Notes: Sorry for the long wait! I've gotten back into the groove of this, so let's see how many chapters I can churn out. Also, thanks for the reviews, favourites, and follows!

Competitions and Challenges: None.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I only own my idea and character(s) that are far from perfect human beings, thank you.

THE GAME

HARRY POTTER: THE JOURNEY OF AN ENGIMA

"A-Ah! Ivan!" Lucian jumped, smiling widely as he noticed the large man. "How wonderful it is to see you! I, er-"

Ivan cheerfully grinned back as he slapped Lucian on the back. "Da, you too Lucian! It's rare to see you on Saturdays though. Is there a reason?"

Nikolai let out a sigh of relief as he pressed a hand over his heart, trying to calm down his breathing. That was one experience he would not care to repeat. The light haired Russian noticed him, and beamed down at him. "Ah! Is this little Nikolai that I met… hmm… how long ago?"

Lucian twisted the key in the door and let out a sigh of relief when it popped open to reveal his slightly cluttered office. "I believe you met him last year at the Christmas party."

"That was it!" the Russian representive snapped his fingers, and Nikolai found himself relaxing at the man's carefree and light attitude. "You've certainly grown since then, Nikolai."

"Thank you sir," Nikolai responded politely, bowing his head.

Ivan roared with laughter. "If only my own daughters were this polite," he told Lucian, who had an amused look on his face.

"Yeah, me too. I think I've got the wrong kid here. Mine isn't so polite."

"Dad!"

"Nikolai!" Lucian mocked right back, chuckling as he nodded at Ivan. "I'd love to chat more, Ivan, but I've got to get some papers and go. Mary's not exactly happy that I'm at the office on one of my days off…"

Ivan nodded sagely. "I know that feeling. Yekaterina and Manya aren't very happy either with myself being here. You two go on."

Lucian smiled and waved goodbye to Ivan, who walked back into his office across the hall and shut his door, and let out a sigh as he entered his own. "Now… where is it…" he muttered, pushing papers around in the dark room and squinting.

The little boy glanced around curiously at his father's office. It hadn't changed much in the few months that he had been gone, and he sat down clumsily in the big chair in front of the desk and stared at the pictures lining the background.

There was a picture of him when he was two; big front teeth sticking out as he happily splashed water around in the lake they were at. There was another one, more recent, with him and Luminita playing on the floor in the living room, himself pouting as she trounced him in a kiddie game, and her laughing as she repeated 'big brother!'.

Unlike most things, the pictures weren't moving, much to the brown haired boy's curiosity.

"Dad?" Lucian grunted to show that he was listening. "Why do you have Muggle pictures of us?"

The man smiled softly as he found the papers he was looking for, and turned towards Nikolai, shuffling them quietly as he stared at the non-moving pictures. "Ah, those? I took them with my Muggle camera, you remember, and so it created their kinds of pictures."

Nikolai looked at them closely, before glancing to the side at the Wizarding photos, and then back again at the Muggle ones. "…I like them better than the normal ones."

Lucian blinked. "Really? Usually it's the opposite. Oh well, I'll keep that in mind. Come on, we can leave now. I've got the file."

The red eyed boy glanced back as they left the office one more time, his eyes lingering on the picture of himself and Luminita, before allowing his father to shut the door and lock it.

'I wonder…'

"Mum, Pa, I want to go to Romania."

Mary and Lucian looked up from their meals and curiously looked at their eldest. Luminita happily continued munching on her carrot as the radio softly played whatever single had hit the Wizarding Charts that month. It was fairly early, around six or so, and for once they were enjoying a night together calmly without any interruptions from work or a fussing Luminita.

"Why dear? You've never shown any interest before." Mary inquired, not in a patronizing way. That was one thing that Nikolai loved about his mother-

His brain short-circuited for a moment as it tried to figure out fact from fiction. Fake mother, that's what she was.

-fake mother, what he loved about her was the fact that she never treated him like a kid, but someone with ideas and feelings, unlike most of the other parents he had seen who mostly treated their children like tools or people unable to lead themselves, even though it was unconsciously most of the time.

"I would like to see where Dad came from. The family, and all that." Nikolai fidgeted with his hands, pushing around his food on his plate nervously. He wasn't sure if they would agree. "Maybe I could figure out where I got these guys from!" he laughed slightly, poking at his canines.

"So you want to go to Transylvania?" Lucian asked him.

"Y-Yeah, I mean, if we can…"

Mary smiled at Lucian. "Well, I don't see how it could be much of a problem. We could see your parents and siblings, tour around a bit… Would you like to see the dragon reserve, Nikolai?"

Nikolai's mouth popped open. "Dragons?" he asked in wonder, excitement shining in his eyes.

His father clapped his hands together, a grin spread widely on his lips. "Well then! That settles it! We're going to Romania! Although… I might have to spend a little time with work while I'm there…"

"Oh no," Mary pointed a finger at him. "You will not leave me alone with your b-sister."

"Mum was going to swear!" Nikolai gasped dramatically, making Luminita giggle and repeat 'Mummy! Mummy!'.

Mary shot him a disapproving look. "I was not, Nikolai, and I am curious to know why you thought so."

"I… er…"

"Mum so was though," Lucian interrupted, stabbing a piece of bloody meat and placing it in his mouth. "I have to agree with Niko on this one."

"Lucian! Don't agree with him!"

"Mary!" Lucian repeated with the same mocking tone of voice, making the brown haired woman scowl and cross her arms.

Nikolai and Luminita watched, giggling in amusement at their parents' childishness.

"Oh no, mister, you will not get away from me-"