Thanks to: Cal, Joy, Colin Creevey and TheGreatAthlon5 for reviewing!

Questions:

Why an entire castle? An entire castle as a tomb?
She thinks her brother deserves a whole castle for a tomb and seeing as how their ancestor was one of the founders she finds it appropriate. Sal has a love/hate relationship with Hogwarts due to not being able to go, she doesn't want it to be used since she didn't get to but because of its history she still wants to have it so a tomb is kind of the perfect function for it

How many books do you intend this to be anyways?
Eight main series books so this is the last one

What's his (Sly's)... deal?
He grew up in Knockturn Alley to criminal parents who gave him the same potion as Oathan to make his brain develop faster but its highly illegal due to the severe side effects and risk of death, his older sister did die from it which led to his parents' arrest and placement in foster care where he's abused by his foster brother. He's loyal to his father so he believes he was taken from him unfairly and his life ruin for no reason, he wholly blames the ministry and views them as bad because of this so the Shadows are the good guys to him since they're defeating the ministry and changing the rules, he doesn't think things could get any worse so they're still the better option to him. He also likes they train child soldiers, both because he wants to be strong enough to defend himself and because he's frustrated being treated as a child when his mind is more mature because of the potion. He also hopes part of the change involves recognizing his father's false imprisonment and freeing him so he can be with his dad again

Does Ethan have any significance?
A minor one

Antonius Ashain sat on a bench at some small time train station, alone but for his massive mongrel dog Hope by his side who he was stroking gently. Apart from that it was deserted, even whoever was supposed to be selling tickets was absent. That wasn't particularly surprising though, they were getting closer to London which had been attacked earlier and there were reportedly no survivors so people were scared and fleeing. It sucked, aside from the obvious it would now take them even longer to get back to Plymouth now since going through London had been their most direct route. They being him and sister, Cassia had gone to look for… the train schedule or something like that.

They'd been walking forever it felt like, all night and now most of this day. He felt exhausted and they still had a way to go, he didn't know what they were going to do for sleep. He didn't know what they were going to do just in general or what was going to happen to them or the world, he didn't know anymore. He sighed and moved his hand away from Hope, shoving them into his pockets instead and shivering. He was cold, even with the sun beating down overhead he felt so cold. He also felt something in his pocket strangely, not knowing what he would have there for a second before pain shot through him as a voice echoed from the recesses of his mind.

"But first: Happy Birthday!"

"But it wasn't my birthday," Antonius muttered, feeling tears prick his eyes.

"I know it's not your birthday. But you had to go and be born in July, it's after the Hogwarts year ends so I won't get to see you…"

He wouldn't get to see him ever now. Antonius shakily withdrew the gift, feeling a lump in his throat as he tried to swallow back his tears. It was the same hexagonal box that Andreas had given him a few days ago, wrapped in crimson paper and tied with an elegant purple bow. It felt like so much more time had passed since then, he had no idea what it could be.

"No opening it until your actual birthday, if not it defeats the whole point of it being a birthday present."

Antonius shoved it back into his pocket, fighting the urge to break down again. He had to stay strong, if he didn't stay strong there was no way Gray would ever accept him and no way he'd ever be able to fight the Shadows. He had to, he had to fight them so he couldn't be weak, he couldn't think about who he'd lost. He tried to compose himself and looked around for something to distract him, there was nothing really except for the platform. He remembered the last time he'd been on a platform.

"I've known this day would come since you were born. Yet I still can't believe that same baby boy is old enough to be going to Hogwarts for the very first time."

That got him. Antonius buried his face in his hands, choking on a sob at the memory of his father's voice. He wished his dad was there now, he wished he was anywhere else if it meant he was still alive really. His dad would hug him and he wouldn't feel cold anymore, he'd tell him everything would be okay. His dad would know what to do. But he was gone now, he'd never say another word to him, he never had gotten to say his speech on the platform. Antonius wished he was gone too.

"Anton?" a familiar voice questioned and he glanced up to see his sister had returned, the ten year old Cassia who was clutching a brown baggie bearing McDonalds' logo, "What's wrong?"

"Dad… Dad never got to say his speech when he saw me onto the train," Antonius pointed out shakily, trying to swallow his tears and be strong. After all, he was the older siblings, "We were too busy being smart mouths and now… now he'll never get to say it."

"When was ever going to say it anyway?" Cassia wondered logically, her expression blank, "He changed it up and said something else instead, he was never going to go back to that anyway."

"I guess," Antonius sniffed, wiping at his eyes and regretting not letting him say it.

