TPS Part 12: Emma's Embrace

Malfoy and Zabini both landed in the infirmary and even though Onyx wasn't there, he knew how it would go down. Since they'd try and heal it, the pimples would enlarge until they popped and then it would leave a permanent mark in a different pigment. Draco would have that written in slightly darker skin on his back from now on and Zabini would have it in lighter skin.

It wasn't anything ground breaking but it would leave a permanent mark without it being trackable back to him, really, as no one had seen him cast anything and they didn't know what spell it was. It was actually a Grey original called Cutis Scripto, but they couldn't know that.

As Onyx entered the train he joined a compartment with Nott, Moon and Neville. Soon Neville's friends came to join them. It was a red headed girl with a plumper body and face than most at school. Her hair wasn't nearly as eye piecingly red as the Weasley's though and her demeanour overall was a very calming and endearing one.

Onyx rose from his seat and made a gentle bow at her. "You may take my seat if you'd like to sit next to your friend there miss..?" He looked at her expectantly and flashed a wide gentle smile at her.

She quickly returned his smile and gracefully accepted "Thank you. I'm Susan. Susan Bones. This here." She pointed at her blonde friend who in contrast to Susan was very thin and lanky. "Is Hannah Abbott" The two girls inspected him as he sat down opposite Neville to let all Hufflepuffs share a bench in the compartment.

Onyx looked at Neville and raised an eyebrow at him, he quickly picked up on what he meant. "Oh yeah. This is Onyx Grey. I've talked about him a bit haven't I?" The two girls answered with a little giggle and Onyx looked around at the three with glee in his eyes, happy to let go some of the stiffness of Slytherin house. "What? Only good things then?"

"Of course!" Was Susan's response, but Onyx was sure there was something Neville had told them, that Onyx would rather he didn't. Onyx would make sure to get it out of him during the Yule holiday, but let it go for now. He'd introduce his friends of course. "And these two are my lovely fellow snakes, Theodore Nott and Lily Moon. I hope we'll all get along these next few hours!"

And they did! Moon didn't have any trouble talking to the girls as soon as it got started, only Nott seemed to hold back a little. He was probably not used to people relaxing this much around strangers, but from the small smile on his lips Onyx knew he didn't regret going in here. After a while they finally reached the platform and Onyx was met with a grinning Jasper.

After he said good bye to his friends and new acquaintances, and telling them he wished they'd all go to the same celebration this year, he asked Jasper what was up. "Take a look at Malfoy and Zabini if you're wondering."

So Onyx did. The two had been dragged off instantly by their parents with clear anger directed towards Jasper as he simply waved them off with a calm smile.

"I've been negotiating with them for a little bit now and we're getting a fairly juicy repayment for this, along with a vow to stay clear of ever repeating anything similar to you or anyone around you. And forbidding them from getting someone else to do it for them either."

Onyx knew he wouldn't get any specifics until it was his business to know, but he was glad about the vow. With that as a back up then Malfoy would surely have a tougher time showing his 'superiority' in the house.

A few weeks ago Onyx had heard the prefects talking about the ranking system going on in Slytherin. Each year of students were ranked on talent, cunning and authority among their year. This ranking eventually chose the prefects but also had the effect of making some students, like Malfoy, scared they were losing thier edge.

Even though he personally wasn't able to look at it, Malfoy had apparently seen it and wasn't pleased with what was happening. Onyx was going to make sure he was top of that ranking at least in a year's time. For now he had to establish himself and his name. Getting to the right Yule ball this winter was a good way to do that, and Onyx was sure he had secured an invite to the Bones this year.

"Anyway lad, let's get you home. From what I understand you're leaving tomorrow again so you better get some quality time in with your parents tonight!" Onyx was happy as Jasper apparated them over to the farmhouse.

It hadn't changed much but after spending half a year away from it, it felt different. It felt so calming, it almost felt more like home after getting some perspective really. As he stood outside the door contemplating the feeling of the magic at home, he was jumped by a brown-haired young girl.

"ONNY!" She snuggled into his chest and it was quite difficult to tell what she was actually saying but Onyx thought it was something like "I've missed you so much, it really isn't the same without you here. Why couldn't I have started with you? I also want to go there! Why do you have to leave again tomorrow? Can't I go with you?" To get her to stay quiet he laughed a bit at her antics, hugged her back and kissed her forehead.

"Come on Em. It's not that bad! I'm just gone for a few days, tops, because I have another young girl waiting for me but after that it's just you and me." He pushed her out of the hug and looked into her pleading glistening green eyes. "Why couldn't you have been like this when I didn't go to Hogwarts? Back then you kept wanting to show you could manage without me."

Emma looked down at the ground. "I realized I couldn't. Everything's so hard without you there.." Onyx smiled and picked her up bridal style. "You're such a spoiled little brat. It's a shame I let you stay that way really." With Emma in his arms, Jasper took hold of the luggage. He just smiled at the two siblings' antics, remembering what it was like when he first went away and one of his brothers couldn't go to Hogwarts. Memories.

When they got inside the doors Emma was over the moon with the attention but their father only showed a frown, a frown that hid a grin but still. "We've been trying to make sure she's independent and then you come back home and make sure she doesn't even have to walk for herself." Onyx and his father shared a look. Onyx put his sister down, much to her dismay, and wrapped his arms around his father.

He spent most of him upbringing just in this house, being away for so long had felt strange. He really missed his family. Soon his mother joined the hug and called them all over for dinner. Onyx looked around for Rufus but noticed that he had gone over to the rest of the foxes, some of which barely looked like foxes anymore. But that was something for him to take a look at some other time. It was time for a family dinner.

The rest of the day was just family time. They watched a movie, they took a look around what had changed. Apparently they had just recently gotten a lot more land and a new deal for selling the foxes, they had to come up with a name for the species within a year if they wanted to be the sole owners of it and they were determined to do so.

Overall, it was incredibly relaxing not to have to look over your shoulder every minute, not having to bother with questioning most people around you and simply having faith that things would be handled. It was a calm and overjoyed Onyx who fell asleep in the couch that night with his little sister in his arms.

The next day he had to quickly get ready. He sort out his clothes for a few nights, fix his hair and got ready to meet the Anguillin's alone. The portkey was only for him and he really didn't know what kind of gift Tove had gotten him.

He made sure to get her a little something for her birthday and he now brought her Yule gift as well. It was a fairly anxious Onyx who stood with the international portkey in his hand, slightly wondering how they even got hold of one on such short notice.

While he was questioning the validity of the portkey he was whisked away, suddenly appearing in front of a small mansion.