A/N:
This is a response to the -The Modern Day Rendition of a Fairytale Competition - by Super-Zelda-Fanatic.
My challenge was to recreate a fable about Rumplestiltskin using two characters – Alicia Spinnet and Justin Finch-Fletchley
I had to tweak some of the original fable in order for a story to work (well, work for me!) Characters are also possibly AU. Two relatively unknown characters made this very difficult but I gave it a go none-the-less. It is in fact a first for me. First Story, First Challenge, etc
My name is Rumplestiltskin
Alicia Spinnet smiled happily at the boy holding her in his arms. They have been dating for the last year and when she found out that she was pregnant, she did not know what to do. After a private chat with her friends Katie and Angelina, she decided to tell him. His face went from confused, to worried and then to happy in a few seconds and finally, with a whooping sound, scooped her into his arms.
"Ms Alicia Spinnet, would you please do me the honor of marrying the very humble Mr Justin Finch-Fletchley. He would be ever so grateful"
His face still glowed from the unexpected news and warmth settled in Alicia's stomach. He really was happy about their baby.
"Oh Justin, you don't have to marry me just because I am pregnant! This is not the middle ages anymore you know" although she secretly wanted nothing more than to become the new Mrs. Finch-Fletchley.
He took his wand out and with a quick "Accio Jacket" he took a small box out of the inside pocket. He opened the box and Alicia could only stare. The most beautiful ring lay between its protective velvet folds. A simple white gold band with a green garnet nestled between two very small diamond encrusted hands. The tiny hands held the garnet between their palms with their fingers interlaced. She looked up at Justin and saw him looking at her expectantly.
"Alicia, I carried this ring with me for the last couple of days, waiting for the perfect time to present it to you. Your news gave me the perfect opportunity but believe me, even if you were not expecting my child, I would still have asked you to marry me. I love you with all my heart"
His statement brought tears to her eyes. It could simply be the hormones but she wanted to believe that Justin really did love her. They have been talking about their families and she was still afraid that his won't accept her. She came from a poor wizards family that lost most of their money over the years, her father was the local miller and Justin came from a very well off English family. His family was Muggle Born, but in the Muggle London, his family had power beyond her comprehension. Justin never had to wonder if there would be food on the table, or if his father would be able to send him back to school the next year. He tried to tell her that her heritage did not matter to him, but she still worried.
"Hey, I told you before that it does not matter. They will love you despite being a witch!" he joked, but she also knew that she would loose the argument yet again. She could not deny him.
"You know I will love to marry you Justin!" and she threw her arms around his neck and their lips met in a sweet, lingering kiss.
They arranged to meet his parents in Diagonal Alley, where they would then go to the Finch-Fletchley Estate. While waiting for the parents, Justin left her outside the Alchemist Shop to have a quick word with one of his friends. It all happened so fast. Alicia was still day dreaming about the baby growing inside her womb and the next minute she woke in a small cell. She could not see anything around her until her eyes adjusted to the darkness and even then she only saw the bars behind which she was held. Reaching for her wand, she realized that she did not have it. Trying to think back, she could not recall what happened, but knew it was not good. She struggled to her feet and tried to open the door.
"You won't be getting out anytime soon my lovely" Her head turned to the voice.
"Who are you? Where am I? Why did you take me!" her voice barely made a sound.
"Tut-Tut. So many questions! All will be answered when the time is right"
Back in Diagonal Alley, Justin came out of the shop just as two dark figures apparated with Alicia. He pulled his wand out but the "pop" was already gone.
"Alicia!"
He knew that she could not hear him but he stood helpless. What had just happened? Where is she? He summoned an Auror and after explaining to her what he saw, she started performing some spells. "I am sorry Mr. Finch-Fletchley. It seems that your girlfriend was taken by Death Eaters. Any idea why?"
"Death Eaters! Why would they want Alicia?" his knees started shaking, thoughts of his Love held captive by Death Eaters. The Auror took his arm.
"Come with me. I will need to take an official statement and will need to ask you more questions"
He numbly nodded, following the witch without a though. His Alicia was in trouble and he could do nothing...
