Chapter 44. The three-sided battle, secrets of house Quade and a new Blood curse.
The arm around her neck was almost suffocating her. Rachel tried kicking Jakob once in a feeble attempt to free herself but regretted her action as soon as she felt his arms tense. A small choking sound originated from her throat as she tried desperately to get some air inside her lungs. Panic started to rise when her vision faded, and her strength gave out. He released the grip just enough to let her breathe again, and the blonde almost gulped in the sweet oxygen.
"Do that again, and I won't release." She gave him a nervous glance, but the boy ignored her, keeping his eyes straight ahead. When they arrived at the end of the corridor, Jakob frowned as the long corridor ended and instead showed one path leading to the left and another to the right.
"Which way." questioned the boy tensing his arm again enough to get a reaction from the terrified leader of N.S.P.S. Rachel glanced at the left path and then at the right.
"R... Right." Jakob turned to the left and continued forwards.
"I said right. Why are you going left? It's the wrong way." The Slytherin boy gave her an oh really look.
"Then why are you panicking over the fact that I'm going the wrong way and leading you to safety?"
They continued forward, passing a door on the left, which suddenly opened. Christine walked out carrying a tray under her arm, looking like nothing was bugging her, whistling a happy tune. When she noticed the two, however, she froze in fear.
"Christine do you mind telling me if the staircase is down this hall?" asked Jakob with his charming voice. It could have been an innocent question if it wasn't for the fact that he held Rachel by a death grip. The blonde stared at Christine with wide eyes and discreetly shook her head towards the older woman, telling her to shut up.
"The stairs are down there. You... Rachel, should I call for help?"
Jakob raised his finger and shocked it slowly, the older woman following it with her eyes.
" .Tsk, now don't go around and do something stupid like that. We are just taking a stroll. Just stay still, and let us continue on our way, okay, Christine?"
He turned around and resumed on forward with the blonde prisoner in his grip. Rachel, who was still scared, felt some confusion over his judgment.
"You are sparing her?"
The boy halted in his steps like he had suddenly remembered something, giving the blonde a disgusted look.
"Oh right, my family got killed last time I spared someone. I wouldn't want that to happen again." Jakob turned, and with a flick of his finger, a small piece of his darkness shot and pierced the woman's forehead, making a bullet-sized hole in her skull and exiting on the other side.
Rachel let out a surprised scream and closed her eyes as Christine's head jerked back by the force. The brown-haired woman wore a shocked expression on her face as the metal tray clattered to the floor, and she fell to her knees and leaned towards the wall.
"Now that reminds me of my sister. Thank you for the advice." Said The boy dryly, giving the woman a revolted glance before turning and jerking the traumatised girl with him.
"She was kind to me, and now I repaid the favour. She got a clean and swift death. You won't be so lucky. You give a whole new meaning to blood traitors." Hissed Jake and was so close to just ripping the girl's head off. He tensed his arm a bit, ready to twist her neck off but stayed his movement and instead took a deep breath. He needed her alive. He had better plans for her, for her blood.
They continued onwards, and The Quade boy looked a bit perplexed.
"I thought there would be more guards here." Rachel didn't give a response, but the way she scanned the corridor informed him that she had also thought so.
As they passed a door with a glass window built into it, The boy caught the paper box room. It was filled with stacked boxes on metal shelves lining the room.
"Should we take a wild guess that my items are in here?" The blonde girl slowly closed her eyes as the realisation of her doom was unavoidable.
"Don't look so defeated, Rachel. You did your best." chuckled Jakob as he kicked in the door.
Pushing Rachel inside, he started going through the boxes marked by numbers on the front.
The girl stood pressed to the wall as she observed the monster. He was busy. This was her moment. She could escape.
The Quade boy didn't even look up as she turned and was a second away from bolting out of the room.
"You won't get far until my darkness finds you. You can be sure that it will eat your soul. You can try to run or fight back, but if you decide to do as I order and be a good little bitch, I will give you my word that your soul will at least find peace when you die." Rachel halted, glancing back towards the boy who had just taken down another box. Not even acknowledging her right now.
Jakob opened the lid and sighed satisfactorily as he saw the different items. He grabbed his wand and knife. Feeling whole again. He turned to Rachel after collecting the book and envelope and was about to grab her again before he stopped. Jake looked surprised to his left, where a metal table with four white plastic wheels stood further down the room, towards the wall. He approached it slowly, with the girl behind him staring at the chest on top of it.
"I recognise this little beauty." Rachel looked in horror as the boy walked over to the chest and opened it.
"Get inside. Now." Rachel hesitated before taking a few steps forward, peering down at the empty space inside the chest.
"It won't…." It had looked smaller on the outside, but when she saw the inside, her words seemed to vanish.
"It will fit you perfectly," smirked The Slytherin teenager and grabbed her arm, heaving her inside.
"No, please don't!" he shut the lock and sighed.
"Why is everyone always saying please when they know they fucked up? Why is it always stop here and don't take my soul there? I never plead like that." He flicked out his wand, shrunk the chest, pocketed it, and walked outside again, the wand in his right hand and the knife in his left.
Continuing on a bit further down the hall, Jakob soon found himself standing before a door similar to the box room door. Glancing through the glass window, he saw the stairwell that would take him upstairs and out of this hell hole.
He slowly opened it, hearing the squicking echoing throughout the white staircase room. Jakob looked a bit miffed when he realised there wasn't even one guard waiting for him.
"Maybe I took the wrong way? Or maybe they didn't think I was such a big threat? There hasn't been a single guard on my way here. Might be a trap?" he ascended the stairs and saw the number one on the wall in light blue colour.
A smile grew on his face when he walked to the door and slowly opened it.
He could hear guns firing and the familiar sound of spells flying and crashing into something.
There was flashing from a path to the right further down, and Jakob sprinted across the room with his wand tightly gripped. He was going to kill someone. His heart started thumping harder and faster as the excitement took over. He was going to kill someone who would hopefully put up a good fight.
"But when he rounded the corner, a confused frown appeared on the Quade boy.
"What the fuck is this?"
Masked men were fighting the guards. The cloaked men shot killing curses towards the muggles, who ducked, rolled, and proceeded to fire their firearms.
One of the silver-masked wizards fell as their shield gave out, making the two others hide behind the right corner.
The two guards moved forwards, still shooting and destroying the corner wall making small pieces of the concrete blast away.
Jakob raised his eyebrow and flicked his wand.
Two sickly red jets hit the men in the back. The one on the right fell down on his knees and screamed in hysteria as he stared at his body and shaking arms.
"Get them out! Get them out!" Jakob smirked as he saw the man taking up a knife from the side of his belt and started cutting it into his arms and stomach, blood splattering everywhere.
The two death eaters peeked out behind the corner and saw the boy laugh as the man kept stabbing himself to death in panic. The other one also screamed as blood rushed up to his head and began flowing out from every hole. he stopped as his eyes burst, and he fell limp on the floor.
The two masked wizards slowly walked out and saw the boy pointing his wand at them, trying to compose his smirk.
"I don't know if you are here to kill me or save me, but if it is the first one, I won't... ah damn it, it's so difficult to sound intimidating when looking at that."
The boy chuckled and pointed at the two guards who lay dead on the floor, the two dark wizards following his finger and then looked back at the boy.
"I was on my way and thought you might like some help?" continued the boy and lowered his wand, seeing that the two masked men weren't raising their wands at him.
The two glanced at each other and then rushed over to Jake, who raised his eyebrow in surprise.
"Jakob Quade. We are here to take you to safety." The boy in question took a step back, raising his wand again.
"I'm sorry. I would like to go with you but not seeing your faces makes it difficult for me to trust you. Do you mind removing them? I promise to keep it a secret."
They nodded and waved their wand towards their masks, making them dissolve.
Malfoy? Nott?" Why are you here? Didn't you cut ties with my father?"
The two men raised their silver masks on again, and Lucius answered.
"That's why we use masks. We can talk about this later. We need you to come with us. There is more fighting outside. Aurors are here as well."
Jakob nodded and let the two men escort him. Lucius at the front and Nott behind him.
Lord Malfoy waved his wand.
