Chapter 1 : Brewing storm

Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter & Code Geass, but for the sake of the story, I've changed some of the character's family names.. (vi. Britannia is no doubt the name of a royalty) I hope that does not affect much of everything for readers! Their appearances will remain the same, and while I'll try to stick to the time line of Harry Potter, I can't guarantee I wouldn't make mistakes..

Note to all : Pardon me if the story makes no sense now, I hope everything will be cleared up in the next few chapters! I've updated the chapter abit, corrected my mistakes and stuff. Please enjoy (:


Lelouch froze at the top of the grand staircase leading into the great hall, his purple eyes wide with shock as his trembling form stood rooted on the spot with fear, shock, and horror. Looking down at the steadily growing pool of crimson blood flooding the great hall, he shook his head once, then twice, stiffly; His eyes were unable to close as he took in the scene before him, and the 9-year old raised his hands to his head before letting out a ear-piercing scream.

"No...!"

5th December 1989 ; 10:27 a.m.

"Lelouch," Marianne called out cheerfully. "Help yourself to this basket of cherries, will you? But careful with them, we can hardly get them air-flown here anymore," the smiling lady added gently, although she knew it wasn't neccesary at all with Lelouch in the equation.

Lelouch looked at his mother, Marianne, and gave her a quick nod with a smile. Picking himself up from the grass he was sitting on, Lelouch strolled towards Marianne, his arms outstretched as he walked into her embrace.

"I'd much rather watch you eat them, Mother," Lelouch replied with a wink, looking straight up at Marianne. Just then, he heard the slightest giggle from behind his mother, and he couldn't help but chuckled along as he finally noticed a shower of hazel hair from behind Marianne, who had dark hair with similar curls.

"Here, Nunnally dear, I've already saw you," Lelouch laughed as he stretched out his hand, trying to catch his sister. Nunnally exploded into innocent giggles and child-like exclamations as she tried to evade his long arms, but failed while she was laughing too much. He caught Nunnally's hand and pulled her out from her hiding spot with ease; she was underweight, much like he was.

As Lelouch fell back onto the soft grass and guided the tiny girl in his hand to land onto him, Nunnally giggled on and soon, the both of them were rolling about on the grass. Marianne watched her children and smiled, love twinkling in her eyes; they were her priceless babies..

"Lady Marianne!" A guard called out in a distance, unable to contain his emotions till he'd crossed the grass patch. Lelouch and Nunnally stopped their attempts at wrestling at once, Nunnally lying on top of Lelouch, both of them turning to stare at the guard who had disturbed them. Marianne stood up abruptly, dropping her basket of cherries as she ran up to meet the guard. She stopped as he did; a mere distance away, and they begin a conversation in urgent whispers, both of them glancing around urgently as they spoke. Lelouch listened on to the best of his abilities as Nunnally tugged gently at his shirt, begging for an explanation with her large, blue eyes.

"Thank you, so much. Return to your post now, and make sure no one else knows about this." Breathless, confused, Lelouch caught his mother whispering so urgently as she reached out to hold his arm fleetingly. A new fear in his eyes, Lelouch watched as the guard turned around and fled towards where he came from. Marianne looked at his hasty disappearing back before turning back to Lelouch and Nunnally, her expression of fear and fright replaced by a pained, but comforting smile in an instant; this was, however, not missed by her intelligent son.

"Nunnally dear, would you be so kind to help me gather all those poor cherries? Lelouch, please come over for a while," Marianne instructed softly, her voice almost normal, but with easily noticeable false cheery and distinct fear. Nunnally broke apart from Lelouch and she shot a frightened glance at her brother, but he shook his head slightly and motioned her to continue. Patting his robes lightly, Lelouch ran hastily towards Marianne.

"Mother? Is everything alright? What could be so urgent?"

Lelouch looked up at his mother worriedly, his head spinning with possibilities. As his mind fell on a certain one, his mother finally caught his gaze. Eyes widening, they stared at each other, unable to speak.

"Yes, the news have just arrived. Your father is back in the country suddenly - He might.. Drop by," Marianne whispered, casting yet another fearful glance at Nunnally, who seems to have lost her concentration to chasing spare cherries. He understood immediately, fear widening his lilac irises within their frames.

