Imperio

And where was Will at that moment?

He was holding the welcome gift from his "uncle" Hobart and listening to him ramble on. Still, he could tell Hobart was far more sincere than Edward.

"I heard you were coming back today, so I went to Diagon Alley. I didn't know what to get you, so I picked up a Nimbus 2000. Plenty of children seem to like them. I wrote to Professor Flitwick, but I never expected you to be in Slytherin. Still, that's fine. Professor McGonagall can be a bit too strict..."

Will's eyelid twitched. He'd just picked up a Nimbus 2000?

Will remembered that a Nimbus 2000 cost between seven and nine hundred Galleons, while the deluxe model went for over a thousand. Yet Hobart had bought one on a whim. This uncle of his, whose personality reminded him a little of the Weasley Brothers, was seriously loaded.

But Will wasn't especially fond of Broomsticks. He even considered selling it to pad out his savings.

Hobart Howard was much easier to talk to than Edward. Playing the obedient nephew, Will soon coaxed quite a bit of information out of him.

For instance, he learned that Hobart had been in Gryffindor and had even known Harry's father, James Potter. After graduating, Hobart had returned home and come under the protection of England's highest authorities.

He wasn't particularly afraid of Voldemort, either, and called him by name. His horizons were broader than those of many Wizards in the Wizarding World; after graduating, he had even spent two years traveling the world.

Hobart was the kind of "cool uncle" some families had: carefree, generous to the younger generation, and full of stories. If Will were still the child Dorothy had locked in a dark room, he would surely have grown close to Uncle Hobart.

As Hobart talked, Will learned that the entire Howard family had only three Wizards, including Hobart. One of the other two guarded the head of the family, the Duke of Norfolk, while the other brewed Potions when needed. Both were Hobart's friends.

His loose-lipped uncle also told Will about the Wizard uprising among senior government officials in 1913. It was practically England's own Witchcraft and Poisoning Rebellion. From then on, the Muggle government's leaders and the royal family had grown less trusting of Wizards. Later, during Voldemort's reign of terror, some Wizards seeking protection had entered into numerous Unbreakable Vows with nobles or Wizards of royal birth.

"So, Will, people like us are unusual even among the nobility. You've nothing to worry about. Come back to the family. With Uncle Hobart around, your father won't do a thing to you, even if you come with me to the Savoy Hotel every day." Hobart waggled his eyebrows at Will.

The Savoy Hotel was a famous gathering place for London's nobility—and a favorite haunt for their romantic escapades. Countless affairs had taken place there. Will's face twitched. Was that really something Hobart should be saying to an eleven-year-old?

More than any of that, Will wanted someone to learn from so he could build up experience. He could see that Edward felt no familial affection for him. Edward simply wanted him to serve the Howard family.

Still, if the Howard family gave Will some of the resources he needed while growing up, he was willing to do them favors in the future. He wouldn't let some vague notion of "blood ties" bind him.

Hobart chatted with Will until seven fifteen, when Thomas came to fetch them. Hobart then took Will to a small family dinner. The meal was lavish, with none of the dreadful dishes Will might have expected. That was hardly surprising: England might be a culinary wasteland, but plenty of nobles favored French cuisine.

There were only five people at dinner: Will, Hobart, Edward, the butler, and Hobart's friend Cree, the Wizard who brewed Potions for the Howard family.

Cree, as it happened, was dating one of the old duke's illegitimate daughters. So it really was a family dinner.

Will's conduct at the table pleased Edward. Though he had never studied formal court etiquette under the Howard family's tutors, he observed the rules and even carried himself with a certain distinctive charm. Hobart was delighted as well.

Will's Silver-Gray Eyes lingered on Cree a moment longer, though. He found that Hobart and Cree had only the Magic levels of ordinary Wizards, no different from those he had seen in Diagon Alley. That put him considerably more at ease.

After dinner, Will was sent back to his room to rest, while Edward and Hobart discussed him in the Study.

"What do you think of the boy?" Edward couldn't even bring himself to call Will his son.

"Bright, well-mannered, and according to the letter from Hogwarts, he's doing very well in his studies." Hobart toyed with the flames in the fireplace using his Wand, making them change shape.

"Compared with you?"

"I was only an average student back then. Will, though... According to one of my old professors, he's among the very best," Hobart replied lazily.

"So you recommend bringing him into the family?"

"Hah. What else should I recommend? He's got real potential. Were you planning to give him a few thousand pounds a year until he comes of age? Or throw an eleven-year-old out to fend for himself? Don't forget, his mother is dead."

"He's only a lucky bastard. Give him a couple of bones, put him on a leash, and he'll be useful to the family. Didn't we keep those two Wizards you brought here with Father's illegitimate daughter and our money?" Edward had all but called Will and the other two Wizards dogs.

"Edward, I'm warning you. They're my friends. I'm not a cold-blooded bastard like you, who treats his own flesh and blood like a dog."

Edward bristled at Hobart's attitude. "Hobart, be serious. You're the only Wizard in the family, and I need your judgment. Stop treating everything like a joke. It's time you contributed to the family—not just by bringing two friends here to eat and drink at our expense, but by helping us find talent. This isn't one of your clubs where you chase women. Think carefully, and put aside your playboy ways."

"Stop. I'm not like you, big brother. I may be a playboy, but I've never fathered a child. The girls and I have our fun, and they know exactly what I mean. More importantly, I don't have any children. It's all brief pleasure between consenting adults. Will is already your third illegitimate child, though I've never even met the first two." Hobart glared at Edward. "I'm leaving. Two beautiful women are waiting to spend the night with me."

With that, Hobart slammed the door behind him, leaving Edward without so much as a friendly glance.

Edward sighed. At times, his younger brother opposed him at every turn. To think he would speak to him that way over a lowly bastard.

In the corner, Will's figure emerged after he had heard their entire conversation. He rubbed the old Wand in his hand. The Disillusionment Charm had drained quite a bit of his Magic, but he still had enough left for what he intended to do next.

He had a habit that dated back to before he learned Magic.

When Dorothy locked Will in a dark room, she gave him nothing to eat. Unable to bear the darkness and hunger, he had begun secretly hiding food for emergencies.

That habit had seen him through hard times, and he had kept it even after discovering Magic. For example, he had two accounts at Gringotts.

Will didn't trust others easily. He preferred to rely on himself. He couldn't fully trust even the friends he had made at Hogwarts, much less his father in name only.

Especially after hearing Edward call him a dog.

He silently calculated how many Galleons he needed and converted the amount to pounds. Then he aimed the tip of the old Wand at Edward's back.

"Imperio," he whispered.