In the Family

A/N : I don't own anything even some of the concepts and plots used are of other fanfiction authors. I just wrote what i wanted to read in a long time. Please correct my mistakes and send me suggestion but basic story is already ready so i can't follow every suggestion.

mr I hate znt nobles kill em : just wait story is only starting or read prologue more thoroughly. (Hint Hint)

YuukiAsuna-Chan : Thanks

Chapter 1

31 Oct, 1985

Sometimes i think its not worth it getting out of bed, today was one such day. They think that i don't hear what they say, but anyway i heard it at breakfast. Once again my grandparents were discussing my lack of talent in magic. Now, you would think what nonsense i am talking about, that magic is not real. But i would say that sometimes ignorance is really bliss. Magic is real so are faeries, vampires, gods etc. Let's just say that only some are aware of it.

You will say that i am talking very maturely for an eleven year old. But that's just me, my conditions made me so. My parents were looking for a fun night when i happened. They married when Lily was three months pregnant not because of love, but to save their name in society. They were just hormone charged teenagers not ready for responsibility of a child so they dumped me on James' parents. Who already loathed me for forced marriage of their child. I lived with my grandparents from then on. They cared for me in front of the society but only tolerated me at home. I don't remember much of my early childhood just that most of my time was spent around servants either playing with them or just soaking in their attention.

Then came my fifth birthday.

Flashback

31, October 1979

Now i live in my grandparents house which is more like a small fortified castle than a house. There is a reason behind it, they are senior member of Venatori Umbrorum. There is everything big halls, courtyards, dungeons, towers everything. It is the stronghold of Venatori Umbrorum known as Hogwarts and is situated in Scotland. Not very far from the stronghold of their allies, the White Council. In my whole family there never had been anyone with potential for a fully trained wizard and my grandparents wanted a member in the white council to further their political power. Essentially my grandfather Lord Charles John Frederic Potter wanted my father married to a wizard of high standing.

I was reading a book on faeries which was given to me by Linda. When someone knocked on my door. It was Linda.

"Master Ares! Lord Potter is requesting your presence in his office."

I groaned, " Linda how many times have i told you to call me Harry. I am coming in five minutes. "

I quickly removed wrinkles in my shirt, straightened my belt wore my jacket and fastened my snickers. My grandparents are very serious about etiquette and traditions. So i quickly walked into the corridor went downstairs to the second floor where the office was located. Knocked twice on the door, "My Lord you called me."

A gruff voice returned, "Come in Ares."

Inside, seated on office couch dressed in designer clothes were his grandparents. In front of the fireplace two old man were sitting both almost identical due to their long silvery beard and hair. While one was dressed in black robes with some kind of marking, other one was wearing a black three piece suit.

"Gentlemen! this is my grandson Ares Potter, Ares these men are Merlin of White Council Arthur Langtry and Director of Venatori Umbrorum, Albus Dumbledore." Charles announced in a gruff voice.

"Good day sir." I said politely.

"What a polite young man." Dumbledore complimented.

"Hmmn", Merlin looked at me thoughtfully. Analysing me as if measuring worth of a useful commodity.

"Now Ares as you know today is your fifth birthday. Today, your talent in magic would be tested as it should have manifested by now. Arthur if you will." Charles usual gruff voice had an excitement to it as if expecting a prize.

I know my grandparents tolerated me only in the hope of a wizard in the family. If not then they will criticize and demean me even in front of others outside. It was also a chance for me to get some attention or even some kind of affection from my grandparents. So i prayed to god with whole my heart please, please let there be some kind of magical talent in me.

"Here boy hold this crystal ball in your hand and try to imagine it lightening by pouring your emotions into it." Merlin produced a crystal ball and hold it out to me.

I nervously held the ball in my hands, closed my eyes and tried to pour all my nervousness, anxiety and excitement into it. Nothing happened. Again i tried to pour every emotion into it with a healthy dose of fear. Again nothing happened. Once again i tried this time only fear and hopelessness. Nothing happened.

"No talent. Here give me the ball." The ball shined in the Merlin's hand in a bright blue color.

"Sorry boy." Dumbledore said in a regretfully voice.

"Boy go to your room, we will discuss this later." Charles barked in anger.

I almost ran from office to my room, tears leaking from the corner of my eyes. I didn't get any comforting or consoling words instead i heard the heated voice of my grandfather saying, "Worthless boy. Not in the least like his father or grandfather. Not an ounce of magic. Black mark..."

