Banner By Suzypants





The Devereux Manor sits in the county of Berkshire, England. From the outside, the manor looks foreboding, yet with an old world charm. The inside tells an odd story, with strange artifacts and equally strange artwork. There really isn’t a doubt that the occupants inside have many dark secrets. The Manor has all the amenities any witch or wizard could ask for, including a dance studio out back. The house is surrounded by only a few houses many miles away. Their neighbors are mainly snooty people who could care less about their dark neighbors, unless they keep the grounds unkempt.

The strange but beautiful home is the residence of Kingston Ryder Devereux XIV, a.k.a. Ryder, and his parents, the senior Kingston and his wife Cora, ancestor of the infamous Malfoy family.

This is Ryder’s first summer in this home since moving from France. Ryder’s parents generally leave him alone while they visit Asia during the summer months. Ryder’s parents leave him with Cook; A wise Spaniard who is not only Ryder’s best friend but second father.


But Ryder wont be alone for very long.



Characters:

Ryder Devereux - RavenSnape
Cook (Cameron Montoya) - Meh Reh
Simone Morgan - Suzypants
Kingston Ryder Devereux XIII (Ryder's father) - Suzypants
Dracora "Cora" Devereux (Ryder's mother) - RavenSnape

Ryder ended his first year at Hogwarts. His summer holiday had begun. When he got home, he would be used to seeing his parents for a day or two before they left the country. But this summer was different. When he came home, he noticed a note on the front table:

Ryder threw the letter away and went to his room to unpack.

A few weeks later, Ryder recieved an owl from Simone:

Ryder stared at the owl. "Guessing I should reply while you're here, right?" He grabbed a quill and quickly wrote "yes" at the bottom of the parchment. He gave the owl a quick snack and sent it on its way.

He walked out of the room and yelled, "COOK! SOMEONE IS COMING OVER! WE NEED PIZZA ROLLS!!!"

Cameron rolled his eyes. He wondered when this boy would ever learn his name. Sure, it did begin with a C, but it wasn't just 'Cook'. The Spaniard rolled his eyes as he put on his apron. Mind you, it was manly.

He walked over to the sink, rolling up his sleeves and began to wash his hands. Eyes scanning the pantry, he found the flour and knew where the cheese and things were. He hoped he had the pepperoni to cut up anyway.

"What kind would you like, sir?" he said with the Spanish accent. He would have to make them from scratch as well.

That boy was a brat. But somewhere, deep inside his stubborn Spaniard heart, he did care for him. A little.

"Pepperoni!" Ryder yelled.

He walked into the kitchen and noticed that Cook seemed a little miffed. He wasn't sure why. Cook and Ryder were very close...best friends, actually. Usually Ryder could easily tell if Cook was upset with something. But then it hit Ryder why. "Don't tell me that the woman I call mother has irritated you with this party." Ryder grabbed an apple from the bowl and leaned against the counter. He took a bite and with a full mouth he said, "Don't worry about it now. The party is what? Two months away?"

Ryder didn't have to do anything to the house to make it look okay for his guest. The house was very orderly...as always. Ryder spent most of his time either in his room or in the his dance studio which he referenced as "the Stoo."

All he had to do now was wait.

Pepperoni. He should have known - it always seemed to be the most popular. Without thinking, Cameron went into the pantry and fridge to get everything out on the counter. Once all of the ingredients were there, he began to mix the outer covering, the fake pizza crust.

As he was kneading the dough, he watched Ryder come down into the kitchen, and grab one of the apples he had placed out earlier. Meh, he would do that once he was done with the rolls for young Mr. Devereux and his guest. A slight smirk crossed his face at the mention of the boy's mother.

Cameron looked up. "No no, that is not what I am worrying about yet. Though I have been slightly stressed about the menu."

He stopped a moment at realizing after being with the family for so long, he still had the Spanish accent. Oh well, it was fine with him.

"So tell me young sir. How was Hogwarts?" It was probably nothing like his Durmstrang.

Ryder still munched on his apple. "Then what's wrong? And let me help you with the menu. I say pizza rolls and bagel bites. everyone loves those."

Ryder thought about it some more. What could possibly be on his mind. "You know, if you want to go see your family you can. I can take care of myself. The Lord and Lady of this manor barely know you're alive unless they need something from you. They would never let you leave. But since they're gone, I say sneak out. Get away. Get away from me." Ryder smiled and gave Cook a friendly slap on the shoulder.

"Hogwarts was boring. Not a lot of action." Ryder realized that besides his few incidents with Simone, he was telling the truth. "They do have a room that I could go in to let off some steam and dance. That helped."

Cameron looked up at Ryder and smiled. "Don't worry about it right now. We can talk about it later." He took the dough and began to roll it out to cut the shells into the bite sized pieces.

A laugh escaped from his mouth when Ryder mentioned pizza rolls and bagel bites. He would be the one to get that from a teenager.

"Your mother would have my head if I did that," he said, smirking and getting the rolls ready. "And I am not sure I would want to leave here just yet, either."

