Dirt On The Shoes
-Gellert-
We walk in the dark, our wands the only light along the long, winding path. A large house sits above us, one light burning in a window high above. Albus is beside me, and as we draw close to the house I curl one hand around his middle. A soft gurgle and he turns to murmur to the bundle in his arms, our son, just weeks old. I close my eyes and steel myself. This will not be easy. My father has refused to speak to me on account of his disapproval of my choice of lovers, and I have come to try to mend this. For myself and for my son. I ring the bell and sooner than I anticipate, a servant appears.
"Mein Vater, bitte. Und meine Mutter also." The servant merely nods, showing no interest whatsoever in me or Albus and leaves without a word. I draw Albus closer to me and kiss him lightly on the cheek.
Shadows interrupt the light shining out, and I hear my father's voice grate out in German. "You. What do you want?"
My mother stands in his shadow now, her eyes strangely dark. I struggle to keep my fury under control and out of my voice. "I have brought you a grandson..."
"You are not my son, and he is thus not my grandson."
I see my mother's eyes glitter, but she does not move, and before I can spend any time thinking of it, my father's wand is at my neck. I hear Albus' answering growl, and his wand is pointed at my father.
"Don't." is all he says, his eyes colder than ice as he stares at my father, not wavering at all. Arcturus makes a small cry, and his expression quickly turns to horror and he steps back, lowering his wand and staring at my father with sparkling eyes. It takes every fibre of my being not to slay my father then and there, for his wand is now pointed at Albus and my son.
I step between them, and can feel Albus' hand on my back. "Do not dare to do it! I have done everything, everything that you would have wanted for me! I created this country with Albus! I am rich, successful! I even have brought you a grandchild! What more do you want?"
My father is silent, the light from his back casting deep shadows on his face. "It will never be right. You will never be the son I wanted you to be."
I twitch and step back, stung. "But...I did everything..."
"You will always be freaks. You and that whore of a man you consort with!" I make a move to curse him into oblivion, but Albus' hand on my shoulder stops me. A flash of red light smashes at my feet, and I lurch back to avoid it.
Arcturus wakes at the commotion and begins to wail, and though Albus shushes him tenderly, and I take another step back, shielding them.
No. Flashes of memory come to me. Lights, Albus' begging voice, screams, and a girl falls to the floor. No! I take another step back.
"Don't return here you schweinhund. There is nothing here for you!" My father sneers at me as I take another step back, haunted by that memory and hurt by his rejection. Another flash of light and Albus screams a shielding spell, and fire licks at it before dissipating. I grab his arm and half turn, taking us away from that place.