APOV
"Albus, i need you to deliver some folders to Draco Malfoy today. Threat assessments and Founders council reports. Can you take them over to the Manor for me around noon?"
I rolled my eyes. He's acting like nothings off.
"Not going to try and apologize?" I asked coldly.
"You know that I am sorry Albus... but i had figured you'd calmed down a bit since last night."
"Insufferable parents."
"We did it to protect you. You know i'm telling the truth. Otherwise we wouldn't have let you and Scorpius stay close when we realized how important he was to you... I still worry about the repercussions of your friendship, but its you who's chosen not to speak to him anymore. You know you're free to if you wish. We only want whats best for you."
I grunted in reply, thinking about all that was right and wrong with what they'd done.
"Fine... i'll bring the documents over, but then i have to be at the ministry for defense training."
"Yeah right. Your instructors tell me you're already as proficient as my best Aurors."
"I'm teaching junior Aurors now... not being trained. Lorcan and Ly have been put into the experimental defense program by their father for better protection. They're my best students so far. Well aside from Louis and Lily." I offered simply, nodding towards my sister while pouring myself some orange juice to the sight of my shocked father. "That report in your hand about me... the one you haven't opened yet. It was drafted by Kent Abbot your head Auror and his deputy Bradley Aldrich. They've all been watching me very closely. Apparently i'm subconsciously incorporating my muggle combat exercises into my dueling style. I haven't perfected the new form i'm working on yet... but its made me far more skilled so far. They want me to be a standby officer for one of the elite strike teams being assembled by Ron and the MoD."
My father looked at me like i'd spoken to him in parsel tongue.
"You're a child... how did you manage... "
"Apparently its been a while since you've seen me fight. When i'm not dueling wandlessly and wordlessly i've taken to practicing dual wielding two wands at once in the advanced simulator. I'm the only wizard to ever do that. I can take on three wizards at once with my technique and thats at my age. I've decided to aim for warlock status by my sixteenth birthday." I stood right in front of him, watching him half frozen at the breakfast table. His shock was evident by the frantic blinking and the half eaten piece of toast stuck comically in his raised hand. James dropped his fork in confusion.
"Wow Al... i'm really proud of you. You'd be the youngest wizard ever to receive that distinction. What an honor." He offered seriously.
"Way to go Al!" Lilie yelped.
"You're not smiling dad... nor do you look pleased. Why does everything feel like a test with you?" I asked solemnly.
"I'm... just worried. I don't want my baby boy out on anti terrorist missions." I blushed at that.
"I'm not a baby."
"You are to me." I blushed harder this time, examining Lily as she smiled at me and James as he stared off in thought.
"But its ok for your eldest son to be in Auror Prep and participating in Class C missions?"
"Teddy has almost graduated from Hogwarts and is a good deal older than you. Andromeda approves of his choices and a strike team would be on A to S class missions... A good deal more dangerous than what Teddy is doing."
"Even so. You owe me."
"Its not that I doubt your skill Albus. I know you might very well be the next Merlin or Dumbledore one day. I just don't want you to grow up too fast. Stay a kid a while longer. I can still afford you that freedom. I don't want you living the life I had to."
I looked at him, thinking about all that had happened recently. The breakout from Azkaban had changed everything.
"I need to be able to protect myself. You know that it may not be a choice. Besides its a junior standby position. I'll be in the rear lines, scanning for curse traps or on backup. Its nothing S class."
"Its a strike team albus... you'll still be in harms way. We're trying to avoid that remember."
"Yeah trying to avoid me being kidnapped or targeted. I know its dangerous but i don't see how being part of an anonymous masked team puts me in any more harm than walking down the street with the face and reputation you and mum gave me. You said it yourself, you did just as dangerous things at my age."
Dad sighed wearily at that thinking hard about his decision. At least it was a discussion.
"I was very lucky. I barely bumbled my way through it all. Things were different when it was only Voldemort."
"Well... just so you know... I do actually appreciate that you're talking this through with me... dad... and not merely dismissing it."
He looked at me again, nodding to himself as though he were exhausted.
"Well i figured after last night i no longer have the right to demand anything of you."
"Wise decision, Minister for Magic."
"Ok... so for arguments sake lets say i'm entertaining the idea. Sell it to me a little better."
"You can't be serious dad?! He's just a boy." James interrupted angrily.
"James, this is between Albus your Mother and I. You see that even Lily who gives her two cents on everything has refrained from voicing her opinion. Albus isn't being given the opportunity to live like a normal boy, he should at least have the chance to take advantage of what few perks come with that. Albus, go ahead."
