Chapter X:
The pendant hung heavily around Antien's neck, even when it was only a few grams. The sheer history of it weighed heavily on it and on Antien.
'Why?' was all he asked when he learned what his gift was.
'It is a guide for your future journeys,' Locien answered cryptically.
It was a strange comfort to carry around his neck and Alexa didn't even question him when she saw it the night of New Year's Eve.
'Alexa invited us over for New Year's.'
'I don' think Dudley would want to see me,' Estel reasoned.
'I received an owl from Alexa this morning. She said that her father was willing if you were,' Antien countered.
Estel smiled then. 'Then send her our acceptance.'
Antien smiled back and thanked him before running off to send the owl.
"Antien!" Alexa yelled joyously, pulling him into a hug. Antien laughed as he returned it. "How are you?"
"I am well," he answered. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. James and Rose kept me informed about your condition." Antien smiled sheepishly. "You scared us."
"I scared myself, but it is being resolved."
"Really?" Alexa asked.
"Indeed it is," Estel said coming up behind him. "How are you, Miss. Dursley?"
"I am doing fine, Mr. Potter," Alexa answered. "But please call me Alexa. We are family after all."
"Then, please, call me Estel." He smiled as a man came up behind her.
"Alexa, sweetheart, please, invite our guests in."
"Oh, of course," she said ushering them in. There was a tense silence as the cousins eyed each other after not seeing each other in 20 years.
"Dudley?" a voice called from the living room. "Dudley, are they here?"
"Yes, Mum, they're here," Dudley waved them into the living room and the Potter family relaxed until Estel realized what he heard.
"Dudley? Your parents are here?" he tried to ask quietly. It didn't work because Petunia heard.
"Vernon died 13 years ago now. Because of his health," Petunia said without apology.
"He died right before I was born," Alexa added.
Estel looked between them with a look of triumph, sadness, and shame on his face. He sighed and started, choosing his words carefully. "I am sorry for your loss, but… I am not sorry that he is gone."
Petunia nodded. "I thought you would say that and I do not blame you." She smiled. "But, please, sit. Elena will be but a moment with some refreshments."
"Come Antien, James. The basement is for our use. Some of my neighborhood friends are down there.
'Good thing we have lived worse than a muggle,' James muttered.
'Personally, I like reading by candlelight.'
'You have the eyes of an elf,' James countered.
Antien smirked and addressed Alexa who was smiling. "Hugo and Rose send their apologies. They could not get out of the Weasley New Years. That is where Lily is."
"We were barely able to get out of it ourselves."
Alexa opened the door to the basement and they could hear music playing. "Where's your mum?" she asked.
"She's going to be late," Antien answered. "She wouldn't tell us why…" He trailed off as if he hadn't thought about it before.
Alexa laughed as the two boy's eyes bugged out at the party that had assembled.
"Some of your neighborhood friends?" James gaped as the introductions started.
… … … … … …
Many of the parents Of those that were in the basement were having a much more subdued party and Estel sat near the door waiting for Rodwen. Silently waiting.
"Harry?" He looked up even though he hadn't used that name since he left the Dursleys. "Your wife is coming, correct?"
Estel smiled. "Yes, Aunt Petunia. She had to attend to our daughter, Lily, before she followed."
"You named your daughter Lily?" Petunia asked sitting right next to him.
"Yes, my mother lives on through her…" Estel's smile became wistful. "In a way, at least."
… … … … …
James pushed through the crowd of teenagers when he brushed up against someone that sent tingles down his spine. He stopped and looked around until his eyes fell upon a girl about 18.
"She's the older sister of one of my best friends outside school," Alexa explained appearing next to him. "Very smart and pretty and not to mention single." She smiled before once again disappearing into the crowd.
James stood amazed for a second before once pushing through the crowd to find Antien.
'Antien!' he cried coming up on his brother who was talking to a boy that looked suspiciously like Alexa.
'What is it?'
It was then that he realized that he didn't know what happened much less how to explain it. "Uh…" He felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned to find Alexa and the girl standing there. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Antien's eyes go wide.
"This is Anna," Alexa said introducing the girl. The girl smiled. She shook Antien's hand as he struggled to introduce himself, then James took her hand and swept into a low bow before kissing her knuckles.
"Good den, fair lady. I must say that it is an honor to make your acquaintance."
"My, my, you are certainly a flirt."
'Laying it on thick, aren't you?' Antien cut in.
"I am merely following in my grandfather's footsteps," James answered ignoring Antien completely.
'In more ways than one,' Antien muttered.
"Well I have to attend to my guests," Alexa said rather formally. She winked at Antien and said, "Antien, why don't you join me."
"Certainly," Antien answered before offering his arm to Alexa and smirking at James.
… … … … … …
"I would love to meet her," Petunia said smiling.
"I think she would like that," Estel answered. "She want to know her grandmother and she can only learn so much from… their remaining friends."
Petunia smiled a little smile and Estel knew she got his meaning.
The doorbell rang and Dudley made for the door. From his place on the couch Estel heard the timid voice so unlike his wife ask, "Is this the Dursley residence?"
"Yes, it is," Dudley answered. "You are Ginny I presume?"
"I am."
"Please, come in."
Estel smiled as his wife's form came into the living room, though out of the corner of his eye he saw his aunts eyes grow wide. He stretched out his arms and they hugged for a moment.
"Where are the boys?" she asked.
