Astaron fumbled with his clothes, scowling at the buttons of his shirt. Muttering curses underneath his breath, he pulled on his jeans and ratty trainers; glaring at them with as much loathing he could muster before giving them a few charms to clean them and saw them back together. He shrank his clothes to fit him, cleaned them as much as he could, and changed some of the details of it so it looked somewhat fancier. He shoved a roll of pounds into his pocket, along with a shopping list of clothes and things he needed from Muggle London. Putting his dark wand into his pocket, he put his glamour band into his pocket since nobody from the Wizarding World would recognize him.
Swinging the door open, he went downstairs and immediately looked into the sitting room. "I'm going to do some shopping. I'll be back later. Also, Dudley, do feel free to clean your filth from the bathroom; other's use it too." Giving his cousin a hard look, he left the house and began walking on the sidewalks to get to the stores. Amaya had already done her shopping; so it was just him today. He also might just have to drink Muggle blood, though the thought horrified him, because there were no wizards and blood bags were illegal to sell in Wizarding Britain because Vampires were very much hated.
Hissing in Parseltongue about the incompetence of the wizard government, Astaron allowed his thoughts to drift back to the Quidditch World Cup; more specifically Draco.
Draco seemed different during the Cup. Maybe he went through his Inheritance and was still in slight pain. It didn't seem like it though. Something else was wrong. He wanted to know what though. Astaron had already figured out the Draco was a submissive creature, which was very rare for Dark Veela's, from what his sister has told him from all her research.
She was also figuring out her creature powers, which seemed to involve having soft, charcoal grey feathered wings, her eyes turning purple when she was using her veela aura/influence. Amaya was still trying to figure out her fire powers; so far, she could light the tips of her fingers with a little flame. Turns out, because of that, Veelas were relatively fire resistant, except to certain temperatures or types of fire, like Fiendfyre, intense concentrated heats, and the fire of certain dragons. A few though, they could withstand for a short period of time, like from a Common Green Welsh, or a Swedish Short-Snout.
She was still researching anything else that she may need to know about her creature, but she did find out that a Siren paired with a Veela for a Creature, is a dangerous pairing for others because both of them had powers that lure others; a Siren's song and Veela's aura, plus with the fact that Dark Veela's have a charmed voice, unlike Light Veela, making a Dark Veela pairing with a Siren, for more dangerous. Veelas, both light and dark, also have a shriek, or a scream, that can burst the ear drums of most animals and wizards. A Dark Veela creature Inheritance is very rare apparently and most who get them, normally have it in there genes. So that was always nice to know.
There wasn't much known about Siren creatures, but she had sent him a few books about it, so he had that. He was done reading 2 of the books, though it was obvious that the author didn't really know what they were talking about so those weren't really helpful. Though they did provide the slightest bit of insight about how Sirens worked and explained more about them so he had an idea of what his powers could be.
Shaking his head, Astaron looked at the store signs before he smelled something. It was sweet and had a slightly magical smell to it. Licking his lips as though they were chapped, to hide the fact that he was tasting the smell, he smiled slightly at the taste of the wizards blood. It was only slightly off the scent, but it was strong and honestly, he really needed something to drink. Following the scent, he walked at a quick pace before stopping near another store. A high-end clothing store. Awesome. He'll follow the sent later, right now he shall shop.
Walking into the store, he took in all the clothes, the racks filled with hangers; the multitude of colors and designs; large signs hung from the ceiling all labeled with the type of clothing (men, women, maternity, juniors, children, etc.) He took a trolley and walked into the teenagers section and began looking through the clothing.
He took leather jackets, different types of t-shirts, jeans, and lots of different accessories. Filling the cart, he placed whatever he wanted in, deciding he could do an entire fucking wardrobe. Brushes and combs were put in as well since his hair was now semi-tamable instead of the eternally comb-proof hair he had before. Throwing in oversized clothing (they were as comfortable as fuck), he stopped when his cart was getting far too full. Stopping to stare at his cart, Astaron vaguely wondered if there was a limit to the amount of clothes you could try on. Shrugging, he decided to get to that later and began through in some accessories he could wear.
Finally coming to a stop, Astaron began looking through his cart and began deciding which things he could leave at the store. Placing back multiple shirts and jeans, he decided some shoes wouldn't hurt. Pushing his heavy cart, he trudged over to the shoe section of the store and looked through the shelves. Trainers, sandals, boots, stood neatly on the shelves. Snatching 2 sets of trainers he put those in the cart and a pair of sandals. Boots he grabbed 3 sets of because he really liked the way those looked.
