It turned out he was right, on the time – fifteen minutes later, Umbridge arrived, striding brazenly into Snape's classroom with a huffy air.
“May I help you?” There was a distinct edge to the man's voice that made Tobias look up at him in startlement. For a moment, a strange, cold look shone in the man's eyes, but it was gone before Tobias could fully grasp it. In an instant the man's features took on a courteous, attentive air. Tobias realized confusedly that it was the most polite expression he'd yet seen the man wear. “I do apologize,” Snape continued, more tone much more polite. “You simply startled me. May I help you?”
Looking slightly mollified, Umbridge regained her usual smile. “Yes, you can. There seems to be some confusion. Once again, you seem to have arranged your detention on top of mine. If I may take Bātard now?”
Her tone didn't sound much like a polite request, but Snape's strangely courteous expression didn't change. “Actually, Delores,” he said smoothly, “I had thought that perhaps I could take the boy's detention for you. I imagine that your duties for the Minister are terribly important, and keep you quite busy. You wouldn't want to neglect them over one” -he sneered- “rather unremarkable student. I would be happy to help ease the load. It is little trouble, I assure you, next to the importance of your time.”
Huh...what? Did he just-? What just happened? Hadn't Snape been actively pissing the woman off, just the previous day? Now he was flattering her?
To Tobias' surprise and disgust, Delores actually blushed, and gave Snape a simpering smile. “W-well, Severus, as a matter of fact, yes, Corn – oh, excuse me, the Minister, depends heavily on me to keep him informed. I don't mind, of course, but it does keep me dreadfully busy.”
“You would like me to take over the boy's detention, then?” Snape interjected politely.
“Well, just for today, I suppose I would, yes, thank you.” She beamed at Snape. “See you at breakfast, Severus.”
“In the morning, Delores,” Snape agreed as the woman turned and left.
Tobias stared at Snape's back as he watched the woman leave, flabbergasted. Did he really just-? When Snape turned back to him, the sneer was firmly back in place.
Nevertheless, Tobias felt he had to say something. “Th-thank you, sir.”
The man met his eyes, regarding him for a second, and Tobias frowned in confusion at his unreadable expression. Eventually it seemed the man settled on anger, and the sneer returned.
“Lines, Bātard,” Snape snapped finally. He turned and walked back to his desk as Tobias watched him, confused.
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After his double-detention with Snape, Tobias went directly to the library. Mo was chewing on him, so once he got to the library, he found a quiet spot to sit and study, then set up with her on his lap and slit his wrist on a canine, offering it to Mo as he stroked her hair with the other hand. He noted the approach of another student, but didn't look up right away. Ten seconds later, realizing that whoever it was was still there, he looked up.
“So what's Mo short for?” Andra asked him, sitting down across the table from him.
He stared at her for a moment, thinking. Not Moriyana. “Monster.”
“Monster,” the girl repeated blankly.
Tobias nodded shortly. “Yup.”
Andra smiled, then pouted teasingly. “Oh, come on, what is it really?”
Tobias smiled at her. “Monkey.”
“Please?” she pursued.
He sighed. It had occurred to him after talking to Blaise that, if he only had two days before the court came, he ought to take advantage of them. He didn't want everybody to find out who he was all at the same time, amidst fanfare and bodyguards. He hadn't thought of it practically beyond that, but...Now's as good a time as ever. And Andra probably wouldn't know what he was talking about, anyway. “Her name is Moriyana.”
Andra frowned and gave him a look full of doubt and confusion before smiling nervously and starting to babble. “You named her after the fae princess? M-muggles do that sometimes, name their kids the same things the celebrities do. Not that there's anything wrong with it, though, I mean, Moriyana Bātard that's a- that's a lovely name. Why didn't you want to tell me, though? What's her middle name?”
He took a deep breath. She knows who I'm talking about. He'd sorta hoped this would just be a practice round. “I- her full name is Moriyana-Lliannanre-Ardbeijahn-She of the Unseelie Court.”
