Ryan was so upset, he didn't even notice the shard of glass in his hand, or the fact he was bleeding. He tried to tell himself it was just the ball, that he was upset it was broken, and worried his Grandsire would be really upset with him. But he could admit, deep down, it was his cousin. He told himself Draco would not be involved, he would never steal his ball, he knew how much it meant to Ryan. But even if he hadn't taken it, his words had really hurt, about the ball. Ryan knew it was not as cool as a broom, and perhaps not as expensive, but it was special to him. He didn't like to fly, but if Draco's broom had been stolen and then broken, he would be upset for his cousin. He would never have told Draco it was a stupid broom, that classes were more important, like Draco did with the ball and quidditch.

Ryan was in the hall when he saw Ron and Hector coming his way. He ducked into one of the alcoves, to avoid them, they were the last thing he needed to see right now. He had his map in hand, he wanted to avoid anyone, right now.

Hector could be heard. "Are you coming?"

Ron nodded. "You know I have been anxious to see it again."

Hector agreed. "The little snake slime are such fools. They think I was just here for nothing at Christmas."

Ron laughed. "My brothers would be so jealous if they saw this mirror."

Ryan wondered what they were talking about. "Mirror?"

Hector looked around. "We have to go, and be careful no one sees us."

Ron went to go with him under his cloak. "Good thing your dad gave you this for Christmas."

Ryan looked at the map and saw he could see them on it still. "Good thing Uncle Siri gave me this."

He followed them down the halls to an empty classroom but Hector took off the cloak. "I could look at this forever."

Ron nodded. "Do you think it really shows us our future?"

Hector shrugged. "That is what the headmaster told me. I doubt he'd lie."

Ryan looked at the mirror they stood in front of. "The future?"

Hector stood there. "Dad says it actually shows us what we can be. It is meant to help with my training.

Ron looked at the time. "I wish we could stay longer, but the others will wonder where we are."

Hector picked up his cloak. "We will come back later."

Ryan watched them go, and he slid out of his hiding spot, when he knew they were gone. He looked at the mirror, and had to wonder, if it was true. He knew the boys didn't know he was there, and Albus would likely not lie to Hector, if his dad had been there as well. He had never heard of such a thing before, but he knew the headmaster was known for inventing things. Or stealing credit for inventing them, he had been told.

Ryan stood in front of the mirror, and at first he thought something was wrong, nothing happened. But eventually the image changed, and he looked bigger like Draco, and he could see he looked powerful. He could be like that when he got older?

He was standing there watching, not sure how long, when he saw the mirror start to change. "What is this?"

It looked like a pond and someone had thrown a stone into the center, and sent ripples. He was worried he had broken it.

He shook his head as if he was coming out of some kind of daze. "I need to get out of here. I can't be caught, if I broke it."

Ryan slipped into the hall, his mind still on the mirror. Perhaps he'd go back and see it one day.

He ran into Fred when he was coming out. "Hey kiddo, we have been looking all over for you."

Ryan shook his head. "Why would you?"

George stopped. "Because we were worried about you. You know that."

Ryan tried to smirk. "It was just some stupid ball, I was acting like a baby."

Fred wasn't buying the look for a moment. "Draco was a jerk, and we told him. We know how much it meant to you."

George agreed with his twin. "Now we need to take you to the hospital wing."

Ryan was confused. "Why?"

Fred pointed at his hand. "Because you are bleeding. Did you forget about your hand?"

Ryan noticed his hand for the first time really. "I guess."

Fred put an arm around him. "We'll help you find out who did it, we promise. And you'll have your revenge."

Ryan allowed himself to be led. "At least you care."

The twins knew Draco did, he had just been a jerk, but they held their tongue. He had been an idiot, and they had a prank planned, for him He was a friend, but in many ways only because of Ryan. The twins had been his first friends, other than Draco, though Blaise had become his as well. Ryan had some of his own friends, the twins and Susan, apart from Draco. They could see Poppy's concern when she saw him bleeding, and how pale he was, and got Ryan seated on the bed to take care of his hand for him.

