Articus bonding and Severus cupcakes
It was a cold sunny morning the day of Articus bonding, the day that his life would be officially over. After this afternoon his bonded would be consort to Lord Weasley. Part of the bonding agreement was that the Weasley Lordship would be passed on to their children, the bonding agreement stipulated at least four children. With one of them being a male heir as soon as the bonded couple had finished their schooling.
It was a harsh agreement in Articus eyes, all the wealth, power and authority was his consorts. On paper it would seem to the rest of society that Arthur as the Lord and Rodolphus as his consort that Arthur was the dominant partner. But on paper he was the submissive partner and his consort the dominant, from today onward he live with the ultra-conservative LeStrange family. He even had to now change houses to live with his consort in the Snake pit, where he knew status was everything. His mother and Dumbledore were both right Goblins were evil little money grasping creatures, and his father’s account manager Thickone was all the above with bells o it. Thickone had been the main negotiator between the his father’s house and the LeStrange’s account manager, he had even managed to get the LeStrange to pay a significant ‘bride price’ for him.
Of course his Godparents had tried to stop his bonding, Dumbledore after all always had his best interest at heart after all. His mother had come to his aide, screaming, weeping and locking herself away in her room in the end with her nerves due to the fact her beloved Articus was being bonded to a family in trade. His Uncle Fitzwilliam had not budged, Articus had to bond and to this family. More screaming with his mother collapsing saying “This bonding will be the death of me…..by Articus being bonded to trade, if only my Christopher was in charge…if only he would stop scamming his illness. The man knows by nerves can’t take surprises, this bonding will be the death of me”
His aunt Elizabeth Darcy had said under her breath “Like Articus behaviour hasn’t almost been the death of poor Christopher! Her NERVES, Lydia needs a kick up the backside!”
Dumbledore had looked at the rest of the family including his two sisters and Uncle and added “It seems that poor Mrs Brandon is beside herself, perhaps as Articus Principal Godfather I should be in charge of decisions regarding Articus including this rushed bonding. I think that if Articus was to bond with Lady Mar..”
“Mary Prewitt the bike of Hogwarts as the mundanes say, which is pretty impressive when you realise the competition, and then be given the Brandon estate to live on, Albus?” Darcy asked with angry icy disdain edged in his voice
Dumbledore ignored the question after all his plan was to have the fools bond and take control of Brandon’s estate and keep the couple in poverty “Elizabeth and your other sisters…perhaps you should go an try to console you delicate sister Lydia….while we men discuss this situation”
A squat little dwarf then pranced in the room, everybody in the room rolled their eyes at the intruder. He was followed by Rosemary and Conrad supporting a black eye and his arm in a sling, and the dwarfs bonded Charlotte who came and sat with Elizabeth smiling wanly. The dwarf started in his insistent high pitched voice “Really I am so disappointed to be right, there had to be a bad apple produced from the lions of my dearest cousin Lydia……Of course I agreed with the Thickone the Goblin manager to conduct the bonding service…..we must of course keep the image of proprietary, we can only hope that the young man siblings learns from his stupid folly and behaviour. And that the young foolish ill led child repents of his behaviour……”
“But it was a childish mistake…children experiment….unintentional accidents happen, as a follower of the new way Rev Collins…you must see the importance…” Dumbledore tried to stop the tirade from one of the main light supporters, after all he wanted to ensure Articus family allowed the bonding of the stupid couple, not support the enemies of his plan.
“My children although as the Bible states are a blessing and a gift from God, have been brought up to respect and fear the scandal of shameful behaviour….As I have said many a time to Lady and Lord Longbottom, who ask for my humble advice and knowledge….Children must be disciplined and brought up to know their place not only in their family, but their families place in their society. Our children…and Charlottes has always been in agreement with me…..know that one hint of shameful behaviour would mean the casting of them out in the world”
The dwarf just sighed and looked at the assembled family, and the shocked looks o horror from the Darcy’s and Bingley’s. Conrad was at the back of the group trying not to laugh at the dwarfs performance. They had just met that morning and when the Rev Collins needed a lift to the Brandon’s, and he had agreed to drive his new friends there.
Conrad had been running late for work, and as he admitted to the police officer in the local hospital A&E department the accident between him and Charles had been his fault. So what started the altercation at the side of the road then the officer asked.
