Warnings from chapter 1 still hold.
Little more french, but that will be translated at the end of the story.
And I have a proposition! (surprise!)
I want to hear what you guys think, so I'm going to ask a question at the end of this chapter, and I want to see how many of you actually respond!
Of course, it goes without saying that you never have to send in a response, but I like hearing the many view points of others.
Here is Chapter 2: Away From Home
Alcied Croÿ was a patient man. He could wait for years for all of his plans to come to fruition... But to be honest, Alcied never had liked having to wait.
It was such a reason that he was a tad bit huffy waiting for his sister, and nephew to break away from magic lessons that evening.
And what a wait it was. The house elves had prepared a special dinner that evening, to celebrate young master Hadrian's 7th birthday. Alcied could hardly imagine who was going to eat all of this, knowing that the three of them would be fine with not even half of what was set out on the table.
He briefly wondered if now was the time to bring up their moving back to Britain... He doubted he'd find a better one. He could just imagine the look his sister would give him though. She did so appall Britain's ministry.
He found himself sighing, something unlike himself as he pictured his twin's reaction to the news that he wasn't really giving them a choice... The sigh was followed by a wince.
. . .
"And then you need to move your wand in a 45 degree angle, like this." Willow instructed, watching closely as her son followed her instructions. She quickly fixed his elbow, enabling him to get a better angle. "There..."
Hadrian nodded his understanding, continuing on with the motion of his practice wand, as he had yet to receive his real one. "Mother, when will I get my wand?" he wondered.
Willow tilted her head at her adorable son. "When you turn 10. Until then, your magical core is slowly stabilizing itself." she explained. It was part of the lesson they would cover next week.
Hadrian frowned, looking away from his lesson, his arm falling to his side. "Magical core?" he wondered, his eyes wide as his mind prepared to soak up more information.
She smiled at her inquisitive son. She moved to sit on one of the many two seating sofas that littered this study, and patted the seat besides her. Hadrian quickly moved to fill the seat.
"Your magical core is what makes you different from muggles. Do you remember what a muggle is, Hadrian?" He nodded, recalling the many lessons his mother, and uncle had taught to him.
Willow nodded, and Hadrian refocused on what she was saying. "Your magical core is what truly differs you from muggles. It is what enables your entity to carry it's magic."
She was about to go on, but a house elf interrupted. "Mistress, young master... Dinner is served. Master Alcied is waiting for you in the dining hall." it announced.
Hadrian's eyes began to glow in excitement. He turned to give his mother an anxious look, but she had already beaten him to the punch, by standing.
She was waiting for her son to exhibit the pureblood manners that she and Alcied had been instilling in him since he was two, and Hadrian, knowing this, was not one to disappoint.
He offered his mother his hand. "Please accompany me to dinner, mother?" he asked with forced patience. He turned to face his mother, his fingers tapping against his thigh. Her eyes caught it though, they always did.
She nodded. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner, young Lord Croÿ." she said, bowing slightly. She had to hide her smile when Hadrian laughed.
Quickly taking her hand, Hadrian wasted no time in moving for the door, but at a slower pace once he remembered his mother's earlier scolding. Willow nodded when her son looked back at her, as if asking if he was doing it right.
He gave her one of his charming grins, and she began to wonder if her twin was a bad influence on her son. She immediately shook her head from that silly notion. While Alcied would have made a horrid father, he made a wonderful uncle.
. . .
Dinner flowed easier than said uncle would have thought. The laughter filled the domed dining hall in spades, and he couldn't help but to smile at the joy brought to the manor.
After dinner, cake, and presents, it was time to make his announcement. So it was, with a heavy heart that Alcied stood to make it. He felt a shiver roam down his spine at this thought, but it was no time for what-if's.
He gave both of his family members an apologetic smile. "I have news. We are moving back to Britain." he said, trying to force it out in one go, adding grace he didn't feel at this point.
