Xerxes Codium Xian. A mouthful of a name. It sounded like a name for a prince. It almost didn't seem to fit the small dark haired boy who sat on the forest floor waiting for his mother. The five year old was not alone. A large, old, gray wolf lay beside him, it's muzzle laid upon his knee. Cody's hand was on it's head, petting it softly.
Xerxes may have been Cody's real first name, but he had always been called Cody, and he intended to keep it that way. Xerxes Xian was much too princely. Even for the little prince himself.
Cody was a prince. A prince of two completely different places. One was in a different time era, and the other was in a different realm all together. He had never really seen either kingdom.
It bothered him, actually. His parents refused to take him to either one because they felt each was dangerous. They had a right to think this, because in both kingdoms, many people wanted the royal family's blood.
Cody leaned down, hugging the wolf, "Moonlight, you're a good guy." He told the wolf with a smile.
Sarah was walking and happened to see a friend sitting there talking to a wolf. She smiled as she then walked over to him and stood there. Cody had for some reason got her more then anyone else she knew.
"So Cody who is this animal your talking to. I mean what his name." Sarah then bent down and pet the wolfs head.
Cody smiled up at Sarah, "This is Mom's friend, Moonlight." He scratched behind Moon's ears, grinning at the wolf.
"She told him to stay with me while she gathers herbs."
Sarah smiled at him as she sat there. "well do you mind if I sit here and keep you company. "
Sarah looked up at the sky. "I mean I'm taking a break from both of my jobs."
"It's okay with me." Cody said, shrugging. Moonlight glanced at Sarah, then closed his eyes, his head resting on Cody's knee. The wolf was old, and tired. But he was still and Untouchable. One of the few left.
Cody looked up also, "Miss Sarah? Did you ever meet my mom's ex-husband?"
Sarah looked at him and smiled. "well it has been a while but I am sure that I have."
Sarah thought she had but she was pretty sure that she had. She had meet lots of people she did not remeber meeting. "why do you ask."
Albus was sitting in the top of a tree, relaxing. The cold wind hit his body gently, making him feel better than he had been for ages. He had gotten there for half an hour ago. Classes had ended then and Albus wanted to relax in the forest, while he got some powers back. Still he was weak, and he knew he wouldn't be on his best before the winter came again. Suddenly, he heard some voices under him.
Quickly, he climbed further down, to see who it was. On the fourth branch down he saw clearly.
" Hi Cody and Sarah!" He continued to climb down when he noticed something. " Cody! Be careful! You have a wolf right behing you!" Anxiously. He jumped down the rest of the bit, confused.
" Why arn't you guys moving?!" Just standing there with big eyes.
The wolf opened one eye, looking at Albus, before closing it again. Cody grinned and patted Moonlight's head, smiling at Albus, "Hi Albus," He said before looking back at Sarah.
"Well, Miss Sarah, I was just kinda wondering about my mom. She doesn't tell me much you know."
Sarah smiled as she looked at him. "Well to tell you the turth. Your mother don't tell me much either."
Sarah then turned to Albus. "You of all people should know that I am great with animals even if it is a wolf."
" What?! Wha..." Albus mumbeled. "Ah... So what are you guys doing here?" Now a bit more calmed.
But still he didn't get what it was. So he waited for their answers.
Cody was quiet for a moment, then looked at Sarah again.
"I wish I could find out about my mom's life..." He sighed, thinking about what he did know.
He frowned, "I want to know about the places I'm going to be king of someday, you know?"
Albus sat down. " I don't know anything Cody..." Trying to set himself into the case.
" But I know something about you're mom's life. Not to much but.... Something. Wanna know?"
While he looked at him and Sarah.
Sarah looked at both of them. Sarah was not sure what to say. She knew that Cody wanted to know more but she was not sure what she needed to hold back and want to tell.
"Well I am sure that maybe when you get just a little older that your mother will tell you more. I mean she might be waiting for the right time."
Cody looked at Albus, tilting his head slightly in the way both his parents did when interested. Except Ginny's was one of curiousness, and Xaver's was more animal like. Anyway, he leaned towards Albus, "Tell me what you know. Please. I want to know."
" Well..... Your mother has been through many things. She's so lucky she haves you....
But I don't know if I should tell you... It's really not me that is gonna tell you this.... You should ask you're father or you're mother about it.... Or someone else" Albus said changing his mind.
