I roll around the bed as I hear something in the distance, a calming sound that I soon identify as the ocean, it's waves crashing in the sand and rocks below the mansion. Their soothing sound almost managed to get me back to sleep, but as I roll once more to my side I notice the sound of paper getting crumpled under my hands as I hugged myself.
I open my eyes quickly, remembering the letters I fell asleep hugging and sight as I see them, a bit wrinkled but still good.
I sit up on the bed, and I was thinking about what they could possibly say, what his letter could possibly contain. Did he send it to say goodbye? To say he missed me? If he could, why not just come here? But I guess he could ask himself the same question about me.
The quiet of the room was almost too loud for my liking, leaving my thoughts to be louder than they should have. But the quiet didn't last long, though.
"Miss Aillie, Mr. Stark is requesting your presence in the kitchen." The voice of a man with an accent like mine was heard all over the room, startling and scaring me.
"Who are you?" I grabbed my wand from the nightstand and point it in front of me, looking around the room but finding no one.
I didn't recognize who the voice belongs to, but based on how he addressed me I supposed it is Tony's butler or something of the sort. Still, I can't say I wasn't a little startled.
"Where are you?" But he didn't answer. Okay, weird but I suppose I should go. I walk out of the room still holding my letters and with my wand at my side.
"Tony!" I say loudly, hoping he is somewhere close and can hear me. "Tony! Where are you? You forgot to tell me where the kitchen is!" I walk down the hallway and into the living room, but the place was empty so I decide to keep on trying to find him. "Tony! Where the hell are you?"
I hear two pairs of footsteps walking towards me, and I'm curious as to who the second person walking with Tony is. As the both of them made their way to the living room where I was I could finally see who it was. Tony was wearing some jeans and a big t-shirt that had written 'AC-DC' in big letters, and next to him was a woman, who was wearing suit jeans and a nice formal baby pink blouse.
"Aillie! There you are! What happened? I thought I told Jarvis to tell you to meet me in the kitchen." He asked as he saw me, and as he saw my look of annoyance he then asked. "Is something wrong?"
"Well first off you forgot to tell me where the kitchen is." He relaxed then cracked a smile.
"Yeah, must have forgotten with everything that happened."
"Yeah." I put my wand into my jean pocket, relaxing as he starts to walk to where I suppose the kitchen is and both I and the woman follow him. "Oh and by the way, your butler is kind of a weirdo. Came into my room to tell me to go to the kitchen and when I asked him who he was and to come out of wherever the hell he was hiding he ignored me."
"Darling, I think you forgot to warn her about JARVIS." Said the woman walking next to me as we entered the big kitchen. "It's okay honey," she talked to me this time. "it's just Tony's AI."
"His what?" I say, and Tony cracks out a smile. The woman furrowed her eyebrows, clearly confused I didn't understand. She was tall and really pretty, with long strawberry blonde hair and pretty blue eyes.
"An AI." Said Tony. "Artificial Intelligence." I guess he figured at the face I made that it didn't ring a bell. "It's like a computer code that's really intelligent, and has some behaviours like a human. I made it and it's all over the house, I call it JARVIS, and basically it's like my assistant and helps me with my work and stuff like that. And it also talks and answers so if I ask JARVIS something it'll answer and you'll hear it all over the room."
"So it's not a real person?"
"Nope. Look at this, JARVIS, did you not introduce yourself to Aillie?" He said out loud, and I look around the room not really believing it could be true.
"I'm very sorry miss Aillie. I'm JARVIS, I'll be here if you need anything." The same voice from before echoed around the room and I couldn't help but feel stupid.
"These muggles and their weird things." I mumble under my breath, but clearly Tony heard me because he laughed.
"I didn't know you guys don't have things like these."
"Well I mean we do have places where a voice announces things like at the ministry and we also have assistants and elves to help around our homes. It's just that we don't have those combined so I didn't expect to find something like it here." I try to laugh it off, but soon an awkward silence surrounds us as I look at Tony and then at the woman, as if to say that I still don't know her.
"Right! Aillie, this is Pepper!" He happily told me. "Pepper, this is my daughter Aillie." He called me his daughter, that felt nice.
"I'm so happy to meet you!" Pepper said, as she walked to me and gave me a hug, before breaking it to look at me. "Tony's told me so much about you! You're just as pretty as I imagined you would be."
"Thank you." I give her a small smile. "I'm told I look like my mother."
"You do." Says Tony, watching in happiness as Pepper and I talked. "Your eyes are almost exactly like hers were."
