I Don't Own Harry Potter
Plot Idea #2.5: Kyu is a wall that let's nothing in, he's an all around asshole who is inconsiderate of others, hates kids, touchy feely people, sudden loud sounds, and idiots... So how the hell did he somehow turn out to be the unofficial favorite uncle of the Zabini household?
Chapter 5: Aster Zabini and her Immortal Godfather #2
Aster Zabini was born into a household of love and slightly overbearing parents. She couldn't remember a time she didn't look up to them or was slightly frustrated with her parents. Don't get her wrong, her parents were awesome, they always had time for her, dropped literally anything and everything if she asked for it, and made sure she had every single opportunity possible.
If she asked to go to the public library because she liked that one book she saw that had the cool moving pictures and that animal her dad explained was a zebra, then one of her parents would work out a way to make it happen even with their busy schedules. But of course it wasn't all perfect. Aster's parents for as much as they cared, also babied her to the extreme and seemed to think they should have access to every little thing in her life, no matter how private she felt it should be.
They were nosy but not to bad, a bit too protective, but the two knew how to use a few healing spells so there usually wasn't any rushed visits to a hospital, they always seemed to orbit around her until she wanted to do something herself then suddenly they seemed to know to give her space.
All in all, she had a great childhood, got to know a lot of cool kids and she even really liked the rest of the adults in her life as well, because they were like her parents but not. Aunt Tracey was really kind always brought her little sweets that her parents didn't like having to many of in the house. And Uncle Theo was really funny, always managing to make her laugh even when she was upset about something like her parents not being able to bring her to the park that day even though they promised they could go tomorrow.
Then there was her other Uncle, he wasn't really around much when she was really young, or at least she didn't remember him, which she think she would have with how she butchered her family's names when she was young. She just knew she would have destroyed a strange but special name like Kyu Malo, so utterly foreign as the man himself that she thinks her first real memory of her godfather was about how out of place he looked among the rest, and yet seemed to just fit so well that she couldn't help but just accept it.
She was five at the time, it was during a small Christmas party her parents sort of tossed together to get their family together. She remembered that wording, that the it meant the party was only for their family.
Her family was the open type, they went to friends houses all the time, mostly work friends or people they knew from their time in school, talking to them and generally hanging out, she made a lot of friends with kids her age that way. And she had been to a lot of cool parties and galas for the holidays before then that had a lot of the same people, a bunch of family friends she only mostly remembered the names of.
But just family? Honestly, at five she remembered thinking that would be kind of boring, because she wouldn't have anyone to really talk to or play with. It would just be her, mum, dad, her baby brother, mum's sister, and maybe her grandparents depending on if they could make it. She knew Uncle Theo wasn't really her uncle, and while Aunt Tracey was her godmother, she wasn't sure that meant she would be there.
So to her, and her limited experience about events at such a young age, it felt really small and didn't think it would be all that cool or fun without any of her friends to run around with and compare gifts right away.
Aster complained a bit, but her mum just poked her on the nose and told her to behave herself, and her dad, when she went to him after it was clear her mum wasn't going to help, just laughed and said she'd still have fun.
She didn't believe it the weeks leading up, but she did on the day it happened.
It was normal enough, she was already running around the second she woke up, trying to make her status of being awake everyone else's problem. Her little three year old brother faithfully trailing behind her as quickly as his little legs could take him as before long her dad had appeared in a door way and reached down to scoop her up to stop her little rush around.
She remembers squealing at being caught, her mother smiling fondly at the sight while her dad just rolled his eyes, smiling all the while, trying to convince her parents to open the gifts before breakfast, but neither had any of it, before long they were just talking, discussing things about whatever she had on her mind, asking about Santa and if he really was a house elf, Aster thinks. She remembers her mum mentioning talking to Uncle Theo after that for some reason.
From there her family started showing up, first it was her grandmother on her dad's side, she seemed to give off an energy of warmth and comfort that Aster always found so comforting, no matter what happened, she just had a way to washing it all away with just a hug.