Flashback end

That day something became clear to me I have no family. One year after that my parents really fell in love and started living in the Potter Manor, good for them because they still ignored me. I was a sign of mistake to them, a thing to learn from never to be accepted. Then after one year Julia was born.

Flashback

30 July, 1981

I was in the hospital with rest of the family when Julia was born. There was happiness and love in my parents eyes for her. I felt a pang of jealousy in my heart. I ruthlessly stomped it because at that time i have realised that there will be never anything other than scorn for me from my family. And that it was not Julia's mistake.

Her hair was red like our mother and she had our grandmother's blue eyes in contrast to my potter black hair and dark green golden eyes.

"You will see, this girl will make us proud in the future, not like some other people who should not be mentioned." Charles said not because he knew Julia would do so, but more for demeaning me.

I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me. But there was a hope that god has sent Julia to be my family.

Flashback end

My grandfather's words ran true Julia made him proud when she was not even ten months old she did her first accidental magic. James was making baby solution in milk bottle when little Julia summoned it from his hands. Whole family was very happy. My parents because she was symbol of their love, my grandparents because she will be first wizard in the family of only bracelet and ring users. And i was happy because maybe now that they had what they always wanted they will stop demeaning me.

But my hapiness was short lived. In the family of magic users i was the only one without any talent. So to them i was a black sheep. I tried and tried but no shield bracelet or kinetic ring worked for me. My parents and grandparents didn't let Julia spend time with me, they said that i will corrupt her. That i will try to steal her magic through dark rituals out of jealousy. They told Julia all kind of lies about me. She was a child so she believed the persons that loved her. Her friends Malfoy and Weasleys started telling all kind of bad thing about squibs. Squib, that is what they called me. At last my very sister started hating me. And there was no reason for my staying there anymore.

But all was not sad, i have a friend in Daphne or more accurately Aurora. We met when i was six years old. She comes in the forest around our manor or somewhere i don't know, but we always meet in forest.

Flashback

It was a week after my parents moved into the manor. I was feeling very upset because they still ignored me. Servants were busy managing the house now that it was filled with people. So i went to my second favourite place, our forest. There were all types of animals rabbits, deers, cats etc. I was playing with a cat when i heard someone giggling behind me. I thought maybe Linda has done her duty and came out to play with me. I turned around to find not Linda but a girl about my age holding a rabbit giggling at me. She had golden blonde hair, violent green eyes and was wearing a light green sundress.

My interaction with others was limited to servants. So i nervously said, "Hi! Who are you?"

"Daphne, and you?", she asked cheerfully.

"Ares, but you can call me Harry." I said shyly, " Are you new here. I never saw you here before."

"I was just passing by the forest when i saw you. So you often come here." She asked me.

Now that i am over my surprise, i noticed that her skin was paler than normal i.e. snow white and her voice was like music. I blushed as she caught me staring at her and again started giggling at me.

"I come here when servants are too busy to play with me." I said still blushing now with embarrassment and indignation.

She said, "Well you can play with me. We are friends right." still giggling.

"Friends! Really! You will be my friend." I asked excitedly and hopefully. I had no one to call friend. I forget all about not making friends with strangers.

"Of course i will be your friend." She said seriously, "Now let's see who can catch more rabits."

We played for about two hours and talked about each other. She told me that she likes gardens and playing in sunlight. I told her about how i like to eat treacle tart made by Linda and swimming in the lake by the forest. It was about sunset when Daphne said that she will have to go.

"Will you again come to play with me?" I asked her hopefully not expecting her to say yes.

"Of course, what are friends for." She told me, looking at me as if i am an idiot.

"Of course!" But there was a renewed hope in my voice.

Flashback end

We met almost every week from then on. She told me about nevernever and all kinds of magical creatures that reside there. She told me that how she is Summer Lady and that everyone treats her very formally. No one ever speaks clearly to her, that her mother Queen Titania never let her make friends. That how Titania always tries to shelter her from everyone. Never lets her go away from her sight for more than some hours.

I told her about my family. How they treat me for my lack of magic. My hope of going away from my family. Away from all the insults and cold eyes. Now that even my sister hated me. Somewhere worthwhile, where no one will call me a black sheep. Somewhere, where people will love me for me not for my family or power. I told her how no one ever celebrate my birthday. She told me that she will celebrate my birthday if i will celebrate hers. Which happened to be at midsummer.

