Chapter 2
It is the Easter holidays, and James' parents brought Sirius and him to a restaurant to celebrate his dad's birthday. You can only imagine the elation James feels when he sees Lily is also there.
And then, the despair that fills him when he notices she is in the embrace of a blond, good looking man.
'Prongs?,' Sirius calls after him.
James barely hears him. His focus is on the girl he painfully loves. She is trying to get out of the man's hold, and James would step in if Lily was not laughing while doing so. He has never heard her laugh like that and Merlin knows he's tried. Yet, James only gets reluctant grins and eye rolls. Sometimes a huff.
James's eyes take their fill of Lily being genuinely happy and merry -the way she never is with him. Then he turns his head and faces his best friend.
'It's alright, Padfoot.'
Sirius stares dubiously at him. He turns his head Lily's way and opens his mouth. His next words are drown by Lily's outburst.
'Papa!,' she shouts between giggles. 'Tell uncle Alex I didn’t steal anything!'
James' head swivels.
The blond man -uncle Alex?!- acts offended: 'that's a filthy lie, pumpkin. And I just have the perfect punishment for you.'
The man, who is definitely Lily's uncle, puts his hand in a nearby cake and covers Lily's face with chocolate cream.
Lily shrieks.
Her uncle as well as the people that are sitting at the table next to them burst into guffaws.
Lily takes a napkin once she is freed and attempts to clean her face. She glares at her uncle. 'Ohh. You're so going to pay for that.' Then she takes the plate with the cake on it and crushes the cake on her uncle's face.
In the ensuing 'battle', James is too focused on Lily running from her uncle in the restaurant to notice her little brother taking a page of her book and following in her mischievous steps. Petunia, who is holding little David in her arms, certainly notices when her brother puts a cupcake on fire. Their uncle Sean, who has been about to eat said cupcake, does not miss it either and ends up with half a brow burned.
Sweet David giggles and claps his hands.
oops
*
Charles and Jean are waiting for Lily at the train station.
Charles hears someone think about 'that muggle' with a heavy dose of scorn and, against his better judgment, he focuses on the person's mind. It is a witch: Walburga of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. The capitals are heard bright and clear. As are the disparaging comments the woman throws everyone's way: 'Bastard' son', 'Filthy Mudblood', 'Useless rat', 'Director's tramp', 'Thieves since five generations', 'Shameful'. Charles has to give her points for being insulting to everyone, not only muggleborns but 'pure'bloods as well.
Soon, the train arrives and her own attention focuses on her son. Her only son, she insists.
Lily rushes to them. Severus follows at a slower rate. Charles smiles at them both and embraces his daughter distractedly. His mind already back on Walburga and her son.
Lily does not take offense of it. She knows too well how her papa is, letting himself be transported by the various minds' flow. She turns to Jean and shares a loaded look with her. She rolls her eyes fondly and rushes to hug her sister.
Charles sees -both physically and mentally- Regulus Black.
It is a revelation.
This lone, lone, lonely boy is so much like Jean was when he first met her that it hurts.
'Lily,' he calls his daughter faintly.
'Papa.'
She approaches him and tries to follow his gaze but there are too many people crowding the place.
'Regulus Black,' she hears her papa say without intonation and-oh. She knows what is coming. 'I want you to befriend him.'
Dang it. She knew it.
*
It has become a tradition. Petunia and Lily will spend a month of the summer holls at home with their parents as well as visit David and aunt Gaby, and another in Westminster with their papa, Jean and their uncles.
This year, they spend the first half in America at the Xavier School. Lily takes advantage of the early mornings to write to Severus and her friends as well as writing to the youngest Black.
She should not be surprised Regulus starts to respond only after the second letter she sends him. If her papa asked her to befriend him, it could not be because he is as distasteful as the people that surround him at school nor the rest of his family (minus Sirius Black, of course) are. She finds how much different he is from them as they continue to write each other.
Once the month comes to an end and it is time for Tuney and her to leave the american part of their family, Lily sets out to meet Regulus.
Tuney glances at her from the corner of her eyes and huffs. 'Really? Another unsavory boy?'
Lily chortles. 'He's not unsavory, Tuney. Just lonely.'
Tuney hums disapprovingly. Tuney always could make her feelings widely known without using any words. Long paragraphs recited in a sculpted raised eyebrow or a muted sound. This time does not disappoint.
Lily pouts. 'Did Severus ever prove to be a bad person?'
Tuney's lips pull downward which is her way of saying: 'No, but it doesn’t mean he won't ever. And it certainly doesn't mean I have to like him.'
Lily fights to keep her own lips from forming a triumphant smile.
Tuney recognizes her mirth anyway. She huffs and turns her head, making her glossy blond hair whip. Lily is sure she practiced the gesture at least ten times in the mirror. 'Do what you want, Lily. But if that little shrimp even thinks of hurting your feelings, he won't see me coming.'