Then her godmother and aunt showed up, bouncing her two year old cousin in her arms as she went, her husband Wayne Hopkins at her side. She didn't know the man as well but she got along with him when they talked so Aster thought he was kind of cool, really nice if a bit awkward for the child's taste to really be able to bounce around him like she was use to.
Next up was Uncle Theo, he just showed up, seemed only to remember to knock once he had already walked into the front door, she remembered giggling at her mother tearing into her uncle at having so little manners. Even she was better than her Uncle, something she remembered loving to point out to the man all the time. It was so embarrassing looking back on it, remembering dragging him along to a random wall so he could watch her and how she knocked so he could do it in the future.
From there Aster didn't think anyone else was going to be coming, her mother mentioned that her sister wasn't going to be able to make it, which was a bit disappointing, but she had more fun then she thought she would and they weren't even at the presents part yet, so it was mostly fine.
Then one last set of knocks came from the door, it was faint, like whoever was behind the door didn't really want to put in the effort of having to knock. Aster was confused at the time. She didn't think anyone else would be coming after all, but then suddenly her dad was jumping up with a grin on his face and most of the other adults in the room were smiling happily to each other, like the arrival was something special by itself.
Aster didn't get it, especially when the door swung open in the front of their house, and before long the two men reentered, her dad leading the way, happily talking about something as the other just slowly walked in at his own pace.
The man was... weird. Right away something just looked off about him. He was in sort of weird clothes. She knew what muggle clothes looked like of course, but his were weird, they hung off him and made him look strange, his hair was really long and looked knotted up in places that she knew her mother would thorough a fit at as soon as she saw it, even if it being done up in a loose, low hair tie.
And there was the fact that he was young, Aster, even at the age of six knew the difference age wise between someone who was in their late twenties like her dad, mum, and aunts and uncle and someone who was at best maybe early twenties but probably only late teens. The other man fit into that latter category, clear weather lines on his face and bags under his eyes or not, he looked very out of place in the upstanding and high society house of Zabini and Aster remembered wondering why someone so weird looking was in their house.
What? She was born in high standings, Aster was proud to say she wasn't arrogant like others purebloods born in her position, but she definitely had pride in her family name.
And, yeah, if she knew at the time she was looking at one of the most influential men on the planet, as well as easily two times richer than most of the rich people in Britain, then she would have other thoughts, but she was also five and as such not likely to know the geopolitical standings of random people she wasn't sure she's seen before, or that she should care about it at all really, cause she was five and cared more about if the person in front of her had a weird smile or not more than their financials.
And there was plenty of things she could look at. He was covered in shiny items on his haggard yet young form, a ring fitted over practically every finger, a long chain necklace hanging from his shoulders, clear earrings that glinted weird in the light, and two wide bracelets on his wrists, and then there was the fact that unlike everyone else in the room, he wasn't wearing robes, the clothes were just what she'd see people on the street wear, they even were covered in wrinkles in places and he had grey fur on parts of his sleeves for some reason.
And because she was five, she did the only thing she could think of at the time, running up the weird guy who knew her dad, looked up at him and told him.
"You look funny" The man just stared down at her, then blinked like he was unsure what to do with her wise words. Her dad was having a break down next to the man however and she heard sounds that were close to the same from behind her where Uncle Theo was sitting.
And that's how she met her immortal godfather, calling him weird while her dad and uncle had a laughing fit.
He had apparently just come back from doing something in Africa, and Aster being the excitable young lady she was, she instantly demanded he tell her all about it, and not even a moment later her little brother and cousin either walked over or crawled to stare up at where he was sitting on a couch.
Now with the gift of foresight, Aster can look back on that moment, of staring pleadingly up in those dark almost vacant blackish brown eyes and realize if she had been a few years older she would have found the eyes almost unnerving, just like how years after that looking back, she could now recognize the way her godfather's eyes would zone out and get that look when he was trying to think of something to say.