That year we celebrated her birthday in the forest on midsummer on 21st June. I had brought a chocolate cake made by Linda from the manor. We didn't eat much because there will be a feast for Aurora at Summer court and i would have dinner at home. We played and talked. At the end of evening i gave her my gift. A black kitten with green eyes like hers. I remembered from my talks with her how she was envious of Maeve's cat. She went all gaga over the kitten. She told me that how she will have to repay me for this. When i told her that its fine and she don't have to. She told me it was sidhe tradion to return a gift of equal measure and not accepting it will be an insult to her so i placated her by saying that she can give mine on my birthday.

She gave me a small chick which she told me was actually a pheonix. We named her Hela after the Norse goddess of death. She had actually named kitten Tom because she wanted something common or general in her world.

"Harry what are you thinking about." Aurora asked me.

"Huh! Nothing." I looked around and found that i was already in the forest. Aurora waw wearing a white sundress. She had an uncertain look on her face. I have never seen that expression on her face.

"Your grandfather said something." She inquired seriously.

I was about to deny then thought better and said, " Yeah, he was again talking about me being black sheep of the family."

Her uncertain look suddenly changed to a determined look on her face. "I have a solution to your problem. But you will have to return the favour ."

"I will do anything for you." I said.

"A thrice bound promise." She asked with a certain gleam in her eye that i missed.

"A thrice bound promise." I promised.

"Then call my mother Queen Titania -

"But Aurora -" i started to protest.

She said in a louder voice, "She already knows about you. She will try to separate us. So why don't we separate on our own terms and get something out of it. But the favour i want is that you will never forget me, that your heart will always belong to me that you will find a way around whatever obstacle my mother will present between you and me." She said urgently.

At the time Aurora may have appeared herself as eleven year old before me. But she was decades older in age. She had found her husband in Harry. He understood her, he always saw her as an equal never superior as a queen or inferior as a girl. She could see some kind of great power hidden inside him trying to find a way out. So she asked for what she wanted and she knew he will give her anything. Because he loved her but didn't quite understood that feeling.

"Of course i will never forget you. I give you my heart and that i will find a way over any obstacle that leads to you." I promised her once again. There was an itching sensation over my finger and a ring made of golden leaves over black metal appeared on my finger just like Aurora's ring.

"What's this?" I asked her curiously.

"Just something to remember me by" she said as she faded away. As if she was never there. I just stroked small crown feathers on the head of Hela miserably as she crooned at me to comfort me.

I know many people would say i made a mistake by promising Aurora my heart. And i also know that she doesn't tell me everything and that she has ulterior motives. But somewhere inside her i know she cares for me. And that's enough for me right now. Now let's call Queen Titania and see what i can get out of my sacrifice.

"Queen Titania of Summer court i summon thee." I said in a determined voice.

There was a sudden heat in the forest as if it wasn't sundown but noon. Leaves floated in a circle and a woman wearing a golden gown with green leaves etched to it appeared before me. Her likeliness to Aurora was obvious. She had same high cheekbones and pale snow skin. She had flowing snow white hair which i guess is Aurora's natural hair color. And same eyes with feline pupils which is natural among fae. She had a presence around her which made me feel like an ant before a mountain. She presented me with a curious and haughty expression. Her expression changed to one of mild anger and disdain when she caught the ring on my finger.

"So i see, Aurora made her choice. I don't see what my daughter sees in you mortal. You have no power. Well then talk, why did you call me." She said with a void and alien look on her face which i know is their normal look. After all they are inhuman soulless creatures. But Aurora always looked humane as if there is a soul within her. I will never know.

I controlled my temper. It will not do me any good to loss my temper and offend the Summer Queen. "I want magical knowledge and power to use it and a new identity."

"Hmm! And what will you give me in return? Will you give me a thrice bound promise not to meet my daughter until fifteen years have passed from now in the mortal plane." She asked me impassively. "I will unlock your power, give you power, provide you both a mentor and a guide if you give me your thrice bound promise. I know how easily you mortals' heart runs from one person to another, fifteen years will be enough for you to move on from Aurora." She said with confidence in her voice.

I hesitated, "I i um i ..." I was shaken to the core by her words. Then i remembered Aurora's advice that Titania will try to part us anyway better be it on our own terms. Maybe i can also get away from my family.

As if reading my thoughts. Titania said, " I will even give you a new family which will love you. Just give me your thrice bound promise. Surely you don't want to live with the family which don't love you, which demeans you insults you."

Her offer was far too tempting. After all my heart was already Aurora's so there was no risk of it going anywhere else but Queen didn't know it. And if she did then she was crazy to offer me such a good bargain with no result in her favour. I know it will profit her in some way because sidhe always make bargain to their gain. Either way i accepted, after all i was already marked black in the family.

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