Andras eyes got wide. “Th-that's what I was afraid of.” She took a deep breath. “And th- that would make you...?”
He took another breath. “Tobias Sheyananre Ardmohira-she James Bātard of the Unseelie Court.”
The girl closed her eyes and shook her head quickly, as if to clear it. When she looked back up at him, she hesitated before touching her own left ear. Realizing what she wanted, he mirrored her gesture, lifting his long hair up and off the earrings carefully concealed underneath it.
When he looked back at her, there was a small smile on her lips. “N-nice earrings,” she said.
He smiled back, relieved. Andra would at least try to be cool about it. “How did you recognize her name?”
“M-my mom's a diplomat,” she answered, “but I still didn't recognize your name. I thought the Court was looking for a Harry?”
He smiled. “They are. I just wanted a little time to settle in, before letting everybody know who I was.”
Andra closed her eyes again, mouthing, “Tobias-she of the Unseelie Court,” before she opened them, an incredulous smile appearing on her face. She suddenly started to snicker, then laugh, totally ignoring the angry glare thrown at her by Madam Pince. Seeing Tobias staring at her strangely, though, she finally asked, “Is it true that Malfoy pulled rank on you, yesterday?”
Tobias' eyes widened, and he grinned back at Andra. “'You do realize you are addressing a nobleman?'” he quoted, laughing.
“Oh, he is going to piss himself,” Andra said. “Please tell me you'll let me watch?”
He smiled at her, but shook his head. “I'm sorry, but I really don't know how things are going to go down.”
“Hum-hmmmm,” he heard suddenly, looking up with Andra. Madame Pince had just arrived at their table, looking very annoyed.
“Oh, sorry,” he heard Andra say. “We'll be quiet. Honest.”
“You had better be,” Madam Pince said primly. “This is not a Common Room, it is the library. If you can not be quiet, then you should leave. Immediately.”
Madam Pince was another of those people at Hogwarts that Tobias had always wondered about. Why was she here, if she hated it so much? “We're studying,” Tobias told her.
“Hmm,” the woman huffed, and left.
“So...” Andra whispered. “Am I allowed to tell people who you are?”
Tobias groaned. “Oh, I don't know. Maybe. Let me think.” The goal was for people to find out slowly, gently. Preferably through word-of-mouth, rather than through the court showing up blowing trumpets. But he didn't want Umbridge, or Snape, or Dumbledore, or really any of the other teachers to know yet. “Maybe you could tell just some people? I don't know if it's possible, but I'd like the students to start finding out, without the adults knowing just yet.”
Andra gave him a skeptical look. “The students knowing, without anybody telling the adults? How long are you looking for the situation to last?”
“Until Thursday afternoon,” Tobias said thoughtfully. “At that point, everybody'll know anyway.”
“Really? How?”
“I have a deadline,” he told her shortly. “Two days.”
“Okay,” Andra agreed easily. “Two days. I can do that.”
Tobias smiled back. “Cool. I gotta finish my History research so I can work on it in my room after Mo goes to sleep.”
Andra smiled. “Yes, your Highness.”
He groaned. Bloody hell. I'd better get used to that.
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“Bring your essays to the front of the room please,” Binns announced in his usual monotone at the end of the history lesson. His tone was so similar to the one he used during his lectures, Tobias only realized what he'd said because others started to get up.
Tobias fished around in his bookbag for it, pulled it out, and brought it to the front of the room. It was supposed to be five feet long, and it was three and a half, despite once again eating over his books the night before, and again this morning. Maybe he won't notice, Tobias thought without much hope. Then again, the man hadn't seemed to notice his own death, so it was possible.
After History, Tobias had his usual morning break, and, as was becoming routine, used it to feed and change Mo before his next class. Arriving early, he waited outside of the Defense classroom until Blaise Zabini and a couple other Slytherins arrived, then entered himself.
“Ah, Mr. Bātard!” Umbridge greeted malevolently as soon as he entered. “How was your detention with Professor Snape?”
“Fabulous,” he told her sarcastically.
“Oh?” she said, clearly inviting elaboration.