"Well honestly if its my skill thats in question... You can stop by the sim room. Watch me take on three wizards without a wand and five dual wielding two wands... maybe then you'll reconsider."
"Ha! that i'd like to see. How consistently can you achieve a feat like that?"
I blushed again, taking his point.
"I've done it twice... and in anticipation of your next question... no they weren't aurors... merely DMLE officers... i'll get it down to a science and next i'll move on to harder targets. Aurors, Unspeakables, Red Knights even."
"My genius prodigy... as dangerous as my warlock wife. Alright i'm sold. Keep training for another month and I'll come see your results before you leave for France. The Valois will no doubt be blown away by your skill which is good for our international prestige."
"Yesss! Thank you father. I won't fail you." I offered with a smile. His eyes went dark at my formal choice of words. Even James and Lily stopped eating to look at me. "Dad... i mean."
"I forget we raised you as a Duke. Andromeda and Viv taught you too much etiquette for my liking. This pureblood nonsense is still so foreign to me. Nobody knows how to treat us."
"Well. I mean everyone is still trying to kill us so you must be doing something right." I joked, eliciting a genuine laugh from him.
"I still intend to treat you like a freak, your grace. Since you are one." James snorted derisively.
"Whats your problem troll brain? Jealous of your star little brother for outdoing you by a thousand miles? Marquess is it even? I forget what you are since nobody ever seems to mention you at all." I snapped maliciously, hurt by the word freak. James looked away without emotion, downed his glass and took his plate silently to the sink. He left the kitchen without a backwards glance.
"Slytherin" the word came drifting quietly from the other room.
"For a genius you can be extremely dense sometimes." Lily whispered seriously, folding her napkin carefully and avoiding eye contact as she rose from her chair. "He doesn't like hearing you'll be in harms way. He's as worried as we were last night. He just doesn't have dads guilt. He'd keep you safe in here with us if he could. He loves you in his way. Thats why he acts like that." My sister finished curtseying to me in the formal fashion. "Your grace." She parroted. Her movement caused my eyes to widen with realization.
"She's right you know. It was cruel to remind James that you've become my heir by right of skill. That our family seal has officially recognized you seems a silly way to decide these things but there you have it. You will be Prince Peverell after me, no need to make James feel worse."
"Why do you always take his side? He treats me like dirt. I feel so... so... other sometimes. Like i'm not really even one of you. Funny way of saying he loves me. Treating me like some alien creature."
Dad chose to ignore my statement.
"By the way... speaking of taking on Aurors and Red Knights... that reminds me. Since the jailbreak your detail has changed. You'll have three Red Guards of your choosing as your security from now on—"
"—Daaaad."
"Especially considering you'll be staying in France with the Valois. I don't trust them at all. Choose carefully because they'll be sworn to you from now on. Direct oaths of loyalty."
"Ugh but I don't need that much protec..." My mouth fell open at that. It was a twist i hadn't expected. Secret service for sure... but not loyal to me. Wait... red guards for family of the Executive cabinet... but direct oaths of loyalty... was a perk only executive cabinet members themselves received. It was a way to insure that enemies couldn't use the imperius curse to repeat Voldemorts infiltration tactics.
"When... did you organize that?"
"Last night... after you came home... and i realized how much i had wronged you. I need you to know that I trust you Albus. Even if i don't trust the structure Hermione, Ron and I are creating. I'm consolidating more and more power behind our family. We're doing it to protect everyone... and my approval keeps going up... but i still don't like it... Whatever our nonsense titles mean, you're almost a Prince in your own right with your father as Minister for Magic and your aunts and uncles in power... you're certainly being targeted like one... you should have the protection to match."
"Dad..."
"They'll do as you command and keep your secrets. You know what that means right?"
"Yes... I'm... allowed to vote in parliament... in the wizenmoot... even the wizengamot... it means you're giving me more independence. It means you really do trust me."
"Don't disappoint me. You're the youngest wizard in history to achieve any of this. Do not make me regret it or there'll be a scandal as big as our house on isle avalon. My little warlock."
"You must feel really guilty for last night." I offered cheekily. I'm not even close to a warlock yet... I wonder if I can beat dad in a duel... apparently he'd been receiving new training with Hermione and Ron. I'd never seen him in better shape.
"I feel like you should have a say in decisions that are affecting your future. Hermione is furious beyond words but Ron for now agrees. Rose and Hugo have been extended the same courtesy. Weird as my little nephew and niece are, their judgment is sound. A product of having the smartest witch of my generation as their mother."