Aha, so Cameron had been right. Hogwarts wasn't as fun as his own alpha mater of Durmstrang. He did smirk slightly though when he mentioned the dance area. Or at least where he could let go. That room... he had heard of before. It was a weird one, that's what he thought at least.

"I am not surprised. But that is good. Any friends?" Maybe...

Ryder finished his apple and threw it toward the trash can. "Yeah, I guess. The girl that's coming over. She's a girl I knew at Beauxbats. I hated her then. Funny, huh?" Ryder thought some more. "Other than that...not really. Everyone is pretty...dull."

Simone grabbed her backpack full of stuff. Hey she didnt know what she would need, besides she has a lot of dancing shoes, and you never know she might need her bikini. She placed vincent in his cage, and whispered, "Be a good boy. I will be back in a few hours."

She walked over to the fireplace in her Aunt Ili's bedroom, tossed a handful of floo powder in and watch mystified as the flames went green. She made sure her backpack was on securely before she walked in the flames. Didnt need to lose that! She steped in, called out Ryders address, and the next thing she knew she was flying through green flames, and sudenly landing on her bum in the front of a fireplace, in a house she had never seen before. "OUCH!" She yelled in her raspy voice.

She stood rubbing her bum, and looking around the amazingly beautiful decore. It was very expensive looking and slightly on the tacky side, definitley not like her house. "Wow. They must be richer then I thought." she said to herself, still rubbing her bum.

Ryder heard a commotion in the entry room. Simone must have arrived. He looked over at Cook. "This girl and I either get along or we don't. We'll see how well this goes." He smiled at Cook again and left the kitchen.

Ryder peeked around the corner. It was in fact Simone and she was rubbing her lower end. She was looking around at the stuff in the room. "I see you know how to make a grand entrance." Ryder saw the backpack she was carrying. He walked over and took it off her shoulders and sat it on the floor. It was heavy! "This thing is full! What are you plannin' on doing? Changing clothes for every hour you're here?"

Simone blushed something fierce. She was almost the same color of her shirt which was odd looking since she had tanned a lot over the past couple of weeks since school got out. She gave a small embarrassed giggle and looked at Ryder. "Hi," was all she could muster to say at the moment. She hadnt seen him since the train ride home 2 weeks ago, and he catches her in the midst of rubbing her bum. "You should seriously think about puting a cushioning charm infront of your fireplace." She said still slightly blushing.

"What? I have a lot of dancing shoes and I didnt know which ones to bring, along with some...other essentials." If a bikini was an essential. She shrugged, and crossed her arms infront of her, as if to say "what?"

Cameron smiled at the comment about Hogwarts students. "I told you they would not be as fulfilling as Durmstrang students, like myself."

The Spaniard rolled up his sleeves as he began to place the sauce, cheese, and newly cut pepperoni into the little shells for the pizza rolls. There was a loud sound, as if someone had been trying to take out a piece of furniture, and he raised an eyebrow at Ryder.

He went back to his work, going around the kitchen to finish the rolls, and placed them in the oven. Cameron began to clean up the slight mess he had made and back into the perfect Devereux standard for the kitchen. Not that it seemed Ryder would care, anyway. But it would be a good idea in case the Lord and Lady returned for a drop by.

Once he thought it was safe to enter the other room, he did so, apron still on and his sleeves still rolled up. He saw the young lady standing with her hand on her rear, and he raised an eyebrow. "You must be Mr. Devereux's friend," he said, rolling his R slightly. "I am Cameron Montoya, the cook. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Ryder was about to snip a retort to Simone's comment about a cusioning charm for the fireplace, but Cook came in to introduce himself. Remembering his manners, he said, "Yeah, he would rather I call hiim by his name, but that would require effort and he knows I don't have any. Cook this is Simone. Simone this is Cook."

Simone was about to reply to Mr. Montoya when Ryder, of course, had to interrupt. She rolled her eyes at him and then turned to the older gentleman. "Bonito reunirse tú, Señor Montoya." She smiled hugely. Simone was fluent in french, and spanish. Her mother was French and her father was half spanish, so she grew up learning both languages.

She turned to Ryder saying, "That means, 'Nice to meet you, Mr. Montoya,' just so you know." She grinned, folding her arms across her chest, waiting for some kind of witty retort.

Ryder just looked at heramuzingly. ¿Realmente? No tenía ninguna idea." He lived with a Spaniard. Surely, he would have picked up on a bit of Spanish over the years. "And that means, 'really? I had no idea.'"

Ryder knew his one up on her wouldn't sit well, so he decided to up it a little further. "So...¿Está usted listo para el viaje magnífico? Are you ready for the grand tour?" Hopefully this would end the spanish lesson for today. He wanted to get to "The Stoo" to get the party started.

Simone flushed instantly at Ryder's comment. How was she supposed to know he knew any other languages? So now that she was embarrased and made a fool of in front of the cook, she really wanted to scream at him. But decided against it.

She narrowed her eyes, glared, pursed her lips, and with a very sarcastic smile replied, "Sí." Though she really wanted to make a rude hand gesture and then hit him.