Her dad called it his internal panicking face later on a few years after when she asked about it.
She also remembered the simple drawl of that light pitched yet rough voice speak up for one of the first times. Some of the first words the most powerful wizard of his time spoke to her... and they were.
"Uh, sure... I guess... What do you know about feral vampire managers and tyrannical, bombardment squads in South Africa?" Aster understood only the first few words of that sentence, but obviously she wasn't going to admit that.
"A lot!" He just stared at her for a long moment before looking up over at her dad, who was sitting across from him, looking way too amused about everything that was happening and said.
"I see. Ok then. So it started with me and my friend-" And from there her new Uncle, or godfather or whatever he was, she wasn't sure yet at the time, just started talking, seemingly going off at random points, talking about these weird beans and a baby dragon for a long time before glossing over other things that she was later realize was because they were not child friendly subjects... She figured out he was censoring himself so much around the same time she started Hogwarts but that wasn't important right now.
At the time it was awesome, listening to something that sounded so true and magical and everything she thought could only really happen in the cool picture books, no matter the magical world she lived in.
It was that moment and that really cool story that started Kyu's downfall of eventually running a daycare service as one Aster Zabini decided that her weird godfather was actually, maybe, kind of cool.
Aster didn't really know where they were at the moment but both her parents were having work emergencies, something about a new tome or something for her mum and her dad was being pulled on as a consultant for some ministry thing. She didn't really get it, but it was fine, she was a big girl, she was six now after all!
Apparently her parents didn't agree, hence the reason they were being dropped off, but she didn't mind. She was actually really looking forwards to seeing just what all was around. Visiting new places was always pretty fun, and while this place looked... a bit weird, and she knew they were in a muggle neighborhood meaning there wouldn't be any cool magic and she couldn't talk with the other kids around to be careful, she still figured it would be fun enough.
"Now, be on your best behavior alright? And listen to him, there might be a few things in this house that he tells you not to touch, and you make sure you and your brother listen alright?" Aster nodded. She was really good at listening when she needed to. Of course she wasn't going to listen that well, if something looked really cool she might touch it anyway, but it was probably fine!
"Now, come on, let's get you set up" She watched her dad knock on on the door a few times, before waiting a long moment before the door slowly opened just enough to see the half form of her Uncle. Aster let out a small excite cry at that. She hadn't seen him in a while! Moving forwards, she tried to push the door open, and it didn't budge for a moment before swinging open as she half charged at the man.
There was a sound of a yipping sound as she wrapped around a leg before looking up at the wide eyed and slightly startled look on her godfathers face. Being as young as she was of course, she didn't notice the way the man, in a jumper and jeans, tensed up and was slowly sinking a set of slaw like nails into the wall next to him to keep his balance as she happily cried out.
"Uncle!"
"U-uh. Hey, Aster. Um..." She just kept smiling before blinking and pouting when her uncle reached down and lightly patted her on the head, awkwardly messing up her hair that her mum had braided up that morning.
"Hey!" Her uncle just grinned, though she couldn't tell it was forced, before suddenly she was being picked up as she let out a yelp of shock before squealing as she was turned around and given a small look as he said.
"Hey now, remember what we talked about" Aster had to scrunch up her face in concentration to try and remember, her dad told her a lot of things. It took a second before she managed to push herself around to look back at her godfather.
"Yeah! He's weird! Doesn't like hugs and stuff" Her Uncle gave a look towards her dad, who was looking a bit to amused at the whole thing, before nodding.
"Yep, that's right, he's weird, make sure you tell him that a lot" Aster gave a nod, she could do that!"
"And you said I would be the bad influence?" Her dad told her uncle a look before they both just grinned a small bit to each other as she was put down.
A few minutes later her dad was gone and she was being lead into the house. It was kind of small really, not that small, more... cozy? Yeah that was the word her mind was trying to find. All around her and her brother as they walked into the living room were shelves with little bobbles and bits, random trinkets of all kinds just laying around on desks and tables.
