Disclaimer: Suikoden is a product of Konomi, any charcters from it also belong to them. Yes, there is a Harry Potter character in this story, Severuse Snape. He makes a small appearance here and then you won't hear of him again for a while.

Inspiration: brickroad wrote the Viktor Chapters in Suikoden chapters at hix. tripod. He talked about Viktor having a not so good relationship with his mother in Chapter 18, 'Umblical cord'. I sort of stuck to that idea and drew it out further to emphasize the relationship between Viktor and the little sister I gave him.

Memories

'I want to remember, because I refuse to forget. I will remember for always and till the day I die. Why? Cause I don't want to forget. These memories mean too much to me to let go.'

In a little village called North Window, a woman screams in pain and a man tells her to push as hard as she can. The woman breathes heavily and she gives one last push. A small baby's cry could be heard through out the house as a little girl is dumped into a basin of lukewarm water, dried hastily and dressed in a thin cloth gown. Afterwards she was left in a cradle while the nurses tend to her mother. Shaking and shivering, the baby looks around to find nobody. She is alone, scared.

Minutes later she could see a small tuff of black hair and two brown eyes looking down at her. Her shaking was about to stop when the eyes and hair disappear. 'Don't go. I don't want to be alone.'

A moment later the ceiling disappears in a sea of black as something lands on her. She makes a muffled whimper and the blackness is lifted for her to see that same tuff of hair and eyes again. But this time she could also a small nose, along with a smile. It was a warm, comforting smile. One that seem to say, 'You'll never be alone.'

The young boy thought she was cold and brought her a blanket to warm her, but she still shivered. So the boy reached down and touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers; the shivering stops. "Hello." The little boy whispered. "I'm your big brother. My name is Viktor." The baby girl smiled for the first time.

The woman cries out, "Get him away from her." and the boy's face was jerked from sight.

'Bring him back.' The baby tried to say 'Bring back my big brother.' But all that came out of her mouth was a high-pitched cry.

A man's face appears above her, looking down to check. Then he pulls his face back and she could see him holding the boy by his shirtfront. The man pulls Viktor's face close to his. "Little brat." He growled. "What do you think you're doing touching the baby with your dirty hands."

"They're not dirty." Viktor cries. "They're clean, I washed 'em. I touch nothing else from da bathroom to here." There was a pause of silence. "Well, almost nothing. I grabbed a blanket daddy bought for da new baby. But…but it's clean. I made sure."

"Sure you did kid." The man says as he looks back into the cradle, pressing his face closer to the baby and she cries louder. He pulls his face back again and she sees him holding Viktor by the shirtfront again.

'Let him go. Please let him go.' Again her cries go unanswered.

"You're making her cry." Viktor says as he struggles to get free. "Let me go."

"Oh, I'll do so. Out with you." The man carries Viktor away.

"No! Let me stay." Viktor yells. "I want to look at the new baby. I'll be good."

"Don't you let him near that baby." The woman's voice could be heard again, weaker this time. She sounded tired.

"Hear that kid? You mother don't want you anywhere near the baby." The man says. "I got to do what she says. Now get."

Their voices get further and further away from the baby. She cries as loud as she could. 'Bring him back.' Her shivering starts again. 'I don't want to be alone. I don't like to be alone.' She hears a loud smack and another voice joins in.

Another man's voice was heard. "How dare you handle my boy that way."

The first man's voice begins. "But sir…"

Viktor's voice could be heard. "All I was doing was looking."

"And touching." The first man's voice is heard again. "Babies get sick quick and easy."

"He knows that." The second man says. "And besides, she's my kid too. She's made of stern stuff. A few germs won't kill her."

The first man protests. "But…but…your wife's order…"

"But nothing. I'll deal with her when the time comes." The second man's voice gets threatening. "Don't you ever let me catch you mishandling my kids again, you hear?"

There was silence for a moment, but soon footsteps interrupt it. They seem to be coming toward the baby's cradle and two faces appear above it. One was Viktor's and the other was an older man. He had brown flat hair on his head, a fuzzy brown beard and mustache on his face. The elder man holds Viktor in one of his muscular arms. Both faces seem to come closer to her, like the man was kneeling down next to the cradle. Viktor points to the man. "This is our daddy." He says and the baby girl giggles, her shaking stops once more.