She didn't know how long she was held captive for anymore. Each day, someone would bring her a tray of moldy food. The first few days she refused to eat but then she remembered her baby needed nourishment. She washed the food down with water, trying not to gag on the food. As the days went by, the same voice would tell her over and over. "Not yet my lovely, not yet". She lost count of the days, she was in constant darkness and the days were all one long nightmare. She started having conversations with the rats and she though she was totally mental when one day they answered back.
"I can help you, you know"
Alicia started giggling. The rat was talking back!
"Yes I am quite sure a rat can help me get out of this hellhole!"
She felt it more than anything, the air changed around her and a feint light appeared from the area from where the rat was talking to her. But as her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw it was not a rat, but a little creature, something between a house elf and a goblin. At least, she though, she did not loose her mind completely.
The little creature came closer to her.
"I can get you out of here with the snap of my fingers, but I want something in return!"
She narrowed her eyes at him "and what would you want from me?"
"The Death Eaters that is holding you captive took you for a reason. Seems there was another prophecy. The Miller's daughter would give birth to a son that will have power beyond means. He would have the ability to control the minds of all the witches and wizards when he willingly enters the realm of darkness. The Death Eaters want that child, they want to raise your child in the ways of darkness, and when he becomes of age, he would be the new Dark Lord, but more powerful than Lord Voldemort ever was. We need to stop that from happening."
Alicia fell back against the wall. Her child would be the next Dark Lord? Never! She would do anything to stop that from happening.
"What do I need to do?"
The little creature grinned from ear to ear.
"I will apparate you out, but you need to promise me two things."
She nodded for him to continue.
"One, you can never tell anyone of the prophecy, and two, when your child is three, I want you to give him to me."
"No! Why do you want him?"
"We need to make sure that he can never become the next Dark Lord. We will take him and raise him in the light"
The little creature must think she is a total dimwit. Why would she risk everything just to loose her child in the first place? She would rather take her chances here. She will make a plan, escape, go into hiding, anything.
"No. I will not just hand my baby to anyone!" He just nodded and disappeared again.
"Wait, where are you going!" but only silence met her.
Over the next three weeks, the little creature came once a week with the same offer and she sent him away every week. So when he pops into the cell again, she told him NO even before he could extend his offer.
"I have a new offer for you. I will help you escape but I will come to you on his first birthday and his second and his third, and every year I will give you the opportunity to guess my name. Each year you will have only thirty guesses. By the end of year three, if you still could not guess, I will take your son from you. Three years is a long time, enough time for you to enjoy your child but even more time to guess my name. What say you?"
Alicia's first impulse was to say no again. But she was tired, hungry and scared. Three years should be more than enough time for her to guess his name. She is a witch after all.
"I accept your offer" and before she could blink, she was standing outside a large estate. The little creature was no where to be seen. Looking around her, she saw a sign stating that it was Finch-Fletchley Property and her heart jumped. Justin.
Justin Finch-Fletchley stared out of the window. The last six months was hell. He could not stop thinking of Alicia and how he could do nothing for her. But he tried. He tried with the help of Hermione Granger to locate her with spells and potions. Harry Potter even tried with is connections within the Ministry, but nothing and nobody could find her. His parents tried to help him as much as they could but left him to ponder by himself. He saw a figure stumbling down the lane, falling to the knees, getting up and finally falling down and not getting up. He rushed out to help the person. While kneeling down next to her he saw a few things at once. It was a woman, her dark hair was filthy and her clothes had seen better days, but over and above the obvious, he thought he recognized her somehow. He slowly turned her around and gasped.
"Alicia?"
He slowly pushed her hair out of her face, and he almost cried. It was her! She came back! He did notice the bruises, the sunken skin, the weight loss, the dirt, but none of it mattered. She was back. He gently picked her up and carried her into the house, up the stairs to his bedroom. His parents wanted to protest, but looking at Justin they suddenly knew it had to be Alicia. His mother noticed the rounded stomach but decided that now was not the time to ask questions.
"Justin, what can we do?"
"Madam Pomfrey...Hogwarts"
Lady Finch-Fletchley quickly went to the fireplace and took some powder and threw it into the fire, mumbling Madam Pomfrey. She never liked using the Floo but this was an emergency. A few seconds later Madam Pomfrey rushed into Justin's room.
