Like father, like son?

[Luciano Lurken]

ID # 7276966

Luciano felt numb as he walked blindly through Brightstone Village, having an inner battle over the direction of his worn converse-clad feet. The letter folded in his pocket was directing him to the back streets and to the unknown mystery that of why his father would want to see him. However his intelligence was telling him to stay away and not mix himself back up in his father's twisted and harsh affairs. This new, stronger side of him was currently losing the battle, as the streets of Brightstone became narrower and dilapidated. Luciano didn't pay any attention to the boarded up houses with their curtains drawn to block the bright summer sun. He was quite used to the dodgier parts of town, in fact he felt more comfortable there. Nobody to smile cheerily at you, or offer to carry your shopping. He almost preferred the element of danger, being on edge. Paranoia was a common and comfortable state for the sixth year Slytherin. Luciano's clenched hand reached for the neat and incredibly formal letter, which held the exact address of where he would meet with the man who he had tried his best to avoid for the last three years.

The house number barely registered in Luciano's brain as instinct took over, and he headed around several corners before coming to a halt before a house almost identical to those around it. Noticing that he had almost walked in a circle, and that the house was actually quite close to the shopping heart of Brightstone Village. Luciano glanced around slowly, almost hoping that he would be distracted and avoid the inevitably bad outcome of this visit. All these emotions were concealed behind a stony and completely impassive face, which would seem to a stranger to be a very formal and uninterested expression. This skill was on that Luciano had in fact inherited from his father, and was one that could only be seen through by the rare people that understood him incredibly well.

Raising a steady hand, he knocked once on the peeling, dirty white door, before retreating several steps away from the door, not knowing what to expect. Luciano forcefully pushed away the paranoia that was beginning to creep into his mind, making all his muscles tense in preparation for that door to open.

 

[William Rossi]

Despite it's shabby and rough exterior, William Rossi was of course finding this house to his satisfaction. The standards of the wealthy British man were almost ridiculously high, however met well by the royal red carpet and beige sofa, which he was seated on. Though his surroundings were expensive and tasteful, it wasn't to say that William was comfortable. Quite the opposite. He was blind to the fact that he was rarely truely comfortable. By surrounding himself with expensive material possessions, William tried to fill the gap within him that would never be healed, no matter how big his boat was or how much he spent on expanding his already large house. However William did not realise this, or rather chose not to. The hole that his wife and son's absence had made was so constant that he had gotten used to it, concentrating all his energies on the many businesses he successfully owned.

A fourteen year old boy suddenly vanishing had obviously not gone unnoticed by many 'close' to the Rossis. There had been talk that after being expelled, William had sent his son to work in a hard labourous job in some remote place in Russia. Being a proud man, William had been annoyed at these rumours, but made no attempt to correct them. Instead he had formed the plan of bringing his only son back to England. Not a man to take somebody against their will, William would manipulate Luciano into coming home. He still viewed his son as the cold puppet he had been three years previously. It had not even occurred to him that his son had become a stronger and better person. That was just out of the question. Luciano would arrive at this impressively decorated house, and come back to England without much of a struggle. William wasn't prepared for it to go any other way. A single knock made him look slowly around at the door, a smile completely devoid of any warmth or humour on his cold face. He was at the door in several long strides, opening the door he had not bothered to lock. Several metres back from the threshold stood his son, taller and better built than the last time William had seen him. "Son" he said in greeting, though the fake warmth of his tone was very obvious, particularly to his intelligent son.

 

[Luciano Lurken]

Luciano's eyes narrowed as the door handle turned, and his father was suddenly there, looking down at him with the most confusing and admittedly frightening expression Luciano had ever seen on his face. His father looked considerably older and worn than the last time they had met, which was very disconcerting. Luciano had always counted on his father staying the same, and being able to expect the same behavior. This older version looked as if he was going to to spring something on him that was completely unexpected. However despite how disconcerted Luciano was now feeling, the emotions did not show on his face as his eyes flicked appraisingly over his father's form. The choice of greeting made him sneer slightly. Wasn't this the man who had shouted that Luciano would never ever a son of his, after the shame he brought to him? "Don't call me that" he said coldly and clearly, staring up at the man with hard eyes. Luciano no longer considered this man to be his father. Obviously they were biologically related, but all emotional attachtment he had had was long gone.