On the other hand, had this been better news, he would have laughed at how wide his sister's eyes had become. All thoughts of laughter soon stopped as his sister's eyes became feral... He began to believe that she really would kill him this time.
"Excuse me?!" Willow almost hissed out. She tried taking deep breathes, praying to Hecate that Alcied was just joking... Unfortunately, it seemed Hecate wasn't taking prayers at this point in time.
Hadrian had wide eyes, staring at his uncle as if he'd grown four more arms, and another head. He knew his mother hated Britain, and his uncle had never been fond of it either, so why would the man suddenly want to move them back... It made no sense to the young boy.
Willow, on the other hand, had only one good reason for why Alc would want to return to Britain. After all, Alcied would pout at being parted with all of his french lovers.
"Était-ce par ses ordres?" She demanded, slipping into her native tongue. All Alcied could do is nod to her.
"Je crains que nous ne reçoivent pas beaucoup de choix." he explained answering his sister in their natural language.
Hadrian frowned, wondering who "he" was in the mounting stress between his mother, and uncle. He frowned harder as his mother's shoulder's slumped. "I suppose we are to pack for a rainy season." she growled out.
Hadrian began to worry.
. . .
Lord Voldemort knew something among his followers was amiss. It wasn't hard to miss the flinching faces of his many Death Eaters, nor the looks from Lucius when the man thought no one was watching. He sneered at the thought of them all. They had grown weak in his seven year absence!
He pressed a hand to his twitching eye, thankful that Nagini was his only company.
'You know... You should just eat them all, and be done with it.' she hissed out the suggestion.
Voldemort rolled his eyes ceiling ward, in contemplation of said act. He quickly dismissed it... Who else could go out, and pick up a few things for him. Not that he couldn't himself in his current state, but he wasn't going to rush these things.
'Not as of right now, love. I need the peons. Right now, I need Croÿ to show up. He's taking to long...'
Nagini nodded. She knew how her master needed the insufferable man to make some potions... Potions that wouldn't get leaked to Dumbledor.
'May I eat the greasy one?' she asked, enjoying the smirk that spread across her master's face.
'Not yet. When the time comes, I'll let you know.' he replied.
'Promises, promises...'
If anyone had heard Voldemort laugh, they would be tripping over themselves trying to get out of the run down manor.
Something was amiss, true, but it wouldn't take this man long to find out.
. . .
Albus Dumbledore frowned in silent contemplation. He was a hard man to fool, and even harder to let something slip past him...
Then how? That seemed to be the question in the forefront of his mind. How did little Harry Potter slip past his careful plans? How had the infant managed to wriggle from his grasp.
He had been so careful... Meticulous... Conniving.
Albus frowned at these dark thoughts. The things he had to do, the people he had to sacrifice weighed heavy on his heart, but it would never be enough to stop him from what he knew he had to do. He had to end the Dark Lord. Just as he had to have ended Grindelwald.
He shook his head, fate well on it's way. Nothing could stop the rolling stone now. He wouldn't let them. Not even Harry Potter himself would stop Albus from doing what had to be done, even if he owed the boy a life debt.
. . .
It was with a weary heart that Willow Croÿ packed her things, magically, into trunks. She frowned at the thought of leaving the smaller french manor for the main manor in Britain, and couldn't stop the shiver from going down her spine. She had always sworn that place would be the death of both herself and Alcied.
The Croÿ family had escaped to Britain in the early1780's after a seer had foreseen the uprising of the peasants of France. Their family had just narrowly escaped.
They had almost refused to integrate themselves into the English population, even going as far as to demand that every male marrying into their family, take on the Croÿ name.
Willow rolled her eyes at where her mind had lead her. Ricin had been helping her a bit, but she soon sent him off to go help Hadrian pack.
Her distraction was such, that she hadn't heard Alcied slip into the room, and magically lock the door. She did, however, hear when he nearly tripped over one of her many trunks. Her eyebrows rose as he gracefully avoided face planting on the cold green marble floor.
