Chapter Twenty-Nine
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters nor the scenery, which you could recognise; the only thing I take credit for is the plot.
Pairings: Severus/Marvolo.
Warnings: Dark Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione, and Weasley bashing (excluding Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George).
Word Count: 4,265
Date Written: 08/11/2021
Aldwyn stares down at the paper in his hands, white knuckles trembling as the words sink into his mind after a second read-through. He knew that the Daily Prophet was going to catch wind of Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, missing from the lineup of students attending Hogwarts this academic year, but he didn't think that they would be able to write an entire article about it so quickly. Glancing from Draco, sitting on his left, to Blaise who is seated on his right, both sporting concerned expressions as they stare down at him. His eyes scan the article once more.
"Well, at least Dumbledore won't be able to use this to his advantage anymore." His voice wavers minutely, his words cracking before he clears his throat.
"What do you mean, Aldwyn?" Tracy looks up from her own copy of the Paper, eyebrows furrowing as she glances from Draco and Blaise to Aldwyn. She didn't understand why they were having such adverse reactions to the disappearance of Harry Potter.
"Well, if what I have gathered and what I have been told about Headmaster Dumbledore is true, then I wouldn't put it past him to somehow try and use the fact that Harry Potter didn't turn up to Hogwarts this year, and the fact that he has disappeared from the Muggle's Residence as an opportunity to claim that he has sent the Potter Heir away in order to train him for whatever upcoming battle he is supposed to face." Aldwyn's friends stare at him, confusion evident in their expressions, he sighs inwardly.
"But why is that such a bad thing? What would Dumbledore gain by saying that he is training Potter? When it came time to face this battle then the truth would come out and Dumbledore would lose even more support… We all know that Harry Potter disappeared from his relative's house and that there is strong evidence to suggest that he was abused."
"Well Theo, after the initial announcement of training the 'Boy-Who-Lived, Dumbledore would increase his own popularity and favour with the wizarding population, especially if he were to tell people that he was going to personally train the young saviour. This would then give him enough time to come up with an alternative method for the war. Whether that is claiming a new 'Boy-Who-Lived' or something else, I am unsure."
"Aldwyn is correct, by informing everyone that there is a need for Harry Potter to partake in secret training, he is planting the seeds that something big is coming in the next few years and that the wizarding worlds only chance of survival would be to rely on the 'Boy-Who-Lived' to save and protect them." Draco continues sending a quick smile to Aldwyn who nods his head in thanks, at least one of his friends was able to keep up with his logic.
"Okay, I get all that but what I don't really understand is why can't he just claim that he took Potter away now, he would be able to claim falsehoods from the Daily Prophet, discredit their reporters and gain his popularity."
"Because not only has the Daily Prophet heavily implemented the Muggles, in not only, severe abuse against their Nephew, who just so happens to be the 'Saviour of the Wizarding World' especially with them holding custody over him. They have also implied that they have found evidence found at the scene of the crime suggesting that Harry Potter is most likely deceased. If Dumbledore begins to proclaim that he arrived at the Muggle residence sometime during the summer to pick Potter up for this supposed training, then people will begin to question his knowledge of the abuse. If these Muggles physically assaulted their Nephew during the two or so weeks, he resided with them, then what did they do to him before he ever set foot within this school? How long has this abuse been going on for and if Dumbledore knew where Potter was living this whole time, then why did no one ever check up on the 'Boy-Who-Lived to make sure he was being treated right?" Aldwyn drops the Daily Prophet down, hands tightening into fists the more he unravels the mysteries surrounding his childhood.
"It would make people believe that Dumbledore, somehow already knew of the abuse and therefore did nothing to stop it. If the great and powerful Albus Dumbledore would allow for this to happen to the 'Saviour of the Wizarding World' then how many other children, be they Muggle-born, Half-blood, or Pureblood has he allowed to be abused in this manner?"
"Draco is right, and if no one in the entire world supposedly knew where Harry Potter had been placed after the deaths of his parents then logically, the only person who would hold this knowledge would have to be the person who placed him in the care of the Muggles in the first place. Seen as Dumbledore would never willingly implement himself in the abuse of Harry Potter, he cannot claim to have any knowledge of where Potter lived without invertedly admitting that it was he who left the Boy-Who-Lived with abusive Muggles."
