ATTENTION! THIS IS THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE RE-WRITE. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING UPDATE NOTIFICATIONS AS I RE-WRITE. IF THIS I GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK TELLING ME *NOT* TO DO IT I WILL STOP. HOWEVER, THIS WAY YOU WILL KNOW WHEN A RE-WRITTEN CHAPTER HAS BEEN POSTED. FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU LIKE THIS OR NOT
I Know You Know Who I Am
Prologue: Five Years Later
Leolin Lefevre sat on her balcony overlooking the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, gazing across to where Michelangelo's David used to stand. She took a long drag of her cigarette, exhaling a lungful of violet smoke into the early morning air, watching the first rays of sun jutting through the jagged teeth of the Palazzo Vecchio. She felt bad; maybe she should have left David where he was. After all, who was going to guard the city in his absence?
She wasn't reading it, but below her espresso cup sat a copy of The Daily Prophet. The headline blared: MUGGLE ART THIEF LA GENIE DU MAL STRIKES AGAIN; WHO IS HE? with a picture of David's naked pedestal underneath and muggles gathered around in despair. Leolin glanced at the headline and smiled grimly, looking out again to the piazza.
Despite everything she'd endured there, she was going to miss Florence. Over the past five years she had begrudgingly come to love the city, and though it would never be to her what Paris or London or Llangollen were—though she'd never really considered it home—she had grown to love it here.
She took another drag from her cigarette and exhaled, trying to forget the headline she'd seen just under the one about the theft of the David.
MALFOY HEIR ENGAGED AGAIN.
She bent her head, a familiar bitterness welling up. It wasn't wholly unexpected, of course. In fact, Leolin was surprised it had even taken this long. Still, that didn't soften the clenching ache she felt at the news. She rubbed the spot where her Draco's pendant used to hang, and the action instantly soothed her. It had been almost five years since Lucius had ripped it from her neck, but Leolin could still feel it's slight weight against her skin. She continued to stare across the piazza, watching the sun illuminating the stones.
"Do you miss him?" A musical voice echoed.
Leolin smiled but didn't turn or speak.
"Who?" she queried, a half-smile tugging at her lips.
"Il Gigante, of course."
That was what the Italians called The David.
Leolin finally turned around, watching as the enchanting Severina Borgia swept towards her, arms outstretched. She was smiling as well.
"Severina," Leolin said, coming forward and folding the other woman it her arms. It was hard to embrace Severina with her swollen belly. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it."
Severina gave a charming laugh, smoothing Leolin's straight black hair away from her face.
"Sciocchezze," she purred, full lips drawn its an alluring smirk. "I couldn't let you leave Italy without trying to persuade you to stay one last time."
Leolin laughed, ushering her to sit down.
"I was going to bring the girls," Severina continued, easing gracefully down despite her rounded belly. "But Xavier told that would not be fighting fair."
"He was right, as always," Leolin affirmed. "There isn't is a soul on this earth who could resist daughters as cute as yours."
"True," Severina said in mock arrogance. "Borgia children are admittedly perfection. And mine exceedingly so, since they have Borgia blood on both sides."
Leolin laughed, and Severina joined in her merriment by smiling.
"So," Severina said, her obsidian eyes studying Leolin carefully. "What have you been doing with your last morning in Florence?"
"I've just been admiring our handiwork."
Leolin jerked her head towards the piazza, where tourists still throng in dismay around David's vacant post.
Severina smiled wickedly, looking across to David's naked pedestal as well.
"All in a day's work, genie."
Leolin gave a small laugh.
"The International Aurors Office are still looking for him," Leolin said pointedly. "The 'Genie du Mal', I mean. I had a floo from Teller just this morning."
Severina laughed again, rubbing her rounded stomach.
"So I heard. Here's hoping they catch him soon." She struggled for her purse and pulled out a bottle of expensive Prosecco. "Let's drink to it."
"Come on, Ri," Leolin laughed, even as she conjured two glasses. "You can't drink. You're about to bloody pop!"
Severina gave a discontented huff.
"Let me tell you something us Italian women know that you Frenchies don't," she said in response, tugging the cork from the bottle with the satisfying snap before pouring two flutes she'd also retrieved from her bag. "A little bit doesn't hurt every once in a while. I drank with both the girls, and look: perfection."
"I can't argue with that," Leolin said as they clinked glasses. "What should we drink to?"
"To you, naturalmente," Severina said, eyes sparkling. "To the next step in your journey. I wish I could keep you here forever, tesoro, but you belong back in England. It's time to go home and set things right."
