Levirate [Haniaal/Zarry]

Chapter 12

May 2023

After the meeting and lunch, the Maliks went to the bank with a tree branch to fetch Daniaal's spirit and then to Chelsea Funeral Directors to fetch his body. Harry did not understand a lot of what was happening but he followed along with his family.

Daniaal Malik's funeral was held on a gloomy day in Bradford two days after the court hearing. Harry was surrounded by the Styles family and Fahima and her family. It was a difficult ceremony for Harry and as hard as he tried to remain strong, he was crying throughout the entire proceeding.

***

Harry has stayed in the room allocated to him since they returned from the funeral. Anne and Fahima are helping the Maliks with whatever is happening out there and Gemma is somewhere doing whatever but she has been checking in regurlarly. Safaa is tasked with taking care of Harry and has been in the room with Harry since they came back. Harry is not allowed to walk around in the house because he is considered as "bad luck" so whatever he needs, he sends Safaa to get. 

Safaa is very sweet Harry learns. She is interested in the life that Harry and Daniaal shared and also the baby. So Harry finds himself reliving the different milestones of his life as he shares their journey with her. She is shocked to learn that they met at a strip club because Daniaal has always been uptight. Harry laughs at Safaa's opinion of Daniaal, he could be fun when he wanted.  "Well according to him, he went in because he thought he saw someone familiar walking into the club and he just followed. Then he met an angel....but you can never know with your brother. He was such a smooth operator" he blushes as he recounts the conversation. "Awww you are so cute" Safaa swoons.

Safaa is also very interested in the lives of the celebrities. She asks about all the people that Harry has worked for and has questions about all of them as Harry lists them. Like whether Lady Gaga is as crazy as she seems which he answers as affirmative. They spent the day with mindless banter until they fall asleep late in the night. 

***

Harry is awoken at 5am in the morning the next day. He is led to a big tub outside the house and asked to undress and step into the tub. The water looks dirty and disgusting but Fahima and Sarwat had already explained the need for this ceremony to him the night before. He is cleansed of the dark cloud hovering over him and after the bath, he is wrapped in a blanket and sent to the house. Afra is waiting for him in the house and asks him to take a seat. Afra proceeds to shave his head bald as symbolism for purification and a new start. All of Daniaal's immediate male family are required to shave as well and the female's hair is snipped at end of length. Harry is then given a water bottle filled with bitter tasting liquid that is meant to separate Daniaal's soul from his. Harry is dressed in black clothing and advised that he will stay with the Maliks for a week before he is allowed to return to his house. Anne and Gemma unfortunately cannot stay due to work obligations and leave Harry in the care of Fahima who has volunteered to stay for the week.

The week at the Maliks is gruelling for Harry. Patricia makes him wake up at 4am and make breakfast for the whole family, do the household chores and cook dinner but he gets no acknoledgement for all his hard work, he gets criticism for everything . Safaa helps in a way that would not alert her parents and Harry is appreciative of that. He does not get support from Safaa only though, Sarwat and Maryum check in daily and encourage him to remain strong for this week only. Fahima is staying at a motel because Yaser indicated that they did not have enough space for her and when she comes to check on him, she can see him disappear daily. She has informed Anne of her worries and they agreed that it is just for a week and they will find therapy for him after this.

On the day that Harry is meant to go back home, all the Maliks come to bid him farewell and also provide advice on how a widower behaves. Anne and Gemma are sitting with him on the floor with Safaa sitting on the other side. Yaser walks in during Daniaal's aunts speeches. He is followed by his male siblings.

"I have called you all here to indicate my intention to keep Harry as a Malik. As the father of the deceased, I propose that Harry be married to my other son Zayn to safeguard the interests of Daniaal's family and raise the baby that he is carrying as a Malik. I have bought the goat already and we can proceed with the ceremony before sunrise".

"What?" Zayn and Harry shout at the same time

"Why are you doing this Yaser" Zileh asks

"Because it is culture. You cannot choose which ones you apply and which ones you don't. Harry is a Malik and thus will do things the Malik way! And I am tired of you all disrespecting me and the interests of my immediate family!"

"But Yaser this practice has not been done in the Malik family since the death of your mother, father's first wife" Tariq says as he paces around the room. 

"So? That does not mean anything. Father was able to marry my mother's sister and you all were born of that marriage so why should it be different now? Zayn will marry Harry and move into Daniaal's London home and that is not up for discussion. Welcome to the Maliks Harry!" the smug look on his face indicated that he has been waiting for this moment ever since he lost the case. Afra indicates that he does not have a problem with the union because Harry is carrying a Malik after all and would need someone to provide, protect and lead the family. 

Anne and Gemma are livid at hearing about this. They have been moved away from the living room where the meeting is held because of their constant swearing and shouting. Harry has not said a word since his reaction to the news. He silently cries and rubs his bump, softly singing small bump by Ed Sheeran. Even though the song has a horrible ending, he likes it and it brings a smile to his face. Fahima is standing away since she is not family and she is watching Harry's behavior. She is not a psychologist but she can see that Harry seems disconnected. 

At the silence of all the other Malik siblings, Yaser proceeds with the slaughter of the goat and feeds the raw liver with bile to Harry and Zayn. 

As he feeds them, he says "When (a man) gets married, he is not alone, neither does his wife 'belong' to him alone. So also the children belong to the corporate body of kinsmen, even if they bear only their father's name. Whatever happens to the individual happens to the whole group, and whatever happens to the whole group happens to the individual. The individual can only say: 'I am, because we are, and since we are, therefore I am'."

Harry does not react at all and a part of Yaser is disappointed with that because he was interested in gloating his win in his face but he is also happy that they have broken him enough for him to agree to this marriage. When the Styles manage to make their way into the room, the union of Harry and Zayn has been finalised and Harry asks them not to fight.

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A/N: Here ends the journey of Daniaal and Harry Malik 😭😭💔🌷🌷

And begins the journey of Zarry Stylik 

Please feel free to ask any questions you might have regarding the rituals. We live and we learn