I always thought I looked like him. I remember sleepless nights where I would stand in front of the mirror crying because I knew that was one of the reasons Bellatrix and Rodolphus didn't like me, because I looked like my muggle father. And I also remember how my eyes would be the only thing that gave me some sort of hope, people always said they looked so much like Voldemort's.
"Yeah." Another awkward silence was created, and he spoke out in an attempt to break it.
"You didn't get changed." I looked at myself and realized I was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, I fell asleep before I could change. "What do you have there?" He said, looking at what I was still holding tightly to me.
"Oh. It's just the letters Fury gave me." I look down at them, now feeling kinda weird for bringing them with me.
"Right. Who are they from?" I look over the wax seals of both of them and can't help but feel weird. I should have read them already but I still can't get to bring myself to do it, I keep thinking about everything that Draco could have possibly written and that terrifies me.
"I uh... " How exactly do I say 'my boyfriend that may or may not have cheated on me but I still love and think might still love me back and who is the only reason why I'm still thinking about going back to England'? "I don't really know, haven't read them." That's good enough I guess, for now. He seemed content with he answer, and changed the subject putting on a big smile on his face as he looked at Pepper.
"Well, Pepper and I were thinking that maybe if you're not too tired we could go out and maybe go down to the beach for a while, what'd you think?" Both of them looked at me expectantly, matching smiles on their faces. I honestly think I could use a distraction, and getting acquainted with this place might just be the perfect distraction.
"Sure, sounds like a plan." I try to sound as excited as I can, and even though I'm sure it couldn't have possibly been as convincing I put on a small smile which they seemed satisfied by.
"Great! Go change, we leave in ten minutes." He said as he and Pepper walked out of the room.
-
Fifteen minutes later we were on the road to get something to eat. Tony was driving, Pepper was on the backseat and I had been instructed to take the passenger seat so I could see better the pretty views of Malibu. After a short ride we got to a small building with a big yellow letter 'M' decorating the outside, and Tony drove us through what I'd learned was called a 'drive-through'.
"Three cheeseburgers please." We drove a couple of meters more, and he handed the worker a bill. Before the worker could give him the paper bag he was holding Tony spoke up again. "Oh, she'll take that." Motioning to Pepper behind him who stretched out her hand and took the bag. He then turned to me, as if to clarify. "I don't like being handed things, it's one of my peeves."
We then went back on the road, and only stopped when we had found the perfect spot for overviewing the beach in a little cliff by the road. I got out and was momentarily blinded, I'm for sure not used to this much light.
We walked to lean on the front of the elegant, black car and Tony gave us our burger, wrapped in paper.
I unwrapped it before putting it to my nose so I could smell it, and it sure did smell good. Raising an eyebrow at the adults in front of me I took a small bite out of it, taking in the flavor.
"It's freaking great." I said after chewing it down, quickly taking another, bigger bite. "It's really simple yet really good." Tony laughed loudly at this.
"I knew you'd love 'em. You are my kid after all." He joked.
It felt weird, and I suddenly felt somewhat overwhelmed over finally having someone be content at having me, recognizing me as his kid. Rodolphus and Bellatrix had their moments of proudness and even their own versions of happiness, but it was always at me becoming better, deadlier, meaning it'd look good on them having trained me, never were they happy or proud of me just for being myself.
Crazy how a small comment like that could make me tear up a bit.
I continued to eat my cheeseburger, taking in every bite and enjoying the moment as much as I possibly could, a small smile not leaving my face.
After a while, the three of us had finished our food, so I looked at them expectantly, excited to see what was next on today's little trip.
"Okay, so". Started Tony, taking the trash from us and putting it in the car so we could throw it out when we get back at the house. "What do you girls say if we just hang out for a while in the beach?"
"Sounds great." Said Pepper, looking at me to see if I agreed too.
When I had gone back to my room to change so we could go out, they had changed too. Now, Pepper was wearing a knee length flowy baby pink skirt and a white blouse, Tony was wearing some shorts and a gray shirt with some rock band logo on it, and I had decided to wear some black shorts and a green oversized shirt that I found. Not because it kinda reminded me of Draco's quidditch shirt or anything. So yeah, I'd say we were ready for spending some time at the beach.
"Sure." I said, and as soon as I did Tony went to the trunk of the car and pulled out a beach bag and an umbrella, and I had to stop myself from laughing at how ridiculous he looked trying to balance the things and trying to close the trunk of the car at the same time before I decided to help him with the bag.
We walked down to the beach and while Tony put the umbrella on the sand Pepper took out three towels out of the bag, so I helped her lay them on the sand under the shadow of the umbrella.
Tony and Pepper went to the water as soon as we were finished, and I decided to sit on one of the towels, and crossed my knees so I would be completely covered under the shadow as I don't really fancy getting a sunburn.
