Harry Potter: Altair Black. Son of Asmodeus

"He still hasn't woken up. Are you sure he will be okay?" Lavender had seen better days. Her hair was a mess and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"It's just a matter of time", replied the matron. "He's completely out of danger, he'll just have that scar as a reminder", Madame Pomfrey pointed to a scar on the right side of his face. The cut on his face was particularly unpleasant. The spell had penetrated the cheek, severing some nerves. If treated in the Muggle world, it would have resulted in facial paralysis. A pink line ran across his cheek. It started two fingers below his eye and ended at the chin.

The rest of his body that was injured had healed almost completely, only leaving a scar on his collarbone where the bone had been penetrated, requiring more time to heal and resulting in a scar.

"You said that three days ago."

"And I will keep saying it for ten more. If I don't forbid you from approaching the infirmary", the matron was starting to get angry. Lavender gritted her teeth and fell silent. She didn't want to be expelled from the medical wing. Not again.

"Ah, Poppy, Miss Brown is simply worried. I'm sure you understand young love," both the healer and the student blushed upon hearing Professor Dumbledore.

"The medical wing is not a space to show affection, but for my patients to recover in a peaceful place", the nurse did not let herself be swayed by the director's grandeur.

"In my opinion, it is in times of illness where we show whether we feel love or attraction", Albus approached the young man's body. A frown of concern formed on his face. "I just came to tell Miss Brown that her family came to pick her up. They were too worried when she didn't arrive at the station two days ago", Albus turned his attention to the blonde girl.

"I already explained my decision to them. They were the ones who sold me out", Lavender was a gossip by profession, so it didn't take her long to find out the reason why Altair broke Malfoy's nose. When she spoke to her family about the absurd situation, her father asked her to set aside her boyfriend in favor of another more pleasant suitor.

"Your parents are worried", the director said. "The family bond is for life".

"Altair and I are also bonded for life", the director smiled kindly, but did not comment. It wasn't until he looked at a mark on Lavender's shoulder that his expression changed.

"That... does he know?" He asked cautiously, Madame Pomfrey seemed like she wanted to hit the girl with a pillow.

"No. I made the vote as soon as I heard about the offer. It was a silly move, but it seemed right at the time", Lavender was a bit embarrassed but not regretful.

"Being drunk on emotions leads to results we wouldn't take sober", said Albus as Poppy huffed.

"You are property now. Not very different from a house-elf!" the matron was furious. The mark on his shoulder was one of servitude. It was used in ancient times to bind vassals to a Lord. The mark turned to the holder as a possession. It was old and outdated. It's practice, although outdated, had not been abolished.

"I trust him!" the girl shouted.

"The mark can be erased in many ways, Poppy. I am sure that Mr. Asmodeus will try to free her as soon as he wakes up", the professor said with his eyes shining. "Now, Miss Brown, I will ask you to follow me", with that he walked towards the hallway. Lavender gave her boyfriend one last look, kiss him in his forehead and followed the Headmaster.

"Do you think I did something wrong, professor?" asked the blonde with her head down.

"Neither good nor bad. You make a decision. What is made in the name of love is nothing to be ashamed of", the headmaster replied. They walked in silence until they reached Professor Evans' office, which was on the way. "Professor Evans. Miss Lavender's parents are here to meet their daughter. I thought that as Head of Gryffindor House you would want to be present", Professor McGonagall had thrown the position of Head of House at Lily the moment she set foot in the castle.

"Do you want me to be there, Miss Brown?" the emerald-eyed woman asked her. Lavender nodded, grateful to the principal. "I'll be there in ten minutes", the Headmaster and the student continued their walk.

Finally, they stood in front of a gargoyle: "I'll go first. You can wait for Professor Evans and enter with her. Ah, Miss Brown, even if Mr. Asmodeus decides to release you from your oath, your parents don't need to know", he winked before the gargoyle moved aside without the need for a password.

Lavender took a deep breath while waiting for the teacher. She slapped her cheeks while thinking about how to confront her parents.

Professor Evans arrived five minutes later, wearing a green coat that matched her eyes.

"Cauldron cake", said the professor. Then she looked at the blonde's disheveled appearance and cast a spell on her. Her face was cleaned and her hair became straight, one more movement and a red band appeared to keep it from falling over her face.

"Thank you, professor", she whispered nervously.

"Your parents will understand", she encouraged her with a smile before putting on a more serious face. 'They won't', Lavender thought sadly.

They climbed the spiral staircase before stopping at a door. The door opened just as the professor's fist was about to knock. Lavender swore she saw her green eyes go blank. The teacher stepped aside for her.

When they entered the room, they were greeted by two people inside. A woman with black hair and beautiful brown eyes. Her age should be similar to Professor Evans's, and her appearance had been inherited by her daughter. Her voluptuous body could not be contained under the conservative robes.

The man had blonde hair like Lavender herself, he was attractive, but not someone you would look at twice. He seemed a bit annoyed.

The director was sitting amused: "I was reminding Mr. Brown of the time in his seventh year when he fell on Mrs. Brown while trying to impress her with his broomstick moves", his eyes sparkled as always.

The man loosened his tie before speaking: "Director, we didn't come to reminisce about old times". Mrs. Brown used her hand to cover her smile. Her eyes seemed sad and dreamy.