"You're the one to make introductions, huh?" The man says with a laugh in his voice.

Viktor nods. "Uh, huh."

"Care to hold her?" Their father asked.

The first man's voice could be heard. "But…"

"Stay out of this." The father growls.

The faces disappear and two large hands come down to her. They slide under her back and head. She is lifted very gently and brought close to the father's face. His brown eyes were big and shiny, like they had a little twinkle in them. The thick beard tickled her as he nuzzled her face. It was apparent that he was tall man, for when she turn her head to look down everything looked every far away. He lowered his arms down a bit; she could hear his strong heart beating in his chest. She likes the sound and she lets him know with cooing sound. The man smiles as he walks over to a chair and sits down. He holds the baby away at arm's length so that Viktor could crawl into his lap. Viktor leans his head back on his father's chest and holds his arms out to accept the baby into his arms. "You have to put your arm there."

"Like this?" Viktor asks as he slides his arm under the baby's back.

"Yes, support the head…good." The father held the girl under the arms of the boy, because he knew the boy couldn't hold her by himself yet. "She needs a name." The man whispers, his cheek lightly pressed against Viktor's head.

"I've…I've thought of one." The boy says timidly. "But mommy won't be happy if I name her."

"You leave your mother to me." The father tells him. "What is?"

"Racqel."

Five Years Later

"That's it!! I've had it with the both of you." A woman's voice could be heard. "Get out of here and take her with you!!" Two children are thrown out of a house in North Window. One is an eight-year-old boy with shoulder length black hair and big brown eyes. The boy is slightly muscular for his age and tall; he wears a white t-shirt and black pants. The other child to be tossed out is his five-year-old sister. She had brown shoulder length hair, small brown eyes, was thin and small. She wore a white t-shirt and black pants that looked to be too big for her.

"But…but mom." Viktor says.

"Don't 'but' mom me." The woman says with a broom in her hand. "I have you always tracking mud in the house and making a mess of everything. Running around, like a chick with its head cut off and making ruckus wherever you go. Then, as if that's not enough, I have to listen to her." She points an angry finger at Racqel. "It's all I hear day in and day out. 'What about Viktor?' 'Can't I go with Viktor?' 'Viktor gets to wear pants, why can't I?' Seeing as how you got that girl worshiping you so much, you can take care of her from now on. Keep her and you out of my way." The woman's voice turns a little venomous. "And you better make sure you two behave yourself." She shakes the broom at them. "Cause, Runes help me, if you were to get into any trouble…" The woman throws a ragged dog out before storming back into the house and slamming the door shut.

"I didn't mean to get you into trouble." Racqel says in a timid voice as she wrings the bottom of her shirt.

Viktor acts unsurprised. "Ah, it's ok." He picks up the dog and hands it to her.

Racqel looks at her older brother. "So what do we do now?"

"Hang out with the gang, I guess." Viktor takes her hand and leads her over where he hangs out with his friends.

Racqel has to take twice as many steps to keep up with her big brother, while holding up her pants; her rag dog hangs in the hook of her arm. When they get to the center of the village, where the big tree stands, they see three boys standing there. They are Viktor's friends called Frank, Don, and Sam.

Viktor yells to them. "Hey guys, what's up?" The three boys look at Viktor and then the little girl behind him.

"What's she doing here?" Frank asks snottily.

"Mom says I have to take care of her now." Viktor gets into the guy's face. "Got a problem with it?"

Frank backs way, his hands up in defense. "Uh…n…no."

Sam gives Racqel a glare and she hides behind Viktor. "So why you stuck with her anyway?" He asks.

"I ain't stuck with her." Viktor gives her hand a slight squeeze to show that everything will be ok. "I just think it would be safer for her to be with me instead of in that house with that woman." Viktor nods his head in the direction of his house.

"Your mom threw her out with you, didn't she?" Don says in a know-it-all voice.

"Yes, mom threw her out with me." Viktor said in a mocking tone. He clears his throat to talk regularly. "I don't think she got over the fact that I was the first face Racqel saw and the one that named her." Viktor lets out a sigh. "You know she's been trying to keep Racqel from me ever since her birth. But she doesn't get it, that's the problem. Racqel likes me and I can't help that my little sister wants to spend time with me."

"Aw, why didn't your mother want you to see her?" Frank asked in a smart-alecky voice.

