"There is no footprint too small to leave an imprint on this world."
The Purpose, Rewritten, Chapter 8 The promise
February 25, 1941
Seth had been escorted back to Hogwarts late at night, apparating with Dumbledore. Although he already knew how to apparate, having learned from Flamel, Dumbledore didn't know that. The next day, when he went to the Slytherin common room, Tom had simply glanced at Seth and knew they had been triumphant.
"Yes, it was destroyed, but the votes were equal, and it was Dumbledore who had to decide." Seth explained.
Tom grimaced.
"You owe him now." Tom said almost inaudibly.
''Hmm. I'm not very enthusiastic, but at least I know who the families are and who didn't want to help us, even though some wouldn't have voted at all.'' Seth said taking a seat on the couch next to Tom. . "Septimus has a lot more influence than I thought."
Tom tossed him a transfiguration book which he picked up.
"I know you like to do your lessons ahead of time and Dumbledore's substitute has given pages 41 to 58 to read." Tom said.
Seth looked at Tom with a raised eyebrow and tossed the book back to him.
"Tom..." Seth began.
"You already know it by heart." Tom said with a smirk before standing up. ''You coming to eat?''
Seth followed Tom to the dining hall and they joined Yaxley and Nott at the table. They ask Seth what happened, and he told them they would know soon enough. Sure enough, the owls arrived, carrying, and distributing the Daily Prophet with them. Seth sighed when he saw the title of the main page.
Vampires free to commit murder again, Ministry under investigation.
And, another title below.
The vampire king's son, Seth Vulken, a student at Hogwarts school. Students in danger?
"HEY VULKEN!" Weasley shouted across the room. "A LITTLE BLOOD WITH YOUR CEREAL?"
Tom looked at Seth with a knowing smile and Seth continued to eat his cereal without answering. If he could drink Weasley's blood and erase his memory with an obliviating spell, he would. This thought gave him a possible idea of how to deal with the Aurors Felipe and Daniel.
''Are you offering yourself, Weasley?'' retorted Orion not far from Seth.
"I didn't ring you, Black." Weasley muttered.
The other Gryffindors started whispering among themselves.
'Why do you always have to comment, Rod. He never reacts to your insults and besides… he is always nice.'
'Alexa…seriously, you say that because he is a handsome guy.'
The girl in question blushed at his comment.
'Nobutnohealwayshelpedwithmyhomeworks…'
Roderick Weasley got up with a grunt and left the room. The comments started again, and the subject revolved around him. Seth was used to it and today was no different than any other days. After they finished eating, they went to their history lesson and Seth took the opportunity to read something else, like Occlumency, for example. What he really didn't want was his thoughts to be read and Tom seemed particularly good at doing that.
"Psst, Seth." Corban muttered during class. "We made bets on how long it will take you to catch the snitch on Saturday. I put five galleons on thirty-five to fifty seconds. You're going to help me, huh?'' Corban continued.
Seth smiled amusedly.
"If you want, Corban." Seth replied before continuing to read.
The first rule to become an Occlumens is to know how to think of nothing. Various methods will be explained in this book. Very few people succeed in becoming a perfect Occlumens, because emotions, very human, prevent this from being accomplished.
To not think of anything. This was obviously the way to block others. How would you read the thoughts of another, if there is nothing to see there? Seth heard Professor Binns begin his monotonous dialogue about the 1500s.
He had time to read the first chapter during history class and he was determined to begin the exercises to empty his mind.
The day passed and when all the Slytherins retreated to the dorms, Seth was still reading the book on the couch, his legs crossed and lit by a magic ball of light swirling around him.
"I found an interesting room a few days ago." Tom said behind him.
Seth turned another page of the book.
"A room?" Seth said staring at his book.
"Do you want to come and see?" Tom asked.
If Tom asked him to come and see something after curfew, it was illegal, or secret. Tom was now in front of him, and Seth looked up.
"Now?" Seth said.
"Of course." Tom replied with a tilt of his head to the left.
