McGonagall POV
"Now will there be anything else to discuss?" Dumbledore said with an easy smile as he started wrapping his weekly brief.
I cleared my throat and gained the attention of all my peers, "Alton Geur." The usual twinkle in Dumbledore's eye was notably absent, or maybe he transferred it to Horace, as the man had his usual giddiness when he had a student in his sights for his 'lavish' club.
"May I ask what has the young man done?" Dumbledore asked with a guard.
"He has done nothing." I gritted out in defence for one of my cubs, I may be the youngest head of the house, but that in no way means I'll allow anyone to harm a single student under my protection.
I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Albus when he was the wholehearted grandfatherly headmaster, but as of right now, under the kind smile and superficial twinkle, lays a man who has seen war and is preparing for yet another one.
Other than whispers and slurs being thrown around in Hogwarts, we have been for the most part blessed to be untouched by the sudden turn of the Wizarding world.
Dumbledore was prepping for war, however not as a sword but as a shield, a shield in defence of the young and innocent charges wearing the crest of Hogwarts. The heads of houses were privy to Ablus' plans, or better worded, some of his plans, a man like Albus never shows all of his cards.
One of his plans is to start a guerilla group to battle and defend the world the Ministry is neglecting, bringing in families like Potter, Bones, McCormack, Weasley, and Prewett.
But for the likes of Geur, one of few families that refused the lulls of darkness and bigotry, but neither being blinded by light and warmth, Albus wishes to keep them always on his field of vision.
The unknown, a man like Albus loathes things he doesn't know, even be it the nature of people, sure there have been expectations of the rules, like young Sirius, but for someone guarded and likes his own solace like Alton, it must infuriate the man to know next to nothing about the next heir of Geur family, a family that apparently are Parsletongues.
They may not be classed as dark, but an ability like that would cast them into shadows out of sheer fear, ironically turning them into what the world claims them to be.
"He is currently facing much harassment from all houses, loath to admit it, even some of my own can be labelled." My eyes peered at my fellow professors as they all looked away from my gaze with the expectation of Horace and Filius.
"Ah, I shall speak to my students yet again. If you would please pass along a message to dear Alton, if he so wishes he may find some solace and advice from me, he may have it." Not for free of course.
Horace is a man not known for his subtly.
"How is young Alton?" Filius asked in genuine concern, "I have tried speaking to him, but he doesn't stick around long enough for me to speak to him frankly."
"He may be trying to keep his head down only relying on himself, but the likes of Lily Evans would hardly allow the young man to do so." I couldn't help but allow the smallest amount of gossip to leak, a young woman like Lily would only enrich the better aspects of someone like Alton, while simultaneously curbing his bad habits. And if she stopped his sailor-like mouth, all the better she says.
Alton's POV
The train ride home was despite the awkwardness a fucking godsend, at first I wasn't going to head home during the winter break but the fucking hellscape known as Hogwarts has been a headache as of late.
Not-so-subtle whispers are being thrown my way whenever I'm near, a few braver students have tried to hex me but thanks to danger sense I've avoided spells hitting their mark. Ordinarily, I would've gladly fought back, self-defence and all that bullocks, if were not for the fact that barring three professors the staff have been either eyeing me in fear or downright acting hostile to the extent a teacher can to a student without laying a finger on me.
Professor McGonagall has been treating me the same just with a more protective edge to her eyes, Professor Flitwick has not only given me a place to take sanctuary in his class during free periods, but he's also been teaching me duelling spells increasing my dismal repertoire when I finally stuck around when he basically commanded me to.
Seriously the man could teach DADA better the joke of a professor we have now.
The last professor Slughorn has been nothing but a pest, trying and failing to get me to join his club, doesn't help that he has employed both Lily and Regulus to convince me to come with them.
Even my friends have been treating me differently, either walking on eggshells or in Pandora's case giving me a look of pity, a look I despise coming from my little sister. Honestly, the only person who's been the same, is the She-Devil, giving me her usual unreadable gaze as we tasted each other's flesh.
I mean yeah Bellatrix had many, many questions regarding the ability but for the most part, she's actually been subdued about it all, funny I didn't know she could possibly be tame in any regard. Like I said she just stares at me with her purple eyes, as if she has something in play regarding me, that I could not know or say what she was thinking, not even observe could tell me anything else about her thoughts other than my reputation with her just about reaching over negatives.
The train jostled as the speed slowed, telling us that we were approaching the platform.