"Bombarda!" The entrance doors and parts of the wall exploded forward. The two soldiers who had been waiting outside, ready to ambush the group, were obliterated as the debris tore their bodies to pieces. Jakob stepped out behind Lucius and watched the chaos on the large street in bewilderment. The street lamps and the flashing of firearms and spells brightened the night.
Aurors, muggles and death eaters were all fighting each other, making it almost seem like a battle royal.
One Auror held his shield raised towards a muggle who sprayed it with bullets. The Death eater, a few meters to the Aurors right, took this moment to fire a sickly red curse towards the magical police, who screamed in pain as it struck, and he dropped down. The soldier continued shooting and filled the Auror with bullets.
The death eater fired a green curse towards the soldier, who dodged and switched something on his firearm. The soldier's body jerked backwards as something big shot out from the weapon. It exploded on the death eater, making the cloaked corpse fly in different directions.
"This is wrong. Why are we fighting each other when our real enemy is shooting at us!?"
The two death eaters glanced down at the boy when they heard his statement, then at each other, and then back towards where Jakob had stood only a few seconds ago.
"Where is he!?" yelled Lucius, and Nott pointed towards the boy who had joined the fight.
The Quade boy headed toward the open street where the fighting was occurring. He saw one of the soldiers who had just turned his body and weapon towards one of the Aurors who was in the middle of stunning a death eater. While in mid-sprint, Jakob flicked his wand and hissed the incantation. The spell hit the soldier's left knee, and a small explosion inside the pants made the muggle scream and fall down on his right knee.
Jakob wasn't done and jumped up, stabbing the guard in the neck as he landed on top of him, letting the lifeless body hit the asphalts showing a feral smile. He continued to stab a few more times before examining his surroundings.
Jakob didn't care if they saw him take the lives of these insects anymore. Why should he hide? The only thing he couldn't use when Aurors were around was the unforgivables and other dark curses. Other than that, he would show them who their true enemy was and what he was prepared to do.
"You fucking idiot, point your wand at the muggle! Not at your own people!" shouted Jakob to one of the death eaters who was about to send a curse at the Auror, who held his shield protectively in front of him.
The two stared in surprise at the boy and then followed him with their eyes as he rushed towards one of the clusters of guards further down the right side of the street.
"Bombarda!" the explosion made the middle one of the three explode instantly while the other two flew back a few meters.
One of the soldiers was getting up, and Jakob threw his knife, embedding it in the soldier's throat. The Auror and Death eater looked bewildered at the young boy who had just killed three muggles in less than 5 seconds. The Auror was the first to snap out of the shocking surprise and shouted to his colleagues.
"Seize him! That's the kid!"
Jakob ignored the shouting behind him as he reached out his hand, making the knife soar back into his grip, and pointed his wand at the other guard, who raised his hands in surrender. With the spell on his lips, he instinctively sidestepped and saw a red jet of light hitting the man instead of him, making him fall back, stunned.
The Quade boy turned and saw James Potter aiming his wand at him.
"Stop this, Jakob. I know they hurt you, but revenge isn't…."
The Potter lord was forced to stop his speech as a death eater hurled a sickly yellow curse towards him.
"Run!" screamed the womanly masked attacker, looking at the boy in Worry with a voice that Jakob recognised but couldn't place his finger on.
James transformed the asphalt, making it rise and take the curse's impact. With a circular wand motion, he banished the rumble towards the masked woman, who arranged up a hastily conjured shield charm. She raised her wand and was about to cast her next curse when Jakob screamed at them both.
"Stop attacking each other!" he pointed his wand at the death either and sent a disarming charm that knocked her wand away.
James took this moment and raised his own with a smirk but found that the same spell also hit his hand.
They both stared at the boy who had turned around to deal with the muggle.
The death either apparated away, and James sprinted to grab his wand and continued towards Jakob. When he closed in, he witnessed in alarm that the young Quade boy, the boy his daughter fancied, was in the middle of cooking the guard with his hands and shaking the guard back and forth.
"Die, you piece of shit!"
The guard who tried to free himself from Jakobs grip slowly died with a defiant glare directed towards the abomination.
Before Jakob could sigh his relief of pleasure, a sickly red spell soared passed him. He looked up and saw the Deat eater shout at him further away, "Look out! He's behind you!"
Jakob frowned and turned to see James narrowly escaping the curse as he leaned his body to the right and rushed towards the surprised boy.
Lord Potter grabbed his shoulder, and a small pop could be heard as they apparated far away from the fight.
They appeared in a forest, and Jakob shook the Potter lord's grip off his shoulder.
"Jakob, what the hell are you doing? This is not the boy I know."
"The boy you know was kidnapped by fucking muggles after seeing his father, slave and sister die!" roared Jakob and turned, punching the side of a tree in rage. The bark and a chunk of the three showered the cold forest floor.
James stood silently and observed the rage and hate in the boy who always seemed so calm and collected. This kid wasn't in his right mind, but who could blame him.
"Jakob. I have no idea what they did to you. But I will take you home, okay? You are safe now, I promise."
Jakob laughed as he turned back towards the father of Ivy. Giving the Auror an almost crazy smirk.
"Safe? I was kidnapped from my home. They walked in like our wards meant nothing. They killed Susie and shot my father in front of my eyes. I saw the dead look my sister gave me with that bullet hole in her forehead. They have weapons that can bypass wards Potter. None of us is safe from them!"
James raised his hands, showing that he didn't have a wand, and calmly sat down on a raised stone.
"You will be able to tell everyone about the information you have gathered. But you need to calm down. I'm sorry for your loss, Jakob. I truly am." Jakob turned away. Potter was right. He was in a blood frenzy. He needed to breathe.
"Where will you take me?"
James noticed the boy's voice change, sounding calmer and observed as Jakob's shoulders slumped.
"We have prepared a stay for you in Potter manor. Your friend Ella is waiting for you there together with Ivy, Lilly and Harry."
Jakob turned and stared stunned at the Auror as he remembered his little sister in all but blood.
"Ella? How could I... How is she?" James saw his eyes glisten in the moonlight and smiled.
"She is safe. And is probably sleeping right now. She worries about you."
Jakob slumped down on the forest bed, leaning back on the three he had punched a moment ago.
"How is she? Does she know about…." Jakob couldn't say it out loud. The days he had been kept a prisoner had been a good distraction from the sorrow that began to grow in his stomach, chest and throat.
James nodded and fought to compose himself as he watched the boy who had moments ago seemed like a warrior but now showed his true colours. A thirteen-year-old boy, broken after the events that had occurred.
"She knows, and she misses you."
Jakob wiped away a tear and stood up.
"I'm ready. I need to be with her."
James stood and walked over to the boy, giving him an approving nod.
"You are a good kid Jakob. Don't let rage and despair take over like that again. I lost my parents to the dark lord and almost my two children. This might seem like a nightmare but remember that you aren't alone."
Jakob took a breath. And gave the man a nod.
"Potter manor."
The portkey in James' hand pulled the two away from the forest and sent them back to England, With an extra hidden passenger.
The two landed outside the perimeter, and Jakob glanced around.
It wasn't as big or grand as the Quades manor had been, but perhaps that was for the better. A big mansion stood tall and proud further away, and a small Quidditch field stood further to the right.
"After you." James gestured for Jakob, who gave a weak smile and began his hike across the large grass field. They walked silently, listening to cricket sounds and the occasional owl hootings. James, who kept his eyes forward, saw that one of the windows in the mansion was lightened up, and a smile graced his face.
When they were halfway, they saw the right mansion door open, and Lilly rushed towards them in her morning robes.
The two glanced at each other before Lilly closed the distance and hugged Jakob tightly.
"I'm so happy you are alright." the boy froze for a second and slowly raised his hand, patting her back.
"Thank you, professor."
She freed Jakob from the hug and gave him a teary smile.
"Are you hungry? Tired? Are you hurt?"
Jakob shook his head.
"I'm fine. They were very good at giving me food between the torture sessions." Lilly gasped and gaped at her husband, who stood wide-eyed, raising his shoulder to express that he didn't do anything.
"I'm joking, Mrs potter." chuckled Jakob seeing the distraught showing on her face. Ivy's mother turned back and locked eyes with the boy, giving him a serious look.
