Year 1: Diagon Alley
Connor tried avoiding Ginny for the rest of the day. He couldn't look Ron in the eyes because even if these kind of feelings were new, and he no longer believed that girls were gross - he had liked it. After it happened he didn't want to admit it to himself but as the day went on he slowly changed his mind. He tried to keep away from everyone the rest of the day, mostly reading in Ron and his room.
It was another trait he wished he knew which parent he had gotten it from. Since Molly had teached Ron and him to read, Connor would always be found with a book in his hand. It was mostly books about famous magical people but Arthur would often give him a book from the muggle world.
That night when Ron entered the room, he pretended to be asleep. He didn't want to have to answer questions about why he was suddenly avoiding everyone. However, he knew that morning he would have to give some kind of answer or Ron would never leave him alone. And he was right about that because as soon as breakfast was over and they were alone in their room getting ready to go Diagon Alley to get the supplies they needed for Hogwarts, Ron cornered him in corner of their room.
"Why were you avoiding everyone yesterday?" Ron inquired as Connor pulled his sweater over his head.
"I wasn't feeling well," Connor lied once he pulled the sweater down. "Too much chocolate," he added while he grabbed a green slightly oversized jacket that used to be Ron's but he had grown out of it.
Connor had always been taller than Ron but he was lanky with a long and thin torso. He had a feeling he had inherited that from his father. He had seen pictures of his mother; she had been a beautiful young blonde woman but she had been short with a skinny frame. She looked almost like a living doll.
Connor thumbed the holes near the thumbs of his jacket. Even this morning he couldn't look Ron in the eyes. He looked at the posters behind Ron but he could see on Ron's face that he didn't believe Connor. Ron was about to open his mouth to say something when Molly shouted from the bottom floor of the Burrow.
"Boys, let's get going," Molly shouted, her voice booming through the Burrow.
Connor knew she was using a spell to amplify her voice. He knew some simple spells but he didn't have a wand. Plus until you were of age, the Ministry of Magic didn't allow children to use magic outside of Hogwarts. The rule had been drilled into the Weasley household from the first time any of the children had wands.
Connor fixed the toy hippogriff on his nightstand before he followed Ron out of their room. Once again, the night before he had the same nightmare as before. His mother reached out from him desperately again before the shadow man pulled her away and the young man picked up the floor. The young man always looked at him with a loving look but he always saw something else in the young man's eyes. He didn't know what it was but it was always there in the man's blue eyes.
All of the Weasley family including Ginny were standing by the large fireplace in the living room. Connor avoided Ginny's eyes as he came to stand next to Ron. One by one, each member of the family took flow powder into their hands. Arthur was first, then followed by Percy, the twins then Ron. It was then Connor's turn to take some flow powder into his hand then step into the large fireplace.
Connor had never used the floo network before but he had watched the older boys do it before. He took a fistful of the glittery green floo powder from a medium bag that Molly held in her hand. Molly gave him a smile to reassure him that everything would be alright. He entered the large fireplace while looking at Molly nervously.
"Diagon Alley," Connor shouted as he mimicked what the others had done and threw down the floo powder at his feet.
Green flames erupted around him and the next thing he knew he was in the fireplace of a shop that looked to sell uniforms, robes and other Wizardry clothes. As he stepped out of the fireplace, he looked around the shop in awe. Upon his mother's death, Dumbledore had assured the Weasleys she had left him what little she had made since her family disowned her. Molly had given him the key the night before and he had made sure he had put it in his jacket pocket.
Mr. Weasley greeted him while Molly and the others looked around.
"I'm to take you to Gringotts," Mr. Weasley said as he found Connor.
Connor had always been close to Mr. Weasley. He often joined him in his workshop near the garden. He would sit with his toy hippogriff, and watch him tinker with both muggle and wizardry contraptions. He guessed Mr. Weasley was the father he never knew. He had been there when Connor lost his first tooth. He had been there Connor was scared of the objects flying around him, that he didn't know he was causing.
While Connor followed Mr. Weasley out of the shop, Connor swore he felt eyes watching him. His gaze shifted from left to right but he could never catch who was watching him. The outside of Gringotts was pure white limestone and marble. It gleamed in the late August sunlight. It shone like a beacon at the end of the alley. However, behind it's beauty, the opposing crooked building scared him a bit. All he knew of the place was it was ran by goblins.
