Chapter 13: Siblings forever
Jakob gradually awoke to the soft caress of sunlight seeping through his bedroom window, prompting him to slowly open his eyes. The first thing that met his gaze was Susie's vibrant face, framed by the curtains she had just pulled aside, casting a warm and welcoming radiance into the room.
"Good morning, I see that you slept well," the older woman greeted, her warm smile embracing the newly awakened boy.
Still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Jakob couldn't help but recall the previous night's events. He began to open his mouth to speak, but Susie met him with a knowing smile, conveying that this conversation wasn't intended for her. Instead, she gently remarked, "You look famished, my dear," breaking the silence and steering their focus away from delicate matter.
Understanding that the elderly woman wouldn't provide answers to his lingering questions, Jakob simply nodded in response. "Famished," he admitted softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Susie beamed at him, her enthusiasm contagious as she clapped her hands together in delight.
"Let me see what I can rustle up for you. Take your time and make yourself comfortable."
Going through the ordeal of the previous night, Jakob should have been exhausted, but instead, he felt an unusual sense of vitality and liveliness coursing through him.
He got up from his bed despite Susie's attempts to convince him to stay put. "Jakob Quade, your father insisted that you rest today," the maid asserted, her stern tone momentarily faltering as she observed the boy as he strolled past her towards the mirror with a beaming smile.
Jakob seemed to have grown just a little taller since Susie had last seen him. Was it a trick of the eye, or had he really grown?
"I don't feel tired at all," he admitted, his eyes locked on his reflection in the mirror as he desperately scanned his body for any hints of change. Yet, disappointingly, there was no evidence of growth, no newfound muscles, and no sign of even the faintest trace of stubble. A sigh of disappointment slipped from his lips as he met Susie's gaze. He had been longing for some sort of transformation by now, regardless of how subtle it might have been.
Jakob readied himself for the day and, accompanied by Susie, made his way to the dining hall. Upon their entrance, he found his father, sister, and Ella already immersed in their meals. Emma sat gazing down at her fruit salad and let out a light chuckle without even bothering to look up and see who had joined them.
"I told you he wouldn't wake up. He'll probably sleep until tomorrow."
Thomas, his attention still fixed on the newspaper, emitted a mixture of a snort and a chuckle in response to Emma's comment, not bothering to look up.
Jakob took his seat without uttering a word.
"I told Emma I knew you'd wake up if Mom mentioned breakfast," Ella declared cheerfully, diverting the older girl's attention from her plate of honeydew melon slices. Emma regarded her younger brother with a surprised expression. "How are you up so early?" she asked, her curiosity evident. She set down her fork and fixed her gaze on Jakob, eager to hear his answer.
Lord Quade lowered his newspaper, his countenance shifting from indifference to shock as he locked his gaze on his son.
"How are you feeling?"
His son just shrugged his shoulders in response with a disinterested
"I'm fine." The Quade heir's glance flickered briefly across the table. Without delay, he grabbed a slice of toast, bacon, and scrambled eggs, devouring them with an unusual fervour.
Emma and Thomas exchanged a knowing look during that fleeting moment, a silent acknowledgement passing between them that something was amiss. However, Jakob remained entirely oblivious to their wordless communication.
The conversation swiftly veered toward the upcoming Malfoy party and today's planned activities.
As Jakob ploughed through his third helping of food, maintaining the same rapid pace he had with his first, the others around him gradually departed to tend to their own matters. Only Ella remained behind, utterly awestruck by her hero's never-ending appetite.
With breakfast concluded, Jakob's young admirer had duties elsewhere, leaving the Heir Quade in the capable hands of his older sister.
The blonde girl had been far from pleased with the lack of magical education her younger brother had received at school. So she took it upon herself to impart some valuable spells to arm him with knowledge and confidence should he ever find himself in need.
In one of the living rooms, Emma occupied a seat around a small round table, her attention focused on a magazine named "Witch Weekly." She placed a lock on the table and instructed her brother, who sat across from her in another chair, to perform an unlocking charm.
