Feather Brains

"Care to share your interpretation of the seventh font?" Raven inquired as Louis skipped a stone over the water's mirrored surface. The crystal blue waters of the nordic lake sparkled like diamonds beneath the summer sun. Grassland extended as far as the eye could see until eventually the green gave way to the immense mountains and fjords that lay at the heart of the Scandinavian wilds.

The carnival of the moon had now ended, along with the drama of all that had transpired beneath the gilded halls of the French court. With the closing ceremony came a near end to summer.

'Only a week before Hogwarts classes start up again' I thought to myself, nearly sighing.

I'd barely had a summer at all. Alex, Raven and I had decided to take the day to relax by one of our favorite locations, a shimmering lake only a short broom ride west of Mount Adamant.

"You're curious what I glimpsed when I read the book of Love?"

"We both are" Louis added after he exchanged a glance with his new found friend. I didn't wonder what they were really up to hanging out together these last few days. Ok… in fairness I had tried to set them up… what annoyed me was that they hadn't let me know if i'd been successful.

Rory and Lou had this unspoken bond that could have led to more… but I also knew that Louis liked guys. Maybe it was wrong of me to use Louis to please Alex, and get Alex's interest in me sated and off of my mind. If it was wrong, I didn't spare it much thought. The Slytherin in me smirked as I watched the two of them exchange furtive smiles.

"Well… the construct of Love is actually a bond. It's a tethering magic. Kind of associative, depending on where you attach the tether. 'How all things connect and the ways you can connect them' might be a good way to describe its influence." I mused esoterically.

"Ok… but what kinds of abilities fall under its framework?" The dark haired boy asked curiously, breaking off his stare at my androgynous cousin. He took a smooth stone out of Louis's hand and skipped it. The object spun and ricocheted farther than even my cousin had managed.

"Healing and protection magic for one. I know how to magnify protective charms and lace together skin and tissue far better than before. Although medical magic is something i've always been terrible at. I will be able to finish my Aegis defense grid now. It's a project i've been working on for years. What else—oh, I also know how to heal some scars on the soul and the mind. The soul itself is made of like… this nest of love magic. A kind of tethering potential of threads and cords that matures as we live our lives. I can actually see everyones souls now, which is kind of weird. Each of us has a distinct color and hue and shape.

"You can see our very souls?" Louis started in surprise, lowering his hand as he stalled another throw. I nodded, plucking a stone from his hand to fling it out onto the lake just as Raven had done. It spun so perfectly that it cleared the entire body of water, crashing on the other shore to startle the beautiful white winged horses that grazed there.

"Yours for instance is a pink gold, bright and twinkling like a star. It's pretty, and warm, sweet almost. Lacey and gauze like metal wrapped around a pulsing heart."

"And mine?"

"Yours is totally different Alex. A ball of inky feathers, layered one over the next like chained mail. Their midnight sheen is much darker, but in an elegant way. Firestone rubies glisten in the crevices between the feathers, smoldering in deep contemplation. Yet the ball seems to open and close, breathing almost. Within the imposing ball lies a nest of threads, glowing like sunlight, honest and pure. The sign of a good man."

The two boys looked at each other and blushed, realizing they now knew an intimate fact about the other that nobody else would ever know unless they decided to share it.

"Anything else, beau gosse? (Handsome)"

"Well… I think I could stop aging too… if I wanted… with a combination of these spells from the book of Death and the book of Love. It's not exactly like being death-less… but… its hard to explain really. It's like tethering my current self to the end of my life… the moment of my death… and borrowing potential from my future soul. There are risks, but I… well… again its hard to explain. I'll need to talk to Scorpius about time magic first."

The boys exchanged another glance. They weren't happy about how casually I mentioned immortality. I pushed on rather than lingering on the subject, so as not to scare them.

"Sacrifice magic is another big one. The rules one can break regarding the other branches of magic are vast. As long as you're willing to sacrifice something you love to obtain it. Blood magic is actually the liminal space where the font of hate meets the font of love. There are dark spells that can be woven into place if the right sacrifice is made. I'd probably need the other books to learn more. Or to study with Niime for another few years before I can practice it. She wants us to train with her Sister in the forbidden forest during our first trimester at school."

"So, could you protect someone from death with your sacrifice? Like your grandmother did for Harry when Voldemort struck out at him?" Louis asked.

Again I nodded. That was one of the easier spells, although it required the ultimate sacrifice of one's life as the price.