"Did they hurt you?"
Jakob didn't answer. He knew that his emotions weren't in check right now, and the mother, who had three pranksters, would see through his bullshit.
"Let's get him inside, Lilly. He must be freezing," interrupted James trying to change the subject as he saw the tears in her eye become more evident as Jakob didn't respond.
The three walked inside the manor, and Jakob looked around the hall.
"Where is Ella?" James gave Lilly a nod, and the woman gestured for Jakob to follow her up the stairs.
"She is sleeping now, but I think she would want you to wake her."
Jakob nodded and prepared himself to reunite with the only part of the family he had left. With every step he took, the lump in his throat became larger, and when they stood outside the door, Jakob only stared at the doorknob, not moving a muscle.
"Take all the time you need," said Lilly in a soft voice and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. Jakob took a few more seconds before raising his hand slowly, twisting the handle, and walking into the dark room.
The room was lit up by the moonlight from the large window I'm the centre. He didn't register the other details inside the room except for the bed where Ella was sleeping, her covers rising together with the sound of her breathing.
The two potters watched as Jakob slowly approached the side of the bed, sitting down gently and pushing away the sleeping girl's hair that had fallen over her face.
"Ella. I'm back." the girl stirred as she opened her eyes and slowly saw Jake come into focus, giving her a teary smile.
"Hi." was the only thing he could say as she stared at him for what felt like an eternity.
"Are you real, or am I dreaming again?" asked Ella, trying not to sound disappointed as if she already knew that the answer was a dream.
"It's not a dream. If it was a dream, would I do this?" Jakob plucked the girl up from her bed and embraced her hard.
Understanding that this was real, Ella hugged him back. She gripped his robes behind his back, afraid that he would disappear and immediately started to cry.
"Mum is dead, Jakob. Everyone is gone. I'm so scared. Don't leave me, please." Jakob nodded as he held her tightly.
"They are. But we have each other. You will always have me, Ella." he stroked her back and comforted the girl while the two potters slowly closed the door and walked into the living room.
Lilly sat in one of the armchairs while James opened a bottle of fire whiskey.
"James isn't it a bit late to-"
"Lilly, if you saw what I did tonight, you would chug the bottle." Interrupted James and gulped down the drink, pouring another while he dropped down in the opposite armchair.
Lilly waited for James to speak as he swirled the whiskey in his hand, staring at the fireplace.
"He killed people, Lilly. A lot of them. Muggle guards that had kept him, prisoner. He… He used a knife when he ended two of them. He casted a Bombarda, making I don't know how many explode and before I could stop him, he choked a man with his bare hands. Screaming for him to die. There was no remorse or regret in his eyes." Lilly turned her gaze to the fire.
"They hurt him, James. They took away his family. What would you have done if you got the chance to revenge them?"
James frowned.
"You condone this? You, of all people?"
Lilly didn't answer at first and only stared at her husband but seeing that he didn't understand what she meant, the redhead sighed.
"James, if you had the chance to kill Voldemort. If You knew you really could and got the chance to kill him with your bare hands or with a knife. Would you take it? Or would you stay your hand and hope that someone else brought justice to him. I don't believe what Jakob did was right, but they killed his family and did god knows what to him when he stayed there. I can't blame him. It's a miracle he didn't attack you."
James stared at the fire. She was right. Had he gotten the chance, he would have used the killing curse and taken the boat to Azkaban with a smile. But then he remembered something.
"He didn't attack me. He…" James began to chuckle, and Lilly glanced at her husband, feeling a smile appear on her lips when hearing his soft laugh.
"What so funny?"
"He disarmed me. When I fought a death-eater, I mean."
"He disarmed you?" asked the mother suspiciously, and James, who caught the glance, waved his hand.
"He disarmed the death-eater too. He shouted at us to stop being idiots and attack the real enemy."
Lilly looked baffled at her husband, who chuckled while taking a sip.
"He didn't hurt either of us and seemed angrier with us attacking each other than the muggles attacking us."
Lilly looked surprised at her husband.
"He called a death eater and an Auror that was fighting for idiots?"
James nodded and gulped down the last whiskey.
"The funny thing is that it actually worked. The death eater apperated away, and I had to take care of the little beast." The two adults sat in their armchairs and continued to discuss the event that had transpired that evening until the morning rays brightened up a new day.
The next morning Jakob woke by the smell of Ella's hair.
He had held her all night as she mourned. He knew that breaking down himself wasn't the most suitable for his second-year Ravenclaw, and in the end, they had both fallen asleep.
He rubbed his eyes as he stood, looking back to the sleeping form of his only family member and strode into the bathroom.
Jakob picked up the small chest from his pocket and placed it on the floor, silencing the room.
He flicked his wand, and a clicking sound could be heard as it unlocked. The lid flew open, revealing the content inside.
"Get up."
Rachel, who was seated inside, had her Arms around her folded-up legs and black lines from the mascara she had cried away.
She jerked her head towards her captivator and then around the nice bathroom.
"What… what are you going to do to me?"
Jakob gave her a glare and waited a while before answering.
"You will pay what you owe. You made me your prisoner after killing my family."
"You killed my..." started the blonde but was cut off as Jakob grabbed her hoodie and raised her up, making her feet dangle above the floor. she grabbed his arms, trying to hold herself up, wearing a terrified expression on her face.
"I killed your grandmother. She attacked me and my first. You retaliate by destroying my family and my home."
He glowered at the girl who tried to get away from his grip.
"Don't act so high and mighty, Jakob. You would have done the same. You are just like me."
Jakob roared and threw her down on the tiled floor. Rachels's arm landed strangely, and a snapping sound could be heard before she screamed out in pain.
He grabbed hold of her again and raised her up, grabbing the broken arm and smiled as he saw the pain in her face as he squeezed it.
"I'm nothing like you. You are a traitor to your own kind. You would fight us knowing that the people beside you would shoot you in the back if they knew the thruth. You are only a pathetic little insect." Rachels's tears were rolling down her cheeks as her screams didn't subside. Jakob rolled his eyes, healed her arm, and released the scared girl. Rachel landed on her ass, backed away on the floor, and balled up into a corner.
"Use the toilet and drink some water. If you don't, you won't get the options until this evening or tomorrow if you are unlucky." The blonde Silently got up and did what Jakob told her. He turned around and waited.
When she was finished, he turned back, observing her now-cleaned face.
"Where are we? What will you do to me?"
Jakob didn't answer and instead pointed to the chest.
"You have ten seconds."
Rachel glanced at the box worriedly and then towards the boy again.
"Please don't put me in there again."
"6 seconds."
"I will do anything. Just leave me here. I won't try to escape."
Jakob pointed his wand at her leg and sent a bone-breaking curse that shattered her kneecap. The blonde screamed in pain again and sat down on the floor, holding her knee while she closed her eyes.
Jakob hunched down in front of her, and with his charming smile, he spoke in a calm voice.
"Go inside the chest, and I will heal that. Otherwise, I will destroy your other knee and throw you in there. okay, sweety?"
Rachel looked up in both horror and astonishment. She got up with the help of the wall and skipped on one leg over to the chest. She carefully sat down again, looking expectantly and scared at her master.
Jakob rolled his eyes as he saw the pleading in her eyes and lay his hand over her broken kneecap. A red glow was briefly shown, and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.
"You… you can heal without your wand? Is that also not magic?"
"It's complicated," answered Jakob and closed the top, shrinking the trunk and putting it down his pocket again.
"I know exactly what to do with you. I only need a moment to myself and a worthy sacrifice." whispered the boy resolutely as he stepped out again and noted that Ella was still asleep.
He wandered over to the bed and gently stroked her head, waking the girl up.
Her eyes blinked a few times before she sat straight up in bed, panic in her eyes.
"Jakob. Were..." She hadn't seen him at first, but when he had popped into her view, she breathed out in relief and hugged him.
"I thought it was a dream." the Quade boy chuckled as he embraced her.
"I'm here, alright. Sorry for waking you. I wanted to make sure that you were alright before I left.
"Where are you going? Can I come with you?"
He gave the black-haired girl an amused smile.