“Professor Snape hates me,” he informed her. The very last thing he wanted was for her to conclude that the man had gone easy on him. And besides that he hadn't. The man had seemed to heartily resent his little 'rescue', if that was what it was.
She beamed. “Well, actions do have consequences, don't they?”
“Yes Ma'am,” he told her. Annoyed by his own obsequiousness, he bent shallowly into a simple bow that he knew acknowledged neither her position in the Ministry, nor as his teacher. Some of the other students gave him strange looks, but his insolence was rewarded when Zabini snorted loudly, clearly holding back a laugh.
As he'd suspected, Umbridge was clueless. She smiled broadly and said, “good boy. Now we're learning, aren't we? Do sit down.”
Good boy. Have a lolly. Tobias restrained his growls in favor of returning the bitch's smile with a sadistic one of his own, careful to show off his teeth. Once again, her smile wavered in the face of something she clearly found horrifying, and she turned her attention to the entire class.
“Now, class,” she said brightly. “Did you all do the reading like I asked?”
“Yes, Professor Umbridge,” the class chorused.
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“Mr. Batard,” Flitwick called.
Tobias looked up from where he was soothing Mo. “Yes, sir?”
“Can you tell me what the basis for the repelling charm is?”
“No, sir.”
“No?”
Tobias swallowed and decided to just tell the truth and hope Flitwick didn't take points. “I didn't do the reading, sir,” he told him.
“Ah. Very well then. Miss Carson?”
Tobias breathed a slight sigh of relief. Somehow, even or perhaps especially with everything else going on, he found he really cared about the House points.
“I don't know what you mean by 'basis,' sir, but it's essentially the counter-spell to 'Accio,” Andra answered.
“Precisely, Miss Carson, very good. Ten points to Ravenclaw.”
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“Having a rough time, aren't you?” Esmeralda asked him at lunch. “I know you've been at least trying to get the work done, but-”
“Yeah,” Tobias sighed. “I'm failing pretty miserably. My History essay was too short, too, and I haven't even started writing my Herbology essay.”
Jody winced sympathetically from across the table. “Should we let you work, then?”
“Nah,” he told them, motioning at the child in his arms. “I have to feed Mo anyway, and that takes both hands.”
“Okay then,” Esmeralda said. “So...Andra said we should ask you about your name.”
“My name?” he asked, drawing a blank. Had Andra figured out that he was Harry?
“Yeah, she said it was really interesting, and that we should ask. I won't if you mind, though.”
Oh, yeah, Tobias suddenly remembered, groaning. THAT name. He had wanted to start letting people know, but...anyone could overhear. But then, who cared? He was trying to spread the information around a bit, so people would at least have rumors and it wouldn't come as too much of a shock. “Oh, yeah,” he told them. “She's undoubtedly referring to the long version of my name.”
“Really?” Jody asked. “How long?”
“Tobias Sheyananre Ardmohira-she James Bātard of the Unseelie Court.”
“Th-that is long,” Esmeralda said. “And umm...very official-sounding.”
“Yes,” Jody said. “What exactly does that mean?”
“It means that you are addressing the Heir to the most important of the People thrones,” Tobias heard a deep feminine voice say solemnly.
He looked over to see the auburn-haired seventh-year girl that he had previously guessed to be some sort of shape-shifter standing at his left. As he turned, the Hufflepuff bowed deeply in an inferior-to-superior bow that Tobias couldn't quite place. “Your Highness.”
Realizing that the bow had not been the one for a strict commoner, and that the girl facing him was at least certainly not fae, he guessed that she fit the category 'foreign nobility', and did his best to imitate the proper returning bow from his seat. Oh, hope I got that right. It wasn't one of the ones he knew well at all. “Greetings. I am sorry, but we haven't been introduced...?”
“Not a problem, your Highness. I am Mirim Wira, of the Amazon first-pack.”
Oh, good. I think I guessed right, then. And Amazon. Cool. If only he knew what Amazons were. Didn't the book label them as a type of Lycanthrope? And he'd thought she was a Shifter, and she said she was of the first-pack. I wonder what she turns into. And he didn't know whether it was rude to ask.