It made her promise to her dad about not touching anything really suddenly hard, though she was brought out of her thoughts as she watched her uncle move towards the couch and said with a gesture to something on the wall.
"If you two want, I could put on a movie or something?" Oh! It was a tv! Uncle Theo also had one, thought they didn't get to use it enough in Aster's opinion, but theirs was more boxy than the sleek flat on hanging from the wall. That was so cool!
"It looks weird" Her Uncle nodded.
"It's a few years ahead of it's time" She blinked in confusion at that before asking with a furrowed brow.
"What's that mean?" He just shrugged, as he reached down, picking up her four year old little brother Bryse, and set him on the couch when he was trying to climb up himself without much success.
"Nothing, just you won't see something like that for a few years" Aster was very confused.
"Why?"
"Don't worry about it"
"Why?"
"... Because" Aster took that as a personal win, whenever she thought she was losing an argument, and someone said that, she knew she won, but she just asked anyway as she jumped up onto the fluffy and nice couch.
"Why?" She watched as her Uncle kept his eyes pointed straight ahead while a remote jumped into his hands from across the couch, Aster was suddenly pretty distracted by that as she gasped a bit as she watched her Uncle turn to look at her with a faint bit of confusion on his face.
"What was that!" He just blinked before saying.
"Magic?" She pouted at that, glaring up at her Uncle, weren't adults suppose to be smart?
"Not that! The thing!" He blinked again and gestured with the remote. Aster just pouted harder, her Uncle was pretty dumb wasn't he? it's fine though, he was also kind of cool, so he got to be a bit dull. "You know! You didn't do the thing!" He's eyes sort of sharpened for a moment, it was weird, but then he just tilted his head to the side, his hair flopping down a bit to cover a bit of his face as he said.
"You mean use a wand?" She nodded excitedly, there! It just took him a second, but maybe he wasn't that dumb after all! Though he still looked a bit confused for a moment before just saying. "I don't need a wand"
"Yes you do!" Aster knew that one! She only ever saw her parents and their friends do magic after pulling out their wands! Aster really wanted one for herself but she wasn't allowed one until she was eleven, which she thought was another pretty dumb thing that adults decided, but she kept that to herself. So she was feeling pretty good about herself, all nice and smug knowing something her uncle didn't. Then her uncle said-
"Why?" She gaped up at the man who was smiling just a bit to smugly to be nice as she glared up and said.
"Cause you have to!" He simply shrugged, looking not particularly understanding to the great wisdom she was trying to give him.
"But why?" She huffed.
"Cause!"
"Why?" She kept glaring at the man who looked completely fine to keep going and refused to see just why she was right, when suddenly a genius idea hit her! She knew how to get him to admit she was right all along!
"Prove it!" She got him!
And then he held out his hand and Aster felt her mouth drop open as she watched as in a flurry of motion, dozens of small butterflies fluttered into the air, breaking off in multiple patterns in a whirl of color, filling her view as she thought for a second she couldn't breath at the beauty of the sight. Her little brother was crawling over to try and reach up his chubby hands to try and grab a few of the butterflies, as she watched something melt just a bit on her uncles normally calm face as he let out a breath as suddenly the direction of the butterflies flew around and suddenly a few landed and perched on Aster's own out stretched hands.
The two kids huddled over and looked at the few that and come close enough to land on them as the others in an instant were suddenly just gone, in a faint dash of color, like they had never existed in the first place.
It was like nothing she had ever seen before from magic, it was so beautiful and memorizing, as she and Bryse watched as the butterflies in their grasp suddenly broke up like they were crystals, bursting in sparkling light of the same color as their wings. Before she knew it she was looking back up at her Uncle, who was smiling as he said.
"Believe me now?" She jumped up, knocking her brother against the couch a bit, though he only giggled a bit, as she demanded.
