#cldc

However, fate can be both unpredictable and unforgiving. As the day progressed, Elizabeth grew weary and decided to rest for a while. She had come a long way after all. Rosalie left her mother to nap, assuming she’d wake up refreshed and ready to continue their conversation. But life had other plans. 

When Rosalie returned to check on her mother, a sense of dread washed over her as she discovered Elizabeth had passed away in her sleep, a peaceful expression on her face. Natural causes had claimed her life. 

In that poignant moment, Rosalie was completely overwhelmed. The opportunity for reconciliation, which had seemed within reach, had been cruelly snatched away. The weight of unresolved issues and unanswered questions now rested heavily on her shoulders. 

For George, yes it had been difficult to accept that his eldest son wouldn’t be inheriting the family farm, but he was the youngest son himself, and he had three other sons to prepare for taking over the farm. Peter was the next obvious choice, he loved animals just as much as George and had no love of school like Andrew. And who knew how little Liam would turn out. His fear for the future of the farm had driven his actions to push Harry towards farm chores, but now he felt he could let his son embrace this new future ahead of him, and he was very proud.

Rosalie cried, of course, hugging her oldest baby, who had just yesterday been a wiggly infant in her arms, teaching her about motherhood. She had always been supportive of her son’s academic pursuits, so proud that her son was so smart and showing up all the other students in his class. She had long been dreaming of his successful future, but now that she had to let go of him so that he could pursue that future on her own, she didn’t know if she had the strength to do it.

Finally, Harry was allowed to board the train and waved goodbye to his parents as it pulled away. He spent the ride reading up on the history of Brichester, his patron was a history professor and had worked there for two decades, so he wanted to brush up on possible topics that might impress or interest him. Finally, after a few hours, the train pulled into Brichester Station, Harry had only brought a modest suitcase with a few photos, his chess trophy, and a few outfits. He carried himself and his luggage off the train and searched the crowd for Professor Sanders, it only just now occurred to him that he would have no idea what the man looked like. Did he have a picture of Harry to recognize him? They hadn’t designated a specific rendezvous place, so how was…

His eyes swept over a familiar face and he had to do a double take. Wait a minute, was that? Yes, it was!

Smiling from ear to ear he moved through the crowd, waving a hand in the air. “Aunt Cordelia!”

“Ah, there is my favorite nephew at last,” Cordelia said, only a hint of a smile on her lips. “Let me guess, you barely boarded the train without your mother attached to your neck, hm?”

Her tone was mean, but Harry thought it was funny, and she didn’t actually mean it as mean, that was just how her voice sounded. The same could be said for her face, although at rest it looked judgemental and angry, he knew her better than that. She was happy to see him.

“Aunt Cordelia, what are you doing here? Not that I’m upset to see you, of course, it hasn’t been the same since you moved out.”

“Yes, of course, it hasn’t, you have four squalling siblings now, I’m fortunate enough to have escaped when I did,” Cordelia answered. “As for why I am here, I must admit to telling a few lies. But we best worry about that on the trip.”

“Trip? I’m sorry, I can’t go anywhere right now, I’m waiting on someone.”

“Oh I thought you were smart, boy,” Cordelia sighed. “I’m the one you’re waiting on.”

“You’re Professor Sanders?”

Cordelia hesitated. “Well, for the purposes of your offer, yes, somewhat, as I said, it’s a lot to explain, so let’s get going.”

Harry curiously joined his aunt on a half-hour car (yes a real automobile) ride through Brichester. She had her own driver, so the two of them sat in the back and talked. During this time, she explained that Professor Sanders was a friend of hers. It had not been the professor who had sent the scholarship money for Harry’s secondary schooling, it had been her! She explained that she knew how his parents would feel about her offering them money and never would have accepted it, so she sent it in the form of a scholarship instead. Then, when it was time for his university applications, Rosalie had written to her about Edwin’s visit and how much Harry dreamed of attending Brichester.

“Honestly, for such a genius, Edwin sure is stupid,” Cordelia commented as the strange car contraption bounced across the road. “If he had any sense at all he never would have offered your family money, no matter how he phrased it, he should have known how your parents would react.”

“So you disguised your own offer, and made it so that I still had to do some work because you knew my parents would swallow that better?” Harry asked.

“Indeed, but also, I agree with your father, you shouldn’t accept handouts, you’re far too smart for that, and you’ll never appreciate anything if you don’t work for it,” Cordelia paused and looked far away. “My time with your family taught me that.”

“So my room and board?”

“With me, not Professor Sanders, it will still be 2 simoleons a week and you’ll still have a curfew and other rules to follow. You’ll have a room and an office,” Cordelia answered. “You will still be Professor Sanders's research assistant so don’t worry about that, he is very excited to meet you, but I wanted the pleasure of seeing the look on your face when you found out about the ruse.”

Something akin to a grin crept across her face, and although initially disappointed, Harry was impressed by his aunt’s cunning.

“You did all this for me? Why?” He asked.

“Why?” Cordelia asked incredulously. “Dear child, do not be daft. When I lived with your parents it was not a good time for me. I was barely older than you, I was a spoiled brat whose parents were dead and I was being pawned off to my vindictive, run-away sister. The only thing that ever made that experience bearable was you, perhaps not the diaper changes, but the way your eyes would light up when I came in the room. The way you would giggle at my exasperation and exhaustion, made my heart lift. I would never want to have children of my own, but if I did, I would want him to be just like you.”