"I'm going down for breakfast, and you can come if you'd like."
The girl nodded and got up." I'm just going to get ready. You can go ahead."
Jakob nodded and stepped out of the room. Standing in the red and wooden brown corridor, he noticed the large painting that lined the wall.
"Must be their ancestors," thought the Quade boy out loud, not really caring, and continued down the hallway.
When he was about to turn and walk down the stairs, he heard a door open, and a tired Ivy with messy carrot-red hair stepped out, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
He raised an eyebrow at the zombie who walked towards him and somehow hadn't acknowledged his existence yet.
"You don't see any reason to fix yourself in the morning, do you? "Ivy stopped and rubbed her eyes like she didn't believe what she saw.
"J..Jake, is that you?"
He rolled his eyes and was about to turn when the girl rushed towards him.
He almost wanted to close his eyes for the coming impact. Jakob almost got his air knocked out of him as The Potter collided with him, hugging him strongly and began to cry.
"I was so scared that I lost you forever."
Jakob raised his arms and had to bend her arms away before he pushed her off him.
"I'm fine. Don't be such a drama queen, and stop caring so much." He raised his eyebrow towards the stunned redhead and gave her a condescending look before heading down the steps.
" Drama queen? Stop caring? Are you stupid!?"
He heard her stomping down the stares after him and quickened his steps.
"When they told me that you were kidnapped, I thought you were dead, and you are telling me to stop caring too much? You are the."
Mrs and Mr Potter sat around the table with their son and had just informed him about Jakob's presence in the house. Harry had nodded and frowned a bit with the knowledge that his enemy was a guest but continued to eat his breakfast silently. Soon the parents and son heard the stomping and screaming from their daughter and sister.
"Seems like one wasn't happy that he returned." chuckled Harry, earning a glare from his mum and a chuckle from his dad.
"Wonder what happened," questioned Lilly, giving her husband a suspicious look.
"Why do you look at me? She is the spitting image of you." shrugged James flipping the paper, not noticing the glare from his wife.
The swing doors opened, and an annoyed Jakob walked inside, sighing as he ignored everyone in the room and headed for the coffeepot.
"You think it's easy being around you? You are so selfish, do you know that? You think you are the centre of the universe! Look at me when I talk to you, Jakob!"
The Quade boy, who had poured a cup, turned and leaned against the countertop next to a window, taking a sip while giving the girl an unamused look.
"What happened?" questioned Lilly and got the raging teenage girl's attention.
"Him!" she pointed at the boy, who took another sip, sighing in pleasure as he swallowed the black gold.
"He… I…. He told me not to care so much! That I'm a drama queen! I...You stupid jerk!" she stormed out of the room, and the three Potter stared over at Jakob, who took another sip. James and Harry watched in slight awe at the boy who had been able to stand against the terror of House Potter.
"She was really worried about you, Jakob," stated Lilly, giving him a firm look only a mother could deliver.
The boy shrugged.
"Not my problem. Thanks for the coffee." the Slytherin boy snatched a few toasts on his way and stopped in the doorway like he had forgotten something.
"Is my trunk here or back at school?"
"It's in your room. Harry, can you show Jakob to his room?"
Requested Lilly, giving her son a forced calm smile. Harry sighed as he stood and rolled his eyes as he passed the boy who hid a smirk behind the cup.
"come on, I don't have all day."
Jakob followed the boy out, and Lilly stared at James, who continued to read his paper, trying to look very busy and focused on the text.
"I know that you are staring at me, but if Ivy Wants to be with a Slytherin, she knows now what to expect."
Lilly slapped her husband's arm.
"Stop that. You are a grown man. You need to talk with her. She doesn't understand that Jakob needs time to sort out his emotions before being bombarded by everyone else's."
James sighed as he put down the paper.
"Right. Emotions, sorted out, bombarded by Ivy. Love you."
Lilly took a sip of her tea and hid a smirk when James leaned and gave her a kiss on the cheek before standing and walking out of the kitchen.
Lilly had never seen her daughter get so angry before. She must really like that boy.
"There. Don't make a mess in there," said Harry and pointed to one of the doors.
"Like your hair, you mean?" quipped Jakob smirking as he saw the glint of anger in the boy who lived eyes.
"You know that Ivy was right about you. You are selfish and not easy to be around. You don't get how much she cried when she knew you were taken.
Jakob shrugged.
"Like I said, not my problem." he opened the door and was just about to close it when Harry spoke.
"You think you are so clever and unshakable. That no one sees that you like my sister."
Jakob raised an eyebrow.
"That's because I don't. She is-"
"You tolerate her," interrupted Harry with one of his own smirks.
"What?" frowned Jakob.
"If anyone else had acted like she did to you in the kitchen, you would have hexed them or worse," stated Harry, a bit disgusted.
"You didn't. You let her scream and shout things at you. If you ask me, that is something someone like you would only let people you care about do."
The Slytherin glared at the Gryffindor, who crossed his arm, daring him to say anything back.
He opened his mouth and looked confused for a second before slamming the door.
"Idiot," chuckled Harry as he turned and walked back into the kitchen with a big smile and a skip in his step. He had finally got under the Slytherin's skin.
"Idiot." sneered Jakob as he silenced the room and inscribed the snowflake ward on the door.
"There, now I only need to make some changes inside the trunk."
He stepped over to the chest, lifted it up on its side, opened it, and stepped inside.
He stood in the small circle corridor with the three entrances in front of him.
Walking into the first room, he saw the designed wooden bed with red covers and fancy pillows on top.
"She is so spoiled." chuckled the boy and walked out.
When he entered the second room, he looked at the rows of bookshelves.
He went through his books, looking to see if anyone of them could give her some idea of how to break locks or charms. He collected the few that did, and when he was certain the rest would only be a fine read, he nodded, satisfied.
" I Need to put in some kind of dining table here, though. But I don't see how it would fit here... damned, maybe I need to buy a bigger one?"
He then entered his last room. The potion room and waved his wand, taking out everything.
"I really need to make this a bathroom. It's going to be a pain to be having to let her out every time."
Jakob stepped out and went down to the living room, where Lilly and James sat discussing something in hushed voices.
The Slytherin boy cleared his throat.
"Jakob. Do you need anything? Is everything alright?" asked Lilly with a warm smile.
"Actually, I would like some help with something."
"What would you like help with?" asked James, a bit intrigued.
"My trunk. I have made a bedroom and a living room, but I would like to make a bathroom too, but seeing as I don't really know how to charm or transfigure the things I need, I was-"
"We can do it." interrupted James with a surprised and joyful smile.
Lilly gave her husband an amused smile. If there was something, James loved except flying and catching dark wizards. It was a handyman's work. Lord Potter had tried to get Ivy and Harry interested, but the two had never shared the love for the craft as their father had.
Jakob gave a slight bow.
"Thank you. I look forward to learning from you. When you are ready, we can." Jakob stopped mid-sentence as he saw James getting up from his armchair and gestured for Lilly to follow.
"We can start right away."
The two adults took a few hours to prepare the room, with a curious Jakob questioning everything they did and why so he could get a better understanding of it.
"There. If you twist the nob, you will see…" said James as he and Lilly finished their charms work on the sink. Jakob twisted the gold nob, and water poured out.
"That the small rune scheme will conjure up water. But it's important that you charge the rune with some of your magic once a week."
The Slytherin looked impressed at the room and what the two had accomplished.
"So the toilet also needs the recharge?"
Lilly shook her head.
"No. The toilet, together with everything else, shares the same rune scheme. I believe you are all set here."
Jakob looked around the bathroom, very satisfied.
They had even put a bathtub inside and transformed the bathroom with blue and white tiles, making it water-resistant.
"Now I only need a dining table," mumbled Jakob to himself, and James' eyes seemed to sparkle with joy.
When the two were done, Jakob almost wanted to live there himself. He hadn't wanted them to put so much thought into the decorations and comfort. Still, as the two Potters believed that Jakob would stay there when he travelled or something, they had made the best they could to win some points from the boy.
He sighed as he looked around the second room. They had enlarged it even more, which Jakob never thought was possible, but Lilly truly was a charms prodigy. There was now room for more than a dining table for four.
