Chapter 63.3- Doom Days

“Like I said, we were born in Pompei as…” He was about to say, and then his wife placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Names have power” She reminded.

“Indeed. You may know us as you know us now. Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. It’s the names we’ve used for centuries now, so I guess they are as true as any other. We were born there, and we grew up within two powerful noble families. Perenelle’s family had had magic for generations, while I was what you might refer to as a muggleborn. If not for her, I might have lived my whole life never truly learning of my gifts. But Perenelle and I, being of a similar age and class— for there was no real divide between the magical and the mundane back then— were educated together. And when it came time for her to learn magic, Perenelle would learn during the day and then sneak off to teach me at night.” He said with a fond smile, his own hand reaching out to tighten around her own.

“When it came time to be married, I wanted only one woman and she wanted only one man. Many opposed the match. We were too close in age, some said. We were too far apart in status, others had said. Perenelle’s house had waxed while mine had waned over the years. But everyone who opposed it either came around to the genius of it, or stepped out of the way entirely” The way he said the last sentence made me pretty certain that he had had something to do with their change of hearts.

“Oh what interesting poisons Perenelle concocted in those periods” Oh? I almost instantly re-evaluated the woman by his side. Of course, I’d thought her dangerous in her own way but knowing I was sat on the same table as a mistress of poisons made me thankful I had brought my own drink.

“Back on topic, Nicholas” She said, leaning into him.

“Yes, yes. We were married. I was how old again?”

“He was twenty-one and I was eighteen. The opposition to our marriage had seen us spend more years unmarried than most would have at the time. We had to reject several suitors even.”

“Oh you just reminded me of poor Persephone, my love”

“There was nothing poor about Persephone. She dared to poke her head where it was not wanted. If she did not want to spend eternity as a cursed creature then she should never have.” I raised an eyebrow.

“Like I said a million times, my love. She was being forced”

“And if she did not have the will to resist that spineless coward of a father, then she deserved what she got.” Perenelle was the true danger, I was beginning to realise.

“Now, shall we get back to the story?” She asked, gazing straight into her husband’s eyes.

“Forgive me, Harry. Old age has made me prone to rambling.” Perenelle scoffed by his side.

“Nicholas came out of the womb rambling. Don’t let him deceive you”