PROLOGUE

Hogwarts Castle 1667

Kayne was pacing slowly, hands behind his back, head bowed but shoulders stiff. His lover, Niam, was meant to meet him in the secret passage behind the mirror on the fourth floor at midnight; it was now twenty minutes past. Ordinarily, Niam's tardiness would be cause for irritation, their time together already so limited, but tonight was different; tonight was the night they were to take their leave of Hogwarts, journeying to Marseilles in the south of France, where they would settle, raise a family and live out their lives. Kayne just wanted to take Niam in his arms and run for the nearest exit! He knew his younger brother, Killian, was suspicious of him and time was running short. If Killian found out about his relationship with Niam there was no telling what he would do.

As dearly as he loved him, Kayne knew that his brother had no love lost for muggleborns and the like. Kayne, himself, had once been of the same mind; spouting pureblood rhetoric and intolerance, thinking himself above everyone because of his family name. The Yaxlys have been a Noble House for centuries, but Niam was the first in his family to show any magical ability at all, and no matter their feelings for each other they would never be permitted to create a life together. Thinking about such things was doing nothing for his nerves.

"Tempus," Kayne spoke under his breath. Twenty-four after Twelve; Midnight was displayed in the air before him. "Where are you, my Love?"

No sooner had the words escaped him than the door to the chamber opened revealing the ebony curls of Kayne's elusive lover quickly followed by the rest of him. Before Kayne could utter a word Niam spoke,

"Kayne, thank Merlin, quickly, we must take our leave. Killian has been patrolling the corridors with Burke and L'Estrange. He might've seen me, but I can't be sure. Come! We must go, now!"

A sense of dread washed over Kayne after Niam finished his warning explanation. With alacrity they each seized a broomstick from where two had waited against the chamber wall and started toward the second door in the room, the one that opened to a tunnel leading away from the castle. Kayne with his slightly longer legs reached the door first; his fingers barely brushing the handle when a silent spell came rushing past and was absorbed by the door, the lock clicking into place. In his shock, the thought that it was odd the door clicked when there was no physical lock attached and only strong magic barring them from leaving flitted across his mind. Niam's hand clutching tightly to his sleeve helped him shake his thoughts.

Turning around Kayne saw his brother leaning against the opened mirror doorway with an air of insouciance, prefect badge gleaming in the light from Hogwarts halls. His underlings, Burke and L'Estrange, were keeping silent vigil behind him and made a menacing sight; L'Estrange was towering over the rest of them, the look in his eye fairly screaming his desire to turn this into a fight, and Burke was not to be overlooked with muscles that had muscles of their own and his unique knowledge of many dark arts. Killian was tall, fair haired and steely-eyed, with sharp features so like my own.

"Dear brother," he said to me, voice calm, eyes flicking to Niam, down to where our hands connected, then narrowing with tension, "this is a surprise. I was making my rounds when I saw that mudblood out past curfew so I came to investigate. Would you care to explain your presence here?"

It took me a moment to reply. Setting my broom down within easy reach I took a step forward reaching behind myself and wrapping my hand fully around Niam's and entwining our fingers.

"Killian, you know as well as I that it is only the order of our birth that has kept you from being father's heir. I am not made for it as you are. Niam and I have found love in each other. We are set to leave the country tonight. I had planned to send an owl informing the family of my decision once we had settled."

"…Your decision?" Killian spat. His calm façade shattered away like it had never been there. His words cutting like knives, he continued, "It is not yet within your power to make decisions Kayne. Yet you are correct when you say you were not made to lead this family. Letting filth cloud your judgment, you are a disgrace, unworthy of our fathers title, and delusional as well if you think you're leaving here with that harlot.

"Step aside, brother, and word of this will never reach fathers ear."

"Killian, please, let us take our leave tonight. Tell father what you must and let him do what he must in turn. Take your place as Heir of the Noble House of Yaxly—"

"Do not force my hand Kayne." Killian raised his voice, wand dropping from his sleeve to his hand. "I will not let you dishonor this family or yourself! Step aside. I will not tell you again."

"Brother, see reason!" Kayne began.