Going to try on some clothes, he found that leather pants made his arse look firmer; muscle shirts, well made his shoulders look broader and accentuated his lithe form; the black leather jackets just made his hair look darker and made his green eyes look brighter; the skinny jeans made his legs look longer and slightly more slender looking; the boots just looked nice on him; the trainers and sandals were more necessities than anything; the bands looked good scrunched up on my wrist or a single bracelet coiled around my wrist multiple times; the ear cuffs looked good as well with multiple accessories to go with his outfits; he looked hot in just about all the clothes he picked, not bragging or boasting, but merely acknowledging his good look.
"What should I get now?" Looking around, he decided to get a gift for his sister and for Draco, his mate. Going to the jewelry section, he began looking through the glass for the perfect gift for them. Some of them were truly exquisite and were near perfect for them. Frowning, he looked up to see a person bending silver into the form of a ring.
"Excuse me?"
They looked up and he saw a woman, her hair was cut short and styled messily. She had sharp amber eyes, which complimented her dark brown hair. Her skin was a soft chocolate color, like coffee with a quick splash of vanilla cream. A kind smile spread across her face, and she spoke, her voice laid thick with an American accent with the slight British twinge.
"Ah, 'ello. My name is Aashi. How're you and how may I be of assistance?"
"Hullo. I need 2 necklace and ring pairs. I was wondering if you did custom?"
"Yes, I do custom orders. Is there anything is specific you want? Not all of my jewelry is displayed, and I have others tucked away." Aashi winked playfully and he grinned at her.
"I need one to do with the sea or mermaids and another to do with dragons."
"Hmm. I might have it. I remember making a few mermaids some weeks ago. Let me see…." She pulled out various drawers, looking through them and carefully moving any of the ornate jewelry. Mumbles flew from her mouth as she searched, shaking her head occasionally or tilting it from side to side. Before long, she pulled out a single necklace with a ring and placed it in front of his.
The necklace was a gold chain with a silver plate holding a shined pearl with a mermaid skillfully carved to curve around the pearl. Little bits of silver coral were put around the pearl with little gems on the ends. The tail of the mermaid was made of gold and the body of silver with golden hair. The ring was silver as well and silver was stroked upwards like a sea plant but with little round ends. A pearl sat beautifully in the center, surrounded by the silver sea plant.
"This is beautiful. Perfect for what I'm looking for."
"Thank you. Now dragons too right?" Astaron nodded. "Give me a second. I made a necklace on a whim, and I think you'll like it." She smiled cryptically before going off into the drawers once more but with sure movements and no hesitant nit-picking. He watched as she pursed her lips, a slightly frustrated and confused haze clouding her eyes. "That's odd. I was so sure that it was here… What if though…?" Aashi darted to her jewelry making station and began rummaging through some more drawers, her eyes flickering around examining everything. Before long, a triumphant smile made it's way onto her face before and Aashi took out a ring and a necklace.
"These are one of a kind, took me very long to treat the metal and find the right stone. Come. Let me show you." Astaron stared at her confusedly before she cupped her hands around the dragon pendant. His breath left his throat as the wings began to glow and the stone that was wrapped in the dragon's tail glowed as well, turning a beautiful light sea-green color. "This is the ring." It was a silver dragon, and the body was coiled around the purple stone, it's claws gripping the stone; the wings extended outward connecting with the bottom half of the band, the wings making up the upper part of the left and right.
Astaron made his decision without a second thought. "I'll buy them. How much for them?" Amaya and Draco were
She began typing into her register. "The mermaid pair is 228 pounds and 89 pence. The dragon necklace is 173 pounds and 34 pence. The dragon ring is 127 pounds and 18 pence. Your total is 529 pounds and 41 pence. Do you have anybody else you could get jewelry for?"
Astaron stared silently, running over his list. 'Would Ron like jewelry?' The question brushed his mind vaguely before being sucked into his whirlwind of a mind. 'Would he even want jewelry? Would he wear it? A bracelet maybe, a necklace probably not. I guess I could get him a set of piercings and a ring or something… Nah, just a ring and a necklace like Amaya and Draco. Simple though, he'll feel obligated to pay me back if it's fancy or super extravagant. During Yule though, you can give him every fancy gift you want…' "Another necklace and ring please. Lion themed if possible."
