Disclaimer: Refer to the first chapter (Prologue).

Warnings: Refer to the first chapter (Prologue) for future warnings.

A/N: So… the story is no longer on hold! But don't hold your breaths over quick updates — I wouldn't want to kill off some of my faithful reviewers. Um, yeah. So enjoy the chapters while they come out because the minute school starts up again, you'll have to do without these; I'm taking four AP classes (among which is AP Chemistry — that counts for like 5 AP classes by the way).

So… I still haven't caught up on the ABVH story line, and quite honestly I don't think I want to.

Though, I have things planned. If anyone knows the Bloody Crumpets… I'll be doing a nod to them (I am a faithful plague rat though I haven't been able to see her live).

So enjoy this short chapter that will hopefully help all of you survive until the next chapter.

Chapter Three

"What are we making?" Celeste tried to peek at the instructions but Gabriel intercepted and hid the papers from view.

"You don't need to know. Just follow my directions and everything will turn out fine." The thirteen year old was far from pleased but stopped himself from voicing his less than happy thoughts; with a pout, he simply nodded.

In this manner the duo went about brewing; Gabriel would tell Celeste to "cut this", "chop that", "stir now" and Celeste would carry out the instructions.

What seemed an eternity passed before father and son were finished.

Satisfied —and injured in the case of the teen— they bottled and labeled the potion..

"Felix Felicis! You know how to make Felix Felicis?"

"Oui. Why are you so shocked by that? I have a mastery in Potions; it only makes sense that I would know how to make this."

"B-but it's you! How do you know the ingredients? Or the directions? I mean, most Potion's masters only know one or the other; how do you know both?"

"It's a secret. If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

" You must be kidding."

"Mais non! Je suis serieux!" But no! I'm serious!

…

"Do you see anything?" Amour looked at him hopefully.

"You mean, other than my reflection?"

"Maybe you just need to try harder?" Her voice rose at the end, turning the suggestion into a question. All the same, Celeste huffed and puffed his cheeks in iritation; he pushed away from the table, almost toppling the crystal ball that was perched on a purple satin pillow.

"I give up. You've been trying to get me to see into this bloody thing for three days. It hasn't worked so far, and it won't any time soon. Maybe my inner eye is blind!"

"No, no. I can sense it. It's definitely there, and it's strong; maybe not as strong as ours, but it is strong enough to use a crystal ball." Gently, she pulled him back over to the table and sat him down.

Thinking quick, she closed the gauzy curtains — filtering the light.

Searching the room, she was able to locate some incence and the accompaning holder. Lighting it, she waited for a handful of minutes — allowing the scent to diffuse through the room.

"Try again now." Sighing, Celeste reached within himself and gently led a string of his magic through his body and into his fingers.

Hovering his hands over the crystal ball, he allowed his magic to cloak the crystal before opening his eyes and searching through the fog.

"Umm… there's a blond man — very pretty — walking to a… house?... on top of some mountain. Now… he's talking to you but you just shake your head and close the door his face… now there's an old man with a long beard and he's accompanied by a woman — slightly younger — and a man – kind of resembles a vampire – and they're giving me a sock and .. I just disappear…"

Trailing off, he glanced up at Amour, who was wearing a troubled expression.

"Amour?"

"Hm? Oh, there's no need to worry about that; Paix, Verite, Gabriel and I will make sure to keep all old men away from you; no one will whisk you away like that.

For some reason, her words did not calm his heart as they usually do.

A dark, foreboding feeling settled in the pit of his stomache.

On the outside he mustered up a smile; he didn't want Amour to be concerned.

…

"Pop quiz!" Celeste groaned at Verite's happy announcement.

"You're going to kill me before the year's end."

"Well thank you for setting my new goal. Now stop talking and start writing!"

Grumbling in anger, Celeste followed her order and started filling out the first row. It was easy enough — he was given a rune and then he had to write a translation for it on the line next to it. When he finished the whole page he let out a happy sigh.

"Done!"

"No you're not." She sang. "There's a back." As he flipped it over, his eyes started bugging out.

"I can't do this!"

"That's okay. I'll just have to take a couple of your fingers as compensation for the time I wasted writing up that paragraph." With a put-upon sigh she approached him with a sharp dagger.

"N-no! That's ok. I think I figured it out!"

It was an agonizing hour of translating later before he was finally finished.

"Done! For real this time."

"Oh! Look what I found! The second page! Silly me; I guess I forgot to staple them together!"

Celeste let his head fall and hit the desk with a dull – THUD!

…

"—THE HELL!"

The morning had out started bad, and that's how Celeste knew the rest of the day would be just as bad.

He had woke up by falling off the side of his bed; his head hitting his side table on the way to the floor. After confirming he wasn't bleeding, Celeste then proceeded to wrestle with his bed sheets — and lost.

When he had finally gotten himself untangled and went to the bathroom, he slipped on a wet patch and fell hard on his ass.

Cursing up a storm, he stood up — rubbing the injured area.

Facing the sink, it was then that Celeste was made aware of one fact — he had lost two feet worth of height while sleeping.

"GABRIEL!"

…

A/N: So... like it? Hate it? Wish it'd spontaneously combust.

So I don't think I'm going to look for another beta. I'll just edit the chapters myself. But, I'm not perfect (and Word is far from that) so I would like to ask you guys to point out any errors in the story when you review. Also, if you think I'm moving the story along too fast, if the characters are getting OOC (my originals especially) and whatnot, please point these out so that I can fix it!