Sweetness

The morning was fresh but Elijah knew by the afternoon, things would have warmed up. There had been an unreasonable amount of hot weather in Britain as of late. Elijah didn't know how and he certainly didn't know why but he wasn't about to complain. He adored the sun. The morning wasn't unpleasant but it was chilly and it made his clothes a little useless.

Elijah had been back in London a few days and naturally he'd gone back to Rob and Jen's. There, he had all of his summer gear so he'd had no choice but to start wearing that. After having a shower this morning, Elijah had slipped on a pair of jeans and pulled a top on that looked as if it should have been Jen's. It was tight with a plunging neckline and it made him feel overtly feminine. Still, Eli couldn't deny that he looked good.

Leaving Knockturn Alley, Elijah emerged into Diagon. He heaved his bag onto his shoulder and strode down the cobbled alley, weaving through the people that were window shopping and buying things off of stalls.

Elijah was going in search of breakfast and thankfully, he didn't have far to look. Stopping outside a little cafe, Elijah made a point to go up to the window and look at the menu. It all seemed nice enough so he took a seat outside, deciding to soak in what sun had already come out, and signalled for one of the waiters to come over.

Alec was on a thinking mission, trying to figure out what to do for the day pretty much. He was utterly bored out of his ever lasting mind. He sighed trying to put his mum and dad's disappearance into the back of his mind, at least just for the day so he could clear his mind and have a fresh start tomorrow. He was slightly hoping it would help him think of a new way to find them but he highly doubted it.

Alec sighed as he poked his throbbing forehead as he felt a headache start to verge on. He quickly put his parents to the back of his mind and started walking through Diagon Alley avoiding people who were walking at him at full speed. "Watch it!" He shouted as someone stepped on his toe. He glared at them and continued his walk.

He heard shouts as people started rushing at him, friends of the person he just shouted at. "Shit!" He muttered. Alec looked for the nearest shop he could hop into to avoid the the group who was coming after him. He quickly stepped in to the Cafe Twin Montez then walks back out taking a seat with a random guy. "Pretend you know me alright, pretend I was here the whole time." He said picking up a menu and hiding his face with it making it look like he was ordering.

Stranger things had happened. Then again, nothing quite as strange as a man perhaps only mere years older than Elijah rushing in and hiding himself behind a menu. Elijah kept himself together, unwilling to let himself fall to pieces. He merely continued playing with the ring he'd been playing with before the man had ruined the peace surrounding the artist.

Non-plussed, Elijah picked up his own menu and began to peruse. He nibbled idly on his bottom lip and kept his eyes on the menu, only looking up when he heard the tell tale clip-clop of heels against the tiled floor. Elijah smiled easily at the waitress and put his menu down. He raised an eyebrow at his companion and sighed before once again smiling at the woman.

"Two teas, a bowl of fruit and a couple of plates of toast please."

The order was simple enough. The woman nodded, smiled and scuttled away without saying a word. Elijah leaned over and pushed the menu down that was hiding the face of his company. Elijah smirked and chuckled before sitting back in his chair.

Reaching into his back pocket, Elijah produced a cigarette. He lit it and took it between his lips, inhaling a deep breath of nicotine. He removed the cigarette from his mouth and let the smoke drift away. He blew the smoke away when he began to get impatient and he tapped some of the ash into the ashtray between the salt and pepper pots.

"Do you always come and sit with complete strangers or am I just lucky?"

Alec sighed in relief as the group who was chasing him ran straight past him and the strange guy he interrupted. He smiled from behind the menu as the guy played along in Alec's rouge and ordered them food. Suddenly the menu hiding his face was pulled down by the man.

Alec watched as the man pulled out a cigarette, lit it, then inhaled it before blowing the smoke out a few seconds later. Such a nasty habit smoking was, but of course Alec smoked as well so he couldn't say much about it being nasty without insulting himself. Alec could tell the guy was getting impatient but couldn't figure out why he was.

He laughed before answering his question. "Oh no, you are very lucky. I don't randomly sit with people like this. I'll be sure to pay you back for my half of the meal. To show my thanks for playing along." He said smiling charmingly.

"Oh where are my manners, I stole your other seat, allowed you to buy my lunch but I have yet to produce my name." He smiled "Alec Mulligan at your service... Well probably not at your service but I'm here." He smirked.

