Alfie, Who?

The Black Family Values

Eduardus Limette Black an early member of the Black family. The eldest of three brothers including Cygnus I and Arcturus I Black. He lived in London in an unplottable house with his fiancé and small child. The Black family was fairly wealthy and Eduardus used his wealth to live while experimenting, inventing and traveling with his small family to discover magical artifacts to work into his inventions.

It was during one such trip to Africa the his wife, Elizabeth became pregnant with their only child. They spent two more years in Africa before returning to London. They decided to keep the child a secret from their families because they had had trouble getting pregnant and used magic to assist. But there had been a prophecy that the magic that was used to create the child was stollen from him. And that he would have none at all.

Eduardus, Alfie and the Doctor sat around the fireplace. Alfie explained to him that he, too, was a wizard. But that he was born to muggle parents.

"So, you two traveled here, from the future..." he asked, almost in shock, but still believing. "Just to find me?"

"Yes." answered Alfie. "Both of my parents are muggles..." Eduardus flinched. "Oh, don't be that way, Sir. My parents are muggles. And my professor at Hogwarts suggested that muggle born wizards are decedents of squibs."

"Ah, yes. Squibs." Eduardus looks around uncomfortably. "So you traced your lineage back to me?"

"Yes," said Alfie. "I found a wizard photograph of you in my grandparents' attic."

"Interesting." Eduardus seemed distracted. Just then a beautiful red haired witch aparated into the apartment. The three men stood when she entered. "Hello." She smiled cordially as she unwrapped her shawl. She was wearing a very simple burgundy and black dress in the design of the middle class, but with the craftsmanship and beauty of an upperclass lady. On top her head was the tiniest hat that Alfie had ever seen on a lady. This made him smile. Eduardo kissed his wife and introduced her to his two companions.

"They have come from, the future, actually." Eduardus sounds almost reluctant to tell his wife the rest. "Master Alfie, here, tells me that he is a muggle born wizard, descended from the Black line...through me!"

Elizabeth is taken aback by this revelation. "How can this be?"

Eduardus explained to her the squib theory, to which she turned beet red. She became silent for an uncomfortable moment. The silence was punctuated by a grandfather clock tick tocking.

The silence was finally broken by the voice of a small child who appeared from behind a hidden door. "Mother?" the voice asked. "You're home?" Alfie saw a small waifish boy. He believed him to be the one who he'd seen when they first entered the home.

"Yes, darling. Come here." She held out her arms and the little boy ran to her. She held him tightly. "I love you darling."

"I love you, too, Mommy."

The Doctor, Eduardus and his wife Elizabeth talked over a hearty breakfast and tea. Alfie and the young boy played by the fireplace. The boy was only nine, younger than Alfie. So Alfie entertained him with tricks using the little magic that he does already know. His favorite is turning shillings into tiny silver birds that, when the boy closed his hands around them, they turned back into shillings. Pennyfeather added to the boy's joy by chasing the little birds futilely.

Alfie began to tell the boy about Hogwarts and the boy became really excited.

"I hope that I get to go to Hogwarts."

"I don't see why not." This captures Elizabeth's attention.

"Well, my mother says..."

"Enough!" Elizabeth stands up and with a swish of her wand she silences her son. She stood, looking frazzled. The boy looked down, embarrassed. He stood  up and disappeared behind the door from which he had emerged. Alfie looked scared while The Doctor was in shock. Eduardus rose and approached his wife with the calm of a man who was used to his wife's magical outbursts. He placed a soothing hand on her wand hand. Alfie and The Doctor exchanged looks.

"Well, then. Perhaps we should get ready to head down to the Crystal Palace. While you're here, in our time, you might as well enjoy the sights!"

"Yes." Elizabeth comes to."Yes. They have a wonderful diamond on exhibit."

"Um, the Koh-i-noor?" The Doctor tried to relieve some of the tension.

"Have you heard of it then?"

"Heard of it?" The Doctor straightened his bowtie. "I was there when it was mined!"

"Impossible! A calmer, friendlier Elizabeth remarked.

"Is it? I'm a time traveling alien. I can go anywhere I want and do whatever I please...within reason, of course!"

"So technically, you're not a muggle at all!" Eduardus exclaims.

"I'm not magic, no. But I'm not human, either.

Alfie watched The Doctor, Eduardus, and Elizabeth laugh and talk as if there was not a little boy somewhere, probably crying. The Doctor was allowing the two to feel his second heartbeat when Alfie had had enough.

"Will we be leaving for the Crystal Palace, soon?" There is an irritability in his voice that the adults don't even pick up on.

They arrived at The Great Exhibition around noon. There had never before been such a large gathering of such a diverse group of people in one place, besides on the battle field, ever in known history. There was live music performed on exhibited organs under the supervision of William Sterndale Bennett. There was a tropical bird exhibit. There was a firearms exhibit that Alfie and The Doctor gave a wide berth! Alfie was very excited to finally get to see the Tempest Prognosticator. As Alfie imagine, it had a very Victorian design to it that almost convinced him that it was a wizard's invention. Tentatively, he asked its inventor "Mr. Merryweather, is it magic?"

"Haha! No, my dear boy." Mr. Merryweather laughed heartily. "Actually, it runs on SLUGS!"

Alfie laughed along with him, absolutely convinced that he was not a wizard, but a muggle with an affinity for the creepy crawly.

Alfie's young friend walked with The Doctor and his father as they made their way through the exhibit hall toward the diamond exhibit. Alfie had fallen behind, taking in sights that he had never seen before. Elizabeth had noticed and began to walk with him.

"I see that you have taken an interest in my son. He seems quite fond of you."

Alfie had purchased a soda and had charmed it to refill itself. He took a gulp and smiled pleasantly.

"You say that your parents are muggles?"

"Yes. I had no knowledge of my magical abilities until I got my letter from Hogwarts."

"Do you ever feel left out because you're a mudblood?"

"Why would you say that?" Alfie is angered by her flippant insult.

"Well, that's what you are, aren't you?" Elizabeth's cruelty has an undertone of a secondary agenda. "You have an advantage that no known witch or wizard has ever had before. Because of your ability to time travel, you have the opportunity to change your fate."

Alfie shakes his head in confusion. Elizabeth stops and faces Alfie. She looks back to see how far her husband and child have gone. "Alfie. What if you could make it so that you have always known of magic? That your family has always been wizards? That when you return to school, you can return with your head held high knowing that you come from one of the finest pureblood wizarding families?"

"But how could I do that?" he asked. "My ancestor was a squib. How can I change that?"

That word has the same affect on her as "muggle" had on Alfie.

"There are ways to imbue magical properties into non magical objects and people." She said stiffly.

"What does that have to do with me? Alfie is confused. "I am just a first year."

"I want you to help me."

"Help you how?"

"I want you to help me steal the Koh-i-noor diamond!"