"Here," Cassia said abruptly and Antonius barely glanced in time to catch the baggie she'd flung at him, "Eat up."

"I'm not hungry."

"I didn't ask if you were hungry, I told you to eat up," Cassia pointed out, leaning back against a lamppost and nibbling on some fries while Hope whinged at the food with her tail wagging eagerly, "We need to keep our strength up if you're going to make it to Plymouth and be of any use against the Shadows. And throw some of it to your dog while you're at it."

Antonius sighed, still not feeling hungry but he supposed he could see the logic in that. He looked in the bag, seeing there was a burger and fries. He took out the burger, breaking off a third and chucking it to Hope. The dog dug in happily and Antonius sprinkled a handful of fries across the ground as well for her to eat when she was done.

"If you want us to eat, you should probably eat more than fries yourself," Antonius offered.

"I've been eating as I walked back, only have some of these left," Cassia answered readily and Antonius nodded in understanding.

"Where did you get the money for this anyway?" Antonius sighed as he unhappily bit into the semi-cold burger.

"Nowhere. I stole this stuff," Cassia answered shortly, causing Antonius to almost choke on his burger as he looked back to her in shock but she seemed unfazed.

"You stole food?!"

"Of course I stole food, we have no money but we need to eat to live," Cassia answered in a tone that suggested it was obvious, "It's fucking McDonalds, Anton, me taking one baggie of food didn't kill anyone."

"Still," Antonius insisted unhappily, "Stealing is wrong."

"So is vigilantism. Get over it."

Antonius sighed, still not feeling very happy about it but he supposed there was nothing he could do about it now. He gnawed away at his stolen food, tasting even colder and blander somehow now he knew it was stolen. They ate in silence which surprised him thinking about it, he couldn't recall the last time Cassia had been this quiet during a meal. Or in general really, the whole walk they'd barely said two words to each other which really wasn't like her.

He glanced at his sister, seeing the same girl who looked like someone had deposited straw on her head as her hair had both the same texture and color like their mother while he had the same extremely dark auburn hair as his dad and Ashains in general tended to. She had the same eyes as him though also like their dad, dark chestnut although now hers carried dark rings beneath them. She didn't look different yet… he still felt she was different somehow, usually she was bubbly but now she silent and her expression ever grim.

She'd been close to their dad so he expected her to take it hard but she actually seemed to be taking it better then him, she hadn't cried and was very much focused on the task. Like she knew what she was doing, which was more then he could say for himself. They finished off the stolen food and Cassia threw out the trash, only then was he reminded the actual reason she'd went off.

"So did you find out anything?" Antonius wondered of her.

"I wouldn't have returned if I didn't," Cassia answered blankly, her words devoid lacking her usual… energy? He wasn't sure how to describe it, "There's a redirected freight train set to come by soon that's headed our way, we should be able to sneak onto that and catch a ride as it slows up going through here."

"Now we're stowaways?"

"Now you have a problem with this?"

Antonius sighed again, he supposed runaway vigilantes couldn't be choosers. Cassia let him away from the platform, heading instead for the tracks themselves and in particular a particular foresty section so the driver was less likely to notice two kids and a dog jumping onboard. Then they just to wait, thankfully they didn't seem to have to wait long and then Cassia took out her – well technically their father's – wand as the train slowed down as expected.

"What are you doing?!" he hissed at her.

"Going to have to get one of these doors open so we can get onboard."

"Well let me do it, I'm the one who's had a year of Hogwarts."

"Exactly so you're bound by the Trace but I'm not, Daddy started teaching me spells this year with his wand," Cassia insisted, making Antonius feel quite useless as she twirled the wand with a steadiness and confidence in the movements even older kids lacked, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

She aimed for one of the ones further down, Antonius only recognizing which one when she her arm lurched back and the compartment door on the side slid open. Antonius suddenly had doubts about it as the train swung closer, it had slowed but it still seemed fast and they had to jump into this. He was about to question the safety of their plan when the open side reached them and Cassia threw herself inside, he cried out in panic and now had to run alongside.

"Grab my hand!" Cassia yelled at him as she righted herself, hanging in the entrance and holding her arm out for him as Antonius found himself struggling to keep up.

Throwing caution to the wind, he grabbed her hand and launched himself at the train while she pulled. They tumbled into the compartment together, thankfully all intact as the train started to pick up speed again. Antonius felt a sliver of panic for his dog and opened his mouth to say as much before the giant fur ball landed beside him, having evidently already decided to follow him. He hugged her in relief and she started licking his face, making him sigh mentally. Dogs.

