A/N: Okay friends I'm not going to start updating consistently right this week, but I figured a bit of a sneak peek at Keket's summer wouldn't hurt anything. See you in a few weeks!
Beginning of Second Year…
The tinkle of chimes pulls my attention from my homework. I see an Owl sitting on the Owl perch right outside my window. Father installed it a few weeks into the summer when he found out just how much correspondence I was getting. I give the Owl a treat and relieve it of its load consisting of a letter from Draco and a letter from Sophie.
Hey Keket!
Not too much going on here this week, as you well know. I feel like nothing changes around here. How are things going for you? I still can't believe that you got two E's. I thought for certain you of all people would get all O's. I mean honestly I don't know how I managed to do it and you didn't! Needless to say my parents haven't been too thrilled about all of the owls this summer, but they can puke slugs for all I care. Ugh! Can you believe they told me I couldn't do my homework?! I don't know how I'm going to manage to get it all done.
Wait! I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you! Guess who I saw in the middle of my very muggle, back hill, country town. You won't ever believe it! Professor Snape himself! I guess he lives in the surrounding area. Maybe he would let me hole up in his house to try and get at least his homework done. He is a teacher so that should be permissible you think? Maybe I'll ask him if I see him again.
Sooooo, how are things on the Neville front? I know you were totally crushing on him, and then something happened in the Forest. But you seem to have bounced back from that a little bit. So… tell me girl! Don't think I didn't see you bringing home those lovely flowers! And if you refuse to tell me in your next letter then I will simply have to accost you when we are on the train together and I have Draco to back me up. You know how well that's going to go. insert evil laugh here of your choosing
Well, I had better be off. Too-da-loo lovely!
Sophie Ropton
I smile and shake my head at her cheer and liveliness. Its so funny to see that translated into a letter. I mean she isn't always like this, she must have been very glad to get my letter. I set Sophie's aside and open the one from Draco. Not entirely sure what he would pen me about, when we can floo back and forth easily enough.
Keket,
This is my formal request for your presence at the celebration of my twelfth birthday. I plan to send an invitation also, but I figured a slightly less formal letter would suit you a bit better. That and I want to make sure that you have the day available to ensure you are there for it! It is going to be a big occasion. And I'm so excited.
Speaking of which I don't recall finding out about your birthday. When is it?! I will ensure that it is the best to make up for the fact that we didn't know about it last year. Leave it all to me!
Oh and did you hear? Sophie got all O's! Ugh! I was glad to have gotten all but two O's. How does she do it? She is a muggleborn for Merlin's sake! In any case that is my rant. I hope the rest of your week goes well. I can't wait to see you on June 5th! Only two weeks to go!
Pleasure as always,
ⱰⱮ†
I sit back in my chair and laugh to myself about just how funny these two are consistently. I swear I don't remember how I was able to get along without them for all of these years. Actually I do. Mmmm. We had more human toys in the house at that point, so I never got bored. And I spent more time with Father. He had a bit more time to spend then. But with me in school he has taken on some projects of his own to keep himself occupied during the school year. And they have the unfortunate side effect of keeping him busy when I am out of school too.
The Neville thing eh Sophie? I have been trying not to think about that particular predicament. I haven't heard hide nor hair from the Fae since that night in the Forest. I still don't know what he meant, or what exactly I agreed to that evening. I guess I will only find out in time. For now, I sit down and pen my response to Sophie and leave Draco's sitting on my desk.
Might as well go tell Father that I have plans on the fifth of June. That is when I realize. I just made plans with a friend for the first time. Like on my own time, outside of school. My face lights up in a grin as I pick up my response to Sophie and Draco's invitation and make my way to Father's study. I stop in front of the door and knock politely.
"Enter." I hear Father's voice say, seeming thoughtful. I poke my head in the door before I open it wider and walk into the room. Father looks up and when he sees me he smiles and pushes his work to the side.
"Keket," he says, "to what do I owe this pleasure?" he turns in his chair and I move to the crook of his arm.
"Well, for two things." I start. "First I wanted to let you know that Draco invited me to his birthday party on the fifth of June. He sent ahead a letter to let me know about it before the official invitation gets here." I smile wider. "He wanted to make sure I didn't have anything else going on." Father also smiles, a small chuckle leaving his mouth too.