Conrad had looked sheepish and Rosemary continued the explanation rolling her eyes “We are on the A1 trying to make up the time, when this idiot here decided to rear end the car in front. They both stopped on the emergency lane to take each other details and then”
“Look officer ever had one of those days, when whatever you do it will go wrong and then there is that one little incident that makes you laugh in the most inappropriate situation” the officer nodded, he felt that he was going to be having one of those days now. The nurse who was cleaning up Conrad’s face after placing his plastered broken hand in a sling stopped to listen to the explanation “Well I really was going to admit responsibility and offer to pay for the damage to the others drivers BMW X3 and “with this Conrad just rolled up laughing on the cubicle bed, tears streaming form his face
“IT WAS NOT THAT FUNNY!” countered Rosemary, the officer looked perplexed “This dwarf in a clerical collar stormed over to us and said ‘I am definetly not happy’ and this idiot I married just had to come back with..”
“Well which one are you then……and that started the fight off, must admit for a man of the cloth he has a mean left hook”
So an hour later when both couples had finally become friends, Rosemary had offered to drive the Rev Collins and his wife to the Brandon’s to perform a magical marriage late that day.
The Rev Charles Collins put up a finger, and looking at Tom and Darcy directly stated “ I feel myself called upon to help my loving cousins and their families present, by our relationship, and my obvious situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous affliction you are now suffering under, of course we were informed by letter by the Goblin Thickone. Be assured, my dear sir that Mrs Collins and
and myself sincerely sympathise with you and all your respectable family, in your present distress, which must be of the bitterest kind, because proceeding from a cause which no time can remove. No arguments shall be wanting on my part that can alleviate so severe a misfortune—or that may comfort you, under a circumstance that must be of all others the most afflicting to a parent's mind. The death of your nephew would have been a blessing in comparison of this. And it is the more to be lamented, because there is reason to suppose as my dear Charlotte informs me, that this licentiousness of behaviour in your nephew has proceeded from a faulty degree of indulgence; though, at the same time, for the consolation of yourself and Mrs. Darcy and your extended family, I am inclined to think that his own disposition must be naturally bad, or he could not be guilty of such an enormity, at so early an age. Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins, but likewise by Lady Augusta Longbottom and her son, to whom I have related the affair. They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Longbottom herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family? And this consideration leads me moreover to reflect, with augmented satisfaction, on a certain events of forty years ago my cousin Elizabeth of; for had it been otherwise, I must have been involved in all your sorrow and disgrace. Let me then advise you, dear sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave him to reap the fruits of her own heinous offense."
Dumbledore was just about to interrupt one of his most loyal supporters, a man who he knew was fanatical in his support of the new ways, as Lord Longbottom and his family. The odious dwarf continued before Dumbledore could open his mouth
“And the good book does say ‘a parents transgressions will be carried down till the fourth generation….how true this wise saying and advice is, needless to find myself in the same position as before…….to find that my cousin Lydia offspring as brought great shame to your family and station in life, must of cause be very hard for you to bear with good grace “ this last part of the speech was spoken to Mr Darcy
Fitzwilliam closed his teeth and refrained from speaking to the odious little twat in front of him, the man had been an insufferable the first time he met had met him. Rev Collins had been a brown nosed, sneaky odious little man who had tried to ensure that his adored Lizzy was bonded to him. Before he could even start to speak to dismiss the man and his claims, the continue the odious little man continued addressing himself totally to Darcy “How it must shame you sir, a gentleman of your carriage and station…..to be associated with this family however slight, as I said before it over forty years ago it would have been better to cast out the bad into the flames and harshness of the world, then let it fester for evermore and taint your splendid family”
Mary dramatically gripped her chest and said “Does it not say in the Bible that Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them…………………and like his mother the boy has no shame because he was disciplined with a harsh but loving hand of his father, and to think that this shame on the family will never be spent….oh how I feel for you my nieces…this shame that your brother as heir to your father’s estate has brought upon you. It was terrible when I and then Kitty were passed over by the legible gentlemen in the area, I of course was willing to do my duty by my parents….easing their life after the shock of Lydia’s great shame……As a spinster I gladly gave my life dreams to ensure that our mother was well looked after. Of course under the watchful and careful eye of our cousin the Rev. Collins………… Whilst my younger sibling Kitty had to make do with an older Gentleman instead of her true love” Mary now lent over and held Kitty’s hand in a firm embrace, and patted it as the Rev Collins continued “Yes poor Kitty, the one sister that had to bear the brunt of her sister Lydia transgressions, not for her the comfortable life of Lady Longbottom….NO SHE HAD TO BOND TO A MAN TWICE HER AGE, BECAUSE OF THE SCANDAL AND SHAME THAT LYDIA BROUGHT ON TO THE FAMLY OF WEASLEY”
Kitty flung herself from the room, crying into her handkerchief with her husband Colonel Moody chasing after her, to comfort her regarding what her sister Mary had said.