"And to what do I owe this honor?" she scoffed as her brother straightened himself, brushing imaginary dirt from his person.
He shot her his most disarming smile. "Come now! Is that any way to talk to your favorite brother?" he wondered, promptly ignoring the come back of "Only brother!"
She closed her eyes, counting to 10 slowly, before opening them again, only to find those midnight eyes pinning her with intensity. "Cut it, Alcied. What is it that you really want?" she asked as her eyes narrowed.
He grinned, and held up both of his hands in a placating manner. "I simply want to go over our game plan with you. How are we going to keep Hadrian out of HIS hands?" he asked, hoping his sister had the answer. Her mind was always quicker than his on these matters.
She turned her head to the side, trying not to look at him. "It requires telling Hadrian the full truth... Of Lilly and James." she whispered, making her twin frown. "He's only seven. Do you think he can handle it?"
She shot a furious glare his way, her blue eyes lighting up. "He's more then capable of handling this! He's a strong young man, and we've been raising him as a Croÿ! It would be child's play for him."
Alcied felt his fingers twitch, itching to play with his sister's hair. He closed his eyes, and willed his muscles to still. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult the way you've been raising hi-" he was cut off as his sister had stomped on his toes.
She grinned in satisfaction as he began to howl and hop about the room. Enjoying the satisfaction that came with fixing her brother's forlorn attitude. "First off, you insulted Hadrian himself, not the way WE raised him." she said, her tone brooking for no argument. She only continued when Alc nodded. "Second, Lilly and James would have killed Dumbledor if they had found out where that barmy ding bat had sent Hadrian to, despite the fact that he has other living relatives." she hissed out, and Alcied sent his sister a smile, having rubbed his toes better during her dressing him down.
Ah, he had missed the fire in her eyes as she stood her ground for everything she was worth. He frowned on a thought. How had he forgotten what her stomping on his toes had felt like?
There was a knock at the door that had both of them raising their heads.
"Master, Madam, young master Hadrian is ready." Ricin announced.
"Very well Ricin. Have you informed the elves in Britain that we would be arriving today?" Alcied asked. When he got his affirmative, he almost winced. Instead, he turned to look deep into his sister's eyes.
"Are you ready to go back?" he asked softly.
"No, but was there ever another choice in the matter?" she asked, and embraced her brother.
He held her for a moment, wondering the same himself. "No... I think fate has us right tied." he said with a nearly helpless chuckle.
His answer was a pinch from his sister.
. . .
Blue gray eyes watched through his stringy, oily black hair as the dementors passed before his cell bars. He held back the roll of his eyes, not daring to give way to the fact that he was a bit more coherent than his captors deemed him.
It's not like they had much to feed on anyway. His light was gone. James and Lilly Potter were dead.
He almost growled. He should have known better than to trust a rat... Why hadn't Hagrid just given him Ha-
He blinked as two of his guards were reading, and talking about the Daily Prophet, and he caught sight of it as they passed his bars as well.
Boy-Who-Lived Still Missing!
By: Rita Skeeter.
Supporters of You-Know-Who, still suspected in the kidnapping of the Boy-Who-Lived!
Funny that we, the humble citizens of wizarding Britain, had entrusted his safety to that of Albus Dumbledor, headmaster of Hogwarts, school of witchcraft, and wizardry.
For a man entrusted with the care of our children on a day to day basis, this anniversary must be a painful reminder.
Although he says he's close to solving the mystery of our hero's disappearance, this reporter thinks he doesn't really have a clue!
I have several interview statements saying that, although they've combed almost everywhere they could touch, it seems that the Boy-Who-Lived is no where near to being found!
His eyes widened, and he felt his heart skip a beat!
Harry!
It was then that Sirius Black knew he had to get out, and he began to take note of his guard's timing, as well as the dementors.
He would find his godson. No one would stop him.
. . .
