Chapter 13

He found himself in the library one Saturday morning. He woke up, neatly rearranged his bed, having it looked not even Aquila had touched the bed, then promptly headed to the dining hall and grabbed something to eat. Then just like that he headed towards the library with a green-covered book under his arm, humming a tune on his way to his destination.

Friday night, he couldn't exactly sleep. He found himself thinking that order was needed, and order was what he will do. He needed to organise himself if he really wanted to figure out the mystery of his father.

It was thrilling, he was excited to start to write in the blank green book- no, nothing about his father rotting his life away was exciting… but the process of figuring out the whole situation was!

He sat comfortably in the corner of the library; ink neatly set at his right side ready to be used. He opened the book, then proceeded to flatten the book out. It was freshly new, yet to be opened to it had yet to obtain the easy opening most books had without it trying to close itself.

He dipped silver quill Draco had given him the previous Yule into the fresh ink and began the journey of the green book.

'The innocence of the guilty?'

He neatly wrote at the top of the page, the proceeded to write the date at the side.

Now that was done, he dropped the quill and laid his hands on his lap, staring at the book in thought.

What now? what did he know so far?

…Maybe going with the flow will help, he thought.

…

…

He was still unsure what to write. He huffed as he grabbed the quill once more and just began his jotting.

'Sirius Black' he wrote just under the heading in smaller writing. He then drew a line on the right side of the text, 'guilty?' 'innocent?'

His tongue stuck out and he drew a round bubble around the texts he had just written, then began to draw a line coming from the bubble circle.

'The Marauders he wrote, then just like he did for Sirius Black he drew another circle around it and began writing once again.

His father was friends with the marauders- no friends? They were like brothers, that was what Leonis understood from all those ridiculous stories Sirius would tell him when he was nothing but a toddler. Most of the stories were even hard to believe but growing up in the wizarding world longer than before when the stores were told he believes them now.

Using his left hand, he tapped the table as he tried to remember the names of these friends.

Ah!

James Potter… Remus Lupin, there was also another, Patrick? No, he always called him that because his mother called him that, but it wasn't actually his name. He closed his eyes trying to remember the times Sirius would roll his eyes and correct his mother. Ah, that's what it was.

Peter Pettigrew, wasn't it, yeah.

The four of them made a group, 'The Marauders'.

'Prongs, Mooney, Wormtail and his father Padfoot.'

They were best friends, his father was overly fond of them, always chatting on and on about them, reminiscing the times he was younger… so why on earth would he betray his 'brother'. It really didn't make sense to Leonis now… he felt stupid for believing the lies he was told, he was innocent. Sirius Black was rotting in a cell for something he didn't do… but how did it come to be? He was framed? But how? who?

"What are you doing?" a drawl snapped him out of thought. He thought back to see Carl staring at him, a bored look on his face as he glanced around the library. The boy then sat down beside Leonis, using his hand to keep his head up, as his eyes drooped.

"I never thought I'd actually step foot in here" Carl whispered and Leonis snorted, only knowing the boy for a short time he really couldn't see him as the studious type, the boy had already failed to hand in two assignments because he thought he had done them when in reality he did them in his dreams, his stories always had the class laughing in amusement.

"So, what are you doing that you left breakfast earlier than usual?"

"Oh, I'm just plotting world domination, seeing as you-know-who failed at that." Leonis answered back with a serious expression, responding to the boy dryly.

Carl stared… and stared, then his brows furrowed and Leonis groaned.

"…I'm joking Carl" Leonis said slowly, and Carl gave a sigh of relief.

"Thank Salazar, I was thinking if this was the type of thing, you're supposed to tell an adult." The boy, Carl said in a hushed voice.

Leonis actually just smiled in amusement, "Yes… I think that is something you'd want to go to an adult about- is there something you need?"

"…The kitchen" Carl whispered back and Leonis raised a brow.

"I want more food, so I need your help soldier on finding the kitchens, seeing as there's nothing else to do."