Then another realization hit him, one that made his stomach churn and his heart stop. 'If Ginny notices all these, and I know she will notice Amaya's and Ron's, she's going to be expecting one too; because of all the love potions. And I have to make it just as ornate as the others. Fuck her, Fuck Dumbleshit, Fuck Molly, Fuck them all. When all this is done, I'm going to torture them to insanity and make Bellatrix look sane.' His shoulders sagged before he forced the words out, "Another set as well please, flower themed."
"Coming right up. Give me one second." Once again, she began her search for the jewelry sets, Astaron counting silently in French to get his mind off of the thought of having to gift Ginny some jewelry. Then other thought struck, one that made a vindictive glee swim through him. 'Charm her jewelry with Parselmagic. She wouldn't think of it and she would never want to part with her jewelry that Harry Potter gave her. Too bad it's from Astaron Riddle instead.' Smirking, the dread that had coiled in his stomach disappeared and a soft purr from his Siren side made itself know; Siren's were particularly vengeful to those who had hurt them.
"Here are the lions. Is this one okay or do you want a different one? These are the flowers, blue, white, and purple. Which color would you like?"
"The lions are just fine and blue for the flowers." She nodded and he went back to inspecting the jewelry. The lion was gold and meticulously crafted to look like a lion in mid-roar; it's mouth was open widely, it's chest puffed and it's stance proud. It reminded him of Ron in 3rd year, when they were playing with the animal taffies and Ron had gotten a lion one. The ring was amazing, 2 lions circling each other with their muscle taunt and mouths formed into growls; paws were formed outward as thought they were striking each other, and their eyes were little black gems. The band itself was a deeper and darker silver color and the band was only a little think and was wider than the others.
Ginny's necklace was a large silver oval formed to look like a rope, a flower made from 5 blue stones at the top of the oval with silver stretching out underneath it to form the stem while different colored blue stones made the leaves. The ring was 5 blue stones with a diamond inside then the silver band had little diamonds on the top of it before a little fork appeared on the band where another flower was, tinier than the blue one, and it was made solely of diamonds. 'She really didn't deserve something this pretty. It's a waste of money…' Sighing, Astaron looked up at Aashi who was waiting patiently for him to express whether he desired to keep them or not.
"I'll take them. Who much are they?"
"The lion set is a total of 193 pounds and 10 pence; the flower set is a total of 273 pounds and 27 pence. That brings your total up to 995 pounds and 78 pence. Cash or card?"
"Cash please." Taking out his roll of pounds he began flicking through them and counting out 996 pounds. Numbers tumbled from his mouth messily as he counted at a fast pace, huffing when the money stuck together, or he counted two bills as one. Setting down the totaled amount, Aashi began counting them as well, to verify that he had given her the correct amount.
"996 pounds. Your change sir, 22 pence."
"Thank you ma'am. I truly do appreciate it. And if I may, did you make these?"
She smiled and nodded. "Yes. My grandfather used to make the prettiest jewelry for me when I was a child; he would sit me on his lap sometimes and I would watch as he set the stones in and bent the metals to hold it. Sometimes we would go together to the jewel mines to get the stones. I remember finding my first diamond and from that he made me a beautiful ring, I still wear it. Here." She extended her right hand, and on her slim ring finger was a silver ring holding a large diamond, the silver coiled around the gleaming rock. On the silver band was craved a single phrase, 'My eternal treasure'
A watery smile spread across her face as she sniffled, wiping her glossy eyes carefully, pausing from her job of packaging the jewelry. "God I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start crying. I'm so sorry."
He gave her a tentative smile. "It's fine. I think he would be very proud of how far you've come."
"Thank you."
"Also, do you do promise rings? I'll need one in the near future."
"Oh? A significant other? Who's the lucky gal?"
"It's a guy but yes; a significant other."
"Ah. Alright. Just come in any time and I'll see what I can do for you and your guy. It was lovely meeting you."
"You as well Aashi. And again, thank you."
"It was no problem."
He scooped up the bag of jewelry and pushed the cart to the registers, finally done with the shopping. The man at the register, Jacob according to his name tag, began scanning the clothes, placing them in bags, and taking off the tags. Astaron put the bags in the cart as more bags were being filled with everything. Jacob was quiet, not speaking unless it was to ask a question, which Astaron was fine with. His vampiric side was getting tired and was demanding a drink, pounding away at the weakening hold he put on it.
"Thank you." Giving Jacob a nod, he pushed the cart to the front of the store before casting a wandless feather-weight charm.