Elijah was sure that at some point, Stelladora had told him that it was a bad idea to talk to strangers. He'd taken it on board but clearly not as well as he should have done. C'est la vie. It was rare for Elijah to do as he was told anyway. Why should this be an exception? It probably wouldn't be. He should have known better than to sit with some random, obscenely attractive individual, in Diagon Alley with a cigarette in his hand. It was a photo opportunity for anyone tied to the media.

The scandal it would cause. Elijah Krum, seventeen, engaged, Viktor Krum's son, photographed with an exceptionally good looking male in the middle of London. That particular picture would be worth more than a thousand words, that was for sure.

Elijah waved the offer away and returned the smile, "I have more than enough money to pay for breakfast. Don't you worry your little head about it."

Smirking, Elijah leaned forward and tapped some more ash into the ashtray. Good God, with sudden horror Elijah realised that he was going to sit and drink tea with a stranger. How...quaint. Elijah placed the cigarette back against his lips, inhaling once more before holding the cigarette out to the man.

Sitting back in his chair, Elijah worked on blowing smoke rings into the air. Elijah raised an eyebrow when he mentioned service and the Bulgarian chuckled, leaning forward once more.

"In my service, you would be kept most entertained, I assure you." Elijah replied, not missing a beat. His eyes raked over the man before introducing himself. "Elijah Krum. I'll extend my service to you in return, Alec."

Alec nodded "Well if you are sure, it's not a problem on my end neither." he shrugged. Alec watched him smoke now wanting a cigarette as well. His brother would kill him if he saw Alec smoking, Alex was always lecturing him on his disgusting smoking habit. It's not like he could help it though, it was a good stress reliever for him.

Alec smiled "That is good, I am hard to entertain just as a warning." he winked at him. before also grabbing his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lighting one up. "Hope you don't mind since you are doing the same." He said motioning to Elijah's cigarette.

"Elijah Krum eh? Victor Krum's son... It's very nice to meet you." He said bringing his cigarette to his lips and inhaling for a few seconds before blowing the smoke to the side. The waitress approached their table with the teas, toast and fruit bowl placing it all done on the table in front of Alec and Elijah. "Thank you kind lady." He said winking at the waitress before tapping his cigarette on the ash tray.

Alec watched pleased as the waitress blushed nodding at them before walking away. Alec relaxed in his chair placing an arm around the top of his chair and crossing his right leg causally over the left. He took a thing of sugar and opened dumping it's contents into his tea before taking a sip.

"Tastes great, thanks again Elijah." He said putting the cup down and taking another inhale of his cigarette.

How strange they must have looked. What an unlikely pair. That was what Elijah couldn't get over. The interesting thing was that he had something to do today. He actually had a purpose. Chase was coming to the end of her term and he wanted to get some things for Kitty. The house was all ready, unbeknownst to Chase who was being kept in the dark about the engagement present from Elijah's father. Elijah was rather impressed with what he'd been given, actually. He already knew it would be the perfect for their little family.

All he really needed to do was paint Kitty's nursery and put everything together in there. He had it all but it was all in boxes still. That was what he needed! Magical paint!

"Oh I'm sure you're not," Elijah laughed, tapping some more ash away. "No one is that hard to please."

Elijah watched as Alec brought out his own packet of cigarettes. He couldn't help but smirk. So they had a common bond, did they? How interesting. Now they would look like less of an unlikely pair but that wouldn't make them look any less strange. Elijah kept his eyes on Alec as the man lit the cigarette, reaffirming Elijah's belief that matches were much sexier but lighters were better when sharing the flame.

"Not at all," Elijah replied with a smile, putting his own cigarette back to his lips. He indulged himself this time, taking a longer drag.

He'd been waiting for the bit about his father. Elijah couldn't help but roll his eyes. He immediately apologized for it though, knowing that it was rude to have done so. "Sorry, I should not have done that. I just...I have stood in my father's shadow for long enough. My name is a terrific burden. The only thing I can do is ruin it for everyone. Still, I like it better that way. I'd just like to make my name, mine, not his."

It was whimsical really, and unlikely to happen. Still, he could hope.