Tom trusted Seth to tell him if he could hear people up to the seventh floor. They had to stop for a moment, hidden in a room, while the janitor passed. Tom walked a hallway three times and a door appeared just as Seth began to doubt Tom's sanity.
"Obviously." Seth muttered before following Tom.
The room looked suspiciously like the Slytherin common room, only much smaller. There was even a large bed in one corner.
"Hogwarts is showing me this room because I'm tired, but it seems to fit anything you could possibly want. You'll have to go out and think about it before you just open the door.'' Tom explained.
"You tested it, didn't you?" Seth asked and Tom nodded. "So, if we really wanted to train like we did at my house, could it look like the hall of mirrors?"
"Sure." Tom assured.
"Awesome." Seth smiled. The idea of dueling with Tom every night excited him, but another idea came to him. "We should invite Corban and Ronan to join us."
Tom ran his hand over the back of a couch and tilted his head to the left.
"Hm." He replied. ''Not here. There are plenty of other empty rooms. We just have to not exceed the curfew.
Seth understood that Tom surely didn't want to share all his secrets with just anyone and he suddenly felt blessed to have a friend like him.
OoOoO
June 5th, 1941
Corban had won his bet and had quadrupled his bet of Galleons from the Quidditch match. Afterwards, as Seth and Tom had discussed, they had invited Corban and Ronan to practice in an empty room, but after obtaining permission from a teacher to practice spells outside of the dueling groups. Others had caught wind of what they were doing and several Slytherins from other years had joined, and then other students from other houses.
Seth soon realized that in fact, Tom had done all this in order to use the secret room to invite more specific members following the multiple duels. He had created a more… clandestine group. It contained only pureblood students who shared the same values as Tom.
As the end of the year approached, Seth was sitting with his back against a tree, reading as he always did, a fifth-grade book, since he had already finished the one on Occlumency.
"You didn't come to the Knight's meeting last night." Tom mentioned as he walked towards Seth and stopped in front of him.
Seth turned a page of his book without looking up. Tom had named his group the Knights of Walpurgis, since Walpurgis originated from the witches' sabbath, or represented the honor of wizards and witches throughout the world.
''Of course not. Burning Myrtle Warren's hands with bubobulb pus sure made a lot of sense, Tom." Seth replied.
"She didn't have to snoop on what's none of her business." Tom spat.
"Hmm. What about Erin Hetchwick's broken arm? Or Henriette Leblanc's pustules? All Muggle-born wizards. Who's next, Tom? Me?'' Seth said looking up at him.
Tom raised his eyebrows.
"You… were born of pure magic. How could you even think of yourself as anything other than the very purity of wizarding blood.'' said Tom.
''What? That's what you think? My parents are…'' began Seth.
"Dead!'' Tom interrupted. ''With magic running through their bodies, making them live and walk for hundreds of years and then…suddenly a being with a beating heart grows inside the womb of a vampire. You don't even try to find out why you exist? If I were you, I would look for answers! For my part, you are far from being one of those execrable Mudblood scoundrels!'' spat Tom again.
Seth blinked, amazed at the theory Tom had provided. He had never thought that way. But, he also didn't think Muggle-born wizards were inferior, since they all had magical ancestors.
"You are a wizard, or you are not, Tom…"
"Stop calling me that!" Tom hissed in Parseltongue.
Seth closed his book abruptly and stood up.
"And what do you want me to call you? Riddle?'' asked Seth, irritated.
Tom grimaced before looking thoughtful.
"I'll figure something out." muttered Tom.
Seth sighed and looked towards the castle.
"I don't think…" Seth started, but Tom cut him off again.
''Of course, you do. You may not believe those Mudbloods deserve these punishments, but I know perfectly well that you're dying to drink wizard's blood and what better way than to inflict it on them.'' said Tom. Seth opened his mouth, then closed it before frowning. ''What? You think I don't know how you look at everyone? That you walk away as soon as someone approaches you? That all those hares bring you little satisfaction?''
Seth wondered how Tom knew all this before he remembered how well he had already mastered several levels of Legilimency.