Remus and Sirius split from us heading back to Potter and Pettigrew. Pandora gave me an airy smile and stated she was going to check on her boyfriend, a surprisingly coherent action for her so that as per usual of Pan, meant she was messing with me.
I see Lily reach up to the railing trying to grab the rest of her belongings, "Here let me help you." I gave the much smaller girl a teasing smile which got a huff from her as she knew what I was grinning about, but despite her annoyance the corner of her lips quirked up.
"Thank you, Alton." She breathed out with a calm tone, "So you did not say," Lily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "what are you doing for the holidays?"
"I didn't?" I couldn't help but question just to rile her a little bit.
"No," She grounded, "you did not."
"I'm not doing anything other than the usual, tending to the animals and that's pretty much it."
"What about Christmas day?"
I shrugged my shoulders, "We don't really celebrate Christmas."
"Really?" She questioned with slight surprise in her voice as the train came to a full stop.
"Time for a brief history lesson that you didn't ask for," I said in a bland toneless voice, mimicking Binns getting a giggle from the redhead, "the Geur along with a handful of families wanted to stay pure," I air quoted pure, "but that's we differed, we didn't think keeping the blood pure meant fucking our cousins and sisters. So my predecessors branched out of Europe and looked towards Asian magical families. At some point not celebrating Christmas became a cultural thing. Though the schmoozing of other families is still on the table, so I'll probably be at someone's home wishing I'm…" I trailed off as I realised we were standing on the platform with Lily looking at me with a bemused smile on her face.
"Well I went off a fucking tangent didn't I?" I chuckled.
She let a snort of laughter, "Yes, yes you did." She waved tall man with red hair and a petite black-haired woman, "So if you wish you are anywhere else, you are more than welcome to my home for Christmas day."
"Really?" She nodded, "I may have to take you up on your offer, Lils."
"Good," She jabbed my stomach with a pointed finger, "it is why I offered."
"Lily Flower," Lily's face turned a scarlet red as the man greeted her with a jovial voice coming over to us.
"Send Shimmer and I'll mail you the address and details." She rushed off grabbing the man's arms and dragging him away with an embarrassed air about her, the woman gave me a knowing smile as she waved at me before running after her daughter.
I didn't get to question how would I be able to send Shimmer without her address, but like all owls, they have an uncanny ability how find the recipient without that info, shame I got the owl with an attitude problem.
"She's a cutie." An unfamiliar voice said right beside my ear, forcing me to slowly turn around and face the owner of the voice. When I did I was almost floored by the woman's beauty.
Tanned skin, glossy black hair, and a small flower circuit woven in her hair, she looked flawless, perfect even, and in that I was put on edge.
That's one thing we all have in common, we have flaws, some more than others, but it's what makes us, us. Those without flaws have either had magical work done on them, or they are simply unearthly creatures.
And the nature of the woman was showcasing I could easily tell she is not of this earth.
"Who are you?"
"Oh," She clutched her heart in mock agony, "oh dear, Alton. I was the first person to hold you when you were born."
I backed up a step and matched her gaze, "My mother was actually."
She just smiled, amplifying her beauty causing many eyes to land on her, but her focus was solely on me, "Is that how Astra worded it?" She questioned with an almost loving expression.
"What? How would I remember such a small detail?"
She lets out a sigh and nods in agreement with my words, as she does she almost notices the various stares she is getting, and she simply huffs in annoyance, "Alton come." She bade me not as an order but almost as if I was a child talking to my mother.
I stay firmly planted as my eyes narrow, "Yeah, no."
She once again lets out a chuckle but this time around it almost seemed morbid, "Fates, of all things to get from your father, you had to get his bullheadness."
I ignored the clear bait, "Is it bullheadness to refuse to walk off with a stranger?"
She looked as if she was expecting a retort like that, "No, I suppose not, it is however to ask for answers and then promptly ignore them out of wilfulness." She said as she quite literally plucked a crisp blackened envelope from thin air, an unopened envelope that should have been in my charms book used a bookmark.
I asked the only thing I could really ask, "Did you also steal my book? Because I have important notes in it."
Her smug smile faded into one of annoyance, "Alton, shut up and come with me."
'Observe.'
Name: ?
Level: ?
Race: ?
Reputation: ? - Nice try gorgeous.
Well, shit.
"Who are you?" I asked in a quiet voice, slight fear seeping into my voice.
"Someone who loves you, and your parents." She almost seemed reluctant to acknowledge my folks as she expressed her love for someone who only just met her.
