Post by Kaiia Blackthorn on Sept 13, 2008 4:55:54 GMT 8
ooc:
This is the continuation of 'Lost Innocence'. It's really part of an RP, but it's way too long for normal posting.
Josh apparated to Greenwood Cottage, and walked up the stone steps. He took a deep breath, then knocked on the wooden door. He had to admit to himself that he was nervous. He wasn’t sure how his brother would react to learning the secret that had been kept from him his whole life. Brandon would certainly be shocked to learn that Josh’s father was not Jack Greenwood - Brandon’s father, who had raised both boys - but Lucius Malfoy, who had abducted and abused their mother, impregnating her before she was rescued. Through a rare fluke of nature, Solstice had then conceived a second child by Jack, and had carried the two babies as twins, only discovering what had happened when Josh was born.
Josh had accidentally learnt the truth when he was 11, following a chance encounter with Malfoy on Diagon Alley. The implications of what his true parentage might mean had haunted him ever since. Until a few weeks earlier, only Josh, Solstice and Jack, and Malfoy himself had known about it. But Josh had told his new wife; and he felt that he owed it to his twin to tell him the truth. It would have been difficult enough to tell him, but it was further complicated by the fact that Brandon had taken an instant dislike to Kildara, and the relationship between the brothers was strained for the first time in their lives.
He looked up as the front door opened, and was startled to see his mother. She hugged him, and said, “I only came to bring Rhiannon some baby clothes, but Brandon mentioned that you were going to visit, that you had something important to tell him. I thought – Josh, you’re going to tell him about your father, aren’t you?” Josh nodded, but looked undecided. “If you’d rather I didn’t…” It was, after all, her secret too. But Solstice gripped his hand, looking up at her younger son. “It’s time. I think you’ve told Kildara, haven’t you?” Josh nodded, but before he could speak, Brandon came out of the living room. “Told her what?”
Brandon looked at his mother and brother, suddenly feeling that there was something very wrong. Why had their mother decided she should be here when Josh told him whatever it was that was so important to him? And why were they looking at him like a couple of kids caught raiding the cookie jar? Brandon felt a faint undercurrent of anger rising in him. Wasn’t it enough that Josh had rushed into a marriage with that woman? Brandon had heard all about Kildara’s reputation – sent to Azkaban for five years as a Death Eater sympathizer, and from all accounts, completely promiscuous since her release. Brandon had a position in the community to consider; it was one thing for his brother to have a fling with the Snape woman, but to marry her? Where the hell was his brain these days? Of course, the most likely explanation was that he’d knocked her up, but even so, it was taking things a bit far to actually marry her. And now there was something else that was apparently momentous enough that Josh felt he had to tell his brother in person, instead of by owl… Brandon turned and led them into the living room. He settled his mother in an armchair next to the fire, and turned to look at Josh, pointedly remaining standing. “Well?” he asked. “What is it that I should know?”
Josh saw that his mother was about to speak, and said, “Mum – it’s okay. I need to do this myself.” Solstice nodded, sighing. She was well aware of Brandon’s attitude towards his new sister-in-law. It was the first time her sons had seriously disagreed about anything, and she was afraid that learning the truth about his brother’s parentage would deepen the rift between them.
Josh took a breath, then said, “I can’t soften this, Bran, and I don’t want to prolong it with a long introduction. The truth is – well, Jack isn’t my father.”
Brandon stared at Josh. Whatever else he had suspected, this was way outside anything he’d been anticipating. “Not your father? What the hell are you on about? We’re twins, how could he not be your father?”
“It’s possible. It doesn’t happen often, but it did in our case. Think about it – all our lives people have found it hard to believe that we’re twins because we’re so different. This is why.”
Brandon looked at Solstice. “Mum…?” his voice was half incredulous, half pleading. Surely she was going to tell him that what Josh was saying was ridiculous. But Solstice met his gaze and nodded. “I’m sorry Bran. It’s true.”
Brandon looked from his mother to his brother, then back. “Does Dad know?”
Solstice nodded. “Your Dad knew right from the start. It doesn’t make any difference to him, he thinks of you both as his.”