The familiar dark blue halls, still looked intimidating to Alcied all these years later. He tried not to shuffle his feat in the near black carpet leading to his father's old study, but his eyes lingered on the many sleeping portraits that lined said hall way, glad that none of them were awake.
He had dreaded this day for some time. Going into his father's study had been something of a punishment for him when he was younger. It meant that he was in for either a lecture, or a spanking, neither pleasant with the overly stern, cold head of the Croÿ house. Although it always seemed his sister had no trouble entering the man's office. Maybe because her punishments had always been left to their mother.
He shook his head from past musings, having had to much of that in the last couple of days. He lifted his chin, his eyes coming even with the end of the hall, and a dark mahogany door with golden etchings. It was time to man up, and somehow, Alcied knew, it wouldn't be the last time.
When his knee bumped the ring of keys in his hand, the echoing ring brought him out of the growing dark mood. When he finally came to a stop at the overly decorated door, he started looking for the right key.
At last, he found it. Slipping it into the lock, and the resounding 'click' of turning said key had been a bit easier than Alcied had at first thought.
Pushing open the door, Alcied straightened his back as the portrait of his mother and father were the first thing to great his tired eyes.
His father's stern cerulean eyes zeroed in on him as his mother's midnight blue blinked at him, as if in a daze.
It was then, that he could see himself in his father, and Willow in their mother, and he tried to hold down the surprise, and slight disappointment. He'd always hoped he'd been adopted.
"What do we have here?" his father's harsh voice boomed around the large study, and it made Alcied raise his head to meet the demanding eyes.
"A brandy worthy event, I'm guessing." Alcied responded to the man with slight sarcasm that had his mother's eyes rolling.
Said woman swatted at her husband. She smiled as her hand met it's mark. "Enough of this. As if living with this wasn't enough, now I have to suffer through it after my death? I think not."
Again, Alcied wondered why the Croÿ family was not a matron run family. He sent his mother a slight smile. "It is good to see you again, mother." he said, keeping his tone neutral, never giving away his anger at this woman.
She nodded, returning his sentiments. "And your sister?" his father's tone still sounded demanding.
"Willow, and her son Hadrian will be along shortly." he said, dropping the avada kedavra on his parents that Willow had a son.
The affect had been more than he could ever hope for... Silence... Stunned and blissful silence. Alcied had to hide his devious grin.
He watched their mouths hang open with far more than slight satisfaction. Just as they moved to say something, Willow's voice was heard down the hall way.
"We are going to go meet your grand parents, Hadrian."
"Will they hate me?" a soft, distinctly male voice wondered with a little fear.
"They had better not." there was a hard warning in what she said, and it was apparent that she knew they could hear her, and Hadrian's approach.
Alcied smiled at the doorway when his sister, and nephew made their entrance.
As soon as she could see the boy, the former matron of the Croÿ family began to study him. His obsidian black hair seemed wild, and his emerald green eyes were wide with wonder, taking in the room, and it's occupants. She'd seen those eyes somewhere, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out where. His small tan hand was wound with Willow's pale one. She couldn't shake the thought that she knew this boy.
Willow smiled up to both of her parents. "Mother, father, this young man is my son, Hadrian." she introduced, looking down upon Hadrian's small frame with the love neither parent had shown her or Alcied when they were children.
And, of course, the moment came crashing down when their mother screeched. "POTTER! YOU MATED WITH A POTTER!" the shrill voice accused.
And chaos began.
In one fluid motion, Willow ducked down, wrapped Hadrian in her arms, picked him up, and marched angrily down the hall way, her fury leaving a trail of cerulean sparks in her wake.
In the same span of minuets that it had taken Willow to preform said actions, Alcied had pulled his wand, and cast the silencing spell. He glared at his parents, waiting patiently for his sister to leave the area with Hadrian in her arms. He'd have to remember to set an anti fire ward around the portrait... To bad his memory could be faulty... This once.
