𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊
the pendleton ring

✦

THE BOY WATCHED his aboard the train, a sad smile on his face as the realization that he would be completely alone again - much like he was at the beginning of summer - dawned on him. Calypso and Maia, who he was happy to report was speaking again and looked much livelier now that she was going back to Hogwarts (and no, that truth did not hurt him at all), were on the train leaving him with the adults.

His cousin and sister were gone and he was alone; the lone wolf of the trio. The one who doesn't have magic, the one who doesn't go to Hogwarts for school, who was a muggle. There was nothing special about him, but maybe that fact made him the specialty of the family. The outcast, more likely.

He was not special, he was the gem they doted on or their charming prince - he was the embarrassment. Not really, no one was embarrassed of him except for maybe Maia because she valued her magic so much. It made him worry sometimes, the superiority complex that comes with magic. But one could argue that everything could come with a superiority complex - take the Age of Exploration; colonization gave people a big head. As does magic, it seems.

But they definitely did not parade him. Even at the train station, they were hoarded away from the crowd; separated. And he knew this was not because of him, he would have to have a big ego to think he was special enough for him to do this, as if he were the king and no peasants could come in sight of him for they were too disgusting. No - Leo knew the truth.

The first was the truth of the Black family and the status they held these days. Even when Leo saw Maia off for her first year and Calypso for her second, he could see the divide. They were separated, isolated and alienated from the others because no one else wanted to be near them as if they were an illness. The friends of the Black family sneered at them for their betrayal - their bloodtraitor status - and those they called themselves good because they weren't Death Eaters nor had they ever had an affiliation with one saw them as those bastards.

The second comes from years ago with the escape of Sirius Black. They were alienated further but a murderer was on the loose and where else would he go but his family? Or to murder Harry Potter and finish the job.

And the third comes from this current year. The reinstating of the Order of the Phoenix was not a loud proclamation to the public. Leo knew that if Nadia or Remelda weren't members they wouldn't know of it either, but they were so now they all know. The Order of the Phoenix was a secret, for only a few select people to know, and it could never be publicized in fear of Death Eaters raining down and murdering the beloved members now as they showed themselves as saviors to all.

Of course, that goes under the assumption that the public would even love the Order. From what Leo had heard from Calypso and the slips in conversation the adults had said at dinner, Leo knew that the Ministry was not fond of entertaining the thought of Voldemort's return and the Daily Prophet - the most beloved newspaper - didn't like that story running around either.

When they got back to the house - not home, this place was not a home and it never had been, not for any of the inhabitants currently living there - Leo went straight to his room. Not to sulk, Leo Greene did not sulk no matter what anyone else would say, but to lie on his bed and stare up at the ceiling for long hours.

Really, what else was he supposed to do? Nadia and Remelda were still cleaning with Molly Weasley because it was never going to be clean no matter what. Sirius was locked away in his own room and Arthur Weasley was at work. There was nothing for him to do, no one to hang out with. He was the only child there, the last one standing in the godawful house.

He went to the record player that he was allowed to bring from his home. A record was already placed in it and it had been such a long time since he had listened to music in there that he forgot which one it was. That was fine, he didn't care because it had to be something he enjoyed if he put in on before.

Leo began to play the record, no smile on his face even though the soft lyrics of Frank Sinatra were serenading him, and then moved to lie in his bed. He looked up at the plain ceiling that he had stared at for so long that summer, memorizing everything about it because of the time spent right in that position.

He turned his head slightly to the bedside table, seeing the ring of his mother that Remelda had given him that summer. He picked up and held it in his hand, inspecting in with the little light that he had through the window of the room. He never kept the lights on, Maia never minded during summer. Or if she did, she never said anything.

He looked at the crest on it, the 'P' right in the middle for her maiden name. He sighed to himself, just holding it for a moment and wondering if he should've given it to Maia instead of keeping it for himself. It's not like he could wear it - it was meant for a woman and would hardly fit on his finger - but Maia could've.

It was stupid and selfish for him to keep it, this little part of their mother when Maia was the one who really wanted to know more about their biological family. But Aunt Mel had given it to him, not Maia, and that meant it was his no matter what. Maia got the magic of their parents, he could keep the ring.

