Chapter 5 ~ Hell.

Maxine watched the silver beads trickle down the skylight, following the raindrop with lifeless eyes. That's the best thing to do when you're hurting deep within. Concentrate on one thing and empty your mind of feeling.

She hadn't been prepared for how lonely and hard it would be without her little sister. Suddenly a huge, empty space had opened up within her day, the time where Maxine would have been duelling with Lily, teaching her new spells, laughing about the ridiculous things James wrote in his letters. All gone. 

Maxine thought she'd love the quiet, the peace. But instead, the silence worked the other way. It left her aching and cold inside. She felt abandoned. She felt alone. No one bothered her, why would they? Except for a few close friends and family, Maxine Lestrange had been forgotten.

And there was another new pain to deal with, too. Before she'd been able to shut her horrific visions out of her head, tell herself she'd had to many fainting fancies or something, but now, her mind had been filled with these memories alarmingly. She had begun to question her sanity for real, not to shut it out.

Now, she had condemned herself. She would stay away in the pit of loneliness and try to live. The attic was better than a long-term ward at St. Mungo's.

Maxine was still following that same raindrop as it slid down the skylight when the house began to shake, and the droplet sped up and disappeared off the glass racetrack. Maxine sat up with a sigh. Just as she'd prepared herself for a nice day of self-pity, someone just had to call. She slid off the bed and slipped down the stairs, where the knocking of what seemed to be a rather agitated caller rang through the hall. With a flick of her wand, the bolts slid undone and she opened the door.

The round, wheezing wizard stood before her squinted in irritation. ''I'm looking for a Mr. Harry Potter.''

''I'm afraid he isn't home at the moment.'' Maxine was surprised by her own voice after four hours of silence. ''Can I help at all?''

''And who would you be?'' The wizard asked grouchily.

''Maxine-'' She stopped herself in time. It would help if she entered her surname into the already uncomfortable scene. ''I am Maxine Torwell, his er-'' A mop in the corner of the porch provided inspiration. ''-I'm his cleaner.'' A flush of embarrassment came, but she continued; ''I am responsible for this house when he and his wife are not at home. Can I take a message?''

The wizard looked at her suspiciously. ''I came here to deliver these.'' He gestured at the boxes behind him. ''I need his confirmation.''

Fortunately Maxine was used to dealing with these situations, and after a quick glance at the delivery, said; ''Well, if you put them in the back room I can tell him you called and send him along to your workplace.'' She said helpfully.

The wizard sighed. ''Alright, alright. But Mr. Potter had better come tomorrow, otherwise we'll withdraw the delivery.'' He held out his wand and levitated the first box before looking at Maxine expectantly.

She smiled tensely. ''This way.''

A few minutes later, the wizard was surveying the boxes that were now stacked up against one wall in the study. After completing rudimentary checks, he lifted his hat with no feeling whatsoever and showed himself out. Maxine waved a goodbye, relived yet also in better spirits. Maybe it had helped, speaking to another human being. Sighing, she shut the door and with another flick of her wand, the bolts slid shut once more and she was again sealed in her palace of solitude. She was on her own again.

But turning round, she was found she was not as alone as she had thought.