"The patronus and protego charms are the most known love spells that exists outside the fontlings purview. Meaning love spells anyone can use. There's a Maxima variant and an Ultima variant of the Patronus that a fontling can perform though. I have yet to fully understand the implications but apparently they are huge."

"Ultima?" Louis asked.

"Maxima is an amplified level of a spell. Bombarda, Bombarda Maxima, Protego, Protego Maxima, even the killing curse has a maxima variant that could snuff out the lives of a group of people at once. Ultima is a theoretical third level of spell scale. A type of cataclysm magic that supposedly has only been used thousands of years ago by the kings of magic and other legendary figures." Raven explained.

Louis looked impressed, breaking eye contact out of embarrassment when Raven continued to stare.

"So basically bonds and protections and healing." Raven mused, smiling to himself at the reaction he caused in the Blond.

'I can share thoughts and feelings now if I choose.' I whispered into their heads. They swung their attention towards me as I walked past them towards the water. I gazed out across the misty surface, a chill suddenly gripping me in the cold norse air. For a fraction of a second I wished Scorpius were there to hold me. I imagined his warmth seeping into me through his touch.

'I can also push my strength into you when the need arises.' I added, sending my magical potential surging through them like fuel. Even I forget how powerful I am sometimes.

The reaction on their faces was priceless. Louis wandlessly blasted a lumos solem into the sky and the beam was of such intensity that it shattered the fog and mist into an explosion of sunlight.

"There are some more… complicated components within the branch of magic that i've yet to explore. The mathematical side is weird. There's a luck component within love that's a little… how should I say… Its sort of a type of probability magic that ties into the fourth font."

"Fate magic? So Love magic can affect the outcome of events somehow?" Raven inquired incisively. 'He's among the brightest of us' I thought, examining the rakishly handsome teen. He stood next to Louis with a tense closeness, his hand an inch away from the blond's. If either of them stretched out their pinkies even an inch they would touch.

"Hmmm… not exactly… well yes exactly… right now I can plant the seed of constructs into that of other constructs and watch them grow. A very advanced cross section between charms and transfiguration. Again It's hard to explain, but I imagine that the constructs I tamper with are immune to the flow of fate. It's not so much reality bending as reality gardening I guess. In other words I could enchant people or animals with a kind of benediction."

"A benediction Allie?"

"Yeah, I've actually already embedded these gifts into most members of the order. I did it the night we met Niime, after the induction. Although, how long these seeds will take to mature is anyones guess."

"You did what to us now?" Raven asked hotly. "You don't consult with me before anything you do! Could you at least make an effort to run things past me? I'm your chief of staff after all."

"It wasn't a secret exactly. Although even I don't know fully what these seeds will do. I imagine they will empower you all but I don't have a clue how they will blossom. It cost me several months off the end of my life to do it too. Well… over a year and change more like. There were rather a lot of you to bless."

They froze in place at the comment. Louis grabbed my arm and turned me towards him forcibly.

"Did we hear you right? You burned time off of your life to fuel a spell… for us? Without asking our permission? Without even knowing how effective the spell will even be?" The blond was furious but I didn't care. It was done now.

"Those blessings will greatly expand your magical potential and mark you as touched by a fontling. It will be worth it. Trust me. You have received an extraordinary honor."

"Thats not the point and you know it!" My cousin barked at me angrily. Raven turned his hands over back and forth as though he weren't the same person anymore. He grinned excitedly, knowing full well what my gift might be worth someday when it blossomed. 'He's the Slytherin' I thought, remembering that the boy was transferring into Hogwarts. Doubtless the cunning boy would be sorted into my house. I couldn't wait to have him start school with us next week.

"Remember how I said I could possibly stall the aging process? What risk is there in burning life energy if I can stop myself from ever reaching 90? I could burn decades off of my life to fight or build up the order before it became an issue. As long as I can work out this eternal youth mystery."

They grew quiet finally but I sensed their apprehension over the news.

"Anyway… I don't wish to discuss this further… onto order business. What news should I be made aware of?" I asked, intent on moving us onto another subject.

"You don't wish to discuss it further? You think because you are Prince Rhoyne now that you—" Louis started to argue when Raven placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

My blond cousin grimaced and sighed, merely turning a calmer head back towards me.

"Raven, Markus and the Muramasa twins are transferring to Hogwarts for this upcoming year. Which means a bulk of the order will all be at school together in one place. We should use the dueling club and planning committee as a cover to run order operations and training. Structuring who is responsible for what should be a priority."