Viktor shrugged. "How should I know? Something about not wanting her little girl being tainted by a boy's image. Worry about Racqel turning into a tom-boy."

"What about your father taking care of your mother?" Don asked.

"He tried, but after that woman threw an absolute fit with a couple side tantrums and he took off." Viktor said angrily. "The man got tired of trying to reason with that woman. So now he takes more fishing jobs, that way he doesn't have to be around to hear the woman complain about me and Racqel all the time."

"I think she's more upset about you being first born." Sam said teasingly. "I think she rather have a girl first."

"Maybe." Viktor ran his free hand through his hair while he thinks. "She always said that boys are rough, uncooperatively and a bother to have around. Girls are clean, polite, and useful."

Racqel tugs on her older brother's arm. "Bear…"

"Hey, it's ok." Viktor turns and bends down so they are somewhat eye level. "We'll have a lot of fun together."

"I know…but…doggie's thirsty." Racqel tries to point to the rag dog with hand that held his. Her other hand still held her pant up.

"Better get doggie something to drwink." Frank teased.

"How would you like a fist in the mouth?" Viktor finds a piece of rope that had been discard from some unknown bundle. He picks it up and ties it around his little sister's waist to hold the pants up, freeing her hand to hold onto the stuff dog better. "Geez. These pants fit me when I was your age."

"You're bigger than I am." Racqel let the shirt drop over the pants and they see it go down to her knees. "And taller."

"Aw, you'll get bigger. Don't worry." Viktor rubs the top of Racqel's head. "I'm sure great grandfather can do something to help you when he gets back from his journey." He gives Racqel a big smile. "Now what does doggie want to drink?"

"Lemonade." Racqel returns the smile with one of her own.

Two Years Later

"Come on Viktor, we have to do it." Frank pleaded.

"I don't see why she just can't come with us." Viktor complained. "If we past this so-called 'Test of Bravery' and get accepted into this group, what will becomes of her?"

"Who care?" Sam put his hands on his hips. "If we don't past and get into the group, we'll be labeled sissy forever. Thanks to your sister, we already are."

Viktor defended his sister. "But it's not her fault that people can't get over that fact that she's a girl."

"But if we get in, we'll be men." Frank said. "We'll be popular. Other boys will fear us."

"But this is the only group in town. What's the use if we don't have anyone to compete against." Viktor crossed his arms. "Soon everyone will be in this group. Then what?"

"But not everyone could make into this group, only the bravest." Sam said.

"She's brave." Viktor said with confidence. "She has to be with the way that woman is. It gets to the point where you can't turn a corner without taking your life into your hands."

"She's little, scrawny, small." Don points out. "Viktor, face it. She never fitted in with us and she won't fit in with the group." Don throws his hands up into the air. "It's best that she just stays home where she belong."

"Not with that woman in the house with her." Viktor protested. "That woman's been out to get her since the day Racqel chose me over her." He puts up an index finger in Don's face. "If Racqel does even the littlest thing wrong, it' a smack across the face." Viktor slaps his open hand with other to emphasize his point. "I say she comes with us or we don't go at all." He crosses his arms in front of him again.

"That's what you think." Frank got into Viktor's face. "It's us or her." He jabs Viktor's chest with an index finger. "And better chose wisely or you'll find yourself making the biggest mistake of your life."

Viktor was taken back. "You…you can't mean that." He pushes Frank away from him. "That's not fair, for me or her."

"Chose." Don and Sam said in unison, leaving the big boy with the feeling of being stuck.

Viktor didn't want to abandon his sister, but he didn't want to lose his friends. This was one of the few times in his life where he thought things out. 'I could see my sister at home anytime. We can hang out whenever I'm not with my friends. But…that woman will do anything to Racqel. What should I do?" He thinks for a while, till his friends demand an answer.

"Ok." Viktor said reluctantly. "I guess I'm with you."

"Ok, tomorrow's the day." Don says. "Here's the plan…" He goes on to explain how things were going to go down.

The day of the test Frank, Sam, and Don wait by the tree in the center of town for Viktor and Racqel to show up. They all greet each other in the unusual way and hang out around the town for a while. Later on Frank says he's thirsty, then Sam says so too. Don agrees with them and suggests that someone goes to get something to drink. The three boys look at Racqel, who without question, volunteers to go to the corner shop. Once she was gone, the four boys take off out of the town and head straight for the 'Cave of Wind'.