Once outside, he managed to cast a disillusionment charm on the bags before shrinking them and putting them in his pockets. Taking away the disillusionment charm, he took a deep breath; he was going to find the wizard that was there earlier. A faint scent caught his attention and Astaron followed eagerly, his vampire pushing forward and removing any rational thought from his mind. There was only one thing on his mind: Wizard Blood.
His footsteps became faster and longer before long he was sprinting through the crowded streets of London with speed and agility that shouldn't be possible. The smell got closer and stronger; the blood a sweet scent with a slight magical twinge to it, almost like a hint of lemon to it. It was interesting.
Astaron moved faster, his vampiric instincts wild and feral; chaos swirling inside of him mixed with devastating power and overwhelming urges. His Siren had gone temporarily dormant because of this, backing away from the more dominant Vampire side of him. The scent was so strong that, it took everything in him (which wasn't a lot) to not transform right then and there.
His eyes caught a head of reddish-brown hair belonging to what looked like a witch. Going the slightest bit closer, he managed to confirm the blood belonged to her. Following her, he waited until they were in a more empty street before dragging her into an empty alley. "Shh. It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you." Power laced his voice and he watched as she relaxed somewhat, her eyes clouding slightly. 'Very interesting. And useful. I'll have to do some research on it.' "I just need something from you, it's not going to harm you in anyway. I just need you to relax so that it'll be as painless as possible." Her eyes closed and she relaxed fully.
Gently sliding the neck of her shirt down, he exposed her collarbone and the artery that ran through her shoulder. His heart sped up despite the fact that a curious joy ran through him; a twinge of fear went through him. As a little string of fear and doubts wiggled into his mind before being shoved back harshly. Sighing he leaned forward and allowed his fangs to come out. A weird feeling shot through him before he sank his fangs into her skin.
A moan came from the girl as she trembled his hold. One of his hands gripped her waist; the other cradling the back of her neck. Blood, warm and sweet, slipped down his throat, leaving a magical residue on his tongue. Power filled him as his vampiric side subdued some more, calming after being fed. Another moan erupted from the girls throat, this time needy and lustful as her hands, as if upon instinct, came up to his hair and threaded through it, tugging at it softly. Astaron pulled back, swiping his tongue over the two holes on her neck. Biting his lip roughly, he gave them a gentle rub with his thumb and watched in amazement as they closed, leaving only the faintest blemish on the skin.
Astaron examined the girl who was watching him with lust clouded eyes. While morally, he knew he shouldn't leave her like this, his creature side was howling in anguish at the thought of betraying their mate. Shaking his head, he cast a sleeping spell and caught the girl immediately as her knees buckled beneath her. Placing her gently on the ground, Astaron cast a few charms for her to not get dirty and to be comfortable. She was also disillusioned until she got up.
He walked out of the alley way and began walking back to Privet Drive. His put his hands in his pockets before remembering that there were mini shopping bags inside of them. So now he knew, if they people were relaxed, it felt pleasurable and led to lustful feelings. He could put compulsions in his voice, and they're eyes clouded, showing that they wouldn't remember. 'That's always nice to know.' A nudge in it's mind made itself known as a familiar scent caught his attention. It was warm and spicey. There was another one too, but it smelled more of coconut and had a twinge to it, like a deep breath of fresh air.
Astaron closed his eyes, trying to determine where the smell was located. 'East.' Turning to the left, he moved quickly, trying to find out why the scent seemed familiar. A sharp pain shot through the back of his head, a pained grimace twisting on his face. Curses filled his mind, and he squeezed his eyes shut as it intensified. An image flashed through his head, a little girl before another; this time it was a man in a woman sharing a swift kiss, both dressed in formal clothing, the man holding the same little girl. They were gone as soon as they came, far too quick for him to identify whoever they were. The pain dulled to a no-so-gentle throbbing, and he winced.
"Mister, are you okay?" Looking down, he saw a small child. A girl it looked like, she looked to be 10 or 11 years old . She had long black hair, hazel eyes and fair skin; her facial features were that of a pureblood, the aristocratic gentleness and sharpness in all the right places.
He smiled and knelt down, ignoring the pain in his head. "Yes I am. Thank you though, kind ma'am."
The girl made a face and tugged on a strand of her hair. "I'm a they/them actually, Mum says it's called non-binary. And you're welcome! You looked like you were in pain; you had that same look on your face as Mum when she hits her toe on the table." Laughing softly, Astaron ran a hand through their hair.
"I apologize for using the wrong name. Yes, stubbing your toe hurts very much, little one." The little child smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind their ear.