“Nice to meet you,” he told her.
“And you,” Mirim told him. “I apologize, your Highness, but I have a paper due in half an hour. By your leave...?”
Tobias just blinked at her, before suddenly realizing what she was asking. “Oh, yes, of course. By all means, go work on your paper.”
Mirim breathed out, and he suddenly realized that she'd been really, really nervous. She covered it pretty well. “Thank you, your Highness,” she said, bowing again before walking with a deliberate slowness out of the room.
People have to ask if they're allowed to go elsewhere after speaking to me? Suddenly Tobias realized that the table around him was really quiet. Nervously, he looked up at Jody and Esmeralda, to see them staring at him in shock.
“D-did you two really not know each other before?” Esmeralda finally asked.
“No,” Tobias answered, confused. “Why would we have?”
“Well,” answered Esmeralda, swallowing. “If you had, you c-could've f-faked all that. B-but if she didn't know you-”
“Are we supposed to treat you like she just did?” Jody asked bluntly. “Are you really a prince?”
“No,” Tobias said definitely. “I'm- I really am a prince, but I'm not your prince. I am hers, sort of.”
Tobias waited for a response, but it didn't come right away. Swallowing, he tried to hide his own nervousness while waiting for them to process.
“Y-you're really a prince. Like a- a prince-prince,” Esmeralda finally said.
“More than that, 'Ralda,” Jody answered her. “He's the crown prince. He'll be king.”
Tobias swallowed again. That was really not his favorite part of this 'Heir' thing.
“What did you mean, sort of?” Esmeralda asked. “You're 'sort of' Mirim's prince?”
“Politics,” Tobias explained shortly. “She belongs to another court, but the Amazons are one of the groups that looks to the Court. I don't understand it that well myself, to be honest.”
“So you're the Heir to the highest of the People courts,” Esmeralda said. “The Unseelie.”
“How do we have to treat you?” Jody asked. “Do we have to call you Highness?”
“You don't have to, no. And like normal, I would hope.”
“Like we call you by your first name?” Esmeralda asked doubtfully.
Tobias frowned. “I'm not sure, actually. I wouldn't mind, but some people might find it odd. I would go with Tobias-she. I think that's what personal friends are generally supposed to use.” I think.
“As your Highness wishes,” Esmeralda said, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
Mo was finally done eating. “Anyway, I gotta do work,” he said.
“You've only got fifteen minutes,” Jody pointed out. “You might as well eat.”
Tobias looked at his watch. “Fuck. Yeah, you're right.” Tucking Mo into her carrier, he called for a brownie.
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After eating, Tobias headed down to the greenhouses for Herbology. Esmeralda and Jody hung back, and Tobias couldn't help but think they probably wanted to talk about him. He just hoped it helped them get used to it so it wouldn't be too weird. When everybody had arrived, Sprout walked around as usual, collecting the homework before they all got dirty handling the plants. When she got to him, he took a deep breath and told her,
“I'm sorry. I didn't get it done.”
Sprout just smiled sympathetically. “All right. When do you think you can get it done by?”
Tobias thought about his schedule and winced. “Errm...Monday, maybe?”
“Alright, then. Get it to me by Monday. I can't let it go longer than that, though – you need to move forward.”
Professor Sprout was about the nicest person on the planet. “Yes, Ma'am. Thank you.”
“No problem. Just get it done, please.”
Tobias nodded, blushing, and Sprout moved on. The rest of the class went easily enough.
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“Shhhhh, Mo,” he whispered, bouncing her gently. “Shhhhhhh.” She just kept screaming. She'd fallen asleep during Herbology, but the move between classes had woken her again.
“Please, Mo? I'm missing class.” He kept bouncing, Mo kept screaming.
I'm fine. She's fine. It's fine. I can afford to miss the entire class if I have to, Tobias told himself. Calming a little, he changed his bouncing into a gentle rocking motion, and gently played with Mo's hair with one hand. Seeing her face all scrunched up in her unhappiness, he gently kissed her forehead as he rocked, then pressed his forehead to hers.
