(1) Lux Brumalis (R. Weasley)

Chapter Six

Tony had tried to keep the month light. To keep his own issues to himself and Tatiana. So he took Pixie where ever she wanted to go. He knows they will have summers to come, but for him, this trip is the last time he is going to see his little girl for months. The last time he went months without seeing her, he'd been kidnapped by terrorists. A photo of Tony and Pixie in Paris now sits on Tatiana's mantlepiece, pride of place. She changes it every year, much like how Pixie gets a new photo for her birthday. Tony touches the frame and smiles watching the photo move. Tatiana is no longer hiding any of the magic in her life. Tony has seen her flat as it is supposed to be seen. Photos that move. Little statuettes that move. Whilst Tony is upset about his mother and the whole squib thing, he knows he loves magic. And he knows he loves his daughter. It's their last night together before Pixie leaves. And they are spending it together as a family. Tony turns and smiles down at Pixie who smirks back up at him. He spins her a little with the music that plays from a gramophone. There is something magical yet simplistic about their world. They prefer technology that is made up of clockwork devices instead of electricity so their magic doesn't interfere with things. But they have magic that is capable of doing so much for them. They don't need modern technology. Waverley and Tony's own owl, Dude, yes, he did name his bird Dude, sit on the balcony, side by side as they watch the little family enjoy their time left together. Tatiana, a blanket around her shoulders, leans in the balcony doorway, her eyes soft and on Tony and Pixie as they dance.

............

In her office, Tatiana touches a file on her desk and closes her eyes. She's been researching Tony's family tree, trying to give him an idea of the magic in his blood, she got...something unexpected. What she found. It's not good. And she is trying really hard not to show how much she is freaking out about what she found. Not many know the true identity of Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix does because they were the ones fighting him. They knew just who he was and had been. Tom Riddle. Turns out that...Tony is actually his nephew. Maria was Tom's sister. Twins. She passed what she's learnt on to Dumbledore, the headmaster at Hogwarts, just so he can keep an eye on Pixie. Just in case. Behind her, Tony steps into the room and closes the door.

"You okay?" Tony asks, Tatiana nods and pushes the file away, hiding it with a wave of her wand. He's not ready to hear this. She's not ready to share it. And she definitely does not want Pixie to know about it.

"Just thinking," She tells him and then turns to face him. "What did you tell Rhodey and Pepper?"

"That I am reluctantly sending Pixie to a boarding school" He admits and shrugs before he folds his arms over his chest. "They were surprised but...accepted it. Pepper's a little upset, you know how close they are" Tatiana nods and leans back against her desk. "I'm upset" Tony admits and shrugs. "Her leaving..."

"I know" Tatiana whispers and nods. "I know, Tony..." He nods and looks down, closing his eyes. He hates the idea of sending Pixie away, he hates the idea of a boarding school. He hates that she is leaving, but he loves the idea of her learning magic. He picks up a photo from her desk and snorts a little.

"Look at you" He teases. "Look how young you are" She smiles and nods. "Are these..." She nods again and motions to the photo.

"Remus, Peter, James....and that's Sirius" She whispers. Tony can see how in love they were when this photo was taken, even though it was after Pixie's birth, it was after they had broken up, but Sirius clearly still loved Tatiana and she loved him. He really did break her heart by betraying them. "And the others...The Order of the Phoenix" She adds. "We were created to fight...Voldemort" She tells him.

"You fought him?" Tony asks. She hums and nods.

"Yeah" She voices. "All of us together...." She takes the photo from him and then sets it back down. He can see that she's been struggling this last month. Seeing that boy in Diagon Alley brought it all back for her, reminded her of everything she's lost, everything she is without. The people she is without.

"You okay?" He whispers.

"Just seeing Harry last month" She admits and shakes her head. "Reminded me...What...Sirius did..." She clenches her jaw and swallows thickly. "It's....fresh again" She then scoffs. "It's stupid that I still miss him...that I miss him more than I hate him" She looks at Tony and then shakes her head.

"What about the others?" He asks her. "Do you not...see them?"

"I am still in touch with Remus, he's....it's complicated" She shakes her head. "But...I like to check on him," She looks at Tony. "He's all that's left of my friends from school....me and him, that's all that's left of our childhood" She looks down as tears roll down her cheeks. "This is ridiculous" She whispers and brushes away her tears.

"You loved them" He stops her. "It's not....ridiculous to get upset. I still get upset about my parents.....and you and Sirius...." She looks at him. "Come on, Tats, I know how you feel about him, it's always going to hurt" She nods a little. The officer door opens to reveal Pixie on the other side, she is rubbing at her eyes and then drops them to look at her parents.

"I can't sleep," She tells them. "Read to me" Tony nods and moves towards his daughter, he lifts her up, with some difficulty, she's eleven and getting big.

"You are so heavy now" Tony teases and then glances over his shoulder to find Tatiana staring at that photo. Tony kisses Pixie's head and carries her out of the room.