The Prophecy of Gwydion

Disclaimer: See Chapter One
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Chapter Five:

Ioannides Ancestral Estates...
Ioannina, Eprius, Greece...
September, 2000...

The ancestral home of the Ioannides family was magnificent; the Greek villa was nestled into the countryside of Epirus, just outside Ioannina. It was beautiful; the stone villa was white with an ancient feel to it. The villa was sprawled over acres of fields; there were people in the fields, working. Squibs, Cassander had said, his grandfather ran a series of homes for abandoned Squibs and sent them to school; the ones working the land were students waiting to return school. House Elves took care of the villa and much of the estates; residents. Cassander had also informed them that the Ioannides Family had owned the winery that was operated here since the early 1500s. Their wines were quite famous in both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds.

The seven wizards (witch included) stared at the villa in awe; they had taken a car from Ioannina. It was quite common for Greek Wizards and Witches to drive cars and as such the Estate allowed for muggle technology to work, Cassander looked at his team, who were still awestruck.

"The Estate isn't all that magnificent" Cassander said, embarressed. He was looking at them, eyebrow raised. Alexei placed his hands on Cassander's shoulders.

"Sandy... I happen to be raised in a palace, quite the norm amongst Russian and other Slavic Purebloods" Alexei said, seriously. He pointed a finger at the villa; "it has nothing on that!"

Cassander sighed but nodded. He shrugged Alexei's hands from his shoulders; he got up from leaning against the car to lead them up to the main house. He stopped, causing the others to stop.

"Something wrong, Ioannides-sensei?" Kaoru inquired, looking at the blonde. Cassander faced them, one hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"I should warn you" Cassander said, "my grandfather is a bit mad?"

"Mad? As in mad-angry?" Harry inquired, "or mad is in mad-eccentric?" Cassander made to speak but was halted by the form of a man that came streaking out of the villa and scooped Cassander into his arms. Now, while that may not seem odd in it of itself; the fact that the man was five foot even was.

"Grandfather!" Cassander shouted.

Lucian Ioannides smiled up at his grandson; white hair tied back into a ponytail and azure blue eyes sparkling. "Mikrή posόtēta ήrōaς, έcheis έla spίti! έla, aς Pappoύs strέphō to blέmma moy se dikός toy eggonόs" the elder wizard said, joyfully.

"You daft old man! Put me down!" Cassander yelled, bopping his grandfather on the head. Lucian merely held tighter. Meanwhile, the six remaining members watched awestruck.

"Okay, I'm firmly in the opinion that all Ioannides are off the rockers" Alexei said. The scene was interrupted by a man with greying black hair and electric violet eyes; the newcomer gently separated grandfather and grandson.

"Luc, you've had your fun... stop tormenting Cassander" the man said.

"Abuelo! What are you -- omph!" Cassander was knocked inot the dirt by two very familiar boys. Harry rubbed a temple.

"Who are they?" Leifr inquired, pointing to the boys.

"The brunette is Fernando De la Cruz and the blonde is Christos Pavlopoulos" Harry explained, "they're Cassander's cousins". The five nodded.

"Get the hell off!" Cassander shouted, attempting to get the pair off him. Fernando and Christos clung harder and tighter; Cassander growled. "Harry".

Harry gave a flick of his wand and both were being levitated upwards. Xiao Xing and Kaoru helped Cassander up while the two men watched. Fernando and Christos were set back down; Cassander's eyes had darkened to a deep purple. Leifr and Alexei caught the irate blonde as he lunged for the pair.

"Let go! I'm going to wring their scrawny little necks!" Cassander roared, causing the pair to eep and duck between Lucian and the other man.

"Don't hide behind us, lads, you're on your own with Cassander" Lucian spoke with a definite British accent.

"Yes, boys, we did give you ample warning" the other spoke. Cassander had managed to worm free and made a grab for the pair, but they dodged and began running. Cassander took after then, walking sedately.

"You can run but you can't hide!"

