"People speaking"
'People thinking'
Somewhere in Iran
Captain Hugo Morrison, an on-duty SAS Captain found himself in a situation most people would never find themselves in. The day started off normal. He had been deployed to a peace keeping operation in the Middle East at the behest of the United Nations. He had travelled with his team of sixteen troopers to hostile territory. While on route to their camp, their convoy was ambushed by insurgents. The team had been stuck behind cover for twenty minutes. Luckily their base had noticed their absence and the backup was on its way.
Hugo ducked for cover as bullets hit their convoy. He looked at Jack, his deputy, "Quite a pickle we find ourselves in. What's the status of the backup?"
Jack answers, "ETA nine minutes. Frankly, I don't know how long we can hold them. We need to get away from the cover."
Hugo peeps from the side, hoping to catch any mistake from the insurgents. He notices an insurgent trying to circle behind them. Immediately, his rifle finds its mark as the insurgent is shot dead. Every minute felt like an hour as the team waited for backup.
Finally, Hugo heard a sound that seemed like the sweetest music he ever heard. It was the sound of helicopters. His backup had arrived. The team heaved a sigh of relief as they heard shots coming from the heli. As the insurgents were pushed back, one of them rushed towards the group with fanatic eyes. Sliding under the gunfire, the insurgent ran straight to Hugo's hiding place.
Hugo looked at the insurgent rushing towards him. His hand quickly reached for his sidearm, drawing it in one fluid motion, before shooting the insurgent thrice. The insurgent stumbled right to his hiding spot, before collapsing in front of Hugo. It was then that Hugo saw the armed grenade in the insurgent's hand.
Hugo yelled, "Grenade! Watch out!"
Without thinking further, Hugo laid on top of the grenade. A moment later, the grenade exploded, flinging Hugo with its shockwave. The other troppers watched in horror as their team leader fell in front of them with severe injuries.
Jack quickly approached Hugo, checking him for a pulse. Jack sighed as he felt a weak pulse. He called for a medic, when Hugo suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for air.
Hugo felt his life slipping away. The pain in his abdomen was a stark reminder of his state as his breath came out in short gasps. He clutched Jack's arm, whispering between gasps, "Is everyone safe?"
Jack looked at Hugo, "Yes sir, everyone is safe. You will survive this, the medic is already here."
Hugo wheezed, "I'm afraid it's a bit too late for me. I can already feel my life slipping away. So, this is my final command, survive this mission, make sure everyone goes home to their families. Bring my things to my daughter. Tell her 一 that I apologize for not being able to read to her."
A tear slipped from Jack's eye. Hugo had been his team leader since he joined the SAS. Now, he was about to leave him and his squad forever. Still, Jack looked at Hugo and said with conviction, "It was an honour to serve with you Sir."
With a final smile, Hugo closed his eyes, his pain filled face calmed. Finally, his breath stilled as all signs of life vanished from his body.
Maternity Ward, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, 1959
Lucius Malfoy sat in a high chair outside the ward. His father Abraxas Malfoy paced outside the room, worry etched on his face as he waited for the birth of his second child. His wife, Lucille, was being accompanied by two mediwitches and several experts on childbirth. According to the healer, there were some complications during birth and the life of both the mother and the child would be in danger.
Lucius looked at his father, wondering about his worry with his five-year old logic. He knew that his mother was about to bring his younger brother and sister to the world, but he did not care about that. He only worried about his mother. He gently got off from the chair, slowly approaching his father before tugging at his robe.
Abraxas looked down at his son. His worried eyes softened as he comforted, "Don't be afraid Lucius. Your mother is strong. She will get through this. Soon, you will have a younger sibling to take care of."
Lucius's face scrunched at the thought. He was worried that his sibling would steal away his parents, but for the sake of his family, he buried his worries. He asked hesitantly, "Will it be a brother or a sister?"
Abraxas smiled, "We are keeping it a surprise Lucius. If it is a brother, both of you will be the future of our house. Remember, the glory of our family rests on your shoulders. You must never tarnish it. You are not like the rabble of this world, you are Malfoys."
Lucius nodded vigorously, his little head shaking with the moment. This was something he had heard before. The glory of the Malfoys. His father had told him how he was a pureblood, someone different from the rabble that came to the wizarding world every year. This thought has guided many of his actions. He socialized with people his father suggested, he learned things his father told him to learn, and he did everything for the glory of his family.
As the father and son talked, a nurse came out of the room and said, "The birth was a success, both the mother and the child are safe. You can visit the two."
Abraxas hurriedly pulled Lucius in the room. On the bed, Lucille Malfoy rested, clutching a small squirming bundle, smiling tiredly. The birth had been difficult, leaving her severely drained, but she held on. Finally, the little one was brought to the world. Lucille looked at Abraxas with tenderness. Abraxas looked at his wife's tired face before turning to look at his young son.