Poppy sent the twins off, assuring them Ryan would be okay, he just needed some rest. Ryan didn't protest, but they promised to come back and check on him, later on. When he was alone, Eileen came through the floo, to check on her grandson.

Eileen sat down on the bed with him. "Ryan?"

He was still shaken as he told her what happened. "Grandsire will be so angry."

Eileen kissed his head. "He'll know you had no part Ryan. I am sure he will send you a new one. And we'll find out who did it."

Ryan shook his head. "The twins might help, but Draco thinks it is stupid."

Eileen sighed. "Your cousin can say dumb things sometimes, but you know he loves you."

Ryan shook his head. "He thinks me some baby."

Eileen made him look. "Your cousin doesn't. No one does Prince, no one."

Ryan shook his head. "Everyone sees me as the poor little kid who needs to be watched out for."

Poppy shook her head. "You know the snakes always take care of each other. Older students take care of the younger, in your house."

Draco appeared in the door. "There you are Ryan. I was looking for you. Come on, we'll go down to our rooms."

Ryan shook his head. "The twins are coming back for me."

Draco looked a bit shocked by his cousin's words. He knew he couldn't be too upset, he had been a jerk to Ryan, he knew he had. He had to watch his back, he knew the twins would get back at him, and soon. He had to help find who stole his cousin's ball, to make it up to Ryan, and make them pay for what they had done. He had no doubt it was Hector, he just needed to prove it, so he got caught as well. The twins usually could be counted on to help, but as they sure enough came in and took Ryan, he knew no longer.

He watched them go and thought. "I have to find a way to make this up to Ryan."


Ryan had been distracted of late. It had been a week since the accident with his ball in class. The twins and his other friends were all determined to find out who had stolen it, and destroyed it. The older snakes were only too happy to help out as well. When it came to Ryan, it seemed that the likes of Oliver, would even work with the snakes, to help Ryan out. Draco was hoping they would allow him to help, but he was finding that both the lions and his own house, were not happy with him. He was lucky so far, he had not been on the receiving end of their pranks as well.

They all knew who was involved with the taking of the ball. They had no idea, how Hector had got his hands on it, but they knew he had. He must have had some help, he didn't have the brains or skill, for what he had done to the ball. And that partner definitely wasn't Ron.

Fred looked at Blaise in the morning. "Did you snag it?"

Blaise looked a bit ashamed as he took it from his pocket. "I don't like stealing from him."

George shook his head. "Ryan will forgive you. Once he knows why you borrowed it."

Fred looked over his shoulder. "Did you do the other thing?"

Blaise smirked and nodded. "That one might not be forgiven so soon or easily."

George shrugged. "The prat deserved it. He has to know it was coming sooner or later."

Marcus who had come up behind him agreed. "I think he may be relieved when he calms down. He has been pretty jumpy lately."

Blaise agreed. "I swear he has put wards around his bed at night. Even the goons have been staring daggers at him."

They were alerted to Draco's entrance with the sound of laughter. Draco refused to look up. "Keep it up."

Fred put an arm around him. "Hey Draco, I know you love us, but didn't think you wanted to join the family."

Draco glared at him. "I know you did this to me."

George pointed out. "How would we have got into your dorms?"

Draco glared at his housemates. "I am sure you had plenty of help."

Fred shrugged. "Considered making you look like a rat."

Draco simmered a bit. "I made a mistake. And I am trying to apologize."

George smiled. "Just a little reminder not to mess with Ryan. And now we have a way to help you make it up to him."

Draco was still glaring but he nodded. "What can I do?"

Draco's hair was now sticking up almost three feet, and curly, bright orange in color. He didn't look much like a Weasley, though his hair color was the same nearly to Ron, but he looked more like a clown. He had freckles all over him, but they were big, almost like polka dots instead. The spell would wear off in a day or two, well the product, which had been added to his shampoo and soap. It was one of the new products the twins developed, from some they had purchased, but it wouldn't be the only one they used today.