It was then that it hit him. Luciano no longer had parents. And it was this man that was to blame. William had killed his mother, not by his own hand, but by pushing her towards overdosing on the deadly drugs. The silence her death had left in their lives had sent Luciano and his father's already tense relationship completely out of control. Luciano had felt the guilt of his mother's death pressed upon him, as the only child. He now realised that it had never been his fault, it was all his father's. This man who had never cared. The anger began to build up inside the seventeen year old, a wild anger that he had never felt before. He wanted to break the cold weak man in front of him, the one who had killed his mother and was trying to do the same to him. "You have absolutely no right to call me your son. You chucked me out, which was actually the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my miserable damn life" Luciano's voice rose as he spoke, until he was shouting "YOU KILLED MY MOTHER, AND ALL YOU WANT IS TO RUIN ME TOO" This was the first time Luciano had shouted like this in years. He had kept it bottled up inside, withdrawing further and further into himself until his moment. And now his father would feel ever ounce of pain he had inflicted in him in his seventeen years.

 

[William Rossi]

William began to feel a little annoyed. This was not how it was supposed to happen. His son's impeccable manners seemed to have been lost in this unruly little country. The strict and traditionally British upbringing that he had made sure to give Luciano was meant to stay, and enable him to keep the boy under his control. He had been an intelligent boy from the start, however this had never felt like a threat, even when he had been expelled three years previously. That had been an act of juvenile stupidity, for which he had made sure had had consequences. But now it was time for his son to come home, and bring pride to the family, as William grew into his older years. The older man's eyes mirrored his son's as they narrowed, showing the annoyance he felt. "Do not speak to me like that. I am your father, and you do I say" The command whipped out, his tone suddenly sharp. He was really quite weary of this change, it was quite intimidating. Though this would never be shown, it being a very open show of weakness that would enable his son to override him.

William's sharp eyes immediately noticed the change in Luciano's stance, as the boy tensed and his eyes grew dark and cold. He could sense something coming, as the boy's thoughts showed in his eyes, which passed through emotions rapidly. Sadness, guilt, loneliness, finally settling anger. Luciano obviously thought that he had himself trained well enough not to show exactly what he was thinking in his face, but to his father it was blatantly obvious. It may work on others, but he would always be able to tell with his son. The words that came out of his mouth surprised William with their strength and emotion. He stepped suddenly down to the step above the ground, so that he was above his son, in his rightful place of authority. Anger to match his sons was evident on his face. Choosing to ignore the first comments, he retorted almost brutally to what was shouted about his dead wife "Your mother was a mess, she had it coming all along. She's better off dead than created fabricated dreams for your life" William immediately regretted the words about Francesca as soon as the were uttered. Though he had never shown it, particularly to his son, he missed his wife terribly. The absence of her completely contrasting personality he noticed every day. Instead of the sadness showing on his cold hard face, anger and violence began to swirl in his dark eyes, as he got right up in his son's face. If intimidating Luciano into submission was what he had to do, William was eager to do it.

 

[Luciano Lurken]

The anger coursing through Luciano's veins was like nothing he had felt. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Punch him? Run away? No, he couldn't run away. That would be ridiculously weak, and his father would easily catch him somehow. He would just have to keep under control, which was becoming increasingly hard with his father's words. Luciano shook his head very slowly, his eyes cold and hard as he stared up at the man. He would never be his father, he never had been. If he had been a proper father, he would have smiled more, or praised his son when he brought a drawing home from school. Not the disappointment and distaste obvious on his face when an eight year old Luciano had been over the moon about being chosen for the local soccer team. Luciano would never be worthy, and he no longer wanted to waste his time wanting to be "You have never been my father" he said quietly and coldly, looking away up the street to avoid those eyes that were so like his own. The eyes were the only features he wanted to share with this man. He wanted to be the absolute opposite, physically and emotionally.

Luciano could feel himself starting to quiver, ever so slightly. Anger turned to rage as he looked back up into the infuriatingly stony face. He himself kept up that same hard wall, keeping everybody out, even the ones that he truly loved. Yet another thing in common with this man. However the hatred kept the mirrored expression on his face, eyes narrow and slightly violent, face like a statue. William's words were like a punch in the stomach. How could he say that? "You didn't know her, or love her. You drove her away and she actually f*cking loved you. You killed her." He stated aggressively. The subject of his mother had never come up between them, not even immediately after her death. Luciano had always been sensitive about it, though he had pretended not to be. To be able to put that blame that he had always taken upon himself onto somebody else, especially this hated man was the best feeling, like a massive weight had been lifted off, taking some of his emotional barrier with it. Luciano's lip curled as William descended the steps to be just above his height. He did not flinch or take a step back. He was stronger now. There was a pause, before he said ever so slowly "F*ck. You. Get the hell out of my life" It was what he truly wanted, and he could easily find his own way in life without being controlled and directed. Luciano had his own dreams, though he wasn't quite sure what they were yet.