Lucian faced the group; "right then, Lucian Ioannides... none of that Lord stuff, just Lucian or Luc" Lucian said, "this ol'bean is Reyes De la Vega, Cassander's maternal grandfather".

The forementioned Reyes smiled. The pair were ignoring the shouts that were rising.

"Nice to meet you" Harry said, "Harry Potter".

"Ooh, Harry Potter" Lucian said, happily. "My, you are quite the looker, aren't you". Harry blushed a bright red; was Lucian, his soulmate's grandfather, hitting on him. Reyes cuffed Lucian upside the head.

"Luc, he's twenty... as in sixty years younger than you?" Reyes said, "not to mention, Cassander will castrate you". Lucian shrugged.

"I'm just looking".

"You want to loose those eyes of yours, Pappoύs?" came a low menacing growl. Lucian blinked at the sudden appearance of Cassander. The man fled from his grandson; leaving the group dumbfounded. Reyes rubbed his temples.

"Well, come along... just ignore the screams".

Alexei looked at the others. "The whole family's mad".

______________________

Harry and the other were ensounced in the library when Cassander entered. The blonde looked angry but was keeping a lid on it.

"Everything okay?" Harry asked.

"Peachy... why did we come here again?" Cassander said, sitting down. Pheonix, who appeared from thin air, curled around Cassander's shoulders; Bolt was in front of the fire place.

"The library" the other replied.

Cassander grumbled and rested his head on the table and covered it, causing Pheonix to shift from Cassander's shoulders to the table as he nudged at Cassander's head and chirped. Cassander had forgotten that he had informed them of the library which was one of the largest private collection in the Wizarding World. Harry looked at his soulmate.

"You okay?" he inquired.

"No" Cassander growled, giving Harry a half-hearted glare. "My parents and siblings are coming". Cassander spat the words like they were venom. Harry winced; he knew that Cassander didn't get along with his parents or siblings but never understood why.

"Can't be all that bad" Alexei said.

Cassander looked at the team and sighed. None of them could possibly understand why there was such animosity between him and the rest of his immediate family.

"Cassander?" Xiao Xing inquired.

"L-let's leave him be" Daniel said, his stuttering faading. "Old World Pureblood Families a-are very diff-diff-dissimilar than European, Asian and New World Families". The group looked doubtful but let the matter drop. A small smile from Cassander had Daniel faintly blushing.

The sound of the doors to the library opening caused the group to look up. Two men stood with a woman; all three bearing the same inky black hair and ice blue eyes. Cassander's face became void of any emotion.

"Well, well... what do we have here" sneered the older of the two men. "Our baby brother and who are these people, Cassander? Intermingling under your station?"

"Evander, so pleasant to see you" Cassander said, in mock cheerfulness. "Crawled out from under your rock and away from your little harem?" Cassander gave his eldest sibling a superior look. "Far as I'm concern, the only ones below me are you three".

"Filthy Blood traitor" spat the woman.

"Funny, Grandfather hasn't declared me as such" Cassander said, tapping his chin. "Can't say the same for, Demetria... how's work? Oh wait, that's right, you were fired. Hexed a Muggleborn, didn't you?"

Cassander noted Leander's lustful stare at Daniel and Harry. He felt himself scowl.

"Mind where you look, Leander" Cassander said, "I hate to explain to Grandfather why there's blood on the carpet". Everyone could hear the threat.

"As if you could" Leander sneered.

"Pheonix" Cassander said. The tiny Dragon appeared and puffed smoke into Leander's face; Bolt curled around Harry's, growling.

"Have some manners, Cassander" Demetria sneered. "Mother went wrong with you therre". Alexei and Leifr looked at each other while Xiao Xing snorted.

"If he lacks what you call manners" Xiao Xing said, "then I'm quite glad he doesn't have them". Demetria glared at the Chinese Witch.

"Introduce us, Cassander" Evander ordered, imperivously.

"Why do you not introduce yourselves?" Kaoru replied, "it is only polite as you are addressing us, not the other way around". Cassander muffled his laughter as his siblings colored. Side doors opened as Fernand and Christos barrelled in.

