Family Bonds

A/N: Written for the QLFC Round 11, as Chaser 1 of the Wimbourne Wasps.

This is a poor response to the specifications of the Round, but my main concern was getting something posted on time since I'm away for the next few days. As per the challenge, its set in 1198, but for most of the story Helena is looking back on her previous life. I should also mention I've invented a second daughter for Rowena Ravenclaw, as it suited the purpose of my story.

Prompts X3: crimson (word), freedom (word), said (restriction).

After nearly 200 years of being dead, Helena Ravenclaw had come to appreciate humanity more than she had whilst she was living.

She had missed many key moments of life, as well as the lives of her friends and family. Helena had never married; for she had never met a man with whom she felt she could spend her life with. The notion of children had always seemed an unreasonable burden which some people inexplicably chose to endure – she had been perfectly content with the freedom a solitary life gave her. Indeed, where would she find the time to mind a brood of brats when there were a never-ending number of books she wanted to study, or new spells to master?

Her own mother, the renowned Rowena Ravenclaw, was one of the few women Helena had seen successfully manage having children and yet still maintaining a solid presence in the wizarding world. Only a few years after she had helped establish Hogwarts School, she fell in love and married, and soon after had two daughters. But Rowena's authority in the school's running scarcely faltered; she only physically removed herself from the school during the few weeks before and after giving birth.

Although Rowena relished the challenge of juggling both her profession and raising children, Helena had never seen the appeal herself, and preferred the idea of focusing all her attention on her studies. Her mother had offered her a teaching post at the school many times, but Helena had no interest wasting her talents in training uncouth youngsters. Rowena had also offered a teaching position to her other daughter, Theodora. But she shared none of her mother's intellect, and her main aim in life was to live in a beautiful house, surrounded by dutiful children and a loving husband.

Helena and her sister had always been at odds, having such vastly different viewpoints of life. When Helena hadn't bothered visiting at the birth of Theodora's first child, nor sent a gift as was the norm at the birth of a baby, her mother paid her an angry visit where she had the nerve to criticize Helena for being ignorant and selfish in her pursuit of magical greatness.

This incident had infuriated Helena, who refused to be told how to live her life by anyone, especially her own mother. Her passion for gaining knowledge had been partly fuelled by her desire to surpass her mother in witchcraft and renown. In her fury, she stole her mother's enchanted diadem and ran away to experiment with magic away from her meddling family – a plan she'd already had formed in her mind for quite some time.

After her exploits had ended in tragedy, she'd been shocked to discover herself brought back into existence as a ghost at Hogwarts. Since Helena had nothing but time ahead of her, over the years she'd come to face her remorse for her actions. She could only assume her underlying guilt for hurting her mother had resulted in being cursed to wander the school where Rowena had worked tirelessly to manage. Perhaps it was some warped sense of justice – now Helena could fully acknowledge how much better a witch her mother had been, in striving to pass on her wisdom to new generations of wizarding children, instead of hoarding it to herself like Helena had tried to do.

An unexpected blessing presented itself to her several decades after her death. While attending the Sorting Ceremony for first years (the founders were long dead, but Gryffindor's enchanted "Sorting Hat" was now responsible for placing students into their Houses), she heard the hat shout "Evelena Ravenclaw!", and a tall, dark-haired girl stepped calming forward and was sorted into the house of her namesake. Helena was drawn to the girl, who she figured out was her sister's granddaughter. She approached her in the Common Room late one evening while the girl was studying by herself. Evelena was sharp-minded, and not afraid to ask questions once Helena had revealed her own identity.

It transpired that the details of the diadem affair had been hushed up, even within the Ravenclaw family. Helena shared the bare minimum of information about herself, but the girl respected her wish to keep some secrets. The pair struck up an unlikely friendship, particularly since Helena avoided speaking to students in general. When any of Evelena's friends asked about the ghost she was talking to, she would simply reply, "The Grey Lady," a nickname which ended up sticking with Helena for many years to come.

After Evelena's graduation, she applied for the vacant Charms position, which she secured thanks to excellent Charms results and how she'd been constantly helping her fellow students at their studies, which did not go un-noticed by her teachers. Helena was reminded irresistibly of her own mother, and felt proud of Evelena for maintaining the Ravenclaw family's repute for distinction.

Five years after Evelena started teaching and two years after her marriage, she gave birth to a son right in her office at Hogwarts, having been reluctant to leave her post just because she was with child. The midwife had arrived in time to help deliver the baby, and her anxious husband (the school's librarian, who'd futility begged his wife during her pregnancy to take a few months off) hadn't left her side through the whole thing.

Later that day, as Evelena was readying to leave after her husband and fellow teacher's insistence that she go home and rest for a few weeks, Helena paid her a visit to bid farewell. Although she'd never had much affection for children (having to haunt a school full of teenagers was at times torturous), seeing Evelena's newborn son reminded her that she herself would never experience being a mother.

There was a cold finality to that fact that made her reflect on the life she'd lived. What exactly was left of Helena's own legacy? She was still overshadowed by her mother's great deeds; but then again, Rowena had deserved renown, for her main ambition was passing on her knowledge to others, not to hoard it as Helena had done. Looking back, she couldn't hide from the reality of her own selfishness; and she would have flushed crimson with shame if ghostly form had allowed it.

It was only thanks to Helena's sister, who she used to deride as useless during life, that the Ravenclaw family name lived on at all. Once, Helena might have thought being a ghost would enable her to be remembered forever, but the guilt of her misdeeds meant she could not bring herself to discuss her life with anyone. She would not allow the House of Ravenclaw to be associated with her own vices of greed and envy.

But gazing at Evelena with her newborn son, it was clear to Helena that the family's reputation was in good hands. And for her part, Helena was determined to never mention her past with anyone, living or dead.

I know the ending is very weak – trying to meet the Round's specifications was rather forced, and I think my writing and enthusiasm suffered as a whole because of it.