 

[William Rossi]

William's lip curled as he looked down at his son. He had to admit that he had grown to be quite a good looking young man, in a completely natural and off hand way. It was obvious that he did not spend much time in front of a mirror each time, if at all. A new emotion was beginning to make it's way into William's head, one that he did not want. It was almost... Pride, or something similar. This was not good at all. A major weakness that he was determined to cover up. His eyes flashed menacingly at Luciano's words. He would not show weakness, he would prove to his son that he was strong and in control. As the younger man looked away from his face, William brought a hand up to his chin and pulled it forcefully around to look back up into his slightly mad face "You are my son, whether you like it or not. And that means that you will come back to England with me, and you will do as I say" he said forcefully, reinforcing each 'will' with a shake of his hand, which he still had holding Luciano' chin. He tightened his grip before letting go and almost relaxing back into a glowering stance on the step. Now that he had made his intentions clear and backed them up with a bit of force, he was more confident.

Again the resemblance of his son to himself, and also rather painfully Francesca, cut through him, as the boy began to get infuriated. Francesca. Now that he thought about it, William realised that the dead woman was most of the tension and mistrust between them. The words that Luciano spoke hit William hard. It brought everything that he had denied for the last seven years right back, filling him with an immovable guilt. He hated his son for doing this to him, for knowing exactly what had happened. Instead of correcting Luciano and telling him that he had in fact loved Francesca more than anything, William raised his hand before the younger man could even see it. He hit around face hard, satisfied at the loud noise it made when they connected "You always were very slow" he said coldly, the humorless smile back on his face. His eyes narrowed "Do not speak to me like that" he repeated, almost shouting the words. How dare his son speak to him this way. Had he learnt nothing so far?

 

[Luciano Lurken]

Luciano almost frowned as he watched his father. He wasn't sure, but beneath the cold hard exterior, had he seen something else flash in the man's eyes? This encounter couldn't be bringing anything but anger and disappointment to him, as usual. This felt like an achievement now. As a child and early teenager it had always been a struggle to meet his father's expectations, and that cold look that he was given when he failed had used to make him want to curl up and die, because he just wasn't good enough. However now defying and disappointing William had turned into a challenge for Luciano. He had broken free of the expectations of his father, and now planned to shove them all back in his ugly face. Luciano froze as he opened his mouth to tell his father what else he had done wrong. He had been grabbed by the jaw, and his neck cracked painfully as it was yanked back towards his father's face. The words and insistent shaking made Luciano freeze with his mouth open, about to tell his father whatever else he had done wrong. It wasn't the physical force that infuriated Luciano, though he began to pull back, disgusted at being gripped by this man. It was what he had just been demanded of. Luciano almost laughed in his face "Like hell I'm coming back to England" he said almost disbelievingly "You'd have to kill me first. But that's what you want, isn't it?" he said, his tone but bitter and resigned.

Smack. Luciano was stunned for several seconds. The pain hadn't even begun to register, as he felt the anger and rage boil over, adrenaline pushing him on. Raising an arm in defence, he looked up into William's face for a fraction of a second, before lowering all defences, shaking with the effort. It had hit him, looking up into that awful sneering face that to retaliate and fight back would make him just like his father. Not strong, but showing incredible weakness by expressing his emotions physically rather than telling the truth. That wasn't to say that Luciano was going to spill all his emotions. His father didn't even deserve that. "I will speak to you any way I f*cking want to" he replied, voice not taking it's usual cold tone, but almost a defiant and amused one. This man couldn't control him, he was seventeen years old after all.

Abbey can come now.

 

[Astrid Hurley-Lurken]

Astrid Hurley-Lurken floated down the streets of Brightstone, wishing that she could pat her daughter, her youngest daughter on the shoulder. However, a ghost could not do that to a physical person. This was the first time that Astrid had been to this area since she was killed. Her gown flowed behind her, and no one thought of the darker gray splatters of blood from the wounds upon her torso. The former Death Eater gazed down at her daughter, growing up on her. The smallest of things could have Astrid rather emotional. What she thought had passed, was not so. She only had her baby girl right now, and it killed her - figuratively speaking - that no one could locate Asher. Kyne was doing well, but Astrid could see him anytime now that she knew who and where he was. Astrid traveled far to find her baby girl, Abigail.

Astrid was speaking beautifully, her tongue moving and rolling graciously in her mouth, until she was interrupted by Abbey's frantic voice. Astrid turned her once-violet eyes to an older man, and a young boy. From what Abbey had shouted, this was her beau, though not officially just yet. Astrid floated up to the couple of men, and her eyes stared viciously and mercilessly at the older man. Mess with her baby, and he would have to go through Astrid. However, seeing that she was a ghost, that would be quite the easy task. It just had not registered in her mind yet.