And he was telling the truth.
Although he hardly needed to drink Gellert's blood anymore, since he had found that doing magic didn't exhaust him like he used to, his gaze had often lingered on the necks of others. Many times, he imagined hearing their moans as their blood ran down his throat, especially since he had taken Septimus' blood.
"And what are you suggesting, hm? That I hunt Muggle-borns and then put an Obliviating Charm on them?'' Seth said rolling his eyes.
''No. Maybe not now. But… you will have the right. I'm going to change that." Tom said stepping closer to Seth. "I'm going to change that." He repeated. "And all will be at my feet." He finished in Parseltongue before turning on his heels and walking towards the castle.
Seth watched him walk away wondering what exactly Tom had in mind.
OoOoO
June 23rd, 1941
Seth couldn't believe it. Before him stood Gellert Grindelwald, back in his cell, only this time he was a vampire.
"It was this, or I'd kill him, Seth." Nathaniel said beside him. "The things he was saying… the manipulations from the start... Now he no longer has the choice to be with us, or no longer exist.''
"Is it you who...?" Seth asked.
''Yes. And he didn't deserve to share my mind. Besides, he doesn't have any more magic and it's good for him.'' spat Nathaniel before leaving the prison.
Seth watched his father leave, wondering what Gellert had said or done to enrage his father so much.
"He understood who I was, my prince." Gellert muttered from the depths of his cell.
Gellert was sitting on the floor, his arms in his lap. A few drops of blood were in an empty glass by his side and a hare's body was on a table.
"You were really trying to escape, weren't you?" Seth asked.
Gellert made a loud snort.
''In part. But…those Muggles on your island are more bigoted than I thought. They… perceive us as gods.'' Gellert said. "Did you know that they pray at night in hopes that they'll be next to feed the vampires? I don't even have the privilege of offering them that." He added, pointing at the hare.
Seth looked at him without speaking, a little distraught. Gellert continued a monologue.
"It is a weird thing… not feeling my own heartbeat.'' Said Gellert as he placed a hand on his chest. ''I can know whose blood that was.'' He added, talking about the empty glass beside him. ''He was the one who brought it to me. A young man named Michael in his early twenties. He was sporting one of those scent… he had just had his lunch." Gellert recounted before licking his lips. "Do you think he would have liked me to hug him? Placing my hands in his curly hair as my tongue wanders down his neck.'' Gellert said before getting up and walking over to Seth, only cell bars separating them. "I hear your heart as clear as the sun quivering and imagining me doing what I say to you, hmm?" His voice dropped again to a single whisper. "Just open that cage, like you've done so many times, Seth."
Gellert continued to mutter in his deep voice and Seth felt weird, putting a hand on the cell door when Lazarus' hand landed on his.
"The power of persuasion. As powerful as any wizard's spell, Seth.'' Lazarus said before pulling Seth towards him. "He was already a good manipulator… Come on."
Seth shook his head and looked at Gellert who smirked mischievously before following Lazarus. He never would have thought that Gellert had been manipulating him from the start. But come to think of it, he really didn't know him, and he thought he had to be more careful.
"What did he do?" Seth asked as they were now in the garden outside.
"You or us?" Lazarus asked.
Seth blinked.
''Both?''
''Before responding to what he did to you…Grindelwald managed to kill a servant. Not only that, he managed to turn some of them against us. Although the situation was quickly resolved by reminding them what it meant to live here…'' Lazarus replied staring at some servants who were near them. "This has caused damage that will take several weeks to resolve. Your father left him alive, if you will, for the one and only reason that he was your prisoner and imposed on him a punishment… hmm, I would say, worthy of his person. Which brings me to the previous question.'' Lazarus said as he sat down on a bench.
Seth sat down next to him. He wondered who was the servant killed, but another question burned him.
"I know that every vampire is different and has unique abilities. Did you mention the power of persuasion?'' said Seth, knowing that Lazarus himself could feel all human emotions.