Dumbledore stood up and interrupted the Rev Collins and stated “We will be discussing this later Mr Darcy. I will be at the bonding later today…goodbye everybody, although I am still lodging my objections to this ill thought out bonding! To cast out a child into the cold, and not take care of the responsibilities that the child brings to your door! Goodbye Mr Collins, until we speak again” with that Dumbledore stormed out of the manor, angry and frustrated that his plans to change the minds of Mr Darcy had been sabotaged accidently by that odious supporter of the light way the Rev Collins.
Everybody looked at the Rev Collins expecting him to continue in his previous tirade, but he turned to Darcy and asked “Any fire whiskey in this place…..dam need it after this morning fracas and dealing with that twat Dumblebore!......Don’t look there man, Christopher keeps the good stuff behind the painting of Lydia’s mother, he always said he had to have good reason to have a painting of the old crone in the living room” Rev Collins then sits down next to his wife and was happy to find out that most people here knew Conrad and his family, when he introduced Conrad to the family. He took a long sip from the glass, spat it out stood up and stalked to the hidden alcove and poured himself a very large glass of good fire whiskey “Really Fitzwilliam, I asked for fire whiskey not nat’s piss” he then went and sat back down and continued in his reasonable voice “I gather everybody here will be joining the mundane society as soon as possible……Ah Mary did you have to help the little sods on our yearly Boys Brigade camp capturing the mundane American armies flag from their compound…luckily Christopher managed to smooth the incident over….good news were are camping on their site next year and their drill sergeant has become one of our officers and wants to ask Darcy to officially court you!!”
Elizabeth nearly fainted when her saintly sister priggish Mary said “So I suppose capturing the American armies flag is out now…How the boys will think up another tradition to match…...Oh well at least Duncan is a real man, he has muscles and intellect in all the right places….do you think arse ache will be back then before today’s bonding”
“Hopefully not, can’t stand the priggish man…all holy than thou and I know better than everybody else…..Reminds me of my sanctimonious priggish self of my youth!” At this everybody who had known the young Rev Collins agreed, he had been legend in the family for years
“What changed you?” asked a Elizabeth Darcy
“The British mundane army!” Kitty her youngest but one sister who had re-joined the family in the downstairs living room, when she and her husband had both re-joined them from the garden after ensuring they had seen a furious Dumbledore stalking out the door.
“Served six years in the British Army as a Chaplin, went in there thinking I knew it all and came back into normal society a very humble and contrite man realising that like Christopher I needed to change. Became the local vicar and have never looked back really, although acting like the priggish prat I was to Dumbledore and the light order is fun and necessary”
“WHY?” asked Elizabeth, “
“To keep his noses out of the local magical families business” Charles Collins supplied, Mary rolled her eyes and added “It also helped Christopher sleep at night….knowing that at least two of us may be able to warn him of Dumbleberks plans regarding Tom”
“And try to keep an eye on the cretin Articus whilst at Hogwarts” Rev Collins added “Although the old goat made sure I never got to have contact with Articus whilst he was Hogwarts”
“And our sister ensured that Christopher had no influence on Articus at home!” Mary supplied
“Still a bit harsh you trying to get Thickone to negotiate the bonding agreement with the old Choi family eldest child”
“Best choice, after although the boy is gay and Articus would be safely bonded and far away from us” Mary countered “Articus was warned and didn’t heed the warnings and should pay the price Charles….I STILL SAY THAT HIS SIBLINGS DO NOT DESERVE THE SHAME HE HAS BROUGHT ON THEM!”
