Funeral
Funeral services for entrepreneur Michael Sandford will be held today, 18 March. Sandford died of a stroke after suffering injuries from a car crash. He was 31 years old. He is survived by his wife, Hermione, his daughter, Jane Elizabeth...
London is still in shock over Michael Sandford’s untimely death. We have been unable to reach family members for comment, but sources tell us that the entire family has been getting ready at the Sandford Estate in Bedford for days, in anticipation of today’s private memorial service. Hermione Granger has been nowhere to be seen, and a source tells us it is likely she has been committed to a psychiatric hospital, leaving little Jane in the care of her grandparents. Also, we learned from a close friend of the family...
Elizabeth Sandford sat in front of her precious vanity desk, immobile as an enchanted hairbrush tended to her hair. Beth was getting something for her mother to wear.
It was an occasion no one expected. Elizabeth had always thought she would be gone long before her dear son passed away.
A tear silently slid down her cheek as Beth entered the room with some clothes draped over her arm.
“I got the tweed suit,” Beth told Elizabeth.
The mother nodded.
“Where is your father?” she asked.
“He’s downstairs. He’s talking to the guests.”
“Alright. I’m going to get dressed.”
“Hang on,” said Beth, grabbing the enchanted hairbrush and beginning to brush her mother’s hair herself.
“Just leave it,” Elizabeth whispered.
“Mum,” Beth sighed. “You know Michael wouldn’t want you to be like this.”
Tears continued to flow freely down Elizabeth’s cheeks. Beth put down the hairbrush and hugged her mother.
“I can’t believe he’s gone, Beth,” Elizabeth sobbed.
After Elizabeth had calmed down, she was ready to join everyone downstairs. As she and Beth made their way down the staircase, there was commotion at the door.
“Let me through!” a woman exclaimed.
“The service is about to start, ma’am,” someone told her.
“I don’t give a bloody fuck!” the woman screamed. “Get out of my way!”
Right then, Patricia Walters entered the foyer.
Elizabeth and Beth froze.
“I need to talk to you,” Patricia told Elizabeth as soon as she noticed her presence.
“What are you doing here?” Elizabeth’s voice was low but full of anger. “How dare you?”
“Elizabeth, please,” Patricia begged, starting to cry. “Listen to me!”
“You are the reason my son is gone. Get out of my house,” she practically whispered.
Ben suddenly appeared and grabbed Patricia by the arm, dragging her out of the room.
Elizabeth broke down in tears.
“I’ll take her into the kitchen,” Mary said, taking Elizabeth’s hand and guiding her.
“I will be right there,” Beth said.
Ben came back into the foyer.
“Is she gone?” Beth asked with disdain.
“Yes,” Ben replied. “She’s gone.”
Beth sighed.
“That was the last thing we needed.” There was a long pause. “How’s Hermione?”
Hermione sat quietly in front of the small white altar set up by the lake. The scene reminded her of Dumbledore’s funeral several years ago.
“It shouldn’t take long,” Ben said, appearing suddenly by her side. “Here they come.”
She turned in time to see Elizabeth walking down the aisle. Peter walked next to her, trying very hard to keep composure. However, he couldn’t contain his sobs. Beth and John walked behind them.
This was the first time Hermione saw Elizabeth since Michael had died. She looked terrible.
Elizabeth wore no makeup. No jewelry. Just a pair of sunglasses and a plain black suit.
“Is it going to start now?” Hermione asked Ben. He didn’t answer. She moved her eyes to see what he was staring at. Her heart jumped.
Three redheads and a man with untidy black hair were approaching.
Molly led the group and hugged Hermione when she reached her.
“You didn’t think we would leave you alone, did you?” Molly asked as she hugged her.
Hermione started crying.
“Oh, don’t cry, sweetheart,” Molly said gently.
“Thank you so much for coming.”
By the time Hermione had hugged Arthur, Ginny, and Harry, she noticed that at the other side of the aisle, Elizabeth was sobbing into Molly’s shoulder.
Soon, everyone had taken their place, and an official from the Ministry of Magic stood and faced those gathered by the lake.
“Sometimes,” he began, “we are cruelly reminded of how fragile life can be, and how suddenly it can change. Sadly, it is the death of a father, a husband, a son, a brother and a friend that brings us together in this occasion.