" And I don't know if what i tell you would really be true." Continuing making arguments.
" Sorry Cody..." He said slowly.
He ripped a hair out and throwed it on the ground. " Bad habit..."
Cody's eyes grew darker as he began to get angry. He frowned at Albus, "Either you'll tell me or you won't, but don't argue with yourself about it."
He scowled, darkly. He saw no harm in having people tell him about his mother. If only he knew more people from her past, then he'd know more about it maybe. The same with his dad. He knew some about his dad, since Xaver once shared memories with him. But he still wanted to know more about his parents.
Sarah looked at Cody. She felt bad for him a little all he wanted to do was learn more about his parents. She was not sure what she should tell him.
"Cody I would tell you things but I don't know anything really. I just know that she used to hate me because I would always get into trouble and not beable to get out of it on my own and she would come to my resecue."
Albus looked at Cody, a bit strict. " I won't tell you anything then "
He folded his arms to look more decided while he looked another way.
Cody jumped up, clenching his fists angrily, "Fine! Don't tell me anything! I wouldn't believe you anyway!"
He glared at Albus and Sarah, his ice blue eyes flashing with his anger. Why wouldn't anyone tell him anything? He only wanted to know about the past so he could learn from it. He wanted to know about his parents. He wanted to know his parents.
" Cody! Relax! Maybe Ginny or Xaver havn't told you anything yet, because they don't want you to be afraid! They want you to have the best childhood a child could have! Every parent wants that!
You maybe just have to wait! I know some here on the school, who have been afraid in their childhood, and it affects their life forever!" Albus said fast. His eyes was focusing on Cody's eyes.
"I'm past childhood. Don't you realize that? My life will always be affected, Albus! I'm not human, my parents are two of the strongest people alive, I have powers I'll never even know about, and I'm the first born prince of two countries! I will never have a normal life, even if I wanted one."
He clenched his fists, "If you won't tell me, I'll just find out from somebody else."
" Find out from yourself then Cody! Think that's gonna go fine!" Albus said while he also got on his feet. He looked into his eyes, while he started to get a little angry.
"Better than if I ask any of you idiots!" Cody snapped, turning on his heel, only to bump into someone and fall backwards onto his butt. Before him was a dark haired, olive skinned man. He was older than Albus and Sarah, but younger than 30 years. He smiled, and his teeth shone white in the dim sunlight. His dark eyes gleamed as he knelt down, offering Cody a hand up.
"Sorry, Xerxes. Didn't see you there," said Mahn Herion. His grin was wide, and rather creepy, the way it didn't go past his lips. His voice was heavily accented, but with what language one couldn't even begin to tell. He wore black almost entirely, except for a gray shirt beneath his jacket and his necklace. His necklace was unusual in the fact that it was an elemental orb, shrunken. But it didn't have any of the four common elements, instead it throbbed a deep dark purple.
Cody looked up, instantly recognizing Mahn, even though he had only met him once. At that time, Mahn had been forced to leave after upsetting his parents. Cody peered closley at the man before him, and decided he had no malice intent before nodding briefly.
"Mahn..."
Mahn grinned even wider, "That's right little Xerxes. I couldn't help but overhear...you wish to know more about your parents?"
Cody glanced back at Albus and Sarah, then at Mahn before nodding.
"Well," Mahn said, "I can't tell you much about your father...don't really know the bloke. But your mum...well, now there's a good story." His teeth seemed to gleam even more, and to grow sharper. He looked like a grinning jack-o-lantern, eerie yet welcoming.
Albus looked at the man, suspicius. It was like an aura around him that Albus didn't like.
Then, he looked at Sarah, thinking to her,~Do you know who he is? Is he our friend or enemy?~
He blocked the message the best he could.
Sarah saw Mahn and walked over to him. "It been a while since I last saw him. So how you."
Sarah knew that when she had last meet him it was not very good but she was going to be nice. "Cody you don't want to know the things that he has to say. I hope that listen to me."
Mahn looked up a Albus, smiling as he caught the mental message. "Boy, you are nothing to me." Meaning he was not Albus's enemy, nor his friend. As for Cody, he reach down, patting the child's head and ruffling his obsidian hair.
"Cody, what I have to say is the truth. Which is what no one else will tell you. Don't you wish to know the truth?"
Cody looked at Mahn before his face grew darker, "I want to know. But no one will tell me. They think I'm too little."