Aldwyn allows some of the tension building in his shoulders to relax a little at the words of Draco and Blaise, he knew his two best friends would understand his worries; the only two besides his parents and godparents who knew the truth about his past. He smiles at their support, expression softening when the rest of his year-mates nod in agreement, realisation sparking in their eyes.
"That makes a lot of sense. Dumbledore wouldn't try anything which would implement himself in such a serious allegation. Nor would he wish to risk his already wavering popularity."
"If any of this ever got out then it would be a major blow to Dumbledore's social status as well."
"I know right, can you imagine what would happen if the members of the Wizengamot found out that their Chief Warlock placed the Boy-Who-Lived with abusive relatives?"
"He would be out on the streets before he could state his name."
Aldwyn chuckles, feeling lighter than he had since the beginning of the summer about the whole 'Harry Potter situation' especially with how well his friends seemed to be taking the news of the young boy's disappearance and potential death. Though Daphne and Tracy, as well as Millicent who was much better at hiding her emotions, were upset by the loss of such a short life. It pleased him to note that they all found some form of amusement in the potential downfall of Dumbledore when, not if, his involvement somehow got out.
Glancing up at the staff table, Aldwyn smirks at his Papa knowing that Severus is logging the various reactions of the students and staff to reiterate back to his Father later that evening. His smirk widens when Severus tips his head to him, his thoughts drifting to the reactions they are going to get when the Daily Prophet finally releases a copy of 'Harry Potter's Will'. He knows they have found it, knows that they probably have a copy of it as the Auror's would need to save the original for evidence. Honestly, he had expected for them to release it with the edition this evening, but maybe they are waiting for the right time to implement Dumbledore further.
Sighing, Aldwyn finally takes a bite of his breakfast. Freezing in place as soon as the food touches his tongue, Aldwyn glances down at his plate eyebrows down-turning. He hadn't filled his plate. He had been too fixated on the Newspaper to even think about placing food on his plate. Glancing across the table at Tracy, Aldwyn raises an eyebrow in question at her, eyes flickering down to his food. The girl merely grins at him, her own eyes glancing over to Blaise who is busy eating his own food to notice their interaction.
Aldwyn rolls his eyes, taking another bite. He notes that his plate is filled with his favourite foods and feels his cheeks glowing with a faint blush. Slowly, without drawing attention to his movements, Aldwyn switches his folk to his right hand and drops his left to his side, the table obscuring his actions from view. Gaze firmly fixated on his breakfast, Aldwyn slips his hand into Blaise's and squeezes. Stubbornly refusing to lift his eyes, Aldwyn misses the soft smile Blaise directs his way, though the returning squeeze around his hand is enough to draw an answering smile to his lips.
It doesn't take long for Aldwyn to make his way through the food on his plate, he is pleased when he realises that he is eating much more than he was able to stomach during the summer holidays and that he is on his way to being able to come off his nutrient's potions. He downs another glass of milk just as Marcus Flint slumps down the aisle, smirk stretching his lips.
"You got some food in you, Aldwyn?"
"Yup. All done, are we training already?" Aldwyn tilts his head to the side, it sorts of made sense now why Flint wished for them all to stay in their Slytherin Quidditch robes as they headed off to breakfast. Flint nods his head.
"Yea. Oliver Wood just pounced on his Quidditch team and led them out of the hall. I am assuming that they are going to either hold their try-outs now or train if they have already filled their vacant positions." His smirk doesn't waver.
"If the Gryffindors are training now, then we can't use the pitch. We didn't book it for this morning, did we?"
"No, we didn't Aldwyn. However, I have asked Professor Prince for permission to use the Quidditch pitch this morning and had the note validated by Madam Hooch. Apparently, they agree that we will need the extra training time to train our new Seeker." The older Slytherin winks down at Aldwyn, while the Second-year smirks in return.
"Ah, well if we need the extra training then there is nothing the Gryffindor team can do about it, especially if both Professor Prince and Madam Hooch have already agreed to it." Flint chuckles, ruffling Aldwyn's hair before gesturing for the rest of the team to stand up and grab their brooms before escorting them all out of the Great Hall.
