Looking back on this day, Rowan would always think that on this day, everything had gone exactly right for the truth to come to light. It was just unfortunate that it had to be her that discovered it. That day it had been remarkably sunny, and Rowan was walking quickly to her cousin’s house because she’d been granted a reprieve from work. They might have been cousins, but Yaxleys stuck by their own and Rowan knew that Clifford had been feeling poorly lately. Having relayed that information to her mother, the Yaxley matriarch immediately gathered the ingredients and set about making Clifford’s favorite comfort food.

So it was with her arms full with a basket of food that Rowan made her way up the steps of the Yaxley cousin household and shouldered her way into the foyer. Clifford had told her to put the items by the door, however despite the fact that the dishes were spelled not to go bad, Rowan knew she would make her way into the kitchen and start to put things away. So off she went, humming quietly to herself. It was when she was halfway through that Rowan paused in her movements and humming. Was that - ? Shaking her head, Rowan thought she’d heard the echo of a cry come from upstairs.

Not one to dismiss someone potentially in distress, Rowan immediately made her way upstairs. Clifford wasn’t home yet, it was only Elfrieda who was there. “Elfie?” She called, before moving quietly up the stairs, all the while listening for any more sounds.

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