Chapter 16: The Rights of Blood

The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts...

An early morning summons to The Headmaster's office had sent Sebastian walking through the corridors of Hogwarts. He had not known what had been so urgent but he climbed out of bed and answered the summons. He had been surprised to see Dumbledore sitting rather tensely at his desk. He had not been alone. Sebastian had entered to see Lady Hamershal standing on the opposite end of The Headmaster's desk leaning against it as if she had in the troves of some intense argument. Her body had been much more stiff than usual and her breathing strained. She held her expression as if she were struggling to conceal her emotions.

She wore more casual attire this time around. Not so unlike what Draco's mother would wear on occasion. Lady Hamershal's raven hair had been pulled into a less than neat ponytail. Sebastian got the feeling that he had entered the office on the tail end of a heated exchange between The Headmaster and Lady Hamershal. Her eyes had been wet as if she had been brought to tears and she did not appear to have gotten much sleep in the last few days.

"You wanted to see me, Headmaster." said Sebastian cautiously.

Dumbledore turned his attention to the raven haired young wizard.

"Y-Yes my boy." he said falling back into his usual cheerful demeanor. "I'm afraid we have some news."

Sebastian raised an eye brow inquisitively.

"News sir?" he asked unsure if he had heard him right.

Dumbledore looked at him smiling pleasantly.

"We have found a guardian for you." he said.

Sebastian looked at him confused.

"Headmaster, are you not aware that my being the age of consent in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds make needing a guardian null and void?" he asked. "For all intents and purposes I am a grown man."

Dumbledore chuckled at this. He had known the boy would be as sharp as a tack. He had not expected anything less.

"Be that as it may, I feel that I should inform you that you do have at least one blood relative in the world." said The Headmaster coolly.

Sebastian walked closer to the desk in an effort to hear him better.

"What are you saying?" he asked staring attentively at the older wizard.

"I am saying that your relative has invoked blood rights concerning you and your affairs from here on in." replied Dumbledore.

"Blood Rights?" said Sebastian in disbelief.

"That's right." replied Dumbledore.

Sebastian looked over at Lady Hamershal. She had not said a word the entire time he had been here and simply looked off in another direction. The avoiding of his gaze had been a clear indication that she was hiding something or at least involved in some way.

"You." said Sebastian reading her.

Lady Hamershal looked at him finally.

Dark eyes meeting obsidian.

"Yes." she replied honestly.

"Y-You're my blood relative?" said Sebastian in disbelief.

Lady Hamershal sighed.

"Yes." she said again with more confidence. "You and I are blood related Sebastian."

The raven haired wizard glared at The Headmaster. He felt an anger swelling up inside him that had not been this strong in since his birthday. He looked at Lady Hamershal for a moment.

"I would like to talk to The Headmaster." he said bitterly.

Lady Hamershal nodded and took her leave of them. As soon as she was out of the door Sebastian turned his attention to Dumbledore who had looked at him pleasantly.

"You knew about this?" asked Sebastian narrowing his eyes accusingly.

Dumbledore had been un-phased.

"I had some idea yes." he said coolly. The unsettling twinkle behind his blue eyes evident.

Sebastian glared at him.

"So she just so happen to show up at Slughorn's party that night." he said.

"It's where she found out about you my boy." said Dumbledore.

"And you and her just so happen to be discussing the weather when I came in here." said Sebastian in a mockingly casual tone.

"Theodora is your only living blood relative Mr. Prince." said Dumbledore. "I simply thought you would be thrilled to know some family member still remained."

Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"I do not appreciate being set up." he said serious. "In the future Headmaster, might I suggest being honest with me...especially, if it concerns some aspect of my personal life."

Dumbledore continued to smile at him. He had no idea of how much he sounded like The Potions Professor.

Sebastian looked at Dumbledore. The unsettling twinkle made him feel even more unease. He had not truly trusted The Headmaster from the moment he met him.

{ Sebastian Prince awakened in a strange place without any recollection of who he was or where he had been from. He had been in a great deal of pain and utterly confused. The first thing he had seen when he opened his eyes had been the twinkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. The old wizard had been kind enough to fill him in on what had happened to him and assured him that he had been safe.}

Sebastian studied The Headmaster intently.

Dumbledore simply continued to smile looking back at him.

Obsidian eyes met blue.

There was a minor feeling of resistance before Sebastian felt himself slip passed the old wizard's mental defenses. He had barely skimmed the surface before images of various Muggle candies filled his mind and a large white banner spread out before him.

Nice try.

Sebastian found himself ejected from The Headmasters mind with a good deal of force.

"Y-You do mind magic?" he said in disbelief.

"Well of course my boy." replied The Headmaster pleasantly. "What kind of Headmaster would I be if any random student could get into my head?"

Sebastian smiled at this.

Perhaps the Headmaster had been a formidable wizard after all. He had not seemed to be the bumbling old fool so many though he had been. The raven haired wizard smirked. He had been sure that it was mostly an act for others to let their guard down around.

"You catch more flies with honey than with Vinegar." said a voice in his mind.

Sebastian blinked and looked at Dumbledore. He had still been looking at him with a pleasant expression on his face.

"Indeed." he replied aloud.

The raven haired wizard bid The Headmaster a "Good Day" and took his leave.

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The Corridor...

Lady Hamershal had been waiting for him. She has seemed to compose herself as she did. He noted that she had gotten better control over her emotions. Sebastian sighed and walked over to her. It was clear that they had a lot to talk about in the near future but he had not wanted to speak much on it at this moment.

"Y-You okay?" she asked.

"Does it matter?" he replied still with a hint of bitterness.

Lady Hamershal looked away not knowing what else to say.

"I-I need some time to think if you don't mind." he said. "I'm not use to..."

"Having someone care about you." supplied Lady Hamershal.

"Something like that." replied Sebastian.

"I understand." replied Lady Hamershal. "It will take some getting use to."

Sebastian nodded in agreement. After some consideration, he thought of a question he had not thought to ask.

"W-Why?" he asked.

Lady Hamershal looked him over taking pity on the boy.

"You and I are family." she replied. "We're the last of our line you and me."

"The Prince family." he said knowing what she meant.

Lady Hamershal nodded.

"Do you remember when I asked about your name at Slughorn's party?" she asked.

It was Sebastian's turn to nod.

Lady Hamershal smiled, it had been quite genuine.

"Were you not aware that you were from a prestigious wizarding family?" she asked teasingly.

Sebastian returned her smile.

"Not Particularly." he replied.

Lady Hamershal shook her head.

"Being related changes nothing you know." she said serious. "We will continue our arrangement as before."

Sebastian seemed at peace with this.

"Business as usual then?" he said sounding more like his usual self.

"Business as usual." she replied.

Sebastian had been pleased to hear it. Lady Hamershal took her leave of Hogwarts after an hour of going over various new plans with Sebastian and he headed back toward the grounds. He had quite a few plans of his own and they had involved a certain young sandy brown haired Gryffindor witch. In light of this new revelation concerning his mysterious past, Sebastian had no doubt some steam to let off.