When Mr. Weasley and him finally entered the bank, Connor was once again in awe. Tiny but scary creatures with pointed ears stamped, sorted and counted at speeds Connor was sure no human could have achieved, even with a spell. They seemed to move at lightning speed and in unison. Connor didn't know someone was in front of him until he smacked into the back of a man with shaggy black hair.
The man suddenly turned around and glared down at Connor with such hate it almost gave him deja vu. The man's cold blue eyes stared down at Connor, making Connor shift his gaze to the child with him. The black haired man held a boy about a year or two younger than Connor tightly by the shoulders. His fingers seemed to dig into the shoulder of the brown haired boy with glasses but the young boy showed no sign he was in pain. He seemed to be glaring at Connor as if Connor's presence appalled him.
"Watch where you are going before something happens," threatened the black haired man as he reached for his wand.
Fear began to take over Connor's much like they did in nightmares. It was almost like he got the same feeling from the man that he got from the shadow man in his nightmares. He started to back away when he felt familiar gentle but calloused hands on his shoulders.
"Rabastan Lestrange, I thought you would be in Azkaban by now," Mr. Weasley replied as he pulled Connor close to his body to protect him.
Rabastan glared at Mr. Weasley before pulling his son away and towards one of the goblins. Mr. Weasley turned Connor around to look at him as if to check if he had any damage. When he was satisfied, he looked down at Connor with worry in his eyes.
"Don't ever go near him again, Connor," Mr. Weasley warned softly as he ruffled Connor's light brown hair. "He is a very dangerous man," he added before placing a soft kiss on Connor's forehead.
In all the years that Connor had lived with Weasleys, Mr. Weasley had never shown that kind of affection towards him. Molly kissed and hugged him goodnight like she did all of her kids but Mr. Weasley had never once did that to him. He had shown him he cared in other ways and he knew the Weasleys cared for him like he was one their own. So, whoever this Rabastan Lestrange was, it scared Arthur enough to comfort Connor like one of his own.
"Stay close to me," Mr. Weasley warned as he moved Connor and himself towards a goblin seated higher than the others.
The goblin's beady eyes stared at Connor, scrutinizing him. Connor tried to swallow the lump of nervousness that had suddenly formed in his throat.
"Mr. Black is here to make a withdrawal," Mr. Weasley spoke clearly to the goblin before he looked over at Connor.
Connor, still frozen in fear didn't notice Mr. Weasley mouthing key down at him. It was until the goblin's rough voice reached his ears, did Connor unfreeze.
"Does Mr. Black have a key?" the goblin asked harshly, looking down at Connor as if he would believe this boy had a key for the bank.
Connor reached into the pocket of his green jacket. The key was still secure in the place he had hidden it. He stood on his tippy toes to place the key on the marble counter before the goblin. The goblin examined the key as if to make sure it was real. After what felt like minutes, the goblin spoke again.
"Follow me."
As Mr. Weasley had asked him to he stayed close as they followed the goblin through a gate then down a long passageway lit with torches. It was what was at the end of it that made the nervousness return to Connor's stomach. Before them was a cart on a set of tracks. Connor had heard of rollercoasters from the muggle books that Mr. Weasley gave him but he never thought he would have to experience one.
Griphook and Mr. Weasley climbed into the cart before Connor slowly climbed in too. He gripped the cart as it jerked forward and speed down the track. Connor closed his eyes and tried his best to keep back the nausea that overwhelmed him. When the cart came to a screeching halt, Connor brought his hand up to his mouth to keep his breakfast from coming back up.
Griphook jumped out of the cart first and moved towards a vault numbered 692. Connor remained behind Mr. Weasley once he exited the cart. Griphook placed the key into the door and slowly a warm yellowish glow hit Connor's face. Inside the vault was a fair bit of coin he wasn't sure how his mother had made so much.
Even though she had came from a pure-blood family, they had disowned her and hadn't left her any inheritance. He hadn't thought his mother had that much money but Molly had told him once that his mother had been an exceptional healer when she worked at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. She had been talented for her age.