And maybe that was too bitter, he didn't mean to be. He loved his sister and loved that she got to experience Hogwarts but that didn't dissuade the jealousy. God, he was so jealous of them. So envious of their magic. They all had something to bond over, everyone around the dinner table could imagine Hogwarts - all the corridors, the professors, the classes - when the kids his age talked about it. But whenever he talked about high school, they were just confused.

And he knew it wasn't their faults, they all had magic and Hogwarts was meant for them. He didn't and that meant high school with science and math, but they just couldn't imagine his school and were confused whenever he tried to explain it. It was like him when they tried to explain the courses at Hogwarts, except he was expected to already know everything and they were allowed to be ignorant to his schooling.

He huffed to himself, sitting up on his bed. He wanted to throw the ring, get it far away from him. It was just a reminder that he was different from his family, he was the reason why his birth father wanted to murder him and Maia - he was also the reason they were raised by Nadia Greene, but who cared? Not Maia.

Of course he didn't throw the ring in the end. What would that do besides sate his anger for a moment before replacing it with guilt for acting as he did? He just held it tightly in his palm to where the ring was imprinting harshly into his skin, hurting him.

"Fuck," he swore to himself, opening his palm, "I just wish I wasn't - fuck! I don't wanna be alone."

He whispered his whine to himself, collapsing back onto the bed, huffing to himself again. The ring was safe in his palm and he didn't raise his hand again to stare at it, he just let it stay there.

Closing his eyes, he tried to relax, to let the tension fall away from him. He thought about Nala in the other room because Calypso had left the cat behind for him to have a companion during the school year, which was sweet of her.

"Hello?" a voice called from the opposite side of the room. Leo frowned before sitting up again, looking to see a young woman with long, brown hair and a confused expression on her face. Then, she looked at him with shocked when his eyes found hers, "You can see me?"

✦

Maia was excited to see Emilia again. Her only friend, which was rather side when you thought about it, but then again she didn't need anyone else besides Emilia. The girl was more than enough for Maia, so why would she go and find other friends who didn't matter as much as Emilia did?

Emilia Adams was a girl of average height with blonde hair and a smirk constantly on her face. She was a driven girl with an older brother who she adored and wanted to be just like and two parents that were very successful in the Ministry. Emilia Adams was a rich girl with a bright future and a love of chocolate, though that was as far as her sweet tooth went.

She was a Ravenclaw like Maia and proudly wore her robes. Everyone in her family was in Ravenclaw and valued intelligence over everything else. A girl of a pureblooded family who was expected to find a nice wizard of Ravenclaw robes before she left Hogwarts. Maia would be crumbling under that pressure to find someone to marry while also tackling academics and the current state of the wizarding world, but Emilia took it with stride. It was safe to say that Maia respected her immensely.

Emilia's family always took a two-week summer vacation to another country, living lavishly. Maia always envied that about Emilia, how easily her family could throw around money, but one year Emilia took her along for their family vacation to Greece and all that jealousy was long gone. She always had great stories about her summer, this year's included a summer romance with the muggle lifeguard of the pool she went to which made Maia swoon.

Merlin, she wished she had something interesting to tell her friend, but she was locked inside of a house she hated and didn't speak to anyone after finding out her whole life was a lie. Definitely didn't beat lifeguard at all - wasn't even close to it.

So her answers to Emilia's questions were short and sweet, not descriptive at all which made her friend frown and know that she was definitely hiding something. Well, she was. She was hiding a lot and knew the consequences that would come if she spilled those secrets. Before their departure to the train station, her mother, aunt, and uncle sat her and Calypso down and told them exactly what to say and what not to say.

Calypso just nodded and easily went off and Maia had rolled her own eyes, looking at her cousin and seeing how easy it was for her to say yes and buy into a lie. She wouldn't tell her friends, they all knew that, it was Maia who was the problem. Because Maia was always the problem, wasn't she?

She was the girl who blew up when she found out that she was adopted, even if it was a justified reaction, she was the girl who didn't talk to anyone all summer and instead lied on her bed in silence. Every day except for the dark times of night when she got a midnight snack and took a shower whilst everyone else was sleeping so they didn't disturb her.

She was the problem, the wild card, this was all for her. She was the girl who wanted to tell Emilia - her friend - instead of keeping their dark secrets like they did to her, she was the one who would defy. Calypso was complacent and wouldn't say a word, Maia was the one who would yell it from the rooftops.