The waitress set the food down and Elijah thanked her with a smile. He reached forward and took one of the strawberries. He brought his lips around the crimson fruit and bit to the stalk. He threw the stalk away and burst the fruit with his teeth. He made quick work of it and swallowed before putting the cigarette back to his lips.

"Not a problem," Elijah shrugged. "What brought you in here anyway? You seemed to be in some sort of...hurry?"

Alec smiled "It's not that hard, but not easy neither though your not doing a bad job, at the moment." He said taking another hit of his cigarette. Alec took a piece of toast, biting off a corner of it. The food there was pretty good. As well as the tea, Alec was sure to come another day and see how their coffee tasted.

"I understand where your coming from." He said pausing "Even though my dad wasn't as well known as your dad, He was still a figure people looked up to in Ireland where I am from. I was always worrying if I was going to carry on the name well. Only six years ago I graduated from Hogwarts and my parents went on vacation after my graduation. They went back to Ireland but never returned like they were suppose too." He sighed taking an inhale of his cigarette, blew the smoke to the side and continued.

"Now when I hear people say something such as that I feel bad for them, mainly because they don't realize how much their parents mean to them until they are actually gone." He sighed again picking up a grape and shoving it in his mouth. What he had just said sounded cheesy almost, towards the end anyway, but it was all true and all what he believed.

Alec laughed "Oh I was, to get away from them anyway." He inhaled his cigarette one last time and pushed it out in the ash tray."I was being chased by this group because I shouted at their friend." He took another bit of the toast. "It was an honest mistake on their part, bumping into people. They should have been watching." He said shrugging

"So how old are you anyway? You look young." He asked taking another grape to his mouth.

No one shouted at anyone in the streets. No one had the bollocks to. Either this person was brave or just plain stupid. There were Death Eaters under every nook and cranny. You joined them, you were safe from them. The Order wasn't going to attack and torture like the Death Eaters would. Elijah knew that when the time came, he'd have to make a choice. He knew that he'd have to pick them because that would keep his children safe. That would keep his wife-to-be safe. Chase would never forgive him. Neither would Khaat most likely. Elijah didn't have enough faith in the Order to keep his family safe, though. He couldn't hide, hid father was too influential. He had to make a choice and no matter what choice that was, it had to be the one that would keep them all safe.

Long story short, the people that shouted in the streets usually didn't walk the street every again. Actually, they probably didn't walk at all. Alec was one of the lucky ones that came out unscathed.

It wasn't long before he started spouting off garb about how important parents truly are. Elijah couldn't help but disagree. Marina was dead - that was one down - and although he was learning so much about her that tugged on his heart strings, Elijah was as contemptuous as ever regarding his mother. There was only Viktor left to go now but Elijah had a feeling that would push his sister completely over the edge and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

If Viktor was going to off himself then Elijah needed away to protect everyone. If they lost the head of the family, that duty would fall to him. Everything would be in his control. Even the Angelova bastards would be his problem. He'd have everyone's money, everyone's estates, all in his control. He'd be vulnerable. The family would be vulnerable. They'd be in danger from every angle because everyone would want a piece without Viktor around keeping everyone in line. Elijah truly understood now how important his father was to the family, even if it had been Marina running the show outwardly.

That was it though wasn't it? She''d been running it outwardly. She'd been walking all over him in public, and in front of him and Cecilia. She wanted to be a woman of power in everyone's eyes when in reality she was just as delicate as the pictures showed. At least...that was how Elijah hoped it had gone. He'd have to speak to Viktor one day, one day soon. He had to know why his mother had been the way she was. Elijah had been entertaining the idea for an age but he had yet to pluck up the courage.

"There is much difference within Pureblood Society on the continent when compared with, say, England...or Ireland." Elijah replied in a slightly snooty tone. "I lose my mother. As it so happens, she was murdered. Why, I have yet to discover but note my disconcern, note the way none of the papers have dwelled. Note how everyone has just gotten on with their lives. In a few months, my Uncle will turn around and thrust a baby-bearing Pureblood without braincells into my father's arms and they will walk the aisle. Then, in the months after that, she will have a child - preferably male - to add to the brood in the event that I die or, the more likely, I am disinherited. No one is missed in society because they can all be replaced.