Mahn chuckled, "No, boy. You may be young in years, but you are not too little for the truth. Come, I'll tell you the truth." He held out his hand.
Cody stared at it, not even giving Sarah or Albus another glance. Weighing his options. Going with Mahn could be bad, very bad. But if he didn't go, he'd never find out anything.
" WHat you are to Ginny, you are to me!" Albus said angrily. When he knew this Mahn, could get his mental messages, he was powerful.
" Cody! Don't go with him!" He didn't want Cody to go with some stranger that Sarah apparantly didn't like so much.
"Cody who do you want to know about. I mean i can try digging around to find out things." Sarah looked at him. She was going to do anything to stop him from going.
(Mahn Mahn Mahn! I want in!! How shall I though?)
((Dunno...come to save the day? Heh, don't ask me! Somebody DO something though, before Cody goes with Mahn!))
Cody narrowed his eyes slightly, peering at Mahn with suspicion, "How do I know you won't lie to me?"
"I wouldn't lie to you." Mahn said, still smiling. His continuous grin was scary, demonic. He sent of few waves, and the ones Cody did get from him weren't exactly pleasant. Still...
"Promise?"
"Don't listen to anything he says Cory." Sirius mistakingly said Cody's name but that didn't matter. With a pop Sirius was behind Mahn, his wand outstretched. He was wearing a black robe with black pants and a purple shirt and tie. His eyes were a deep red with anger.
He had been looking for Sarah for a while and somehow had ended up here.
(Not the best writing. But I just needed to jump in blindly. I'll make these better. Did I do okay? Wasn't sure where you guys were.)
Sarah ran over and got between Cody and Mahn. "Siruis is right get away from him." Sarah then looked at Siruis. *Thanks she mouthed.*
((I love that...Cory...heh heh...))
Cody's eyes got even darker, and he ducked under Sarah's arm, inching closer to Mahn. Cody didn't know that Sirius and Ginny had made a truce. He didn't know that Sirius was actually trying to help him. He didn't like Sirius all that much, but he liked him better than he liked Albus and Sarah right now. As for Mahn, he was someone Cody decide about.
"My name isn't Cory."
Mahn rolled his eyes at Sirius's words, and raised his eyebrows at Cody. "See? They don't want you to know anything about your mum's past."
"I haven't even been here five minutes and already you are annoying the crap out of me. Thank you Mahn. That's a new record for you I think. I'm sorry. My mistake. Don't listen to this man. Please, just let Sarah take hold of you. Don't listen to him." Sirius still held his wand. Ready to strike but not until he made the first move. He was slightly afraid of Cody for he seemed angry with him.
"no you want to know the turth. I think this is the guy that tried to fight and injury you mother all the time. What else to you want to know. I mean I will try my hardest to help you out. I just don't want to have you go with him." Sarah looked at him as she stood there not sure what to do.
Cody was not sure what to do. "Siruis he will not listen to me."
Cody looked at Mahn, "You hurt my mom?"
Mahn shook his head, "Only when she hurt me, boy. Trust me, I love your mom. I'd never hurt her badly."
Cody scowled, but wasn't ready to choose yet, "If you know so much about my mom, why does she hate you so much?"
Mahn grinned again, "Because, Xerxes. I know the truth about her. I know her darkest secrets, and her darkest actions."
"Cody if you go with him I will not be able to stop your mother or even your father from hurting him." Sarah was not sure what she was going to do. *Ginny where in the world are you. I need you*
Sarah knew that she need to get away from Mahn. "So Cody you need to stay away."
"So what if they hurt him?" Cody snapped, "Why would I care?" He clenched his fists again, glaring at Sarah.
Mahn laughed outright now, "You are her son, no doubt about it. Apparent discard for others...so like Ginny." He took a few swift steps closer to Cody, placing a hand on his shoulder warmly.
"Come, boy. We'll have a nice cup of tea."
"cody you are making the worst decision ever if you go with him. You have to turst me on this one." Sarah took a step closer to. She had to get to him.
" Cody. If you want to be safe, don't go with him" Albus said slowly taking a step against Cody.
His voice was calm, all anger away. " I'll try to tell you everything I know! Please. Don't. go."
Starting to sound desperate.
"Mahn just leave him alone! He is only a child!" Sirius stepped forward, his wand still outstretched in front of him.