The goblin that had accompanied them to the vault handed Connor a small leather drawstring pouch before he let Connor collect as much coins he needed for supplies. When he was satisfied that he had enough, they returned to the cart. The second ride back to surface wasn't as bad. When they were finally out of the bank Mr. Weasley simply smiled at Connor. His first stop would be Ollivander's Wand Shop. Connor, again felt the feeling of being watched when he stepped into the dusty shop. Mr. Weasley kept a close eye on the boy but he let him explore freely.
A sneeze left his body before he could cover his face. It seemed to catch the attention of an older man in the back. He seemed to look at Connor as if he was trying to place him and a smile hit formed on his face when it came to him.
"You are certainly your father's son but you have your mother's eyes," Ollivander spoke as he smiled down kindly at Connor.
"You knew my father?" Connor asked. No one ever talked to him about his father and it often made him frustrated.
"I sure do," Ollivander replied and Connor wondered why he had use his father in the present tense. "10 ¼ inches, Cypress with unicorn hair," he added, looking around at the boxes in his shop.
Connor heard Mr. Weasley cough behind him and Ollivander entire demeanor seemed the change. He looked down at Connor before he spoke.
"We shouldn't speak of such things when you came in here to get your first wand," Ollivander said as he turned and reached behind him. "Shall I pick you a wand and you give it a wave?" he added as he turned back around with a box in his hand.
Ollivander opened the box and gently took the wand from the box. He handed it to Connor, who admired the dark wood of the wand. Nervously, Connor raised his arm and gave the wand a wave. Boxes flew off a nearby shelf, almost hitting Ollivander in the head.
"No," Ollivander simply replied as he reached for another box. "Maybe this one will do," he added as he handed Connor a second wand.
Connor slowly took ahold of the new wand. It was a lighter colored wand the the first and as his fingers circled around the hilt of the wand, he felt power surge through his body. He knew instantly that this was his wand but he still gave the wand a wave. Red and green sparks erupted from the wand and Connor could hear Mr. Weasley laugh from behind him.
"Of course it's Cypress," Mr. Weasley chuckled as Connor looked back at him.
Connor didn't even have to hear Ollivander tell him what kind of wand it was. It was clearly a 10 ¼ Cypress wand with an unicorn hair. His wand was just like his father. It was just another thing he had in common with a man he will never know or learn anything about. Ollivander put the wand back in the box once Connor handed it back to him. Connor paid him the seven galleons for the wand then Mr. Weasley and him left the shop.
"Mr. Weasley, did you know my father?" Connor asked innocently as they went back to the clothing shop they had been in before. Molly was still having Ron's measurements done though some of the robes would have to be hand me downs.
"Yes, Connor, I knew your father," Mr. Weasley answered him honestly. "He was a brilliant and kind man, but you must understand he's a troubled man," he added, not realizing his slip up.
Connor knew some things about his father and one those things was he still alive. When it was Connor's turn to get measured for uniforms and robes, the thought that his father was still alive nagged at him. If the Weasleys had known his father, why hadn't they ever told Connor about him? Why was he so troubled he couldn't be with his only child?
A prick at Connor's side brought him out his thoughts. The kind old woman looked up at him with a sorry face as he jerked slightly. He looked down at her and smiled to reassure her that he was fine. It took her several more minutes to get his measurements and he was glad when she done because he disappeared out of the shop and back into the alley. He wanted to be by himself for a moment. He browsed the shop windows. He saw an ice cream parlour, a shop that sold nothing but Quidditch stuff and parchment and quills.
Connor popped into Scribblus Writing Implements and bought all the ink, parchment and quills he thought he might need for school. His wand that settled on top of his school supplies as his next stop was Flourish and Blotts, a bookstore where he could get his textbooks. He loved the smell that hit him instantly; the smell of leather bound books. He was in his element.
Connor wondered if the Weasleys had even noticed if he disappeared. He continued to get the supplies he needed from the different shops when he came to one that made him stop dead in his tracks. Owls, rats and other animals were in cages. Something small with pure white fur caught his attention.