Leolin nodded, her cheeks flushed.
"So, here's to your last day in Firenze," Severina said in encouragement, and they clinked glasses again.
They both drank, and finally Severina set down her glass.
"I have something for you," she said, extending a box to Leolin. "Here, open it."
Leolin did as she was bid, pulling the soft bow undone and opening a jewelry box. Nestled inside was a platinum lock pendant that resembled the key Draco had given her. It was the lost trinket's nature companion.
She bit her lip
"So you have something from me and Xavy to hold when you feel stressed or scared, and so Draco knows you are ready to begin again," Severina explained. "May I?"
Leolin nodded and pulled her hair aside, and Severina attached it to her neck. Leolin touched it instinctively. She'd never gotten over the habit of touching the place the key had been when she needed reassurance, despite the fact that it hasn't hung there in five years.
"Ri," she began. "I just want to say—"
"No," her friend said, her gigantic wedding ring sparkling in the new dawn light. "Lasciatemi parlare prima. I have to admit that when I first laid eyes on you all those years ago in Draco's apartment I have never hated someone so much nor been so jealous. And I also admit that when you called me with your…proposition four years ago that I hated you no less. I just want to say that I have never been so wrong in my life, amore mia. You—you are the most incredible woman I have even known, and I have never loved anyone so fiercely as I have come to love you. My greatest wish in life is that my girls grow up to be as strong and brave as you. I know you're scared to go back, but I am proud of you. Xavier and I both are."
Leolin bent her head, touched.
"You saved my life," Leolin said in a quiet voice, gripping Severina's hand tightly. "I—I was dead and you brought me back. You gave me hope. I—I would never have found the courage to go back if you hadn't pushed me."
"No," Severina said, smiling. "That was all you. I just told you what you already knew; you're better than the life that Lucius had given you. Than that strisciamento Cristian gave you. Speaking of which, where is that little dog?"
Leolin leaned back in her chair.
"He's in Moscow fencing a Rodin statue. He should be here soon; he's bringing my fake passport."
"Why do you need one? You broke the charm, didn't you? What legal right does Lucius Malfoy have to deny you entry?"
"None, but we both know Lucius never needed the law to justify any actions. I just need to get back into London. Once I'm there, he won't be able to touch me."
Severina nodded, her perfect brows furrowed.
"Please be careful with him, tesoro. He is still very dangerous, and he is more powerful than ever."
"I'm not afraid of him anymore," Leolin bit out. "I'm not the same little girl I was when he screwed me over all those years ago. If he wants to fight, I'm ready."
"Leolin—"
"I know, and I promise I will be careful."
She bent her head before taking another heady sip of prosecco.
"To be honest, it's not Lucius I'm afraid of."
"You're worried about Draco," Severina concluded.
"He's not going to be happy to see me," Leolin said in a soft voice. "I'm sure by now he hates me."
Severina considered.
"You didn't do anything wrong, tesoro. Just tell Draco the truth. He will believe you."
"What if he doesn't?"
"Then you will have to make him," Severina said touching Leolin's hand. "Trust me, once he sees you again he will remember how it was before."
"I hope you're right."
"I am."
Again, they were silent. The piazza had begun to fill with people, and Leolin listened as the torre clock began to boom the time.
"Do you know anything about her?" Leolin asked quietly. "The fiancée?"
Severina gave a non-committal shrug.
"Not really. I don't think she's English. I think the surname is Beauchene, so I'm guessing French. Swiss, perhaps."
"Great," Leolin said miserably. "Wonderful."
"He cannot replace you," Severina said softly. "Even if he tries."
Leolin couldn't help herself.
"Is she beautiful?"
Severina shrugged again.
"There is a picture in the paper. Look for yourself."
"I can't—I'm not ready."
"Well, hurry up, amore mia," Severina said sternly. "Time's running out."
Leolin gave a tight nod before quietly croaking, "I know."
There was another ravine of silence before they heard the floo crackle from inside the luxurious flat. They both looked up.
"Leolin?" Cristian called, and Leolin stood at once as Severina rolled her eyes in disgust.
Cristian stepped out onto the balcony and gave Severina a nasty sneer. She'd always treated him like the vermon he was, and he was understandably resentful.
"There you are," he said, odd eyes finding Leolin. "Borgia," he said, addressing Severina now. "What an ugly surprise."
"Affanculo, è brutto piccolo mostro," Severina snarled.
Cristian only sneered again in response.
"Still don't speak a worth of Italian, Borgia. You know that."
