Thicker than Water (Marauders Era) PART II

22 July, 1995 - Realizations

Hermione stared straight ahead, her eyes meeting Ginny's as she sat back from the extendable ears George was now tugging back looking... shocked. Completely and utterly shocked. As if there was anything else to feel about this situation.

Clearly, they didn't have the full story and Hermione had no idea at all why Molly was accusing Lavinia of giving Harry away. Like she... well like she could have had him in the first place. Which made no sense at all. Sirius was the one who was supposed to have been Harry's guardian and circumstances had, obviously, prevented that. Miss Selwyn... well Hermione honestly had no idea how she fit into the picture. All she knew was that however she had been supposed to fit in was not where she was now. And Mrs Weasley disagreed with whatever choices Miss Selwyn had made to lead her to that point.

And as for the other fact... scars? Hermione hadn't noticed any scars. Not visible ones anyway, not like Lupin's. And Lupin's scars had a very good explanation. But Miss Selwyn? Hermione didn't think she was also a werewolf because if she was, she'd have had more scars. More visible scars, anyway. And that didn't explain Mrs. Weasley wanted to protect them all from them. What scars needed hiding, anyway?

"What scars?" asked Ron suddenly, glancing around between the others as though looking for any sign anyone else had some ideas.

Hermione just shook her head, confused. Fred and George did the same, but Ginny, rather to everyone's surprise, was looking very somber.

"Her wrists," Ginny explained when they all looked questioningly at her. "When I helped her wash plates for dessert, she rolled up her sleeves and... well I didn't know what they were, but I bet that's what mum was talking about."

"Why would she have scars on her wrists?" Ron asked, evidently completely baffled.

Hermione shot him a somewhat annoyed look and it said something about the gravity of the topic that neither Fred nor George took the opportunity to tease Ron for his predictable obliviousness.

"Oh Ron," Ginny muttered, sighing and rubbing her eyes.

"We don't know it's that," Hermione pointed out, but no one answered. She didn't suppose there was any reason to, anyway. They all knew that was just wishful thinking.

"Is no one going to explain?" Ron demanded, now looking rather put out.

Hermione sighed. "Ron..." She started, then trailed off. She honestly had no idea how to explain this. Huffing a breath and wincing slightly, she tried again. "Ron, she-"

"Shh," Fred hissed suddenly, yanking the extendable ears and coiling them up hastily. "Footsteps," he added when Hermione shot him an annoyed and mildly offended look.

They all hushed hastily, waiting for the footsteps to pass. But they didn't. And instead the door opened.

Lavinia retreated upstairs as quickly as she could without running, feeling rather strangely detached from it all. She'd never had someone point out her scars so directly before and though she knew it had been a very long time since the sight of them had bothered her, somehow this... this very much was bothering her. For so long her scars had just... existed. No one had talked about them or made a fuss. It was just a part of who she was. A woman with scars. A woman who had hurt and healed. A survivor. And she had never minded.

Until now.

She knew Molly probably hadn't really meant all the million awful implications of her words. Knew she only wanted to protect her children. But the words were still said. The fear and disgust Lavinia had feared for years before she'd just stopped caring was still there in the open and Lavinia was forcibly reminded of the only other time she'd spoken with someone about her scars.