T O G E T H E R. they were not happy together, but they stayed that way for his sake, for a few years to give their son a little sense of stability. between the fights they would pretend to get along, they would try to show him what a family looked like. and he learned, learned in those shallow early years, that family was hiding the fights, hiding the things that did not work and pretending that things were okay.
A P A R T. no more screaming, no more arguing. quiet, quiet, quiet in the old mansion, standing on the stairwell, asking “ where has my father gone ? “ his mother would hardly look at him. “ he left, “ she would tell him. “ he didn’t want either of us. “
A L O N E. days spent by himself, trying to figure out where he belonged. mother attending galas, pulling him along, ignoring him as he stood in the corner by himself while she sipped wine and laughed with wealthy bachelors with enough spite and wit to be her equals. father working, working nonstop, distracted from paying any attention to his son, attempting to find himself instead of helping his boy find his way. summers in the library, in the workshop.
R E P L A C E D. she remarried first, to a rookwood. his step-father was not a cruel man; he did not hit him, he did not speak harshly to him, he did not despise him. he did nothing. the step-son was pushed to the side; he had his new wife, and her boy was part of a family she no longer belonged to. his step-father ignored him, and after his half-sister was born, so did his mother. he stopped talking; no one noticed. he ghosted the halls of the rookwood manor, friendless, silent, waiting for someone to pay him any attention. one month, two months, three months. no talking, not so much as a whisper, just staring up at them with his big blue eyes, waiting for acknowledgement that never came. “maybe he should go live with his father, “ his step-father said. his mother looked at him, and he stared at her. pursed lips, gaze dropping. “ i think that would be best. “
A C C E P T E D. his father had remarried too, brought in her, the new wife. he wanted to hate her, he wanted to feel like she was stealing his father away, expected her to be just like his step-father and let him hang in the background of the new family portrait. but she liked him, she paid attention to him, she wanted to get to know him. they spent nights up in the kitchen, and she taught him to cook, she taught him french, told him stories. she did not call him her step-son; he was her son, alongside claudia. claudia, his half-sister, smiles and pale blue laughter, chasing each other around the workshop, not caring that they were only half brother and half sister; it was good, and it was enough for them. he started to talk, slow and haltingly, stopped fearing being sent away. this was his family now. he did not have to be afraid.
ORPHEA ROOKWOOD ( née ABBOTT / OLLIVANDER ) , mother : ANNA WALTON
ABRAXUS ROOKWOOD , step-father : TOM ELLIS
FIONA ROOKWOOD , half-sister : SOPHIE LOWE
GARRICK OLLIVANDER I , father : JOHN HURT
GARRICK OLLIVANDER II : COLIN MORGAN
THERESE OLLIVANDER ( née VALLON ), step-mother : LISA BONET
CLAUDIA OLLIVANDER , half-sister : GUGU MBATHA-RAW
