...twisting, turning, churning and dividing...
How does a river choose its path? And how does a man decide his fate?
"Mama"
My name is Eliza Sage Potter. And I...
I’m dead.
I’ve been dead for a long time. But just because I’m dead doesn’t mean I don’t know things. Know what happens in the world.
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry I left you, Tom, I really am.
I’m sorry I died, James.
I’m sorry I never met you, Harry.
I’m sorry, Mama.
Mama is my mother. My birth mother. I’m adopted. She died when I was born. I was adopted by the Sages. They’re my parents, the only ones I’ve ever known. Mum and Dad.
But... Mama is Mama. I don’t know why I call her that. I don’t know her. I’ve never known her. I just... She’s Mama.
I met Alex at Hogwarts. Back then my middle name was Atheni, my grandmother’s name. But my grandmother’s name was rare, and after...
After, Mum quickly arranged my marriage to Alex. Not quite arranged, since we knew each other, but she worked out all the details with Mrs. Potter. She asked me if I liked him, and then she asked me if I minded marrying him.
I didn’t mind.
It was a perfectly respectable marriage. The son and heir of the wealthiest man in wizarding England and the daughter of one of the oldest and most respected wizard families was nothing sensational.
They didn’t know I was adopted.
Of course, I knew why I had to marry so quickly. Mum needed a reason to delete my middle name from my record. I needed to become a Potter. The Powerful Potters. No one would question my bloodline.
I died giving birth to my first child, a son. I suppose it runs in the family.
Alex remarried three months after the funeral, the socially acceptable mourning period.
Oh, no, I don’t think he ever cheated on me, he just never really cared.
Alex was a good man, but for him, business was first, then politics.
I was there to look lovely and produce an heir.
I did.
James was raised by Joanne, his second wife. She was nice enough to him, but... Well, she wasn’t really a parent. Neither of them were. They were more like the doting aunt and uncle.
James grew up quite spoiled, but there was never anything really wrong with him. He was mischievous, and a bit of a braggart, but that stopped soon after he got to Hogwarts. That place brought him quite down to earth, especially those friends of him. Especially Lily.
But he’s dead now. And so is she.
Maybe...maybe if things had been different.
Maybe.
Had Tom come with me...
The Sages only wanted to adopt one child, not two. I told him it would be okay. I took my chance and left.
The train came to the station, but there was only one empty seat. I didn’t bother to wait for the next one.
I should have stayed.
After all, we were twins. Whatever bad blood he had, I did too.
But I grew up and lived my life.
And he...he took lives.
How could things have ended up so different?
I could have stopped him.
I should have stopped him.
Maybe if Mama hadn’t died...
I don’t know.
But what does it matter now?
Tom’s dead too.
Harry killed him.
How ironic.
Harry killed his one living relative, his one blood tie to the wizarding world.
So now it’s over.
What’s happened happened.
But I still wish things had been different. I still wish Mama hadn’t died.
I wish I had stayed.
I have a lot of regrets. I have a lot to atone for. Things shouldn’t have been this way.
I’m sorry, Tom. I’m sorry I left you.
I’m sorry, Mama. I’m sorry I didn’t take care of him.
I’m sorry, Harry. I’m sorry I made it all this way.
I’m sorry.
My name is Eliza Sage Potter.
But I was born Eliza Atheni Riddle.
Return to the Cupboard