"Cassander, you're -- urk!" Fernando started, skidding to a halt. The young Spaniard ducked behind his older cousin, peeking out at the older siblings of Cassander. "Never mind, you already know".

"Fernando, how... pleasant... to see you" Leander said, forcefully.

"Have you no manners, boy, or did your mudblood of a mother not teach you any" Demetria sneered.

"Careful, Demetria, wouldn't want you get wrinkles, would you?" Christos spat, "not that it would matter, you hag". Harry looked quite surprised that the collected and polite Christos could be so scathing.

"It is quite obvious that you three are not welcome" Leifr said, "prehaps you should leave". Leander opened his mouth to mouth-off.

"I that that is a good idea" came Reyes' voice. The room turned to see Reyes standing there, looking quite displeased.

"A-Abuelo" Evander said, stepping back. The icy glare was fixed upon the three siblings; Cassander smirked.

"Was there something you needed, Abuelo?" Cassander asked. He looked at his maternal grandfather; the Spanish Don looked at the blonde.

"Lucian requests your presence, all your presences" Reyes said. "He is in his study..." The four siblings nodded; they headed off before Reyes spoke again. "And Demetria, what have I told you about using the 'mudblood'?"

Cassander smirked as soap bubbles emerged from his sister's mouth. He looked at her with narrowed violet eyes. "Be happy, Abuelo got to you first, Demetria" Cassander said.

___________________

Lucian was sitting behind his large oak desk when the quartet arrived; Evander was sporting a rapidly bruising right eye, Leander was wheezing and Demetria's hair looked signed. Cassander was glaring at the trio, maleovantly. Lucian could feel a headache coming on.

"You wished to see us, Pappoύs?" Cassander inquired.

Lucian nodded, gesturing for the four to sit. The eldest moved to sit with their mother and father while Cassander took the seat farthest from his parents and siblings. Lucian noted that Dhimitrios looked a little pain by his son's behavior; but Lucian knew that Dhimitrios only had himself to blame. Hortencia was sneering at Cassander.

"It has come to my attention that I may be in need of changing the Heir of the Ancient and Tolerant House of Ioannides" Lucian said, sternly. "Leda is excused from this as a daughter and already married into another Ancient House; Leandros has already expressed no desire and interest in being named Lord of the House".

"Not that he could" Hortencia muttered. Lucian gave his daughter-in-law an icy glare.

"Leandros' lack of children has no hold on this matter" Lucian said, "so, hold your tongue, Hortencia, or I will hold it for you". The Spanish witch glared but held her tongue; Lucian was not a Wizard to cross. Lucian fixed his eyes on his eldest son. "I truly do not know where I went wrong in raising you, Dhimitrios, truly I don't. The Ioannides Family has always preached about tolerance, always! Since ancient times!"

"Papa" Dhimitrios started.

"I am not finished, Dhimitrios!" Lucian roared. Cassander watched the scene, boredly; his grandfather was a usually placid man and never really lost his temper. Cassander knew of only two occassion that Lucian ever lost his temper. "Your bigotry and prejudiceness nature has effectively stripped you of heirship".

"You can't!" Hortencia shrieked.

"He can" Cassander drawled, "as Lord of the Ancient House, Pappoύs has the right to dismiss or name an Heir; its written in our Familial Laws".

"And he is hardly the first to be removed from the line of succession" Lucian said, waving his hand. He effectively silenced Hortenica. "And I warned you".

"Then who, Papa?" Dhimitrios inquired. He looked at his children; first his eldest then his youngest.

"Evander, Leander and Demetria have also been removed". He fixed the trio with a stern glare; "their attitudes and behaviors would have disgraced this House!"

"And Cassander doesn't?" Evander spat.

"Tolerant of all Magical Beings regardless of blood or species" Lucian said, "the magical world's foremost archaeologist and currently linked to some of the famous names within that field". Lucian smiled; "did I mention the fact that he is tolerant?"

"You would favor my youngest---?' Dhimitrios started.