Teaching her younger brother had always been a source of enjoyment for Emma. Unlike many of her classmates, Jakob never appeared disinterested in her lessons and was far from dense. She firmly believed that Jakob had the potential to be one of the few students her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher would have a genuine appreciation for instead of merely berating for lack of skill.
"So it's Alohomora, right?" Jakob inquired, seated in a chair with his sister opposite him.
With a confirming nod from Emma, the black-haired boy confidently pronounced the incantation and heard the gratifying click of the lock opening. His older blonde sibling watched him, her pride in him concealed, as his face broke into a triumphant smile, acknowledging his successful achievement.
Emma understood the risks of heaping excessive praise on her younger brother, knowing it might lead to complacency. So, she made a point of urging him to keep improving. She knew that if Jakob continued his quest for knowledge, he'd likely surpass her in both knowledge and magical abilities fairly soon.
Her own school experiences had taught her valuable lessons. She'd seen many talented friends rise and fall due to pride. Their confidence in their abilities and failure to consider the possibility of being outdone had often been their downfall. Emma was determined to prevent her brother from suffering the same fate.
That's why she held back from excessively praising him for his achievements, even though it occasionally made her feel like she was too hard on him. She was, however, convinced it would ultimately be for his long-term benefit.
But then another thought crossed Emma's mind, prompted by something Jakob had mentioned during dinner last night.
"You mentioned that the Frome girl reminded you of me. Why?" Emma asked, her curiosity evident in her tone.
Jakob pondered for a moment before responding, "I don't really know. Amy is kind to me and gives me advice, but sometimes she can be a bit..." He trailed off, searching for the right word.
"Intimidating?" Emma suggested teasingly. Jakob chuckled in response, but his laughter showed a hint of caution.
"I'm not sure..." He began thoughtfully, drinking his finger on the table. "If you ask Draco, he'd probably call her a Slytherin terror. She does have a bit of an aggressive side to her, but I'm never scared of her. Although, sometimes she gives me this peculiar look..." He trailed off, fixing a questioning gaze on the lock.
Emma remained composed on the outside, but inside, she couldn't help but wonder what Jakob was suggesting. If this girl had any of Emma's qualities, she could be dangerous. As the older sister, Emma felt it was her duty to meet this girl and determine if she posed any potential threat.
She trusted Jakob to handle himself, but Emma knew her brother had limited knowledge about the more adult side of the wizarding world, especially regarding the opposite sex.
Considering that this Frome girl was older, Emma couldn't help but suspect that she might be looking for something Jakob was absolutely not prepared to provide.
"Is Amy more attractive than me?" Emma inquired, tilting her head playfully with a teasing gleam in her eye. Jakob couldn't help but roll his eyes at her antics.
"It's not about that," he sighed, attempting to deflect the conversation. However, the brief moment his gaze lingered on the magazine's centrefold image of a witch with a curvaceous figure was all the confirmation Emma needed to validate her suspicions.
"I want to meet her," Emma declared firmly and swiftly. Jakob's eyes widened in surprise at his sister's insistence.
"Why?" he asked, his tone laced with alarm. Emma raised an eyebrow in response.
"Why not?" she countered. Jakob stood up abruptly.
"Because it's weird!" he exclaimed. "She's a fifth-year prefect. I can't just approach her and say, 'Hi, my sister wants to meet you. Can you come over?'"
Emma cast Jakob a disbelieving glance. "A fifth-year Jake? Really? Is she seventeen? As old as me?" When she only received a perplexed shrug from her oblivious brother, Emma rolled her eyes and sighed. He was in trouble.
"If you worry so much about how she will react, then don't tell her that, you idiot. Come up with a convincing story to explain why we want to meet with her. Something like…" She paused for a moment, thinking, before continuing, "Your family is impressed by her progress and achievements at Hogwarts and wants to discuss potential opportunities in the future."
Jakob was about to speak, but he considered his sister's suggestion instead. "That's actually a great idea. But do you think Father would approve?" Emma rose from her seat, hiding her relief that he didn't need more convincing.