Mahn frowned, "I know he's only a child. Do you think I'd hurt him?" He looked down at Cody, shaking his head, "You guys need to give me more credit." He appeared hurt at their implications.
Cody narrowed his eyes, looking at Mahn, "I've an idea. How about we all go into Hogsmead for tea...that way, they won't run off like scared rabbits."
Albus was pleased the idea, so he nodded. Well....not actually pleased but it was okay enough. He cleared his mind, being ready to attack with his ice at any second. His sight was focused on Mahn and Cody. A creepy feeling came over him, warning him that something was gonna happen soon.
The air around him was warm, so he knew he wouldn't be so much of a help if something happened.
Sarah stood there. She was not sure if she had like this idea any better but she would accept it if she had to. At least this way she would not have to explain to his mother why he had went away with Mahn by himself. She would not know what to say.
"well I think that could work. I mean that way we will not get in trouble if your mother since I let you go with him." Sarah said standing there holding her wand.
Sirius sighed and licked his lips. He couldn't understand why Sarah and Albus seemed so willing to let him be apart of there lives even if it was just for an afternoon. Sirius growled, not trusting anything coming out of Mahn's mouth but still going along with it for fear that if he didn't he would have friends for enemies. Slowly he lowered his wand and glared at the back of Mahn's head. Slowly he turned to Sarah. "Mind if I tag along?" He asked her politely. His eyes were a deep shade of red but he showed no anger while he spoke to Sarah. He was trying to hide the fact that he didn't like Mahn's presence with them and he was surprisingly succeeding well beyond what he thought he could manage.
Sarah turned and looked at him. She then kept walking. "Well I guess you can just be nice."
Sarah was not wanting Mahn to be there but she knew that this was the only way that they could keep Cody out of hands.
Harry blinked his eyes thinking his eyes were fooling him again. He saw two strange men following Sarah and Sirius.
Mahn shrugged, "Okay with me." He said. He glanced at Sirius, then down at Cody, "I only want someone to listen to me about Ginny." He explained, then blinked, scowling slightly. Why was he explaining himself to a five year old? He really was losing it.
Cody smiled, then reached out, clasping Mahn's hand and walking towards the trail that led to Hogsmead. It was hardly a five minute walk away, with no danger along the trail. Cody knew the forest well, his mother having been in charge of it (for lack of a better phrase) for most of her school years.
Harry confused seeing it was Cody and another strange, familiar man but he simply decided to silently follow them.
Sarah had followed them. "I am going to be there the whole time. If you try something sneaky I will be the frist one to attack you so you know that Mahn."
Sarah then smiled she had been looking for someone to use her spells on.
Albus really wanted to be in some help if something happened, so he cooled the air around him as much as he could. "Yeah. I'm might just a first grader but I have some skills!" Albus said taking his wand out.
It was his only protection now as he was slowly regaining his powers.
"Whatever." Mahn said, waving his free hand back at them. He sounded bored with them, knowing they were no match for him. Ginny was far stronger than then and even she couldn't beat him.
Cody smiled as they walked, scuffing his sneakers to obscure his own tracks, to make them less readable. Not far off, the wolf that had been with them in the clearing was running to keep up, stopping now and then to look at them all. Cody wasn't worried.
Sirius growled to himself as he followed silently in Mahn's footsteps. He hoped he was making the right decision in not trusting him but part of him was tempted to trust Mahn. He knew he shouldn't though and that was just how he worked. He watched every movement he made toward Cody, wishing Ginny were there to help save her angel. Part of him wondered that what Mahn said was true, the other part was trying to keep in mind what Mahn was and how he worked.
All he could do now was watch, listen, keep his hand on his wand, and hope that Ginny came soon before something happened that could be unfixable.
The reached Hogsmead, and Moonlight stayed near them, even when they reached the pub. Cody tugged Mahn's hand, "In here." He said, jerking his head towards the Three Broomsticks. Mahn shrugged, doing as Cody wanted, happy because for once, someone was going to listen to him.
The found a table near the back, Cody sitting close to Mahn as though he thought of him as a wonderful uncle. He smiled as the waitress came, his adorable face lighting up as the waitress recognized him.
"Cody, baby boy." She reached down and tapped his cheek, "Whatchyu doin' here withouch yur momma?"
Cody grinned at her, "Talking with some frinds of her's, Miss Kindale." He laughed softly as she nodded.
