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I OWN NOTHING! well except Lyra and Xavier and Ariadne and Eleanora and...o well you get the picture lol.

Please R&R hope you enjoy

God bless- MaryBeth Tudor xx

Chapter 1

The Girl Who Never Knew

Xavier Dubois, of La Maison Enchantée, Paris, was proud to say that he was perfectly normal, thank you much. Well, as normal as you could be as the Senior Undersecretary to the Parisian Minister for Magic, at least.

Mr. Dubois had been working for the ministry ever since he had left school and he couldn't see that changing anytime soon, well some kind of ministry anyway. He was a tall, built man with small eyes that seemed out of place on him, like a hawk they were alert and watching. Mrs Dubois, Ariadne, had been a very beautiful woman with piercing blue eyes and long blonde hair that flowed, like silk all the way down to her waist, she was, however, unlike her half sister who was a very tall and big-boned woman, an extremely petite lady reaching only 5 foot tall. Sadly, she had passed away a few years ago due to a nasty bought of Dragon pox, which was unfortunately slightly stronger than she was. This just left Xavier and their young girl Lyra, who was his world and he would do anything to keep her safe and happy.

With Lyra around Xavier had, pretty much everything he needed, but he also had a secret. A secret which, in life, his wife had also guarded fiercely, and one which both had dreaded Lyra ever discovering. They couldn't bear to think what would happen if Lyra ever found out about them.

Them was Lyra's biological parents and two people who should never raise a child you wouldn't find anywhere else. Of course Lyra was unaware she was ever adopted. A family friend of the Maxime's, Ariadne's family, had asked them to take Lyra in when she was no bigger than a bow truckle and to keep her true heritage between themselves; not even the girl should now, until she was ready. The Dubois' knew that Lyra's father had a son as well and he was just another reason for keeping them away; they didn't want Lyra mixing with a child that had been raised in the way this boy, undoubtedly, had.

On the bright, blue-skied Wednesday that out story starts, there was nothing about the beautiful panoramic Parisian views from his bedroom window that hinted to Xavier Dubois that anything foreboding was to occur that day. But as he picked out his usual violet robe for work he couldn't help the bundle of nerves that was unravelling in the pit of his stomach. Today was the twenty-third of June 1991, Lyra's eleventh birthday. The day that the loosening thread on this well guarded secret began to be pulled.

At half-past eight, Xavier left the house for work stopping to grab his present for Lyra from the living room, which would be delivered on his trip to collect her from her grandmother's that night. Today was Xavier's last day at the Parisian Ministry and in a way it made him quite sad to think about, this had been his life for the past twenty years and today was beginning to feel like the end of an era.

Lyra knew nothing of the move, she hadn't even asked why when Xavier had told her that she was to spend the entirety of this past week with her grandmother, but Eleanora Maxime knew, she had been part of the secret and in a way it was her goodbye, her chance to spend as much time as she could with her only 'Grandchild' before reality began to enclose everything in its icy grasp.

Before he closed the door, Xavier took one last look at the pile of boxes and bags that lay in the hall of the, now very empty, house that he had lived in for as long as he could remember. The finality to his situation slowly began to take hold and the calm mask he had built for himself slipped into place easily before the emotion could take over him, the last thing he needed was to lose control, he couldn't do that for his own sake and, most importantly for Lyra's.

As he took the slow walk to the ministry he began to take in everything around him, things to treasure and memories to put back for a rainy day. The hustle and bustle of the street market vendors, the flashing of tourist cameras wizarding and Muggle alike, the glare of the blistering summer sun, the smell of fresh bread from the patisseries lining the street, and the quiet, gentle hum that was Paris. It was always there, night or day, that soft underlying chorus that was the music of Paris itself. It was the most beautiful tune one could be privy to and not many were as most could never seem to find the time to just stop, take a moment out of their crazy, manic lives; and just listen.

Xavier couldn't concentrate all that day and found that by midday he had done very little, signed a few pieces of paperwork, made a few Floo calls and sorted out one or two of the affairs which needed tying up before he left. When he returned to his office from dinner, a large croissant in a bag, a small tawny owl was sat on his desk awaiting his arrival, carrying a letter in a bright blue envelope.

Dear Mr Dubois,

I am glad to inform you that all of your transfer papers have been received and we happily await your arrival on the first day of July this year. We hope your placement with the auror office is to your liking and would like to make you aware that on your arrival you are to report to Kinsley Shacklebolt one of our highly appraised Aurors to be inducted into the ministry.

We hope everything is to your liking and should any problems arise feel free to drop me an owl anytime.

Hope all is well

Cornelius fudge

British minister for magic

And there it was the last straw falling from his hand, showing him that he was no longer in charge. It was if he was a puppet and the whole world was trying to pull his strings in different directions.

Before he knew it six o'clock had rolled in and it was time. After his office was fully packed away and the boxes were being transported to his new office in England , Xavier threw some powder into his office fire and stepped into the bright green flames to vanish an reappear only moments later in the emerald flames of the fireplace of the Maxime's mansion.

"Daddy, Daddy I got my letter." As he stepped out of the firplace a blur of blonde came flying towards him and the next thing he knew an eleven year old girl was attached to his waist showing no signs of letting go.

"I'm so proud of you darling, what does it say?" not that he needed to ask, Ariadne had had her letter framed being the only Maxime who had chosen to go to Hogwarts rather than Beauxbatons at eleven, it had been almost a prized possession to her.

"It said that I have been excepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and then I had a book list and everything and they said that term begins on the first and I'm sorry I'm speaking so fast I'm just so excited." Xavier couldn't help but chuckle at the Childs enthusiasm. Slowly the small girl pulled away from him and the look on her face made the chuckle catch in his throat, "but there was something strange on the letter Daddy and Grandma said it was best I ask you."

"Oh, and what was that then darling ," He had a strange feeling he already knew the answer to that and if he was right he was going to be having strong words with the old man very soon.

"Well it got my name wrong, It was addressed to a Miss Lestrange. Why is that Daddy?"

In that moment only one thing went through the mind of Mr. Xavier Dubois; 'I'm gonna bloody kill Albus.'