Author's Note: Unedited and rushed but come on, you don't want endless backstory and neither do I. Just accept it. ::smirks:: I am working on this baby, I swear! Review and hope you enjoy!

Chapter Two: Veritas

Sabine Rinaldi-Snape had once been called the most beautiful woman in France. Small and full-figured, she had a thick wave of light brown hair that rolled down her back in one braid that was entwined always with a navy colored ribbon. She looked awkward in her navy colored Auror uniform as if she were better suited for gowns and robes then fatigues. And it was true enough, at almost 50, her face still held the innately Queen-like features that had so often turned head in her youth. A soft girlish smile, small nose and wide hazel eyes that sparkled from her round face made her beautiful in her own right, marred only by the various small scars that nicked her cheeks and hairline.

But put against Marjorie Malfoy and her lady friends who wore fine robes, hair done up in various styles and skin devoid of any imperfection, Sabine looked coarse, aged and dull. Something that Sabine seemed to realize uncertainly as she walked with them. Gideon watched her from his seat in the study, where he could peer into the parlor and hall where Marjorie and the women had retired after dinner. Behind him in the library, Gideon could hear the men laughing as Karel entertained them. Outside probably wading in the ocean or playing among rocky shores were the children but Gideon ignored them. Most of the kids of his parents' friends were younger then him by many years and he had nothing in common with them.

So instead, Gideon decided to sit at the oversized desk in his father's study and finish his school assignments. The school term at Hogwarts was starting tomorrow and admittedly, Gideon hadn't been spending as much time as he should have been studying.

"Oh, well come on now Sabine. I know you have a secret." Marjorie's voice was soft and teasing as she spoke. "Look, see now you're blushing. Out with it."

"Oh you horrible old busy bodies." Sabine returned quietly. She was sitting with a clear shot to the study where every once in a while she met Gideon's eyes but usually searched just beyond his head to the library, silently willing for Kaiser and Reiner to finish chatting so they could leave. "I don't know what you want from me."

"I do." Laughed another voice, Lizzie Wilkes, from her place beside Marjorie.

Gideon grimaced. Lizabeth Wilkes and Rebecca Crabbe were his mother's right and left hands. Whatever went down in England's magical community was first known and shared by these three harpies before it ever would reach print. Who was sleeping with who (or what), divorces, bankruptcies, murders, and dark dealings were all fair game to them and was spoken of casually over the afternoon tea in fine china.

Sabine blushed again and looked down at her cup. She became aware that her she was missing the nail on two of her fingers and withdrew it, placing it on her lap and smiling as she looked up again. "There's nothing to out, Margie."

"How's the baby coming along?"

"Alchemy is hardly a baby anymore, Liz…"

"I didn't mean that one." Wilkes grinned as she reached over and patted Sabine's stomach. "I know you and Kaiser are trying again, but you're so old, darling…"

"Thank you for cordial."

"Anytime. Are you sure Kaiser won't try and put you away if you can't produce another heir? You know how men are about boys…"

Rebecca sipped her tea, "And we all know how Kaiser does love little boys."

Sabine frowned, turning her full attention to Rebecca, "You vicious woman, how dare you speak of my husband in such a manner."

"Oh don't act so enraged, Sabine." Marjorie laughed. "We're only saying Kaiser enjoys the company of his young protégés and we all know that you would prefer time with Reiner instead of typical work." She kept her smile until Sabine had looked down and then looked at her friends, knowingly. She grinned again and pressed on. "I mean after all, there's all that talk about Severus' lineage."

"What talk?" Sabine asked.

"Well, it's certain the boy is a Snape but you know how Kaiser was gone for most of that year and well, it's always been wondered where on earth did you find the time to conceive."

Sabine looked caught. "I love my husband, I would never do anything to him…"

"We know dear. But there's no mistaking the way you and Reiner look at each other. If you ask me, he's the cuter of the two…and since he has never chosen to marry, and Merlin knows it's not for lack of opportunity. I think you have a sweet deal." Marjorie smiled again. "Two for one."

"And I believe it's late." Sabine said, standing. She looked visibly shaken and smiled at them uneasily. "I better fetch my husband and go."

Marjorie remained silent and watched Sabine disappear into the study before reaching down and pulling Silas who was coloring at her feet into her lap. She smiled, ignoring the giggling women and purred into her ear. "You see, little one. All you need to do to create a truth is say it enough times. It'll become fact soon enough, all you have to do is wait."

Gideon felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment and anger and turned away furiously. He bowed his head just as Sabine passed, trying with all his might to avoid looking up and staring at her. He was beginning to feel sick and found himself longing for tomorrow already. The sooner he returned to Hogwarts, the sooner he'd be away from here. It's amazing what the longing for peace could make one hope for he thought grimly.

He felt a rough hand on his shoulder and looked up, smiling at Kaiser who had appeared again. Reiner was standing behind him, arm coupled around Sabine's, and talking to her in hushed tones. He glanced at Gideon, nodded then disappeared with Sabine to search for the Heir of Akel Dama.

"I bought this for you." Kaiser said, placing a small velvet blue pouch on the table in front of Gideon. He reclined easily on the armrest of the chair. "I thought you'd might use it."

"Can I open it here?" Gideon asked as he stared across the distance to the little bag. "Please?"

"If you absolutely can't wait." The Auror smiled. "Go ahead."