"Whatchya wanna order, guys?" Miss Kindale asked the table.
"Chocolate milk, please." Cody said.
"Just water, miss." Mahn spoke lowly, avoiding Miss Kindale's eyes. She nodded and wrote it down.
"The rest of ya?" She asked.
Sirius followed them in the musty room and sat down across from mahn, his hands held tightly to each other in his lap. He kept his eyes on Mahn and Cody as he spoke to waitress. "Nothing thank you," he muttered without changing the expression on his face.
His eyes stayed a dark red and his hands turned white from his holding on to them and his gaze remained as intense as ever. Watching and waiting for a sudden movement or anything that would give him one reason to attack upon Mahn without a second thought about it.
After taking Sarah and Albus's orders, the waitress walked away, glancing back at Cody with a smile. Cody waved, then dropped his adorable cheeky grin. He looked to Mahn, fire lighting his eyes up.
"Tell me everything you know."
Mahn shifted, suddenly uncomfortable beneath the child's intense gaze. But he smiled, happy to oblige.
Sirius shifted slightly as well as he gazed at Mahn. He was waiting with baited breath to see what Mahn would say though he feared that he would be able to seduce Cody into doing something that would be either harmful to Cody or Ginny. He didn't relax his gaze nor his hands.
Mahn leaned forward, speaking to all of them, though he only looked at Cody.
"When I was 12 years old, your mother came into my life. She had defeated and killed my grandfather....her and her then boyfriend succeeded his throne, becoming the new King and Queen of our humble kingdom. But it wasn't right! My grandfather did so little wrong, and he was very sick at the time...he hadn't meant to harm people.
"At any rate, your mother tried to do me some good by letting me stay in the palace...by letting me interact with her happy little family," Mahn's voice was mocking, angry, "She never wanted anything to do with me. Just that Sulai bastard."
Sirius accidently let a snort slip from his final comment. He truly had never heard the story behind Mahn and Ginny's first meeting. This though he had never expected. He silently congratulated Mahn. He seemed to be even better at convincing people that he was the innocent victim then Sirius would have thought.
He finally relaxed his grip on his hand realizing they were numb. He peered down at them as they began to turn red as the blood rushed back into them. He kept his left hand on his lap but placed his right hand palm flat onto the table. Still watching intently as Mahn told his story.
Mahn paused, looking at Cody with a smile, "Your mother was beautiful, and kind, and sweet. I was in a arge with myself because I loved her." He shook his head, "I reminded myself daily that she was the one who killed my grandfather."
"One day, I accidentally let my feelings for her slip...and all she did was shrug and tell me that was too bad." He scowled, "She said she didn't have time for my imagined feelings. That I didn't really love her, and never would. She was wrong...so wrong."
"She told me to leave the castle once I tried to get between her and Sulai. Told me to get out and don't come back, that she hated me. The truth was, I began to hate her as well...as much as I loved her."
Sirius swallowed hard. His hand that was placed on the table squeezed into a fist. So I wasn't the only one, he though to himself. He closed his eyes for a moment. Imagining what Ginny had said to him. Almost exactly what Mahn was saying she had said to him. He shook his head violently to himself, he must not let Mahn do this to himself. Even if Mahn hadn't meant for it to affect Sirius it had.
No, no, no. Don't let him win. He had to continually remind himself in his head before slowly opening his eyes. They had now turned a shade of purple. He was scared of what Mahn was doing, unintentionally affecting him or not it didn't matter. Sirius didn't know what to think.
"Unknowingly, she and I joined the same group. We became Time workers...people who police the Time stream and stop stupid children from playing in it. I messed up...and she caught me. She turned me in...I was angry...they wouldn't listen when I told them she had also done wrong. They said she was doing her job when she killed the village...said she was simply doing what she should have done."
"But I...I was placed in Time Keep for interacting with one person from the past." Mahn slammed his fist on the table, "You have no idea what that place is like!"
Cody scowled, "Tell me more."
Sirius instinctively pulled his right hand back immediately and his left hand was on his wand in a flash. He kept it under the table though, remembering to try and keep cool. He tried to study Cody's face, worrying that he was beginning to think that his mother was some horrible person. Sirius was able to fight back the temptations to believe Mahn, but it was very hard to sit here and listen to his ranting about her.
Mahn blinked. He had forgotten he was actually telling this to a real person. No one had ever listened to him before, and the fact that the one person who was listening was Ginny's son made him question reality. He'd had psychotic breaks before.