They had set up a plan, to make sure they caught Hector red handed. They didn't just want to pull a prank, they wanted to make sure he got caught, and by someone other than the headmaster. They knew the teacher who caught Hector, was just as important here.

They made sure Hector was near when Draco went down the hall with Blaise. "They will pay for this."

Blaise shook his head. "You have no idea it was the twins."

Draco sneered. "You know it was. They blame me for what happened to Ryan."

Hector smirked. "Like the slimy snake would ever pull that off."

Draco looked around and pulled something from his pocket. "Now to find Hector and plant this. The twins need to blame him for this."

Ron was simmering with his best friend. "He pulled a prank and he is going to pin it on us?"

Hector was irate. "Pin it on me it seems. We need to get our hands on the item. I am sure as hell not getting in trouble for this."

Ron watched as Hector pulled out his cloak. "Be careful. You don't need to get caught."

Hector smirked. "It would take more than those prats to catch me. Besides I have my cloak."

Ron watched, well he watched the group, as he couldn't see Hector. Hector used the same trick he used on Ryan, making Draco this time need to tie his laces, so he could get access to the bag. Last time it had been the stupid ball the baby was crying over, this time it was a bottle, though they weren't sure what it was. He knew something was wrong when Hector didn't come back.

Professor McGonagall appeared with Ryan, talking about classes. She looked. "What is going on here boys?"

Draco pulled off Hector's cloak. "Someone has been trying to steal from me."

Hector looked pissed. "I was doing no such thing."

Blaise pointed at his hand. "Then what is your hand doing in his bag?"

Hector desperately tried to remove it but his hand was stuck. "They tricked me. They were going to get me up for a prank."

Draco looked at his cousin and back. "They were the ones who stole Ryan's ball."

Minerva put an end to all of the bickering. "We are all going up to the headmaster's office. This will be settled there."

Albus was not happy when they were paraded into his office. He was even more unhappy, when Horace arrived, with the truth serums. All of the kids were made to take it, and Hector admitted, to what he had pulled with the ball. He would only admit that Ron had helped him with it though. They had chosen to do the prank, as they knew Minerva was near, and she wouldn't let them get away with it. Minerva proved them right.

Minerva looked at Albus. "Stealing is a very serious issue. I believe all the families should be involved."


Molly and Arthur, James and Lily, and most of the Blacks arrived at school. Well Regulus was accompanied not by his husband, but by Lucius, his father and his brother. It wasn't a criminal issue, well stealing would be, but the school handled these things if less serious. The Blacks were furious, when they found out not only about Hector's theft, but what he had done to the ball as well.

Ryan kept looking back and forth, between his grandsire, and between Draco. Lucius had to bite his lip, when he looked at his son, to stop from laughing. He had heard what his son had said, and he thought Draco deserved it, and hadn't offered his son a hand.

James was not happy to be there. "I don't see the issue. This was a minor prank."

Regulus looked at him. "If it was your son's broom let's say, you would want the aurors involved."

Lily pointed out. "It wasn't a broom, but a silly astronomy ball. This is such a minor issue, some fun."

Orion handed her the bill. "Them you won't mind paying for the new one."

James looked in shock at the price. "This, for a bloody ball? You could get a racing broom, not a Nimbus but a good one, for this."

Orion looked in pride at his grandson. "It was custom made. It was for his eleventh birthday after all."

Albus tried to calm it. "The Potters will of course cover the cost. Now it seems that this should be enough…."

Lucius smirked. "You think we will overlook Hector was caught not once but twice stealing from another student?"

Hector glared. "They claimed they were setting me up. I wouldn't let them."

Minerva spoke. "Be that as it may, that doesn't forgive you stealing in the first place."

Albus shook her off. "The family is paying for it."

Regulus pointed out. "And yet Hector is not. What lesson is he learning? That his parents will buy his way out of trouble? And Ron?"

Ron was stewing. "I wasn't the one who stole it."

Molly shot an angry look at her son. "No, you just helped. I have never been so ashamed of you."