"Understood. Your schedule just so happens to be clear that day." I laugh at Father as he looks at the Calendar on his desk. "I don't even have a raid planned that day. So no one will be leaving unplanned. And the second Keket?" he inquires.
"Oh! I was wondering if I could borrow your owl to send a letter back to Sophie. I just got one from her today. And I wanted to send my reply in a timely manner. And Lillith is currently out hunting." I say offhandedly.
"You may use my owl. However, I am curious. You talk about this Sophie friend all the time. Yet I know nothing about her besides her name. Tell me about her." Father settles into his chair and I feel some of the color drain from my face.
"Well, she is a Slytherin." I say and smile. I really want him to leave it at that.
"I assumed as much Keket." he says, and I watch him roll his eyes. "I mean you did mention once that she was your roommate. Therefore, one would deduce that she would be in Slytherin. What is her last name?" He asks.
"Oh, not one the worry about. You wouldn't recognize it." I laugh nervously. Wow it has gotten hot in here.
"Wouldn't recognize it? I know of all of the wizarding families in Britain." Father hums in thought, and then looks up. "Unless she isn't of a wizarding family. Is she a half-blood perhaps?" Father asks. I cough, and refrain form rolling the letter into a cylinder in my hands.
"Not exactly." I say, pulling out the words as I do.
"A muggleborn then." Father comes to the conclusion. I look at him and smile nervously.
"Yes Papa." I say my voice pitched a little higher than it normally is. I look down at my hands.
"Well, tell me more about her. So she is muggleborn. What makes her worthy of being your friend?" he asks honestly interested. I relax a bit, but only a bit.
"Well, she is really intelligent. Actually she got all freaking O's this year. I don't know how she did it but she did. And then there is the fact that she is there for me when I need someone to talk to. And! She isn't scared when I talk about torturing people!" My face lights up as I talk about her. And then I remember just who I'm talking to about my muggleborn friend.
"Interesting." Father says simply, eyes wandering towards the ceiling. He locks eyes with me again after a moment. "Invite her for Christmas this year. I want to meet this girl who has captured your interest so much." Father says and my mouth drops in shock. "Plus, I've never heard of a muggleborn getting sorted into Slytherin before. She is an anomaly. Anomalies intrigue me."
"W-wait. What?" I can't even believe my ears right now. He really asked me to invite her for Christmas this year. I didn't even have to say anything about it. "Papa, are you okay?" I ask and put my hand on his forehead. Hr frowns at this and swats my hand away.
"I'm perfectly fine Keket. Go find the bloody owl and send your letter to your friend." He dismisses me a scowl on his face. I smile and hug him from the side.
"Thank you Papa." I say and kiss his temple, pull away and walk over to the open door. Right as I'm about to close it I turn around.
"You know if the owl is bloody it probably won't be able to deliver my letter. You should be nicer to your owls Papa." I grin and quickly close the door on a well placed Stinging Hex. I walk down the hallway laughing as I go.
-Page Break-
June 5th comes faster than I expect it to. As the morning dawns, I realize that I haven't gone out to get anything for Draco's birthday. I almost forgot his obsession with gifts. I get dressed quickly and run to Father's room. I throw the door open and jump on the bed, scaring the hell out of him in the process. He has his wand in his hand before I can blink, when he realizes it is only me he groans and lays back down.
"I almost liked it better when you would just cry to wake me up. Better than getting the hell scared out of you at..." he casts a lazy Tempus, and groans again. "six in the morning. Why must you be an early riser? And they used to call me insane for getting up at seven." Father lays his head back on his pillow.
"Oh no you don't!" I quickly vanish his blankets, earning an angry hiss in response. As he opens his red eyes.
"Keket..." he says warningly.
"Hear me out!" I plead, and bring one of his blankets back for him. Both Father and I hate the cold. "Today is the day I have to go to Draco's birthday party. And I didn't get him anything!" I spew worriedly. "I didn't even think to until now!" I continue at Father's raised eyebrow. He sighs heavily.
"I will call for Severus to take you into Diagon Alley. I haven't stepped foot there since we bought your wand together. And it is most dangerous for me to do in the daylight." Father rubs his face with one hand tiredly. Then stands up, blanket still wrapped around him and lights the fire with a wave of his hand.