"We can only be sure if we ask him, but I'm quite confident he will agree. It's a business opportunity, after all, something he would never pass up on."
Emma was about to leave the room, but she paused and turned to give her younger brother a sly smirk.
"And one more thing," she added, pausing for effect, "Considering what we've heard about his opinion of her house, it's evident that he's quite interested in this girl who seems to have captured his young heir's interest. Do you think she'll be at the party tomorrow?"
Jakob shook his head slowly, following it with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I don't know for sure, but if she happens to be there, I'll ask her," he replied cautiously.
The older girl nodded slightly as she stepped back, preparing to turn and exit the room. However, before she could leave, Jakob called out, "Wait, Emma, I..." Emma picked up on the uncertainty in his tone and swiftly twirled back around to face her brother. She raised an eyebrow, her expression expectant, a hint of amusement.
"I know you care deeply about the business and our house, and soon you will be finishing school. If Father offered you to take over instead of me, would you have accepted?" Jakob's question elicited a mischievous chuckle from his older sister.
"Why do you ask? Are you worried that I might poison your food and take over as the head of this household?"
Ignoring her playful response, Jakob persisted with his inquiry.
"Would you take up the mantle willingly, or feel like chains were placed around your wrists if I died or was disinherited?" His question wiped the smirk off Emma's face as she walked closer to him, her expression now serious as she studied him suspiciously.
"Jakob, are you hatching some kind of foolish plan?" His sister looked at him pleadingly, her concern evident in her eyes. He shook his head reassuringly, and she let out a sigh of relief.
"I was just asking because I wanted to know if you were content with the current situation or not. After all, it's not fair that you can't become the heir due to a factor outside of your control."
Emma, in one of her rare displays of affection, reached out and embraced her little brother. Shocked at her swift reaction, he initially thought she was about to attack him for his words. But then, as he felt the warmth and affection of her embrace, he slowly wrapped his arms around her and returned it.
"You will one day accept these chains willingly, Jakob. And when you do, I'll be there with you every step of the way, I promise. Don't cling to hopes of possibilities that doesn't exist - I let go of them a long time ago." Her whispered words carried a weight of sorrow that resonated with Jakob, and he understood her all too well.
He hugged her tightly, feeling her embrace in return. Both of them had future dreams they longed for but knew they could never attain.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows on the polished marble floors as Jakob wandered through the grand halls of Quade Manor. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries, each telling a story of the Quade family's illustrious history. Ornate chandeliers bathed the passageways in a warm, golden glow, making the mansion feel even more opulent and imposing. In the distance, he could hear Ella's melodic singing as she diligently carried out her chores, her voice adding a touch of life and comfort to the otherwise vast and empty space.
Hungry and seeking something to satisfy his appetite, Jakob made his way to the kitchen.
Upon pushing open the dark mahogany swing doors, he abruptly stopped as Susie and Emma's hushed conversation reached his ears. Although they spoke softly, their words were audible.
"He'll be alright, love - no need to worry," Susie said soothingly, using her wand to make the dishes magically start cleaning themselves.
"Worry?" Emma hissed, her arms crossed, and a strand of blonde hair fell in front of her right eye. Ignoring the strand, she continued,
"Father said that something dark erupted from within Jake, sending him flying and fracturing three of his ribs!"
Susie paused her carrot chopping momentarily and glanced out the window at the gently falling snow. After a brief silence, she resumed chopping.
"He's doing well today. He's eating just like you did, and he's perfectly healthy," Susie replied, her tone carrying a hint of tension as she nodded to reassure both Emma and herself.
"That's the thing, though," Emma said, her arms still crossed. "He shouldn't be this way. I was sick for three days, and Father for two, but Jakob oddly recovered after only four hours of rest. Something doesn't add up, and Father is starting to worry. He's been holed up in his office all day searching for answers."
Jakob felt a wave of unease wash over him as the hunger in his stomach abated. Slowly, he closed the doors and turned, leaving the dining room and continued through the halls with hurried steps. Questions raced through his mind. Why is Father worried about me? What the bloody hell is going on?