A Troubled Time / Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 13

"I'm so sorry." Lucy felt her eyes begin to water. The tears that freely fell down his face broke her. He had been so kind to her, and this was something he didn't deserve. He visibly shook as the amount of tears he shed increased. Lucy tried to stay strong but couldn't contain herself as the tears began to flow down his face.

"I wish I had gotten there sooner. If I was faster, maybe things would be different." Lucy felt her voice crack as she spoke. She couldn't help the guilt that began to form, knowing she could've stopped it.

"It isn't your fault Ms. Lucy. Deek appreciates what you have done." Deek spoke through tears, his voice cracking as well.

"I couldn't leave Tobbs in that place." Lucy held onto the lifeless elf's body as she stood in the room of requirement, "Maybe we could give him a proper burial. He deserves at least that."

Deek's eyes widened as he looked at the girl, "You are truly kind Ms. Lucy. Most Masters would toss house elves out. Deek has never had a master bury one."

"That's terrible, Deek. You aren't an object, but a real, living creature. You deserve more respect than that." Lucy kneeled down, looking him in the eyes, "I promise to give you the respect you deserve that your prior masters weren't able to give you."

"That isn't necessary Ms. Lucy. Really. Deek does not deserve this." Deek shook his head, backing up slightly.

"Deek, please. Trust me, okay? Let's go into the new vivarium and see if we can find a nice resting place for Tobbs. Okay?" Lucy questioned, rising to her feet again. Her heart hurt thinking of all that Deek, Tobbs, and many other house elves go through on a daily basis.

"Deek is grateful. Deek doesn't know how he will ever repay Ms. Lucy's kindness." Deek sniffed, the sadness from losing his dear friend caused his nose to run.

Lucy held onto Tobbs with one of her arms and extended the other to Deek, "You aren't alone, Deek. I'm right here."

Deek's hand shook as he reached up, grabbing onto hers. The two walked up the stairs and into the sandy oasis. The waves sat calmly against the shore. To their right, many rocks sat on the sandy shore.

"Where to Ms. Lucy?" Deek questioned, unsure where to lay his friend as his final resting place.

"I think there's a good space over there." Lucy pointed towards a circular opening in the cliffside, leading to more sandy shores. Lucy saw a small rock, sitting on land, near the water and immediately walked towards it. She laid Tobb's body near the rock, pulling out her wand. With a simple wave of her wand, two shovels appeared in the sand. She used her magic to let one start digging and grabbed the other from the ground.

"Ms. Lucy, you don't have to-" Deek ran over towards her, seeing her stick the shovel in the ground and begin digging.

"Deek, please. It's the least I can do." Lucy froze with her foot pressed down on the step of the shovel, most of it buried in the sand already.

Deek bowed slightly, backing up once again, allowing Lucy to continue. Between her and the magic shovel digging, it didn't take long for a deep enough hole to be ready.

Lucy used her wand to gently lift his body and put it into the ground, "Where I am from, when we say goodbye, we say some words then put down a handful of dirt, or in this case sand, down over the deceased." Lucy kneeled near the hole, ushering Deek forward, "Would you like to do that?"

Deek whipped the tears from his face as he took a step forward, grabbing some sand from the pile they had made, "Deek is sorry to Tobbs. Deek and Tobbs went through so much with our previous master. Deek was grateful to Tobbs. Tobb's smile and spirit always made Deek feel better. Deek wishes you could've met the nice fifth-year student. Tobbs would've really enjoyed meeting you, Ms. Lucy." Deek tore his teary eyes away from the grave and towards Lucy. She smiled sadly and nodded for him to continue, her own tears falling down her face.