Chapter 1
Lily is not a mutant but she is not like the rest of the humans either. She is special. And her loving sister resents her a bit for that.
Charles can easily see how Petunia's reluctant envy could grow into pettiness, which could grow into resentment and jealousy and burgeon into burning hatred. He has seen it happen too often. With that in mind, Charles puts the girl aside one late afternoon, and tells her something she must not have heard often.
'You are special too, Petunia.'
Petunia looks at him with a frown on her face. Her mouth is twisted into a grimace. Her thin hands -pianists' hands- are closed into tight fists. She looks ready to throw a tantrum.
Yet, her eyes are glistening with unshed tears.
She wants to believe him.
She wants to believe she is as special as darlingLily is.
Rose and Andrew Evans form a lovely couple and strive to be good parents. And they are. They dote on their daughters and never looked badly at Lily for being other. And while it is marvelous (because acceptance is something that parents often lack, as Charles has learned early on in life) the way they always look in awe at Lily is bound to make Petunia feel lesser than her.
Funny how you can try to make things better and only end up making them worse.
(Charles knows that personally as well.)
'Why would you care about me, sir? You're only here for Lily.'
'It's true that I first came for Lily. It doesn't mean I keep on coming back only for her.' Petunia's lips tremble. Charles knows she is fighting from crying. 'Family is more than blood, Petunia.'
'You really think I'm special?,' she whispers.
Charles taps his forehead with his finger. 'I don't think so. I know.'
*
Years later, when Charles is the one feeling down
(depressed would be the right word. Everything is falling apart. Sean is nowhere to be found. Alex was sent to fight a bloody war. The school is closed. It feels like Charles has nothing left. Except Hank... And Hank does not deserve all of that. He certainly does not deserve the useless mess Charles has become. Hank would be better off without him. He would be-)
Petunia is the one there for him.
'It doesn't matter if the school is empty. It doesn’t matter if you can't use your legs anymore. It doesn’t matter if your heart is broken either. '
Charles huffs and prepares to berate the stupid girl from talking about something she could not possibly understand.
Petunia pushes him in his chair, grips his weakened arms into a tight grip and plants her face into his. Then she berates him. 'It does not matter because you have us. You will always have us. Sean will come back. Alex will come back. The school won't remain empty forever. And we'll stay strong at your side while we wait for them all to come back. We will stand for you. We will be your legs. We will be your heart. Because we're a family and it's what family does.'
'Because you're worth it, papa.'
Bloody precious girl. Always bull heading her way through people's hearts.
*
Severus's father mysteriously disappears when they are nine.
Lily knows her papa is against all kinds of violence but she also knows he is very against people hurting children and Mr. Snape has been hurting Severus for a long time.
She knows her papa is the reason the man is gone.
She thinks Severus knows it too.
They keep it a secret. It is not like Mr. Snape will be missed.
*
Just because Charles is in a chair does not mean he can't have sex.
But it is true he could have better protected himself.
Well. Charles does not regret it anyway. David is a wonderful surprise.
Needless to say, the girls are delighted to have a baby among them.
*
Darling Lily is to be sent to study at a Magic School in Scotland. Because she is a witch.
The whole family is in uproar because they did not know magic was a thing and how could they have missed it?! Lily can do almost anything. From growing plants to making objects fly and lit them on fire. And she is not a mutant. Of course, the answer to the unanswerable equation lied elsewhere.
Magic sends Hank into a frenzy. Rose laughs it off and jests with him for being 'too much of a scientist to have been missing something so obvious.' Charles is delighted and plans to buy anything he can find about magic. Andrew is as unflappable as ever and continues to read his journal.
Petunia huffs. 'Does it mean you'll spend more time with that nasty boy?' Lily throws her a glare. Petunia smirks and shrugs. 'You know I think you could have better friends. Nicer ones.'
(Those days, the sisters only fight about their neighbor Severus Snape. Petunia finds him 'creepy' and unworthy of Lily's attention. Lily regards Severus in high esteem and swears he is her other best friend for life.
Petunia obviously is the first best friend.)
Lily rolls her eyes and does not respond. Her concern lies elsewhere as the time: 'How can I watch David grow up if I'm in bloody Scotland?!'
'Language, Lily,' Rose says distractedly while she watches Hank pull at his hair in frustation.
Lily crosses her arms and does not apologize. She taps her foot on the linoleum, a sign of her own frustration.
'I'm gonna miss everything! His first words, his first steps. I'm supposed to only come back home on holidays. By the time I come back he'll have forgotten everything about me and think he has only one sister, not two!'
'Lily-flower,' Andrew calls from behind his journal, making her redhead swivel. 'This is a marvelous opportunity. You're going to learn real magic in another country. It will be like summer camp but year-long. How is not that ground for joy?'
Darling Lily shifts into Volcano Lily. She stands on the edge of her feet, tightens her fists and goes red in the face from yelling: 'EXACTLY BECAUSE IT'S IN ANOTHER COUNTRY! FOR TENTH MONTHS! AND SEVEN BLOODY YEARS!'