Viktor felt like he had a lump in his throat. He never thought he would ever do something like this to Racqel. But now it was too late to do anything about it, everything was already set in motion.

The four boys sat around the cave and waited for those who gave the 'Test of Bravery'. After a short wait two teenage boys came into sight and looked at whom they were testing. One boy had brown curly hair and the other had short red hair. The brown hair boy laughed at them.

"What's so funny?" Viktor asked crossly.

"I'm surprised to not see that brat with you." The red haired boy said.

"We left her behind." Frank said snottily. "We don't need no girl to follow us around."

"Trying to show yourself to be men, good move." The brown hair boy gave them a thumb up.

"We thought so." Sam said proudly. "So what is this test?"

"Just have to walk through the cave." The red head said. "From one end to the other. But don't worry about getting lost. We'll be with you throughout the way. You just have to keep up."

"Who's…who's worried?" Viktor put on a brave face, but in the back of his mind he thought about how scary that cave sounded. He looked at his friends to see that they had also put on a brave face. But he could tell by the sounds of their breathing that they were also worried.

The group lit three torches, one Viktor carried and the two older boys carried the others. Afterward they entered the cave. At first everything seemed ok. There were many twist and turns in the cave, however there didn't seem like there was really any need to be worry about anything.

In time the four boys started to walk with more confidence, but soon it came to a point where it seems that the group had become lost. Viktor turned around to ask where they should go now, but the two older boys were gone and so where their torches. With two less torches the cave became darker and now it was apparent that it was also dank. Wind blew throughout the cave, making a high-pitched screeching sound and the fire on their torch wavered.

Now that they were alone, the four boys started to doubt themselves. Slowly they back tracked a bit and moved along another path that felt to be the right one. Just when their confidence started to come back, Sam let out a scream of fright and the other boys turned around to look at him. A big hairy monster had grabbed him around the waist and was dragging him down the tunnel. The monster growled, snarled, and roared the whole time.

Before anything could be done for him, two more monsters jumped out of nowhere. They also growled, snarled, and roared. One monster grabbed Don and Frank, the other monster one grabbed Viktor. He dropped the torch he carried.

The four boys scream as they struggled to free themselves from the monsters. "Let me go!" Frank cried. "I don't want to die!"

"Somebody help!" Don scream.

"Let go!!" Viktor and Sam said in unison.

After awhile, the monsters stop pulling the boys and dropped them. The growling stopped and monsters started to…laugh. The laugher echoed throughout the cave as Viktor snatched up the fallen torched from the floor and held it up. The four boys could see the monsters put their hand to their heads and pulled them off. It was the two older boys that entered the cave with them. The third boy, who was already in the cave waiting for them to come, was blonde.

"You…you guys should have seen your faces." The blonde held his sides, his eyes watered.

The brown head shrugged. "Sorry, but you don't pass."

The red head had to add to make a sting. "Seems hanging with a girl had made you soft."

The blonde managed to stop laughing enough to be somewhat serious. "We'll walk you out. And don't worry, we'll protect you from any m…m…monsters." The three older boys laughed as they took the lead to show Viktor and his friends the way out.

Now the only light left was the torch that Viktor carried. The four friends were silent, kicking themselves for falling for the most use and stupidest joke in the book.

After awhile Viktor's ears twitch as he hears something, sounding like footsteps behind them. He turns around to see who is following, but the noise stop. Shrugging it off as some trick of the mind Viktor doesn't say anything till he hears the noise again. "Hey, you're not trying to trick us again?" He asks the older boys.

The blonde turns to look at him. "No, why would you think that?"

"Cause I hear sounds like someone's following us." Viktor points back to where he first heard it, but no sound come except the wind in the cave. The older boys rolled their eyes and everyone moved on down through the cave.

"You know it wasn't funny the first time." Sam said angrily sometime later. "And it's certainly not funny now."

"We didn't plan anything else…honest." The brown head said.

Again they stop and everyone strain to listen hard. This time everyone heard something other then the wind. It sounded like someone running ahead of them. The big boys weren't so cocky this time and were looking at the four younger boys nervously. All the four younger boys could do was look back at them the same way. They stood there for a moment or two before they heard a terrified scream echoing throughout the cave. The group jumped and looked around wildly. Again, another scream of terror came.