"Things will work out fine, Mother. He would not bother to come over today. Our priority now is Nunnally's safety," replied Lelouch almost immediately, a sudden authority in his voice, a hand reached out to hold his mother's. Marianne seemed grateful for the comfort; She sighed slowly, closing her eyes, her form finally relaxing while her son's remained stiff.

"I will bring Nunnally up to get dressed. Have someone inform the guests, we'll start the party early. Even if he returns, by then, most of everyone would have left. That would be the best," Lelouch added quietly, planning out the following events in his mind as he glanced at Nunnally again. He would not allow that man to lay another finger on his sister again, as long as he was around. A wordless nod from Marianne reaffirmed his words.

"You take care too, mother." With this, Lelouch dropped his hands, and left his mother's side. Walking briskly, he stopped just beside Nunnally, who was down to gathering the last of the cherry fruits. Nunnally looked at her brother with the same expression of fear and confusion clear in her deep, blue eyes, but despite the situation, Lelouch couldn't help but to smile at Nunnally's cuteness. He held out a hand and smiled again as Nunnally took it automatically, causing a little of her worries to fade away.

"Oni-sama?" Nunnally asked, questions after questions in her eyes, but she took care not to voice them out. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, my dearest Nunnally." He replied, eyes softening as he looked into Nunnally's. "Nothing."

"Here, we're going up to get dressed now," he told her as he pulled her up gently. "I've requested them to design the dress just as you've liked - White, with plenty of lace.." He added, changing the topic lightly as he watched Nunnally's fear-clouded eyes light up in excitement, also shedding their previous fear and confusion in return. It was easy to distract her, and he loved how innocent she was that way. Towards the mansion they went - He led her away for a while before turning back to his mother, who was observing them quietly.

"Mother, please take care. We'll meet you directly at the great hall."


5th December 1989 ; 14:06 p.m.

"Oni-sama? I'll head downstairs first, okay?"

The influence of a Japanese-oriented house keeper was apparent on his sister, Lelouch realised. He hadn't noticed when she had begun calling him 'oni-sama', but surprisingly, the terms has grown onto him.. He doesn't mind it half as much now. Nunnally squealed as she bounced around her brother's room excitedly, her shower of hazel hair flying in the air behind her. Smiling as he leaned back casually into his chair, Lelouch chuckled and watched all the maids' failed attempts to make her calm down.

Nunnally was dressed in a pretty snowy dress, but her hair was still rather in a mess. Sayoko came rushing quickly through the crowd of maids, with a pair of matching ribbons in her hands as she ran beside Nunnally.

"Nunnally-sama, I need you to stop so that I can adjust your hairstyle.." Sayoko whispered with the familiar desperation in her tone, and Lelouch couldn't help but to chuckle softly when he heard her; he was used to hearing this a couple of times a day, at regular intervals. Nunnally ran towards her brother quickly and knelt down infront of him, looking up at him with clear, blue eyes. Lelouch smiled and stretched out a hand to stroke Nunnally's hazel hair; the 6 year-old sighed with pleasure in response.

Seizing the opportunity, Sayoko came running and she settled down sitting beside Nunnally. Lelouch then held out his hand for the other ribbon as Sayoko started with one side of Nunnally's hair.

"Here, let me do the other side," Lelouch smiled gently with a quick wink in the house keeper's direction - It was intercepted by Nunnally first, causing her to burst into mad giggles yet again. Fortunately, she stayed still enough, and Sayoko did not have to complain.

After he and Sayoko had successfully dolled up Nunnally's hair, Lelouch leaned back into his chair and sighed with relief. Nunnally jumped around with her hair tied into an elegant princess hairstyle, her two ponytails and ribbons swinging in the air. Sayoko bowed and Nunnally beamed at her, turning back to face her older brother.

"Go ahead, Nunnally. Go show Mother what we've done for you," Lelouch smiled as he shared a look with Sayoko; the house keeper caught this one quickly, unlike his previous. He waved as Nunnally giggled once again, and watched as she took off in the direction of the great hall. Lelouch then sighed gently and stood up, approaching his bed slowly; as he laid his tired form on the bed, eyes half closed, Lelouch realised that his thoughts were, his father's aside, almost entirely focused on how best to keep Nunnally entertained for the afternoon - even though it was his birthday..