"Fucking hell." I groaned as I walked beside her.
Whatever I expected from the woman who oozed upper-class lady, I sure as hell didn't expect this, a dingy little place, and a burger the size of my head in her hands as she ravenously tears into it, sauce dripping down her arms.
She lets out a giggle as she notices my bemused gaze, "Sorry sweetie," She grabbed a napkin as she placed her burger on the table, wiping her arms and mouth, "When I'm with my mother I'm expected not to eat meat, when I'm with your father we eat all fancy like. Sometimes just got to eat pure grease to hit the spot." She said as she patted her flat stomach.
"What do you mean by that?"
She shrugs, "Well your father tends to be all fancy and acts like a member of the upper crust."
"No, I mean what do you mean by when you're with your mother and my father."
"Oh, well for half the year I'm with my mother, spring and summer, and the other half with your father, autumn and winter."
Why does that seem familiar…
…
…
Quest Unlocked: Put two and two together
'Fuck off.'
"Are you, Persephone?"
She gave me a bright grin and bopped my nose.
"That means-"
"I'm your stepmother." She said with a bright smile.
"I was going to say Hades is my father, but sure." As I said those words a thought ran through me, explaining why mum always insisted I learn about that particular pathology, also… "So are you here to kill me…"
"What?" She said in outrage, "Why would I do such a thing?"
"Given your people's history." I shrugged.
"You're taking this all pretty well, I expected denial or general fear."
"Oh I am, just compartmentalizing it all, I'll freak out when I'm alone."
She let out a snort, "Astra said something like that." She said with an almost wistful expression. She let out a sigh and licked her bottom lip, "I love you, Alton."
"But why? Aren't I the product of your husband cheating on you?"
She let an uneasy groan, "No, not really. I'm the one who cheated, I'm the one who fell in love with your mother."
"…What now?"
She looked off to the side, "It was the bloom of summer, and I went to this lavender farm, it's something I do when I want to be alone, I tend to visit beautiful farms all around the world, but this one was different, your mother was there." She let out a chuckle, "Even caked in mud and cursing out the bees for stinging her, I thought she was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
"I'm sorry are you about to tell me a story about how you and mum fell in love?"
She frowned, "Well I was about to. You're not uncomfortable with the thought of your mother like other women?"
"I'm going to stop you right here, I don't give a damn, mum has always been a free spirit it's not really a fucking surprise." She checked out more hidy-tidy witches than either myself or uncle Artic did, "It's just I have a vivid imagination and I really, genuinely don't want you to tell me how you and mum fell in love, and that somehow led to my father and her shacking up, which I'm sure was a threeway between all of you… am I right?"
She gives me a sour look as if I took away all the fun she was about to have, "Prude."
"Oh yeah, I'm a prude because I don't want to hear about my folks and their sex lives."
She shrugged her shoulders as she munched on her chips, "We godlings are pretty fast and loose when it comes to sex."
A groan escaped me as I also recalled the one glaring fact about my father's family, "What's wrong Alton?"
"My friend, no. My girlfriend." I let out a sharp bark of laughter, "Fuck no. This girl who I have a complicated thing with, will probably die of laughter if she knew father's family tree looked more like a circle than anything else."
She let out a small chuckle before a teasing smile wormed its way onto her face, "So…"
"Fuck." I just realised my blunder.
"This girl. The cute redhead?"
"No," I grumbled in defeat, "this one is a terror. I kind of hate her to be honest."
She gives me a brief look of confusion before the look washes away into complete understanding, "This Terror, she's strong, challenging, wild, isn't she?"
"Those wouldn't be the words I describe her but, yes pretty much."
She let out a snort, "It's genetic, I swear it, first Zag and now you." She said more to herself than to me.
"I'm sorry?"
"Honestly something about Hades makes all of his spawn have one type."
I let out a scoff, "That's not true."
"Oh?"
"Bellatrix is not my type." Her small smile becomes a full-on cheesy grin, "The only thing I like about her, is her body. I despise her other than that."
"Really?" She says simply.
"Yes, she's the worst… I mean sure she challenges me, pushes me to my limit and I appreciate that. And with her, there's no swarm and cover-up you get with other purebloods, she's pretty upfront about everything, no matter how brutal it is. She gets me despite the fact we hate each other… Fuck, fuck. Fuck." I slammed my head on the dirty food tray.
"Sounds as if you have-"
"Yep, I know," I let out a disgusted noise, "Fuck."