"Don't call me your anything" Cassander snapped out. He noted that his father looked pained but refused to feel guilty.

"Familial Laws state that I can pass on Heirship to the one that possesses our Familial Gift" Lucian said, "Cassander is Heir, deal with it".

Cassander ignored his siblings and mother as they passed. He looked at his father; Dhimitrios strayed a moment. He looked at his father; Dhimitrios pulled something from around his neck. He picked up Cassander's hand and rested it in there. He bent and pressed a kiss to Cassander's curls before leaving. Cassander looked bewildered.

"Young fool is finally getting his head out of his arse" Lucian said. He snapped his fingers.

"Yes, Lord Ioannides?" squeaked a House-Elf.

"Fetch Don Reyes and Lord Potter" Lucian spoke. The House-Elf bobbed and disappeared; Cassander pulled up the locket his father had given him. It wasn't extravagant; plain gold with the crest of the Ioannides Family on it. With Lucian watching, Cassander opened it to reveal an image of a beautiful young blonde with a baby. A baby that Cassander knew to be himself.

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Harry and Reyes entered the study to see Cassander staring at an open locket in his hand. Harry moved over to Cassander, sinking beside the blonde.

"Cassander?" Harry asked.

"I'm now the Heir of the Ioannides Family" Cassander said, blankly. His eyes fixed upon the locket. Harry looked at the photo; a young man and infant. "Dhimitrios gave it to me... though I don't
know why".

"Who is the young man?" Harry asked. Attention shifted to Lucian and Reyes.

"He was Gabriele De la Vega, my only son" Reyes explained. Cassander had remembered hearing that his Abuelo had had a son but nothing was ever really said about him. Harry knew more; Sirius had told him that Voldemort had made the Heir of the De la Vega Familia disappear as a warning to Spain, only it back-fired. It invoked such an ire amongst the leading Familias in Spain. "Before you, Gabriele was my Heir... he disappeared shortly after your birth, only nineteen".

Cassander looked at the photography; Gabriele was so young.

"Cassander, have you ever wondered why there is such an age gap between you and Leander?" Lucian inquired. Harry looked between the two Heads and Cassander; he had a feeling that whatever the pair were about to divule, it wasn's going to be pleasant.

"At times" Cassander replied, "but Uncle Leandros told me not to worry about it... said it happened at
times". Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That boy, honestly". Reyes moved from Lucian's side to Cassander's; he knelt down to look at Cassander. "Hortencia and Dhimitrios had separated four years prior to your birth... during that time, Dhimitrios and Gabriele had become close".

Cassander stared at his grandfather; "wait... you're saying that I'm not the child of Dhimitrios and Hortencia but a the child of Dhimitrios and a man that I long thought of as my uncle?"

The pair nodded; Cassander clutched the locket close. "I-I need to lie down" Cassander said. Harry helped him up and escorted him from Lucian's study.

__________________________

Harry entered the library to see the team spread out over a table. Fernando and Christos were seated at a different table; staring at them.

"I take we're run into a snag?" Harry inquired.

"Snag?" Leifr said, lifting his head to glare at Harry. "Nowhere and in this accursed library is the answer!" He pulled at his curls before planting his head against the table.

"So, a snag" Harry said.

Leifr growled but didn't lift his head. "Where's Sandy?" Xiao Xing inquired.

"Bed... he recieved a bit of a shock" Harry answered, sitting. He took a book from Daniel, whose eyes were glazed over. "Apparently, his parents weren't exactly who he thought they were".

"Ouch..." Alexei said, "he's still an Ioannides, right?"

"Yeah, Heir now" Harry said, looking at the page of the book and raised an eyebrow. He frowned at the page he was seeing.

"Senpai?" Kaoru asked.

Harry looked at the Japanese Healer, who was looking at him, concerned. "Sorry, I think Dan was reading this book on Norse Wolves" Harry replied, "this photo caught my attention". Harry held up the book to show the photo; it was just a brown-colored wolf.

"You see those all the Scandinavia countries" Leifr said, shrugging.