“Love you, baby,” he told her quietly. She just kept screaming. Ready to scream himself, he instead pushed her up higher on his shoulder and walked further away from the class and down the hill to walk next to the lake. I have all the time in the world. All I have to do is walk and bounce. Nothing else matters. Walk and bounce, walk and bounce. Breathe.
Fifteen minutes later, she was finally quiet, and he walked back up the hill to make the rest of Care of Magical creatures. The rest of the class looked up as he finally came in, but didn't comment. They were still on Kelpies, and most of the students were halfway through drawing the creature. Gathering his materials carefully, Tobias settled down to do what he could in the rest of the class period.
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After class, Tobias headed back to the library to get what he could done for the next day. This time, it looked like he might have a chance of finishing all of it – a 12” essay on moonstones for Potions, a 3' essay on summoning and repelling for Charms, a relatively short reading for Defense that he didn't plan on doing, and a 12'' description of a Gargaginger plant, and its various uses, for Herbology. He was also supposed to practice Vanishing spells before his Transfiguration class, but then he could probably do that during lunch.
Having already screwed up getting his work for Herbology done for today, he started the Gargaginger plant description first. It was a relatively easy assignment, too – all the information he needed would be in his notes from the class over the last two days, and so far he hadn't missed anything. Even better, Gargagingers were interesting.
Commonly mistaken for the muggle culinary plant ginger, Gargaginger is in fact an important magical plant. Typically quite a bit bigger than ginger, and stronger-smelling, Gargaginger is used in cooking, healing, and potions in the magical world...
When he finished the description, Tobias was pleased to realize that it had only taken him half an hour. He still had an hour before he needed to pack up and hand Mo off to Mrs. Weasley before his detention. Realizing that though Snape was more likely to give him a detention for not getting his work done, he'd already missed something for Flitwick, he got started researching repelling and summoning.
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“Ah, Mr. Bātard,” Umbridge said, smiling broadly. “Right on time. Come in and sit down.”
Returning her smile with a toothy one of his own, Tobias walked past her to the student's desk where he'd sat before, and got started.
I must not tell lies.He contained a grimace at the pain and kept writing.
I must not tell lies.Reminding himself of his plans, Tobias flexed his hand and wrote the next line.
I must not tell lies.That one didn't close off right away, and Tobias found himself taking a strange sort of satisfaction in carving Umbridge's downfall into his own hand.
I must not tell lies.Yes, he thought, smiling briefly. It pays to tell the truth.
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After his detention, Tobias returned to the library. He couldn't eat there, but he could always eat later, and he had work to do. The research for Charms was going well, but he had three pages to write on it, and another page on moonstones, before he decided whether to at least skim the Defense reading before going to bed. And it was unpredictable whether Mo would let him do it all straight, or whether he was going to have to get up every half an hour to tend to her. Still, it was better than the previous day had been – at least the essays were of reasonable length.
Walking in, Tobias noticed that everyone looked up at him and started to whisper. He wouldn't have noticed, except that that had started to die down, for the most part. Maybe Andra was being effective in her rumor-mongering. He hoped so. He really didn't want it to be a total shock when his “relatives” showed up.
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Greetings, Harry-she,Harry read. He'd decided to check for any messages from the Court before going to bed, and found them.
If it helps, please allow me to personally apologize for the manner in which the position of Heir was pressed upon you by Our daughter. However, Lliannan-she is dead. Had she not acted in the manner she did, young Moriyana would still be at Court. It is a custom, within the Unseelie Court, to bear children while one is still the Heir, and not once one becomes Monarch, such that one can devote the most time possible to the care of any children born. Lliannan-she sought to find her daughter the best possible guardian, in addition to finding us the best possible Heir. Do you truly think she chose wrongly?
Signed, his Royal Majesty Consort Mohira Karrillre Ardkrandin-She.
