3rd February 2018. Hogwarts Ruins.
My heart knew I loved her six years before my mind could even begin comprehending how critical a single person would become to my existence.
I could sum that very feeling up with some song lyrics I heard a year after I lost it -
"It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good."
She disdained me, I hated her, and we loved each other.
She made my life as vivid as the grass was green.
I will never forgive them for killing Daphne.
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9th June 1993. Peverell Manor.
Philosophers often quote carnal pleasure as an escape from reality.
As Ares woke up in bed with a woman of ashen complexion, blue-eyed, with long blonde hair, it didn't take a therapist to realise he seeking out a replacement for what his mind assumed was lost.
After a night full of fun and debauchery back at his manor, there had been a rapid descent into his usual nightmares constructed by memories long past.
Sweat, though the least of his concerns, was the only one he could fix at that moment. So, calling for a house elf, he went for an early-morning shower.
Ares finished quickly and made his way back to the bedroom, and upon arriving, he was met with the glorious sight of Narcissa displaying herself to the world on his bed.
The rest of the morning flew by, and Lord Peverell had to take another shower before he got changed and went down for breakfast.
After regaining his energy with a full English breakfast, he sat down to look at the letter he had received in reply to the letter he had sent to Durmstang.
He was somewhat unhappy with the reply. Igor Karkaroff has refused to create documents saying that one "Ares Peverell jr" had attended Durmstrang.
The Dark Lord planned to deal harshly with Karkaroff, who didn't understand the saying "once corrupt, always fearful", as soon as he had finished up his business for the day.
Narcissa came down shortly after with a contented smile, clothed now in a silk gown and choker.
"Good morning. I want your advice. There is a girl I wish to marry. Her family is pureblood, so I assumed there was some kind of marriage contract I could organise?" Ares confided in his loyal slave.
"Most Ancient families have their heads of house contact each other. Once done, they meet, and if the bride's Lord agrees, the arrangements are decided, and the contract is drawn up." Cissy explained to her master.
Ares nodded and called for Dobby, who had settled in since leaving Hogwarts, to bring a quill and paper.
Dictating the letter, he began,
Lord Stefan Greengrass,
I write to you as the newest member of the Wizengamoat and British Wizarding High Society to arrange a marriage contract between your eldest granddaughter Lady Daphne Greengrass and my son Ares Peverell II. You and I will agree on how this arrangement would benefit your family. Please reply with a date and time at your earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
Lord Ares Peverell, Head of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Peverell.
Satisfied, he returned the letter to Dobby and had him send it from the owl post office in Diagon Alley.
Turning around, he looked at Narcissa with a knowing smile and moved towards her.
10th June 1993. The Greengrass Villa. Spain.
The Mediterranean sun beat down on an open balcony, upon which an older blonde-haired and blue-eyed man sat seemingly relaxed at a coffee table, newspaper in hand.
Stefan Greengrass was a stubborn old man who had seen a lot in his time. He had survived two wizarding wars and had two sons and a long life. He loved his two granddaughters more than anything and was horrified to receive a letter from a new Pureblood lord asking for Daphne's hand in marriage earlier that morning.
If he were a Gryffindor, he would have ripped the letter upon the spot and left it at that.
However, Lord Greengrass knew better than most how unwise it was to offend new lords in the Wizengamoat, especially the Lord of an Ancient House.
Instead, he knew he would have first to meet the man and learn more about him.
As a Ravenclaw, he understood Knowledge was power and the more he knew about Lord Peverell, the better chance he had of protecting Daphne and his family.
So instead of doing as his heart desired, he replied to Lord Peverell with a date, time and address.
He needed to find out more about the newest Lord before they met.
With that purpose in mind, he sent the owl on its way and strode back into the main villa to contact his network and ask around.
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11th June 1993. Somewhere in northern Scandinavia. Durmstrang.
With his other plans moving forward successfully, Ares had decided to come to Durmstrang himself to sort out the problem of the uncooperative headmaster.
"Headmaster Karkaroff will see you know, my Lord!" a pretty young girl of 17 said, leading him into the bastard's office.
"Danke, Leticia, that will be all!" The ex-death eater said.
When she had left, Ares couldn't help but comment,
"Most teachers view it as bad to sleep with their students Headmaster Karkaroff."
The man looked up sharply with his piercing eyes and asked with a malicious tone to his voice,
"What would you be implying, Lord Peverell?"
The Dark Lord smirked, and instead of answering in a language the headmaster could understand, whispered,
"pain!"
Before Karkaroff knew what was happening, he was on the ground clutching his forearm in tremendous pain.
"Who are you!" he shouted in between his screams that were getting progressively louder.
"The father of one of your old students if you know what is good for you!" Ares suggested kindly, stopping the pain.
"Fine! Fine! I'll make the paperwork, you bastard!" Igor said as he moved towards his desk.
'crash'
Poor Igor's head was sent through the hard wooden desk, slammed into it by the Dark Lord, who had appeared behind him in a feat of superhuman speed as soon as the foolish headmaster made the first step towards his desk and wand.
In frustration, Ares could not help but palm his head with his unoccupied hand.
"I'm not an idiot! The paperwork is created through the school registry!" Ares drawled
.
He had no idea about Durmstrang, but he knew that was how Hogwarts worked and assumed it worked the same way.
He was, in fact, correct, and Karkaroff, this time, made his way over to the bookshelf and took out a book writing Ares Peverell II, and then years 1,2 and 3 and then transfer student.
Moments later, paperwork appeared on his desk in neat order with the sigil of the school.
Picking them up, he deposited them in a waterproof pouch and, smiling, moved towards the other man in the room.
'Obliviate!'
He said with a finger now touching Igor's forehead.
He destroyed the memory of creating the paperwork and replaced it with a perfectly civil meeting between them, where Ares was telling him how his son was transferring to Hogwarts.
He then created several memories of earlier meetings and his son attending the school.
Then Ares left with a swift kick to the man's ribs to act as a subtle reminder.
Stefan Greengrass was afraid, he couldn't find anything about Lord Peverell anywhere, and all his contacts and friends could tell him was that he had been sighted having several meetings with Lord Malfoy.
They still needed to locate where Lord Peverell was staying, and Stefan wasn't holding much hope out as it was probably a family mansion protected by old magic.
The fact that the Lord had been sighted with Lord Malfoy was worrying, and if Stefan wanted to get into the Lord's good books and keep Daphne safe, he needed to do something quickly.
Giving up on the father for now, he decided to research the son of this enigma and Daphne's potential fiancee and husband.