"You've increased my standing... tremendously. I... don't know what to say..."
"Scorpius is moving equally fast through the ranks of the ICW. He's being groomed to lead too. I thought you wouldn't want to be left behind." Dad offered finishing his piece of toast and standing to leave. He opened the red envelope that had the Auror's report in it and began reading it on his way towards the floo. "Pick your guards before you head over to the Malfoys. I left a list on the table. You'll actually know most of them of course."
I glanced down towards the piece of parchment he'd left sitting there. I began reviewing the potentials in shock, growing confused by two names in particular on it. Gideon Parkinson and Charlie Weasley...
"Uncle Charlie? I thought he was still in Romania?"
"He was. I convinced him he was needed back here. He's learned a lot about Dragon magic and I thought you'd find him interesting to have by your side. He's missed you. You were always his favorite nephew when he was around."
"Gideon... the Gryffindor... wasn't he the hero who..."
"Yes... Aurora's brother. You can imagine why he needs to wear a mask. Might as well have been a Red Guard or an Unspeakable after what he did. Our family owes him a lot. All muggles owe him a lot."
Dad downed the last of his grapefruit juice before getting his papers in order.
"I take it you want those two? Good choices... Excellent really. I was thinking about taking Gideon for myself... What about a third. You'll very rarely need all three at once but you should pick carefully all the same."
"Kane... Shacklebolt or Luther Lyndon of house Selwyn. Both purebloods and very powerful. Interesting. I didn't know Kingsley's son was part of the Red Guard."
"He wanted to protect his father. He served as part of the MM's security until i dismissed him. After the assassination I couldn't bear the thought of putting him in danger to protect me. You are a different story. The two you chose are good enough for now but i expect an answer before August when you head off to the Louvre. I have to go but I'll send your new knights to the house in half an hour. Be ready to leave by then. Oh and don't get them into too much trouble when you inevitably run off again. They'll do as you command but don't take too much advantage of your autonomy. You represent our family officially now. Neither Lily, James nor Teddy have this honor... so be careful."
"Sir yes sir. Anything else sir?" I retorted sarcastically, standing at attention like a soldier. He's really only doing it so that I can't act rashly in public. He's smarter than I give him credit for.
Dad came over to grab me in a head lock. "Yeah be more careful in future. You little shit." He shot tousling my hair playfully. "I don't want to have to pay a Prince's ransom if you get kidnapped."
"hahahahahh!" I laughed, freeing myself with a wand jab to his side. Suddenly it was I chasing him around the breakfast table, both of us laughing like kids.
"Minister your presence is required at Whitehall." Dads secretary sighed when she'd come to see what was keeping him.
"Alright alright. I'm coming. Work work work. It never ends."
"Indeed minister. Oh by the way, there's a new item on the schedule. Apparently Eileen Prince has demanded to see you." Dad's face went white.
"Severus's mother? What could she possibly want?"
"She refuses to say until she sees you in person. We are assured that it is quite urgent. I'm told she hasn't long left to live."
"Ok. Albus i'll see you at work. I'd like to hear the new song you're working on too. Your mother says its amazing. I can't believe your album is still at the #1s."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~)◊(~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Uncle Charlie!" I shot at the red robed guard with the dragon mask, moving to hug him. "A little unoriginal don't you think?" I quipped motioning at his face, closing the door behind me.
"Albus! Look at you! I can't believe it." Charlie shouted, removing his mask to get a better look at his new charge.
"Which means the Lion Mask must be Gideon. Good to meet you." I offered sincerely, extending my hand.
"I hear you asked for me by name. I'm surprised I was your second choice, considering we haven't met. What made you pick me?"
"Well... your deeds are legend. More importantly though is that Rory thinks the world of you. Her opinion was all I needed to make that decision."
"Rory... you know my little sister? I haven't... laid eyes on her in ages."
"She's one of my closest friends actually. One of the people I trust most in the world. She's never forgotten you... nor does she begrudge you your actions."
His silence was made eerier by the fact that his mask obstructed any hint of emotion he might have displayed. His face would likely always be hidden... unreadable.
"The first order of business. My Lord. Are our oaths of service. Your father explained our loyalty is to you throughout the duration of our attachment correct?"
"Yes."
"That what secrets we learn in your company are yours forever. Even after our service to you ends?"
"Yes again."
"And you're familiar with the magical process by which this occurs?"
