Silk Roads

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Chance Encounters

Date: 01 May 1967
Location: Hogwarts, Marcaunon's study

Marchosias sighed in disappointment as he has yet again failed to locate anything regarding his biological father. He closed his mother's desk drawer harder than intended due to the sheer frustration he had accumulated, and crossed his arms in thought as he leaned against the huge parchment filled desk.

The Goblins were out. Blood rituals were out. Ancestry potions were out. Britain's pureblood lords were out. Family tree tapestry was out. Asking his Godfather would be a useless waste of time on both their parts. The Gaunts had no other survivor except his other, younger yet physically older self, and Marchosias refused to believe that he was born from an incestuous relationship – Marcaunon wasn't the type that would fuck his own brother or father.

He raked a hand through his hair and pushed himself off the desk. Perhaps he could take a walk around to cool his head off – and to get more ideas of course. He knew that that slut Vevila would be searching for him soon, so he made haste as he wandlessly summoned the floo powder that was on the mantle of the fireplace (he would be taller than the damn fireplace soon) and threw a handful before stepping inside.

"Leaky Cauldron."

He stepped out from the pub's fireplace with no difficulty on his part, and wandlessly yet subtly vanished all the soot that had made home onto his clothing – no animal onesies thankfully, only a dark red shirt with a form fitting dark vest and pants. Even though he was feeling quite sullen, he schooled his features into one of carefree innocence with practiced ease and strode towards the entrance of Diagon Alley, intending on searching for other's misfortune – he wasn't shy to say that he was the type of person who took pleasure in the sorrow of others.

He stood in front of the entryway and just as he was about to tap the access pattern on the bricks with his finger, a man cleared his throat behind him to gain Marchosias's attention. He hid his irritation by smiling shyly up at the man. The man however froze in his place as his hazel eyes widened just a fraction. Marchosias didn't expect such a reaction but assumed that this was one of his mother's many acquaintances that didn't know of his existence – he did look eerily alike Marcaunon after all.

"Yes mister?" he tilted his head to the side cutely and forced his eyes to widened as if to show pure innocence on his part.

Whilst the man was busy gaping at Marchosias, his ruby eyes roamed the tall figure before him. He has short messy dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and was definitely well-build. The man looked to be in his middle to late thirties judging by the wrinkles carved into his face. There was a ring on his ring finger, proudly displaying that the man was married. Perched on his nose however was a circular framed eyeglass that was eerily similar to Harry Potter's. It made his blood boil just thinking about the brat that was listed on the top of his hit list before he firmly reeled in his hatred and anger. This wasn't Potter (he spat the name with acid even in his mind) for Morgana's sake. Just someone who looked eerily similar to that undying brat.

"Eh..." The Potter-look-alike cleared his throat once more before he smiled down at Marchosias. "Were you separated from your parents, little boy?"

"Daddy told me to wait for him at Flourish and Blotts, but I got curious and entered Leaky. Please don't tell him!" His eyes automatically watered and he stared up at the man with obvious guilt. Oh how he loathed using such a degrading form of manipulation, but alas, little boys were unable to charm adults without the victim appearing as though they were pedophiles.

"Fear not little one, we'll just have to keep this a secret from your... daddy then." The way the stranger said daddywas odd, and Marchosias stored it into his mental files just in case. "Though let's get you back to Flourish before your daddy finds out."