Every in the room shuddered as they realised that If Mary had be in charge of the Brandon estate, Articus life would be a lot more harsher after his bonding. Mary would definitely sacrifice one child’s happiness for their siblings if needed.
“Then allowing the goings on at Hogwarts, that man is evil to the core” their cousin answered Mary “Well after today you can tell him to go and take a one way trip to hades”
“that’s if the devil doesn’t cast him out From hell because even he can’t stand the man “and with that conversation to break the ice, everybody sat down to discuss the bonding ceremony to take place later on today.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
There were times that Charles despaired at the teachers at his school, really no matter what the teacher had said it had been her fault that Severus was devastated with the fail he had been given for their algebra work, when normally he only got A+ from the woman for the maths work.
The wail of hurt and anguish from Severus that had accompanied their maths class leaving the classroom, he knew would haunt them all forever.
For once it wasn’t Charles reassuring Severus, it was a burly lad who had before this lesson and every other had sneered at Severus for always being the nerd of their form class. All you could hear was the poor lad saying to Severus “But Severus it is expected that the teacher has to fail everybody at least once in algebra”
This was responded from Severus with “But algebra is logical, and I was logical in my answer” and Severus was still snuffling at the unfairness of the his failing mark in class today. After all couldn’t the wonderful Miss Pike see the logic in his answer.
A classmate whispered to Charles “Perhaps Pikey should have used Pencils as the example and not cupcakes” Charles nodded at his classmate
“I blame the school, really your mate Steve is OK, but thick does not cover it……I mean you would think that every other subject he scored the lowest possible STATS scores except Maths….it doesn’t take Einstein to realise some other poor sods paper was marked as Steve’s and Steve’s as the poor sods…….”
Now somehow at their mundane secondary school, all the Star trekkers had managed to keep in the same form class and the same set for Maths, the rest of the subjects they were split up. Severus it was true had to attend remedial classes for subjects he had no interest in. But maths, the sciences and English he was in the top set with Charles and Dave. Well the poor teacher was trying yet again to explain algebra to their mate Steve. Really he loved Steve, but it was as their classmate had said not fair to Steve or the rest of them for him to be in the top set of maths. Better cut the loses now and move him to the bottom set for maths, making a clean sweep in his subjects.
Mrs Pike the maths teacher had put up the equation 10c – 2(8))=18+5c Severus had got the initial answer correct and the working out had been spot on
RHS LHS
10c-4(8) = 18+5c
Deal with brackets first: 10c-4x8 = 18+5c
10c-32 = 18+5c
-5c: 10c-5c-32 = 18+5c-5c
5c-32 = 18
+32: 5c-32+32 = 18+32
5c = 50
Divide by 5: 5c÷5 = 50÷5
c = 10
Severus had quickly like normal worked out the correct solution to the equation, the poor teacher was still trying to explain to Steve and others in their set the principles of solving algebra when she said “ Children now remember that the symbols in algebra represent real life commodities. Just imagine that you and your best friend are on a pair of scales and the scales must balance, the only way they can balance is to have the same things on them exactly. So what happens to your friend must happen to you, but by rearranging the goods on the scales you can find out how much the commodity is worth”
The teacher looked round the classroom and her eyes lighted on her favourite pupil Severus, and her second Charles it must be stated and she wrote on the board the equation followed by
Severus = Charles
She then asked Severus to come and solve the equation 10c-4(8)=18+5c and said to him “now Severus I want you and the rest of the class to think that the ‘c’ are cupcakes”
Severus clarified “Triple fudge Chocolate M&S cupcakes with fairy sprinkles Miss Pike”
“Yes of course Severus, now you just solve the equation and show your friends how easy it is” Charles head hit his desk, how could the misguided woman ask Severus to solve the question, it had taken a lot of work by Severus friends at the school to get the rest of his school year to accept him, and this could put back all their hard work. Severus stood at the Whiteboard and thought and then started writing
Severus = Charles
10Cupkakes -4(8) = 18+5Cupcakes
Do brackets first: 10Cupcakes-4x8 = 18+5Cupcake
10Cupcakes-32 = 18+5Cupcakes
+32: 10cupcakes-32+32 = 18+32+5Cupcakes
10Cupcakes 50+5Cupcakes
the answer is 10cupcakes=50+5cupcakes and Severus stood there, their teacher patiently reminded Severus that the equation was not quite finished, and that he should continue” So Severus once again thought and wrote
10Cupcakes = 50+5Cupcakes-Charles
AVAKVADA Charles: 10Cupcakes = 50+5Cupcakes and one dead Charles
Take Charles cupcakes: 10Cupcakes+5Cupcakes= 50-5cupcakes and one dead Charles
15Cupcakes = 50 & 1 dead Charles
Ask nanny jean to
Hide body: 15 cupcakes = 50 & No obvious evidence left
When the teacher asked Severus for his explanation to his solution he looked at her with his sad onyx eyes and said “I love Charles, BUT NOBODY HAS MY TRIPPLE FUDGE CHOCALATE M&S CUPCAKES, so he had to die and nanny Jean would do anything for me”
So Severus got a fail for the class and was devastated, the teacher realised that perhaps she should have use pencils as an example instead of cupcakes and best of all everybody saw in Severus in a new and different light. And the morale of the story was never try to get Severus to part with his Triple Fudge Chocolate M&S Cupcakes, but their Steve still hadn’t figured out how to do algebraic equations!