Well that was interesting. Mohira was- apologizing? Was he in earnest? Probably just a political move. He doesn't want me to refuse to work with them. The Consort had a point, though. He could hardly imagine the Queen and Consort having the time to stay up with the Second at night, and feed her breakfast in the morning. They could hardly walk out of a meeting or something every time she cried. But still, the idea that he was the best choice, for either duty, was laughable. Sure, he'd accepted Mo, but that didn't mean that having a fifteen-year-old as sole parent was a good thing. And who wanted an Heir that hadn't even been raised in the Court? Shaking his head, he wrote his reply.
To his Royal Majesty Consort Mohira Karrillre Ardkrandin-she of the Unseelie Court, greetings.
I am fifteen years old, and new to your world. Do you truly think that that is the best choice?
Signed, Harry the Switch.
Suddenly realizing that a lot of things he'd been confused about could easily be resolved, he then wrote underneath.
Greetings, Archivist Kylpin. A couple of questions, if you don't mind. I have two hoop earrings, as did Lliannan-she. These presumably mark me as the Heir. Moriyana-she has a stud and a hoop, presumably marking her as the Second. What do two studs mean? Also, what's an Amazon? Thanks for the help. Signed, Harry the Switch.
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“Please sleep?” Tobias begged quietly, bouncing and pacing his chambers. It was midnight. He'd gotten his work and letters done at eleven, doing all his research in the library before he needed to get back to the dorm for Mo's sake, and then writing it all in the dorm. She'd slept while he'd worked, but shortly after he'd finished, and was preparing to finally go to bed after a very long day, she'd woken up. He'd tried changing her, and feeding her, but she'd barely eaten anything, and the diaper change didn't seem to help. And she wasn't tired, because she'd just woken up. Or something like that. At any rate, she wasn't sleeping. And he was exhausted.
It's fine. I'll be fine. I can handle this. He paced. Back and forth, and back and forth, with Mo's cries resounding in his ears. “I know, baby,” he whispered. “It's awful, isn't it? Totally worth screaming your fool head off over.” Mo just kept crying.
One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight steps to, Tobias counted to himself. One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight steps fro. Eight steps back, eight steps forth. Eight steps hither, eight steps yon. Eight steps north, eight steps south. Or maybe eight steps west, and eight steps east. Or maybe eight steps south-west and eight steps north-east...
Half an hour later – at almost one o'clock in the morning - Mo was finally quiet. Very carefully, Tobias held her with one arm while brushing his teeth, and pulling on sleep-pants. He had to put her down, though, to get his shirt off, and as soon as he did, she started little unhappy sounds of distress. Not immediately finding his sleep-shirt, he picked Mo back up to hold her to his bare chest. By the time he picked her up, she was crying again. Oh, please, please sleep. He was so frustrated he could've cried himself.
Abruptly, Tobias was thoroughly sick of pacing, and walked to the door to his room. Opening it wide, he startled an ugly black cat who'd been sleeping just outside. The cat yowled and swiped at him, but he ignored it and walked for the door to the outside corridor. The cat followed him, but he once again ignored it, and left the dorm to wander the halls, crying baby in tow. Come on, Mo. What do I have to do to help you sleep? Please.
“Mr. Bātard. It is one thirty in the morning.” Tobias startled and turned, finding McGonagall standing right behind him. Mo just kept screaming, and McGonagall's stern face softened. “You are not allowed to be out of the dorm this late, Mr. Bātard,” she said more gently.
Tobias closed his eyes. He'd somehow forgotten. “I know, Ma'am.”
“Have you considered taking a year off?” she asked suddenly. “I'm sure the headmaster would allow you back.”
Tobias just shook his head. “I'll manage somehow,” he told her. After all, what would he do? Return to Outcast's Alley? Go to the Court? Outcast's Alley had felt like home, but if he was going to deal with the Court, he'd rather do it from Hogwarts. And he really didn't want to deal with the court on their home-ground. He might get there eventually- Merlin I hope not – but for now, Hogwarts was the best he could do.
“All right, then. Do think about it, though, P-Bātard.”