Gideon shook the bag and stared at the pocket watch that rested in his open palm. It was pewter with a dragon the top, its wings spread about the circle, and inside it revealed a dark blue face and gold hands that kept the time. Inside on the cover was an inscription: To Gideon, a King among Children from Kaiser with love. Gideon gasped a little as he twirled it over and over in his hands, not wanting to harm it.

"Oh…thank you, sir." He whispered in awe. "Thank you so much."

"There's a small button on the side." Kaiser said, motioning to it. "…Right there." He smiled. "Press it."

Gideon blinked and obeyed. The watch's blue face became murky and for a moment he thought he had ruined it until the face cleared again and revealed his brother Silas tumbling on the grass with Severus in the grass outside the Elysian Fields. He pressed the button again and the scene changed to Lucius who was sitting in Claire Crouch's arms as she watched the kids skip stones across the ocean. One more push and the clock's face returned to normal. He smiled and looked up at Kaiser, excitedly. "Thank you, sir."

"Don't call me sir." He replied and played with Gideon's hair. "I figured this way you could keep track of your brothers while away at school. Hopefully it'll give you some peace of mind." The Auror stood again, and Gideon watch in awe for a moment as Kaiser took the time to soothe his robes out and run scarred, aged hands over his hair. He looked like an aging King in the dim light, with a sort of majesty that coupled with intense sadness. He turned to Gideon and for a moment, he was certain Kaiser was going to tell him something more. Instead, he merely smiled again, tapped his shoulder and walked out to find Sabine and his brother.

He didn't know it then, but that would be the last time Gideon would ever see Kaiser alive. Had he known, maybe Gideon would have done something different, shown affection perhaps or expressed gratitude or something beyond what he did. But he hadn't for he knew he would see Kaiser again. Kaiser's presence in his life was as certain as the sunset. It had always been and would always be.


And for years afterwards, he would always remember the day that that cardinal rule had been shattered like glass. Gideon had chosen not to take his Charms class, deciding instead to stroll outside by the lake and skip stones off the surface. The yards were barren, with most students (save the upper levels who stared at him like if he was an insect then looked away to ignore him) gone into classes. It had been three months since school started, and as he did at least three times everyday, Gideon reached into his pocket and pulled the pocket watch from his cloak to check on his brothers.

Silas was walking along the corner of the tide within shouting distance of their mother who was in the arms of some man that was not her husband, Gideon cursed her angrily and clicked the watch again, to smile in relief as he saw Lucius playing on the floor of their father's workshop, playing with the sawdust. Karel Malfoy's chief hobby was Carpentry and he although the watch made no sound; he could almost hear his father humming to himself in German.

"There you are!"

Nervously, Gideon clicked the watch again and tucked it into his pocket to turn and see Dorian Dolohov walk towards him. Dorian was a Ravenclaw and sister to Gideon's best (and only friend) the Slytherin Caspian Dolohov. Their older brother was also a Slytherin named Antonin who liked to bully Caspian and Gideon when he could. Dorian was a sweet, round faced girl who was popular with everyone at Hogwarts. Gideon liked her, one because she was the only one at Hogwarts thus far that could beat him in a wrestling match and two because she always doted on him and Caspian like some overprotective mother.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" She exclaimed. "Oh, Gideon I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" He blinked. "For what?"

"Gideon!" Called another voice, this time it was Caspian and the boy was running towards him out of breath and looking like he had just been in an accident like always. Gideon had never known a time that Caspian was not injured in someway and today, it seemed to be a busted lip.

Gideon smirked at him. "Yeah, yeah…you're sorry too? What's happened? Who do we have to fight this time?"

Caspian stopped and blinked. "Gideon, you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Gideon asked, stepping back. He didn't like the siblings were staring at each other warily as if debating which would tell him some sinister news. For a moment, he thought something had happened to his brothers.

But that was impossible; he had just seen them in the watch Kaiser had given him.

"What's wrong?" He demanded.

Caspian looked over and exhaled. "The Daily Prophet's reporting there was a Vampire attack in Sussex late last night."

Kaiser…Somehow, suddenly Gideon knew, and looking down, he gripped the watch in his pocket and turned to walk away from them. No, he thought, no…

"They're saying Hecate Compound made a statement about an hour ago. They said twelve Auror and auxiliary had gone into the village to search out the Vampire nest, and only two survived. They're saying among the dead were…"

"No." Gideon said suddenly, cutting Caspian off. "No."

Dorian walked over, trying to touch his arm. "Kaiser, Sabine and Reiner were among the ones who didn't survive."

"NO!" Gideon screamed, throwing her arm and striking out to punch her. Dorian fell to her knees, cradling her cheek. She looked up, frightened at him for one long moment before he collapsed beside her. Tears burned in his eyes, but Gideon couldn't cry. He was too angry to cry, too full of hatred to understand. He cursed Kaiser. How dare he take away the only comfort that Gideon had in his life? How dare he change everything with one fell swoop?

How dare he die and change the world?

"No, he can't be dead…" He said slowly. "That can't be right. Aurors don't die…"

"That's what we all thought…" Dorian said as she reached over and took him into her arms. Caspian was right beside her, leaning against him. "I'm sorry, Gideon…I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He whispered through his anger. "I should have known…"

"Known what?"

"That my mother was right…say something enough times and you believe it." Gideon stood and pushed them off. "I have to go inside…floo my dad. We'll have to go the funerals."

"Gideon…"

"He lied, you know." Gideon said, looking back. "He said it'd get better." He shook his head again and went back to walking towards the castle. "It won't. It never will…"