He fire calls Severus, who is already up, and tells him the situation. Severus promises to be over in thirty minutes to collect me so we can go out shopping, as he himself still needs to get something for Draco. Father walks over to his bedside table, which has books of various natures stacked on it, and opens the drawer to pull out my Gringotts vault key.
"Here is your vault key princess." Father yawns and hands me my key. "Don't forget to bring your purse with you. And don't give Severus too much trouble." Father kisses my forehead and musses my hair and crawls back into bed. "Have a good time at your party tonight. I can't wait to hear all about it when you get home." He says and smiles sleepily in my direction.
"Thank you Papa." I smile. "Enjoy your sleep!" I watch Nagini slither up next to him.
"Have fun hatchling. I'll make sure he is up at a reasonable hour." If only snakes could wink, because that sounded like pure evil coming from her mouth. Well pure evil by my Father's standards.
I slip out of the room a smile on my face and make my way back to my room. I seriously love my family. I check my outfit over in the mirror and decide pants wouldn't be the way to go to one of Draco's events. Narcissa would look at me with the stare of Death. Promising pain and hours of getting taught how to 'act like a lady in polite society.' I shudder at the thought. I pull my hair back into a half bun. Properly keeping my hair out of my face, and yet leaving some of it long and loose. I then put on a sleeveless, tea-length dress made of red-brocade with gold embroidery. I know Gryffindor colors so sue me. It gathers at the waist, and then the skirt has lots of body in it because of that fluffy stuff. I think it is called tulle. In any case Madame Malkin loved the colors on me so she made me this dress. I brush down the front of it lightly once I have it on and slip my flats on. I go over to my bedside table and pick up my change purse, more like a coin bag really, and drop my key into it and make my way out of my room.
I get to the fireplace connected to the floo system and wait for a few minutes for Severus to come out. In the time that I am waiting one of our House elves brings me a muffin and a glass of Pumpkin Juice to tide me over until I eat next. I smile and munch happily on the still warm blueberry muffin. Severus floos into the room just as I finish and start brushing the crumbs off of my dress and face.
"Good, I was hoping you would eat something for Breakfast." Severus says and I roll my eyes.
"No Good Morning or how are you or anything? Really Severus?" I chide jokingly.
"Well, now that you mention it. Good Morning. I expect you slept well?" Severus smiles and I stick my tongue out at him.
"Why yes thank you." I say haughtily and he snorts.
"You may need to save that for later, Ms. Riddle." Severus says making me laugh as I stand up and then stretch.
"Shall we? I know we will need all of the time that we can get." I bemoan my procrastination, and Severus's face puckers like he just bit a lemon.
"That I can agree with you on." Severus responds. Severus hooks arms with me and apparates straight to the Leaky Cauldron.
I see a couple of patrons milling about, none of them looking all that happy about being up at this hour. I guess people really aren't like Severus and I, I muse silently. I follow Severus out into the Alley and that's when my face lights up. It has been a full year since I've been here. Father can't take me out very often because he is a wanted man, so when I can get out it is truly magical to me. Especially now that I can't feel all of the magic everywhere. I shudder at the thought of how the world used to feel. Now I can just relax and enjoy it all like a slightly more normal eleven year old. Severus has already walked just a few steps ahead of me and is looking back at my face, a smile on his own.
"Come on Keket." He says and waves me along. "Honestly its like you've never seen the place before in your life." I just can't stop grinning.
"Oh! Before we hit any of the shops." I step quickly to catch up to Snape and take his hand, surprising him a little bit. "I need to hit Gringotts. Father sent me with my vault key. Probably to get enough for the school supplies for the year as well as for whatever I'm getting for Draco today. Plus a tiny bit of spending money. I mean he didn't specify but I imagine that would be his reasoning." I ramble on as I look around me in wonder.
"Coming here never gets old..." I say amazed, and I hear Severus chuckle at my childlike wonder.
"Sometimes I forget that you are only twelve. And then moments like these remind me just how young you are." Severus says softly and I blush, and mock punch him in the side, making him laugh. I pout silently next to him, still looking at the buildings with the slight movement of my eyes.
"It isn't a bad thing to act your age sometimes Keket." Severus continues as we come up to the bank steps. I release his hand and walk into the bank next to him.
We walk up to a goblin who looks to be balancing a book. I look at him and he looks right at Severus.
"Can I help you with something wizard?" he sneers at Severus.