Brandon felt as if his head was spinning. Everything he’d ever known seemed to be out of focus. “Why didn’t you tell me before…?” The full significance suddenly hit him. Without thinking, he said, “That means you… you went with someone else.” He regretted his words instantly, seeing the look on his mother’s face. “Mum, I…”
“It wasn’t by choice, Brandon,” she told him, an edge to her voice. “You don’t understand. I was abducted, and imperiused…” She saw Brandon was about to protest, and went on, “Yes, Elementals are immune to the Imperius curse, under normal circumstances. But he laid a geas on me, a binding curse. After that I was just as susceptible to the Imperius curse as anyone else.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t understand that? Is that why you didn’t tell me?” Brandon demanded.
“No.” This wasn’t going how Josh had planned. It was supposed to have been just him and Brandon, he hadn’t wanted his mother to have to relive this all again. “We – I didn’t tell you because of who it was. My father is Lucius Malfoy.”
Brandon felt his stomach lurch. Malfoy? That evil, slimy bastard? Malfoy had raped his mother? Brandon wanted to vomit. He stared helplessly at Josh, suddenly seeing it in his brother’s face. The grey eyes. The platinum fairness of his hair. The pale skin that never tanned. Even his build, and those unconscious, almost aristocratic little gestures Josh occasionally used. Brandon’s wife was an Auror, so he’d heard plenty of tales about the infamous Malfoy family. He felt a surge of fury, of revulsion. It was unthinkable that they had been harbouring one all these years. That he’d thought of him as his brother, had even named his son after him. He shook his head.
“You’re a Malfoy.” His voice sounded deadened, and Josh looked at him, perceiving that his twin’s reaction was going to be far worse than he had anticipated. He’d known he’d be shocked. But it looked as if he was going to lump him in with the Malfoys, assume that that was Josh’s real nature.
“No, I’m not. I’m a Greenwood, Jack’s my father in everything that matters.”
Brandon shook his head. He’d been feeling that there was a distance between him and Josh ever since he first saw him with the Snape woman, and this just made it worse. “It explains a lot,” he said bitterly. “I though you were just thinking with your hormones when you hooked up with that woman, but now it makes sense.”
“She has a name,” Josh said, a hardness creeping into his voice. “And what exactly do you mean by it making sense?”
“You hanging around a convicted Death Eater. Obviously your Malfoy instincts kicked in. Even so, I’d have thought you’d have a bit more self-respect.”
Josh stared at his brother. He was talking and acting like a stranger. What the hell was wrong with him? “Kildara has never been a Death Eater,” he said, his voice strangely taut as he struggled to keep his temper in check. “She went to Azkaban only because her family had that mark burned into her arm when she was just a kid.”
“She’s lived up to it though, hasn’t she?” Brandon said with a sneer.
Josh was starting to feel lightheaded as the rage began to boil within him. “And just what is that supposed to mean?”
“If you don’t know, then you’re about the only one who doesn’t. She’s the town bicycle – there’s hardly a man on Diagon Alley who hasn’t had a ride on that sl*t…”
The rage finally exploded, a white-hot wave of fury surging through him. Without thinking, Josh lunged at Brandon, and his fist caught him square in the face. Brandon staggered back, momentarily stunned, but within seconds he recovered enough to bring up his fists in a quick double-jab at Josh’s head. Before he could respond, Josh was suddenly aware of his mother reaching to grab his arm, putting herself between her sons.
“Stop it!” Solstice shouted. She was shaking, stunned at how fast the situation had descended into a brawl. She gripped Josh’s arm in one hand, putting her other hand on Brandon’s chest to push him back. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” she snapped at her elder son.
“Me? He attacked me!”
“And after what you just said about his wife, I don’t blame him,” Solstice retorted.
“His wife,” Brandon repeated scornfully. Ask him – I bet he only married her because she’s knocked up!”
“Brandon!” Solstice was horrified that he could speak about his brother like that. She took a step towards him, but Josh put his hands gently on her shoulders.
“Mum, no, it’s alright.” Josh’s voice was surprisingly calm. “Kildara is pregnant, though it’s not the reason I married her – we only found out today.”
“She’s pregnant?” Solstice smiled. “That’s wonderful, love…”
Josh nodded. “With twins – a boy and a girl…”
Brandon gave a sharp, mocking laugh. “History repeating itself? Well, maybe one of them will turn out to be yours…”
Solstice felt Josh tense again, and saw the blind fury flash on his face once more. She gripped his arms. “Josh, don’t, please don’t…”
Josh made a huge effort and forced the anger down, not wanting to upset his mother any further. He took a deep breath, staring angrily at Brandon. It was no good, if he stayed he was going to hit him again, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop once he got started… he turned abruptly and walked out of the living room, along the hall and out the front door. Solstice followed, and before he could disapparate, she caught hold of his hand.