“I understand Mrs. Lancaster would like to say a few words?” he nodded towards Beth. She stood up and approached the tomb. She placed her right hand on top of it for a moment.
Hermione, who was sitting on the front row, between Harry and Ben, suddenly realized that Liam was making his way towards the front. When he reached the tomb, he put his hand on Beth’s shoulder.
Beth looked surprised when she realized it was Liam who was standing beside her, but she turned and, holding his hand, walked to face the gathering. It was then when Ben stood up and took his place by Beth.
“Thank you all for coming,” she began, her voice trembling. “I... I never thought I’d have to do this. I want to say a few words on behalf of the family. Michael was my big brother and... he had a lot ahead of him.” She had to stop once she noticed her voice began to break.
Liam squeezed her hand, and Ben leaned in to whisper something in her ear. She shook her head and carried on. With shaking hands, she pulled a folded piece of parchment out of her pocket.
“My brother Michael was a great man. He was dedicated to his work, to give the best part of himself in order to make the family business prosper. But I”what I know... I know with certainty, is how much he loved his wife and his daughter.”
Hermione felt her muscles tense. Beth stared right into her eyes.
“I am so grateful you came into his life. I’m so grateful you came into my life. You are the best sister-in-law anybody could hope for,” Beth sobbed. “And ultimately, I believe you made him a better person. You may not realize this now, but I hope you will one day.
“It breaks my heart that he won’t be here to see Jane or any of the children grow up. He couldn’t wait to teach her how to ride a broom. He couldn’t wait to see her in her Hogwarts robe... to take her to King’s Cross on the first of September and help her board the Hogwarts Express. There was nothing he looked forward to more than getting to raise this wonderful little girl by your side.”
Beth was now letting the tears flow freely. The parchment in her hand shook.
“I try to understand why this horrible thing has happened to us. And... I can’t. This is a true tragedy, and I can only hope that time will help us move on.”
“I just checked on Jane,” Ben told Hermione, sitting next to her. “The nanny is keeping an eye on her and the children.”
‘Thank you,” Hermione replied quietly. She was sitting in the garden. Everyone had gone inside for tea, but she wanted a few minutes alone.
“Are you okay?” she asked Ben.
Ben shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know you better than you think,” Hermione told him. “I know you think you can’t come to me because Michael was my husband, but I can tell you that if anything happened to Harry I’d be devastated. You knew Michael much longer than I did””
“Michael was a very lucky man,” Ben said, eyes welled up. He gave Hermione a peck on the cheek and walked away.
Hermione stayed in place. She didn’t want to go inside and face everyone. Would it be long until guests started to leave? She couldn’t wait to grab Jane and go home.
“Hermione?” a tentative voice uttered behind her. When Hermione turned she couldn’t have been more surprised.
“Anne?” Hermione immediately stood up and hugged her friend.
“I’m so sorry, Hermione,” Anne said gently. “Silly question but... how are you?”
“I could be better but... it’s manageable,” Hermione smiled. “I’m so happy to see you, though! Have you seen Harry and Ginny””
“Just ran into them,” Anne replied.
“How are things going? How’s the job?”
“I... I truly love it,” Anne told Hermione, beaming. “I’ve learned so so much... I do regret being so busy. Well, not so much being busy... rather being exhausted. But I haven’t seen you in ages. I can’t believe it’s been so long.”
Hermione was thankful to have Anne there, and the distraction could not come at a better time. She also could not believe how much time had passed since Anne left, and all the things that had happened since they last saw each other. Suddenly, Hermione remembered something she needed to do.
“Come on,” she told Anne. “There’s somebody you must meet.”
“Hermione,” Anne breathed, “what a beautiful, beautiful girl.”
Hermione smiled.
“Oh God,” Anne continued, looking fondly at the little girl sitting on her lap, “I can’t believe I’m only meeting her today.”
“I can’t either,” Hermione admitted.
“And she’s so big!”
“Just turned eight months old.”
“Oh Hermione... Can I keep her?” Anne pleaded with a laugh.
Sometime after Hermione had taken Anne up to the nursery, which Elizabeth had insisted on refurbishing when Jane was born, Harry and Ginny had come up to say goodbye. Even though Hermione knew they were only a floo call away, she knew things would be different from now on. Sure, she knew she had her friends, but she also knew she had to carry on with life, without Michael to help, or blame when things got tough.
She was about to start living her life.