Rose tuts at the curse, not the ear-splitting scream or the flying dishes.
'I'M GONNA MISS EVERYTHING! I WON'T SEE ANY OF YOU FOR MONTHS! INSTEAD I'LL BE WITH PEOPLE I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND COULD NEVER LIKE FROM DUSK UNTIL DAWN! WHO CARES ABOUT MAGIC?!' Hank snaps his head up at the last words and opens his mouth. 'I CARE ABOUT ME AND ABOUT HOW IT'S MESSING WITH MY LIFE!'
Hank closes his mouth.
Charles pushes a flying remote control from his face. 'Darling.'
Lily turns to face him (and Petunia who is sitting next to him and looking at her sister with wide eyes). Her face is the same color as her hair and covered in tears and snot. Her eyes are blown wide and red shot. Her small body is shaking from anger (and he guesses from fear at being parted from her family for the first time in her life).
'It won't change anything.'
Lily sends him a hard glare. Charles reads his girl easily and hurts for her. He rolls his chair towards her. Takes her arms in his hands.
'It won't,' he swears. 'It may seem like a punishment but it's nothing of the sort. Your dad's right. This is an opportunity. You'll be able to learn all kinds of things we will all be dying to learn. Just look at uncle Hank.'
Both Lily and Charles turn to face Hank as he paces the two-meters of space between the dining table and the window. His hands have returned to pull at his hair. Charles shares a conniving smile with his youngest daughter.
'I swear he's wishing he could be a mouse hiding in your pocket to join you in this adventure.'
Lily feigns a grin.
Charles takes his daughter's hands in his and presses them lightly. 'You'll learn plenty there and you'll meet plenty of children your age to play with. I know you're always saying Severus is enough but having a best friend doesn't have to keep you from making other friends. And more people could benefit from having you in their life, my love.'
Lily looks at the floor. He hears her sniffling.
Charles tries to cheer his sweet girl up. 'It will be like the students in my school,' he adds with mirth.
'Then why can't I simply go to your school?,' she whimpers.
Charles looks at her redhead fondly. 'Because we don't teach magic. We'd have nothing to teach you, darling.'
Lily shakes her head. 'I'm sure you could! You already helped me understand my powers and how to control them.' Charles looks dubiously around the room and the clutter Lily made of it during her outburst. Lily does the same and blushes. 'You know what I mean, papa,' she says hurriedly. 'You could teach me better than strangers.'
Charles sighs. 'No, I couldn't.' Lily fixes him with despair in her eyes. 'I don't know anything about magic, Lily. I could learn and I will. But I could never teach you how to use it as well as another witch or wizard could.'
'But-'
'Think about it like that: your powers are going to continue growing. If you stay here, you'll end up feeling stifled. Unable to use your magic freely. And if you come to Westminter with uncle Hank and I, it is true that you could be learning more about how to control your gifts. However, you'll miss on learning about magic, and the community behind it. It is a whole new world, Lily, and it's filled with people like you. Don't you want to give it a chance?'
Lily has let her head fall down again. Her long hair serves as a curtain but Charles knows his girl is crying silent tears. He pinches his lips and gently presses his hold on her hands again.
'It will be alright, love. Your family will always be here to welcome you back home,' he murmurs. 'The distance won't lessen our love for you. There is nothing that could make us love you less, Lily.'
'You are not alone, darling,' he pushes through their bond. Lily chokes on a sob. She throws her arms around his neck and holds on tight, threatening to suffocate him. Charles holds her small body just as hard. 'You never are. And never will be.'
*
Petunia was right. Charles's other children eventually come back home.
Sean is the first. Albeit, it would be more apt to say he is broughtback by a man named Logan -Charles vaguely remembers him from his past days spent recruiting with Er- his days with the CIA. Logan talks about experimentations and a man named Stryker and the whole story leaves Charles shuddering.
For the first time, he is glad his youngest children are across the ocean.
But Sean is home and recovering. Sean is alive and with his family. Charles is so grateful for it.
Then the war ends and its soldiers are sent back home. Alex takes the long way around, picks the brother he thought was safe from his foster family's clutches, and drags the both of them to the mansion. Hank, Sean and he welcome them with warm covers and hot chocolates. Logan lets out a gruff.
The war ends. Life begins again.
Charles gets the permission to reopen his school and, all too soon, Scott is no longer the only child roaming the mansion's corridors.
Petunia was right. As Charles has learned, his girl often is. Maybe he should think about make it a deposit mark: *Petunia is always right.* His precious girl would blush and hide her embarrassment by hitting his arm. Charles grins at the image.
*
Her parents and uncle Hank were right. Lily lovesHogwarts.
(She misses them and Tuney and little David and aunt Gabrielle like hell and spends all the nights before going to bed writing to them.)
