Deadly Snake, Silent Dragon.

Small Fight

The smell of cinnamon welcomed us in the restaurant, the sounds going off, new customers.

Chris was the first to look up, smiling when he saw me, "Welcome back Ivy."

"Thank you Chris." Charlton walked closer, "This is Charlton, a year younger than me, slytherin."

"Pleasure to meet you Charlton, how about a butter beer? on the house." Charlton smiled gratefully.

"I'll be back." I said patting his shoulder, then went to the kitchen.

Daisy was ranting, running around, while Ailbert had his hands on his head, obviously tired of her ranting.

I chuckled, their voices whipping my way.

"Hi-" Ailbert didn't waste a second, running towards me and pulling me in a hug.

"Thank god, you always come at the right time." He whispered, I hugged him back, "Hi dad." I said, the name sounding foreign.

They already knew about what happened in Hogwarts, spoken to by Dumbledore, so thankfully, he didn't hug my scar.

"Dear" Daisy said as soon as Ailbert stopped hugging me, "I've missed you, the restaurant without you was a mess." She said, patting my shoulders.

Growing up with Daisy, Chris and Ailbert, they learned that I'm not a physical person, especially when I hexed Chris when he hugged me when I first came here.

Ailbert was the only person who I was most comfortable with. He stayed up nights with me, taught me a lot of stuff, and was stubborn with me.
Daisy on the other side was wary of me at first, I mean, a 7 years old alone in Knockturn Alley was a big deal.
No one comes here willingly.
Chris was affectionate, and touchy with me, mostly he thought we would be great "siblings".

"Charlton's outside, he's my friend," I said, catching their attention, I never brought a friend here, nothing less Knockturn, noticing their shock, "He lives in Knockturn too, don't mention his parents, please."

They nodded immediately, and followed me outside.

Charlton was laughing at something Chris said, the butter beer decorating his non-existent mustache.

Ailbert was first to speak, "Hi kid, I've seen you around the restaurant sometimes." He said, and Charlton smiled at him,
"Yeah, I live a few blocks away from here, I'll be sure to bring my siblings someday."

Ailbert nodded excitedly, if one thing I learned about Ailbert, is that he loves kids.
Whenever someone brings their child to the restaurant, he plays with me, he tried that with me, but I never knew what playing is.

Daisy went back to the kitchen hurriedly, I looked at Chris, who just shrugged.

"Slytherin?" Ailbert asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Yeah, going to second year, have you been to hogwarts?"

Ailbert smiled, remembering the old times, "Yes, I was a Ravenclaw."

"I graduated after the Global wizarding War, around 1946, when I joined the Wizarding Army, fought for 10 years,after that, I worked for the ministry, but now... I'm here." He said, pointing to the restaurant.

20 years old hogwarts.
10 years in the army.
24 years after the army.
12 years after I was born.
He's 66 years old, the same age as my dad.
Did he know my dad by chance?

"Did you know Tom Riddle by chance?" He asked, catching me off guard, "He's the one who opened the Chamber of Secret, he's you know who, Harry told us everything."

Ailbert nodded, "Yes I did, I knew him, being a ravenclaw, we were all scared of Slytherin, but Tom.. He was quiet at first, didn't seem like... like an heir."

"How so?" I asked.

"His full name was Tom Marvolo Riddle, he dropped his muggle name after becoming greedy with power.", he was alone at first, and friendless, but a certain Black tried her hardest to become his friend."

Rose Black.
Elodie Rose Merlin.
My mother.

"Rose invited him everywhere, even the Black household, being a Slytherin, he was more open towards her, before we knew it, fourth year of Hogwarts, they started dating."

I looked sideways.
He opened up to her.

"They dated?"

Ailbert nodded, "After the death of Myrtle, things got worse, she lost her happiness, and he became obsessed, but that was good, after Hogwarts, she became an international known Auror, before long, she disappeared and was pronounced dead."

Charlton sipped the last of his cup, then looked at the clock on the wall, "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Then, Daisy came outside, holding a box, one that we fill with
food, "Here" She said, "A few snacks and cakes i've made this morning, for you and your family." She smiled

I could see tears shining in Charlton's eyes as he thanked them.
I hugged him one last time, then he left, followed by Eva who wants to make sure he's safe.

"How did you meet him?" Ailbert asked, as he started making me my favorite drink, hot chocolate milk.

"First time I spoke to him was when he was a customer, after that, he knocked into me in the Express, then we clicked together."

He smiled, "That's new, and fast."

I chuckled a bit, "I made two friends this year actually, Olivia Ross, my age, same house, she's a bit... energetic."

"Ivy" he said suddenly with a serious tone, "Albus would never send a student, he was my teacher and I know that Albus may have lied to me, but I know he wouldn't do it."

I looked down, "I care about him." I said, "I promised to protect him, the least I could do was save him."

"Saving him by almost getting killed?"

"I didn't die."

"Almost Ivy!" He shouted back, "The scar on your side? Even the matron couldn't heal it."

a silence took over since I didn't respond, "What are you hiding from me, Angelina?"

"No" I seethed, catching him off guard.
"No one calls me Angelina," no one but Draco, "not you, no one."

I stood up, grabbing my bag harshly, "I'm going back home, I need to clean up."

And with that, I walked out hurriedly.
Long forgotten my favorite drink.

I was sitting on my bed, during the night, when Ailbert walked in, a plat in his hand, dinner.
I crossed my leg, when he sat on the bed, handing the plate.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"I'm worried." He said, straightening his back, "I'm worried about you."

"I know" I said back, but he cut me off, "Then tell me."

"Telling you will only hurt you." I responded.

"Does it have anything to do with your...family?"

I silently nodded, he exhaled, suddenly climbing on the bed next to me, his hand caressing my hair, as I layed on his shoulder.

"We aren't our family Ivy, we're our own person, I don't need to know your family to think you're bad because you're not, and saving Charlton, only proved it."

I smiled a bit, "Are we really not our family? when a burden falls on us because of our blood?"

I asked, thinking Ailbert wouldn't answer.

"Then we fight the burden," He responded, surprising me, "We fight."

"we fight." I whispered.

But I knew reassurance wouldn't do anything for me, ever since I was a kid, I knew, fighting was my only answer.
But I'm growing weaker.
Caring more.
That's something that was the downfall of my mother.

And I am not my Mother.
I am nothing like my mother.

End of Book 2.