Smirks pass around the group when they spy the tired and already frustrated figures of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Oliver Wood's voice carrying across the field to them making them all cringe at the sheer irritating grate of his tone. Sneers are exchanged around their team, no one in Slytherin would ever think of acting in such a manner, even if Flint is just as obsessed with quidditch as the Gryffindor captain. Not that Aldwyn would ever say such a thing to the older Slytherin.
Wood's voice trails of when they come into his sights and his excited smile drops into a disgusted frown as they slowly approach, anticipation rising at the prospect of ruffling some Gryffindor feathers. It was always amusing to witness their explosive tempers and uncouth attitudes.
"What are you doing here, Flint. The Gryffindor team booked the pitch for this morning."
"Be that as it may, Wood. Professor Prince and Madam Hooch have given the Slytherin team permission to use the pitch this morning in order to train our new seeker." Flint answers, pulling the permission slip out of his pocket and hands it to Wood who snatches the parchment. His eyes narrow, a huff escaping his lips as he reads the neat calligraphy of their potion's professor.
"You've got yourselves a new seeker?" Woods questions, disbelief in his tone as he sneers down at the Slytherin team, eyes scanning the sea of green and silver trying to point out this new member.
"That's what I said, is it not?" Flint smirks over at Wood stepping to the side, he gestures for Aldwyn to step forward. The small second-year smirks over at the Gryffindor team, hand clenching around the handle of his broom the only sign of his discomfort.
"Prince-Slytherin."
"It is a pleasure to meet me, I am sure, Oliver Wood." His teammates snigger at his response, eyes never leaving Wood's face as he bows in greeting.
"Employing second years now, Flint. You really are desperate."
"Says the captain who allowed a first-year on their team last year. Aldwyn here is a natural on a broom, he deserves his place as our Seeker."
Oliver Wood and the rest of the Gryffindor bristle at the bragging tone of Marcus Flint, all with the exception of Fred and George Weasley who merely roll their eyes shooting exasperated glances at their own captain who is still glaring down at Aldwyn. Aldwyn responds by swinging his broomstick from his side to rest on his shoulder, the glistening sleek black handle catching the eyes of the Gryffindor team.
"You have a Nimbus 2001?" Aldwyn smirks at the breathy, envious tone Oliver stutters out.
"Not just Aldwyn. Lord Slytherin and Lord Malfoy were generous enough to purchase Nimbus 2001s for the entire team for our impressive win of the Quidditch Cup last year."
"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They all got in on pure talent." A familiar voice shudders through Aldwyn's ears and he has to physically reframe from twitching at the grating undertone. He would recognise that voice anywhere, it had been a constant source of nagging the previous year for him. His eyes snap down from Wood to focus on the bush of hair, a sneer tugs the corners of his lips.
"Oh? Were you not listening, Granger? These were rewards for soundly wiping the floor with the Gryffindors last year and I thought you were supposed to be smart." Aldwyn smirks at the bushy-haired know-it-all, watching her eyes narrow when his teammates snigger at her. Flint drops a hand to his shoulder in support.
"The Gryffindor team doesn't need to rely on the brooms they ride to be able to win." Aldwyn sighs, the girl never gave up, even if the odds were not in her favour and for a brief moment, he wishes that Draco had come down to the pitch with him. Draco always knew how to respond to people like Granger, without missing a beat and Aldwyn wished he could be like his Godbrother in a few years.
"Listen, Granger, no one asked for your opinion, nor do we wish to hear it. Frankly, I have no idea why you are even polluting our Quidditch pitch seen as, last I checked, you were not on the Gryffindor team nor are you interested in anything other than old parchment and leather, you Filthy little mudblood!"
The silence which follows Aldwyn's words is palpable, the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and tag-along, become incessant, their faces matching the scarlet robes adorning their figures. Fred and George launch forward, arms outstretched grabbing hold of their team captain when he throws himself forward in a vain attempt of harming the small second-year. Aldwyn smirks over at the twins, satisfaction bubbling in his veins when they subtly wink down at him holding fast to Oliver Wood who continues to struggle against their hold. He finds it inordinately amusing to note that, by her expression alone, Granger has no idea what his insult really meant.