"Actually I'm not here for myself today." Severus responds evenly.
"Pardon me, but I would like to access my vault please." I tell him politely and pull my key out of my purse, bag, thing.
"Do you have your wand on you child?" he says, still not the most friendly.
"Of course I do." I pull my wand out, 12 ½ inches, Walnut with a Basilisk Scale core. The only one of its kind I am proud to say. And hand it to the Goblin, who's eyes light up with interest.
"I see, yes, this is most assuredly your wand Ms. Riddle. And it seems to have been serving you well." The goblin allows a sadistic grin to grace his features. "I can say that I have never met a wand as dark as yours in the hands of a child of your age." He hands my wand back to me, and I smile prettily.
"Would you mind taking a thousand galleons from my vault please." I hand up my bag to the goblin as I say so. He looks back at me and nods his head once and retrieves my gold from the drawer below him.
"Your legal guardian will receive a notice of your withdrawal in the next twenty four hours." He informs me, and I shrug.
"That won't be an issue." I state disinterestedly, the Goblin raises an eyebrow and smirks in my direction as he passes the bag back to me. I smile.
"Is there anything else we can help you with Ms. Riddle?" the Goblin asks.
"No. That will conclude my business for today." I say politely and he inclines his head in my direction. "May your battles be bloody, and your vaults full." I say and turn to leave. Never seeing the Goblins intrigued face, as I did.
Severus and I walk out of the bank and I am once again surrounded by the colors of the Alley. I grin and look up at Severus.
"Where do we begin?" I say cheerily. Severus smiles and take my hand and we make our way through the throngs of people crowding the Alley.
"We begin with my first stop which happens to be the Apothecary. Draco mentioned his wanting to be a healer so I intend to buy him a potions kit." Severus explains at my confused look. I nod in understanding and think on what to get for Draco.
We go into the quiet Apothecary and my nose is assaulted with the many herbs that they sell for potion making. I inhale deeply and smile. The man behind the counter greets Severus in a friendly way and even waves at me. Almost every time I am with Severus and we come to the Alley we end up stopping in here. They go about their business and I wander through the stacks of ingredients, just looking at them all. Severus calls for me informing me that he is ready to leave and I make my way back to the door at the front of the shop. We leave and start walking down the street. I glance into the windows of different shops. At some point we turn down Knockturn Alley. There are people who look at us oddly. Me in my dress and flats, and Severus in decent robes.
"Keket, you really couldn't just have found him something in Diagon Alley could you." I hear Severus grumble. I just continue on down the street, not replying to him. I turn left again and I see a window display. Now people are really staring at us.
"Hello little girl." One of them approaches me.
"Move aside." I respond calmly.
"Maybe if you ask nicely." The man says and holds out his hand. I roll my eyes.
"I said move aside scum. I won't say it again." I repeat getting angry. I slip my wand out of my holster. The man sneers in my direction.
"Oh, you think you are so feisty don't you little girl?" He spits, and I raise my lip in disgust. He moves to grab at me and I drop down before coming back up a foot closer to Severus. He also has his wand drawn in case he needs to step in.
"Don't worry Severus," I say loud enough for the man to hear, "I've got this one. He should be easy to take on." The man starts moving towards me again and I grin wickedly.
"Sanguine Remotio" I almost hiss, the man looks on in horror a moment before the spell hits as my eyes bleed red. I listen to his screams and close my eyes briefly. It has been so long. I release him from the spell, and open my eyes to see his blood all over the side walk. He looks at me with horror and respect in his eyes.
"You're so young..." he stutters out, and I step around him, stopping about his head level and leaning down.
"Tell your little friends what happened, and next time one of you fuck with me I won't be so kind." I sneer at him and stand, wiping my hands of the imaginary dirt.
I walk off, once again in the direction of my goal. I see the shop windows coming closer and in the front display I see something that has me practically drooling. A Scottish Dirk. It has a real leather scabbard, the blade itself is decorated with etched with beautiful Celtic knots. There is a beautiful teardrop shaped labradorite nestled in the pommel of it. The grip looks to be more real leather. I walk away from the window, and head right into the store. I don't head right up to the desk, because I have to find Draco's gift for his birthday before I buy myself that dirk.
"How on Earth did you find this place Keket?" Severus asks me a slightly impressed tone in his voice.