“Yes Ma'am.”
“And go back to your dorm,” she said, tone suddenly strict again.
“Yes, Ma'am. Sorry Ma'am.”
He turned away from her and headed back to his dorm and his pacing, frustrated but grateful that at least she hadn't given him a detention. She'd have given Harry one in an eyeblink, but she seemed to have a lot of sympathy for him at the moment.
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Tobias was seriously muzzy at breakfast the next morning, and drank about a gallon of coffee before feeling up to speech. Having stayed up so late the night before – she'd finally fallen asleep around 2:00 AM – Mo had slept in an extra hour, taking the sum total of his sleep to five hours. Still, this didn't effect her normal morning cheer, and found himself watching with a tolerant sort of amusement as she lay in her playmat, squealing happily and batting up at the quietly tinkling mobile. One would never guess what a horror she'd been, just the night before.
He sensed the presence of other People strongly, but he didn't really pay it any mind until a quietly murmured, “your Highness,” drew his attention upward, and he found himself facing Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott.
“Can I help you?” he asked them politely.
“We thought we should introduce ourselves properly,” Zabini answered. “I am Blaise Karrenre Ardgloren-she Zabini, of the Seelie Court, and this is Theodore Nott, of the Sea People.”
Sea People? What's he doing on land, then? And he could guess that the 'Seelie' court was some counterpart to the 'Unseelie', but what did that mean about Blaise? Two earrings, super-long name, and of a different court. He'd have to guess that that made Zabini the leader of a lesser court. His thought was confirmed when Zabini gave him one of the 'technical equal' bows. Nott's bow was deeper: clearly commoner to royalty.
“Greetings,” he said politely, giving the best approximation of the proper bows that he could. “If I may,” he asked, focusing on Nott, “what is one of the Sea People doing at Hogwarts?”
Nott smiled nervously. “I am a selkie, your Highness. I go back and forth at will.”
“Interesting,” Tobias answered, aware that he sounded stiff. “Thank you.”
Zabini met his eyes, smile just barely mocking. “If I may, your Highness, what is the Heir to the Unseelie Court doing at Hogwarts?”
Tobias bared his teeth a little in response to Zabini's mocking smile, but the other boy's smile only widened, and he found himself smiling a little back. “Making a fool of myself, obviously,” he answered. “You?”
To his slight surprise, Zabini answered him seriously. “Getting an education,” he said. “I am a twin, and it is uncertain at the moment which of us will take the throne. However, events at the moment seem to point to me, and there is much I don't know of the human world that I ought. Plus, as you've probably noticed, fae magic and human are frequently quite similar, and Hogwarts is a good school. My parents, like many People parents, especially the nobility, thought it would be useful for me to get my education here.”
And that answers my question, Tobias realized. He's the Heir to the Seelie court. It also explained at least part of why there were so many People at Hogwarts.
“There is a young human Ravenclaw spreading rumors of your identity among the students, your Highness,” Zabini warned.
“I realize,” Tobias said shortly. “She's a friend of mine. But thank you.”
“Any time, your Highness.”
Remembering the difficulty with Mirim, the day before, Tobias said awkwardly, “Err...you may stay and eat with me, if you wish, but feel free to go, too...”
Again, that slightly mocking smile from Zabini. “Your highness,” he said, bowing again before turning away. Nott bowed low and followed him silently.
Well that was interesting. Were all the People at Hogwarts going to start approaching him now? Looking up, he noticed Umbridge watching him, a malevolent expression on her jowled face.
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“So, Mr. Bātard, should I be bowing to you, too?” Umbridge asked him sweetly after everyone had settled into the Defense classroom.
It was just too perfect. “You're not technically obligated, no,” Tobias answered, holding Mo securely on his lap while she reached for his inkwell.
Umbridge drew herself up, coughing and blustering. “Excuse me? Who, exactly, do you think you are, Mr. Bātard?”