"Do that again!" He just hummed before nodding with a shrug.
It was then that Aster decided she wanted to visit her godfather a lot more in the future, he was pretty cool after all!
"You're so cute!" The gray fox in front of the nine year old Aster hackles went up as she, without care, reached down and tried to scoop up the animal. She knew of course the fox was her godfather, who normally was all weird about being hugged and stuff, the rule was usually to let him start it, or to not surprise him about it, but he should know this is what she was going to do when she saw him like this!
He squirmed a bit, letting out an annoyed chittering sound, but she just moved him to the couch and let him drop down as he barked up at her a bit, Aster thought it just made him even cuter, his fur being all poofed up, he looked like he was pouting.
Aster just jumped down next to the fox, as her brother moved over, being smiling wide at the sight of their Uncle.
"Vol!" Aster smiled at just how excited her brother looked, he loved it when their uncle would transform into a fox. They usually had to pester him a lot to do it, but it was always worth it! They even got to name him! Their parents always got a laugh out of it when they mentioned Vol, but Aster thought it was pretty fitting! Volpe is Italian for fox after all, and they helped name their uncles animal form when they were learning Italian from their dad so it just felt right!
It was totally worth it in her opinion for Bryse to use his birthday to convince their Uncle to let them name him. They even got the help of Franky, Aunt Tracey's son, to help out! That kid's puppy dog eyes could melt steel!
Either way, Uncle Vol did that thing where Aster thinks he's wondering why he let's these things happen before jumping up and curling up into a ball of fluff on the head of the couch as the two kids got comfortable before Aster reached out and managed to get the remote that was hanging off a table, before moving it and pointing the thing at the tv, hitting play on this cool movie that had just come out about Pokemon.
She and Bryse loved the games, it was actually this uncle that introduced them to it, getting the two one of the two versions that came out whenever a new one was released, and they both loved trading and battling against each other, though neither could really ever figure out how their Uncle always managed to get perfect teams that they could never beat.
Aster secretly thinks he's one of those people who spends all their time doing nothing but making the perfect teams and whatever. After all, what else would he be doing? Her mom says Uncle Kyu is a bum who doesn't have a job after all! Even if he is pretty famous and cool, that doesn't mean he has things to do or whatever right? Right!
Either way she snuggled up against a blanket that suddenly just sort of appeared and managed to pull her brother close and under it after a moment of play fighting, as they watched as the credits began to start, their attention dragged to it instantly as they watched the scene shift to a cliff, giggling a bit as she felt the bushy grey tail from Vol flop over her head as she pushed it away lightly before feeling the cushions above her move a bit so Vol was sitting right above her, perching right over her and her brother's head.
She snickered a bit to herself when Bryse shushed her before turning back to the movie. She was really happy, every time they came over for the night or when her parents were busy or wanted a day or night to themselves, Aster knew she would have a great time, even if it was a bit weird, cause her godfather was a bit weird, she still loved him like she did the rest of her family.
Aster is the best. Anyways, strangely enough, I had this chapter written up weeks ago, before I even wrote the one before this with Kyu actually becoming her godfather, mostly cause I wanted some fluff from all the angst and shit I had been writing thus far, and this was the result of it. I might write more, detailing some more slice of life moments between Aster and Kyu, or I might leave it here, or I might toss her into Hogwarts and write a chapter about that, or maybe something else.
I have no idea to be honest, that's the whole point of these side stories, I can write whatever the hell I want without having to worry about connecting them all. Cause, like, all of these aren't really connected, they can be, but these side stories could be in their own timeline or just filler in a way, however you want to consider it, otherwise when I post things that don't connect with each other at all, I don't have to give a shit. It also let's people who are reading this just pick and chose whatever the hell they want to be canon, like whatever the hell happened in Russia with that tent and a bear may not be a headcanon you want, but you want the Harry perspective, or you could want the other way around. I don't give a shit really, I'm just having a good time by writing all this really and that's all I care about.