My tactician nodded at Louis's suggestion, impressed by the show of foresight. "We will still need a base of operations and a plan to grow our ranks but that can come in time."

"No, we should discuss the Jade Fortress now, I think." I corrected.

"Ok… Victoire and Maximillian have located an Hotel Particulier in Paris that is for sale… although the cost in euros after the conversion from galleons is a fortune. Its sixty million euro but it's a massive seven thousand square meter space." An entire city block I thought to myself. "The club will of course require renovating and since work will need to be done by muggles as well as wizards we're talking more fees in currency conversion and ministry fees for secrecy statute regulation oversight. Obliviating the muggles… etcetera."

I tried doing the math for Alex in my head but I had to approximate the figures.

"So base cost of the property and renovations is like ten and a half million galleons. Give or take."

Raven nodded sheepishly, using a calculation spell to confirm my numbers. It was a fortune.

"Scor and I combined are worth a whopping five point nine million galleons at this point, but that's including our share of the Weezley's wizard wheezes and my patents on my potions. It's nowhere near enough for the property and it's not even liquid money. It's tied up in shares. Let alone the renovations and spellwork and start up costs for the alcohol, speakers and legal fees… and whatever other stuff goes into a club. That doesn't even include the shadow fortress that will be linked to the club on the moon."

"Yes, and a project that big will take over a year to renovate." Louis added, having obviously discussed this with his companion and sister.

"I'm worth about two point two million, if you account for my Greengrass trust. But that's still managed by my mom until my birthday. I guess that's only six more months from now."

"I'm worth less than a couple grand, sorry guys. My parents have all the money in my family and even they have nowhere close to the sums we're discussing." The blond shrugged. Ron, Bill, Percy and Charlie were the least wealthy of the Weasley children.

"Scor's dad is the richest person on earth aside from the Valois, but we can't ask any of our parents for funds without blowing the secret. The Muramasa twins and Markus might have access to some of their estates money as well, which is on par with the Malfoys, but again we need to see how it's all structured." I mused, thinking if the order would pitch in financially to help set up our fortress.

"Then there's the problem of it being in France. It would be in enemy territory if war ever broke out with the Valois."

"Max wants us to consider other real estate projects that have more sound investment prospects than this mad club idea of yours." Louis explained.

"Raven, you'd commit a million to this project if Scor and I can get four together on our end?"

My tactician nodded firmly. "I assume that's as much liquid as you both have without financing your shares of the potion shops or patents?"

I nodded back.

"Thats five of the fifteen million we need. We could borrow from a financial institution against our inheritance but the interest would be high on that type of loan." I offered to nobody in particular.

Gideon coughed noisily and I grew irritated over the warlocks passivity.

"Neither of you are just muscle now you know… You're welcome to weigh in anytime. You've sworn the oaths the same as everyone." I shot loudly over my shoulder. Charlie and Gideon stepped forward in their ceremonial red armor and robes. 'One day I will garb them in emerald instead' I thought confidently to myself. Of all of my rabbits they were playing the most dangerous game. Their oaths to the ministry were very binding but the blood oaths to me were even more so. How Rose and Louis and Lily had convinced uncle Charlie to swear to it I will never know.

"Aurora has a million that she has access to and another four in her trust managed by Draco. I have the other half but its in a house I own and my stocks. I'm not as young as you lot so I can't risk my fortune… but Aurora's million could be added to this if the financials are sound."

Raven's enchanted pen noted that down on the spot.

"That makes seven."

"Rose and Melody cannot afford to contribute anything, and Matheus's fortune is locked up with Draco." Louis commented. "My sister will be pouring her sweat into the nightclub but she doesn't have the kind of money we're talking about either."

"Scorpius and I can ask our parents for the remainder but they'll want to know what it's for. We can maybe get another million each out of them without telling them the real reason… but not much more than that."

Louis's head did a strange startled jolt at the idea that we could get a million galleons out of mom and dad without worrying them. 'I wish he would teach me that trick. Would I have to shake maman like a tree for all of the galleons to come out?' I heard him ask himself in his mind. I almost chuckled at the sound of the thought, a slight french accent present even in his mind when the word maman was uttered.

"That's eight. Only half of the project requirement." Raven noted. "So between Markus and Ariana and both sets of twins we need to come up with eight more million. Or we borrow from a bank."