"Viktor!!" It was Racqel, she was in the cave with them. "Help! Monster!" But what was she doing in there?

"Ooo." The red head put his hand on his cheeks. "Is widdle sister trying to help you with your test?"

"Bet she doesn't know she's wasting her time." The brown head laughed.

"I got it." The blonde snapped his fingers. "She's set up a baby trap to scare us. Going to jump out and scare us with a blanket on."

"Ooh. We'll be so scared." This time the red head held the bottom of his shirt like a skirt and pretends to shake his knees before they moved on.

All three older boys laughed, which pissed Viktor off. It could be a seriously dangerous situation and they were laughing. Angrily Viktor clutched the torch tightly and took off toward where he heard Racqel scream.

Frank chased after Viktor. "Hey man, she's making a fool out of us."

"She might be in real trouble." Viktor yelled behind him. "If we couldn't take it, what about her."

"Maybe." Don had caught up with him, Sam right behind him. "But then again…"

"Look, you can come or you can stay, but this time I'm choosing her." Viktor hastened his pace. "Hang on, I'm coming!" He yells ahead.

When Racqel screamed again it had more fright in it. The four boys break into a run, now they are worried. Obviously the three older boys no longer thought it was a joke, because they had not only caught up with the four younger boys, but were now running along with them.

The group gets near to the end of the cave and they see Racqel, her foot stuck between two rocks. Seems she fell from a ledge she was standing on, just out of the light from the exit of the cave. Viktor gives the torch to the red head boy so he and his friends could move over to help Racqel unbury her leg. When they get near her they hear the brown head screamed and they see the red head drop the torch in fear. The torch snuffs out due to the wind that blew through and it falling on the ground. The blond boy points to the ledge that Racqel must have stood on. Everyone sees a couple pairs of glowing eyes. There was a low growl as the eyes come closer. The older boys scooted back, but Viktor and his friends were rooted to the spot with fear. The eyes jumped down from the ledge at the older boys and they leap away from the eyes. The eyes moved slowly forward and the older boys scramble over each other to get out of the cave.

"Th…there really are monsters in this cave." The red head shouted.

"Run for it." The brown one cried.

"Oh, no." Frank whimpered. The eyes turned to the four boys who just stood there. The eyes jumped again, but this time they headed for Racqel.

Forgetting his fear, Viktor jumps between the eyes and Racqel to act like a shield. He reaches her first and was knock on his back by one pair of eyes. Whatever this monster was, it wasn't very big cause it only covers half his body. It was small, furry, and it seemed to be licking his face. The other pair of eyes land on his legs and was…purring?

When his friends finally found their courage they came charging towards the eyes with rocks in their hands. "Don't hurt them." Racqel called out suddenly.

"What to you mean?" Viktor manages to sit up with one of them still on him.

"Listen, they're purring." Racqel laughed. "They won't hurt us."

"Purring?" Viktor was confused. "Monsters purr?" He fell back, because the weight was too much to let him stay up. Racqel whistled and the weight was lifted from him so he could stand up. Viktor goes to help free his sister's leg, only to find she could have freed it at anytime. It wasn't bury as deep as one would have thought. Viktor and his friends were very confused and didn't know what to make of things.

Racqel takes Viktor by the hand, leading him out of the cave. Once there she ran up to some other older boys that were of equal age as the ones Viktor and his friends were with. "See? My brother and his friends are much braver than those tough boys were. Those boys were scared of tiger cubs." Racqel whistled once more and two tiger cubs, one black and the other white came out. They rubbed up against her legs. Viktor had never seen them before; he wondered where she got them and how she tame them so well.

The other boys talked with each other for a while before moving over to Viktor and his friends. "It's settled." One boy said.

"Wha…what is?" Viktor was still confused. "What's going on?"

"You shall be leader of our new group." Another boy said.

"Yeah, we're tired of having one group and having to do some stupid test to get in." Another boy said. "We think it would be nice to have a rival group to liven things up. An east verse west thing."

"West for us of course." A fourth boy said as an off-handed comment.

"But Viktor lives down the middle of the town." Don pointed out. "Not that we're saying that he wouldn't make a good leader of course." He adds hastily.

"And his sister would be second in command." The first boy stated.

"What?!" Frank, Sam, and Don had a shocked look on their face.

"But she's…she's a girl." Frank stammered.