He turned on his mother and father's portrait, a fury lighting his eyes from a midnight to a deep blue. "Actually mother, Hadrian is adopted." he pointed out, his tone laced with a cold fury. He removed the silence spell, just in case.
Where his sister was fire, he'd always be ice.
His mother's wide midnight eyes turned to meet his, her form shaking. "Why? The boy is a Potter!" she growled out, causing Alcied to sneer at her.
"Indeed. The same Potter boy who defeated the Dark Lord."
Before his mother could rant and rave, his father spoke up. "So, his parents were killed?" he asked softly. Alcied, taken aback for a moment, just nodded. Roland Croÿ had cared for no one when he was alive.
Before another tirade against the Potter's could be made, Roland turned to his wife. "Oh hush, Matilda! The boy is here, and there is probably nothing we can say, or do, to fix it." he advised his wife. She turned an angry eye on her husband, but before the squabble could begin, Alcied had slipped out of the office, but not before getting an interesting tid bit. "All because you slept with that Potter woman!"
Interesting...
. . .
Willow hurriedly carried her son down the long winding hallways, and into his new room. She felt his small hands still clutching at her shoulders, and softly tugging in her hair.
She began to rock him as soon as she heard his sobs, humming gently. "It's OK, my light. They are rude, and ill informed, but they will not harm you. I won't let them." she said while bouncing him gently, as she used to when he was a babe.
Her only response to this was his hiccups, and tears.
She refused to give up though, letting him cry out his pain, knowing she, and few others were the only ones allowed to see him like this.
While Hadrian cried, she continued to rub his back, and hum gently, her mind drifting to what her mother had said. Had it been that obvious that she had, in her youth, a major crush on James Potter?
She had never attended Hogwarts, so she knew it was impossible. But every social function they had both been attending at, she had snagged at least one dance from him. The conversation between them had flown, and they easily agreed on several things.
But alas, when it came time, he had married the intelligent witch, Lilly Evans. Willow had not begrudged the couple, in fact, she had wished them the best, never an ounce of negativity towards either of them. Lilly had made James the happiest, and it had made Willow even happier to see that.
She and Alcied had been friends with both Lilly and James for a while before having to flee back to France, and had received letters, wishing them to come to see their son. Alas, they had not, for fear of Albus Dumbledore's manipulative eyes falling back upon the Croÿ twins.
And now, she held their son to her while he shook, and sobbed his heart out. This knowledge made her even angrier at her parents, but she would never let Hadrian see it. He'd never see her at her worst, if she could help it.
"Shhh, ma chérie. No one will harm you." she whispered into Hadrian's hair, cuddling him close. Soon, Hadrian's sobbing faded. His blotchy green eyes looked up to meet her blue. "Why are they so mean, momma?" he asked, barely able to keep from hiccuping.
Smiling down at her adorable son, Willow called for Ricin. The elf soon showed, bowing to the Lady, and asking after her needs.
"A cool glass of water, for young master Hadrian, please?" she asked softly, and Ricin nodded, simply conjuring said object, and handing it to his young master. Hadrian gratefully took the glass, and slowly drank it, calming down. "Thank you Ricin." Hadrian said, barely above a whisper.
The elf smiled to his young master. "Your welcome, young master Hadrian." the elf said, and with his confirmed dismissal from his mistress, he popped out.
It was just after Ricin left, that Alcied opened the door, and strolled in, his wide grin doing much to lift Hadrian's mood.
"There you are, runt!" he said, his tone jovial. "Don't worry about the old bats. They will come around. Just a bit of a shock, is all." he said, picking Hadrian out of his sister's arms to, carefully swing his nephew around.
Willow smiled at the sight, wondering what her brother had done, silently hoping that he had not put an anti fire ward up around the portrait.
Hadrian's laughter brought her out of her plots for revenge.
"By the by squirt, there are somethings that your mum and I need to talk to you about.