"They are in the basement with the rest of the teenagers." Estel turned her to his Aunt. "Ginny Potter, I would like to introduce, Petunia Evans Dursley, my mother's sister."
They tensely shook hands. "A pleasure," Rodwen said.
Petunia smiled. "She looks so much like Lily and if you are anything like your father, she has her same spirit."
Rodwen smirked playfully. "The Potter men have good taste."
Petunia's smile turned into a smirk mirroring Rodwen's. "That they do."
Dudley's own wife called for Petunia from the Kitchen. "Please excuse me."
The couple nodded and as Petunia walked away Rodwen asked, "Have you talked to the boys since they left."
"No. Why?"
"Something's happening I can feel it."
… … … …
"How are you liking the party?" James asked.
"Ah, so we are on to the uncomfortable small talk?" Anna asked.
James felt his face grow red. "Then what would you like to talk about?"
"I don't know. How about…" She smiled mischievously. 'How long have you known Legolas Greenleaf?'
"What?" he asked dumbfounded.
But before she could continue screams erupted and above the din he heard Alexa's voice called, "Antien!"
Without thought he pushed through the crowd toward the sound of Alexa's voice and He found Alexa cradling Antien's head on her lap. He wasted no time in taking her place and telling her to go get his parents. James watched as Antien's eyes moved beneath his eyelids and wished he knew what to do.
… … … … …
Estel was about to respond when the basement door opened and Alexa ran up the stairs calling his name.
Both sets of parents converge on her as she tried to explain what was going on. "Slower, child," her mother soothed and as she clamed down. "Good. Now what is wrong?"
"It's Antien!" she said. "He collapsed again."
Estel and Rodwen both paled and ran down the stairs. They pushed through the silent crowd; Estel paid them no mind while Rodwen apologized to each she pushed past.
"Ada!" James called in relief as he knelt down next to his sons.
'He hasn't woken yet?'
'Nay.'
'We need to get him home,' Estel said picked him up and realized how light he really was.
'James, could you stay and explain as best you can?' Estel asked and he nodded.
'I will stay as well,' Rodwen said. 'Just get him to Locien.'
'Be careful, you two. Even with Alexa in Hogwarts, they might not take kindly to the unknown.' With that Estel disappeared.
'You take the kids. I'll take the parents.' James nodded as they parted ways.
… … … … …
James only really wanted to talk to two people. Thus he pulled aside Alexa and Anna.
"James, what is going on?" Alexa started. "Why does Antien keep collapsing?"
James took a breath before answering. "Antien is a seer, Alexa."
"What?!" they both said. Alexa surprised and Anna sharply.
"His gift start to… materialize these past few months and –"
"Does he have a guide?" Anna asked and James thought that the only reason she asked in English was for Alexa.
"Yes, but he only started training the day after Christmas because of issues within the family." James looked at her in curiosity. "How do you know so much?"
"I read," she answered and James stared. He knew what books she was talking about and he also knew that Vayna wrote them. They were only available within their circle.
"Father or mother?"
"Grandmother, but she has long since passed," Anna said sadly.
"I am sorry."
"I am at peace with it."
"Uh, this is all enlightening and everything, but what about Antien?" Alexa cut in.
"Antien collapsed because he doesn't have full control over his gift yet, but what has us worried is that he didn't wake with our touch."
… … … … …
"Is Antien all right?" Petunia asked. "We saw Harry carry him out."
Rodwen didn't know what to say because of Estel's warning. "He'll be okay," she said after a moment.
"Did his collapse have to do with his… magic?" Elena, Alexa's mother, asked. Rodwen knew the fear in her eyes. She feared that the same would happen to her daughter.
"Yes and no," Rodwen answered, before glancing around and making sure they were alone, both by sight and by magic. "Antien has a more rare gift than just magic." When they each looked at her curiously she continued. "Antien is a seer."
Dudley looked surprised, Elena confused and Petunia fearful.
"He is still in the process of learning how to control it thus the episode tonight." At that Petunia looked relieved.
James longed to check on his brother, but knew that he had to stay at his cousin's house a little longer. They were sitting in the living room, the party long over, waiting for news. Rodwen left hours before asking James to stay and promising news when it came.
At that moment, however, he thought over the puzzle that was Anna. She had left with her parents just after midnight after placing her address and phone number written on a piece of paper in his hand.
Petunia, James noticed, bristled at that and he knew that she though Anna was taking advantage of the situation. James couldn't blame her when he didn't even know what the hell was going on.
The clock just struck the hour of 5 when a nock sounded and Legolas walked in.
"Is Antien—" Legolas shushed his with a look.
"Good morrow, Madam Dursley," he said politely. "It is good to see you in such fine health after these 20 years." He bowed his head slightly before turning to James. 'Your brother asks for you. Go and I will follow in a moment.' James nodded and left quickly.
… … … … …
Petunia eyes the newcomer with a critical eye. She knew he looked familiar but she couldn't place him until he greeted her politely. Then she gawked at him.
Alexa spoke up then. "Is Antien all right?"
"He will be," Legolas answered. "He is just tired right now because the vision took a lot out of him."
Legolas then turned to Petunia. "I would stay longer, but I only came to relay the message. My family thanks you for your hospitality and hopes we can see each other again."
Dudley nodded. "Tell Harry that he and his family are always welcome here."
Legolas nodded, "He will be glad to hear of it." and quickly left.
"Mum?" Dudley asked turning to her. "Who was that?"
…
…
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A/N: Sorry this took so long. School can take a lot out of you. Happy Halloween everyone!