But fine. She wouldn't say a word, she would keep silent because she didn't want to prove them right by being the problem; she would prove them wrong and keep her silence and lie to her friend like they wanted her to. And she would be alright...eventually.

When they departed from the train dressed in their robes with the elegant blue that her mother - no, Nadia - once wore and got to the castle, they were immediately brought to the Great Hall where the faces of their old professors and their new ones greeted them. Emilia stood beside and when they took her seats, she still stayed at her side.

There was no talking amongst the students, not now, for it was not time to eat. No, they all remembered their own experiences when they were eleven and took the seat on the stool as the hat was placed their head and proclaimed to all their future. It was only for the next seven or so years, but these ties ran long from not only these adolescent days to the births of future children and the bias they will have about the houses.

Houses became people's lives, sorting them forever. Mostly unjustly, others inspiring a sort of idolatry that would all come to ruin one day.

Maia would admit that she fell for this, falling in love with the elegant blue her mother had around the house in the dining room walls, a blanket, and much more. But that was all over now because Nadia was not her mother - she was just the woman who raised them. Not mum.

The newcomers stayed in line as they walked through the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall leading them. They looked terrified but also in awe and Maia understood the feeling so she didn't laugh at them, even though a part of her wanted to.

They were all called to the stool and sorted nicely and they all clapped, especially loud whenever Ravenclaw was called because it was her house, after all. And when the sorting was over and all the newcomers were placed in their homes, the feast began and people started talking around them.

"Who's that new lady?" Emilia asked, pointing to the woman in pink sitting next to Professor Snape at the teacher's table.

Maia looked to see who she was pointing to before shrugging and looking back at her. She definitely didn't like the look of the pink lady, the smile on her face was just short from terrifying, so she didn't continue to stare in case she was turned to stone.

"Don't know," Maia told her, "But I don't think I'll like her."

Emilia hummed in response before nodding. "Looks scary. I bet she's really strict, too. Merlin, it'll be terrible."

That caused a giggle to rise from her throat. "You're just saying that because you hate rules."

"But I love to break them," Emilia smirked back at her, laughing at herself as Maia joined in. "I think my rule-breaking days are behind me, though."

"Awe, really?" Maia frowned, looking at her friend for an explanation.

Emilia nodded, taking a bite of her chicken, "My dad said if I got one more detention he'd - well, you know him."

And even though Maia did know her father, she had stayed at Emilia's house enough to know her parents, it still didn't fit exactly right with her the way Emilia stopped herself. Something was definitely off and she most definitely did not like it.

And maybe if she were a better friend, she would question Emilia on it, because maybe that's what the girl wanted. Someone to help her. Or maybe she was being the friend that Emilia wanted and needed by letting it go.

It wasn't exactly her place to interfere with the matters of Emilia and her family. She wasn't an expert on it at all, the summer just ended could testify to that. Maia didn't even know her real family, so what could she say? And she never had a dad before either, Nadia had raised them alone and her Uncle Remus was the closest father figure she had. Well, just Remus not - they weren't really ever related to begin with, but especially now it just didn't feel right.

"Yeah, I do," Maia found herself saying. Not asking about what was wrong, or what her father had threatened, but agreeing in saying that her father was a rather aggressive man.

Maybe it was for the best, maybe she just didn't see the scream Emilia was pouring out. She would never know and neither would anyone else.

The meal ended quickly, the great welcoming feast to the returning and the new was over, and to mark that Headmaster Dumbledore came out to give his usual welcome speech to them all.

"I beg a few moments of your attention, as I have a few start of term announcements. Right off, our caretaker, the good Mr. Filch, has reminded me for what he says is the four-hundred and sixty-second time that he has an annually updated list of various banned items, usually introduced by our humor experts Fred and George Weasley..."

The Weasley twins, as everyone knew them, stood up and took a grand bow, obviously proud of them accomplishment. Maia rolled her eyes at them. She never was their biggest fan.

"...which are posted in an extensive list on the door to Mr. Filch's office. Also, we have two staffing changes this year. Professor Grubby-Plank will be taking the post of Care of Magical Creatures post as Professor Hagrid is on...extended leave."

Maia looked at who Dumbledore was talking about and what immediately glad that she had never taken that class further than what was required. Merlin she hated it, but now she was free.

"Additionally, we have Professor Umbridge, who has kindly agreed to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts -"

The pink lady stood up with the same sickening grin on her face, clearing her throat and cutting of Dumbledore - something that had never been done before.