Harry handed the book to Daniel. "Leifr's r-right" Daniel said. "I-I was looking u-up some a-animals so I could set up p-precautions". Daniel jerked forward as Leifr slapped him on his back.

"Good thinking" Leifr said, "wolves can be dangerous when hungry enough".

"That isn't what I meant... I've been seeing a wolf, larger then that though of similiar color, covered in armor in my dreams" Harry explained, sitting.

"You don't have the Gift of Clairvoyance, do you?" Alexei inquired.

"Dream-seeing" Harry clarified, "its my spontaenous Gift... Cassander tested me".

"Is there a difference?" Xiao Xing inquired

"Uh-huh!" came the cheerful voice of Fernando causing the group to look at the pair. "Dream-seeing is far more rarer than Clairvoyants. They don't see the actual future but images and feelings that when interpreted correctly form a possible future".

"And how did you know that?" Alexei asked.

"My uncle, Leandros, is a Dreamseer" came Cassander's tired voice. Harry stood, allowing Cassander
to slump into his seat; Harry rubbed the back of Cassander's neck.

"You okay?"

"Just tired" Cassander said, "my shields are being tested... I'll be fine, Harry". He gave his soulmate a tired smile; "what do we have?"

"Nothing" Xiao Xing answered, "this library doesn't have what we need". Leifr rested his head on the table, groaning. Christos raised an eyebrow.

"What about the Ioannides personal Library?" Christos ventured, attracting attention.

"Personal library... isn't this---?" Kaoru started.

"This library is for the rest of the Ioannides Family and the public" Cassander explained, "the personal
library is only for the Head and Heir... but the answer's not there".

"How'd you know?" Fernando said, "it might".

"Hello... I was homeschooled same as you for a while and during the summers" Cassander retorted, "Pappoύs let me read the library". Fernando and Christos looked aghasted.

"He never let us read the the library!" Fernando said.

"As if... Pappoύs is mad, not insane".

Harry tapped his chin. "Maybe I can owl my adoptive father, Remus" Harr said, "he has a lot of muggle books... answer could be there". Cassander nodded.

Harry broke away from the group, heading to the falconry where the Ioannides kept thier Owls and Falcons. Hedwig would be there.

___________________________

Harry smoothed Hedwig's feathers as she nibbled on his hair; he had gotten a huge fright during the flight from Privet Drive. Harry had though his beloved Owl had been killed but she had only been injured; badly but injured. She spent two months recuperating in the tender care of Rubeus Hagrid. Harry was ever so relieved; he hadn't had that bad a fright since Fifth Year when his other adoptive father, Sirius Black, had been hit with a stuner. If Harry hadn't been quick on his toes and summoned the escaped convict, Sirius would have fallen through the Veil.

But Sirius was alright and happily living in France, in one of the many Estates of the Black Family. When Harry had left England, chosing Banishment; Sirius and Remus (now married) had packed up everything, and Harry meant everything everything. Gringotts had transferred both the potter and Black fortunes to the French Branch of the Bank. He recieved a letter a day after the relevation that his maternal family were Pureblood squibs; it stated that as the only male child of the Evans line (that line being strictly male primogeniture) that had been instated as the newest Lord of the Ancient and Benevolent House of Evans. The fortune that had been residing within the Welsh Branch of Gringotts in Myrddin's Lane, Cardiff had been also transferred to France's Ruelle de Charlemagne(where Gringotts was located).

"Hey, girl" harry said, "you have a safe flight to Sirius and Remus, okay?"

Hedwig hotted, nipped Harry's fingers affectionately and lifted off Harry's shoulder and out inot the Greek skies. Harry leaned against the Falconry wall, staring as Hedwig disappeared from sight.

TBC
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Translations
Mikrή posόtēta ήrōaς, έcheis έla spίti! έla, aς Pappoύs strέphō to blέmma moy se dikός toy eggonόs(Greek): Little Hero, you have come home! Come, let Grandfather look at his grandson.

Senpai (Japanese): Honorific; refers to someone above (not your boss!)