***A/N*** did you guys really think I'd make you wait till the weekend for the next part? haha PRANKED! ...Anyways... This chapter contains stuff that can be triggering to some people, including predatory behaviour and domestic abuse. As someone who grew up in a similar situation to the lowkey loml Theseus, I did my very best to make his emotions as real as possible but also keep it in the same tone that I've kept this entire book so far. I know I say this all the time and you guys are the best readers out there in my opinion. But please keep the comments respectful and all-around a good space!
Last thing! The image above is what Theseus' father looks like in my opinion and the image below is what Theseus' mother looks like. Enjoy!!!
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Living with the Weasleys is an experience that I wish everyone could live through at least once in their lives.
It's strange at first, to be welcomed into their home with open arms no questions asked. Being friends with your girlfriend's parents, her older brother, her twin sister, her younger siblings.
It's strange to work side by side with her family in her parent's shop. Learning what she's known her entire life. Joking around with her parents without the fear of anyone getting mad at you.
It's like nothing could put either of them in a bad mood. I've heard the stories of Violet LeStrange long before I ever met her. My father was a few years older than her at Hogwarts and he watched her become a powerful death eater, the most powerful witch he's ever seen according to him.
But you wouldn't know that if you looked at her today. Violet is soft, constantly smiling and joking around with her family. She's not afraid to love her children the way that my mother was so scared of loving me. She's the mother I never had but always wanted.
Anyways, none of that matters right now because Cassiopeia and I are roaming the streets of Diagon Alley. Violet and George have allowed us, and by us I mean their children, to have the day to do whatever it is that they want. And for me and Cassiopeia, well Cassiopeia, it is to show me where she grew up.
"I lost my first tooth here," Cassiopeia says. She points to the corner of the street with the hand that she isn't holding mine with, "Ophelia kicked a football into my face and it popped right out of my face. Hers fell out seconds after mine did and we just stood there with bloody mouths staring at each other before running back to the shop."
I laugh, not so much at her story but the look on her face when she tells it. The happiness spread across her face, unapologetic, unafraid to hide how she feels from the rest of the world. She's changed from when I first met her. A closed-off girl practicing dangerous magic in the middle of the night for no other reason besides curiosity. Now she carries herself with confidence, never once making a mistake and always speaks her mind about anything and everything. I desperately wish I could have her confidence.
"You're telling me that you, Cassiopeia Weasley, play football?"
She bumps her hip into my leg, "Used to when I was a kid. Nothing serious like the leagues that muggle parents put their children in. But Freddie was in one when he was younger and we all helped him practice."
"Football leagues?" I ask her.
She shrugs, "Same as quidditch lessons that you took when you were a kid, but for football. And you'd play against other little kid teams. We had to go to probably hundreds of football matches just to watch Freddie fall over his feet when he tried to kick the ball across the field."
Cass goes on to talk about something else but I'm not really paying attention. I can't help but feel on edge when I'm out in public, especially since I told my father who I will be staying with. It's not like the Weasleys are some family that no one has ever heard of before. And it wouldn't be hard to figure out who I'm staying with based on who is in my year.
There's a flash of something just out of the corner of my eye. I spin my head around to try and catch it again but it's gone. A trick of the mind. Nothing was there Theseus don't stress Πάρε μια βαθιά ανάσα (translation- take a deep breath).
But it happens again, closer to us and up the street a little more.
Only this time I manage to catch what it is. My house elf. Well, my father's house-elf.
Panic instantly sets in deep in my bones. My hands get clammy, my chest tightens. I can't breathe.
I can't breathe. I can't think. He's gone as soon as I see him but I know. I know what that means.
My father is here.
I pull on Cassiopeia's arm. Not enough to hurt her, I'd never hurt her. But enough to stop her from walking.
She turns to look at me, worry fills her perfect face as soon as her eyes meet mine, "Theseus?" What's the matter?"
"We –," My voice gets caught in my throat and I can't speak in anything above a whisper, "We have to go back. We have to go to your parents."