Lily's heart warms at her sister's threatening words. 'I love you too, Tuney.'
Lily easily translates Tuney next huff as: 'Baby sister, you're so naive. What am I going to do with you? I love you too, dummy.'
*
His three daughters are standing a little far away on a street in Hogsmeade and giggling at some anecdote Jean is sharing. Most likely the one about Scott falling into the lake back at the Mansion. Charles is perusing a selection of objects in a shop's window with Severus, when he sees the boy go rigid.
'Something the matter, Severus?'
'Yes. Something the matter, Snape?'
Charles rolls his chair around to face the newcomer. Hair like a rat's nest, tall and sprightly, wearing a smirk on his pretty face. Charles easily recognizes him as James 'annoying little fucker' Potter.
'So', he muses, 'you are the boy who wants to date my darling daughter?'
James Potter stops and frowns in confusion at him. His friends: Sirius 'impossible' Black, 'wonderful' Remus Lupin and 'friendly but shy' Peter Pettigrew come to join him.
Remus's eyes lit in recognition. 'Sir,' he salutes respectfully.
Charles nods in acknowledgment. 'It is nice to see you again, Remus.'
'You as well, sir,' the boy responds with an impish grin.
'Really nice. Lily's been feeling down for quite some time, sir,' he thinks.
Charles' lips pinch. He nods grimly.
Severus stiffens at his side. He reads correctly that Charles has been communicating telepathically. He does not like it. More accurately, he does not like the fact that Charles is using his telepathy to 'bond' with his school nemeses.
Charles pats his right arm reassuringly. That boy and his insecurities. Charles needs to have a serious talk with him about them.
James Potter's frown deepens when he sees the gesture.
'Charles Xavier,' Charles offers. 'I'm Lily's father.'
The boy's eyes widen comically. 'What did Lily tell him?,' he thinks. 'What did Snivellus tell him? How does Moony know him? Why didn't he tell me he met him? What do I do? What do I say? Oh Merlin, don't make me make a fool of myself.'
Sirius Black snickers and Peter Pettigrew turns his head to hide a laugh behind a cough.
'A fool?' Charles asks with poise, making the boy stiffen and Severus relax. 'I suppose it depends of your next actions.'
James Potter stops all movement. His stillness startles his friends and make them look at him with wariness. James's eyes fly from him to Severus then back again. He throws a glance Remus's way before looking back at Charles.
'You're a legilimens,' he states.
Smart and percipient. Of course, Charles should expect nothing less from a boy who succeeded in becoming an animagus at fourteen.
Charles offers him a thin smile. 'I am.'
Sirius Black takes a step forth and puts himself protectively in front of his friends.
'I thought Lily was a muggleborn,' young Peter says with befuddlement.
'She is,' Remus answers. 'Muggles have legilimens too.'
'Muggles call us telepaths,' Charles says to clear Peter's confusion. 'We're the muggle equivalent of your legilimens. We don't have magic.'
Peter nods his head but keeps on sporting a dubious look on his face.
Charles turns his attention back towards James Potter or what he can see of him behind his friend's figure. 'And you are a very talented young wizard with a too-inflated ego.' Mr. Black's face takes on a rebellious edge. 'If my daughter doesn't want to date you, either take no for an answer and step aside, or ask her and yourself why she refuses to give you a chance.'
James Potter gently pushes his friend aside to better see him. 'And then?'
'Then you either change your behavior for the better or you step aside and move on,' he responds firmly.
The boy gives him a self-deprecating smile. 'You don't like me much, sir. Do you?'
'If it's because of Snivellus,' Mr. Black intervenes, 'then you should know anything he says is utter bullshit.'
Severus snarls. Charles takes a hold of his right arm and sends him waves of calm and reassurance.
'Papa?,' he hears Jean calling him. 'Do you want us to come?'
'No, sweetheart. In fact, I'd rather prefer you take your sisters away for the next minutes.'
'Calling him 'Snivellus' doesn't entice you to me,' he responds with a mental snap on the rebellious teen's head. Mr. Black startles from surprise. 'I've known Severus for years. I know him far better than petty animosity would allow you to.'
James Potter has the decency to look contrite.
'I didn’t say I do not like you,' Charles continues. 'I simply think that you have a bit more maturity to gain before you can think on having any kind of relationship with my daughter.'
*
Jean had wished for years that Westminster were in England, that way she would see her extended family more often. It seems like every time they travel, David has become bigger and taller and more mischievous. It seems like she is missing on her baby brother's life and she dislikes it.
It is a good thing her papa has decided on uprooting the school closer to their real home. He has been reading through magic books and building connections in America and Britain's magical communities for years. Now, he is working with Hank and a couple of unspeakables on building wards that will create a two ways door between different places and make it able for anyone to travel no matter the distance.