"I hate to be insensitive but your parents? You'd get a new pair the minute word got out about their disappearance. The influential family members you possess would come up with some sort of story to back up this new development and then life would go on. That's how it works. We all have to grit our teeth and move on because there is always a new obstacle around the corner. My father is quite possibly, with the exception of the Malfoy and Potter families, the most influential man in Europe. Do you not think for a second that my grandmother, or my uncle, do not have a replacement for him the moment he dies? That replacement will be me. They don't just pull random people off of the street. They're particular. They don't care about who bares the babies as long as she's got pure blood and has a lot of money behind her. What they care about, is who will be doing the books when the head is gone. Have you not been placed with that duty yet?"

There it was, all of Elijah's worries placed on the shoulders of a complete and utter stranger. Elijah didn't have the decency to be apologetic about it, either. He didn't have time to be. He didn't need to be. He'd been matter of fact and straight forward. The same would work within the Malfoy family had they had a bigger brood and more branches. The Krum family was massive, it even came with a few generations of bastards thanks to Nia and Elijah's great-grandfather...or was it his great-great-grandfather? Either way, they were an old family with traditions and many stories to tell.

"Where they Death Eaters?" Elijah asked matter of factly, bringing the cigarette away from his lips before tapping the ash into the tray. "If one of them has photographic memory then you're a dead man, mate." Elijah smiled, as if he wasn't talking about his companion's demise, and picked up another strawberry. He bit a smaller piece this time, deciding not to inflate his cheeks with swollen fruit. "Honest mistakes can get people killed, remember that."

When Alec inquired as to his age, Elijah bristled. He broke the top of the sachet of sugar and dumped the contents into the cup. He didn't want to give a straight forward answer. He wanted to be taken seriously. He probably looked quite young in the eyes of the someone roughly twenty-three years of age. But Elijah, at seventeen, had seen much more than Alec had no doubt.

"I will be eighteen in December," Elijah replied stoically, lifting his teacup to his lips. Eighteen and months away from his N.E.W.T's. Elijah didn't plan on staying around for his seventh year. No, that wouldn't be important at all. Chase would be, though. Chase and Kitty. In a couple of months, if not weeks, time, they'd be his priority, not school. He would learn the rest from Micah if his father insisted but Elijah believed that even Viktor wouldn't care what happened to his son as long as he stood by his wife and child.

Elijah twirled one of the rings on his fingers after putting the teacup down. He leaned forward and stubbed out the cigarette, finding the whole practice mundane now. Deciding to make some sort of conversation, Elijah made a query.

"So, apart from parents...what other family do you have? Wife? Children?"

Alec listened while Elijah talked, taking a drink from his tea every so often taking in what Elijah was saying. Though he disagreed with every word Elijah was saying, he also thought what if what he was saying was true though he knew it couldn't be it was just another rebellious teenager was the image Alec was getting from him now by the way he talked about his father. They both had two different situations and by the sound of it, Elijah sounded pissed that his father was having another baby with a woman who was not his mother.

"I see I see. I have not been placed with any responsibility such as that, though I also don't know that life style so well. You see I am a half blood, not pure. So most likely that situation you are in is different for me in the end." He said shrugging as if what Elijah had said didn't matter nor did he care.

"The group chasing me? Ha! Unlikely. They all looked to be teenagers who were just looking for a fight, But I knew about the Death Eaters being about so I ran so not to get attacked by the Death Eaters" He said munching on his toast again. He nodding when Elijah said "Honest mistakes can get people killed, remember that." trying to resist a laugh as he had already known this.

His brother was always telling him to keep his temper and not attract Death Eaters around like an idiot. Though, Alec was never really one to listen so when he had shouted earlier, he had completely forgotten about his brother telling him not to do the exact thing he had done. He was very lucky the group chasing him was not Death Eaters, but he probably wouldn't tell Alex this or he will never hear the end of it.

Alec nodded as Elijah said his age, he was about the age Alec thought he to be. "That's what I thought, My younger brother Alex just turn nineteen" He said knowing that information didn't have to be said but it didn't matter now he had already said it.

Alec shook his head "All I have is my brother, and he is pissed at me right now so really I have no one." He said sighing slightly drinking the rest of his tea. "Being twenty-three and having no family is really a lot of freedom but a little to much for me. Of course I might one day look for a wife but maybe not. Just depends if I find the right person." He said shrugging slightly.