She doesn't question me, just turns on her heels and walks just as fast as I do, trying to get back to her shop as soon as we can.
Only it doesn't work.
My father steps out of basically nowhere and blocks our path. He's the same height as me, the same brown hair only his eyes are deeper set and evil seeps out of his skin. His presence changes the entire alley. Or at least it does for me.
"Out for a stroll Theseus?"
His voice is cold, his tone neutral but I know the look in his eye. He's pissed off. I look around for my mother, on the off chance that she's nearby but she isn't. She's nowhere to be seen.
"Theseus...?" Cassiopeia whispers, "Who is this?"
My father chuckles, deep, mockingly, "Damon Avery, a pleasure to meet you." He sticks out his hand to shake Cassie's. I want to tell her, no, not to touch him. But I'm at a loss for words, I can't seem to form a choerant sentence.
Cassie being polite, shakes his hand. But he doesn't let go of her when he should. His grip tightens around her hand and she gasps inwards. He's hurting her. He's hurting the love of my life and I can't find it in me to stop him.
"Let's talk somewhere more...private." He says. Cassie's grip on my hand tightens too. In an instant, we are transported from Diagon Alley and into the dining room at our estate.
I haven't been here in months but nothing has changed. Not the shaggy dark red carpet, the tall cobblestone walls, the rancid smell of lemon wood polish in the air. I might be sick.
"So you must be the girlfriend." My father says finally letting go of Cassiopeia's hand. He glares at me when he speaks, "Apologies, my son has been rude and has not told me much about you."
I break eye contact with my father and glance over at Cassiopeia. I can tell that she is trying desperately to keep her head on and not to show any emotion.
"Yessir. My name is Cassiopeia Weasley." She says in a cold tone. The same tone that she used with me when we first met.
"Please Damon is fine. Take a seat!"
"I'd rather stand if it's all the same with you... Damon." Cassiopeia says back. I wish she'd just do as he says. It makes things so much easier.
Father is amused by her attitude, "You are your mother's daughter that's for sure and certain." He smiles which is unsettling to say the least and calls for my mother, "Juliette! Juliette get in here!" His tone changes, he was almost sweet when speaking to Cassiopeia but when he calls for my mother he is harsh, angry.
Mother comes into the room like a wounded dog being called to its master. It makes me sick, "Yes my love?" She stutters over her words like it is the first time that she's ever spoken to anyone before.
"Can't you see that we have a guest?" He spits at her, "Get us something to drink would you?"
Mother meets my eyes and I have to look away.
"Yes dear, right away." Mother scurries back out of the living room and off to the kitchen.
"You know Cassiopeia... I was supposed to marry your mother. Not... that," Father gestures behind him like he is brushing something off of his shoulder.
"Sorry?" Cassiopeia asks.
Father laughs, "Your grandmother, Bellatrix, set it up without Violet's knowledge. See..." Father starts to move around the room as he speaks. Like he does when he is angry, right before he 'attacks' for lack of a better term, "The Dark Lord took an interest in your mother when she was... your age I believe. He took her under his wing, taught her as much as he could. And he was... infatuated."
It's clear that Cassiopeia is uncomfortable hearing about her mother being spoken about in this way. But she also doesn't try to stop him from telling the story, she's curious. But curiosity killed the cat.
"He wanted her for himself you see, I saw it with my own two eyes. With her, he could make the most powerful wizard out there to carry on his legacy." Father continues.
"Voldemort couldn't love," Cassiopeia says. Father flinches when she uses his name, "Your story makes no sense."
Father laughs, not with her, but at her, like he's talking to an idiot and it's amusing to him. "I said nothing about love. I said infatuated. The Dark Lord did not need to love Violet in order to father her children." He takes a minute, like talking about this genuinely pains him, "But your grandmother, Bellatrix LeStrange, was in love with the Dark Lord. She saw what he was doing to her daughter and she did not become protective as a good mother should. No, she became jealous. Jealous that her daughter was getting the attention that she desperately craved."