They played for a while in the water, chasing and splashing each other, then just enjoying themselves and their company. Meanwhile, I was smiling looking at them and how happy they look. I want something like that too.
I pulled my knees to my chest, hugging them and resting my head on them. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and enjoying the salty smell of the beach, the sound of the waves slowly drifting me off to sleep.
I was just about to fall asleep, when I felt a pair of footsteps make their way up to me and then someone bend down next to me.
"Hey!" Said Tony, startling me a bit. "Aren't you going to come play with us?"
"Uh... Sure." He grinned, and extended his hand to help me up. I followed him to the shore, stopping just at the part where the waves hit the sand.
"Come on! What are you doing?" He asked when he saw I'd stopped.
"Sorry, it's just... "
"You can't swim?" He frowned.
"No, I can! It's just... I've never really set foot on the sea." Embarrassing but true. It's not that I'm scared of it, it's just something new for me that makes me a little uneasy. Sure, that's it. "It's alright though." I took off my sandals before starting to walk again.
I flinched a bit when I felt the water hit my feet, but I pushed the feeling aside and kept on walking until I was standing next to Tony and Pepper, the water reaching up to my lower stomach.
"See? It's not so bad!" Said Pepper, cheering me on.
"Yeah, not bad." I said, putting on a smile.
"Yeah. Now, all you have to do is this." Said Tony before splashing water at Pepper, who let out a scream at the surprise. I couldn't help but laugh, until she splashed water back at Tony and accidentally hit me too, straight in the face might I add.
I let out a gasp, and both Tony and Pepper looked at me expectantly. I then proceeded to splash water at both of them.
We continued to splash water at each other for a good time, and without realizing we had been slowly getting deeper into the water. When I realized this, the water level was already at my shoulders but we were having so much fun I decided to ignore it.
I was standing so I was facing the beach, and we were doing our own thing in calm and peace until Tony looked behind me and screamed.
"Aillie, careful!" The next thing I felt was as a wave hit me harshly on the back, making me lose my footing. I panicked for a second, but quickly managed to plant my feet on the ground again, and I took a deep breath.
"Oh my god!" Said Pepper.
"Are you okay?" Tony grabbed my left arm, holding me tightly.
"Yeah." I said out breathlessly. "I'm fine." As the nerves started to wear out and the sudden panic left my body I started to feel better, and couldn't help but let out a chuckle at my dumb fear. "That was actually kind of fun." I started laughing, and the both of them started laughing too. I splashed water back at Tony, who let go of my arm to splash water at us too.
I don't know why I was so scared of the sea, this is actually really fun. Although I am sure by now my face must be red because of a sunburn, but oh well.
"This is actually really fun, I can't believe I was actually scared-" I got cut off by another wave. It took us all by surprise, and it was so big it completely covered us.
Don't panic Irya, just find the ground and plant your feet again.
But I couldn't find the ground as much as I wanted to. I started kicking my feet and moving my arms as I had been taught to, but no matter how much I tried I couldn't reach the surface or feel the ground. It felt like the seconds stretched out on to minutes, long, endless minutes that ticked by as I continued to kick.
My lungs started to burn at the lack of air, and I felt more and more desperate by each moment that passed by. I closed my eyes, trying to control myself, but then what I saw made my heart beat uncontrollably faster.
Suddenly I was back on the big crystal tank, back inside the laboratory. The water around threatening to drown me, and the scientists outside looking at me, writing things down as I hit the glass again and again, begging for them to let me out.
It's not real, I'm not there anymore. I'm free.
I kept repeating those words over and over again, even after I had opened my eyes and started to swim again.
I finally got to the surface but I didn't stop swimming, and then running, until I got to the sand, where I coughed out all the water I had accidentally drank.
It wasn't real. I'm free now.
I'm free.
Over and over again, trying to control myself as I felt the water breaking against my feet, barely reaching my knees that were resting against the sand.
"Aillie! I'm so sorry, are you okay?" I felt as he rested his hand on my shoulder trying to get me to look at him. "What should I do? Pepper, what should I do? Do we take her to the hospital?"
"No!" My voice comes out raspy as I quickly say before Pepper can answer. "I'm okay. I'm okay, I'm fine." The thought of being stuck again in white rooms, wearing nothing but a white tunic while people in lab coats look at me and write down things gives me the chills, so I gather up whatever strength I have in me and get up the ground and stand up, trying to dust the wet sand off my knees. "I'm fine, really, just gave me a little scare." I try to chuckle, but I don't think either of them buy it.