Really thought Charles the school should just cut their losses and move Steve to the bottom maths set, it was the kindest thing to do after all!
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Rev Charles Collins was not happy or looking forward to bonding his cretin cousins son, he knew that it would be considered in magical society hypocritical for him to feel this way, after all he and his adored wife had bonded because it was seen as a very good match for her, and he had been desperate to bond with anybody that could stand him at the time. It was true that the time he served as a Chaplin in the British army had woken him up, the men he had to look after never put up with his behaviour and over time he had slowly changed. He had become a more reasonable and nicer person, somebody who realised that the real world could be harsh and unyielding and that people of walks and life’s did not need the likes of him preaching at them when they came to their minister for support and help.
Oh he still gave the old brine and brimstone sermons on a Sunday, he had been floored one Sunday when Muriel’s son Severus had answered the question he had thundered out in his sermon. Rev Collins knew and loved Severus now (who didn’t), and had been the one to ensure that their church choir had gone from being one of the best in the area, winning accolades and competitions to being a laughing stock in the area, the poor organist it was rumored (Tim, nice but definitely under his bonded thumb) cried himself to sleep every Sunday now. Severus was tone deaf, now we are not talking Barry Manilow tone deaf here, or even singing a few notes off key. No Severus ensured that the mating calls of the local cats at night seemed like the BBC orchestra singing the Messiah. Severus singing voice, consisted him shouting the songs, and missing every note. Well one Sunday the Charles had stopped the service during one rousing hymn, and dragged Severus out into the front of the congregation, informed them that Severus singing voice had been given to him by God, so by definition Severus had a voice like an angel, and should never be made to mime the hymns, and then the minister had been him made a member of the choir, and the organist nightmare, well really the whole congregation nightmare had begun.
Well twenty minutes into the service, his daughter read the passage from the bible, and the Charles started on his sermon, his congregation settled down for normal hour and half plus nap, novel writing or newspaper reading etc. when he asked the question “Now out of all those people in this story who would you want to be, the slave, the master, the prophet or….” And Severus had raised his hand and had innocently replied to minister when asked “ I’s want to be God sir, cause nobody messes with you” and that had shut the Charles up quicker then the verger’s old woman losing the collection on the 14:30 at New market last Easter Monday afternoon, but the minister to give him his due, had after a few minutes with everybody holding their breath, just laughed and agreed with Severus and carried on with his sermon.
But living and serving his mundane congregation over the years had made him see forced bonding’s for whatever reason generally a bad idea. Christopher Brandon his friend and nephew in law bonded life was hell literally. His wife was a selfish, hypochondriac shrew who had led Christopher on a merry goose chase over the years, leading to the poor man having nearly dying through his sons behavior.
Charles stood at the front of the church’s altar and waited for Articus to be escorted down the aisle to stand by his intended, where Charles would complete the shortest bonding ceremony he had held.
He looked out at the couples bonding guests and saw the bare minimum from both sides to witness the bonding. There was a shuffling at the Churches door, and the inner door opened into the church’s hall. Articus was almost man handled down the altar to stand by his intended by Fitzwilliam.