"Hem, hem, Headmaster, if I could address the school?" Umbridge asked, although it was clear the answer she wanted. Shocked, Dumbledore did take a step back, causing whispers to erupt around the hall. No one told Dumbledore what to do, and yet here this woman was...it was instantaneous hatred.

"Thank you, Headmaster. Now, how are we all doing tonight? I thought I would just say a few words. I am here at the Ministry of Magic's request, under Educational Decree twenty-two, which states that if the Headmaster of Hogwarts is unable to fill any teaching post the Ministry shall select one for the position.

"The Ministry has always considered the magical educational of our children to be of vital importance, and the passing down of this ancient and noble art must be given to the next generation, lest it be lost forever," Umbridge paused for a second, looking down on them.

"Without progress, stagnation. But progress for progress' sake is to be discouraged, for our art requires no tinkering. A balance must be attained, the new and the old, permanence and change, tradition and innovation, order and chaos," another pause, "There are large changes coming soon, changes walking the fine line between order and chaos. Know only that these changes are for the best, and to prevent the destruction of our civilization from its own decay. Thank you."

Maia wanted to scoff. Nothing could stop their decay, nothing. Voldemort had already risen and he was gaining power and nothing as small as the Order could fight when so many remained ignorant. She wouldn't stop anything; she was just an utter fool.

And looking around at her fellow classmates, she saw fear. She saw the beginning signs of hatred for this woman. Realization that the Ministry was taking over, they were under government control now. And Emilia just looked sad.

Maia didn't question it, didn't question the sadness or the guilt. Emilia probably didn't want her to notice, so it was best to stay quiet. Maia would never know if that was the truth or not.

✦

All Leo could do was stare at the woman in his room, looking right back at him in shock. Not for the first time he wished he had a wand to cast some spell to protect himself in case it came to it, or maybe just a regular weapon since he didn't even possess magic at all. But he had nothing except his own weak self and that wouldn't help at all.

He didn't know really if it was smart to engage with the woman, but he had never been the smartest in the first place. "Of course I can see you, what kind of question is that?"

The woman blinked back at him. "It's just, no one else has been able to see me for a long time. It's...weird, nice."

He got up off the bed, pointing to the window. "You need to leave. Now."

Her eyes followed, frowning when she saw what he was pointing at. "Through the window? I guess it would hurt if I was alive, but I suppose it's fine."

And as he commanded, she went right through the window. Through it. Through the wall and the window, dissolving through it until he could see her on the other side, staring at him through the window. He went to it, looking down and seeing that the woman was floating.

He took a step back, shocked and shaken, and the woman popped her head through to ask, "Can I come back in now? I'd love to chat."

He swallowed, pinching himself to wake up...but nothing happened. No, he was still standing there before this mysterious woman and she was floating. She was phasing through the wall again and she was standing there but everything she touched she went straight through it.

Like a ghost.

"Oh my God, you're dead!" Leo whispered to himself, sitting down on the bed to try and calm himself.

"Yes," the woman nodded, "For a long time now. It's very lonely really, but I guess I'm not alone anymore..."

"How can I see you?" Leo asked her, fearful that he was a medium or Melinda Gordon from Ghost Whisperer.

"That's what I'm wondering," the woman replied, looking around before her eyes landed on the ring that was still sitting in Leo's palm, "That's my ring - why do you have my ring?"

Leo looked down at it before trailing his eyes back to her, "Your ring? This ring...is yours?"

The strange woman nodded, frowning to herself. "Yes, my mother gave it to me the night before I got married, as a reminder of who I am and what I represent. A Pendleton until the very end."

Leo didn't say anything, too stunned to act. This woman said it was hers, and this ring belonged to his mother, and that meant...but his mum was dead. The strange ghost of a woman was his mother and she was here but how was she here?

"How did you get my ring?" the woman peered up at him again, "I gave it to a woman named Remelda Black, how did you get it?"

"She gave it to me," Leo answered her, heart beating quickly at the realization that this was his mother - he was talking to his mother. "My Aunt Mel."

"Remelda isn't an aunt - or is she?" his mother frowned, "How long have I been dead?"

"Fourteen years," Leo told her, "You died a year after I was born."

"Why would Remelda give you my ring? It doesn't make any sense, unless you stole it from her," the woman accused. "Did you steal my ring?"

