"It's the minister of magic."
"What the- !"
"Language, honey!"
"...Um.... why is the minister of magic coming to our home?"
"He was friend of your grandfather. So, he said he had ministry related work with your father and he's also coming over to congratulate us on successfully finding you. He helped us a lot when we were trying to find you."
"Are you sure he wasn't the one who actually had me kidnapped?" I asked her.
This guy seems quite sus.
"....."
Camille didn't answer for a while.
As I came out of my room, she said, "It's complicated and it's unlikely to him."
"Ok... how?"
Camille sighed. Then she looked around.
"You have good occlumency shields?"
I smirked. Good? I lowered the quality of my outer occlumency shields so that they'll appear 'good'. Not indestructible.
"Have a look." I looked into her eyes electric blue eyes, similar to mine.
Camille looked into my eyes and used her legilimency. To gently probe around my shields to test them.
And she gasped.
And I was quite surprised myself.
'She's even better than Durant.'
I don't know about anything else, but at least her legilimency was more outstanding than even Durant. That much I could tell only by the probe which she sent just now. It was quite gentle with me, but I could sense it's power.
My mom is quite amazing, huh?
Camille retrieved her probe and looked at me in pleasant surprise.
"You're so talented!" She kissed my cheek.
So, I still didn't decrease it enough. Well, it only means that my real shields are more powerful than I thought, if it's still considered more than good after weakening it so much.
"Uh... Thanks. I'm your son afterall. Anyway, tell me now." I demanded.
I need to first learn about this minister and ignore the little blush spreading on my cheeks. Mom's kissing is quite embarrassing for a grown up person.
Camille sighed, as she explained the matter, "His name is Gustave Firmin. He was a good friend of your grandfather and like an Uncle to your father and me. He, your grandfather, and grandmother attended the Beauxbatons together. When you were kidnapped and your grandmother was murdered by the killing curse, he was also quite anguished. He swore vengeance on the death-eaters who were responsible along with your father and grandfather. He doesn't at all support pureblood supremacy. Even as the minister of magic, he's still always against the conservative faction."
Conservative faction is a civil way for calling Pureblood bigots like the death Eaters.
"He was also the one who taught dueling to your father. He doesn't have any family of his own. So, when your grand parents asked him to teach Durant, he taught him everything he knew. He used to be a professional duelist himself, though not a world champion, he was the best in France at that time."
"So, he doesn't have any reason to kidnap you, neither harm your grandmother." She concluded.
"Well, he did become the minister of magic, didn't he?" I asked.
"...."
I narrowed my eyes as I looked at Camille. "And you also suspect him. Even if you can't figure out why exactly would he do such a thing." I observed.
"....Honey... are you somehow reading my mind?"
"No mom, I just learned deduction and observation of criminal cases like this form Sherlock Holmes." I said with a straight face.
"He's a muggle, but he can do occlumency upto Mindscape level." I added, making her even more surprised.
"Really? How is that possible?!"
"Well, I don't know. Maybe he was a muggleborn wizard all along and he just never found out." I shrugged.
"Anyway, let's meet this minister."
....
The fireplace lit up and a tall man in grey cloak came out. The man looked to be in his 50s, with greying hair, but his straight posture and fit appearance suggested that he was still in his game. His face seemed to be permanently set in a stern expression and- well this is enough I guess. Such a chore.
He was followed shortly after a guy in his 30s carrying a writing board who had secretary written all over his face. With his eyes set behind square shaped glasses and and his body looking skinny under his big bulk robes. .
The old dude who was the minister of magic, shook hands with Durant, and I was a bit happy to find that Durant was taller than the old man.
The old man smiled, which seemed quite out of place on that stern face. "Durant. I'm so happy that you found him!" He said as he patted my dad's shoulders. I had told my parents not to reveal that Dumbledore found out first, since that would reveal the existence of Book of Names and Dumbledore didn't even want my parents knowing that, from what I've observed.
"Teacher." Durant nodded as a greeted the minister.
"So, where is he? Oh, there you are!" The minister looked around and found me.
"Bonjour, Minister." I greeted, looking quite innocent.
"Well, aren't you cute one. You look a lot like your father when he was young. He used to cry a lot in those days when I taught him." The man said as he patted my head.
'Uh... I'm gonna have to wash that.'
But, I got news. Durant... crying? LMAO. It's seems unreal.
"Camille, I see that your smile now has 100 % happiness instead of those fake ones. Good for you, child. You've gone through a lot as well." The man greeted Camille as well.
The man behind the minister cleared his throat, "Minister we're already running late on schedule."
The minister scoffed ."It's alright Bardin, those bigots can wait a bit longer."
Then he turned to Durant, "Now, Durant I would have stayed for lunch but we have to talk about ministry business. Let's talk in your study."
Giving one last look to me, the man left following Durant like with the secretary.
.
.
"Well, I see why don't want to suspect him." I said to my mother who was standing beside me.