"This is where I bought my beginners dagger with Father four years ago. Now I want something a bit more advanced. Like that dirk in the window. That was lovely craftsmanship. As are all of the items in this shop. Father was most impressed when we came here the first time." I keep walking through the shop. Seeing all sorts of things I would love to buy. Not just for me, but for my friends too.
I make my way towards the back of the shop and see a display of crescent shaped potions ingredient harvesting daggers that Severus is drooling over.
"Have you seen the prices on some of these things?" Severus asks, and I wave off his concern.
"Yeah. But that isn't anything in comparison to what I'm looking at getting today." I take a look at the sickle shaped knife, also of Celtic origin. They are called Boline Harvesting Knives. I pick up the knife and move away a little bit and swing it a couple of times. Then I just hold it in my hand for a little while and move my wrist up and down, testing the weight of it.
"This would actually work quite well for slitting throats too." I muse softly, as I grab a holster and sheath for it, so Draco can have it on him whenever. Nothing fancy really just a steel blade, with a bone grip. Something to get him started with, at least according to Severus it will.
We walk up to the desk together and I ring the bell politely, calling for service. A woman walks out of the back, her red hair pulled back into a loose messy bun. A linen skirt that is about mid thigh height in the front and floor length in the back, with a pair of what looks like leather breeches underneath. A pair of dragonhide boots on her feet and a pair of goggles on top of her head. Her face is smudged with soot, the only clean spots being around her eyes where her goggles had previously rested.
"Ahh. You're the little blood thirsty one aren't you?" She smiles at us. "Glad to see you again." She then turns to Severus. "My name is Agatha. I create all of the items in this shop. As a matter of fact that's what you just called me away from." She pulls off her elbow height dragon hide gloves by the fingers and extends her hand.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Severus." he responds politely. "You do exquisite work Agatha." he commends.
"Why thank you!" She smiles proudly. "It is what I love to do." She turns back to me. "Lookin to purchase that there girly?" she asks and I nod my head. "Not your usual pick. If I recall you preferred my daggers to these." She says as she fingers the Harvesting Knife.
"Oh that is a birthday gift for my friend. I however would like to purchase the Dirk you have in the window." I respond with a smile. Her eyes blow right open and she grins, hitting the desk hard, a laugh coming out of her mouth.
"Now that is the kind of thing I could see you going for kid. But that one actually isn't for sale." She says, the smile still on her face.
I pout and hand her the 16 Galleons for the Knife with all of the extra stuff to go with it. I look longingly back at the front. It is such a beautiful piece. She must have seen my look because the next thing I know she is explaining what I missed.
"Use your head Girly. Why would I not sell one of my products that is on display? I make them by hand. And unfortunately while I working on the steel that blade was forged from my idiot apprentice knocked something over and something fell into the melted steel, and I guess whatever it was gave this blade a little bit more personality. No one who has come in has been able to purchase it. The blade has just hated them so much. You can try if you would like to kiddo." She waves me on over towards it.
I walk towards the window of the shop and look at the blade. I take a deep breath and then reach my hand out for it, but before I can touch it my hand starts getting cold. Almost like a ghost has passed through the spot. I pull my hand back. That's weird. Thinking it to have just been a fluke, I reach my hand out again, and find the same cold spot. I pull my hand away again. I scrunch up my face.
"Now see here. Let's be friends. I can give you a good home." I try and reason with the inanimate object. I reach out my hand once more and the chill reaches all the way up to my elbow.
Third times the charm I guess. Something is trying to tell me not to touch that. I hiss as the coldness dissipates, and flex my fingers. I pout at the dirk and turn on my heel grumbling about temperamental inanimate objects. Agatha laughs as she sees me walking back empty handed.
"So it got to you too girly." She smiles.
"I don't know. Couldn't even touch the bloody thing." I mutter to myself frustrated. Hearing this she just laughs even more.
"We can't win them all girly." She says. "Now if that be all for today, I do have a forge to get back to."
We take our leave of the store parcel in hand. I have my wand in my hand, wishing I hadn't given that warning on the way in. I really want someone to be stupid enough to come up to me now.
A/N: And there is your peek friends! Thank you for your continued patience and support in this venture. I do hope those of you reading A Riddle in Time are enjoying that also!
As always feedback is appreciated!
~~Tris