reaching up and pulling on his then short beard. She kept on sleeping, not waking up and not letting go of Finn's beard.

"Uncle Finn?" Her voice was quiet, fragile.

Finn stood up and didn't waste any time, he pulled her in close and cradled her head against his chest.

"My girl." Finn croaked, "My wee lass."

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Alastriona whispered repeatedly.

Finn leaned back, "It was an accident?" He had to make sure.

Alastriona nodded, "I— I lost my balance." She lied easily.

Finn carefully lead Alastriona to the couch and got her to sit down, "I'm just so glad you're okay, I'm going to make you a cup of tea, lass."

He moved to the kitchen and made a cup of tea, using the set he'd been gifted with the previous Christmas. When he handed Alastriona the cup of steaming tea his heart nearly broke at tired, traumatised eyes that were staring back at him. Her hands were shaking slightly and he wished more than anything that he could take away that memory, take away the pain inside her.

They sat silently. Alastriona leant into her uncles arms and just rested, unable to sleep but at least she knew in that moment that she was safe, that her uncle wouldn't cause her any pain.

The daylight was seeping from the sky when Professor Sprout arrived to take Alastriona back to Hogwarts. 

Finn stood up and leant down so he could face Alastriona straight on. "Are you sure you want to go back there?" He asked. He had once nearly forced her to leave Hogwarts but now he needed to know if she even wanted to go back there. 

Alastriona was silent. Professor Sprout herself was starting to sweat, if it had been her she wouldn't have wished to return.

Alastriona thought of Hogwarts. Of the people there, some who hated her so much that they wished physical harm to come to her... and they were willing to follow through. Then her friends came to the front of her mind. Darcy, the sister she'd always wanted, Theo and Blaise as close as brothers to each other and to her, she thought of Dawn's wide smile, of Cedric's comforting hugs and of Draco. She thought a lot about Draco. 

Alastriona met Uncle Finn's gaze and nodded once. "I need to go back and I want to." The answer caused Uncle Finn to smile sadly but he just brought her into his arms and held on tight.