They opened her mouth to say something before a shout came from the crowd. "Ravan! Ravan Styx Riddle!"
Astaron's eyes widened at the name. 'It isn't? No- Ravan Styx Riddle?' He looked down at the newly found out, Ravan.
"I have to go. Mum needs me. Um, Bye Mister…"
"My name is Astaron little one. Goodbye Ravan." They smiled before running off into the crowd. They went to a woman with long deep red hair and fair skin. Ravan tugged on her arm and pointed into the crowd. When the lady looked up, his heart stuttered. He met emerald greens eyes, not unlike his own. Mind going blank, he gave a soft nod and wave before disappearing into the crowded streets of London.
Only when he entered Number 4, Privet Drive did realization hit him.
'Holy Fuck, I just saw my mother and adopted sibling… And all I did was wave and nod…. You're an idiot Astaron. Truly you are.'
-Line Break-
The crowd at King's Cross was busier than Astaron expected; Muggles and Wizards alike were pushing their way through, all the Wizards disappeared at Platform 9 ¾. Pushing his trolley faster, he watched his trunks carefully, despite the fact that he had done a sticking charm on them. Magic flaring dangerously when he saw Molly Weasley, he forced an impassive look on his face before disappearing quickly into the crowd and to the Platform before going straight through the wall. Immediately, he was met with loud chatter and bustling of feet and the clangs and rolls of trolleys; Suitcases bumping together, familiars hooting, croaking, mewling, and the sounds of apparition.
Astaron walked faster than normal, trying to claim a good spot on the train and hopefully be able to see his mate before he had to put his mask up. Undoing the sticking charm, he waved his Knockturn wand, and his trunks levitated up the steps of the train; following after them, he walked into an empty compartment and put wards up. His trunks landed without a sound, on the racks above the seats before he decided to expand the compartment. Of course, only those he allowed would be able to see it; Those he allow to see, wouldn't be able to see it.
Digging into his pocket, he pulled out the bag of jewelry and walked out of the compartment. Staring out the windows, he searched the crowd for the telltale Malfoy blonde hair. A scent wafted through the air and his creature leaped for joy; it was Draco's scent: the warm, soft scent of pine and cider with the faintest his of apples.
A purr rumbled through his chest as his pupils dilated, blowing out wide; his vampire side slightly active, silently calling to it mate; his Siren was crooning softly, a slight power in his throat.
When Draco walked into the same passageway as he, his magic flared gloriously, reaching out to his mate; it tangled around him, caressing Draco's magic lovingly. Draco's magic was a cold blue and felt like ice, but it had a soft taste of blackberries. It was amazing and a heat filled his gut as it coiled tightly.
Walking forward, he glued his eyes to the gleaming mercury irises. There was a nervous but exhilarated look in them; his body was tense but also relaxed in a few areas, as though he knew what should happen but didn't know what would happen.
Astaron smirked before tenderly grabbing Draco's wrist and pulled him into the nearest toilet room. Warding the room, he stared at Draco, who looked slightly confused. He stepped in front of his mate and reached his hand up to his face. Trailing his index finger from the top of his jaw to his chin, he relished the feel of his mate's smooth pale skin. Tilting his head back slightly, he reached his thumb up and lightly brushed Draco's plump pink lips. He leaned down slightly, still staring into his mate's eyes. His lips barely brushed the other's as he whispered, "So beautiful."
Draco's hot breath fanned against his face his eyes half-lidded and slightly clouded by want and need. Pressing his lips against the other's softly, one hand gripped his waist firmly and pulling Draco's against his body, the other hand pulling out the dragon necklace. Worming it around his neck, he hooked it together quickly before pulling back from the kiss. A little voice in the back of his head told him not to give Draco the ring at the current moment.
His eyes immediately darted down to his neck and a pale hand lifted the necklace into his clear line of vision. Draco let out a soft, breathy laugh before tucking the necklace underneath his shirt then pressing his lips against Astaron's once more. And that was all it took for his creature's to completely overtake any rational part of his brain. He pulled his mate against him, holding him closely. A hand threaded through his hair as the other gripped the back of his neck. Draco pulled away softly though their lips were still brushing together.
"Take it off," Draco whispered, "Take off the glamour. I want to see you." Complying to the request, Astaron kissed him deeply as he slipped the band from his wrist before pulling away. His mate's eyes raked over him, looking upward to meet his eyes and tilting his head back; Astaron was taller than his by 2 or 3 inches. "Never wear it. Promise me."