"Gellert is a man of power. He has long led people and used his knowledge and magic to get what he wanted. I saw what he was capable… and what he did here didn't surprise me at all. I wasn't just your guardian, my prince, when you were playing chess. He no longer has the ability to use magic that you know, but he is no less dangerous because he has acquired other abilities, one of which is exacerbated, I believe, because you were about to free him without even, you'll realize it.'' Explained Lazarus wearily. "I suggest you exercise great caution."
Yet Seth knew how to use Occlumency, and he hadn't noticed a thing. He thought back to what had happened and a flash of Gellert licking his neck came back to him, or at least the desire for him to do so came back to him.
"What am I supposed to do with him now?" Seth said.
''Hmm. He'll have to learn from us and get used to the idea that he'll never be the great ruler of the magical world, since this place belongs to you.'' said Lazarus as he stood up, putting his cane on the floor with a loud noise. "Anyway, you know very well that the king has absolute control over all vampires. All it takes is one word from him and we could all kiss his ass if he so wished. That's actually one of the reasons for making Gellert… a vampire.'' Lazarus continued.
It wasn't just a law. Vampires were unable to disobey a direct order in the vampire language from the king. This is one of the reasons why his father had probably made this choice. He had thus indirectly given this choice to Seth.
''Emrick couldn't really be a good king if he wielded that power against you all.'' Seth thought aloud.
Lazarus pursed his lips.
"It was... different.'' Lazarus replied with a slight sneer.
''How did he die? Our history book doesn't mention it." Asked Seth.
Lazarus cocked his head to one side.
"No, indeed. I can't tell you more than…one of the rare times Emrick went to bed…the next day, his eyes were white as snow, a sign that he was no longer of this world.'' Lazarus said.
"The Killing Curse, do you think?" Seth tried.
"Hmm. There were no wizards on our island, although that might have been possible… magic was not as familiar to us as it is now. But…why would a wizard seek to commit this gesture?'' said Lazarus before closing his eyes for a moment. "It was still 250 years ago."
"I see..." Seth said standing up as well.
They continued to chat for a bit before Seth decided to go practice in the hall of mirrors. Lazarus wanted to watch, but since Seth wanted to meditate, Lazarus shook his head and let him go alone.
Seth settled in the middle of the room, sitting like an Indian, hands on his knees.
Empty your mind, empty your mind, empty your mind.
Seth sighed and wondered again how he had let Gellert control him. He let his thoughts ruminate and he went back to thinking about the mandrake leaf and the potion he had made to become an Animagus. He hadn't been surprised by his animal, but when he had succeeded in transforming his arms into paws, the pain he had felt had frightened him, but also the size of them and he had not dared try again.
He told himself that he had to accomplish his transformation despite the pain and since, this time, he knew what to expect, he thought of his animal. He remembered the feeling after ingesting the potion, reliving the instincts, the smells, the noises, the double beating heart, the sounds in the air and the burning heat of a body covered with hair.
The pain had started again in his arms, then quietly in his legs, feet, chest and jaw. He didn't know how long he had been there. Was it minutes, hours, days? Hunger tugged at his stomach for a while and the feeling went away, like every time a person waits too long to satisfy their hunger.
His eyes opened, looking at the mirrors in front of him. The coolness of the mattresses caressed his face and body. He realized that he was lying full length on the ground, but that it was not he who was in the reflection of the mirrors, but a giant wolf.
A gigantic white wolf the size of an Abraxan.
He closed his eyes again and groaned hoarsely before trying to get up. His body was hurting him terribly and he was suddenly scared wondering if the pain would increase if he returned to his original form. As soon as he thought about it, His body began to shrink and resume human form. His bones were burning, and a cold sweat was now running down his skin. He started shaking and having spasms when he saw his father and Lazarus coming to his side. They carried him to his room where a servant and Flamel were requested. Nicholas brought him various potions which Seth promptly swallowed.
"What happened, Seth?" Nathaniel asked.
Seth shook his head gently.
"Nothing… bad." Seth replied and Nicholas frowned.