Cody sighed, "I said, tell me more."
Sirius peered at Cody for a moment before returning his gaze back to Mahn. He wondered why Mahn had stopped talking so he opened his mouth to speak to him for the first time in the time they had now spent together. "Is something wrong?" He asked quietly, still with his hand on his wand.
(Apparently there is something wrong.)
((Waiting for the rest of them to reply.))
(Ah yes I'm sorry. I forgot you had already said that.)
Albus sat there patiently, listening to the story. It amused him a bit that you could travel in time.
When he stopped, not telling, he also asked the question, and as he did, he focused his powers.
As Sirius was acting against Mahn, was showing him that Mahn was not trustworthy.
His eyes was locked on Mahn, being ready protect Cody and hurt Mahn any second.
((Guess that'll do.))
Mahn shifted, looking at Sirius for a moment, then clearing his throat. "No, nothing is wrong."
Cody leaned forward, "Then continue, Signore."
Mahn nodded, "Yes." He thought, trying to remember where he had left off, then nodded again as he started speaking, "At any rate, while I was held in Time Keep, I saw her bring many more prisoners in...I saw he turn in her own ex husband at one point. Though, I suppose that was after they had begun the divorce arrangements."
Cody started, "Conan, right? Tell me what you know about that whole thing."
Mahn scratched his neck, "The best person to ask about that would be Sulai, not me."
"How do I find him?"
Sirius eyes Mahn dangerously before turning to Cody. "Cody, do you mind me asking. Why are you so curious with your mother's past?" He hadn't thought of it before, but Mahn wanted something that Sirius wasn't quite positive sure of but the fact that he knew what Cody wanted confused him.
Why did Cody want to know about something as intricate but all the same in the past as this?
"Because of the way my mom is, Signore Black. She is that way because of her past. Which she tells me none of." Four years old, and brighter than most adults.
"I'm going to learn more about my father as well. Now, Signore Herion, answer my question." The last was demanding, hard, cruel almost.
Mahn squirmed, "He stays exclusively in his era now. He's too afraid of your mother, from what I hear."
Sirius shifted uncomfortably as he listened to Mahn. "I do not see the point in this." He muttered meaning for Cody to hear but not caring who else did. He sighed and ran his fingers through his cold black hair, his eyes a scared purple. He shifted his position again, placing his hands in his lap where his wand was balanced on his knee.
Cody growled at Sirius, "But I do. I didn't ask you to come along, Signore Black. You se just another person to afraid of my mother's anger to let me go alone."
He was only four. Only four.
But it was hard to remember this.
Mahn shifted again, "I've nothing left to tell you, boy..." He muttered, though that wasn't true. He was suddenly afraid of Cody, suddenly uncomfortable. There was something wrong with the kid.
(*snorts* Something wrong with the kid. That's for sure. He's out smarting me.)
"Good! You see Cody there's nothing else for him to tell. All the more reason to let Mahn go on his way." He said glaring at Mahn as the final words fell from his tongue like butter on a knife. He turned back to Cody. "Have you found all that you need to know yet?" He asked the boy like he was almost older then himself. He wanted to give Cody an equal chance to have a say in what they did but at the same time worried that Mahn would be able to convince him to do something that would be to Mahn's advantage rather then the child's.
Cody stood, nodding at Mahn, "Thank you, Sirgnore. I'm sure we will be seeing each other again." He walked over to Sirius, clasping his hand.
"I'm done. I found out some. Can we go back now?" His eyes changed, he was tired. His brain had been working hard. For each word that had been spoken, he had been listening to the deeper meaning.
Sirius smiled with much gratitude as Mahn walked over. Grabbing his hand in return he shook his head at the little boy, smiling widely. "Of course we can. Whatever you want. You are such an interesting boy. I'll give you that. Smart to." He looked up at Mahn and nodded coldly.
"I hope we do not cross paths for a long while Mahn. So until then, good day."
((Mahn walked over? XD))
Cody leaned against Sirius's side, closing his eyes for a moment, then opening them.
"Signore Herion. I also suggest you stay away from my father. He doesn't like you, or your pet name for my mom."
Mahn jumped, "How do you...? Whatever. Good day, little Xian." He stood, bowing slowly before walking out the door.
"Signore Black? Can we go back to the forest? I'm tired."