He leaned his forehead against his and Astaron stroked his cheek comfortingly. "I can't. I still have things that need to be played out and identities to hide. But whenever we are alone, I promise to keep the glamour off. Is that a reasonable compromise?"
Draco pouted adorably before nodding. "Yes. But you have to explain this all to me."
"I promise, Dragon." Silver eyes brightened at the nickname, and he smiled. He pecked his lips on last time before letting go of Draco. "We have to get back now. No doubt your acquaintances are waiting for you; mine as well."
Draco sighed but nodded acceptingly. He pecked his lips once more before exiting the room, leaving Astaron in the room by himself. He stood there for a few minutes, fingers Draco's ring in his pocket. Something inside of him told him not to do it yet, it wasn't time. 'Why though? A creature instinct perhaps?' Shaking his head, he walked out and began making his way back to his compartment, pushing the thought to the very back of his mind.
Slipping into the compartment, he pulled out the bag of jewelry and toyed around with the jewelry, slightly nervous. Why? He didn't know really; he knew his sister and Ron would accept the jewelry, Ginny would throw herself at him (he growled ferally at the thought) and he would simply have to keep his guard up until the end of the year. It was really going to be annoying and knowing his luck, he'd get caught up in something like some Death Tournament or something. Probably in hope he'd die. Not that he ever did, the only year that he hadn't purposely been nearly harmed was last year. It wasn't Remus' fault he was a werewolf, only that he forgot to take the Wolfsbane on a full moon.
Then another thing popped into his mind. 'Professor Snape. He put himself in between the werewolf for Amaya, Ron and I. Does that mean he remembers us slightly? He is my godfather, though I still think some of his memories have been altered. Unless he shows his love and care but taunts and rude remarks. But he insulted James even though that was his husband. Why must this have happened?' Astaron rubbed his eyes tiredly, this was going to be a lot of work.
A knock sounded at the door, and he waved his hand, willing it to open. His sister stepped in gracefully, her glamoured brown eyes taking in the expanded compartment. "I should have known you would ward the compartment. The Weasley's just got on, Ron slipped away to see his boyfriend. Honestly, you'd think he'd be more subtle about it. But really, I only think the twins suspect something, the others hardly pay him enough attention." He frowned; did they really not notice anything about their brother/son? Only the twins, but that was to be expected, they were scarily observant. Shaking his head, he gestured for her to sit, and she sat next to him, reaching out and playing with his hair.
"Your creature is happy; did you see your mate?" Astaron merely shrugged, but his lips twitched into a small smile. "You did. What did you do?"
He bit the inside of his cheek lightly before speaking. "Nothing much really. Just gave him a necklace and a kiss. One was much more enjoyable than the other."
Amaya snorted before giving him a look. "You know it'll be harder for you to pretend because of that. Your creatures have officially initiated the bond between them and now you have to pretend to be in love with Ginny. Dominant Vampires have always been extremely possessive and to betray their mate, fake or not, is a repulsive thought. You know, you'd likely end up killing her."
"I don't see a problem with that."
"I know; that's why I'm worried. We can't have you murdering people yet. Now put on your glamour please before somebody barges in and sees you without it." His eyebrows shot up and he scrambled for his band; he'd forgotten to put it on. Slipping it over his wrist smoothly, Astaron felt the tingling of the magic settling over him. Amaya nodded and stroked his hair.
"Do you think we have a twin connection? Like some sort of bond, like Fred and George's? They have a telepathic bond, or legilimency bond; they can read each other's thought, which is how they finish their sentences for each other." Astaron shrugged.
"I don't know but I truly can't say I've never really bothered to think about it. It never really bothered me." Amaya huffed playfully and gave his shoulder a light smack. "I got you something by the way, while I was shopping. What do you think?" He held you the necklace and ring hesitantly and she gasped, her eyes widening slightly.
"They're beautiful. Put it on for me?" He nodded and slipped the necklace around her neck and hooked it together. She slid the ring onto her finger, only wearing piercings today. Admiring the ring critically, she trailed her finger absentmindedly over the necklace as she did so.