"No! Of course not!" Leo exclaimed standing up from the bed and going to the record player, adjusting the sound of it. "She gave it to me, said it was from my mother!"

"Your mother - but it's my ring...oh, Merlin! You - you're my son, aren't you?" the woman cried, almost thrilled to see him but also confused.

Leo turned back at her, shrugging as his cheeks turned pink. "I think so."

"You're my Calix?" the woman whispered, desperate for him to say yes as she moved forward.

To that, he had to shake his head. "I'm Leo. Well, that's what I've been called my whole life. I don't know my real name, so I could be."

She frowned. "You've been called Leo. Why?"

"Well, I mean, I don't know all the details, but my Aunt Mel told me that you gave us to her and then she gave us to Nadia - my mother."

"Nadia?"

"Nadia Greene."

"Oh, Sirius' girlfriend? Why?"

"Well, I guess she trusted Nadia with us, and they're practically family," Leo guessed, "And I didn't officially know I was adopted until a few months ago. I mean, I knew before then - from school - but, well, it was confirmed."

The woman nodded. "And you're safe?"

Leo hummed in an answer of yes. "Yep. Completely and totally safe - except for all the things that happen at Hogwarts, but that just affects Maia - my sister."

His mother peered at him. "You don't go to Hogwarts?"

"No," Leo shook his head, "I'm a muggle. A squib. I haven't started school yet, but I'm going to a local high school around here. I'm gonna be a sophomore."

"Sophomore? What's that?"

"I'll explain it to you later. Don't worry, no wizard knows anything about muggles. It's something I've learned over the years and then I have to explain to everyone," Leo assured her, though the bitterness did creep out. What, he couldn't help it!

The woman - his mother - nodded again. "I've missed so much, haven't I? You're all grown."

Leo made a face of disagreement, "Well, I don't know about that. I'm not really an adult until I turn eighteen so you'll still see me grown."

She looked at him with confusion written on her face. "Adulthood comes at seventeen."

"Not for muggles," Leo countered with a shake of his head, "Seventeen is just for wizards - which I'm not."

She took in the information before her eyes popped wide. "Oh! I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?"

"Well, I already know who you are..."

"But you don't know my name, do you?" she asked him and he was silenced, "That's what I thought. Nancy Carrow - Pendleton before I was married."

"Aunt Mel's talked about you," Leo commented, remembering the little stories he had heard about his mother's life at Hogwarts. Along with that came some of Remelda's and Remus'.

"Probably all terrible things. I wasn't the best to her when we were younger and yet she still has helped me so much," Nancy grew sad, reflecting on her face. "Merlin, I was the worst. I don't know how she could help me, but she did, and I'm forever in her debt."

Leo grew silent. The thought of his mother being mean to Aunt Mel...it was unthinkable. He had dreams of who his mother was. They had to be kind and carrying a big heart with so much love because of what she did to save him and Maia...but apparently that wasn't too much of the truth.

"I always fancied her boyfriend - my husband, your father - and I was so cruel to her because she had him. And when he turned to me because I was the second choice, the lesser option between Remelda and I...I rubbed it in her face. I was so happy," Nancy lamented, "Look where that put me."

"He killed you, didn't he?" Leo asked, "My father. Remelda said that he killed you."

Nancy grew still. "I...I can't remember exactly. Dying - it's always been such a distant memory and I don't want to. I remember the days before, sure, but that moment. Well, I don't want to remember it."

Leo nodded, accepting her answer. He wasn't sure he'd like to be pressured into remembering such a terrible thing so he didn't force it upon her. "Who is he?" he asked instead.

While it would forever remain true that he loved Nadia dearly and didn't care to go looking after a man who wanted to kill him, he was still curious. He was just human, after all.

Nancy told him easily, unlike Remelda before who had kept it so secret. "Demetri Carrow," she whispered, as if scared that saying his name would call him there to her, to them. "But you must promise me you'll never go looking for him."

Leo looked her in the eyes. It wasn't hard to say that he wouldn't, he didn't want to in the slightest. But he understood the concern. This man - Demetri - wanted to murder him when he was only a child for not possessing magic. He had murdered her, or so Remelda suspected, and it couldn't be proved otherwise. So, it fell from his lips easily, a promise that he would forever keep but his twin would not.

"Promise."