"There was no trace of magic… but a huge amount of hair was on the mattresses when we arrived. Did you finally manage to become an Animagus, my prince?'' Asked Nicholas with a hint of pride in his voice.
Seth smirked and nodded. Although he succeeded, he knew that his form wouldn't be very useful, and he really wouldn't use it often.
"It's a wolf, isn't it? Like our coat of arms.'' Nathaniel said.
The Vulken coat of arms was a wolf with the motto: Never Conquered, Always Feared.
"A wolf..." muttered Nicholas. "Why are we not surprised? I don't know of anyone fiercer about his family than you, Seth. Loyal, observant, free and determined… all the qualities of a true wolf.''
"Yeah, well...I only did it because I didn't want to do things halfway, but there's no point...anyway." Seth said before shrugging. "And I'm very recognizable because of my enchantment on the shoulder…and you haven't seen the size…the pain…" His voice dropped to a whisper and a shiver escaped him as he thought of the sensations he was having.
''The size? Pain? But it's not supposed to be painful at all!'' Nicholas wondered and Nathaniel frowned.
"I don't think a wizard has ever been an Abraxan-sized Animagus either." Seth mentioned.
"An Abraxan? Wasn't it one of those winged horses of France the size of an elephant?' asked the King.
"Indeed...it's...curious..." Nicholas muttered.
Seth sighed and got up from the bed. He looked at the servant, who had remained silent, out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't performed any magic, but nothing could stop him from drinking his blood. As if reading his thoughts, the servant moved closer and extended his arm towards him. Seth pushed the arm aside and moved closer, grabbing the man's hair with one hand, and pulling it to the left, giving him access to his neck. The servant groaned in surprise before Seth sank his teeth into the offered skin.
Nathaniel nodded to Nicholas, and they left the room, closing the door behind them. Seth had a satisfaction of imparting his venom into a human, rather than an animal, feeling the latter's hands gripping him, his heart racing, and hearing sounds of contentment as warm blood flowed down his throat, tasting the fruity red matured wine of several years.
He licked the wounds with his tongue before pulling back and moved the back of his hand over his mouth. A knock on the door was heard before Seth let the person in. It was Kathleen with a letter in her hands which she gave to Seth. The servant apologized and thanked him before leaving the room with a wink from Kathleen who closed the door behind her.
Seth looked at the letter and recognized the writing and the Malfoy crest. He opened the letter and began to read. It was an invitation to a party at the Malfoy mansion. Seth chuckled and thought he might have the solution if he needed wizard blood during his time at school, since Gellert blood was no longer a viable option.
OoOoO
August 10th, 1941, Malfoy Manor
''I would like to highlight one of the best decisions made by our house, the alliance with the Vulken, and drink to their health!'' Septimus said, standing at the table and his glass in the air.
The other guests raised their glasses in turn and Seth raised his, a fruity red wine over thirty years old. Septimus had invited the Black Lord, Arcturus, along with his wife, Melania Macmillan, who had brought their son, Orion, and his sister, Lucretia, who was in her final year of Hogwarts. Lucretia was staring at Seth with soft eyes, and she even sat down next to him.
There was also Abraxas and his sister, Aimee, whom he had seen during his first year at school. Septimus had lost his wife in May, but no longer seemed to mourn. He talked about the finances which had resumed well and talked about politics while his new house-elf, named Dobby, served them food.
''Does your father already have a match for you?'' whispered Lucretia as Septimus continued to talk.
"Hmm. Even if he had one, it's not up to him, Lucretia." Seth replied.
"Do you have anything to share, Mr. Vulken?" Septimus asked.
Seth took a sip of wine and set his glass on the table.
''I don't know. Did you have in mind discussing who my future wife might be?'' Seth said and Lucretia blushed looking away.
"It's a topic that gets talked about a lot by pureblood families, Mr. Vulken. It is normal that my daughter asked you the question, despite my…disagreement.'' Arcturus said giving his daughter a disapproving look.
"Your disagreement?" Seth replied dryly.
Another question of blood.