 

[Abigail Lurken-Mckay]

Abigail Lurken walked down the streets of Brightstone with her ghost of a mother. It was strange that after all these years, she had known her only three. And the fact that her mother looked twenty-three was just odd as well, since Abbey will be passing that age within a few short years. She was close to graduating from school now, and it was just going to be interesting. Abbey was going to be a Death Eater but now she was getting cold feet. She did not know what she wanted to do. She might beside sometime down the future though. Her mother was speaking words of wisdom to her, and how she was killed and all. It just added gasoline to the fires of hatred she held for the Aurors. Abbey hated them for tearing her family apart, and because of that, she suffered so much in the orphanage. No way in hell would she become one of those moronic heroes.

Amethyst eyes went from her mother's to someone yelling, and her eyes widened when she saw Luciano, and she gasped in horror when some older man that she assumed to be his father smack him. Abbey's eyes darkened slightly to a frightening byzantine purple, and she rushed to Luciano's aid, calling out, "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF LUCIANO!" Abbey was soon standing beside him, and she stared at him in worry, her hands touching his shoulders. She wondered if he was in any way harmed. "Come on, let's just go, please!" She did not want him to get hurt anymore. She could pull out her wand and attempt to fight this man, but she did not want to cause any more trouble than she could bear. The Slytherin Prefect wanted nothing more but to leave the place, and take him with her.

 

[Luciano Lurken]

Luciano's anger had almost evaporated, as he looked infuriatingly calmly and pityingly into the older man's face. He would never stoop to such levels as his father, particularly not physically harming anybody ever again. Luciano had been involved in quite a bit of that in his last year at Hogwarts Scotland and knew that it really did not get you anywhere. His father was a prime example, and because of that Luciano wanted to rid himself of the urges, to distance himself from this man as much as possible. "You can hit me all you want, but you're a f*cking idiot to think it'll make me do what you want" He said a little amusedly. He had always considered his father to be an intelligent man, but apparently not in the parenting division. Well he had know that his entire life anyway. The tricky question of how he would escape the man without too much harm and not be followed was a whole different question. It was then that he heard footsteps and an amazingly familiar voice made him look around suddenly.

The way that Abbey looked at that moment, wild with anger, did things to Luciano that he had never known before. He didn't even attempt to control his face as he normally would around her. It was not important at thatoment. He turned back to his father, eyes narrowing again. He hadn't retaliated before however if William so much as touched Abbey it would be a completely different story. He glanced over at her, holding her gaze for several seconds. In that gaze was all the feelings he ha so far repressed and kept from her, his now vulnerable features showing the protectiveness, want and love. He reached up to where her hands were at his shoulders and took one in his own, lowering it gently between them. Luciano's face hardened once more as he looked back to his father with distaste. All he wanted now was to get Abbey as far away from his father as possible, she really didn't need to see this. "Goodbye, William" he said bitterly, using his first name to be as distant as possible. Somehow though, his legs didn't want to move. He was still glued to the spot holding Abbey's hand, staring up at his father not even noticing the ghost of her mother.

 

[William Rossi]

Once again, the hand was raised and brought sharply around his son's face. William was beyond reasoning now, he wasn't even trying to make Luciano do as he wanted anymore, he was just releasing all the built up up tension and frustration he had with the world. The world that had taken his wife, and turned his son's respect for him into no more than a piece of dirt. That just couldn't be his fault. This new behaviour from his son had left William at a loss of what to do. It was quite obvious that force wasn't working "You're coming and that's final" He said authoritively. The rebellious words that were coming out of Luciano's mouth, William chose to ignore. He was the dominant man, despite why his deluded son might think. "And now you will come inside, and we will talk and leave tomorrow" he finished, face cold and hard as if daring his son to disagree. However, it seemed that others who has joined them had other ideas.

William's eyebrow raised appraisingly as a teenage girl who obviously knew his son, shouted at him to get away from Luciano "I don't know who you think you are, but I will do anything I like to my son" William said cooly. Luciano's little girlfriend was fiery, and he had to admit beautiful also. Seeing them together, and the way that his son gazed at her sobered his face, turning it into stone. He would not show how the two made him feel. It was the way that he had looked at Francesca when she was alive, and the memories made him angry all over again. He stared down commandingly at his son "Come, now" he said coldly. The ghost hanging around them caught his eye, but he wasn't worried. A ghost could do nothing against him. These were the defences his son brought? A girl and a ghost? A sneer made it's way onto his face.