"I'll ask him to remember them during the conversation", he received a stiff nod. "I'll go stretch these old legs of mine. Professor Evans will take care of the meeting," the professor left the office like an alcoholic father leaving his child.

"I would like to speak with my daughter privately," said Mr. Brown.

"Miss Brown asked me to be present", Professor Evans sat in the principal's chair and marveled at its comfort. She considered packing it up and taking it as an early Christmas gift. 'I'm sure I could make up for it with a box of new socks'. She thought.

"Mrs. Po-Evans, I need to speak with my daughter privately", his tone was not pleasant at all. The slip of her last name was entirely intentional. Lavender moved towards the teacher, wanting to be in front of her parents for this.

"She will stay", she said with a brave voice. Her mother looked somewhere between worried and proud. His father only looked irritated.

"The Malfoy family offered great benefits to the Brown house. Our family, despite being purebloods, is not considered noble. With the help of the Malfoys, we will be able to form a legacy to be proud of". The man tried to explain calmly.

"It only requires me to become Draco's whore", said Lavender angrily.

"Where did you get that vocabulary?" Mrs. Brown asked worriedly.

"You're already a whore! It will just be a change in who you spread your legs for!" Both parents had different priorities.

"George!" the woman seemed horrified while the teacher raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Lavender... your duties as a woman will be brief. Wizards are not known for their... vigor", the woman seemed embarrassed as she spoke. She was a modest woman who had only experienced the little pleasure of a man. "You just need to make a little effort and you'll live like a queen".

"Sorry for my outburst, Ava," the man apologized to his wife. But he didn't say anything to his daughter. "There's no future with that... boy, the Malfoys told us how much of a troublemaker he is. They talked about how they tried to straighten him out. The boy took your chastity without a second thought. He didn't think about your future. The Malfoys are looking to fix the mistake they made by raising him poorly. They are willing to make you the concubine of their heir. that is a match for which many ladies would die", both parents were so immersed in their speeches that they didn't notice the tears rolling down their daughter's cheeks.

Lily bit her tongue. It wasn't her place to speak. She was just an intermediary, not someone who would participate in the conversation. She looked at the blonde girl holding back her tears and changed her mind.

"Altair it's not a problem. The Malfoys are. They raised him in the worst possible way, while showering their son with gifts and filling their nephew with abuse," Lily couldn't keep her mouth shut while watching her student cry. "Lavender chose a good boy. He is a brilliant student who will become a great wizard".

"I didn't ask for your opinion, professor. I will not take into consideration the words of someone of your status. The boy is barely more than a squib, and it will be a miracle if he manages to complete Hogwarts," he was a proud pureblood after all. Having the backing of Lucius Malfoy gave him a sharp tongue.

"Professor Evans is right," Lavender broke her silence. "Altair is the best person I could have chosen as a partner. He is polite, intelligent, diligent... he is loving, funny... he makes me happy. Dad," the Brown couple looked into their daughter's eyes, bloodshot from crying.

"A love in youth will not make you a proper lady", her mother said softly. In reality, she seemed pained by her daughter's condition.

"I don't want to be a proper lady. You know it!" the blonde told them.

"A stupid fashion magazine is not going to create a legacy", her father said.

"To hell with your legacy!" she heard his mother gasp. "That's your dream! You're just bitter because your status didn't allow you to marry the woman you loved!" His mother seemed confused while his father appeared horrified. "I found those letters... the letters where you professed your love to Grace Greengrass." Where she told you that you should pursue someone more of your status... like mom", Lavender knew it could have ended her parents' marriage and she would regret it later. "It doesn't matter what you say. There's nothing you can do", Lavender bared her shoulder. The visible mark.

His father stood up abruptly. Professor Evans fiddled with her wand in her hands. The man just looked at her, exhaled and walked towards the fireplace. "Ava, come here," he ordered his wife. The woman looked at her daughter for a second, pain showed in her eyes, before following him. Her eyes were unfocused and she seemed to act more by reflex than by desire. "From today, you are no longer my daughter", both left shortly after.

Lavender let out a sob as soon as it was just her and the teacher. The latter could only manage to stroke her back while the blonde fell to her knees.

The teacher comforted her for several minutes before she could speak again.

"Do you think I did something wrong, professor?" the same question she asked the principal. She expected a different answer. Even if it were a lie, she wanted to hear that he did the right thing.

"No. You defended your desires, your parents couldn't understand that the person they wanted you to become wasn't you. You defended your ideas like a lioness. You are a Gryffindor after all", Lily continued comforting her as she spoke.

"But the letter", Lavender sobbed again.

"All lies come to light, always."

"Altair said something similar once", she laughed lightly.

Lily smiled at her before helping her up. She cast a couple of cosmetic spells to hide her previous crying: "You can go to the infirmary, I'm sure you want to." The blonde nodded as she left, not before murmuring a choked thank you.

Lily stayed enjoying the chair for a few more minutes until she heard the door open.

"You look comfortable", said her father. She simply nodded with her eyes closed. "The meeting seems to have gone badly", he commented while looking out the window.

"Her mother didn't want to get involved with her and her father is an idiot", he said with disdain.

"A man with complexes."

"An idiot," she repeated. She quickly left the room. The folded chair tucked in his pocket.

Albus let out a giggle.