Minerva spoke. "Both boys will spend every weekend for the next three months, helping Argus clean the school top to bottom."

Albus sighed and agreed. "Fine."

Orion looked at the cloak. "And that will be removed from the school, and not returned."

James tried to argue, but even Albus had no power to stop it. The item had been used, in one theft, and another attempt. Sirius cast a spell, which made sure once the cloak left the school with James, it wouldn't return either. James had always known, if he had been found with it at school, it would have been taken away. He had told his son to be careful, and he was irate, that Hector had been caught. He had pride in his son, thought he would be a true marauder like he had once been, but he didn't have the brains it seems to follow.

The Blacks went with Ryan and Draco, down to the dungeons, but to Horace's rooms, when it was done. They were confident the best had been done, and thought Draco and the twins had been smart, to make sure Minerva was involved.

Ryan looked at his grandsire. "I am sorry Grandsire. I…."

He stopped Ryan. "This was not your fault Orion. I have ordered a new one made, you shall have it in a week."

Draco looked at his cousin. "I hope you know I'm sorry about what I said."

Ryan looked at his cousin a little. "The trap you set for Hector was pretty good."

Draco smiled a little. "I'll send a photo of myself to the prophet, if it would help."

Ryan had a coy little smile. "I already did."

Sirius shook his head. "I don't think even I was into this much mischief until at least third year."

Orion looked at his eldest son. "I recall coming to school every few weeks. And you were usually the one in detention."

Sirius shrugged. "I guess I just got better, at getting away with it when older."

Regulus turned his attention to his son. "You could have told us Ryan. You know we wouldn't have been angry at you for it."

Ryan looked down at his feet. "I know Dad, I'm sorry."

Orion shook his head. "The boy doesn't need to be made to feel guilty. Now I think it is time we head out."

Regulus knew his father was right. Ryan should have known, it wasn't his fault, and he'd not get into trouble for what happened to his ball. But the ball meant so much to Ryan, and it was a special gift, because his grandsire was proud of him. The only thing that would hurt Ryan more, was if the potions book his Papa had given him, was taken. It would have been worse, as the potions book could not be replaced, the ball could be.

Ryan stopped his grandsire before he left. "Grandsire I wanted to ask you something?"

His grandsire stopped. "You know I have all the time for you."

Ryan looked a bit nervous. "Grandsire is there a spell which can show you what you would be like in the future?"

Orion was a bit confused by that. "No. There are mirages, spells which can make you see what you wish. It feeds upon your desires alone."

Ryan was a bit shaken. "If someone used the spell on an item, but the image rippled….."

Orion stopped. "Is there something at school? Orion?"

Ryan wasn't sure to tell him. "I was just wondering."

Orion didn't push. "Some people have a skill to see through such. Alastor's eye for instance."

Ryan knew about Moody's eye and seeing through cloaks and such. "Oh, so if one didn't…"

Orion cut him off. "Earth bounds sometimes have the skill. I do not have the same skill as Moody, but seeing through allusions, at times."

Ryan was reminded his grandsire thought he may be an earth bound elemental as well. "Okay."

Orion took him by the shoulders. "You have magic, even if not the power some others have. If you ever need to talk, you know I am here."

Ryan surprised his grandsire by hugging him. "Thank you grandsire."

Orion returned the hug, and actually kissed his grandson on the head. "You are a true little Black. I know you will one day show the world."

Ryan watched his grandsire leave, and he had to wonder. He had to see the mirror again. He told himself it was just because he wanted to prove it wasn't a fluke. His grandsire had told him the spell was a fake, it was only an allusion, and that he would never be like that. But he could admit a part of him wanted to look in the mirror too. His grandsire's words about his magic ran through his head. Grandsire had once told him, elementals didn't mean he would be the strongest, but he would have a special and unique power. His magic had always been unique in a way.

Ryan planned to go back to the mirror. "I know it is an allusion, I know, I know. But I just want to see if the ripples goes. Nothing else."

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