 

[Abigail Lurken-Mckay]

Abbey's normally cold expression melted completely at Luciano's stare into her amethyst eyes. She had completely forgotten that her mother and his father were there. Just that moment meant the world to Abbey. The Slytherin Prefect removed her hand from his shoulder, and kept the other in his hand. It felt just right to her, and slowly, she turned her eyes to the man that made her admiration in her eyes melt into wrath. Abbey would not let Luciano leave with this man. He had already hurt Luciano, and she did not want him hurt any longer than she could stand. She adored him, admired him, maybe even loved him. After a long time of chasing after him, he would finally be hers. She glanced once more at Luciano. Of course, the fiery pure-blood would not stand to being talked to that way, nor would she stand for Luciano to be spoken to that way either. Abbey had an issue with keeping her mouth shut when she was angry, but instead of getting herself into more trouble, she decided to think it through.

Perhaps some other approach would work. Considering that Luciano was now an adult, he could live wherever he pleased, and his father had no say in it. And she could use magic outside of school now that she was of age. Abbey now stepped in and spoke, "Mr. Rossi, sir, I will have to intervene. I am Abigail Lurken, Slytherin Prefect. I have orders to take him back to the school, as his Head of House demands. Professor Styx would hate to leave his office and come down here. Now, if you will excuse us, the adults have to leave." For the first time in her life, she lied and she covered it up with her eyes. Though normally, she could not have done that, but this time, she had. With a tug, she started to lead Luciano away, or attempt to. Considering her frame and size, he would need to walk himself. But Abbey had other things in mind than just leading him away. After seeing that he had feelings, she wanted more from him than just a talk that would lead to simple flirtation acts. Abbey at this point did not care where her mother went or what she said. Her thoughts were for Luciano, and him just.

 

[Astrid Hurley-Lurken]

Astrid moved her hair back over her shoulder, and she revealed her grotesque wounds even more as she moved. Though that was the only thing she could do to this man, she now remembered that she was just a ghost. And that only. Astrid gave a soft sigh when the man spoke to his child like that, and she shook her head. He did not know how felt to not have your children with you, as you were dead and forced to see them all grown up, and never teach them anything at all. Astrid pointed her ghostly finger at him, and she cursed, "I can and will go get others if need be if you do not let this boy, Luciano leave. He is an adult, and you have no power over him. The people I will find will not like it one bit that you have hit your own son." The only people she could really think of were those others that were Lurkens and their allies. Oh, if only she had Millard here at the time. They would have been more of a threat than she would ever be now that she could do nothing more than cause someone to shiver. She retreated her ghostly arm, and watched Abbey attempt to take Luciano from this man's sight. Astrid would go about her own ways, and leave as well. Gracefully, she would turn and she float down the sidewalks, the transparent woman leaving the town as silent as she came.

 

[Luciano Lurken]

This situation had suddenly turned a little hilarious to Luciano. He knew that it really wasn't a good time to be laughing, but he just could not help fixing his cold gaze on his father and laughing humourlessly. He was getting told by Abbey, and really he pitied the man. All the stress and emotions contained inside him in the last couple of hours were making him a little hysterical. Particularly because he never laughed like this. Controlling himself he blinked at the man, looking a little malicously up into his face, feeling strong here with Abbey holding his hand at his side. He refrained from looking sideways at Abbey and her blatant lie. However William didn't need to know that.He had a sudden fear that William would want to accompany them to this unexistent meeting with Professor Styx. Any chance that he could meddle in his son's life, Luciano knew he would take advantage of. He was absolutely sick of it, his entire life story basically.

Another voice made him turn, a little shocked to see a ghost hovering beside them, presumably Abbey's mother by her appearance. The surprise did not register on his face as his gaze lingered on the silvery woman before turning back to his father. Abbey wanted to go, and he was more than happy to follow. He wasn't sure what she wanted, not wanting to try and read her face at that moment. But anything she wanted, he knew he would want also. She now knew the biggest influence on his life, something nobody but his dead mother had ever known. Now Luciano was completely exposed to her, being an intelligent person she would have realised what his entire life had been like. He squeezed her hand lightly and reassuringly, as he took a long last look at his father, what he hoped would be his last. This man was the complete source of the negativity that had consumed Luciano's life, and which he was now letting go of. He knew that he would never be a pure and good person, that was almost impossible, but he had learned very well how to love, and how not to treat those special people. He let himself be pulled sideways slowly "I feel sorry for you" he said simply, before turning and following Abbey to wherever they were to go. He was free.