"Well we made it," Cassia pointed out sitting against the other side of the compartment.

"What about Convaris?" Antonius questioned as he let go of Hope and leaned against the side of the compartment opposite her.

"He's a bird, remember?" Cassia told him and cawed, immediately the massive vulture she had for a pet flew through the massive space and perched on her knee which made him sigh mentally again. Birds.

The old house-elf 'Leader' – at least that was what the boy had called him – trudged through the countryside, hobbling along down by the river with his bloody stump clutched protectively to his chest. He didn't know what he was supposed to do anymore, he didn't know where he was supposed to go. How could he? He was a house-elf, he only existed to serve and now his Master was dead. Not even just dead, the boy had wiped him beyond any reach or hope of returning. And he'd just stood there, he'd just let it happen.

He still didn't understand why, he didn't know what had happened. He'd seen his Master in trouble and he'd just… he'd just not acted and the boy had destroyed him. He didn't know why, he was a good servant, a loyal servant but… he just hadn't. He wondered whether it was because the boy had protected him, defended him from a punishment his Master had deemed he deserved. He still didn't understand why the boy had done that either, he had no logical reason to defend him- he'd spent months torturing the boy to prepare him for the Master's task! And yet the child had protected him. He didn't understand, he didn't think his house-elf brain was capable of understanding the more complex humans. He missed when things made sense.

And now he was left at an utter loss of what to do, what was a house-elf without a master? He couldn't bring himself to face the others, to tell them what had happened, what he'd done. Or hadn't done, he hadn't to live with the guilt whatever the semantics were. And yet… a part of his brain- a very, very small part of his brain – felt relief, after all his Master being dead meant he no longer had to suffer his punishments. Even if he had deserved them, of course he had deserved them but it was only basic instinct to not want to be pain.

He blamed the boy. The boy had done this to him, he'd never had these problems before he'd met the child, he swore it. He was actually very much inclined to find the boy, track him down. If he even lived, what he'd done would've destroyed his weak heart and without medical intervention he wouldn't have lasted. The only question if he found him was whether to slaughter him as revenge for his master or to throw himself down at his feet and beg to serve him instead, a house-elf needed a master.

Leader looked up abruptly, startled by the sound of an infant's cry. He'd thought no one was around, he scanned his surroundings in search of some people with a baby but he saw none. Unless they were cloaked by invisibility or the baby was alone, which was impossible unless… no, it couldn't be. Could it? Oathan had tried to save the child, the boy's power was not something a sane being should take lightly.

He headed towards the sound of the – actually quite weak - cries, large round eyes skimming the edge of the river until he caught sight of it. He approached the infant, starting to smell him as he got closer as the baby had most certainly soiled itself. Sure enough, there he was. Wedged amongst rocks by the side was the youngest of the Ashain bloodline, young Cres had survived the Master's attempt.

It was miraculous really, the small body was bloody and battered from what had to be rocks on his travels down the river before he'd become stuck here. He was soaked through and still in water cold enough to be making him shiver, crying hopelessly and weakly as it was all he could possibly do. Leader approached the babe and scooped him up, rather awkwardly but he managed it with his good arm. He was freezing, his skin felt like ice and he was looking very pale and ill but he lived.

For now. Leader wasn't sure what he should do with him, after all he could finish what his master started. The infant was completely at his mercy, it'd be easy - so easy – to hold him under the water until the bubbles stopped or just snap his neck, or kill him a million other ways. The baby was helpless. He'd even stopped crying, lacking the strength and instead just looking up at him with broken, desperate eyes. Ashain eyes. Maybe it wasn't wise to kill potentially the last Ashain, maybe he should raise him instead and serve.

He couldn't do that though, he was in no shape to care for an infant and had no right. After all, until it could speak he would be making decisions for the baby not obeying instruction and that was not his place, it was wrong of him. He'd have to deposit the baby back where he'd come from, wait until he was older. He could always go back and kill the baby later, he couldn't bring the baby anywhere if he killed it though. He needed to think about this so he thought he'd do that, he'd just take him back and when he figured out what he was doing with his life he could come back for him if need be. That sounded like a plan.

Leader apparated them back to outside the grandfather's cottage, dumping the baby on the doorstep and knocking before he could change his mind. He then apparated to further back, hiding behind a rock but still able to see the cottage. He peered out from behind it, not having to wait long before the door opened. He wasn't close enough to make out the facial expression or hear conversation but the man's cry was loud enough he could make it out from back there, he picked the baby immediately up and hugged it, holding it so close.