"You little…"
"Wood, stop trying to beat up a twelve-year-old like an uncouth heathen and vacate the pitch with your team before I call Madame Hooch and inform her of your infractions." Urquhart snarls stepping up behind Aldwyn to rest a hand on his shoulder, smirking over at Flint who tightens his own grip on the young boy both preparing to haul Aldwyn out of the way were Wood to break free of the twins' grips.
"Besides, the Slytherin team doesn't need to rely on their brooms, nor the talents of individual players like you Gryffindors."
"We don't…" Katie Bell claims, glare turning from Aldwyn to Marcus who sneers down at the Chaser.
"Oh? You don't, do you? Then why were you able to win every single game last year with Potter as your Seeker but the one game he didn't play in you were beaten so spectacularly?"
"We were distracted!"
"Yeah, we actually have a heart, Flint. We were worried about Harry!" The rest of the Gryffindor team nod along with Alicia, shouting their own concerns and worries for the young boy who had been lying unconscious in the hospital wing during their final match.
"No, you didn't care for Potter in the slightest. Not a single person went to visit the Golden boy while he was indisposed."
"How would you know, Prince?" Aldwyn rolls his eyes at Wood, holding back his sneer at the illogical, not to mention hostile question.
"You have just answered your own question, Wood. My Papa was the one who was placed in charge of Mister Potter while he was recovering from his adventure and no one went to the Hospital Wing to visit him because they would have been told that he was not there. Mister Potter had been moved to my Papa's quarters so that he could rest away from the bustling Infirmary and so his recovery would not be disturbed."
"That's ridiculous! Harry wouldn't go with the dungeon bat!"
"I would watch your tongue, if I were you Wood otherwise you will find yourself without one. That is my Papa you are referring to. My Papa, despite what you small-minded heathens think, would not jeopardise the healing of a child no matter who they happen to be, nor what house they reside within and you best do well to remember that." Oliver Wood stumbles backward, eyes widening in surprise at the dark promises glittering in the younger boy's gaze. Swallowing near-audibly, Oliver retches his arms from Fred and George's grip, making his way off the pitch to the changing rooms.
It doesn't take more than a moment for the rest of the Gryffindor team to go scurrying across the pitch after their captain muttering under their breath as they go, glaring daggers at Aldwyn who merely smirks in response waving mockingly as they trudge off the pitch. It is a surprise that they don't try to argue with them some more about the pitch invasion as, Aldwyn is pretty sure that, the Gryffindor team also would have a new seeker to train by their first match in a few weeks.
It doesn't surprise him much when Fred and George pause for a moment in their retreat, Beater bats resting on their shoulders as they grip their Cleansweep brooms in white-knuckled grips, their expressions are drawn in trepidation. Aldwyn assumes it is because no one on the Slytherin team had attempted to make any jokes about their family's lack of money. They glance down at Aldwyn, small smiles stretching across their lips before they wink down at the second year and flounce off after Wood. Aldwyn grins at their retreating figures. Maybe it would be a lot easier than he thought to bring the Weasley twins over to his side.
"You should have seen the looks on their faces when Aldwyn called that bushy-haired know-it-all a mudblood! They were white with fury, Malfoy!"
"I thought Wood was actually going to pulverise him for a moment there, good thing those Weasley Twins held him back, otherwise they would have lost a Captain."
"Yea, I can't believe Wood actually attempted to injure a twelve-year-old."
"Aldwyn would have been able to take him, that little guy has a tongue of silver and an arsenal of spells no second-year should have." Flint grunts, large hand ruffling Aldwyn's hair affectionately.
Aldwyn blushes under the attention, wishing he could crawl into a small, dark hole and hide, to wait out the attention which was riveted on himself. His only thought being that it was, at least, better to have positive attention on himself than the negative attention he used to receive from Petunia and Vernon, this attention didn't leave him with bumps bruises, and immeasurable pain. It made him feel welcome; like he belonged.
As soon as the Slytherin team had been released from the unholy restraints of their brand new training regime and actually allowed back to the common room to shower, change and relax for a while, Flint had retold the story of the altercation with the Gryffindor team to anybody who would listen and if it involved humiliating and one-upping the Gryffindors in any way, everyone in Slytherin wanted to listen. Aldwyn had tried to protest at first, not wishing everyone to know which word he had used against the know-it-all, but Flint had been insistent. He didn't want it to get back to his Papa and for the man to shake his head in disappointment at his use of bad language.