The child was tiny, slightly smaller than Lucius at the same age. His head has wispy platinum blonde hair. As the infant opened his eye slightly, as if squinting against light, Abraxas spied vibrant violet eyes. Abraxas whispered, "Welcome to the world my son. You will be a great part of our family."
Turning to his wife, Abraxas asked, "Have you thought of a name? You asked to name him after I named Lucius."
Lucille nodded, her eyes blurry with unshed tears. She said, "He will be named after my grandfather. He will be Hugo."
Abraxas nodded and turned to his infant son, "Welcome to the Malfoy family, Hugo Malfoy."
Hugo's POV
Hugo looked up at the giants holding him. To him, the situation was far too bizarre. The last thing he remembered was the explosion and the sharp pain in his body as the shock from the grenade scrambled his guts. Some minutes ago, that feeling of suffocation and pain was still gnawing at him when he felt a warmth that seemed to make that sensation go away.
Hugo looked at the giants with slightly blurred eyes. He saw a blond woman holding him lovingly. When he heard Hugo from her mouth, his attention sharpened. Another blond head came into his view. He heard the man say, "Welcome to the Malfoy family, Hugo Malfoy."
That truly shocked him. As an Englishman growing up in the early 21st Century, he was familiar with the cultural phenomenon known as Harry Potter. Malfoy was a very significant name in the series, representing the earliest example of Pureblood snobbery and class divide in the novel. As the story progressed, the Malfoy name was intertwined with Voldemort, a name that brought unspeakable terror to the entire Wizarding world. Now, being a part of that family filled him with slight apprehension.
'It could have been worse.' thought Hugo, ' Harry Potter is not as terrible as some other worlds out there.'
With that thought in mind, Hugo felt a wave of drowsiness, something really common among babies. His eyes closed in minutes as he fell into restless sleep.
Five Years Later
It had been five years since Hugo arrived into this magical world. Everything was new to him in strange ways. The only good thing was the absence of Voldemort in his life. Hugo knew that the Malfoys cared a lot about family glory. Thankfully, they were not as extreme as the Blacks or the Notts. The past few years were wonderful for Hugo. It is only after facing the issues of adulthood that you learn to appreciate and cherish the simple childhood. Still, watching magic for the first time was really freaky to him.
Hugo walked calmly in the Malfoy library, his violet eyes scanning the tomes collected by his ancestors over centuries. A small black kitten with sharp amber eyes 一 a birthday present he received a few days back 一 followed his steps into the library.
Hugo reached a large shelf containing books on runes and ritualistic magic. As a fan of the series, he had always had an interest in magic, but for some reason, his magic didn't seem to respond. He had read a lot about the magical world and knew that magic responded to emotions, but something felt off to him. Since he could walk, he would travel around the Malfoy manor, looking at things, asking the paintings of his ancestors if they knew anything about his predicament.
As the night went on, Hugo read through books about magic, learnt of rituals people did to enhance their magic power, and read about the oldest kind of magic, the runes. Runes had always fascinated him. In some worlds, they held the very essence of magic, in others, they were just a language. Runes in this world held uses in enchanting, and rituals. Magic in this world was idealistic, but bound by rules. Runes and rituals were the first ways of magic. They were spells that used the power of sacrifice to power a trade between the caster and magic. You needed some magic to get on the radar, but it was a much more primal form that did not have the convenience of wand magic, but had much more raw power.
Hugo finally closed his book, breathing a sigh as he looked at a small pocket watch he had. Another sleepless night. He closed the book and turned to the tiny kneazle hybrid, "Lets go quietly Jack, follow my lead."
Jack tilted its neck in confusion. Hugo sighed, "It's just not the same. Well, lets just go."
As Hugo left the library, he turned to a portrait on the wall outside the library. Lucille Malfoy, the wife of Abraxas Malfoy and Hugo's mother, looked at her son. It had been two years since she died. Apparently, the birth was too difficult and even magic cannot heal some wounds. Hugo approached her portrait as she said, "You know, staying up late at your age wouldn't bring out the magic early."
Hugo looked at her. In his past life, he had lost his mother at birth. His father had tried to fill the gap but nothing could fill the empty space in their family. In this life, Hugo was quite close to his mother, but death still claimed her. He was helpless against it.
Hugo whispered, "I know mother. But if I could do something, anything, maybe this house would not feel so empty. Father has already pushed himself in his work, and Lucius will soon leave for Hogwarts. No one is the same since you left."
Lucille sighed, "I know, but harming your health will not help them. You should rest well. You can learn when you are at Hogwarts."
Hugo sighed, "All right mother. I will go to sleep."
As Hugo trudged to his room, his mother's portrait looked at the boy with sadness. She whispered, "I wish I could accompany you, hold you or comfort you. But you are much stronger than you think, Hugo. Someday, you will forge your own path. I just hope you could live your childhood in peace."
AN: This chapter was coming for a long time. Prior commitments had delayed it. But finally, here it is.
AN2: I thank all my patrons who have joined with my work. Your support is what keeps me going. Thank you
AN: The next chapter will end the first flashback of the story. Stay tuned.
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