"Max's dad has already paid us back for the loan and managed to restructure his real estate empire. He may lend us some now that things are running more smoothly for him." I contemplated. Again Raven's enchanted quill scribbled the information down. "It will probably come down to the royals in all honesty. Markus and The Muramasas could form a small country if the fancy took them. I just don't like asking the order for funds. This project was supposed to be my gift to you all. I could wait to try and pay for it when the album sales numbers go up… but then we delay the construction of the shadow fortress on the moon."

"The Twins are in for seven million. Oh wow and they said that's just on this individual project. They say 'lets us know if you need any more'." Raven blanched, looking onto the screen of his iPhone. He had texted them immediately. Another ping echoed and Raven grinned. "Markus says he can pledge three without raising suspicion from his uncle or mum. Oh wait… yes its three million galleons but he has to convert it from British pounds sterling. It's his muggle trust not his Maxus wizarding money."

"So we're good? We're over the limit now. Any remaining investment ideas can come from Ariana and the Lysander's or Max and The twins. Or we borrow against my remaining assets and pay interest on it." I concluded. Louis and Charlie looked uneasy at the scale of the numbers being discussed. Not everyone in the order was as wealthy as others. "Scor and I will pay everyone back as soon as we turn of age and our trusts become ours to manage." I assured Raven. He merely waived his hand as though he had no doubt of my commitment.

"Max does really want to reiterate. Are you sure it needs to be a nightclub? They're risky investments as is and if this is going to be a magical venue it limits our client pool." Raven mentioned reading from his messages.

"You tell me, chief of staff. What do the other division chiefs and advisors say?" I asked cheekily.

"Sorrenson and Lily say they are fantastic networking centers. We'd be able to gather a ton of intelligence from the leading players in the magical community and it will enhance your prestige. Lorcan and Lysander and Rose say from an architecture perspective a shadow copy of the property would be a perfect palace for the order and its staff. We can also expand the shadow grounds on the moon too. Enchanted gardens and oxygenated grounds means we can have dueling domes or greenhouses, maybe even a stable for some mounts."

"So then let's do it. I'll leave the details to Scor and Max and Victoire." I ordered firmly. I handed Raven my Gringotts banking card and my security key that housed all of my ministry information. "Use Melody's family for the contracting. They're builders no? Abbot Magical architects and development right?"

Louis nodded.

"Good, she can make sure the duplicate set of plans are kept secret. I don't want anyone outside the order to comprehend they're actually working in a pocket dimension."

"Ok… so enough logistics! Can we leave the boring stuff to the others! I want to go for a ride!" Louis moaned, staring at the beautiful winged Pegasi that grazed in the fields behind us.

I whistled into the fields using a love spell I had learned to watch all of the winged beasts heads look up towards us. Some trotted our way while others fluttered in bounds through the air to get closer. All of the beautiful beasts whinnied as they surrounded me, licking me furiously in delight. I laughed cheerfully and became suddenly aware that Alex and Louis were staring at me again. This time there was a sparkle of something strange in both of their eyes. Attraction I realized, slightly flattered that even my cousin found me charming. I reasoned it was the sight of the beautiful Pegasi that surrounded me more than just my natural charisma.

"I bet he's tasty Raven? The Pegasi seem to think so." Louis teased, kissing my cheek for a good long moment. "Hmmm. He is. What do you think Raven?" My cousin asked of my tactician. Alex moved closer to me and kissed my other cheek then. I shook my head as soon as he withdrew.

"You, my handsome silly friend, already knew what I tasted like." I remarked of Raven, reproaching him. Louis's mouth fell open at that.

"You cheeky rogue! You've kissed our boss before? He's my cousin and I haven't even had the chance yet!"

The androgynous blond model moved so he could lean in for another kiss, this time on my lips. I didn't fight it, merely rolled my eyes internally. That was until I felt his delicate tongue slide into my mouth. "Mmhmm mhmm! Thank you no! Merlin Louis!" I spat nervously pulling away from the incredible kiss. "I draw the line at cousins, resplendent though you may be. Maybe I should be more careful with that Rhoynar whistle?"

"As if he thinks we were as simple minded as these feather brained mules?" Alex asked in mock shock. The Pegasus nearest us snorted indignantly and we all turned to each other before bursting out in a fit of laughter.

"I have, the best friends!" I shouted merrily into the verdant fields. The two just continued laughing, chuffed at seeing me happy for a change.