Pursing his lips to avoid laughing in her face, Tobias heard a snort. He looked over to the Slytherin side of the classroom to find Zabini looking right at him. As he watched, Zabini met his eyes and mouthed a word. Not catching it, Tobias gave him a confused look. Smiling slightly, Zabini paired the silent word with a gesture, and this time Tobias caught it - “please.”
Smiling slightly, Tobias gave him a nod. It was Thursday morning, and Zabini would send his message that afternoon, if Tobias didn't send his earlier. The time for secrecy was over.
“MR. BATARD, I asked you a question!”
Pushing his chair back, Zabini stood up slowly, and faced Umbridge. “Excuse me, Professor, but you have the great honor of addressing his Highness the Crown Prince Tobias Sheyananre Ardmohira-she James Bātard of the Unseelie Court.”
All shuffling and whispering in the class ceased abruptly, and Umbridge looked roughly like someone had hit her on the back of the head with a board – eyes bugged out and mouth slack.
“You – what – repeat that, please?” she finally asked.
“You asked who he was, Professor, and I answered you. You have the great honor of addressing his Highness the Crown Prince Tobias Sheyananre Ardmohira-she James Bātard of the Unseelie Court, and his daughter the Royal Second Moriyana Lliannanre Ardbeijahn-she of the Unseelie Court.”
Umbridge swallowed visibly. “Ard-Mohira?” she repeated dumbly.
“And next in line to Her Royal Majesty Sheyananre's throne,” Blaise said calmly. “Why, are you worried His Majesty Consort Mohira might have a problem with your treatment of his heir?”
And Umbridge whitened. “I- excuse me, class. I must - consult – with the Minister.” She hustled out of the classroom and was gone.
Tobias turned to Zabini and found him returning his grin.
“You guys do realize you're going to be in enormous trouble, right?” Hermione spoke up then.
“No,” Zabini answered her, standing up tall to give her a proud look. “Why would we be?”
“Honestly,” she answered him, sounding just like she did when she thought he and Ron were doing something stupid. “You're not worried about what'll happen when she realizes that you were lying?”
“You accuse me of lying?” Zabini asked her bluntly, suddenly cold and arrogant.
“You're claiming you weren't?” Hermione shot back.
“That is exactly what I am claiming.” Zabini answered calmly.
“Earrings,” somebody croaked. Looking over, Tobias realized it was Malfoy. “Ask him to show his earrings. He should have two hoops in his left ear.”
Without waiting for Hermione to actually ask, Tobias stood and lifted his hair off his earrings. Hermione squeaked, but Tobias barely noticed, as Malfoy had dipped into a shallow rendition of an apologetic bow.
“Forgive me if I offended you, your Highness,” Malfoy said. Tobias couldn't quite figure out what to think. It was an apology, which was a strange thing to get from Draco Malfoy, but then he could hear the resentment behind it. In the end, Tobias decided to ignore it, and instead turned to Hermione.
“Sorry miss,” he said, once again wincing internally as he called Hermione miss, “I had my reasons.”
“Reasons for what?” Ron asked.
“She's been wanting to know who I was,” he explained. “I told her half-truths, as did many of the adults I'm sure she asked.” As am I now, he realized guiltily. When would he be able to tell Hermione who he really was?
“Oh, yeah,” Ron said. “You said your name was Tobias Bātard!”
“It is,” Tobias explained. “That's just not all of it.”
“No wonder nobody would tell me anything!” Hermione finally exclaimed. “You asked them not to.”
Err...sorta? “Exactly,” Tobias told her, wincing internally at the blatant lie.
“Then what were you doing at – the house?” she asked him.
“Like I said, I was transferring to Hogwarts, and needed a safe place to stay in the interim.”
Abruptly Tobias realized that he didn't have the time for this conversation – the shit was about to hit the fan, and he needed to be prepared. The last thing he needed was for the court to hear from the Ministry where he was.
“Anyway,” he said to the staring class, “it doesn't look like Umbridge is coming back. I'm going to go take advantage of the break.”
Carefully avoiding looking back at anyone, Tobias picked up his still-packed bookbag with one hand and swung it carefully over his shoulder before heading out of the classroom.
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