My Daughter (Dramione)

Chapter 19 (Updated)

Chapter 19 *2020 Update*

I dare say the mansion has its beauties. I have seen the gardens and the newly built gazebo. Cormac McLaggen has spared no expense in restoring the parts that were destroyed during the second war. I have seen old renderings of the mansion and it has truly improved. It has been an honor to work on one of the old mansions. I admit I was surprised to have received the invitation to work on the home seeing it needs to be handled by the best people.

I do not know why they needed a second opinion on the repairs. It is planned by one of the most skilled architects and executed by the best builders. He did assure me in his letter that it was to make sure everything was in order for when they return. To answer your question, no he is not here. The groundskeeper has told me that Mr. McLaggen has gone to Scotland for the time being. I also heard he did not go there alone. He is, in fact, with a woman. No, I do not know who this woman but he intends to marry her. At least that's what has been going around. I do not know when he will return but I've spoken to his parents and they haven't confirmed or denied the rumors of their son getting married.

- An excerpt from an architect's letter to a friend

Despite Christmas being the happiest holiday around, a black cloud began to loom over the McLaggen Mansion. During the holidays the home was filled with celebration and joyful moments but for his particular holiday has turned dull and dreadful. Everyone inside the home felt it looming above them. Everyone was careful and anxious. One morning the master of the home had collapsed during lunch. It's been days since and he still hasn't recovered in fact he was growing paler and paler each passing day. Everyone feared the worst.

"How is he?" Hermione asked as the healer closed the guest room door. They had turned one of the spare rooms into Cormac's resting area as per his request. He didn't want to remain in their bedroom in his state.

The doctor pulled something out of his case and handed it to Hermione. "The tests we found were conclusive of poison."

"And the muggle tests?"

"We did as you asked. The muggle doctors have not deciphered anything. They are stumped as we are." The healers explained.

Hermione leaned on the wall and contained the tears in her eyes. Life has some way of bringing her misery at the most opportune moment. This can't be happening.

"However," The healer's voice had a hint of hope. "Based on Mr. McLaggen's travel history, he might have been in contact with the poison in Egypt."

"We funded an excavation in Egypt in January. We were informed that they had found a tomb and went to Egypt weeks before Christmas." Hermione explained remembering how excited they both were about the find. "There was an incident that caused a panic. One of the assistants had gone on her way and forcibly opened the sarcophagus."

"Was he present when it was opened?"

"He was the one who tried to stop him. After that health protocols were activated. He was cleared. Why did it manifest only now?"

"If we were to find an antidote for this it could take weeks or months that he doesn't have." The healer explained. They were all stumped. Despite modern wizard and muggle medicine, they couldn't find a cure. They could delay it but it was not enough.

"M-May I see him?" She asked her voice shaking in the realization of what the healer had said. Death. Another death. Karma. Maybe it was karma or simply punishment.

"I advise you to bring everyone together. I'm sorry Mrs. McLaggen."

"Thank you, healer."

They could only delay the pain. She couldn't do anything. Brightest Witch of her Age? What a load of dragon dung. She couldn't even save someone she cared for. She badly wanted to find that amateur and show her what she had done out of her foolishness but the young girl also had the same fate as Cormac if not worse. She had heard from sources that the young woman had died a week ago.