"Just promise me mom, whether or not you believe this guy, don't ever believe Dumbledore. He's a bit similar to this man in some aspects." Like giving that grandfatherly impression. I can tell that he's not that simple.
My mother laughed, "Alright honey, as you wish. I'll don't care about either of them since my son as now safe." She said as she ruffled my hair.
"Now, go and wake up Esmée. It's 9 already. She has to go to the Delacours for her lessons." she said.
"Alright," I said as I made my way towards Esmée's room.
Opening the door, I saw little Esmée curled up, hugging Nyxie to sleep.
Nyxie doesn't seem to mind Esmée much, and even enjoys her company. Maybe it's because Esmée blood and magic might have similarities with mine since we're siblings.
So, looks like Nyxie got her second friend, first being yours truly.
Thus, when Esmée asked me if she could cuddle Nyxie to sleep, I asked Nyxie if she would like to try it.
I would have capitalized the opportunity to asked Esmée to sleep with me, with Esmée hugging Nyxie and me hugging Esmée, but these days, I barely get the time to train and research magic in the day, so I have to make up for it my training at night. I might have become a young master again, but I'm a changed person. I won't slack off anymore. That's why I asked Nyxie to sleep with Esmée since she wouldn't be able to hug me to cuddle into her usual place, my neck and shoulder anyway.
Entering the room, I walked up to Esmée's bed. Lightly poking her chubby cheek, I tried waking her up. "Esmée, wake up. It's morning."
Esmée frowned a little in her sleep as her lips curved down. Haha, what might she be dreaming? I was a bit curious. I've never read a sleeping person's mind. And I want to know how exactly the dreams come and go and how long are they. I think the muggles of time had researched it, but at that time, I simply couldn't be bothered to even search about it.
But alas, it is not meant to be as you'll need a person who can sleep with his eyes open for that.
I got onto the bed and hugged both esmée and Nyxie. "Come on, wake up Esmée. You're getting late already."
This time, Esmée was a bit conscious. "Big brother... sleep." She mumbled something before sleeping again.
What were they playing last night that they're not waking up today?
Well, my mom used to do something like this to wake me in my previous life. I noisily opened the door using my wand. Then I raised my voice a bit, as I said/yelled.
"Oh, hi Gabrielle! How are you! See? Esmée isn't even waking up!"
Instantly, Esmée's eyes opened groggily as she sat up on the bed. Looking at the door she blinked.
The she rubbed her eyes and looked again.
"Good morning, Esmée~ Are you this eager to meet Gabrielle?" I said teasingly.
"She's... not here?" Esmée frowned as her lips naturally settled themselves into a pouted.
"... It's a good way to wake you up, isn't it?"
....
After Esmée got ready, I lifted her in my arms as I got into the fireplace. Nyxie was sitting on my shoulder.
"La Decalour de residence." I said as I threw the Floo powder into the fireplace.
Disappearing into the green fire, I kept a firm grip on Esmée as we squeeze through at high speeds.
We came into the Delacour residence as I smooth stepped out of the Delacour fireplace.
"Hi again, Gabrielle, hey Fleur." I greeted them as I put Esmée down.
"Hi Chris!" said Gabrielle as she hugged me. When she got closer, she whispered in my ear after hiding her mouth behind her hand, "Fleur was waiting for you yesterday and got disappointed after your mom came in instead."
Well, mom had already told me that, but it's understandable. From what I've gathered from here and there in these days, she doesn't have many friends now. The males are affected by the allure while females are jealous creatures. Me being not affected and treating her like I would any other girl seems have made us friends, or at least one sided rivals.
"Oh, hello Monsieur Delacour," I also greet the man sitting on the chair reading a newspaper.
"Hello Chris. Haven't I already told you? Just call me Sebastian. said Sebastian Delacour.
The man was quite plump and had a receding hairline. But he had a jolly look to him that, along with his enthusiastic nature and cheerfulness, made him quite a delightful person to meet.
Well, this was a man who was living the life, isn't he?
This guy should be the idol of all the non-goodlooking guys with not much money out there.
The Canon description of Sebastian Delacour was true, and he wasn't some Keanu Reeves that many fanfics describe him as. But, the guy has his talents in his abnormal amount of magic power and his amazing talent in enchanting. He's not just a good for nothing.
"Chris, stay for breakfast. It's ready. Then play with Fleur for a while. She was quite disappointed yesterday when your mother came to drop Esmée instead of you." said Monsieur Delacour.
"DAD!!!" A warning fireball was thrown near Sebastian.
Well, that's Sebastian Delacour.
"Alright, then I shan't disappoint Mademoiselle Delacour this time." I said, planning to tease her for a long time for this one. She does the same actually, calling me Esmée tail, french word for sis-con, and what not. And I'm gonna also learn some enchanting from Sebastian as well.
***
A.N.: I'll need POWER STONES for some motivation. The college is not even letting me sleep these days. End terms are in a few days and now I'm doing the assignments and projects.