“Josh – he’s completely in the wrong to say any of that. You have every right to be angry but… he’s still your brother.”
Josh looked down at her. This had been just as unpleasant for her. He wanted to reassure her, at least, that Brandon’s accusations were untrue. “Mum – I married her because I love her. I know it was fast but – once I knew, there was no reason to wait.”
Solstice nodded. “In a way, it was like that for me and Jack. Oh, I know I was his student for years, but after I left school, we didn’t meet again for a while. Then we happened to run across each other by chance, and as soon as I saw him that time, I knew. Just because it’s sudden, doesn’t mean it’s any less valid.” She smiled. “I’m so glad you’ve found someone. I was afraid that you were determined to cut yourself off from love, and a family of your own.”
“I think I knew the moment we met – I didn’t quite realize that was what it was, but it was an instant connection. And the day we got married, I told her my true name.”
Solstice smiled again. “Then she’s the right one. You can’t even speak it unless it’s right.”
“I didn’t know that – well, I suppose I’d never tried before.”
“Yes. I tried to say it to someone once, and I couldn’t. I physically couldn’t speak. I was sad at the time, I thought he was the one – but then, we were very young, still at school. It wasn’t until I saw Jack again after I left school that I knew the difference between being very fond of someone, and truly loving them.” She suddenly hugged Josh, wishing that it could be perfect for him, that his brother could accept who he was, and welcome his new wife. “Brandon will come around. He’s shocked right now, and hurt, he’s lashing out. Give him time.”
“Okay, Mum. It’ll be all right eventually.” He held her for a moment. Then he asked, “Are you going home - do you need a side-along?”
“No, I’m staying here tonight. I was going to do that anyway, but now it’s important. I’ll talk to Brandon. He needs to understand.”
Josh nodded. “If anyone can make him understand, it’s you.” He hugged her again, and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mum.” He stepped back, smiled at her one last time, then disapparated.
This is the continuation of 'Lost Innocence'. It's really part of an RP, but it's way too long for normal posting.
Josh apparated to Greenwood Cottage, and walked up the stone steps. He took a deep breath, then knocked on the wooden door. He had to admit to himself that he was nervous. He wasn’t sure how his brother would react to learning the secret that had been kept from him his whole life. Brandon would certainly be shocked to learn that Josh’s father was not Jack Greenwood - Brandon’s father, who had raised both boys - but Lucius Malfoy, who had abducted and abused their mother, impregnating her before she was rescued. Through a rare fluke of nature, Solstice had then conceived a second child by Jack, and had carried the two babies as twins, only discovering what had happened when Josh was born.
Josh had accidentally learnt the truth when he was 11, following a chance encounter with Malfoy on Diagon Alley. The implications of what his true parentage might mean had haunted him ever since. Until a few weeks earlier, only Josh, Solstice and Jack, and Malfoy himself had known about it. But Josh had told his new wife; and he felt that he owed it to his twin to tell him the truth. It would have been difficult enough to tell him, but it was further complicated by the fact that Brandon had taken an instant dislike to Kildara, and the relationship between the brothers was strained for the first time in their lives.
He looked up as the front door opened, and was startled to see his mother. She hugged him, and said, “I only came to bring Rhiannon some baby clothes, but Brandon mentioned that you were going to visit, that you had something important to tell him. I thought – Josh, you’re going to tell him about your father, aren’t you?” Josh nodded, but looked undecided. “If you’d rather I didn’t…” It was, after all, her secret too. But Solstice gripped his hand, looking up at her younger son. “It’s time. I think you’ve told Kildara, haven’t you?” Josh nodded, but before he could speak, Brandon came out of the living room. “Told her what?”