''Forgive me, Mr. Vulken, but no one knows the identity of your biological parents and your family background suggests that you were… Muggle-born.'' Arcturus replied with a smirk.
Seth stood up, irritated, and Septimus did the same.
"Seth, please..." Septimus began, but Seth raised his hand.
"Let the way I was born forever be without doubt in your sight." Seth hissed in parseltongue.
A puzzled look appeared on their faces, even though none of them understood what he had said.
''A parseltongue… but that's impossible.'' Arcturus muttered.
"Did you know, father?" Armand said as Septimus sat back down.
"And so much more." Septimus replied, picking up his drink.
"My ancestor is Shilo Slytherin, Salazar's brother. If you are so interested in purity of blood, know that my birth is… special.'' Seth said, sitting down in turn.
"You're a vampire, admit it. You even have pointy ears.'' Orion snapped.
Indeed, Seth had not hidden this physical trait, tired of doing this almost useless transfiguration. He was used to comments and knew that rumors always ended sooner or later.
"But no, that too… it's impossible." Said Aimee.
Armand looked at his father's expression and opened his mouth to speak but closed it immediately. Arcturus emptied his glass of wine and asked for more. Abraxas remained silent, eating his meal.
"So, father... do you still believe that Seth isn't worthy of our family?" Lucretia said with an arrogant tone.
"I'm not interested, Mrs. Black.'' Seth said.
Lucretia gulped and lowered her head. A tension was palpable in the room, only Septimus was calm and had his heart beating at a normal rate.
"One alliance is enough for now, isn't it, Mr. Vulken?" Septimus said. "Of course, know that your secrets cannot leave this room without your consent. I had to say some more… personal things before the Wizengamot session, but I now believe that the House of Blacks and Malfoys are at your service after these… revelations.'' added Lord Malfoy.
''Very well. I actually have a request for you regarding your grandson, which we'll discuss later.'' Seth said.
Abraxas lifted his head and looked at Seth in confusion, then at his grandfather and father.
"Very well." Responded Septimus echoingly.
The rest of the evening was brief. Perhaps Arcturus had too much information to digest and after some formalities, he left via the Floo Network with his wife and children.
"Aimee, go back to your husband, this discussion is none of your business." Septimus said.
Aimee rolled her eyes and muttered insults before leaving the manor as well.
"Abraxas doesn't need to be present either." Seth said with a smirk.
Abraxas was about to answer, but received a stinging curse from his grandfather and he moaned in pain.
''Ouch! If it concerns me, I have the right to know!'' grumbled Abraxas, holding his arm where he had received the curse.
"ABRAXAS!" yelled Armand.
Seth didn't know why, but Abraxas seemed to be more afraid of his father than of Septimus and ran off, probably to his room. Armand sighed and sat down in one of the large armchairs, the one Septimus had sat on the last time and Seth had drunk his blood. Septimus smirked and sat down in another identical chair.
''What is it, Mr. Vulken?'' asked Armand.
"I know you have doubts about me, despite your father's words." Seth said before clicking his tongue.
Armand snorted in response. Seth walked over to him and sat on his legs. Armand looked confused and glanced at his father before turning back to Seth.
''What does that mean? I don't like men that way and I…'' Started Armand before having Seth's finger on his mouth.
Seth's eyes turned black, and Armand gasped in surprise, his eyes wide open.
"Far from hurting you, Armand." Seth said, repeating the same words he had said to Septimus before sinking his sharp teeth into the skin of his neck.
His reaction was similar to Septimus, and Seth felt the exact same elation, feeling magic fill his body and an electric effect pass through his fingers as he slid his left hand behind Armand's head and held the chair with his right hand. Armand moaned of pleasure, clenching his fingers on Seth's clothes, and moving his pelvis below him.
"Great Salazar! Oh!''
Seth took that moan as a signal to pour more venom into his system. He heard his heartbeat even faster and felt it quiver below him. The blood rushed out in synch with the beating of his heart. Armand let out a muffled cry as an orgasm shot through his body and Seth ran his tongue over the wounds which closed after a few seconds.