"Everything settled with the Rodin?" Leolin asked tightly, and he said nothing, just picked up her forgotten glass of bubbles and took a large gulp.
"Well?" she demanded hotly. She'd grown accostumed to ordering him around like a slave.
"When have you known me to ruin a fence?" he snapped.
"You ruin a lot of things," Severina spit out. "So it is not a stretch."
"Spare me" Cristian snarled at Severina. He didn't usually have the authority for such vitriol, but Leolin's departure put him a position where he clearly felt safe to do so. "I can't stand the way you're always squawking."
She stood and slapped him so hard that he crumpled a little. "You disgust me," Sev said, as he nursed his reddening cheek. "Leolin, I have to get home. Ti amo. Floo me the minute you get to London safely."
Leolin nodded, hugging Severina tightly.
"We will see each other again soon," Severina said soothingly. "Be brave."
She kissed each of Leolin's cheeks before jamming a foot into the back of Cristian's knee, making him buckle and fall heavily to the ground.
"You fucking bitch. You'll pay for that some day."
"Doubtful," she sneered.
She left without another word.
With Severina gone, Leolin put her back to Cristian, eyes cast towards the piazza again.
"Did you bring the documents I need?"
"I did," he said, dropping them on the table with a definite thud before grabbing her roughly by the wrist. "Now let's talk about what it's going to cost you."
"I let you keep the 250 thousand from the Rodin fence!" she grit out, trying to pry his slimy hands off of her. "That's what we agreed."
"Well maybe I want to renegotiate," he snapped, touch still insistent. "Come on, lapin, just one last time. For old time's sake."
"No," she snarled, freeing herself from him embrace and scowling at him. "I gave you what you wanted when we came here five years ago. Touch me and suffer the consequences. I mean it."
"As of this morning," he said arrogantly. "I'm no longer in your employ. The days of you kicking me like a dog are done, Leolin."
"Fuck your empty threats," she snapped. "You have no authority over me and you know it."
"You think so?" he said in mounting irritation. "Then what about these?" he demanded, holding up the passport and igniting a flame at the end of his slender wand. He moved to touch the leather with the torch and she cried out.
"No, don't!"
She couldn't keep the panic from her voice.
"Then start cooperating," Cristian drawled, extinguishing the flame and tucking his wand back in his pocket.
"What do you want?"
He grit his teeth in annoyance.
"You know what I want."
"No," she said flatly. "Absolutely not."
"Then I guess you don't need these," he said, tucking the passport in his cloak pocket.
She considered. If she didn't get those documents, you'd never be able to evade Lucius at the border.
He took her silence for acceptance.
"I don't know why you're acting like this," Cristian said, folding his arms across his chest as his fire-kissed eyes watched her. "By the end you started to really like it."
"I never liked it," Leolin said nastily. "You're a terrible lover. The only way I could get through it was by pretending you were Draco."
Quick as a snake, he reached out a hand and slapped her across the face. Her cheek reddened, and she turned away, ashamed. It had been some time since he'd dare strike her.
"So what's it going to be," Cristian spit out as she put a cool palm to her stinging cheek. "Are you going to be accommodating?"
"Depends on what you mean by accommodating," Leolin said, having regained control of herself and thought through her next move. "Accio."
She snapped up the documents as they flew from his pocket.
"You really are a pathetic wizard, you know that?" she sneered.
"I will—" he began but she shook her head, brandishing her wand at him. He would never to get his in time.
"You will nothing," she spat. "You should have read your contract more closely, Cristian. You may not work for me anymore, but I still own you. Betray me and you're dead."
"I could go to Lucius Malfoy," he warned.
Her eyes flashed.
"You can't," she said. "You're still under contract to La Genie, which guarantees your silence. Besides, even if you found a way around it, the Borgias would be jamming cantarella poison down your throat even as the words were coming out."
"You bitch," he sneered.
"That's right," she said. "I am. But better a bitch than a pup. Now take your 250 and be grateful I don't tell Severina about this; she's already looking for a reason to kill you."
"You're making a mistake," he warned. "Someday I will make you pay for this, and when that day comes, you'll lose everything."
"We'll see who's right in the end," Leolin snapped, turning away to signal she would hear no more.
"That's right," he snarled. "We will. You haven't seen the last of me."
"Get out," she said in a bored voice, and he gave a frustrated scream and disappeared.
When she was alone, she flipped open the passport and smiled, tears of joy welling in her eyes.
She was finally going home.
A/N: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEASE! Please keep the support coming, it keeps me motivated!
Love Eternally,
TheSecretAdmirer