Yer a Wizard, Julian

Entering into a lower ceilinged room off from the main hall, Julian couldn't help but notice some rather strong similarities to the estate he had, until a very short while ago, been held at. Being unable to move at one's own will, at least being surrounded by objects of intellect and taste certainly made the experience more bearable, and so being given directions by Lucius within this very stately mansion was scarcely something he was unable to swallow. Lucius Malfoy indicated a small settee and lounge, with a pair of cut crystal decanters and several tumblers on a low tabled between them. Lucius poured a measure into each, and passed a glass to Julian, who sniffed warily but did not drink, as he tentatively seated himself, cupping the drink between two hands, and testily glancing about. Lucius seemed to be able to sense the resistance still there in his expression, and sighed as he settled himself.

"Julian, you are simply going to have to believe me, before we can cover some of the most important ground before you return to Ellingham Hall before the staff begin waking in a few hours. What more do I need to say, or do, to convince you this is actually real?" The reasonableness of Lucius' tone was definitely drawing Julian out, and he contemplated the question, spinning the tumbler slowly clockwise as he pondered.

Julian pursed his lips, and put down the glass. "Honestly? I am not sure I believe my own eyes, but I suppose if you were to do something like - oh, why not alchemy? Can you turn base metals into gold?" he grinned wryly.

"Oh, an easy job, but would require a little time in my potions laboratory,"Lucius frowned, "and time we are short shrift of. Another suggestion?"

Julian pondered once more. "How about - well, can you demonstrate again - at will - what it looked like you did before - telekinesis?"

"Err, what's that?" Lucius huffed superciliously.

"Moving objects with your mind. You threw my phone, slammed my laptop shut... if that's real magic, not some kind of trick, then you should be able to move something I ask you to?"

"Oh but of course! A simple charm." Lucius smiled, and drew out his wand from his cane. "What would you suggest?"

"How about the decanter?"

Lucius raised his wand, and the tip glowed softly as he murmured the incantation: "Mobiliarbus!"

The decanter instantly rose smoothly from the table, and poured another measure into Lucius' glass, then Julian's. Julian reached forward, his hand and fingers waving beneath the hovering glass, and then above - no strings, nothing. His expression was almost comical, and he warred with evidence, seemingly very clear, right before his eyes.

Lucius set the decanter back down, and sheathed his wand. Julian shook his head and wiped his palms on his trousers - realising with that unconscious movement that he was even more nervous than before - but in a different way. This was very, very unfamiliar territory.

"So.. okay.... " Julian nodded, "... that was reasonably convincing."

Lucius nodded, inclining his head graciously. "There's such huge variety of magic, and it takes many years to develop skills - and everyone has specialities. Of course, you must have had some incidents in the past where you have had things happen to you which you have been ... unable to explain, surely? I would be amazed if you hadn't..." Julian nodded, and Lucius coughed delicately, "... and while we don't know a great deal about your formative years, the media has been rather... exposing... of some aspects of your recent personal life which to me point to the likelihood that you are a natural at certain charms - I myself am a master of potion making - but I suspect charms to be your forte."

Julian smiled weakly. Yes, he could definitely say that he at times had a tendancy to ... encourage ... people to do things they might not have otherwise done. He was very well aware he had a forceful personality - it was just ... him. It never had occurred to him that he might be rather unusually special in some definable - and by the sounds of it, qualitatively improvable - way. The idea, he had to admit, excited him to the quick. He thought for a minute, before speaking, as something else of equally great important suddenly has pushed to the forefront of his mind.

"Okay, so magic is real, despite all apparent former evidence to the contrary in my 39 years of life. This may take some ... adjustment to really ... accept. But, that's one thing. But then, there's a totally different issue. I guess the unanswered question I now have is - what proof do you have that we're actually related?" Julian queried this with a very cool tone. It was the piece of the puzzle of his life that seemed to make the most sense though - he'd never felt that he belonged anywhere, really, and did not ever know his birth father: that part made almost magnificently logical sense. And there was undeniably a great deal of similarities in his physical appearance to Lucius - that also was obvious.

Lucius nodded at the question, and responded slowly, "...that was easy once you arrived in Britain. The Ministry has wards and charms which alert us to the location and magical abilities of all untrained witches and wizards in this country, as well as all foreign visitors" he smirked. "As far as proof, I'm afraid I cannot give you direct access to records here and now - but I can tell you that ... our .. father, Abraxas, went missing for a period of time during the early stages of the First Wizarding War - I was only a teenager at the time - and he had no knowledge of where he had been when he reappeared about 12 months after his disappearance. We all assumed it was an Obliviate charm, and it probably was - but the damage was deep and it wasn't possible to recover his memories. Clearly, either your mother had travelled here, or he had gone further afield during that year than we could have imagined. In any case, you are a registered untrained wizard," Lucius managed to hold back from accidentally saying "under-age" as technically that was the usual term, "and it falls to the Ministry, given that you are now here - to assist you in developing your skills."

Lucius smiled, then shrugged slightly, "I cannot say why you may not have received an alert similar to one British children do when they come of age to start their wizard schooling: I understand there was much travel in your childhood, and while that normally doesn't stop a letter arriving, I am unfamiliar with any equivalent practise in the Antipodes. There could also have been some reason your mother never shared her abilities with you or encouraged the development of yours - however, she did appear on our records as a registered foreign witch when she arrived here. As I said there are several.. anomalies..."

Lucius trailed off into silence for a moment, and Julian didn't speak either, instead he allowed all this new information to tumble over in his mind. It was beyond fascinating, it was incredibly exciting, and only brought up more and more questions - too many to possibly know where to start in the asking. He squinted, blinked, and cocked an eyebrow, before finally speaking.

"I can't right at this moment give any kind of argument against what you've told me, and it's true - I never knew my birth father, and my mother had her own ... troubles... " he murmured, wondering if there was more to some of the childhood trauma he'd suffered than he's previously been aware of...
"but how much more can you tell me now?" Julian looked across the room, to the several large bay windows, which has in the last short time begun to show some signs that dawn was approaching outside.

Lucius nodded curtly. "Not a great deal more, I'm afraid. It is enough for tonight that you believe me. We can do more on the morrow, come - let me take you back to Ellingham." Julian was smart enough to not need to ask why he couldn't just stay - getting out of house arrest would do nothing for his cause despite his apparent new standing as a wizard, and only require him to become permanently on the run - and he'd chosen to not go that route some time ago.

Julian rose. "Damned if I'm going to get any sleep at all now - but of course. Do I ... have to go through that - what was it...?"

"Apparating. Yes - it's the fastest method, and the Floo Network doesn't connect most Muggle fireplaces, I'm afraid. Don't worry - it's much easier the second time, the first time you don't know what to expect, and most people vomit." Lucius rose as well, and unsheathed his wand once more. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be..." Julian grumbled, and allowed Lucius to grasp his forearm, and with another small "pop!" they disapparated from sight.

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