From the End to the Start
Chapter 10
Diaval was perusing the shelves of Flourish and Blotts when an older wizard approached him.
"Excuse me, young man. Are you Diaval Blanchard?"
He looked up to see bespectacled eyes peering down. The wizard seemed vaguely familiar, with salt and pepper hair and a kindly smile on his face. Diaval nodded in response to the question.
"I'm Balthazar Rosier, Maleficent's uncle. I recognized you from the pictures you sent her that she showed me." The older man introduced himself genially.
Diaval grinned in response. "Oh. That's why you looked familiar. You were there when I first talked to her- Madam Malkin's, before first year."
"I remember. You've certainly grown since that time."
Diaval's gaze darted around the area. "Is Lefi with you, sir?"
Balthazar shook his head. "I'm sorry, boy. I've come to pick up her textbooks and things, but her parents demanded she stay at the house."
Diaval let out a disappointed "oh." Then he asked, "How is she? Is she okay?"
"She is, although her parents have been merciless with her. Maleficent has been tending to her mother's whims and preparing the nursery, among other things. I think they've been keeping her as busy as possible, so she can't write to you."
A little shamefaced, Diaval murmured, "I'm sorry I got her into trouble."
"Don't be." Balthazar admonished. "It wouldn't do well for you to regret her friendship, especially since she has decided you are more than worth it."
"And I will always be grateful for that."
Balthazar had a satisfied expression on his face at his words. "She is grateful for you, too. As a matter of fact, I am as well. You are good for her."
Ducking his head, Diaval mumbled, "Uhm, thank you very much, sir."
Balthazar laughed heartily. "No need to be embarrassed, my boy!" Stepping back, he said, "I have to leave now. Take care of yourself and see you around."
Diaval nodded and waved. "Goodbye, Mr. Rosier."
The next time they saw each other was at platform 9 ¾. Diaval was with his parents and Leila's family when he spotted Balthazar Rosier. The older man gave him a nod as he passed by, and he responded with a smile. Diaval presumed the older man can't talk to him as they were surrounded by witches and wizards who knew the Rosiers, which was proven true when Leila rounded on him.
"Did Balthazar Rosier just nod at you?"
"Yeah. You know him?"
"I know of him, more like. Father works for him in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. How do you know him?"
"He's Maleficent's uncle. We met at Diagon Alley."
"Oh. Do you reckon Maleficent is already on the train?"
"She always boards early. Shall we go in too?"
"Yeah."
After saying goodbye to their parents, they sought out Maleficent. They found her curled up in a compartment window seat, absorbed in New Theory of Numerology.
"Maleficent!" Leila went over to Maleficent's side, grinning. Diaval noticed the fondness in Maleficent's expression upon seeing the cheery girl, which made him smile.
"Hello."
"Hullo, Lefi. You okay?" He greeted.
"I suppose."
"How come you didn't tell me you were related to Balthazar Rosier?" Leila queried brightly.
Maleficent raised an eyebrow. "How did you find out?"
"He greeted Diaval on the platform. I've heard so many good things about Mr. Rosier from my father. Father really likes working for him."
Diaval can see the words easily dispelled the brewing storm he observed in Maleficent's eyes when they arrived, but the effect was immediately gone when Leila tactlessly continued, "I can't believe you're related to the Rosiers. Aren't they part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight?"
"There are very few pureblood families I am not related to, however distantly. If you trace far enough, I'm sure you'll find ties to at least half of the Sacred Twenty-Eight." Maleficent responded curtly.
"Wow. It would be nice to have a bloodline like that. Maybe then dad would get promoted easier."
Eyes flashing, Maleficent retorted, "Really, Leila? Would you rather be related to people like the Selwyns, Blacks and Rosiers- people who are known for their ties to the Dark Arts- than have a family who actually loves you instead of treating you like an investment whose only duty is ensure the purity of your blood by making a respectable marriage?"
Without waiting for an answer, she walked out of the compartment, leaving a stunned Diaval and an embarrassed Leila.
"Sometimes, you really have no tact, you know?"
"I'm sorry!" Leila cried. Sighing, Diaval stood up to follow Maleficent. She was standing in the middle of the aisle, hands clenched in fists with her back towards him.
"Lefi." Diaval called, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.
Turning around, she mumbled, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at Leila."
"It's okay. She was being tactless anyway."
"It's just- all I've been hearing from my parents was how they now have another chance to redeem the family name after I've decided to sully it by associating with 'people of your sort'. I guess it still affects me, even though I don't want it to." Maleficent explained sullenly.
"They're still your parents, Lef. It's alright to feel bad." Diaval said soothingly.
With a wan smile, Maleficent nodded. "Thank you for dealing with my mood swings."
He smiled reassuringly. "It's really not a problem. Remember what I said? Whatever you need. Come, we should get back to Leila."
When they reentered the compartment, Leila immediately launched into an apology, which Maleficent dismissed.
"Don't worry about it. I do understand where you're coming from, but honestly, I'd give all the galleons in the world to not be related to my family, you know?"
Nodding, Leila said, "I just forgot for a moment that you have complicated family history."
Maleficent snorted. "Complicated is an understatement, Leila, considering that my grandparents and my uncle died defending the Dark Lord, and almost all my relatives believe in the eradication of muggles."
"Then why is your uncle nice to Diaval?"
"It's because he doesn't really believe in pureblood supremacy. He remained neutral during the first wizarding war, while his brother- my other uncle, Evan- immediately joined the Death Eaters. That's why he joined International Magical Cooperation in the first place. He reckoned that it would be a sufficient excuse not to associate himself strongly to the dark side, since he's mingling so much with other witches and wizards."
A lull in the conversation ensued, until Diaval addressed Leila. "Why do you look so sad?"
The blond exclaimed, "I just feel sad for Maleficent and her uncle! Imagine having to go through all sorts of deceptive hullabaloo just so your family won't know what you really believe, or enduring your parents' disgust just because you had the nerve to become friends with people they don't approve of. I mean, why would people hate on other people so much anyway? Pureblood supremacy is bloody mental."
Maleficent sighed. "It is, isn't it? And now my parents are preparing to brainwash another one into believing their messed-up ideals."
"What do you mean?" Leila asked.
"Mother is pregnant. She's due around March."
"Wow, really?"
"I think they tried for another one because I was nothing more than a disappointment."
"Oh, Maleficent." Leila stood up and embraced the other girl in a gesture of comfort. Diaval chuckled at Maleficent's look of surprise and confusion, but then he wondered- has she ever been hugged before? His heart ached at the thought of her deprived of something so simple.
When Leila had sat back down, Diaval moved to sit beside her. Succumbing to the urge, he reached for her hand and clasped it tightly. "Forget about them, Lef. You are so much better than all your lousy relatives put together."
She twitched, startled at the sudden physical contact. Nevertheless, she squeezed his hand back and smiled happily.
A/N: The Sacred Twenty-Eight list is real. JS :)) I kind of made a family tree tracing Maleficent's maternal side of the family, to identify her relation to the Blacks, Rosiers and Selwyns. LOL I even calculated birth dates gaaaah I am investing too much effort in this thing.
I'm still figuring out a way to put that in the story. :))
And reminder: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE READ "THE POWER HE KNOWS NOT" OKAY. :))) (It's under the collection One Week, day 7-2). This entire series is leading up to that story, and I promise I won't change the ending of this thing suddenly. No alternate endings, no nothing. So to make sure you don't have false expectations, go read the story.
Cheers people.