James had plucked one of the room's bookshelves and instead installed a cooking space with cabinets above it. They had even connected a sink there to do the dishes and put up a refrigerator and freezer beside it.
While James had been working on transfigurating a working fan and applying heating charms for the stove, Lilly had hurried out to grab some of the things she thought could be necessary for making dinners and living a comfortable life.
When Jakob thought they were about to finish and felt slightly annoyed now that they had made everything so good, James had stepped into his bedroom and started enlarging it.
"You would like a wardrobe and nightstands here, right? Maybe a desk and chair too?"
"Sure... Thanks." Replied Jakob with clenched jaws, putting on a fake smile.
They are making it too nice in here.
Lilly had decorated the three rooms with curtains and paintings. Making it feel like a real home. The boy had to take a seat on a chair at the dining table and wore a defeated look on his face.
"I put some bath salts and other things you might need in the bathroom cabinet. Do you have a tooth... Never mind, you do now!" yelled the redhead, and Jakob raised his hand and pinched his nose bridge.
"Thanks, Mrs Potter, you really shouldn't have."
When the two Potters were done and called their children over, with James proudly presenting their work.
"It's nice," said the boy who lived after their little tour, slightly surprised at the small apartment.
"Nice? It's magnificent!" pouted James, and Harry raised his hands in defeat.
When they all were done and had exited Jakob's trunk, the Slytherin boy sighed.
He flicked his wand, closing the door he had opened so the snowflake ward wouldn't be visible. He silenced the room and walked inside his trunk again.
He took out the chest from his robe pocket and waved his wand. The lid opened up, and Rachel saw the new room she was in.
"Have you moved again?" she carefully stepped out, glancing at the boy for confirmation that it was okay. Jakob didn't answer her question and instead pointed at one of the three entrances.
"Bedroom."
He pointed to the middle entrance.
"Dining room and kitchen."
He then pointed to the last room on the left.
"Bathroom."
Rachel frowned and followed the boy inside the room on the left.
She stared wide-eyed at the large luxurious bed and billows. Her eyes then wandered to her nightstand.
"What..." Her words fell when she saw the big closet with a full-body mirror on one of the doors. Beside it was a dark brown matching desk with a chair.
"It's… nice here. Why is it so nice?" asked the nervous girl, confused as she glanced at the boy, who looked around the room in annoyance.
"It wasn't meant to be. But if you would like, I can take it away and give you a mattress."
The blonde shook her head and looked down, feeling guilty over the remark he had given her.
"Jakob, I'm so-"
"Don't. I don't need your apologies." The stern tone and glaring eyes made the blonde flinch. Jakob sighed and grabbed her into the next room.
"You can cook over there. I won't bring you food, so make your own. You have a dining table, and over there is a refrigerator and freezer."
Rachel nodded and looked over at the two bookshelves.
"To pass the time. I know how boring it can be. Sitting and waiting."
"It wasn't only my decision." stated the blonde defensively.
Jakob didn't answer and grabbed her and continued towards the bathroom.
He released her arm with a bit more force than necessary, making her stumble inside.
Rachel stared at the luxurious bathroom and the different items that Lilly had placed in the small cabinets.
She turned back and now looked suspiciously at the boy.
"So you are giving me all this, but you said you would take what I owed you. I'm not being ungrateful, but I didn't Imagen that this would be my punishment."
Jakob crossed his arms.
"What did you Imagen? That I would tie you to a chair? Using a device to shoot electricity? That I would let you sleep on something barely called a mattress?" he approached the girl with rage rising in his voice as he continued.
"Did you expect me to pour acid in your mouth!?" He backhanded the girl. She jerked her head to the side, and her blonde hair covered her face.
"You are dangerous. I needed to make sure that-"
"You can lie all you want, but I know why you did it." interrupted Jakob.
"You are… dangerous." started Rachel again in a low, frightened voice.
"Imperio."
The blond leader's eyes glossed over, and her body relaxed.
"Tell me the truth."
"I wanted you back." said the blonde in a monotone voice, turning her head to stare at him.
"I wanted you to be mine again and to feel that feeling you gave me that day. I used the order to track you down. They wanted you dead, but I made them spare you. I needed you for my own pleasure and lied to myself because of the shame and disgust I felt knowing the real reason. I instead told myself that you had information and that it was too dangerous for you to be free.
"Why did you kill my father?"
"You crushed me. You made me believe I had found the one, and then you killed my grandmother. You left me in an alleyway. I wanted you to feel the same that I felt every day since you left me."
Jakob let go of the curse and stared at her in amazement. He had met Amy and Bella, but this girl was just another level of crazy obsessed. He sighed as he wondered what he did to attract those girls.
"Now you and I know the truth. Rachel, you are more fucked up than I even imagen."
Rachel didn't meet his eyes, and Jakob walked out. Closing and locking the trunk behind him.
For the rest of the afternoon, Jakob spent his time with Ella in Potter's living room. She was lying on the couch with her legs and feet on Jakob's lap, reading a book while twinkling her toes. Occasionally she would raise the book a little to make sure that he was there, and every time he was. The Quade boy gave her a smile every time while he was focused on the book he was reading.
"How do you know that I'm looking at you? You are reading a book."
Jakob chuckled as he turned a page.
"Magic." Ella rolled her eyes and continued her own reading.
Jakob suddenly looked up from the book.
"What is it? You look like you have a stomach ache."
Jakob nodded, looking a bit unsettled.
"It feels like it." the doors to the living room opened, and a look of realisation showed on his face as the redhead strolled inside.
"Great, I can feel her presence now." Ella giggled, and Ivy, who had wandered over, smiled at the younger Ravenclaw, hiding her small jealousy over the fact that she was allowed to have her feet on him like that.
Hi Ella, what are you reading?" asked the redhead as she sat down on the couch Infront of them, raising up her school bag and placing it beside her on the sofa.
"Jakob is forcing me to do homework."
"Helping you. I'm helping you with your homework." corrected the boy as he flipped to another page.
"What a coincidence. I'm doing mine too. What are you studying?" asked Ivy curiously.
"I'm reading about dementors. My assignment will be to write a paper on how to defend myself against them if I ever come into close contact with one."
Ivy frowned.
"What? Dementors are third-year defence. Why are you writing a paper on them now?"
Ella gave Jakob a mock glare.
"Because my teacher threatened me that if I don't finish it before Christmas, I won't get any Christmas presents."
Jakob's eyes widened as he slowly turned his head towards the Ravenclaw girl. The smirking girl started giggling when she caught the bafflement on her teacher's face.
"You little snitch!" he reached to grab her, but she was too fast. Ella moved like a cat as she got down from the couch and bolted out of the room.
"Continue to read!" called Jakob after her, knowing she probably wouldn't.
He glanced towards Ivy, who gave him a sad smile, making him sigh in annoyance.
"Don't look at me like I'm dying."
"I'm not. It's just that… I see the way you behave around her."
"So? Jealous? You miss the time in my bedroom?" asked Jakob flipping a page, not really interested in her answer.
"Yes," answered Ivy with a dreamy expression, making Jakob's lip twitch as the memory of them resurfaced. The redhead seemed to snap out of the dream and waved her hand.
"But that's not the point. You are comforting her and making her feel better about everything that has happened."
"She is the only family member I've got," stated Jakob in a low voice.
"You are doing a great job. But what about you?"
The Quade boy looked up from his book and saw Ivy standing up from her couch and walking over to sit beside him.
"You are not controlling your emotions, Jake. You are sealing them inside a box."
He shut his book and turned his head, looking annoyedly at the redhead who still wore that look on her face, like he was a victim.
"You have no idea what you are talking about."
As he prepared to stand, Ivy, reached out and grabbed his hand.
"You find yourself in situations where you don't need to think about it. Helping Ella. Reading a book. Letting mum and Dad help you with the trunk. If you need to talk with someone. I-"
"Alright, let's talk." interrupted the boy giving the nosy Potter a glare. The coach made a screeching noise as Jakob changed his position and faced the surprised Gryffindor.
"My father pushed me out from the fireplace when we got home, and I prepared myself for the possibility that one of us would die. My sister and Susie interviewed, and I went to my room.