The church hall itself was decorated nicely by the woman of the congregation, and it being so closed to Christmas the normal church had been decorated with the normal Christmas decorations. Call Charles mean spirted, but he hadn’t put the heat on in the church for the ceremony. After all the bonding would be over in less than fifteen minutes.
Both of the wizards who were being bonded wore traditional wizarding ritual robes. Quickly Charles went through the ceremony, and the two wizards were bonded when Dumbledore flew into the hall and demanded “I protest at the bonding……The bonding cannot go ahead, because I……”
Fitzwilliam smirked when Charles looked at Dumbledore and said “You are to late Mr. Dumbledore….The ceremony is officially over and these two very happy wizards are now legally bonded” Charles then took the couples joined hands, raised them up and said “I now declare the Weasley’s legally bonded, may no man or wizard try to break them apart! SO MOTE IT” and the audience all sighed a sigh of relief as they echoed the traditional bonding response back to the couple. It really was a shame that he had accidentally given the Longbottom’s the wrong address of his church he served all those years ago and a pity that Dumbledore had obtained the address from the couple.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
“Does he know?” Darcy asked sitting at the table Muriel had commandeered in the COSTA restaurant in Stevenage New Town, the day after Articus bonding. It was the only well-known coffee restaurant. Muriel just looked up and shook her head. Tom came and sat down next to his uncle at the table.
The restaurant was like nearly all franchise COSTA restaurants, long queues, tables and chairs spread out to give the illusion of an Italian Chic café. The same prints of scenes on the walls as other restaurants but in different places. There was even a notice board exclaiming that YOUR COSTA ensures that all their coffee farmers were well paid.
“When did it start?”
“December 12th 1948, met in a coffee shop just off SoHo street” She looked at Darcy “Love at first sight, she was going to marry him…..even when he told her the truth….about you….Georgina and the rest…he vowed to always be there…thick and thin”
“What happened?”
“Everything was fine till December 1949….still in love…he wanted to leave the magical world for her and me…not” and with this she lifted her hand to forestall Darcy’s protests “to run away from his debts or responsibilities..Mum and dad with Christopher went to the Goblins, and explained to a Goblin called Thickone….Christopher told him everything…and Thickone set up a schedule to pay his creditors…week by week, Christopher married my mum and I was born in August 1950….and…all his wages went to pay his debts…he joined the British army and would have gone in as a regular, but the Army persuaded him to join the officer core…….Mum, me and Wacky lived near Kings Cross…..in a house near where he worked…….for mum and Christopher it was hard but worth it, they lived on her wages…....and then one day Christopher came in looking like he seen a ghost”
“Georgina” Darcy whispered
“Yes Georgina…we had all gone to Brighton for a day trip and Christopher, Christopher was on leave from his post or about to leave and head out…don’t know which and had seen Dumbledore hanging around Georgina…….” Muriel looked into the distance, and shrugged her shoulders “Family meeting that night….and Christopher went to talk sense in her and escort her back to Pemberley and then lay into the old house keeper” Muriel looked at Darcy “He knew that you didn’t know about she Georgina and Dumbledore after all the man was still standing. Georgina confessed to Christopher that her head been turned by him, then you had come along when Christopher was going to ensure she went straight back to Pemberley estate……You blew up at what you thought you had seen, correct assumption wrong person…….and Christopher led you on, after all he thought he would never see you again….he had been posted to Korea with the army!”
