Adorabella Greengrass -Start of Year Two Arc-

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~~~(POV: Alexander Aevum)~~~

~~~(Location: Flourish & Blotts, Diagon Alley, London)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: August 30th, 10:24 AM, 1992)~~~

~~~(Age: 12 Years)~~~

The students I'm attending Hogwarts with this year are piling into Flourish & Blotts. The primary reason for shopping here has never changed. However, today sparked the visit of a rather unpleasant individual.

A desk is in front of the line of fans, who occupy most of the bookstore space. Behind it, a blond-haired man with a smile to charm any woman, young and old.

Gilderoy Lockhart.

I've never read his books, and I don't plan to. Many other students don't have my abilities in legilimency. A simple look into the man's mind and his true nature is plain to me. He's a charlatan and con man.

My attention is taken from the scene as the door to the bookstore opens to my left. Hanging out by the entrance allows for such ease of seeing who is coming and going.

The supplies are already purchased and taken care of. Albus has footed the bill for me again. Without having spoken to or seen him since last year, I already know he'll want to talk to me after what I did.

A familiar face with clean features and slicked-back blond hair passes by me. Heading for the second floor of the bookstore. Draco Malfoy had lost interest in me since last year. His hatred and frustration find a new target in Weasley and Potter.

The door opens again, and this time it's a person I'm actually happy to see. Daphne sees me and smiles. Giving a small wave as she does. Her mother is here with her. She starts whispering with her Mom, and after a second, the older woman looks at me.

After a brief moment, she nods in the form of permission. Daphne spins around and walks to me. While we didn't get to visit this summer like she wanted, we kept in regular contact.

Once she makes it to me, she stares into my eyes longer than necessary. Soon, she diverts her eyes for a moment. After she regains her composure, she looks me up and down.

"Wow, Alex. You've grown this summer! I'm glad that we ran into each other before the semester started. I wanted you to meet my Mom."

There is a level of happiness and slight excitement in her voice. One controlled and maintained by a girl raised in a pure-blood house.

Speaking of her Mom, I look to the woman that brought my friend today. She's busy getting things for Daphne's second year.

"I'm not sure about meeting your Mom, Daphne. You couldn't convince them to let me visit during the summer; I doubt she's interested in meeting me."

"Oh, humdrum! C'mon, we don't have a lot of time!"

The eagerness for me to meet her mother is clearly heard in her voice. Based on everything I'm seeing and hearing. Her Mom must be the weaker-willed of the two parents.

Allowing more freedom for Daphne. Then again, I could be wrong. That's the double-edged reality of thinking you know someone before you know them.

And being wrong about that could be detrimental.

Instead of listening to anything I say, she grabs me by the wrist and takes me to meet the woman of pure-blood status. Once we reach her, she stops looking at the shelves of books and pierces me with her gaze.

Her attempts to use legilimency on me are fruitless. My occlumency proves too strong to break past. For the briefest moment, there is a look of surprise and being impressed.

It's quickly washed away as she turns fully. Standing with pride and pomp that I can only attribute to nobility.

"Mother, I'd like you to meet my good friend Alex. This is the boy I wanted to invite over for the summer."

The introduction is concise with an air of confidence. Daphne has changed some over the summer as well. I can tell she's gained some defiance against her parents. I hope it's not caused by my antics last year.

A pure-blood family blaming me for why their beloved daughter is acting against their wishes isn't a problem I want.

The woman herself squints slightly as she hears my name. I give no ground and show no signs of weakness. I'm already a little taller than the woman since Daphne, and her are very short.

"It's a pleasure to meet the legendary Alex. My name is Adorabella Greengrass. Daphne never seems to stop talking about you. Even giving you credit to some of her... More recent behavior."

"Mother!!"

There is a tone in Adorabella's voice that I can only describe as probing. She wants to discover who I am since her attempts at legilimency failed.

I look at Daphne when the confirmation of one of the things I don't want happening has actually happened. Daphne gains a red tinge to her cheeks as she avoids looking at me.

A sigh escapes my lips at the revealment of this knowledge. I look back at Adorabella, and I hold out my hand.

"I'm sorry if any of my... Selfish acts in my first year gave Daphne the impression it's okay to do whatever she wants."

She raises her eyebrows in slight intrigue and gently takes my hand. When you shake the hands of another man, you want to be strong and firm. It's not the same with women.

You still want to show that you have power. All the while also showing that you can restrain yourself. A noblewoman like Adorabella... It's best to prove yourself in other ways. She's dealt with powerful men all her life.

Once our hands meet, I give a confident shake. But I need to shake things up. I look into her eyes, use legilimency for the briefest moments, and use it so she can sense it.

Instead of breaking the handshake, she gives a light smile.

Not saying anything, our handshake stops, and I take a small step back. Seems I made a better impression than most.

"No need to apologize, Alex. While Florian doesn't like her defiance. I find it rather endearing. No Mother wants a weak-willed daughter. I suppose I have to thank you for giving her the courage to stand up for herself."

The first impression is going better than I hoped. Daphne takes a step closer to me now that I seem to have acknowledgment and approval from Adorabella. It's interesting.

From what I've gathered, Adorabella doesn't mind the impression I've had on her daughter. It's the opposite, actually. Thankful that I've instilled a sense of willpower.

However, based on what I'm hearing. Florian, the Father I've come to learn about. Doesn't like anything Daphne has picked up from my actions. Safe to say, I'll want to avoid a meeting with the man, as cowardly as it may seem.

The last thing a muggle-born or half-blood wants to do is upset a pure-blood. I've already thoroughly done that. No sense in doing it more.

~~~(POV: Kingsley Shaklebolt)~~~

~~~(Location: Outside Flourish & Blotts, Diagon Alley, London)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: August 30th, 10:49 AM, 1992)~~~

~~~(Age: 38 Years)~~~

This assignment by the Ministry is only hastening my desire to retire from the Auror Office. The current bane of my existence is having fun with his friends inside the bookstore. Harry Potter and the Weasleys have since arrived.

Alexander Aevum.

A name that's been causing chaos in the Ministry of Magic. His creation of a second Sorcerer's Stone has gained him more attention than even Harry Potter at the moment.

How a boy of almost 13 years replicated such an artifact is beyond me. His birthday is on September 1st, and I can only imagine how much trouble he'll be getting into now that he's a teenager.

His creation has been destroyed. Sadly, he was able to use its power. Something the Ministry didn't like. He used Chrysopoeia via his Sorcerer's Stone. Made enough gold to bankrupt London...

Not really, but he made way more than he needed to. Then it disappeared. The Ministry suspects his Muggle caregivers have the gold.

They've decided to drop the pursuit of the gold since it isn't nearly as important as Alex himself.

"At least he did it for the right reasons..."

There is something to be admired about his actions. Going so far for the people you love shows he's a good kid. I see why Albus cares for him so much.

He had no objections to the destruction of the stone. It was a means to an end for him. He got what he needed out of it. The Ministry tried to remove the knowledge of the creation process from Alex's mind.

That proved to be impossible.

I don't see Alex making another Sorcerer's Stone... But I don't know the kid enough to say that for sure. Until he's back at Hogwarts, it's my job to ensure he's safe. More specifically, keep anyone loyal to Voldemort away.

Since the original Sorcerer's Stone is destroyed, having someone alive that can create another is a problem.

He either doesn't know how much danger he's in or considered that less important than saving his caregivers.

Either way, he'll be very closely monitored going forward.