"Oh! Dear me!" She quickly scanned over Alicia and after several minutes, several bruises were already healing. Her wand hovered over her stomach and a blue light appeared over it and suddenly exploded into tiny golden orbs.
"Oh my my my!"
"What's wrong Madam Pomfrey? What has just happened?"
Their old school healer took a seat next to the bed, a hand over her heart.
"I looked over Ms Spinnet and could see nothing that rest and nourishment would not fix. I will leave some replenishing potions for her as well, but she should wake up by the morning"
It seems she did not want to address the matter at hand so Justin looked sternly at her.
"Madam Pomfrey. What happened when you scanned the baby?"
Justin's mother sighed with relief. At least he knew about the baby. Perhaps that was what they were going to tell them all those months ago.
"Mr. Finch-Fletchley, I do not fully understand myself. I only saw something like this a few times so I will have to discuss it with some fellow healers but from what I could see, it seems that Ms Spinnet is carrying a very special boy. His magic is very powerful and he actually stopped me from running further test on Ms Spinnet. Now that would not be something to worry about I'm sure. But just to be prepared, we need to know more. By my account, Ms Spinnet would deliver the baby in roughly two weeks." and with that, Madam Pomfrey apparated, leaving behind as promised, the potions.
Justin's mother came to stand beside him.
"Is this why you came back home?"
He looked up, tears streaming down his face.
"Yes, I asked her to marry me and we came to tell you about the engagement and the baby when they kidnapped her. Mother, what happened to her?"
His hand traced lovingly over her face, gently as not to hurt her more.
"I don't know dear. We will have to wait for your Alicia to wake up. I will send Gertrude in to attend to her"
"NO! I mean don't. I will do it" He cast a quick cleansing spell over her and it took most of the grime away. Then he cast another spell to change her clothing. After finishing, he sat down next to her, her hand in his.
"Isn't she beautiful?"
Alicia slowly opened her eyes. She looked around in confusion, noting Justin sleeping in a chair next to her bed. Everything came rushing back and her hand went protectively over her stomach, feeling her little boy kicking merrily. She looked back at Justin, seeing the hurt he also went through on his face.
"He never stop giving up you know."
She noticed the elegant woman standing by the door. She looked like a real lady, and Alicia worriedly wondered how she could ever fit in with this elegant lady.
"He really loves you so don't worry about anything else." She laid a comforting hand on Alicia's shoulder. They started to talk softly and soon Alicia felt herself at ease talking to Lady Finch-Fletchley. She did notice however that she avoided mentioning the baby and she really needed to know everything was fine.
"What about the ...em... baby? Should we go to hospital, or...?" she did not know how to approach the subject.
"No No my dear. Madam Pomfrey came and everything is fine. I will let Justin explain the rest"
"Explain what? Is something wrong?"
A warm hand squeezed hers and Justin leaned in to give her a tender kiss.
"Hey"
"Justin, what's wrong?"
He smiled that sweet gentle smile and she realized how she missed him.
"Nothing is wrong, Love. I missed you so and was so worried! What can you remember? How did you get away?"
"No, you tell me first. What is wrong with our baby?"
Justin mother nodded slightly and Justin took both her hands as he started explaining what happened when Madam Pomfrey examined her.
"So, you see, everything is fine. We are just having a very special baby, that's all."
"So the little creature was correct after all..." and she in turn had to explain to them what happened and let to her escaping the cell. Both Justin and his mother promised to help in every regard to get information on the little creature.
3 years later...
Little Edward Finch Fletchley jumped happily up and down. His birthday was coming up and his mother promised him a new broom. As he ran out the room to tell his nanna, Justin smiled at his wife. He knew she was worried. He was as well. Over the last couple of years they have tried everything they could to try and get information on the little creature. To keep their little Edward safe, they only entrusted the information to a few friends they could trust. Every time the awful creature came and every time he left with a smirked on his face, Justin wanted to punch his face. He tried to kill him once but the killing curse, it seemed, had little effect on him. The little creature actually got so angry that he told them that Alicia would only get one more guess on Edward's third birthday and not the normal thirty guesses. He spoke to Professor McGonagall, but even she could not think of such a creature. The days turned into weeks and the night before Edward's birthday, the Finch-Fletchley's gathered in the dining room.
"Go into hiding" Justin's father suggested for the hundredth time.