However, Tony decides not to push it. And I'm glad he doesn't.
"Okay then. Uh, it's already kind of getting dark so what do you say we head back home? We'll order dinner."
"Yeah. It sounds fantastic." I say, putting back on my sandals, and quickly getting up to put the towels back in their bag.
-
We got to the mansion not too long after, and as soon as we did I went to take a shower, wanting to rinse off the salt as well as the bad memory.
After I changed into some another pair of shorts and another oversized shirt, and casted a spell to dry my hair, I walked out of my room and into the kitchen where I could hear Pepper and Tony talking.
"Hey, so what's for dinner?" I asked as I made my way to them.
"I ordered chinese." Tony as he held up a bag of food. "Have you tried it?"
"I'm from England, not the moon. Of course I've had chinese food."
Pepper chuckled, and I could have sworn I heard her muttering something like 'Definitely his kid' but I could be wrong.
"My uh... Adoptive parents loved to try out food from different cultures." I explained, not wanting to be rude. "And at school we also had days where we would be served food from other countries, celebrating the diversity in the schools students and all that stuff."
Nothing much was said after that as we spent the next half hour having dinner in silence, with just the occasional comment about how was the food, until Tony spoke up again.
"Hey, so how does your school system work then? Is it the same as here?" He said as he took a bite off a spring roll.
"Well, I don't really know how the school system works here to be honest." I put down my chopsticks and wiped my mouth with a napkin. "But basically we have seven years of school. You get your acceptance letter at eleven years old, and that's when you start your first year. At the end of our fifth year we have to do these exams called OWLs, short for Ordinary Wizarding Levels, and that's also the year when the prefects get picked out. Then you do your last exams at the end of the seventh year called NEWTs, that's short for Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, they're supposed to be the hardest though I think I would have passed them with no problem."
"And like, do you study things only for wizards?" Asked Pepper.
"Well, yes. We study things like potions, flying, divination, transfiguration, defense against the dark arts and charms, although I suppose there are subjects in which you wouldn't necessarily use magic like astronomy, history of magic, herbology... Oh, and we have a muggle studies class too!"
"Really? And what did they teach you there?" He said while he finished his fried rice.
"Oh, well..." I felt as a blush crept up to my cheeks. "It used to be an optative class and my adoptive parents would've had my head if I took it so I can't really say what they used to teach before. This year I had to take it because it was made mandatory but they only really taught kind of racist stuff about muggles and muggle-borns so... It's kind of a touchy subject." An awkward smile wasn't enough to wear off their curiosity it seemed, because right after that Tony asked again.
"Wait. Who was the wizarding war with, again?" He burrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms.
"Uh, there's basically always been kind of a stigma of being muggle born, and pure blood wizards being superior and all of that. So, a wizard decided pure bloods should claim their rightful place and make muggles, muggle-borns and blood-traitors their subjects, and the war is basically him and his followers against those who think we're not different or better. You certainly chose quite a questionable brother-in-law." I said the last thing directly to him, and his furrowed eyebrows went up in surprise as he realized.
"You're not saying-" I interrupted him.
"It was actually both my mother and her twin brother that started it all. My mother died of course, but that didn't stop my dear uncle from continuing on with what they started." My dear father, as he had made me call him.
"You were born right in the middle of it then." Pepper had been quiet until then.
"Yes. On the wrong side of it too, the ones who raised me didn't do it out of the goodness of their hearts, it was their job to make sure I was ready once I was useful and needed to play a part in the war. They were basically trying to make the perfect weapon out of me, I was supposed to set an example of the perfect pureblood girl to the rest of the wizarding world, which is ironic if we think about how I'm not even actually a pureblood." I chuckled at the last thing.
Tony and Pepper didn't seem amused, but rather sad or worried. I understand why they feel that way, but I'm just happy that now I'm finally free and as far away as possible from all that.
I excused myself after that and went back to my room, as I didn't really feel like talking any more and continuing to see their hurt expressions. I don't need anyone's pity.
And besides, I felt so tired from everything that had happened today I was ready to go to sleep as soon as possible. So that's what I did.
After changing into night clothes, some black pajamas I'd found on the dresser, I felt asleep once more hugging Draco's unopened letter, wanting to once more get lost in the quietness of night, with the only sound being the ocean waves in the background.
__________
Hey! I'm so sorry for making you guys wait for so long, I'd been so busy and also had kind of a writer's block but now I'm back! And I plan to write as many chapters as possible in the next couple of weeks to make up for the lost time lol.
Please vote and comment on what you think about the story so far and things you'd like to see in the future.
Also, what do you think Draco wrote to her in that letter? 👀