Chapter 6
A/N: IMPORTANT- JUST SOME MINOR EDITING, NOT A NEW CHAPTER BUT READ THE LAST PART (DEC 24) AGAIN IF YOU WANT TO.
Bellatrix is a seventh year, Andromeda and Lucius are fifth years and Narcissa is a fourth year. Maithair means Mother and the first person who guesses which language gets a special mention of sorts!
19 December, 1971
Maegan POV
"Take care Remy, see you soon.", I whispered into Remus' ear and gave him a tight hug before exiting the train and waving a last 'goodbye' to everyone else. James and Lily had been bouncing in their seats throughout the journey to Kings Cross from Hogsmeade, excited to spend Christmas at home. Lily couldn't wait to tell her family about the Magical world. The rest of us, even Peter and Sirius (Sirius!), were uncharacteristically subdued.
I didn't want to go home. After Hogwarts the Manor seemed cold. When Mathair was alive we used to host grand balls. I was only 6 when she died but my memories of her during Christmas are the sharpest. She had looked like a princess with her strawberry blonde hair and a silver dress that had twinkled under the fairy lights. She would play the Hostess effortlessly while my father looked on with pride. Father used to smile at us then. He rarely smiles any more. He locks himself in his study and reads old texts that he forbids us to read.
I didn't have to look around to find my Father. He stood out no matter how casually he stood. Not one person bumped into him. I stalled and looked around for Lucius so we could go together. After Lucius stepped out of the Prefects' carriage, I held on to his sleeve and together we approached Father.
"I received a letter from Professor McGonagall, Adonia. She seems to think you are a..child protegee in Transfiguration."
I pinked immediately and swallowed before answering him, "Yes father, I can perform O.W.L level transfiguration with ease."
Lucius' brow furrowed but he didn't say anything. Father resumed eating and for a while the only sounds came from cutlery striking the plates.
"I will arrange a tutor for you. You will utilise him and master transfiguration."
"Yes father."
"Cygnus and Druella Black are hosting a soiree on Christmas Eve.", he said wiping his mouth on a napkin,"We will be attending."
He stood up and took his leave. Lucius held a spoon halfway to his mouth as he looked at me with the most expression I had seen in his face since Maithair had died.
"What?"
"Cygnus Black has three daughters.", he said, his voice pitched slightly higher than normal.
"Sweet Circe!"
20 December, 1971
Rudolf Andrei Benedictus Leonardsson was a big man. He wasn't fat, but he was so well built that the sheer volume of him seemed to dwarf people of his height. He had russet colored hair generously sprinkled with grey and a bushy beard. His deep blue eyes were bright and intelligent but they also seemed kind. I inclined my head and offered my hand as Father introduced him. His grasp was firm and brisk.
"I'll leave you with Adonia then. My house elf Tibby will be available ,should you need anything simply call."
Mr. Leonardsson nodded and father left.
"So, Adonia-"
"Maegan please, it's my middle name."
He smiled. "Very well Maegan. How good are you at transfiguration?"
What followed was an exhilarating day filled with practical transfiguration. Mr. Leonardsson's smile increased with every task I overcame.
"Bravo!", he roared after a particular difficult one, "You are only eleven, you say?"
I grinned and nodded, flushed as magic soared through my veins. In retrospect it must have looked hilarious because I had a bob of bright green hair, magenta eyebrows and a huge hooked nose.
"Marvelous! You have a natural talent for transfiguration my dear. We will start large scale transfiguration from tomorrow. That will be all for today.", he said, picking up his cloak.
Well. Now or never. The books would never be clear enough about transforming into an Animagus.
" Mr. Leonardsson? May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"How does one turn into an Animagus?"
December 23, 1971
"It takes extremely advanced magic to become an Animagus. It is past NEWTs level and learned only by fully grown wizards and witches under the strictest supervision. You may be brilliant at transfiguration but it could go horribly wrong. Many have been disfigured or worse. Are you sure you want to pursue this?", Mr. Leonardsson asked me in a serious voice.
"Mr. Leonardsson I'm really really desperate. I know it is tough but I'm willing to do it." , I told him in a solemn voice as confidently as I could.
"Alright. This is very advanced magic and I need your utmost concentration.", he told me a seriously.
"I promise, Mr. Leonardsson. You will have my full attention." , I said and flashed him a sincere smile.
"Now since we're going to spend many days together, why don't you start calling me Dolf rather than Mr. Leonardsson. It is quite a mouthful."
"Ok Dolf.." , I trailed off awkwardly. It felt like calling Professor McGonagall Minnie (which is what Sirius does all the time, the git.)
