In the short time he had been away, he had aged more than in the last five years. His long blonde hair was tangled, his face was covered in rough stubble and his skin was paler than ever before; almost grey. If he stopped moving for too long, he started to shake.

Walking down the hedged path, his heart rate started to increase. It was not in his nature to be scared, but tonight he was afraid of the reaction he would get when he returned home. With a wave of his wand, the huge front doors of the house creaked open. Stepping into the lobby, he inhaled deeply, the musky smell of ancient tapestries filling his nostrils. The familiar scent was comforting to him, and he closed his eyes to fully appreciate it.

When he opened them again, his wife was stood in front of him. She looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek. He opened his arms, and she rushed forward, in her beautiful, graceful manner, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

He felt a shiver run down her spine, and he held her closer, not wanting to ever let her go again.

There was so much he wanted to say, yet he couldn't seem to find the right words. As he opened his mouth to speak, she shook her head. Words were not needed. Not tonight. Not yet.