Her eyes darted around and she took a shaky breath. He stared at her, confused; she looked hesitant but slowly began to speak. "I, uh, I talked to the Grangers about my birth, they thought I was their child Astaron. They truly thought they had given birth to me. It turns out, they're daughter had been born the same night I was taken. She had been born with complications; she required special care and everything. H-he…Dumbledore switched us Astaron… He switched me with their little girl." Tears began slipping down her face, her eyes a mixture of sorrow and rage. "How could he do that? I don't-" She burst into tears, shuddering as she racked with sobs. "He killed her Astaron! H-he killed a child, a babe, and then tricked the parents into thinking it was me! He did glamours, spells, blocks, everything so that I would look like her! He kept them from their true child, magical or not, it was their child, the little person that they had spent so much time and money on, planned out every little milestone, every iota of love ready to be poured out, and she was just taken from them. Their daughter was killed and didn't even get a proper burial. Dumbledore obliviated them, hid their memories, everything about her; he implanted fake memories and- and…" Her words turned into incoherent stutters as she sobbed. Anger tore through Astaron as he hugged his sister, kissing her temple. He didn't say anything, knowing that it wouldn't do much. He couldn't understand how they were feeling, saying he was sorry did nothing, he could only hug her and comfort her.
He held her in his arms, rocking her gently and rubbing her back in a soothing manner. A deep hatred ran through his body; Dumbledore would pay when the time came and he would make sure he suffered for everything he did; though why did it have to be later, why not do simple torture methods on him? Lack of sleep, itchy clothes, forever warm bed, feeling like your stepping on Legos every time he walks. Yes, that sounded good.
He tuned back into reality and away from his thoughts, Astaron only heard little sniffles every now and then. "You feeling a little better now?"
Amaya nodded silently and lifted herself from his arms. "Thank you," Her voice was slightly raspy and broken, but it was there.
"You don't need to say thank you. I'd do it anytime you need it." He rubbed her back in circles, fingering a strand of her hair in the other hand.
She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Did you- Did you manage to figure out some things?" She asked, changing the subject to distract herself and him. "Like where our mother is?"
He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, yeah. About that… I saw her in London while I was shopping. I also saw our sibling, Ravan. They're non-binary so just letting you know. They looked to be 10 or 11 so they might go to one of the magical schools. Which'll make our search a bit easier." Amaya stared at him for a few seconds before slapping his head.
"You're an idiot. An utter and complete idiot. I love you so much." She wrapped her arms around his loosely and propped her chin on his shoulder.
Rolling his eyes, he gave her a sarcastic smile. The door to the compartment opened and a head poked in; it was Ron. His red hair was messy and ruffled; his lips looked red and slightly swollen; vague bruises were growing dark on his freckled skin. "Harry! Hermione!" He never really got used to using their real names, so they allowed him to use their fake names; it was also better so that he didn't slip up in public and that would cause a lot of explaining or memory wipes. He shuffled in and flopped down, shutting the compartment door closed with his foot.
He raised an eyebrow at his friend, a smirk playing on his lips. "Did you enjoy yourself Ron?" His cheeks flushed deeply, a mortified look on his face as he mumbled under his breath. "Ron?" His voice was sing-song like, and he enjoyed the way his friend's face flushed a deeper red.
"It doesn't matter. What does matter though, is that Molly and Ginny went to the store a few days ago and got a really expensive bracelet. It's a pure gold band, with silver laced in it; there's gems in it as well. I know we don't have anywhere near enough money to get that. Did you check your vaults and place a watch on them?"
Astaron furrowed his brows, confusion bleeding onto his face. "Yeah. I checked all of my vaults…" His voice trailed off as it hit him right in the face. They were taking from the POTTER vaults. He didn't have access to those and since he was still also Harry Potter, it would make sense that they were taking from those vaults. He would have to owl Gringotts and place a watch on them. "Okay never mind. I know what's wrong. That reminds me, I need Gringotts to purge the marriage contracts. Although technically they are invalid."
"Wait?! What marriage contracts?!" The twins stared at Ron, both of them realizing that they never told him.
Amaya leaned forward slightly and talked lowly though nobody would be able to hear them. "There were marriage contracts between us. Me with you, and Ginny and Astaron."
Astaron took over. "Technically, they are invalid because we never signed our consent to them and because it is a marriage contract between Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, not Amaya Riddle, and Harry Potter and Ginerva Weasley, not Astaron Riddle." Ron looked horrified before growling some unsavory words underneath his breath.
"Ron? Before you go and kill someone, I got these for you." He held out the necklace and ring, watching his jaw drop to the ground.
"Harry! I can't- I can't take this! It's so bloody expensive probably and I could never be able to pay you pack for this."
He looked him in the eye. "They're gifts and you're not supposed to pay me back for gifts. Besides, it's considered very rude to no accept gifts." Ron took them, very begrudgingly mind you, and slipped the ring on and put on the necklace. He put it underneath his clothes and had his shirt cover the chain.
"Thank you."