"She also organized this." The second boy said. "She's shown how cowardly the other boys really are. Not to mention the fact that she also told us about how Viktor went into the wood and found her the cubs for pets."

"That's the kind of person we need." The third boy said. Viktor and his friends were amazed. In one day, they take a test and fail getting into a group, only to be asked to lead another one. When everyone got back to North Window, Viktor pulled Racqel to one side and asked for an explanation.

"I'm gullible, Bear," Racqel stated, "not stupid. My ears are as sharp as yours and I heard your whole plan." Viktor felt a little red around in the cheeks. "I had heard earlier that there was other boys planning a group, but they couldn't decided on a leader. So I voted for you. They of course were skeptical about it, but I said I have a way to prove you'd be the best. So when I went to 'get drinks' for you guys I really ran to get the other boys to meet you at the end of the cave."

"And the cubs?" Viktor asked, though he felt that same lump in his throat as he did in the beginning of the day.

"I found them one day looking for herbs for great grandfather." Racqel said it like it was nothing. "You know the herbs he need to make me bigger and stronger. They were crying over their dead mothers. Some cruel person killed a couple of mother tigers. Took their pelts, paws and head as a trophy. They left the babies to die. I couldn't let them be alone. No one likes to be alone."

"I…I see." Viktor felt like he needs a kick in the ass for what he did to his little sister. "I'm sorry."

"Please don't be." Racqel took his hand and patted it. "I know it was a tough decision, I would have told you to chose your friends over me. It wouldn't be fair if you lost them cause of me. I would have been ok on my own." She lowered her voice. "It's not your fault I can't make friends of my own."

"But you did." Viktor said with a smile. "Not just for you, but for me too. Thanks to your idea, I won't have to chose between you or friends again." He gave one of his reassuring laughs. The laugh made Racqel feel better and she smiled.

With news of a new group spread around town, boys and girls from around begged to join. In the end the old group had to drop its 'Test of Bravery' and allow girls in, just to get members to keep up with Viktor's new group.

Two Years Later

Three people leave a store. A 12-year-old Viktor carrying a couple of large brown bags, a woman carrying a small paper bag, and a 9-year-old Racqel carrying a paper bag that was too big, too heavy for her to carry. She walks slowly behind the woman. "Come on, hurry up with that." The woman yells at the girl.

"The bag is too heavy for her." Viktor tells his mother with a sigh. "You know she can't handle the weight."

"Well she better learn." His mother yells at him. "If she can run a gang with you, she can carry one bag of groceries."

"She doesn't run a gang, mother." Viktor said coldly. "She hangs out with us."

"Don't talk to me in that tone." His mother snaps back at him. "If I want her to carry the bag, then by the Runes she carries the bag." The woman turns around to yell some more at Racqel when she sees her daughter trip in a hole in the road. The bag crashes to the ground, it's contents smashed. "There goes a weeks worth of food, you stupid child."

"I'm sorry. I tried to be careful." Racqel scrambles to her feet and tries to collect the bag back up. The bottom of the bag is soaked with egg yolk and it rips, spilling everything on to the ground.

"You…you little…. Can you do nothing right?" The woman throws down the little bag she is carrying. "Do you have to behave so much like your brother that you cause me headaches everyday?" Racqel drops her bag and backs away. "Do you like to give me headaches, to give me pain?" She raises a hand, threatening to smack the young girl.

This is all Viktor could take. He drops the bags he carries and charges at his mother, his arms extend in front of him. With all his might he shoves his mother away from his sister and the woman lands in a water trough for horses. The woman splashes around as she tries to get out. "You brat. How dare you do such a thing."

"You knew she couldn't carry bag. You just wanted an excuse to hit her. Well I wouldn't let you." Viktor goes over to Racqel and takes her in his arms. She wraps her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist and presses her head against his. He walks awkwardly out the gates of North Window.

His mother yelling could be heard. "Don't you walk away from me. When I get my hands on the both of you, you won't be sitting for a month."

Viktor ignores her as he walks away from the town to a tree that gave shade on an edge over the sea. He sits down under the tree with his sister in his lap. "You ok?" Viktor asked.

"Yeah." Racqel sniffles. "Can't go home tonight, can we?"

"Nah, not to night…maybe not for a while." Viktor sighs. "Least till dad gets home."