He apparated before the man could start to look around for who had returned the infant, not wanting to get caught. He still had things to do, he'd figure this out. He decided he would find Oathan, whatever he was going through it had started with the boy and somehow it would end with the boy.

They sat in silence as the train chuntered on, sitting on opposite sides of the compartment. There were a few boxes on either side but that was it so they sat in the center, Antonius with Hope as the great big dog had decided to rest her head on his lap and he stroked her gently to soothe himself. He still felt cold in the compartment, the evening was drawing in anyway as the light started to leave the sky. He found himself wandering if the trip would be long enough for the night because he thought the train would be as good a place to sleep as any, they were out of the elements and the rhythm of the train was oddly relaxing to him somehow.

"Any idea how long this will take?" Antonius asked of his sister as she took a box out of her pocket.

"No idea," Cassia shrugged as she opened the box, showing off a few rows of cigarettes much to his surprise. His surprise turned to outright shock as she withdrew one, sticking it in her mouth, "Convaris is watching to see-"

"What are you doing?!" Antonius blurted out incredulously as she took her wand back out again.

"Smoking," Cassia answered as blankly as ever before casting a small fiery spell to light the thing.

"You're too young to smoke! Why are you even smoking?!"

"I don't know," Cassia shrugged, coughing a little at the smoke as she pocketed her wand once more, "I heard it's supposed to be relaxing, plus Skye hates it so it must be good."

"No it must not, it's like scientifically proven to be bad for your health," Antonius protested, trying to remember if that was true as he'd been out of a muggle environment for a long time now.

"Bad for muggles health, we're magical. It's fine."

"You're ten!"

"I'm not like most ten year olds."

"Where did you even get cigarettes?!"

"Stole 'em."

"Cassia!"

"What?" Cassia wondered, popping the thin stick out of her mouth for a minute, "If it's bad for muggles then I did that guy a favor stealing them and we still have no money. I could do with a way to relax right now."

"What would Dad say?"

"How am I supposed to know? He's dead," Cassia pointed out grimly and put the cigarette back in her mouth as he looked away unhappily, giving up and going back to silence while she smoked.

"I miss Dad," Antonius admitted quietly after a while.

"Me too," Cassia breathed, equally quietly and he glanced back to her in time to catch the melancholic glint in her eyes, "And now we're orphans."

"We have Skye."

"Skye's not our mother."

"Not liking her doesn't mean she's not our mother," Antonius pointed out, starting to wonder if it had been a good idea leaving her.

"Mothers don't have parts of their kids' souls torn out, they don't hand them over to psychopaths and they don't abandon their families," Cassia stated, her voice continuing to sound blank and empty, "Daddy loved us, he fought for us every step of the way and tried to protect us. To call both of them our parents is an insult to him, there's just no comparison."

"I don't know," Antonius simply shrugged, not sure if he agreed but he didn't feel defending Skye. It wasn't like he didn't have issues with her too, "Do you think she'll be alright? She is a muggle, if the Shadow Master starts attacking places other than London she could be in trouble and she wouldn't be able to defend herself."

"I don't care."

"Cassia-"

"I really don't," Cassia insisted, glancing at him and catching his eye, "Tell me I should care, tell me, tell me I'm a monster but I really don't. When I think of her dying for real, I just don't feel anything. Skye is nothing to me."

"Well…" Antonius started to say but trailed off, having no idea where he was going with this, "That sucks."

"Yeah," Cassia said dismissively, her eyes already darting around and he realized her cigarette was almost gone, "Where should I put it out?"

"I don't know, just chuck it out of the- Hey!" Antonius started to suggest an answer but his tune changed in horror as instead of doing that, she put the cigarette out on her wrist which left a red circular burn, "What did you do that for?!"

"Had to put it out."

"You didn't have to hurt yourself!"

"It's okay, pain is good," Cassia shrugged it off dismissively, her expression still blank as she gazed at her wounded wrist while the compartment suddenly seemed to get dark, "Lets you know you're still alive, and that you can still feel…"

"Cassia-"

"Is it just me or did it suddenly get dark?" Cassia cut him off to question as she looked back up.

In fact, she actually getting up and walking over to the open part to peer out. Antonius opened his mouth to chastise her for changing the subject and to point out it was getting dark so what but he stopped himself, he didn't think it got that dark that fast. Not by regular means anyway, not unless you were an evil leader with a magic staff that sucked the light away…

BANG!