Aldwyn bites his lower lip, eyes skittering around the common room as if waiting for Severus to step into the common room to tell him off. He jumps when a hand rests on his shoulder, fingers wrapping around the bone in a secure hold. Turning widened eyes to the source of his fright, Aldwyn allows himself to relax minutely when Blaise's concerned face comes into view.
"Are you alright, Aldwyn?" The boy in question smiles a little.
"I am fine, Blaise." Blaise shakes his head, eyebrows furrowing and forehead wrinkling as he gazes at Aldwyn noting the tension still in his posture and the swollen skin of his lip. He notices the tight pull of Aldwyn's skin across his cheeks and knows the younger boy is worrying about something, something he is nervous about coming back to him.
"You are not fine, Aldwyn. You are jittery and look like you are about to throw up. What's wrong?"
Aldwyn hesitates, gaze flicking from Blaise to the common room entrance and back again. He takes a deep breath, releases it, opens his mouth, and closes it again.
"It's alright, Aldwyn. I won't tell anyone; you can trust me." Blaise squeezes Aldwyn's shoulder, smiling gently at the skittish boy. He didn't like seeing Aldwyn looking so young, so scared of something and not being able to do anything about it. Maybe he could go and get Severus, he would be able to do much more for his Son than he ever could, but then again. Blaise pauses, watching Aldwyn's eyes flick over to the door again and it clicks.
"You know, I am sure your Papa wouldn't care that you used the word 'Mudblood', it isn't an overly bad word and besides, that badger deserved it."
"But what if he does get angry with me?"
"I promise you that he won't, Aldwyn. Your Papa won't care that you used that word. He may have been upset if you used it in front of a Professor or a Headboy or Headgirl, but you didn't. It will be their word against yours."
Aldwyn nods his head, not quite believing Blaise but wishing that he did. He didn't like not trusting his friends, but he just didn't know how to stop the niggling anxieties at the back of his mind. He hadn't known his Papa, or his Father, as long as other people and wasn't sure what would anger them, annoy them or irritate them. He didn't know how far he could push before they would lose their tempers with him and beat him like the Dursleys used to do.
He had used the word before, on more than one occasion as he recalls. The first time had been when he had been pacing around the Mirror of Erised, talking to himself and Professor Quirrell, he had uttered the word while he had been regaling the facts he had discovered throughout the year. He had used the term a second time in front of his Father and his Papa, and Lucius now that he thinks back, when he had been talking through his plans and thoughts, he was sure it was sometime after his trip to Gringotts but so much had happened he couldn't really remember clearly.
Blaise is right; however, he had used the word more than once in the presence of his Papa and Father and neither one of them had ever told him off for it, in fact, their actions only seemed to encourage this new thought process. As long as he doesn't use such a term in front of 'pro-Dumbledore' staff members like Minerva McGonagall or Hagrid then he would be fine. Besides, if any of the Gryffindor team reported him to McGonagall then, as Blaise said, it would be their word against his and if she chose to believe them straight off the bat then he would bring his Papa in.
Aldwyn allows his shoulders to slump, breathing out he falls back against the cushions smiling when Blaise's hand slides from his shoulder. Letting his head drop against Blaise's collarbone, Aldwyn closes his eyes, chuckling when he hears Marcus retelling the story once more to a few seventh-year students who had just entered the common room. Blaise snickers as well, a light smile pulling the corner of his lip as he gazes down at his friend, pleased that he was somehow able to calm Aldwyn down enough to help him relax. He cards a hand through Aldwyn's hair pulling him closer as his arm wraps around Aldwyn's shoulders. The slightly younger boy must have been exhausted from his hours of Quidditch Training and deserved a quick nap before lunch.
A/N
Hey guys,
So, it has been a while since I have updated any of my stories and I have to apologise for that. For some reason I have found myself losing motivation for most of my stories at the moment and struggling with long bouts of writers' block, it has been frustrating, to say the least, and I honestly cannot tell you when the next chapter for this story will be posted. I hope you all bear with me and continue to support myself and this story. Due to the Christmas season coming closer, my hours at work have increased and I am in my final year of University so am working towards my dissertation, so my free time is already significantly reduced, though I will do my best to get the next chapter out as soon as I am able.
~Jay-Jay