"Oh…when's that?" Racqel asked.

Viktor shrugs. "Don't know." There is silence between them before Viktor speaks up again. "You know what I wish we could do?"

Racqel cocks her head to one side. "What?"

"Run away." Viktor tells her

"Run away?" Racqel straightens her head and looks her brother in the eye. "We can't do that."

"Sure we could." Viktor press his forehead against hers. "We pack up a few clothes and I get a job somewhere."

"Doing what?" Racqel leans back, her hands on his knees.

"I don't know." Viktor shrugs. "Maybe get hired on a live-on fishing boat." He leans his back on the tree trunk so he could look up at the leaves.

"But catching fish means a lot of heavy lifting." Racqel lifts up one of Viktor's arms. "You have muscles, but not big enough for work like that. You have a hard time carrying me."

"Aw, that's causes your getting bigger." Viktor chuckles.

"Duh." Racqel rolls her eyes at him. "It's call gaining weight."

"That's not what I mean." Viktor runs a hand through his hair before he looks at her again. "I mean you're getting taller. Those potions are finally taking effect."

"Not fast enough to carry a bag of groceries." Racqel looks down at his chest to avoid making eye contact.

"You were just given to much." Viktor puts a finger under her chin and lifts her face up so he could see it. With his other hand he brushes a strand of hair from her face. "The bag was over stuffed. I think I would even have a problem with it."

"Maybe..." Racqel fidgets with her fingers.

"Don't worry about." Viktor takes her hands and hold them in his own. "Come tomorrow, that woman will have something else to pissed of about."

"That woman is your mother." A cold stern voice says to them from behind the tree.

Racqel looks up at a tall man with black neck length hair, walk out from behind the tree. "Uncle!" He's dress in a black turtleneck shirt, black pants, black cloak, and black formal shoes. "Hi, Uncle Severus." She says innocently.

"I hear you shove my sister-in-law in to the horses' drinking hole." Severus gives an icy cold glare.

"So what if I did." Viktor looks away and out at the sea. "She was threatening to hit Racqel over nothing and like hell I would let her go through with it."

"So I suppose you're thinking that you and your sister will be spend the night at my house." Severus crosses his arms in front of him while still looking down at the two children.

"It's not just your house." Viktor turn back and returns the glare. "It's great grandfather's too. He said we could come over anytime we want."

"Not if he finds out why you can't go home after the stunt you pulled." Severus informs Viktor.

"He'll understand." Viktor tells Severus.

Severus gives a stiff laugh. "That's what you think."

"Don't you want to have us over?" Racqel questions her uncle. "Don't you like us?" She looks up at him with big brown eyes.

"Uh…" The little girl's face surprises Severus. "Yes, of course I do." His features soften and he gives an affectionate laugh as he leans down to take the girl in his arms. At first Viktor wouldn't let go. "Don't worry, I won't take her to your home. You both can come home with me." Viktor looks at his uncle before he lets go. Severus picks the young girl up and rests her on his right hip. He looks back down at Viktor. "Do you really think you can run away?"

"Yeah." Viktor gets up and dust his rear off. "I can take care of the both of us. Been doing it all my life." It is obvious how tall his uncle is compared to Viktor. Viktor comes to about chest length on Severus.

"There's a difference to raising someone when someone else brings in an income, than when you have to do it all yourself." Severus looks out at the sea. "Do you really think you could be a fisherman?"

"Dad is." Viktor looks out at the lake and sees a boat pass by. "You don't think I can follow in his footsteps?"

"I think your destine for something else." Severus looks down at his nephew. "What that is, I don't know yet."

"Is that your wizard's intuition?" Viktor asked.

"No, some prediction you great grandfather made." Severus replies. "He was mumbling something like that as I left the house. Wouldn't tell me what it means, but it didn't seem good." Severus feels something tighten on each arm. He looks down at Racqel to see that she was squeezing his arms with each of her hands. "I don't think it is anything to worry about." He lightly presses her head down on his shoulder. Racqel closes her eyes and lets out a satisfied sigh. Severus turns to head back to the gate of North Window. "Come on. Let's go home." He says before walking through the gates.

Viktor takes one more look out at the lake. 'I'll think of someway to get out of here.' He thinks before he follows after his uncle and sister.

Note: Yeah, I skipped through the years, the years I hit on are years that mean most to the characters.