"Have you done your homework?" Lenis asked him, after hearing 'nothing to do'.

Carl's face scrunched up before he replied hesitantly, "…No?"

Leonis just shrugged closing 'The Green Book', the ink was surely dry now and he stood, "Let's find the kitchen then." With that response Carl gave a lazy grin, pushing himself off the table with his hands.

He held the book tightly not wanting to let it go. He somehow felt guilty for not continuing but there were things called breaks- he wasn't giving up he was going to continue.

--

It took longer than what Leonis expected just to find a kitchen it would probably have taken longer if Carl and Leonis hadn't bumped into Calum Pright who was glad to show them the way. Leonis didn't miss the worried looks Calum's friends gave him after introducing Leonis to them, not even giving them a chance, he dragged Leonis in the correct direction and Leonis introduced Carl to him.

By the name Pright, one would know, either a half blood or a muggleborn. Leonis watched Carl careful as Calum himself mention his surname- Carl then asked the boy if he was a muggleborn which Calum eagerly nodded with a smile, which Carl returned with a lax 'cool'. Not what Leonis expected.

The three of them after, rummaging through the food the house-elves gladly gave them access to found themselves at the quidditch fields watching the fields being used, listening to the cheerful creams of the students passing by on their brooms.

He watched with a longing look as he noticed two students flying through hoops. Two red cloaks, they were Gryffindors, weren't they, he mused. They looked like they were having a blast up there.

"It's stupid you know." Carl commented as he too watched the Gryffindor students fly through the floating hoops.

"What is?" Calum curiously asked as he took another night from the brioche he grabbed from the kitchen.

"Not allowing first years to fly" Carl glumly answered and Leonis couldn't agree more. "Understandable, it is stupid. When did they even make that a rule? Who even made the rule?" Leonis responded.

"I'm guessing some uptight loser in fancy robes, trying to add more rules thinking it would make Hogwarts seem more professional- I mean what good reason is there really to not allow first-years to use brooms…"

Leonis shrugged before replying, "The only reason I can think of is muggleborns. Muggleborns are the only ones who aren't raised in the wizarding world, having the opportunity to know how to use a broom."

Carl scoffed, "They already make us take flying lessons! Surely after a period of time, they could let us!"

"Sorry guys" Calum mumbled through his stuffed mouth, an amused glint in his eyes as he listened.

"Oh, shut up you" Carl jokingly said.

"I need to head to the loo… watch my brioches?" Calum quickly imputed, "Yea sure" Leonis answered.

"Will you-"

"Just go you brioche obsessed goon, we won't ditch you if that's what you're about to ask." And with that Calum grinned and ran off in a hurry.

"What team do you support?" Carl asked randomly. Leonis hummed at the question, team? How would have to say… "The Arrows." Leonis answered.

Carl gave him a horrified look of despair.

"The Arrows? … as in the Appleby Arrows?" the boy continued and Leonis gave a hesitant nod. Carl proceeded to give a long dramatic sigh looking away from Leonis.

"That means we're rivals" Carl finally said and Leonis burst out into laughter.

"Then I'm guessing you're a 'Stinger'" Leonis said in amusement and Carl puffed his chest out proudly. "Of course, I'm a stinger! Who in their right mind wouldn't support The Wimbourne Wasps- oh wait you!"

"Give one good thing about the Wasps" Leonis practically demanded, with them talking about his favourite sport.

"Ludo Bagman" Carl said pridefully and Leonis rolled his eyes.

"Gregory Cotton" Leonis countered and in return Carl too rolled his eyes. "He's not even that good of a seeker! Did you forget the incident with the illegal wands?" Carl yelled.

"Relax, no one even cares about that- besides the other seeker had an illegal wand too! So, it was only fair and come on are you trying to say McBride's head turning into a cabbage wasn't the best part of that match?"

