In Raven's Eyes (Malphas)

Leaning down from the bench his relaxed his hands grabbing a ball of snow. Holding out his palm he allowed it to slowly pour from his hand leaving it ice cold, however he barely felt it because confusion was worst than physical pain. "... Nothing seems to be as black and white as good and evil..." he raised his eyes watching the dark sky above him. "Thank you aunt. For being here for me when no one else is able to," he thanked her honestly with all his heart he loved his aunt and he perhaps knew one day that would be his undoing but she was family. And although at the moment he wished he could stab Marvolo over and over, she was his mother, and he loved her either way.

"Nothing is ever black and white. Which sucks sometimes. Specialy for people like me. But you know what? Everything I did, I did for a reason," she said more to herself, than to him and nodded at his thanks. She wanted to be there for him when he needed her. "Did you know I used to be friends with Lupins? Remus actually walked me down the aisle. He used to be like a brother to me," she said, her voice full of strange amusement as she hid her pain completely when it came to name Remus Lupin. "He always said that life is not only black and white. Funny thing is, it was the way he saw the world in the end, when it came to judging me."

"Fair enough" he shrugged as he had nothing else to say and was left without words as she spoke. "My DADA professor? That is easily the most disturbing thing I can imagine," he half joked however it was also somewhat true, because imagining Remus Lupin and Morana Crouch as friends was hard. Very hard. "Hypocrites are common. Never thought Lupin was one," he mused.

"Well I guess that's what knwing your best friend watched your other best friends die and than raised their daughter," she replied. "I went to visit them, tell them about Sophie. But it didn't exactly work out. It doesn't matter why I did it back in the day. All that matter is, that I did it. At least for him," she explained, so Mal had at least slight image of what happened. Even if it was hard to explain everything. And for once, Morana didn't want to lie. "It's a shame, I have only good memories of our days together. But rather don't mention my name in front of him much. He has a temper when he hears of me," she chuckled, looking up to sky again.

Malphas heard paying close attention to his aunt's words and to this day his family's 'former' life still managed to surprise him with how many turns it took. Marvolo and Sirius were going to have a son, Morana and Remus were best friends, it was all too strange, and Bruce actually agreed with him on that. "I'll keep to talking about dementors thank you very much," he smirked.

Morana looked at him with narrowed eyebrow. "Says the Gaunt, who befriended Harry Potter," she teased him. "I actually think it's funny to remember some thing from the past. Given the fact our head healer, Morgan Lupin herself almost became Lestrange instead... my doing... mostly," she smirked for herself, remembering how she manipulated young Morgan into darkness. The fact she in the end cared for her, was meaningless now. "I think, when the next war comes, and I know it will, many wounds will be opened again. And that's where I walk out as a victor again. My wounds are always opened. I can live with them. I can face them," she said, thinking about all those unfinished conversations and unspoken stories. It was more than obvious that at the beckround of the big war, many small ones will be happening.

Malphas shrugged when she once again pointed out he was a Gaunt and he had befriended Harry Potter. However Malphas had two questions he needed answered, why was that strange? What had Potter ever done to the Gaunts? Sure Harry was the child of the prophecy but Voldemort wasn't actually a Gaunt, at least Mal didn't consider him one. "Morgan was going to be a Lestrange my mother was going to be a Black, yatta yatta, shit happened in the past, but it's in the past. People shouldn't dwell on it. It may hurt, but moving on is in the human nature," he answered.

"I just want you to know, that there are many things that we never spoke about. And you might find yourself surprised more than once in next couple of years. Because past is maybe the past. And people maybe move on. But in the end, past is what made the present. It shaped us. And parts of it never go away. Look at me. I am ghost of my past. And so is your mother," Morana replied calmly. "I know you will get through all this shit somehow. And I'm here in case you need help. As much help as I can be to anyone," she gave him a cheerful wink. "Just don't bring that stinky dog to my doorstep! Not interrested in that," she added in disgust remembering Black, the jackass.

Inhaling deeply, he walked in circles his boots leaving marks on the snow, and they almost showed just how nervous he was but finally, he made a decision and even though it wasn't much it could be considered a breakthrough after so long of completely denying to even love his mother, "I'll talk to her eventually..." he replied simply.

"I know you will," she replied. She wished she could help him more. But she couldn't. It was his way and his choices and she knew as much as she would tell him how to avoid mistakes she once made, he wouldn't listen. Because teenagers never listened to adults. Not when it came to their life anyway. "I want you to do things you want to do. Be friends with people you consider worth your time. That's all," she said pulling out weed from her pocket, lighting it up. "Want some?"

Nodding at her advice he laughed when she took out a joint but shook his head, Bruce's influence had gotten the best of him, and he was now straight edge. His body was a temple, alcohol, tobacco and drugs were never entering it once again like they did back when he was twelve or so. He was now working to be as powerful as his role model, "Nah, you enjoy it," he smirked, "You're a bad influence aunt Morana," he chuckled teasingly.

"What can I say? A woman that cannot easily die doesn't have much to fear," she smirked at him, ihaling the weed, letting out smoke with hint of joy in her usually icy cold, piercing green eyes.

"You're lucky diseases don't get to you anymore," he drawled but laughed out loud anyway.

"Diseases maybe not, yet there are many people who would love to have my head on a stake. I think I would be one of the hot candidates for the most hated person in Wizarding World right now," she pointed out with ironic laugh.

Malphas laughed with his aunt but in reality wished he could have remained silent, as he looked up at the dark sky... Father mine, we will meet soon...