A pure white kitten sat by itself in a large box that could have once held many kittens. What took his breath away was the red eyes that looked at him with sadness, It was an albino. That was the reason no one wanted this lonely little kitten. His siblings must have already been chosen by others. He slowly picked up the white kitten and immediately it began to purr then cuddle against his chest.
"I think this little one may already like you," replied a man from behind Connor. "He is quite beautiful," the man added.
Connor looked up at the man in surprise. He seemed familiar but he could not place where he had met or seen the man before. He looked to be in his early thirties with scars across his face and greying light brown hair. The small kitten had settled into a sleeping position against Connor's chest. He knew cats were allowed from the list Hogwarts had included with his acceptance letter.
Connor smiled at the man who seemed to look at him with guilt but it was gone from his eyes as quickly as it had appeared. The man was strange but not in bad way. His tweed jacket had worn holes here and there and his sky blue button up shirt had become faded from one too many washes. His own clothes were hand me downs from either Ron or the twins. He had few wizardry band shirts from Charlie but they had bonded over music.
"Are you happy?" the man asked solemnly and out of the blue.
It was weird question to ask a stranger but like the Potters twins, they weren't the only one with a famous background. People didn't come up to him much but they did sometimes have people telling him how his mother saved their lives. But was he happy? He had never really thought about. Yes, he missed his parents deeply but the Weasleys keep him feed, clothed him, put a roof over his head, and treated and loved him like he was one of their own.
He had bonded with each one of them over something expect Percy. With Bill it had been maths, something else he imagined he got from his father or maybe even both of his parents. Charlie, it had been wizardry bands. The twins, it was doing pranks on the others. Often their targets were Ron or Charlie but sometimes Ron would join in if it was pranks were on Percy. With Ron, it had been Quidditch. Ginny, it had been just sitting in the garden at night, listening to life going on around the Burrow.
"I regret not getting to know my parents that well but yes, I am happy," Connor answered truthfully.
This seemed to give the man a little bit of happiness though his eyes showed sadness. Connor picked a cage to put the small white kitten in then walked into the shop. Ahead of him, a young girl with brown hair was standing next to a tall guy Connor knew as Hagrid. He often visited the Weasleys for official business from Dumbledore. She placed a small black kitten on the counter. When he heard how much the tiny kitten was, his heart dropped. He didn't have enough to get the albino kitten yet.
"Let me buy the kitten for you?" the man replied, causing Connor to look over at him. He didn't even know this man and he was willing to buy a kitten for him. This man was a stranger.
"I don't think that would alright," Connor retorted but the man took the cage from him anyways. "I don't even know your name," he added.
"You can call me Romulus," the man replied as Hagrid and the two kids that were with him left the store.
Connor couldn't believe he was letting a stranger by him a kitten but something about the man gave him a sense of safeness. While Romulus paid for the kitten, Mr. Weasley came inside the shop, out of breath. He looked worried but when his eyes fell on Romulus, his face changed drastically, as if he was seeing a ghost.
"I have a perfect name for this unique little guy," Romulus replied as he handed Connor the cage once he was done paying. "Ghost," he added as the kitten meowed as if response to the name.
"Ghost," Connor cooed as he brought the cage eye level so he could see his special new kitten. "Do you like that name?" he asked and the kitten meowed again before he began purring loudly.
Connor was going to thank Romulus but as he looked from Ghost, he had disappeared from the shop. Mr. Weasley walked over to him and put his arm around Connor.
"Let's get back to the others," Mr. Weasley said as Connor and him moved out of the shop. "I told you to keep close. We were worried about you," he added.
"I'm sorry, I will never do it again," Connor said but his thoughts were on the man that bought him Ghost.
Connor wondered why being around the man made him feel safe and why Mr. Weasley hadn't stopped the man from buying him the kitten but he had other things to worry about. His father was still alive and he had to figure out who the man was. He needed to know why he didn't raise him? Was there something wrong with him but then he remembered Mr. Weasleys comment about him being troubled. Had his mother's death hit him hard or was it something else, something deeper?
Author's Note: I'd like to thank January Lily so much for giving me the inspiration to do this story. For her and for me, a prequel to this story will be coming. The love story and the tragedy of Connor's parents. I hope to be writing the first chapter soon.