"Father, you know that would not work. He found her in that cell when we could not. He will find us again"
Back and forth suggestions were given and turned down until Alicia started sobbing.
"We are going to loose our little Edward and all because of me!"
Justin pulled her into him for a hug.
"Why would you think that love?"
"If only I was stronger, I could have taken my changes with the Death Eaters instead. They can be killed at least!"
"Don't talk like that. You did what you needed to do, and I am grateful for that."
"Alicia, my dear, you brought love and sunshine into our lives. Justin's father and I would not change anything. We had three wonderful years with Edward and we will die to protect him. We will not go down without a fight, I promise"
It was a solemn group of people that sat around in utter silence until the morning. None of them could sleep.
As the day started, the Finch-Fletchley's gave a startled gasp when the door burst open. Alicia's thought were that it was too early, not yet. Justin wanted to run to his son's room. Mr. Finch-Fletchley was ready to through his favorite vase to the intruder while his wife had her knitting needles in her hand.
"How could I have been so stupid?" Hermione Granger burst through the door with a big book in her arms.
"Hermione? What are you doing here?"
She put the book gently down on the table.
"I cannot believe I put you through years of torment! I am a Muggle and should have remembered earlier on!"
No one understood what she was on about.
"Miss Granger, please. We are what you call Muggles as well and what should you have remembered that we did not?"
"Sorry Sir. But I found the answer! I know who our little mystery creature is!"
Alicia started shaking. Can it be true? Did they really find the answer?
"Hermione, please tell us. It's almost time!"
"Well, I was busy reading some old fairy tales to my kids when I recognized one fable. It was about a poor Miller that told a King that his daughter could spin straw into gold. The king locked the daughter in a room and demanded she spin the straw into gold or be executed. A little creature came and demanded payment. He spun the straw into gold and the king was very impress with he daughter. He again locked her in a room with the same demand, spin the straw into gold or be executed. The little creature again came and demanded payment before he spun the straw into gold. The king was so impress that he realized that he would never have a richer wife than the miller's daughter and decided that he should marry her. But he locked her in a room for the last time. But when the little creature came that night, the daughter had naught to give him as payment. But the little creature said that when she marry the king and have a child, she must give him her first born child. She never thought the king would ask her to marry him, so she promised and the little creature spun the straw into gold. The next mornings the King asked her to marry him and soon she forgot about her deal. When her first child was born, the little creature appeared to her again, demanding her child. She cried and promised him anything. Taking pity on her, he said if she could guess his name, she would be released from her promise. She had three nights. She sent everyone to find his name but until the very last night, none was correct. But one of the servants heard a little creature singing and dancing and he heard the name. Thinking she had nothing to loose, she finally asked the little man if his name was..."
"YES YES YES! I can see the similarity now. It has to be..."
Everyone started talking at once, while Alicia looked angrier by the minute.
"Could someone PLEASE tell me what the name is! I am not a muggle you know!"
"Sorry Love. But I also completely forgot about that fable. Mother used to tell me about it when I was little. His name was ..."
When a POP appeared behind them, five adults looked towards the little creature.
"Yes? Do you know my name? Only one guess, remember!" Again he had that silly smirk.
Four Muggleborn's shouted together "RUMPLESTILTSKIN!"
The little creature got so angry.
"How did you know? No wizard or witch know about us"
Hermione had a big grin on her face.
"Yes that may be so for Pure-Blood's, but it seems you have forgotten about our Muggle-Born's. We grew up with a tale about you."
"ARGGGHHH!"
He jumped up and down from anger and just like that, he disappeared.
Alicia sank to the ground.
"Is it over? Was that his name?"
Just sat down next to her.
"Yes love. Legend goes that when the daughter guess his name correctly, he got so angry that he ran out of the window, never to been seen again!"
Epilogue
A new tradition was born that night. Every night, the old muggle fables were told to all witches and wizards along with their own. No one wanted a repeat of what happened to the Finch-Fletchley's. Edward grew up to be a normal wizard and when he turned eleven, he said a teary goodbye to his parents. He met a cute little witch on the train and years later, when Edward's power first matured, she was the one who helped him distribute his power back into the earth, not wanting to hold on to a power that could destroy his family and friends.