Before he could say anything, the door slammed open, and Ginny stepped in. Astaron growled silently; Amaya sat straighter, her eyes were carefully void of any negative emotion; Ron darted his eyes away and twisted his ring.
Astaron forced a smile on his face though inside, he was burning with rage; let the torture begin.
-Line Break-
Hogwarts glowed magnificently, the night sky swirling up on the ceiling of the Great Hall. Students were sitting at their respective tables, Amaya and Astaron sitting at the Gryffindor Table as usual. The Hall echoed with chatter which soon silenced as the first year's came through. Astaron's eyes searched through the crowd, wanting to see if his guess was right. Near immediately, his eyes found his sibling, their hair pulled back into a ponytail and tugged nervously on their school robes. Professor McGonagall stood at the podium and began calling up the first years, each one coming up when their name was called.
"Riddle, Ravan!" His eyes flickered to Dumbledore, who was sitting straighter and staring at his sibling with a calculating look in his eye.
Ravan walked up shyly and sat down, their back straight. The Sorting Hat began it's mumbles but shuffled comfortably. Minutes ticked by as mutters began rising from the tables. It was surpassing the sorting of Professor McGonagall, who sat for 6 ½ minutes before being chosen for Gryffindor. When the sorting hit 7 minutes, looks were exchanged and the teachers looked slightly intrigued. Just before it hit 8 minutes, the Sorting Hat opened it's brim. "Better Be…. SLYTHERIN!" The green and silver table clapped, though it was very polite and not wild.
The sorting continued and not many went to Gryffindor, most went to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, only a few going to Slytherin and Gryffindor. Dumbledore seemed very subdued for the rest of the sorting; his eyes mostly trained on the Slytherin table. Astaron forced his eyes away, before he did something he would surely regret. Or maybe not. Actually, at this point in time, it wouldn't be a good idea. He still has to many followers. 'And too many witnesses.' His brains added, unhelpfully.
Grunting softly when his sister jabs him with his elbow, he tunes back to what was going on; his ears catching onto what Dumbledore was saying. It blurred because he was only just tuning in but it caused an uproar, especially from the purebloods. The twins, Fred and George, grinned at each other, disbelief obvious on their faces. Dumbledore began to speak again, causing everything to quiet. "The Triwizard Tournament was first established some.."
He was cut off but a loud strike of lightning and thunder erupting from the ceiling on the Great Hall. Shrieks emitted from the younger students as a thumping entered the Hall. A man came in, a wooden leg, fake eye, and a weird aura surrounding him. Dumbledore spread his arms. "Alastor! Everybody, please welcome Alastor Moody, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher!" A scatter applause came from the tables, it was very dull and unenthusiastic. Moody thunked his way to the Head Table where he sat down next to a very tense Professor Snape.
"Now as I was saying. The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of Wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities – until, that it, the death toll mounted so high the tournament was discontinued." Dumbledore spread his arms, his voice taking on a booming tone. "Eternal glory! That's what awaits the student who wins The Triwizard Tournament, but to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks." Chatter picked up as Dumbledore gave a dramatic and unneeded pause.
'Honestly, is he that full of himself?' Astaron exchanged looks with his sister who shrugged at him. He tuned out the rest of the speech, in favor of examining the new professor. There was something weird about him, like he was wearing something to conceal a part of himself. But what was it? The aura had a purply blue color, slightly darker than a normal indigo. But that thought for another time, he propped his head up on his fist, placing his elbow on the table.
Only once the food appeared, did he choose to tune back in. Chatter was loud in the Hall, and he barely withheld a wince when his ears adjusted to it. 'Stupid Vampire senses.' Grumbling he piled food onto his plate.
He couldn't wait to collapse on his bed.
A/N:
Hello so I apologize if you got the emails or notifications about this book. I was changing some stuff because I only just noticed my shitty line breaks didn't appear. Apparently it's more different from AO3 and Wattpad than I thought...
Uh, I was also changing some stuff so that's that.
The creatures are still being developed and blah blah blah. More imformation on the creatures will be given later. I know most of what I want and how it balances out. It also changes some aspects of the Triwizard Tournament bUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT... at the moment. Fuck I'm tired. Ugh. The creature stuff changes some things for Fleur Delacour (Beauxbatons Champion) as she is a quater veela (?), half veela (?). Idk, I have more research to do it seems... blegh.
I'm thinking of posting my new series on here... Death and Fire: 2 Lost Families but I'm hesitant. What do you guys think? Would you read it? Let me know!