Brandon looked at his mother and brother, suddenly feeling that there was something very wrong. Why had their mother decided she should be here when Josh told him whatever it was that was so important to him? And why were they looking at him like a couple of kids caught raiding the cookie jar? Brandon felt a faint undercurrent of anger rising in him. Wasn’t it enough that Josh had rushed into a marriage with that woman? Brandon had heard all about Kildara’s reputation – sent to Azkaban for five years as a Death Eater sympathizer, and from all accounts, completely promiscuous since her release. Brandon had a position in the community to consider; it was one thing for his brother to have a fling with the Snape woman, but to marry her? Where the hell was his brain these days? Of course, the most likely explanation was that he’d knocked her up, but even so, it was taking things a bit far to actually marry her. And now there was something else that was apparently momentous enough that Josh felt he had to tell his brother in person, instead of by owl… Brandon turned and led them into the living room. He settled his mother in an armchair next to the fire, and turned to look at Josh, pointedly remaining standing. “Well?” he asked. “What is it that I should know?”
Josh saw that his mother was about to speak, and said, “Mum – it’s okay. I need to do this myself.” Solstice nodded, sighing. She was well aware of Brandon’s attitude towards his new sister-in-law. It was the first time her sons had seriously disagreed about anything, and she was afraid that learning the truth about his brother’s parentage would deepen the rift between them.
Josh took a breath, then said, “I can’t soften this, Bran, and I don’t want to prolong it with a long introduction. The truth is – well, Jack isn’t my father.”
Brandon stared at Josh. Whatever else he had suspected, this was way outside anything he’d been anticipating. “Not your father? What the hell are you on about? We’re twins, how could he not be your father?”
“It’s possible. It doesn’t happen often, but it did in our case. Think about it – all our lives people have found it hard to believe that we’re twins because we’re so different. This is why.”
Brandon looked at Solstice. “Mum…?” his voice was half incredulous, half pleading. Surely she was going to tell him that what Josh was saying was ridiculous. But Solstice met his gaze and nodded. “I’m sorry Bran. It’s true.”
Brandon looked from his mother to his brother, then back. “Does Dad know?”
Solstice nodded. “Your Dad knew right from the start. It doesn’t make any difference to him, he thinks of you both as his.”
Brandon felt as if his head was spinning. Everything he’d ever known seemed to be out of focus. “Why didn’t you tell me before…?” The full significance suddenly hit him. Without thinking, he said, “That means you… you went with someone else.” He regretted his words instantly, seeing the look on his mother’s face. “Mum, I…”
“It wasn’t by choice, Brandon,” she told him, an edge to her voice. “You don’t understand. I was abducted, and imperiused…” She saw Brandon was about to protest, and went on, “Yes, Elementals are immune to the Imperius curse, under normal circumstances. But he laid a geas on me, a binding curse. After that I was just as susceptible to the Imperius curse as anyone else.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t understand that? Is that why you didn’t tell me?” Brandon demanded.
“No.” This wasn’t going how Josh had planned. It was supposed to have been just him and Brandon, he hadn’t wanted his mother to have to relive this all again. “We – I didn’t tell you because of who it was. My father is Lucius Malfoy.”
Brandon felt his stomach lurch. Malfoy? That evil, slimy bastard? Malfoy had raped his mother? Brandon wanted to vomit. He stared helplessly at Josh, suddenly seeing it in his brother’s face. The grey eyes. The platinum fairness of his hair. The pale skin that never tanned. Even his build, and those unconscious, almost aristocratic little gestures Josh occasionally used. Brandon’s wife was an Auror, so he’d heard plenty of tales about the infamous Malfoy family. He felt a surge of fury, of revulsion. It was unthinkable that they had been harbouring one all these years. That he’d thought of him as his brother, had even named his son after him. He shook his head.
“You’re a Malfoy.” His voice sounded deadened, and Josh looked at him, perceiving that his twin’s reaction was going to be far worse than he had anticipated. He’d known he’d be shocked. But it looked as if he was going to lump him in with the Malfoys, assume that that was Josh’s real nature.
“No, I’m not. I’m a Greenwood, Jack’s my father in everything that matters.”
Brandon shook his head. He’d been feeling that there was a distance between him and Josh ever since he first saw him with the Snape woman, and this just made it worse. “It explains a lot,” he said bitterly. “I though you were just thinking with your hormones when you hooked up with that woman, but now it makes sense.”
“She has a name,” Josh said, a hardness creeping into his voice. “And what exactly do you mean by it making sense?”
“You hanging around a convicted Death Eater. Obviously your Malfoy instincts kicked in. Even so, I’d have thought you’d have a bit more self-respect.”