(Whoops, I meant Cody but whatever haha sorry.)
Sirius peered down at the new Cody. Cody now reminded him of his own son rather then the strong boy that Cody seemed to have just been. He was glad to have a four year old back so he nodded to him smiling kindly. "Of course."
Cody smiled, clenching Sirius's hand in his small one, pulling.
"C'mon then." He said, giggling softly.
Sirius allowed the child to pull him through the shop till they were outside. He peered down at Cody, noticing his wings his leg twitched slightly. It was hard to remember that Cody was Xaver's child. This reminder sent his mind spinning.
As they reached the fresh air, leaving Sarah, Mahn, and Albus behind, Cody grinned up at Sirius. He noticed the older man looking at his wings and spread them slightly.
"Cool, huh?" He giggled, "Flying is even cooler, though."
Sirius's eyes widened in fear and slight amazement. He never thought of the wings of being able to fly. He thought himself as silly.
Of course. How could I be so stupid. The wings can be used to fly. They aren't just for show.
As he thought he smiled at himself for being so stupid.
"You are not stupid." Cody told him, smiling slyly.
"You have never seen us fly, so why would you think we could?" He paused, clenching Sirius's hand tightly, "But we do fly. Higher and faster than anyone on a broom."
Sirius swallowed, peering down at the small boy. "Have you ever gone that high?" He was truly curious to see if Cody had flown like he said he was capable of doing.
"Mmmhmm." Cody said absently, happily swining Sirius's hand. After a moment, he added, "I took your wife to the top of Hogwarts."
Sirius's wife...Miss Sarah in Cody's mind. Sirius was Signore Black, or Mr. Black. Sarah was Miss Sarah. It showed how the child saw them. Sarah was still very much a child in her own right. Sirius was too grown up for Cody to see as an equal, or even as an older sibling. To him, Sirius seemed older than his years.
Hatred does that to a person.
Sirius smiled down at the boy. "You like her don't you? Mrs. Black, or Miss Sarah, I suppose I mean."
Sirius knew Sarah's feelings for Cody, but he never knew how Cody felt about her.
Cody grinned, "Yes. She's very nice to me."
He paused, "She's never judged me for what I looked like, only for who I am..."
Sirius swallowed, thinking back on all his other encounter's with Cody. "You know, I never judged you either." He looked down at the boy, playfully swinging there hands.
"I just got caught up in the crazy world of adulthood. I got ahead of myself, thinking only of myself and not of others. I'm sorry if I ever caused you any pain. I really meant no harm." Sirius felt slightly silly, but only slightly, to be apologizing to a four year old in a manner that would be understood better for a man. Sirius knew Cody would understand his words, but hoped he would see the sincerity in them.
"Mmm, you only did it cause you love my mom." Love, not loved. Cody knew Sirius still cared about Ginny. But it seemed that now, now that Sirius had actually begun to care for her the right way, he was able to accept it.
Cody understood, through Ginny, that loves was strange and intangible, and that it was hard to understand. He knew that it had many levels, and many different ways of showing. And he was okay with people loving his mom.
Except when they hated his dad.
"Such a little boy." Sirius whispered to himself.
"Blessings are brought upon the honest and the brave. You are so blessed Cody." He shook his head in disbelief, staring down at the boy.
"How do you know so much?" It was a slightly idiotic question to ask he feared, but Sirius truly never had known how Cod was so smart. He knew his mother and father were smart, but he didn't think it possible to get brains through genes. Unless it was something from his father's side that made him that way.
"My parents..my mom, especially. Many children are born with the ability to be smart...but few have parents who know how to teach them." Cody grinned, 'And yeah, it has to do with my dad a bit."
He led Sirius back into the forest, chattering all the way.
"I look like my dad, almost exactly, right? Well, that's cause his genes overtook my mom's gentler ones. Her's are generally recessive, even when it's simple human chromosomes we're talking about. So I am identical to my dad, with a slight touch of her. Then comes the brain, the inner workings. My father's kind are well known for bing smart, my dad especially. My mom was also, at one point, called a genius. Put two and two together just right and you make eight."
His voice was soft, quiet and slightly high pitched. Still that of a small child. It made the whole thing rather surreal.
Sirius whistled appreciatively. He walked with Cody, still holding his hand. "That's very impressive I must say. Your a lucky boy to have such great minds in parents." He squeezed his hand comfortingly. "You'll go very far in life I'm sure." Forgetting that Cody was a four year old made it easier for Sirius to talk to him like he was an adult.