"Vaguely, enough to know if you two were faking it so that you could spy on me for my dad." I offered, thinking for half a moment that that's why he had agreed to this in the first place.
"Hmmm well then let us begin."
*1*1*1
"Well your grace, where to first?" Charles asked replacing his mask and pulling the hood up when he'd completed his oath.
"Malfoy Manor unfortunately. Business to attend to."
"Ah well allow me then." Without waiting Uncle charlie apparated the three of us to a very familiar set of gardens to knock on a very familiar set of mansion doors.
"We should have taken the floo." I mumbled lazily, annoyed that Charles hadn't waited for me. "Side-along apparition is the worst." The ground continued to spin violently as my head and stomach reeled with it.
"The Malfoy's are likely to have an extremely complex security key your grace. No use having tried the floo i'm afraid." Gideon explained.
I scoffed indignantly as though i needed to be explained how floo matrix magic worked. "Yeah the benefit of being former best friends with the Malfoy heir means I am already privy to their inner security key."
Both guards turned to shift their attention on me, subtly surprised by the revelation. Uncle Charlie had missed our christmas reunion after all.
"I thought you two were supposed to stand as still as stone?" I queried suspiciously, watching them shift back to stare vacantly into the space in front of them. "Otherwise you give away what you're thinking." I added playfully. "Wow... come to think of it. I haven't actually ever knocked on this door before. Should be fun surprising them with such formality."
DPOV
"Is that the doorbell? I wasn't expecting anyone. Where are the elves?"
"You have three of those creatures bound to our family now and still nobody to answer the door? Have all my lessons been lost on you?" My father retorted sourly from his chair in my study. He folded his newspaper neatly and set it aside to more fully examine me.
"A great many number of your lessons, thank Merlin. Or I might otherwise be in jail. Grandfather's lessons did little to serve you... Since you happen to be living here now why don't you make yourself useful."
"Me... answering the door in my own home ... like some servant? Are you mad?" Lucius crowed in abject bewilderment. I raised my right eyebrow at him in the way he used to do to me.
"Fine. Why I'm even still here is beyond me. The greatest houses in the world have offered to host me and yet here I am, answering the door in my own home!" Father rose from his chair grouchily, making his way out of my study and down the stairs. "Its bad enough that you choose to work!"
LPOV
"I can't believe i'm even doing this. Times have changed indeed if they think this appropriate."
"Doing what? Old man." My grandson inquired skeptically, walking out from the living room with his guest the Parkinson girl in tow.
"What does it look like? I'm answering the door." Scorpius nearly exploded at the revelation, trying desperately to contain his amusement. "This isn't even remotely funny." I shot, throwing my cane and cloak to my grandson, watching him catch them in shock. Now it was my turn to nearly laugh. Watching him struggle to collect the material and not collapse. I nodded towards the parkinson girl, watching her smile. At least he's with a pureblood, i thought solemnly. They'd make a good match. One thing to be thankful for at least.
Another knock.
"Can we come watch?" She inquired cheekily to the sound of doorbell ringing again.
"Yes alright. I'm coming!" I barked impatiently, forgetting my manners as i reached the foyer. I flung open the door to two imposing Red Knights flanking the Potter boy on either side.
"Lucius! You're alright." The boy squeaked with evident surprise. "You must understand I'm so sorry for the other day. You saved me and I was dumb enough to send you here without warning."
"Its quite alright Albus... An honest mistake." I replied using the boys first name as he had done mine. He still had my ring on his finger... it was the only thing that made this tolerable. "As you can see I haven't yet overstayed my welcome."
"Depends who you ask really." Scorpius retorted snidely.
"Al!" The parkinson girl shot, pushing the two of us aside to leap at the boy with arms outstretched. "I haven't seen you all summer."
"Rory! What are you doing here?"
"Keeping Scor company of course. Without you he's merely been moping around all summer like some lost puppy. Sad as anything. I suppose you came to see him?" She inquired hopefully. Scorpius didn't seem the type to mope over anyone. It was true then that they had some kind of connection. As I had guessed. The Potter boy went rigid at the statement and question, examining the subtle glimmer of anticipation on my grandsons face.
No... it can't be... they cannot be...
"Master, i'll guard the entrance." The lion masked Knight offered after seeing the girl. He retreated several steps outside and turned to face the driveway, his red cloak billowing in the wind to reveal several shimmering plates of tempered armor, a saffron red. Why on earth did the boy have Sanguine Knights? Elite personnel even by international standards.