Hadrian immediately calmed, nodding, but couldn't quite stop the question burning in his very heart. "Is this about my father?" he asked softly, and looked to his mother's now watery eyes. She nodded, and he wondered what his father had done to make his mother cry. He was unsure if he wanted to hear this now, and something told him that it would change things.
And so, Alcied told Hadrian everything. Through it all, he watched Hadrian's reactions, watching carefully as the boy was looking him straight in the eye.
Once done, he nodded, signaling the end of his tale. All Hadrian seemed able to do is blink, but he slowly turned to Willow with determination in his eyes. "Mère. Vous êtes toujours ma mère."
At his admission, Willow pulled him into her arms, and cried. She had feared so much, his rejection, but now, she could breathe again.
Alcied smiled, and Hadrian had to pull away from his mum. "But why me? Why did you guys adopt me?" he asked, in slight wonder. Alcied tapped his nose. "We knew your parents. Had been friends with them, despite where we sat in the war." Alcied commented with a shrug.
Hadrian frowned. "And now this 'Dark Lord Voldemort' wants to kill me?" he asked softly. While Alcied was ready to say yes, it was Willow who hesitated. "I'm not so sure. I think the Dark Lord made a slight miscalculation..." she trailed off, her eyes alighting to where Hadrian's scar rested on his forehead. Alcied followed her line of sight with a frown, not sure if he knew what his sister was referring to, but then it seemed to click.
"Horcrux." he breathed out, and Willow nodded. Hadrian frowned. "What's a horcrux?" he asked softly, and Willow launched into the explanation with the ease of an educator.
"A horcrux is an object, usually something the witch or wizard would keep close, that is imbued with a piece of said witch or wizard's soul through some powerful dark magic. In this case, Voldemort actually made a living horcrux. I don't think he intended to, though." she whispered the last pat, but it still fell upon Hadrian's ears.
Hadrian frowned. "But... Wouldn't he just kill me to get his soul back?" he asked, and received a couple of proud smiles for his effort. He held back the blush, knowing that he was smart for a seven year old.
"It's true, that he may be out for blood. I'm not sure if he even knows that he's accidentally turned you into a horcrux." Alcied admitted. "Thus why, while your mother and I work through the Dark Lord's forces, your going to attend Hogwarts when your 11." he said with a frown. "In case something happens to us, you know what to do though." he said, eying Hadrian with a seriousness that was hardly in his character.
Hadrian nodded, having heard this before. "I'm to claim lordship, and emancipation." he stated. Both his mum, and his uncle nodded.
His mum threaded her fingers through his hair. "And you must not worry for us while your at Hogwarts." Hadrian frowned. "But what about before Hogwarts? That's 3 years from now."
Alcied nodded. "We can keep you out of sight, and out of mind for at least that long. So long as you, and your mum stay low. She'll train you while I attend to whatever the Dark Lord needs." he said twirling a piece of his sister's long hair around his finger, well hidden from her, and Hadrian's eyes. Willow didn't seem to feel it.
Hadrian nodded. He understood. "But... Why are you still working for the Dark Lord after he killed my parents?" he asked softly.
Alcied frowned. "I don't think he was even in his right mind at that point, driven crazy by Dumbledore, and the horcruxes. There are things magic can do to you. It messes with your mind. I honestly don't think he was even going to bother with killing your parents. I don't know why he did it, but I will find out." Alcied promised.
Willow turned towards Hadrian. "Tomorrow, we are going shopping though. We have to pick up a few things at Diagon Alley, and get to know the surrounding areas."
FIN Chapter 2: Away From Home.
Chapter question:
Favorite Parings you may want to see?
I have the parings in mind, but I'd like to see other opinions.
French Translations:
"Était-ce par ses ordres?"
"Was it by his orders?"
"Je crains que nous ne reçoivent pas beaucoup de choix."
"I am afraid that we are not being given much choice."
"Ma chérie"
"My darling"
"Mère. Vous êtes toujours ma mère."
"Mother. You are always my mother."
As always, thank you for reading, and reviews!