"Shall I get your robes, Master Lelouch?" Sayoko questioned softly, her eyes shining with anticipation as she watched Lelouch lie on his bed. Sometimes, living with this 9 year-old was like playing a game of never-ending chess; She could not afford to let her guard down as she waited for his order, but sometimes, she had to step ahead to get things done even without his word. Lelouch glanced over at her with an eye closed, and then at his wardrobe. He smiled, looking up at the ceiling.

"Pick a set of white robes, if you wouldn't mind, Nunnally loves it when I match her clothes."

Eyes softening at the reminder of his beloved sister, Lelouch continued slowly, "I'd have to dance with that cute little girl again, she wouldn't take no for an answer.." The corners of his lips curling upwards to form an elegant smile, Lelouch's tone held a slight air of mischief - One which he wouldn't normally use, even infront of his sister.

"Of course, she's your cute little girl, isn't she?" Sayoko replied with cheek, her voice getting louder as she approached Lelouch. "Here are your robes, Master Lelouch. From Lady Marianne herself, it would seem. This arrived yesterday."

Lelouch laid in bed and he carelessly flicked a couple of buttons off his shirt, and sighed in pleasure as his bare skin felt the cooling air around him.

"Shall I leave the room, Master Lelouch?" Sayoko asked as she laid Lelouch's robes at the end of his bed. Lelouch turned his head to look at her, thinking hard as he considered..

"Please stay, if you wouldn't mind. I have some important issues to discuss.. With you.." Lelouch replied, his voice trailing off as he glanced at his house keeper once again. Sayoko was indeed much different that she suggested on the surface; Her character, her physical ablities were close to perfect, as his plans required. Smiling slightly, Lelouch considered her in the role she was about to play, and couldn't find a better match than she herself..


5th December 1989 ; 16:29 p.m.

Lelouch was dressed in his new white robes, his hair combed and styled to perfection. Behind him, Sayoko walked with her head bowed slightly; it was, of course, to allow her to be ready to react when something happens, but she would have done it out of pure respect either way.

He descended the flight of stairs leading to the main corridor connected to the great hall, hands in his pockets, thinking, waiting. Everyone should be here by now, Lelouch thought. He'd enter, just as planned, and his 9th year-old party could begin and end.. Before his father even made his way back here.

Lelouch smiled gently as he pictured Nunnally's happy expression when he walks down, and into her arms - She would most probably giggle, then again, she was almost always giggling. He reached out a hand for the brass doorknob in the middle of the great oak doors, the main corridor was just ahead now.

Suddenly, he felt Sayoko approach him from the back as she stretched out her hand and held onto the doorknob, shooting him a glance that was both fearful and fearless.

She seemed to have detected something he didn't, or perhaps this was just him? It wasn't.

In that minute of stale silence, a symphony erupted from the crowd below, in the great hall just up ahead.

It was not a happy symphony of cheers, claps, and congratulations; it was a symphony of terror, of screams and cries, of bloodshed and various splattering over the walls and floors.. Of a series of gunfire, burst and echoes, bullets hitting the walls and bouncing off the floors.

It was a symphony of death.

Lelouch let out a strangled cry as he clawed at Sayoko's hands for the doorknob, desperate to rush in to the great hall. It was just ahead of him, damn it, he had to reach it! In his mind, a single person clouded all his thoughts, making him unable to consider anything else.

The birthday boy tried to scratch and tear his way to the door, but Sayoko's strong arms enclosed upon him, and they refused to let go. Sayoko was fearful about the dangers in the great hall, but at the same time fearless about Master Lelouch's possible judge of her behaviour as she grabbed him, dragging him away to safety. She feared only for his safety; after all, her main purpose here was to protect him..

When nothing but silence was left in the great hall - what seemed like a long decade later, Sayoko finally dropped her tired arms on the floor as she let Lelouch free, having being bitten and scratched at. Throwing himself on the door, ignoring the slightly muffled cries of his house keeper just behind him, Lelouch rushed out and was almost overcame by the sudden rush of the smell of blood - Strong, metallic, disgusting.

Rushing down the corridor to the stairs situated in the middle, he continued towards the stairs which led directly to the great hall.

However, as he approached the entrance, his foot steps slowed down, his eyes widening at the scene before him..