This way the mansion would have a foot in Westminster and another in London. The students would still be able to come and go to rejoin their family and/or friends and, more importantly, Jean's family could be reunited.
It is not even taking into account the giant advancement it will provide to the Magical community. No boats or brooms needed for long distance travels. Only her papa' wards.
Jean is loving life. She can't wait to see David and Petunia every day of every week!
'Mostly Petunia,' her papa teases her from across the school.
'Papa!,' she whines.
If she blushes, well. No one is here to see it.
*
Professor Slughorn knows all about the famed Charles Xavier. It might have been the sole reason he first invites Lily Evans to join his parties. But soon enough, he only does so for Lily herself. The girl is so brilliant and lively and pure hearted.
One day, she offers him a lily petal that melts into a gold fish.
She performs the most beautiful magic.
She is the most beautiful person there is to know.
*
Petunia met Vernon Dursley on a weekend spent with her college friends in Wiltshire. She thought him thoughtful and gentle and hard working. Vernon always had an opinion on everything, be it the current politics or the dubious colors of the napkins on their dinner tables. And he made the most peculiar jokes. Petunia always found herself startled and chortling.
All around, he is a wonderful person. She is not afraid to admit she is smitten.
Then she presents him to Lily and hears him make snide comments about how much of a 'freak' her sister is.
She slaps the jerk and breaks up with him.
*
Jean loves Scott.
Scott is a bit of a prick (alright. A lot). He is self righteous and can be downright rude. He always struts around like he knows best than you -he does not. He can make her blood boil like no one can.
But Scott is also mindful of her feelings, and funny and smart and brave. He is always there to help the younger ones. He wants to make the future a better world and plans to join the X-Men once he is of age.
And those biceps. Jean is a hormonal teenager. She has a lot of difficulties resisting the will to pounce on him, okay?
Jean loves nothing more than to see him upturn his nose when he chortles. Nor than watching him bare his throat when he rejects his head in laughter and clutches his belly.
Jean loves Scott.
However, love is not enough. Not when Scott can't bear to have her in his mind.
Jean can't help it. When she loses concentration -and how can anyone expects her to keep it when Scott latches onto her neck and sucks like a vampire?!- her mind goes haywire and goes to bury in the nearest mind. Which is Scott's. She cannot help it even if she has tried a thousand times to. And a thousand times more to explain it to him.
Yet, Scott won't understand. He can even less accept it.
She breaks up with him.
*
Once the wards are done and going to a London street is as easy as to take a car to Westminster's village, Jean does not lose time and goes to Petunia's flat.
Petunia is Lily and David's sister but she is not hers. It never felt right for her, nor for Petunia. It has nothing to do with mutant genes and magic. Petunia and Jean just were not made to be sisters.
Jean supposes it is better that way. She is already rejected by most of her peers for being a telepath. She does not need to add an incestuous relationship to the mix.
*
David is...
Well.
To Petunia he is 'my dearest love.'
Lily calls him her partner in crime.
Jean simply dotes on him.
Hank is always bemused by him and has no name or word for him.
Alex sees another blond boy in David. He is always bittersweet. Yet his mixed feelings never stop him from reaching towards his nephew to tickle him.
Sean calls him 'baby bro' and ruffles his hair all the time.
Rose and Andrew call him their 'fourth child'.
To Charles, Davis is...
a small eight years old with yellow sun hair, ephelides and his mother's smile.
a merry child who likes to run everywhere, who is boundlessly curious and watches the world in perpetual wonder.
a mutant with telepathy, telekinesis and pyrokinesis abilities.
a tiny boy being assaulted daily by other minds' presence. Not the way Charles mind's was when his telepathy manifested and he thought he was going mad hearing voices. But the way other mutants recognize a vulnerable child with powerful abilities and wish to plunge into his mind to make themselves at home.
David is his daddy's dearest. And Charles is not going to let anything happen to him.
*
Petunia is all too aware that she is the only 'normal' child among Charles Xavier's brood. Years ago she resented it. (In another life she would have worked to be as normal as possible, even going as far as to hurt her nephew to beat the freakiness out of him). Now she merely rolls her eyes at her siblings and lover's antics. Being 'normal' mostly means she has to put up with double the mischief.
Petunia has no problem with being 'the odd one'. She learned a long time ago that she was special too and that her uniqueness lied elsewhere than with magic and mutation.
Right now, it is firmly planted in her ambitions to burrow her own place in the political landscape of England.
*
Mystic eventually learns about her estranged brother's growing family.
She thinks about her own son and muses.
Magneto hears about it as well and freezes.
'What did you say?'
*
Lily is laughing at a joke Sirius shared when she opens the entrance door. Her laughter sputters out when she realizes who is standing on her front porch.
'Hello,' Magneto, her papa's Erik says. 'You are Lily, aren't you? Is your father here?'