"Decidedly not Rory. I have to go over some Ministry documents with Draco. He's in his study i assume?"
"Yes he is, I take it i'm not welcome to sit in on this meeting?" I inquired motioning for the boy to enter.
"Itsy! Refreshments for our guests." Scorpius clapped, summoning the elf with drinks and sending her upstairs. At least he hadn't forgotten his manners.
"Rory i'm sorry but would you mind staying downstairs with Lucius, Malfoy here needs to be briefed as well." Albus motioned disdainfully towards Scorpius. My grandson looked surprised by that.
"I see. Not even remotely cleared for this sensitive data am I?" I inquired again. Albus shrugged simply, moving off quickly up the marbled stairs. He knew where everything was... in my house...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~)◊(~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SPOV
"Ok. Thank your father for the breakdown. I'll hand these assessments to my Dragoons and inform the council."
"Of course. I will."
"So why did I need to be here for this?" I inquired curiously.
"Harry sent me a letter about what happened yesterday. I've already been notified about the return of your memories." Father mentioned off handedly.
"Oh... I see. Well then, I leave it to you whether or not to tell your son." Albus offered nervously, ignoring me as best he could. He stared up at a portrait of my sister and I. Looking more at Ella than me. What on earth had father meant.
"What's going on? Al?"
"I've told you not to call me that anymore." He snapped.
"Don't be cruel or rude to my son in my house Albus, if you think he should know then you tell him. It wasn't my idea all those years ago... to do what your father and aunt ordered. I was very hurt by it too. Especially the second time."
"What in Merlin's beard is going on?"
"I never even got to say goodbye to her. Never had a chance to see her again before she died. Alex hasn't forgotten me after all these years. He was lucky they decided to leave him his memories. I take it thats why you were so nice to me when we met during christmas. The idea of your son being friends with a potter... this potter in particular... wasn't so alien a concept to you after all."
"You're right. Entirely. I missed having you in this house. You could always make her laugh." Father finished.
"I take it you're both playing with me on purpose?" I inquired annoyed at this point. Al turned finally to me. Hurt and confusion and sadness and anger all mixed together in his face.
"You and I... first met when we were seven minutes old. We were the only ones born that day, all alone with a storm raging outside and dark deeds being carried out all over the country. Vivian placed us in the same crib after our mums went into arrest during labor. The doctors agreed the human contact would be healthy. When our fathers came to check on us we were holding hands. We knew each other before even our own mothers. You're the first human i ever... Anyway. Our families were close, and let us stay friends as children. It was a secret even then." Al offered cryptically. "Alex, Rory, Lily, Limstella, even Lorcan and Lysander... we were all very close as children. Until the incident with lily and the fire. I won't go into more detail other than to say we were all obliviated... and well now I remember again... so i thought you should know too."
My mind was reeling and spinning. I couldn't make sense of what he was telling me.
"You knew my sister? Wait what?"
"Good day Prince Draco. Duke." Al offered sighing before turning away. I reached out to grab him instinctively. He shrugged my hand off his shoulder but i grabbed at his hand this time. The ones we'd touched in the department of mysteries... the ones we had held as babies minutes old. "I'll send you the memories later if you want to review them. I really have to get back to work."
"This... doesn't change anything for us does it? Brother..." I asked sadly, my heart pulling in every direction. I could feel his fingers playing subconsciously with mine.
"Goodbye..." He offered quietly, letting his hand slip away.
"Then why would you tell me that! To be cruel? To torture me some more!" I shouted after him. "Damn it! Father you knew all this? How could you keep it from me!" I screamed, rounding my attention on him as Al descended quickly along the back staircase.
APOV
I stopped half way down the steps to crouch against the railing, my hands grabbing on intensely to the ornate bars. I was struggling to catch my breath when I realized tears were falling down my face. My heart was pounding and my chest felt as though it might explode. "Not a word of this to anyone... not ever. Do you understand me?" I ordered, barely above a whisper. Uncle Charlie didn't even move.
"We see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Not until our dying breath." It was a cold and impersonal mantra that all red guard had adopted. Sworn to magical secrecy just like the unspeakables. I knew it already... but it felt very personal to have another Weasley see how much hold a Malfoy had on my heart.
"Thank you. Uncle."
"I'm your knight now. There is no need for thanks. But if you need a little distraction. You're welcome to come see some dragons tomorrow. As my nephew. I think the fresh air would do you some good."
"Thanks... i'd like that."
"We can discuss your boy troubles too... or not... whichever you'd prefer..."