Darcy just sat there with Tom patiently waiting for Muriel to speak again, she took a sip of her Latte and continued still staring into space or perhaps remembering what she had been told of the past. “Christopher forbid Georgina from telling you the truth……he knew that while you would just chase him off….it you knew it was Dumbledore then you would feel duty bound to have him and Georgina bond…tying Dumbledore to the Darcy family and giving him access to Georgina's inheritance”
Darcy got up to get and the order of drinks that everybody had asked for, there was a long wait for Fitzwilliam to collect the order of drinks, he glanced round the up market coffee shop. There were mothers with their children meeting friends for either catching up on news before the Yuletide Holidays. Or with lists of things they needed, screaming children with them sitting down trying to have a quick drink before braving the onslaught again of the December weather and Yuletide crowds. He ordered and collected his drinks from the Barista and went back to the table to join the others
“Well Dumbledore was pissed off and somehow had found Christopher……he threatened him….Christopher laughed and told him to get in line behind the Devil and the others…told him straight he was heading out to Korea…………… well Dumbledore then threatened Christopher’s loved ones said ‘That with Christopher fighting with the savage muggles he better be sure that his family didn’t have a nasty or fatal accident” Muriel fidgeted with the spoon stirring her latte a number of times before continuing “Well Christopher knew that his parents, Georgina were safe in Pemberley…knew that you would keep them safe….he was worried for me and mum..It was nan…Wacky’s mum who came up with the solution, it was illegal but that didn’t matter really and she and granddad had come to see me as their eldest grandchild….Christopher had to walk away and leave us, then mum would marry Wacky…..because Wacky had been away from their hometown, they would all say that Wacky had met mum in her home town of Yorkshire…got married, and then had a massive row between them all…and mum and Wacky had just got in touch with the family after making up after the row!...........Broke Christopher’s heart to walk away but he did it, to save his family!...he stood with Wacky's Brother Uncle Arthur as best man..I made a lovely bridesmaid. Christopher became Uncle Christie and Wacky's dad….I was after all only two and was a very late talker…Wacky and his family loved me like their own”
Christopher served in Korea, becoming a commanding officer of a MASH unit” Both Tom and Fitzwilliam looked perplexed, Muriel sighed and explained “It’s a Mobile army surgical hospital, where wounded soldiers were taken by helicopter normally to be treated before being sent back into combat….or sent back to one of the more permanent hospitals. He never talks about Korea or anything like that really…..” Muriel just leant her forehead on her upright hand and continued “Well Christopher was visiting us in Stevenage on leave when he got caught up in the fracas at Longbourn…..Dad nearly killed him, when he heard what he had done….still think he has that lump on his head from mum up handing him over it “
Well stupidly we all went to bloody Brighton for another day trip, and Lydia saw us there. Next thing we know she had tracked Christopher down and told him she was pregnant!..... Christopher was beside himself…we didn’t need the hassle of a bratty kid, sorry love I know it’s your mum”
Tom nodded the acceptance of Muriel’s apology, but he knew his sister Muriel was right, his mother was still a bratty kid
“She threatened in the café on Kings Cross station on the platforms of 9 and 10 to abort the child she was carrying…it was illegal then for mundanes to have an abortion….Christopher lost it with her….tried, demanded, implored her to throw herself on the mercy of her father….she threatened to kill herself if he made her go back to Longbourn……she demanded that he looked after her…he was an Auror she said…..he had to do the right thing by her…if he didn’t…she would kill herself and leave the letter blaming Christopher…and my parents knew then she had won…there was no way that Christopher would allow a person to commit suicide if he could stop it……Next you tracked them now and ‘forced’ them to marry…..Colonel Moody of your police covered for him, when you asked about him being an auror…Christopher had with his blessing resigned his auror commission and left for the British army with his blessings….the money you paid to cover Christopher debts, Thickone ensured Christopher put every Knut back into a separate account for Tom for him to start his life when he left full time education”
Darcy went to get more refreshments from the counter, now the queue had shortened considerably with the lunch time crowd going back to work.
Darcy came and sat back down at the table with the refreshments “Did you keep in touch with Christopher then”
“Only the odd letter here and there, Christmas cards and photos of his son Tom! He was so proud of you…your first footsteps, smile…..there was always a photo of you on desk according to the personnel that he commanded” Muriel smiled and took out a photo of a smiling toddler “That’s you Tom, around the age of two I think”
“SO IF HE WAS SO PROUD OF ME! WHY DID HE ILLEGALLY ADOPT ME?” Tom whispered to Muriel, he just wanted Muriel to tell him that the Goblins and their stupid ritual had got it wrong, that he was the legitimate child of his father.
“Dumbledore!”
“What….Dumbledore…Dumbledore made my father risk his life for whatever reason Muriel?”
“Dumbledore needed a child to mould into the next Grimwald…..and he had picked you….Thickone and Colonel Moody have squirrelled the evidence that have collected regarding Dumbledore away safe…….Lydia had decided that she was just going to hand you over…he promised her a better life, than she had as a mundanes Army Officer wife….just surviving on Christopher’s salary!.....she hated the fact that Thickone had complete control of the household finances…the life she had envisioned never materialised….so Dumbledore promised her freedom if she handed you over and swore that Christopher was not the father”
“Why didn’t the fool come to me…I would have..”