None of them said a thing, both of them trying hard not to laugh but just staring at each other trying not to laugh wasn't helping them to not laugh.

--

Lunch came faster than expected and so did the letters that soon came through the windows with owl awaiting to deliver them.

Soon enough Aquila swooped low and with four letters for him to open. He shuffled them around seeing the names.

Draco… grandfather and his great-great-aunt Cassy and of course aunt Cissy.

He decided he would open the letter from Draco first curious to what the 10-year-old would have written.

He ripped the silvery seal open, unfolding the parchment and began to read.

'Dear cousin… forgot the pleasantries, I don't understand why father would want me to be formal, we're cousins!

How are things Leo? I really annoyed with you! What type of letter was that?! When I told you I wanted letters from you about Hogwarts, I meant "detailed" letters! How dare you send a letter with barely two lines! Was I really meant to read that? What rubbish.

In case you forgot this is what I got owled last week from some pathetic cousin of mine.

"Dear Draco,

Hogwarts is fine, I was sorted into Slytherin."

That's it!? You didn't even talk about how you were sorted, nothing about the ride to Hogwarts or even how the platform was, I haven't even been on the platform before, but mother says I get to come with her to collect you during the winter. Apparently, your grandfather Arcturus hasn't been feeling all too fell since your departure, don't worry it's not from missing you or anything- I think it's because he's old, he'll probably end up dead like Grandfather Pollux too.

Ah well, the old only need so much room in the world. Soon enough I'm sure Aunt Cassy will be dead too, but it makes sense, they're old. We can't forget our dear old grandfather Abraxas, but don't let him know I mentioned him, or he might not let me get that quill I wanted. Apparently, the quill is overly expensive- so what? We're wealthy, aren't we? Why not just spend the wealth? The old man started talking about understanding the value of money when I mentioned the quill at dinner.

Value? There's nothing to be said but that.

We.

Are.

Wealthy.

He made it seem like we were like some poor mudblood family struggling to pay for silk seams in our robes.

Anyways, you won't believe it! Parkinson, you know who. Her father came to visit mine, and he brought her along too, it was just last week. The brat ended up breaking my broom! Can you believe it?! I told her she should be playing outside like the beast she was, and she got angry at me, but I'm still trying to understand why. Mother told me I should be a gentleman and keep her company, and low and behold as I try do my 'duty' I walk outside to see 'my'!!!! broom!!! Broken. I nearly raised my fist at her.

Apparently, I made a loud sound, and everyone came rushing out. I am utterly embarrassed. Father saw fit to have me serve time in my room, to think about what I did. I didn't even do anything, how ridiculous and he refused to get me another broom, so I'm stuck using the old broom, I barely even use it… its not the same, but luckily, you still have your broom.

I made it my mission to follow mother to visit Lord Black, you know to visit the old man. I don't really care I only asked to go with her so I could borrow your broom. This is me asking to borrow it and me thanking you for letting me borrow it.

Well, that's all I Have for you now. I expect a longer letter in response to this cousin. I am even planning on using my more expensive seal for this letter.

Your only and favourite cousin,

Draco Malfoy, heir to the most ancient and noble house of Malfoy… and if you do happen to die at Hogwarts which I doubt, I'd be heir to the house of Black too, right?'

Leonis nearly banged his head on the table numerous times reading the words of Draco Malfoy. It was obvious he hadn't written it in the presence of an adult. He rolled his eyes at the end, seriously Draco?! Was the child plotting his death now?

After reading this… he was sure to send the boy a longer letter replying to all that was said. He hadn't thought his letter was that short, but now reading what Draco had sent, maybe it had been shorter than what he remembered… He actually just learned a charm to duplicate the letters and sent them to everyone that was expecting a letter.

He sighed. Draco… he needed a filter, it was like when he was there, the boy was fine but when he wasn't he got worse, and it was obvious he could care less for Aunt Cassy and his grandfather Arcturus.

'Borrow' right…

"Little thief" he whispered under his breath.