Everything is so big and magical: the paints with their moving characters, the Hall's spelled ceiling, the talking hat (she had wondered if he would be amenable to meet her papa and had smiled when he'd whispered a delighted yes in her mind), even the stairs that keep on moving! There are goddamn ghosts and they even are friendly!
The lessons are another thing Lily loves. She was always a good student and she liked the lessons enough in her old school -and when two members of her family are geniuses, Lily does not really have the choice to do anything but learn- but now she finds that she craves them. The knowledge is never enough for her. Goblin wars (even if the teacher is a bit boring), levitation spells, potion classes. They learn to ride flying brooms!
Lily adores it. All of it.
But soon Lily learns a new word and it is nothing pretty.
Mudblood.
Her new friend Mary- because Lily forgot to mention she made friends, didn't she? And they are all lovely! From cheerful Mary to fierce Alice to shy Remus- Mary said not to listen to those saying it and to ignore them and Lily really wants to but.
But this is not just a dirty word.
It is a slur used against her to degrade her. To make her feel lowly and unworthy.
(She wishes Tuney were here with her to give her a hug and bat those bullies away.)
She takes on herself not to cry, either in sadness or in anger.
It takes her two months before she finds the courage to write her papa about it.
I know, is all he writes back. No word of comfort. No 'it is going to be better'. No 'revenge is best served cold' like her sister would say. No 'ignore them' like Mary keeps on harping. Just those two words.
Lily is left feeling bereft.
Two weeks later, Severus tells her he saw her papa leaving professor Dumbledore's office. Lily is miffed that her papa did not bother to come see her. He probably is one of the only muggles capable of coming to the school -most likely thanks to the mutant gene- and he won't even see her! She distracts herself from those thoughts by spending the following day and night hypothesizing his reason for coming to Hogwarts. She comes up with a hundredth reasons why and none of them realistic.
Everything is made clearer the second day when she descends the stairs leading from her dormitory to the common room. It seems that the whole of Gryffindor House is reunited in front of the entryway. A notice has been spelled to the entry door and it reads loudly that: '...slurs about blood purity, skin color, religion and sexual orientations will be punished with hours of detention and the loss of fifty House points each time they are spoken, cried, hushed...'
Lily hides her beaming smile behind her hand and rushes up the stairs to write a letter.
*
Charles loves Jean before he meets her.
She is such a brilliant child, Charles cannot help but be hooked. And he does not mean 'brilliant' as in 'smart' although the girl definitely is. He means brilliant as in 'bursting with such power it makes his eyes hurt'.
More than that, sweet little Jean is a telepath. Which means, like him, she cannot help but feel lonely even in the biggest crowds.
People always think telepaths can't feel loneliness because their minds are always wandering. They don't realize that their rejection, their mantra of 'stay out of my head' makes telepaths the loneliest beings.
But Charles does. As does sweet little Jean.
He sends his mind to reach hers before he can physically travel to find her. He expects the awe she feels when they connect; he felt the same when his children asked to feel him in their minds to connect with him. He does not expect Jean to call him papa the way Petunia and Lily do, the way David has just begun to. Yet, he finds that he does not mind.
Actually, Charles loves it.
Charles loves Jean before he meets her.
And then, he meets her and he takes her home with him.
*
Sean laughs when he sees Jean. 'Another child, Prof'. I swear the school will soon be filled only with your children!'
Alex rolls his eyes and hits him playfully on the head.
'Oh, come on!,' Sean whines. 'At least this one looks like me. Don't you think so, little J? Just wait until you meet Lily! Us redheads are gonna take over the world.'
He winks and Alex shakes his head. Logan keeps on eating his cornflakes (it's ten in the evening, what does the man think he is doing?). Hank is the only decent one and looks at Jean with an encouraging smile.
Jean looks at Charles. 'It's alright, love. I promise they are good. Well. A bit insane, but good.' It reassures Jean and has her grinning faintly.
She looks up at Sean and pipes up: 'Yes, we are.'
Sean widens his eyes in glee and shots his arms in the air. 'Told you!,' he hollers at Alex.
Alex rolls his eyes a second time.
*
David is the cutest child ever and Lily will never stop being in awe of him.
Especially not after he puts Sirius Black's precious hair on fire.
*
Petunia one day asks why her papa never asked to be healed by magic.
'What is there to heal?' Charles answers guilelessly.
Petunia knows her papa and sends him a look. 'I remember how you were all those years ago when the school was closed.'
Charles smiles. 'Me as well.. It is exactly why I never asked if magic could give me my legs back.'
She frowns. 'I'm not sure I understand.'
'You gave me strength, Petunia. Magic... Magic would give me a false sense of security. I could be able to walk and then? The loss of my legs will never stop to hurt. But it's also a daily reminder of all I gained and lost. All I accomplished and everything I still have to do. And it reminds me of the strength you gave me when I had lost all hope.'
...Her papa always knows how to pull at her heartstrings, does not he?
'Funny, I always thought you knew how to pull mine,' is his smug telepathic answer.