Josh stared at his brother. He was talking and acting like a stranger. What the hell was wrong with him? “Kildara has never been a Death Eater,” he said, his voice strangely taut as he struggled to keep his temper in check. “She went to Azkaban only because her family had that mark burned into her arm when she was just a kid.”
“She’s lived up to it though, hasn’t she?” Brandon said with a sneer.
Josh was starting to feel lightheaded as the rage began to boil within him. “And just what is that supposed to mean?”
“If you don’t know, then you’re about the only one who doesn’t. She’s the town bicycle – there’s hardly a man on Diagon Alley who hasn’t had a ride on that sl*t…”
The rage finally exploded, a white-hot wave of fury surging through him. Without thinking, Josh lunged at Brandon, and his fist caught him square in the face. Brandon staggered back, momentarily stunned, but within seconds he recovered enough to bring up his fists in a quick double-jab at Josh’s head. Before he could respond, Josh was suddenly aware of his mother reaching to grab his arm, putting herself between her sons.
“Stop it!” Solstice shouted. She was shaking, stunned at how fast the situation had descended into a brawl. She gripped Josh’s arm in one hand, putting her other hand on Brandon’s chest to push him back. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” she snapped at her elder son.
“Me? He attacked me!”
“And after what you just said about his wife, I don’t blame him,” Solstice retorted.
“His wife,” Brandon repeated scornfully. Ask him – I bet he only married her because she’s knocked up!”
“Brandon!” Solstice was horrified that he could speak about his brother like that. She took a step towards him, but Josh put his hands gently on her shoulders.
“Mum, no, it’s alright.” Josh’s voice was surprisingly calm. “Kildara is pregnant, though it’s not the reason I married her – we only found out today.”
“She’s pregnant?” Solstice smiled. “That’s wonderful, love…”
Josh nodded. “With twins – a boy and a girl…”
Brandon gave a sharp, mocking laugh. “History repeating itself? Well, maybe one of them will turn out to be yours…”
Solstice felt Josh tense again, and saw the blind fury flash on his face once more. She gripped his arms. “Josh, don’t, please don’t…”
Josh made a huge effort and forced the anger down, not wanting to upset his mother any further. He took a deep breath, staring angrily at Brandon. It was no good, if he stayed he was going to hit him again, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop once he got started… he turned abruptly and walked out of the living room, along the hall and out the front door. Solstice followed, and before he could disapparate, she caught hold of his hand.
“Josh – he’s completely in the wrong to say any of that. You have every right to be angry but… he’s still your brother.”
Josh looked down at her. This had been just as unpleasant for her. He wanted to reassure her, at least, that Brandon’s accusations were untrue. “Mum – I married her because I love her. I know it was fast but – once I knew, there was no reason to wait.”
Solstice nodded. “In a way, it was like that for me and Jack. Oh, I know I was his student for years, but after I left school, we didn’t meet again for a while. Then we happened to run across each other by chance, and as soon as I saw him that time, I knew. Just because it’s sudden, doesn’t mean it’s any less valid.” She smiled. “I’m so glad you’ve found someone. I was afraid that you were determined to cut yourself off from love, and a family of your own.”
“I think I knew the moment we met – I didn’t quite realize that was what it was, but it was an instant connection. And the day we got married, I told her my true name.”
Solstice smiled again. “Then she’s the right one. You can’t even speak it unless it’s right.”
“I didn’t know that – well, I suppose I’d never tried before.”
“Yes. I tried to say it to someone once, and I couldn’t. I physically couldn’t speak. I was sad at the time, I thought he was the one – but then, we were very young, still at school. It wasn’t until I saw Jack again after I left school that I knew the difference between being very fond of someone, and truly loving them.” She suddenly hugged Josh, wishing that it could be perfect for him, that his brother could accept who he was, and welcome his new wife. “Brandon will come around. He’s shocked right now, and hurt, he’s lashing out. Give him time.”
“Okay, Mum. It’ll be all right eventually.” He held her for a moment. Then he asked, “Are you going home - do you need a side-along?”
“No, I’m staying here tonight. I was going to do that anyway, but now it’s important. I’ll talk to Brandon. He needs to understand.”
Josh nodded. “If anyone can make him understand, it’s you.” He hugged her again, and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mum.” He stepped back, smiled at her one last time, then disapparated.