My sister had planned for us to go to Greece. Probably felt guilty over the countless times she cursed me. I would make her pay for that when I got the chance. Anyways, I accepted the offer of a temporary truce. I discovered later that I had ruined my family and shunned us from every possible alliance. Even the Malfoys didn't want anything to do with us anymore. Then I took a walk with my father in our backyard and was about to start another fight, but the screams and gunfire inside the manor stopped us.
My father told me to stay outside and apperated into the mansion. I, of course, didn't and ran as fast as I could possibly could while I saw soldiers destroying my home."
Ivy tried to keep up with Jakob's story. He talked so fast, and there was so much information that she wanted to close her eyes and make time slow down.
"I, of course, attacked when I first saw Susie lying dead on the floor. I ran inside another room and saw my sister lying on the floor, staring at me with her dead blue eyes. She had a hole right in her forehead. Right there." Jakob raised his finger and pushed Ivy's forehead making the shocked girl lean back for a second with the applied force.
"I held her in my arms, but we were interrupted when a psycho found me and killed my father right in front of my eyes. It all ended when they knocked me out. Should I continue to when I was kidnapped?"
Ivy could only stare at the glaring boy in shock. She didn't move or say anything. She had no idea that it was this he had been through.
"I'm fine. I watched my house and family burn to the ground. I will make them pay, but I don't need some privileged, spoiled brat telling me what to do or how to feel. Have you ever seen one of your family members die as they tell you to get the others who are already dead to safety?"
Ivy shook her head, tears filling her eyes.
"n..no, I haven't."
"Then you have nothing to speak to me about." hissed the boy and stood up.
Jakob turned and took a step towards the door. Ivy, still sitting down, looked up as she heard the Quade boy sigh and saw Dumbledore standing at the entrance with Sirius and James behind him. The three men observed the boy with mixed emotions showing clearly on their faces.
"Headmaster. Pleasure as always." Dumbledore watched the boy go from rage to neutral and, lastly, a charming smile, giving a slight bow.
Dumbledore walked inside, and James gestured for Ivy to leave the two alone. The redhead wiped away a tear as she stood and hurried over, passing her father, who tried to stop her but failed. James went after her, and Sirius gave Jakob a stern look before following his best friend.
"You got what you wanted, at least. I'm here now. Wasn't that what you wanted all along, headmaster?"
"It's with a heavy heart Jakob. I never wanted you to be here for the reason you just explained."
"Shit happens." shrugged the boy and sat down in one of the armchairs seeing that Dumbledore had already taken a seat.
"Jakob... Do you mind if I call you Jakob and not Heir Quade?"
The boy chuckled with a clear bitterness in his tone.
"My last name holds no meaning anymore. Call me boy, Jakob or whatever you want."
"Jakob, as a man who has seen a family member die Infront of my eyes and by the one I loved no less. Can I give you a piece of advice?"
Jakob frowned but gestured for the headmaster to continue.
"When I saw my little sister die, I was filled not only with sorrow and rage. There was something else much worse."
"revenge? Or something else that dark magic originates from?" The sigh and tone in the boy's question made it clear that he wasn't interested in hearing the older man preach about the light side right now.
Dumbledore gave the Quade boy a neutral expression in return as he leaned back.
"Relief." the words hit Jakob by surprise, and the tensed muscle in the Slytherin boy's jaw told the headmaster that he was right in his assumption.
" I felt releif Jakob. Adriana was a very quiet girl. She had been bullied by muggles one day and never returned to the happy and energetic girl she had once been. Making me and my brother constantly worry about her. Taking care of her. It restricted us from pursuing what we truly wanted in life."
Jakob swallowed, trying to push down the lump in his throat.
"When she died, I shut down my emotions. I couldn't stand the thought of me being relieved that my sister was dead. It revolted me."
"I'm nothing like you," said Jakob, breaking their eye contact and staring at the table that separated the two armchairs.
"It took years for me to come to terms with it. I'm not telling you what to do, Jakob. I only offer you advice that I wished I had gotten myself."
Jakob stayed silent for a while, still staring at the table. Dumbledore saw that the gears in the young boy's head were turning and hoped that his wisdom had done some good for the boy.
"I find it hard to believe that the great Dumbledore made a trip over here just to be my personal mind healer. What is it you have come to discuss?"
Albus understood this was the closest Jakob would get to express his gratitude and gave a slight nod.
"I have been informed by James about the escape. He told me something surprising and something that I found to be extremely troubling."
Jakob didn't speak and instead waited for the headmaster to continue.
"He told me you had shouted for the Deatheaters and Aurors to stop fighting each other and with great success?"
"The whole situation was idiocy. Two magical fighting each other and a muggle standing on the sideline shooting the victor in the back."
"That brings me to the problematic part," said Dumbledore, giving Jakob a stern and slight observing look.
"You killed Jakob. A lot of muggles. One with magic, a knife, and even one with your bare hands."
The boy looked almost confused over the hidden question in dumbledores statement.
"What did you expect me to do? They killed my family and destroyed my home. They kidnapped me, tortured me. They killed Aurors and tried to kill me when I escaped."
Dumbledore nodded.
"I understand your anger, but Killing isn't the answer. You are a thirteen-year-old boy." Dumbledore had raised his voice and leaned forward. He gave the boy a stern and almost scolding look.
Jakob raised his eyebrow in response, and the corner of his mouth rose slightly.
"Exactly. If you were in the same situation as me and thirteen years old. What would you have done?"
Dumbledore had put himself in a corner. He knew that if he lied, the boy would know and would never trust the light. The headmaster and champion of the light slumped his shoulders and leaned back.
"I would probably have done the same." answered the headmaster defeatedly.
Jakob gave Dumbledore a respectufull nod.
"Thank you for the honesty. But I must ask headmaster. When are you going to see that they are a threat to us?"
"Muggles aren't a threat as long as we hold the statute of secrecy. Jakob, we have been able to work with them in the past." Dumbledore tried to reason, but seeing the sneering face he received as the only answer, the headmaster decided to take another approach. He needed to make the boy see some sense in this and not be consumed by revenge and hate.
"You are starting to sound like someone who was once very close to me. He had the vision to see the Muggles destroyed and almost succeeded in his plans. He was later known as the dark Lord Grindewald."
Instead of the terrifying revelation he wanted to see in Jakob's eyes, he saw the Quade boys pinch his nose bridge in irritation.
"When I was tortured, I got information. The organisation that took me are run by six leaders. Or rather five now." Jakob didn't hide the slight smile.
"They are preparing a war. They have guns that have been tampered with to combat magic. They have tools to even make the Quades wards redundant, and they asked me of two specific locations."
Dumbledore frowned, showing a slight worry about the words the boy was telling him and waited for Jakob to continue. The Slytherin boy released the pinch on his nose bridge and opened his eyes, looking at the headmaster.
"They wanted to know the location of the ministry and Hogwarts. They Knew both places by name. I'm not like Grindewald. He wanted world domination. I don't wish muggles to be destroyed, but I'm not sitting idly by when they hunt and kill our kind and destroy our homes because they think we are the abominations."
Dumbledore could only stare at the boy. Was he right? Were the muggles preparing for a war? He needed more information about this.
"I… did they tell you anything else?"
"Not much, but I think I can get the information I need," said Jakob with the hidden question of permission in his tone. The Quade boy didn't really need it, but if Dumbledore accepted the proposal, it would be the first building stone to getting the light faction on his side.
Dumbledore hesitated at first. But knowing that the Quade boy would probably find out more information anyways, he decided that it would be better if the light faction were the ones getting the information instead of the Dark alliance.
"If you decide to proceed with this, I would at least like for someone to join you. An adult to keep you safe."
Jakob shrugged and inwardly smiled victoriously.
"I can't see a problem with that."
Dumbledore smiled inwardly. He had succeeded in his hastily formed plan and would be able to monitor the boy better now. If he chose someone the boy would click with, he was sure he could influence Jakob enough to turn to him and the light. Thoughts about who he would place with the boy were already on his mental list.
The two wizards gave each other an approving nod.
"I need to tell you something else. This might not be the best of times to inform you about this, but as it stands, you are without a magical guardian. Did your father leave any will of whom he had chosen?