Seth pulled away from Armand, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and his eyes turning icy blue again. Seth walked over to Septimus who opened his arms, willingly inviting him to do the same as his son.
"This time...let me kiss you, Prince Vulken." Septimus said.
Seth raised his eyebrows at the request but went to sit on him anyway.
Armand stood up, one hand on his neck and still in shock at what had just happened. He watched Seth kiss his father for a moment before he moved to his neck. Armand took a few steps back, looking down and realizing the state of his pants. Disgusted, he took his wand from his pocket and cleaned himself. After he finished, he put his wand away and went back to rubbing his neck absently. He sat down in another chair and asked the elf for a drink of hard liquor.
He felt dizzy, probably from the lack of blood. He closed his eyes, but heard his father moaning in turn, then a cry. Septimus was breathing heavily and kissed Seth again before he pulled away.
Seth sat down in a chair and crossed his legs, licking his teeth.
"How…why did…" Armand said, unable to finish his sentence and put on a face of disgust. "Ugh…"
Septimus laughed and got up from the chair, a little unsteady.
"Your confusion is normal, my son. Imagine what vampires are capable of, what we've been missing all these years. A wonderful amalgamation of those… ah, I'll say it, of those non-magical creatures with wizards… living hundreds of years and now… now…'' said Septimus approaching Seth and gesturing with his hands. . "A vampire wizard, princely with a nation behind him...and Slytherin blood in his veins...isn't that the one who should rule us?" Septimus added.
"Old senile. He's just fifteen and he's a nobody." Armand spat.
"Twenty-six." Seth said, ignoring his comment.
Septimus had drawn his wand to hex his son and stopped mid-spell. Armand did not flinch but frowned.
"Still young and inexperienced." Said Armand into his glass of alcohol.
Septimus put his wand back in his cane and chuckled lightly.
''Even if what you say is true, Seth, my son...'' began Septimus before glaring at Armand. ''… is right. I got a little carried away with the possibilities. Nevertheless, I believe you had a request regarding Abraxas?''
Seth looked at Armand who emptied his glass of alcohol before answering Septimus.
''Indeed. I have three more years at Hogwarts, and Abraxas two. Since you now know what I am, I want to ask your permission that I may use Abraxas a few times before he comes of age.'' Seth said staring at Septimus.
"Use him? And why before his majority?'' Armand said.
"You really don't listen to anything, you darn stubborn maggot, and it's me you call old senile. It is the first law of vampires not to touch a child. I remember it vividly." Septimus spat before closing his eyes briefly and looking at Seth. "Armand cannot have to make this decision. I remain Lord Malfoy and agree to your request on one condition."
Seth smirked.
"I'm listening." Seth replied.
"On his 17th birthday, December 12 of next year, let it be his choice, among other things, but also make the fortunes of the Malfoys never again be at stake no matter what happens to your nation. I want Brian Vulken to always honor your word right now.'' Septimus said.
This was all a question of money and the sense of preservation for his descendants.
''Although it remains words, it is a promise, Lord Malfoy. This promise will become void if Abraxas lets his tongue and ears go where it shouldn't, right, Abraxas?'' said Seth knowing full well that Abraxas hadn't been in his room long and was hiding behind a wall from the start.
Armand and Septimus turned their heads towards Abraxas who had shown himself, his hands in front of him.
"Please…I won't say anything…I will obey…forgive me." Abraxas stammered.
Armand pursed his lips before getting up and Abraxas stepped back.
"I believe our hospitality has just ended, Prince Vulken." Armand said dryly.
Seth uncrossed his legs and stood up. No one spoke to him that way. He wouldn't allow any adult to talk to him like that. Septimus quickly walked over to him and put a hand on his chest.
"Seth, I… please…"
Armand had grabbed Abraxas by the collar and was leading him away.
"No one has the right to…" Seth started, but Septimus cut him off.
"I know, let him digest what just happened. My son is not like me.'' begged the patriarch.
Seth pushed Septimus's hand away and made his way to the entrance hall before Apparating.
