Camaraderie of Hellions [Tom Riddle]

VI - The Rosier Heir

GARE du NORD CABOOSE
Paris, France
September 5th, 1948

WARNING: drowning attempts, mention of pneumonia, mentions of abuse. Typical Noble House stuff.

Laurent Rosier was, by all accounts, not a good man.

His bewitching exterior was crafted by the Fates up above, gifting him with a ghostly white complexion, contrasted by the shining locks of dark hair upon his head. A sharp jaw and chin so perfectly angular, and pulchritudinous eyes of emerald green.

"The good Lord favours him highly. He is too good to gift us with such a beautiful boy."
His mother had obsessed over him during his first years, crooning and rocking him back and forth in cradlesong, simply overjoyed by the gorgeous little boy that she had brought into the world.

She would show him off to other guests during their evenings of splendour, and would dress his little frame up in the most frilliest of robes, earning the baby an abundance of compliments and affection from those who circled around him.

His father cherished him too, in his own peculiar way. Quality time meant hours on end of training to become a proper Heir of House Rosier. Laurent would get tested on his smarts, his father throwing scenarios at him and expecting him to quickly name solutions within the next five seconds, and if he failed to do so on time, a little stinging jinx to his shoulder.

Wizard's Chess represented strategy, and the pair would play every night after dinner for hours on end, Laurent's father pressuring him into making the perfect move.

He was not surprised when his father came home one day after his eighth name day, an older girl by two years clutching his hand tightly.

His mother had been livid, even attempting to kick the little bastard girl out more times than once, claiming they had a perfect little boy right there in front of them.

Laurent Rosier's father rarely acknowledged his son's beauty, his wit, his charm.
He took all credit for having made the young man that Laurent was today, claiming that it was all him.

Therefore, he claimed that his work on him was done, and now, it was his new sister that needed his and his mother's attention. After all, her mother was gone, he expected Laurent to pity the poor girl, take her in and make her his friend.

Instead, he had treated her with malice.

He would never forget the one time they all promenaded outside beneath the crisp morning skies, Laurent and his sister Madeleine had run up ahead to the lake, wanting to feed the ducks bits of their bread left from breakfast.