Father steps closer to her. I take a step closer to her as well. I don't like where this is going.
"Bellatrix made a deal with my father you see. I was close to Violet's age and Bellatrix promised my father that we would marry after the war. After the Dark Lord killed the chosen one."
"Pity that fell through," Cassiopeia snaps. I beg her silently to fall back but she's stubborn and matches my father's energy, "Even if Voldemort won. My mother would never marry the likes of you. She has standards."
Father wants to hit her, that much is obvious. No one in this house has ever talked back to him. And if I did as a child I one, don't remember, and two, learned really quickly not to.
"I couldn't have your mother..." Father's voice drops lower, quieter. He takes another step closer to her, he's practically touching her now. If he touches her I'll kill him. I swear to god I'll kill him. Father raises his hand, brushes his fingers against Cassiopeia's cheek, softly. Caressing her skin the way I do, "But you..." he whispers, "You're even more beautiful than your mother."
Cassiopeia doesn't dare move. I don't even think she's breathing anymore. The rage inside me has bubbled over. My hands are shaking. I can't breathe but it's not because I'm nervous. I'm furious.
In one swift motion, I pull my wand from the back pocket of my trousers and raise it so it is pointed at my fathers head, "Don't touch her." I say in a deep voice.
I watch as a tear falls down my darling Cassiopeia's face. She's shaking with fear.
Father's hand falls from Cassiopeia's face and she gasps for air, her breath is shaky. It only makes me angrier. The fact that he made her feel that way.
He looks at me, an amused twinkle in his eye, "What are you going to do boy? Have you finally grown a backbone?"
"Avada –"
Father flicks his hand in the air, my wand goes soaring to the other side of the room. Father smiles at me the same way I imagine a tiger smiles at a zebra right before it feasts. He flicks his fingers in the air again like he's waving and I fly backwards. My head cracks against the stone wall behind me and I nearly pass out. The only thing keeping me present is Cassiopeia's screams.
I watch through the dark haze that has settled over my vision as my father walks closer to Cassiopeia. She's stumbling over furniture, trying to get away from him. I'm helpless. I can't even feel my legs let alone use them to get up. But I have to.
"THESEUS!" Cassiopeia cries, her voice thick with tears and pain.
I stand.
I don't know how I do it but I do. My arm is on fire, I've clearly dislocated my arm in the fall.
"I said, don't touch her."
My voice is groggy, my words string together. I don't even think I know what I'm saying so I don't think that Father can understand me either.
But he turns towards me. He stares me down with fire behind his eyes, that much is certain. "Or what? What are you going to do to me?" He's mocking me. Trying to get me worked up so I attack him. So I finally give him an excuse to kill me.
"I'll kill you," I manage to say. I take a step forward and my ankle cracks underneath my weight. I want to scream, I want to cry. But I can't. Not when Cassiopeia is in danger like this. I brought her into this mess and I will be the reason she gets back to her family. Even if it kills me. I always sort of knew that, the fact that I would die for her. But now it's obvious. I'm staring death in the face as we speak. And if I die, at least that will give her time to run home. She's worth my life. She's worth more than my life.
Father laughs, and in one swift motion slaps Cassiopeia across the face. She screams and collapses to the floor. Father is laughing as he watches me struggle to get closer to her.
"Look at that," he says looking down at his hands and the rest of his body, "I'm still alive."
I look past my father to Cassiopeia. My heart breaks seeing her like that, crumpled on the floor. I beg her to move. I plead silently for any sign of movement from her.
Father comes towards me, seemingly forgetting about Cassiopeia.
Please, God. Get up, get up Cassiopeia. Please. Runs in my head like a drill sergeant.
A pale blue light forms in the front of her face, her eyes open just slightly and I can see her mouth moving. She's sending a message, sending her Patronus off with a message. How she can cast a Patronus right now is beyond me.
But then he hits me. Right across the face. It stings like it's never stung before and blood fills my mouth. My vision goes dark and the last thing I remember is hearing Cassiopeia groan,
"please god no."