“Fought for him and Tom, Fitzwilliam
!...he wasn’t thinking straight, he panicked and then this one of the lads that served under him in the Korean MASH unit, offered to contact an enlisted man that had married a local Korean lass. The man knew a cracker first class and he would brew the potion that would make Tom his….all inheritance test except one would see Tom as his flesh and blood….Christopher jumped at the solution……..Somehow the potion arrived with one of Christopher officers of the Korean unit……Everybody had to wait for the right time……Christopher had left on another army manoeuvre when Colonel Moody contact us and said that Dumbledore would be coming for Tom that night……….The house elf that was looking after you gave you the potion that afternoon…..Dumbledore came for you with two of his auror thugs and dragged you screaming with Lydia to Gringotts……Thickone ensured that the inheritance was not completed that night. Well three days later Dumbledore tried again” Muriel stopped her story and laughed the brittle and shaky laugh of a person who still couldn’t believe what happened next” He had Lydia in tow, and she swore that to the minster of magic and Lord Potter who were in attendance that Christopher was not your father…..well the Goblins completed the test and it showed that Lydia was lying and that you were Christopher’s Biological child” Muriel smiled, and both Tom and Fitzwilliam shuddered she almost had the same smile that Trickster32oureniemies had when he had shafted the manager of the Riddle accounts “The Goblins loved seeing Dumbledore wrong footed and him and his entourage thrown out of Gringotts…they sold the memory of that meeting for years apparently…in fact I have a copy of the meeting somewhere at home”
“But I didn’t live with my mother alone after that did I?” Tom asked
“No! Mrs Darcy managed to have you fostered by a young couple who worked on the Pemberley estate, lovely couple, they looked after you until Christopher returned from active service and was able to ensure that Dumbledore wouldn’t try to take you away from him again!.!....it wasn’t unusual then, many mundane working families would take in their relatives children…to stop them being taken into care….”
“How did you manage to keep the adoption quiet” Asked Darcy stunned
“Simple the group that helped in Korea became Tom’s godparents, the rest of us in England made an unbreakable vow” by the time Christopher had left the army, I was married myself and Lydia had three miscarriages, then Articus and the two girls followed”
Tom and Darcy sat there stunned, a group of people including Darcy’s wife had managed to keep Tom out of Dumbledore’s claws somehow. The plan had been stupid, reckless and should have failed, but somehow thank Merlin it had worked.
“The name Riddle….why?”
“Didn’t Christopher give it to the rest of his children….it was because we needed to hide you in plain sight, especially from Mrs Darcy’s family, and the whole family knew the name Brandon…so your surname was changed to Christopher’s mundane name, and then never turn back to Brandon!”
“But why did he name me as executor and power of attorney, and the precise will he has left” Darcy mused
“My fault!...I have some Romany gypsy blood and have the limit gift of sight, one day I was telling people their fortunes using cards….everybody was having fun, but when I read Uncle Christie's cards I saw a very prediction of what may happen…..Of course I didn’t tell him what the cards foretold, but Christopher wheedled them out of me and acted upon them…..he was he was scared that Articus would just become Dumbledore’s pawn when he was bonded with Mary Prewitt, so he tried to ensure that that the rest of you children and Lydia were kept and his estate out of Dumbledore’s hands”
Muriel hummed to herself and then stated “Funny really! I was just reading these mundane books about a magical school and a young wizard, Severus had begged for them because the covers reminded him of Hogwarts…….well when reading the books I had a funny feeling that the books were recounting what should have happened or has happened on another earth…very weird feeling that was!”
“Does Conr.....”
“Know?....No, and I only know what I do because Nan told be when Granddad died. She told me the whole of the three families stories……..and I have the original documents and certificates from that time….and I would like to keep the fact that Christopher is my dad just between Dave, me, the original participants and you two please….my parents had a good marriage, and Christopher doesn’t need the shame of what he did to ensure me and my families safety all those years ago!” Tom and Darcy agreed to keep the secret of Muriel’s parentage. But sitting in the coffee shop watching the Christmas shoppers hurrying about their business, both Tom and Darcy were now more than ever determined to see Dumbledore brought to justice over his actions!