Faster than lightning Killian raised his wand, took aim at Niam and spoke firmly, never wavering,

"Laqueo Strangulo."

A thin cord erupted from then end of Killian's wand, wrapped itself around Niam's neck and began to tighten.

Niam let go of Kayne's hand and reached for his own neck, fingers scrambling for purchase on the cord and finding none, the cords ends having seamlessly melded together. Unable to breathe, cord trapping blood as well as air, Niam dropped to his knees. Kayne dropping down with him in near hysterics, shouting at his brother to remove the curse before it is too late.

"Kayne…" Niam wheezed, cord closing even more, small beads of blood pooling around its edges.

Kayne turned to Niam and gazed at his face, the normally sun-kissed skin now an unnatural maroon, eyes wide and spilling with tears.

"Niam… Love…" Kayne returned, smoothing the hair back from Niam's face and wiping the wetness from his cheeks.

"…Love you, Kayne." Niam forced out, hand reaching up to grasp Kayne's hand. The blood was pouring then, the cord having squeezed so tight it sliced through skin. There was nothing to be done and within a few moments Niam's pitiful rasping breaths had stopped and Kayne was left clutching his beloveds' body to his chest, covered in his blood; his own body near convulsing with the strength of his sobs.

Unsure of how much time had passed; Kayne became more aware of his surroundings, the immediate shock and grief having paved the way for a white-hot anger and the sting of betrayal.

Laying Niam gently to the ground, closing his eyes, and placing one last kiss to his lovers' temple, Kayne rose to his feet. Wand in hand Kayne turned to face his brother, the very sight of him enough to make his stomach roil.

"What have you done?" He tried to sound menacing, to portray through his voice how righteously angry he was and how foolish his brother had been to cross him! He only managed to sound hurt and defeated.

Killian stood ridged, unapologetic, looked his brother in the eye and told him, "I am sorry you are hurting, brother. Given time, you will realize what a terrible mistake this would have been. Abandoning your family, turning your back on everything father has taught us, running away with some mudblood trollop. I don't know how you could stomach keeping him in your bedchamber let alone fancying yourself in love with the beast. No, soon you'll come to your senses, and when you do, you'll thank me."

When Killian had finished speaking, Kayne could no longer restrain his rage. He didn't know if it were the horrid things Killian had said about Niam, or that he'd had the audacity to apologize for his pain before telling him that he should be thankful. Either way, the blood was rushing in his ears, red clouding his vision. Kayne pulled his wand and unleashed a vicious assault on his brother. Spell after spell hurtled toward Killian who barely had time to defend himself.

Killian shouted at his friends to stay back, not to interfere, He would handle his brother's fury.

Kayne was too far gone, having moved to his own repertoire of dark spells. He wanted his brother to pay for what he'd done, wanted vengeance in its purest form, an eye for an eye, Niam had once told him.

Not used to operation on such an emotional level, Kaynes anger burned his energy quickly, allowing his brother to turn the tide and let fly offensive spells of his own.

Killian truly was a force to be reckoned with. All around the room, spells flew. The large space providing no cover, the brothers leaped and bounded out-of-the-way of the spells they could not shield against; both holding nothing back, the magic they wielded lethal.

…And then it was over.

A curse of Killian's landed, striking Kayne in the side, crushing his ribs and blasting him backward. Kayne's head struck the wall behind him with an unholy crack and he landed on the floor in a heap.

For a moment, nobody dared to breathe.

Gathering himself, Killian straightened his spine, walked toward his brother and knelt beside him. Blood was leaking from Kayne's nose, ears and mouth. His skull obviously shattered where it had collided with the wall and his eyes were open and unseeing. Killian closed his brother's eyes before bowing his head and closing his own. He knelt that way for no longer than a moment before burying his grief and disappointment.

Facing his friends he commanded, "You will speak of this to no one. In two days hence, I will report Kayne missing to the Headmaster. My father will no doubt have all the Ministries best Aurors on the case. Kayne was to inherit the entire family estate after all.

"Now, clean this mess up."

Killian took one last look at his brother and the mudblood who ruined him before striding from the room, pace measured and looking every inch the proper pureblood heir.