The Empress of Magic

Chapter 103 : Curious Rumors

Dinner in the Great Hall that night was what one would have expected. Students of all Houses were busying themselves talking to one another, some still reminiscing about their holidays while others were bemoaning their most recent homework assignment.

,, So what exactly is the plan going forward?" asked Aiden as he looked directly at the three Grindelwalds sitting at the table across from him, and Regulus. ,, With you four, and Hunter, at Hogwarts, who is taking care of our two little miracle children back at the castle?"

The first time he heard of Celestia's and Regulus's plan to take care of the twins and all other possible children with Pendragon blood HYDRA may have kept hidden, he could have sworn he saw some strands of his hair turning grey and his own life flashing before his eyes from stress.

Adopting children was not the same as taking care of an abandoned Magical Creature. And while Celestia hid most of the after-effects that her childhood had left on her, both physically and emotionally, behind a well-practiced mask and could go weeks or even months without a single seizure or otherwise health-altering attack, the fact that she had them spoke volumes of the difficulties they would face with two children who had been neglected to the point where the survival of one child was still not entirely clear.

Suffering through what they had also meant a vastly different reaction from child to child to their new surroundings. They were lucky, that the healthy twin had immediately grown attached to Celestia for her affectionate nature, and to Regulus and Aelius because of his exposure to the two males, but they were yet to see how his sister's reaction to her new environment.

Hell, the one time she had woken up from her fever-delirium, she had trashed about in her bed, kicking and screaming, and had bit Celestia in her panic before being sedated ( They were incredibly lucky that the half-Veela had worn gloves of a thicker material that day ).

A child had needs, that couldn't just be taken care of with money or good treatment, and the four had not shared with the rest of them what their plan was, besides traveling to Pendragon castle on the weekends.

,, Aelius is mostly busy with taking care of the patients in the Hospital Wing, even with the help of the Healers from France and Germany there are many people with injuries and illnesses that have not been seen by any of them, or practiced upon, which means his time is spent away from the little boy. " answered Fred, glancing down at his plate.

,, Mum and father are the ones taking care of him in the mornings, since their schedules don't necessarily require them to leave the castle at early hours. Ace usually takes over in the afternoon, bringing him with him to his meetings with Barty and Gellert. He stays with them until the evening when Tom takes him back." continued George, frowning when Fenris let himself drop onto his outstretched legs.

,, It isn't the best solution, that much is obvious, but it will have to do for the time being." said Celestia, her tone contrasting to her expression as she gave a smile and little wave towards a couple of first years who were shyly glancing over at their group.

,, Is leaving him with Gellert or Tom a wise idea?" asked Susan this time. ,, They may be on our side, but both are... not exactly keen on interacting with children.... nor do they involve themselves with light forms of magic..."

She wouldn't dare to ever say anything against the two men, especially since Tom had raised Celestia as if she were his own from the time she was left all alone, and Gellert had never shied away from helping and supporting her in whatever decision she made.... But, no one could deny that two former Dark Lords, with a tendency to torture or kill people when they got on their nerves, were not what one would see as a good influence on a child.

They accepted Celestia because she was of their blood, and embraced the dark Arts openly. She had also realized from a young age that her own dreams and wishes would not be handed to her by anyone, and that if she wanted to survive her teenage years she would need allies, a lot of them, which meant sacrificing some things while gaining others. Her taking in Fred and George may have been a spontaneous decision, but it helped with building up good relations with other Houses, so they had been accepted.