Prologue
It was her refusal to keep the secret that landed the 35 year old future mother of two in Azkaban Prison, she had hidden her pregnancy well… but not tonight. Tonight the time had come, both the time for her baby and her own time.
Monica Joanne Lewis was born to a pure blood family, the only daughter of Damian and Joanne Harper, she had always been fascinated by dark magic, an interest she would pass on to her older son. Tonight she looked back on her charmed youth, her time at Hogwarts, and her meeting of Charles Lewis. A Muggle who won her heart and challenged her mind, even in the agony of childbirth she smiled at the memory of her beloved.
A scream ripped from the mother's throat, another contraction, it was time. It would take another two hours for her to push her newborn into the world, the boy had a head of white hair and she knew that beneath those closed lids were the bluest eyes anyone would ever see.
"My Richard" she breathed looking at her baby, her vision blurring. Her final action in life would be to cut the cord herself, cutting her son's connection to her, hoping that in cutting the cord she would be severing her child's connection to this world she called home, Hogwarts, Azkaban, The damned Ministry, may he never know of any of this…
15 years later
Charlotte has bright red eyes. It was an odd thing to be focused on, but it made him feel grounded. She had practically dragged Richard to the ornate door of their coven's hidden hall, behind that door a meeting was taking place between the three heads of their coven and the minister of magic, Cornelius Fudge. As part of a tentative agreement, their teacher James Denari, and old man with a limp and a talent for many types of magic, would be taking up a teaching position at Hogwarts School For Witchcraft and Wizardry. As a consequence of this agreement Denari had arranged for Richard and Charlotte to attend Hogwarts as a fifth year and a third year respectively.
Strange, Richard thought You'd think I'd be more excited. It wasn't that Richard couldn't feel, he could, but some things just seemed muffled. He knew he liked Charlotte, she was funny and mischievous, with short brown hair and an impish smile.
Richard was fifteen, his face never showed much emotion, and his hair was shock white, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other and stood quietly a few feet behind Charlotte, who was leaning into the doorway, waiting to hear what would happen. When the coven heads exited the room, she scrambled back behind Richard. Asheni, a female witch with an affinity for teas, smiled to them.
"Well children," She said simply, "Best be packing your things, you leave with Denari in three days."
Richard nodded. Charlotte practically leapt out of her skin, throwing her arms around Richard, then Asheni, before running off. Richard turned to leave as well, pausing when Asheni called out to him.
"Richard, a word if you please."
He turned back.
"As you know, your situation is… unique. You should be prepared."
"For what?" Richard said. He was never one to mince words, only speaking when he had to and using the fewest possible number of words.
"Well," Asheni rubbed the back of her head, "There are things they may tell you. Things you may be better off not knowing. Just… don't let them change who you are. Remember, whatever anyone may say, you are not broken.
Richard gave her a sideways glance and felt his stomach squiggle a little, it wasn't that he ever thought he was broken, so to speak, but he watched the other young wizards and witches in the coven. He'd seen them laugh, and cry, and get angry, but he never really experienced those things; at least not naturally. Sometimes he could feel them a little if he dug around enough, but he knew it shouldn't be like that.
Wiping away a slight sting behind his eyes, he stood to leave. "Thank you, Ma'am." He murmured on his way out.
He pushed all other thoughts away and returned to his room, packing the few personal belongings he deigned to keep, a scarf, a worn out woven bracelet Charlotte had made him when they first met, and a notebook he kept experimental spells in, along with some clothes and the school supplies that the coven had left on his bed. Richard paused at the door, taking just one moment to look back at the world he'd known all his life. The turned off the light and silently closed the door.