Have you received any instructions or letters?"
Jakob thought about the letter he had in his pocket at this very moment and nodded.
"I received a letter, but it was taken from me when I was… on a forced vacation."
Dumbledore sighed with the knowledge of this new problem.
"Then the houses who wish to take you in will send their proposal, and you will choose."
Jakob nodded knowingly.
"I know."
"The house you chose will also represent house Quade in the wizengamot until your seventeenth birthday as a proxy."
Jakob nodded once again, knowing full well what the law stated.
Dumbledore stood again to say his goodbye.
"I hope to see you again when Christmas break is over. Until you receive a new guardian, you are free to make your own decisions and the ones for Ella."
"We will see you after Christmas." Answered Jakob and caught the sparkle in the headmaster's eye as he turned and strode out.
When dinner was served, Jakob sat beside Ella. He ignored the glances Ivy was giving him from across the dining table. Lilly looked around and noticed the total silence, and with a tired sigh, she cleared her throat.
"So, Does anyone have something they want to talk about?"
No one spoke. Not even Harry, who always had something exciting to tell the family when he had been over to the Weasleys. When she was about to say something else, the doors flew open, and Sirius burst in.
"Oh, dinner!" The black lord, still in his grey Auror robes, placed himself beside Harry and ruffled the boy's hair.
"Sirius, please take a plate and eat our food," said Lilly trying to hide the irritation in her voice.
"Thanks, darling. I'm staving after all the blasted paperwork. James, can't you fix like interns who do the paperwork for us?"
James looked like he was thinking the proposal over and opened his mouth, giving the Black Lord hope but was shut down by his wife, who slapped him on his arm.
"They are not going to be tormented because of your laziness James Potter." James gave his best friend an apologetic smile while snickering could be heard around the table.
Sirius removed something from his hand and put it on the table as he began piling food on his plate with a sour expression.
"What's that?" asked Jakob curiously.
"What? This?" asked Lord Black and pointed to the hand band.
"No. The man sitting and pointing at it," answered Jakob dryly, earning an approving snort from Ivy and Lilly.
"Very funny, kid. That is an Auror shield. It protects us from the big bad wolfs and this." said the charming man, Flicking his black hair away.
"Is a very handsome man."
Jakob reached out quickly and snatched the band.
"Hey, wait, kid, you can't just. Hey!" Sirius tried to match Jake's speed, but the Quade boy was too fast.
"Give it back. That's Auror stuff. You can't just snatch it."
Jakob gave the man a raised eyebrow.
"If I can snatch it from an Auror, it would probably serve me better than you."
He placed it in his hand and closed his fist. The shield unfolded, and the Slytherin boy looked in awe at the magnificent piece of magic.
Sirius hastily sprinted around the table and grabbed it from Jakob's hands.
"Next time you try something like that, I won't go easy on you."
The Slytherin boy glared at the Auror who had just interrupted him in his joy.
"Huh, threatening a thirteen-year-old who just lost his family and got kidnapped. Very brave indeed." Jakob slowly clapped, which made Sirius look pleadingly towards James, who shrugged his shoulders non caringly.
"Oh, come on, Padfoot. Let him test it out. It's not like he can break it."
Lord Black glared at the intrigued Jakob as he hesitantly handed over the strap.
"I want it before I leave."
"And when will that be exactly?" asked Lilly, interested.
When dinner was over, Jakob went back up to his room. He had a lot to do before he Could sleep tonight. He opened his door, stepped inside and stretched, feeling a bit tired after the exquisite dinner.
After closing it, he lay on the bed and took out the envelope his father had given him.
Opening it, he took out the letter and felt his heartbeat quicken as he read the handwriting.
To my son and Heir Jakob Quade.
Jakob, if you read this, then it means that I have passed. Emma will receive another letter with the information she needs. The goblins will have a letter containing the fortune I have left you and Emma. If something should happen to either of you, then the wealth passes on to the one alive.
Suppose I die before announcing a new magical guardian. In that case, you will know that the Malfoys aren't an option anymore, and you will have the possibility to choose one for yourself. I recommend you choose one with high standings and who is loyal to house Quade.
Jakob. There are things that I have kept secret from you.
First, I must address that Susie has been bound to our family as her mother before her, and now Ella is our latest addition. They have always been treated well and like family behind closed doors for one reason alone. They are family.
Susie had to go through me to be pregnant with Ella. It has been like this since the beginning. It's a part of the blood curse that bound them to us. Ella will be no different. Before her seventeenth birthday, Ella will carry a daughter that you will gift to her. The blood curse will acknowledge the refusal and act if you deny her this. She will lose her magic and slowly weaken before she dies. The curse is to make sure that her line follows ours, and in my youth, I chose not to act at first. But seeing Susie in such pain and misery weighed heavy on my mind and heart, and I gave in, like my father before me. Ella will only carry one daughter and only with a son of house Quade. I made a mistake in waiting as I believed I could discover a cure or break the curse to free Susie from this nightmare. She suffered, and I was too proud to see reason to break my promise to her. Don't make the same mistake.
Jakob stared up from the letter in shock.
"What the fuck?" he let the note fall on his chest as he pinched his nose bridge and closed his eyes hard. He already had so much shit in his bag, and now this?
"One thing at a time Jakob."
He picked up the letter again and kept reading.
The second thing I need to address was when I was in the dark lord's forces, my first wife, Loraine, Emma's mother, fell ill with an unknown disease and died shortly after. I have always had my suspicions that my first wife was murdered, but I have no evidence to prove anything. I was then presented with a new woman with our lord's blessing. Her name was Morgana Lefay." she gave birth to you and was the one who named you. She was adamant that you were to be named Jakob. I have never figured out why. I cared a lot about your mother, but the truth is that she betrayed us one night. I never told you about this because I feared it would burden you too much. I found her in your nursery one night. She was whispering something to you, and when I confronted her, I was stunned by a red jet of light. When I woke up, I went to the dark lord and told him about her betrayal. He asked me if she was seen holding a cup. I never got the chance to answer him before he cursed me. I have never found out more about that cup, but if you one day do, you might unravel something I could not. On the backside, you will find the only photo of us like a family. It was supposed to be our family portrait, but when she betrayed our family, I couldn't bear the thought of seeing her face again. Neater, could I destroy the photo. Tap your wand, and the picture will appear.
Jakob quickly flipped the letter and tapped his wand at it. His eyes widen in recognition. It was Morgan. She looked younger than when he had met her in her original timeline, but there was no mistake that this was the same woman.
"Wait... Morgana was... What the fuck!" Jakob got out of bed and paced back and forth in his room.
"How is this even possible!? She can't be the same. She must be over a thousand years old!"
A loud knocking on his door was heard, and the Slytherin boy turned in panic.
"What are you on about? Why are you screaming?" Hearing Harry's voice Jakob looked around his room for a second as if something there might help him to find a lie to the Gryffindor on the other side of the door.
"None of your business. Stop being such a nuisance to everyone four eyes and get lost!"
Harry banged on the door.
"Can't you just run away or get your friends to kidnap you or something? No one wants you here!" The panicked boy didn't answer and felt relief when he listened to the retreating footsteps and another door slamming shut further down the corridor.
"How could I be that stupid." He waved his wand and silenced the room.
He went back to his bed and sat down with a heavy sigh.
"I don't want to read this shit anymore." With a curious frown, Jakob raised the letter again and read the last text written on the piece of paper.
The third and last thing I need to address may not come as a shock to you.
You are going to be betrothed. I have already secured a spouse with a high-standing family, increasing our wealth and power. I have decided to not reveal to whom you are to be married. You will receive a new letter from the chosen family on your fifteenth birthday when the binding contract activates. You will not ruin this Jakob Quade.
Sincerely. Your father, Thomas Acticus Quade.
Jakob held the paper like he was about to rip it apart, his hands shaking in rage.
"That stubborn old shit!" His body relaxed as he sighed in defeat.
"You won, father. You made me temporarily lose my mind." Jakob sat on the edge of his bed and thought about everything he had read. This was too much for anyone to digest. He gently put the letter back in its envelope and pocketed it inside his robes.