If he noticed my awkwardness he paid no heed and continued in a cheerful voice, "Now First and the most important rule: Never forget this is Advanced Transfiguration and never stray off my command. If you break this rule, well, don't say I didn't warn you. We will have to take you to 's and almost all reversals are excruciating. "
"Mr. Leo...I mean Dolf, perhaps we could keep this a secret? I don't want my father to know just yet I..I want to surprise him." , I fibbed. Lies were rolling off my tongue a little more easily day after day. I blame James and Sirius' influence. Gits.
"Hmm...a surprise you say?", his eyes glinted and I felt as if they were boring through mine. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid!', I cursed myself. Animagi transformation is very dangerous. Of course he was going to notify my father about it. I should have thought it through before I had asked! Ugh! Fool!
" Very well", he said after what seemed like ages. I looked up so fast that I almost cricked my neck. "So be it. Now let's start the lesson without much ado"
The lesson started and he gave me some simple exercises to relax my mind. Then the real work started, teaching my body and mind to not panic when the transformation started. I wasn't going to start the actual transformation for several months yet but this is a crucial prerequisite. By the time the lesson was over I had a terrible migraine and felt like celery that had been left in the sun for too long.
"Drink a lot of water and eat some chocolate. It helps with the migraine and you should have a nice eight hours of sleep if you want to do this routine again tomorrow. Now we won't be having class for three more days but I want you to practise the mind exercises twice on each day. Merry Christmas and see you on Monday.", he flashed me a smile and was out of the study before I had summoned up enough energy to reply.
December 24 , 1971
When I woke up next morning I was in my room and I was wearing my night clothes. I didn't remember entering my room much less changing into my night clothes.
My last sane thought was around 8 in the night when I drank a whole jug of water in a single go and scarfed down two big bars of chocolate. Everything was blank after that. And the clock beside me showed 8 in the morning.
Slowly, I got up and stretched and completed the necessary morning rituals before heading down for breakfast. When I went down to the table Lucius was slowly chewing his food . His face bore a thoughtful expression.
"Morning Lucius." , I greeted my brother after taking my customary seat on his right.
Tibby placed my breakfast in front of me and I smiled my thanks and then started taking eating. "Where is father?" I asked in between bites.
"He had to leave early for work. He said he will come back by 5 and escort us to the Black's Manor."
"You fell asleep on the couch last night. Fully dressed. If father had found out you would have been in trouble. That was a little reckless you know. I had Tibby change your clothes and take you to bed. I told him that you would be missing dinner because you were exhausted from your transfiguration lessons" , he told me.
I turned pink, "Thanks Luce,you are the best."
"Anytime Addy. And don't call me Luce!" , he mock frowned. I chuckled and tucked into my breakfast again and didn't bother to correct him. I prefered Maegan, which was what Mathair used to call me but father detested that name and insisted on Adonia, his grandmother's name. And Lucius wouldn't go against father's wishes.
That was my relationship with Lucius. He might seem all cold and distant to me in public but he was always looking out for me and saving me from trouble. He had "an appearance" to keep up, but behind closed doors and when it was only us he was a total softie. He couldn't deny me anything all I had to do was pout and sniff a little and he would even end up murdering someone for me.
"Luce is it true that father is trying to betroth you to one of the Black girls?" , I asked him giggling.
He choked on his coffee and started sputtering , "Who told you that?" , he questioned.
I ignored him and continued nonchalantly , "You know I've got two ears that can hear perfectly what father says even when a door is in the way. If you ask me I would say you should go for Narcissa. Bellatrix gives me the creeps and I don't think you would be comfortable with Andromeda after the fight you two had about blood purity. Well Narcissa is the perfect choice in my opinion. Even with the ridiculous"
He blushed and shook his head, "Look who's talking, Adonia the Slayer of Dragons!" he proclaimed loudly and ducked when I threw a piece of bacon at him. "Addy, you know you shouldn't have eavesdropped on the conversation. But thank you for the suggestion. By the way, Bellatrix is already engaged." , he ignored my exclamation of relief and continued, still pink in the cheeks, "And you know that father will not initiate anything until I am of age. So what do you want to do after breakfast?"
After breakfast Lucius and I killed time by taking a walk in the garden and then playing Quidditch (Just the two of us, using only the quaffle) and by the time we got back it was time for lunch. We finished it together companionably and soon we parted ways to get ready for the ball.
It was then that I realised that Sirius Black would most definitely be in attendance.
I smirked.
*Storm&Phoenix*
A/N: Hey y'all! *ducks* Don't harm us! We're so sorry this chapter took so long to reach you. Phoenix was very sick and we really couldn't write.
Next Chapter: A very awkward Lucius meets Narcissa and Maegan lets her hair down! 'Til then, tell us what you think about this chapter!
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*Storm*