"Like I said, that was the basis. The foundation. If it weren't for my mom, I would have simply been a bit brighter than my peers." What did Cody know about peers? He never spoke to anyone his own age.
"She teaches me anything I want to know, and then teaches me when I don't want to know." He laughed, "She has this way of teaching me without me realizing it. We'd sit down to eat and before you know it, I was learning about psychological disorders!"
Sirius shook his head smiling. "That's crazy but fun all the same I assume? Do you like knowing all of this information? Do you ever wish you were like other children your age?" He was truly curious about the boy behind the four year old body. The boy that seemed much more mature for his age and yet still had a sense of youngness about him.
"What are children my age like?" Cody stopped, suddenly, still holding Sirius's hand. He raised his eyebrows, "Signore Black, I mean it. I know nothing of my age group. I know a lot, yes, but my peers...what are children like?"
"Well..." Sirius was taken by surprise at the question, having never thought that a boy such as Cody wouldn't know what a child of his age should act like. He thought for a moment. "Its hard to explain really Cody. You would need to meet my daughter, Annabelle. Then you could understand. She's five [I hope, I don't even know how old she is]. She could show you what it's like." He smiled to Cody. He had never thought of Cody and Annabelle being so close in ages. He nodded.
"She would enjoy it. I think it would be a good thing for you to learn. We'll talk to your mother how about it?"
((Is Annabell your youngest or oldest? Cause actually....Cody is older than all your guyses kids, if we do the timeline thing right. Hahaa.))
"Mmmkay," Cody said, grinning a little.
"I suppose I could repay you, then, for your kindness?" He asked, not wanting to surprise Sirius.
(Sarah and I have skipped along our time line so much that seriously I have no idea anymore. In most posts now adays James is like 12, Alexandra is like 15, and Annabelle is fudge I don't know. We don't really pay attention to there ages. We just pick there ages depending on the thread. It's terrible, but we were to anxious to have the kids be apart of us that we didn't think of ages.)
Sirius thought for a moment. "There is two things you could do for me." He smiled to him kindly before continuing.
"The first is I ask you to please forgive me of any pain I caused you and your family and let us be cool." He playfully poked the boy in the stomach, bending over so his eyes were level with Cody's.
"And second," his face turned serious as he stared into Cody's eyes, "be smart in your decisions when it comes to Mahn and people like Mahn. Trust the ones that love you like Sarah, Albus, myself, and especially Ginny and when we tell you a man isn't good please believe us. We know the people in this world that are capable of taking even the smartest of brains," he patter Cody's head, "and turning them against the people they love. Just remember who you love and who loves you and who would do anything to keep you safe okay?"
Cody thought for a moment, "The first is easy. I do forgive you."
And it was done, easily. Cody would most likely never breach the subject to rouse Sirius's guilt. He would speak of it, yes, but not to make the older man feel bad.
"The second, however, is something that is harder to agree to." He paused, "I still want to talk to Conan...and people that knew my father when he was a child."
"I understand that this second promise is hard to make. So how about a compromise. You can speak to whomever you like, if you are with either Ginny, Xaver, Sarah, Albus, of myself. How about that Little Man? Do we have ourselves a deal?" He still was at Cody's height and he remained there as he waited for his response.
Having gotten past his former judgement on the Xian family Sirius wanted to be sure that they were safe knowing that no one could harm them. He personally wanted to try and protect little Cody as best he could from enemies such as Mahn and even Conan.
"I still won't promise, but I'll try.." Cody rubbed his eyes with his little fists, then. He sat down on the forest floor, yawning greatly.
"I'm sleepy."
Sirius smiled and held out his arms for the boy. "Do you want me to carry you? We're almost to your mother. Only a little bit more now." He spoke softer now, trying to sooth the child into sleep.
He held out his arms ready to pick him up if he said yes.
(Where is Ginny anyway?)
((Gathering herbs or something. Just wanted to play with Cody a bit....))
"No, but can you hold my hand?" Cody didn't mind that Sirius had offered to carry him. But he would rather walk, if it was all the same.
Sirius nodded smiling. "Of course." He held out his left hand for Cody and looked around.
"Where is your mother anyway?" He said allowed, not really expecting or caring if Cody answered.