"Alright, I can worry about those things later. first things first." The Quade boy stood and strolled over to his window, where he saw the flock of Gryphon's grazing by the end of the Potter perimeter. He squinted his eyes, searching for the perfect target. When he saw what he was looking for, he smiled viciously.
"Perfect."
Rachel had made some pasta with tomato sauce. She sat alone by the dining table and held a book in her left hand while punching some of the pasta screws on her fork, raising it up to take another bite.
She frowned at the curse she had accidentally been reading about.
" Why would they even come up with something that horrible? Ugh, great, I'm nauseated now." she closed the book, put it on the table beside her dinner, stared down at her plate, and then around the quiet surrounding.
It was almost worse that she was placed here instead of in a room with only a mattress. A few times during the day, she had nearly forgotten that she was a prisoner. But every time the thought returned, Rachel worriedly glanced at the closed door. She didn't want him to return. What would he do? Would he hurt her again?
The trunk door opened, and the girl jolted up from her chair. He had returned.
The blonde began backing away, only stopping when she felt the bookshelf pressing against her back. Jakob walked inside with a bag over his shoulder, making him remind the girl that Christmas was only days away. But she doubted that there were Christmas presents in that bag.
"What's in the bag?" Jakob smiled in a way that made Rachel feel a shiver run down her spine, and she heard a voice in her head screaming for her to run away. The Quade boy approached the middle of the room and released the bag on the floor with a low thud.
" Ingredient." was the short and only reply she got as Jakob waved his wand and pushed the table and chairs away.
" What are you going to do? Are you going to curse me?" asked Rachel, frightened as she slowly began moving to the side.
" You have read some of the books?" questioned Jakob and glanced towards the dining table.
" Dark art. Tsk. Tsk. Tak." he gave her a smirk as he plucked out a jar of blood from his left robe pocket. He went to one of the bookshelves, took out a red-looking book, and tapped it with his wand, making it levitate beside him with a specific page open.
Rachel watched and felt her heart thump faster as the boy started to smear symbols on the floor, creating a hexagon shape.
" What-"
" I'm going to make a little blood ritual. It's a speciality of mine. The thing with Blood rituals that fascinated me so much is that once they are accomplished, there is no turning back. They are finite."
Rachel wanted to run. She took another step to the side, seeing the closed door behind him. She was about to run with everything she got, but a flick of Jakob's wand made her feet stick to the ground, causing the blond to drop down, and she had to reach out her hand to absorb the impact with a surprised cry.
" Did you think you would be living here rent-free? That this would be your punishment?" he gave her a brief condescending look and continued drawing the shapes, glancing at the book to confirm that he was doing it the right way.
" I'm going to put a blood curse on you. It will hurt a lot. Even I don't know how much, but it will be the last of your worries. Tell me, Rachel. Do you know what a blood curse is?"
The girl shook her head, trying to hold back her tears as she stood again.
Jakob, who had now finished the preparations, stood and approached his prisoner, giving her a fake sympathetic smile.
" Your grandmother put my friends and me in one. It was horrible. Blood curses often are. This one, however, isn't going to put you in some sort of nightmare or anything like that." the Quade boy reached up his hand, halting for a second when seeing Rachel flinch away. Jakob gave her a reassuring smile as he gently stroked her cheek.
" This one will bind you to me forever. In everything except for the soul. You will be my little jailbird forever."
" Please... just kill me instead." pleaded the blonde going down on her knees.
" Kill you? Why would I do that? You are too valuable. You have a lot of information I need. When we are done here, you will begin your true purpose."
The girl who was still kneeling froze. Jakob's reassuring smile slowly vanished, and he gave her a hard stare as she slowly rose again. He turned and walked over to the bag, flicking his wand and letting the baby gryphon roll out on the floor. Rachel let out a small sound of fright as she saw the creature.
"It's not dead. We need it alive for this." Said Jakob in an educating tone, like he was the teacher and Rachel his student. The Quade boy kneeled and lifted the sleeping beast. He walked over, placed it gently into the circle, and then turned towards his experiment.
" Raise your arms up."
The girl sobbed silently as she did what he told her. Jakob slowly and carefully removed her hoodie, sweater, and bra. It almost felt romantic if it weren't for the tears and the blood on the floor.
"What... What are you going to do?"
The Quade boy didn't answer her and started unbuttoning her pants and pulling them together with her underwear down to her ankles. He avoided glancing at her body, knowing he needed to focus right now and not let his blood flow away from his brain.
"We need to be naked for this. I will remove the sticking charm, but if you try anything, I will make sure you suffer before we continue, okay?" The sweet tone in his voice was almost enchanting, and Rachel nodded while covering her body with her hands and arms.
The boy slowly went down on one knee and carefully removed the rest of her clothing.
Before standing, Jakob grabbed the blood and started drawing symbols on her naked body. Rachel wanted to run, but her body was paralysed.
When her entire body was covered, from her feet to her forehead, Jakob undressed and soon stood naked in front of her, drawing another set of blood symbols on himself.
When the jar was empty, and he made one last check, he took her hands gently in his own and walked with her to the middle of the hexagon.
" Like I said before, this will hurt a lot for you." he flicked his wand, and his red knife flew into his hand.
He smiled at the terrified girl, who had begun to shake, almost looking like she was freezing, but he knew it wasn't that. She was going into shock.
With another flick of his wand, the gryphon started hovering on his right side. He took one last glance in the red book before nodding once.
Rachel let out a surprised scream when he stabbed the baby gryphon, who woke and let out a short cry of pain as the boy began sawing a line downwards.
" .sh. I only need your heart, little one."
He cut around the creature's chest, reached in his hands and pulled out the beating heart. Holding it in his right hand as the gryphon looked at the organ before the hovering spell was lifted, and it fell with a thud on the floor, dead.
" I call upon the magic of blood. The magic of life."
Rachel began screaming in pain. The symbols on her body suddenly blazed up in a red-orange fire, making it look like the girl was on fire.
" inimicum tibi maledico ut semper iussa facias mea. Animam tuam et animam tuam maledico, ut eant contra te et falkie me. liberum arbitrium nunquam habebis, sed animo liber esto. ita fiat fiat."
The pain was everywhere on her skin and slowly moved inside her flesh and bone as the burning symbols slowly sank into her skin. When she thought it couldn't possibly be any worse, she felt the smouldering sign on her forehead slipping inside her skull like a warm knife slicing a piece of butter. She could feel the symbol searing into her brain and could almost smell the smoke inside her. Rachels's screams of pain and terror subsided as her body began to violently shake. Her eyes rolled up, and a strange sound escaped her mouth as Jakob continued chanting.
" Accept this sacrifice and let my will be law."
He grabbed the hovering heart and forced open the disconnected girl's mouth, pushing a third of the still-beating heart, making her bite down and swallow. He likewise took a bite and released the heart, which now hovered and showed two bite marks on either side of it. The boy waited for the magic to indicate its acceptance of the sacrifice.
The gryphon twitched, and the Quade boy grinned as the beating heart and magical corpse turned into a tornado of blood, flesh and bones around the two. It was finished. The ritual was completed. The symbols on his body sank into him. He felt no pain but instead sensed a newly created connection between him and Rachel.
When the tornado faded, Rachel dropped down on the floor. Jakob bent down, picked up the now passed-out blonde girl in his arms, and carried her over to the bed.
Rachel was gently put down on the right side of the bed, and Jakob lay down beside her, sweeping away some of her hair that had clung to her damp body.
He observed his prisoner, and a victorious smile slowly appeared as he took in his new instrument. Leaning in, Jakob whispered in a soft voice.
"Wake up."
Rachel opened her eyes, blinking a few times, confusion marring her face.
He didn't say or do anything, letting the girl gather her thoughts before she slowly turned her eyes towards the naked boy beside her.
"Good morning, Rachel. Did you sleep well?"
Authors note: Another chapter is done! I really appreciated the reviews from the last chapter, and I'm happy that you guys enjoyed it:) Next chapter will focus on Xmas and some other things. After that, we will return back to Hogwarts. This chapter took some extra time, but I will return to the shorter chapters after this one ( I think.)
Cheers!