Cameron surveyed the two as they spoke to each other in Spanish. Of course Ryder would be fluent, after all - Cameron taught him the language. He was going to be good. But Miss Morgan was excellent as well.

"Y lo mismo a usted, Señorita Morgan," he said, bowing his head towards the guest.

Mister Devereux was always the competitive one though, and he watched the two have a mini word duel in Spanish before there was a pause in their conversation that was extremely entertaining to himself.

"If you need anything," Cameron said. "I will either be in the kitchen, or around the downstairs. Yell, and I will respond."

One more bow of the head, and he retreated back into the kitchen, where he checked on his homemade pizza rolls. Surely they were up to Ryder's standards. If only that boy would get his name right. He was old enough to know how to say "Cameron" without having to phonetically say it. Enough worrying - he didn't want wrinkles in his forehead just yet. Maybe later, once his children had grown up.

Ryder could tell that his excellent Spanish speaking skills annoyed her. He figured she would get over it quick enough or just get used to the fact that he is pretty amazing. He clasped his hands together then pushed them forward to pop his knuckles. He let out a very happy, confident sigh. Yeah...I'm good!

Cameron let Ryder and his guest know where he was going to be. Ryder just nodded. After Cameron left, he looked at Simone. "Guarantee you he'll yell for us first. Pizza rolls should be finished soon." He walked away to see if Cameron was completely gone. "So, where do you want to start the tour?"

Simone narrowed her eyes, and gave Ryder a very sarcastic smile. Though when Cook said he was glad to meet her as well in spanish, she grinned a little. Then turned back to Ryder when he opened his annoying mouth. Annoying...pretty mouth.

She shook her head really quick and rolled here eyes. Not now Simone. He doesnt like you like that. "Where ever you want to take me. Do you want me to bring my bag or leave it?" She asked still a little miffed.

Ryder nodded. "Yeah. Grab it. I'll give you the tour that my dad gives people. I'll try to make it less boring and we'll end up in The Stoo. Dad always ends the tour in the Smoking Room, so him and his friends can brag about their greatness."

Ryder began in the main living area, then to the Family Dining area. This area was so named because they needed people to think they were a happy family when in truth the family never ate anywhere in the house together because they were never there together...at one time. After the Family Dining area, they went on to the kitchen. Ryder peeked in the oven to see if the pizza rolls were in there. Not done yet.

Ryder then took her to what he called the Museum. This room housed a lot of family artifacts and other creepy collectibles of his mothers. Included in the collection was the cane of his Great-great Grandfather Lucius Malfoy. His mother took precious care of this cane and had it encased in charmed glass.

Once they got through the museum, they went upstairs to the Ballroom, which Ryder hated. It was too bright and goddy for his tastes. They didn't stay long. They reached a fork in the stairs. He then pointed to the left. "The people that gave birth to me live in that wing." He then pointed right. "I live in that wing. But I don't spend a lot of time there except to sleep. Where I spend most of my time is outside."

They made their way through the Grand Dining Hall which had paintings of a lot of family members on the walls, including an enormous picture of his Great-great Grandmother Narcissa Malfoy. They went out some doors and there was another building. It was smaller compared to the rest of the house but still pretty big. "That is The Stoo. My home when I'm at home." He admired the building. He loved this place. "Well, let's go!"

Simone followed him through out the house, with her very heavy backpack on her back. Nevertheless, it was amazing, and slightly on the creepy side with all the Malfoy family heirlooms hanging around. The Malfoy family were some of the best known, and extremely wealthy, Deatheaters in their time. What am I getting myself into? She shook the thought off. He wasnt like them. He wouldnt be talking to her if he was. She was half blood.

Seperate wings? What were his parents? Really. Her home in Paris was just as big as this but they all had bedrooms in the same wing. This is not the time to judge them.


Finally. The dance studio. She grinned. "Let's. Your home is amazing Ryder." She said, while walking towards the door of the studio. She pulled it open and gasped at the size of it. It was like a full working dance studio that he got to keep all to himself! "This...is....wow." I'm going to have to beg daddy for one of these.

Ryder watched as Simone looked around like she was in some sort of fantasy land. She was all wide-eyed and smiling. He looked around himself and was pretty impressed with it himself. "Yeah, my dad was tired of me getting into trouble. And it didn't help that I kept scuffing up the floors with all the stuff I moved around to have room to dance." He walked over to a towel that was left on the floor from the day before and picked it up. "He let me design it. The three walls of windows were my idea. With the windows, I feel that the space is more open. Like the entire world is my dance floor, you know?"

Simone just looked around and took it all in. It was absolutely gorgeous. How could a guy that is such a jerk, design something thats so beautiful? She smiled at his poetic words. Where was all this coming from? "Yeah. It's amazing, Ryder. I can't believe that you designed this." She said, walking to the back wall of windows, and looking out on the scenery. It was absolutley breath taking.

Ryder tossed the towel in the corner of the room. "Well, thanks." He thought about what she said. "Wait. Why can't you believe I could design this?" He wasn't angry she said that. As a matter of fact his tone would indicate a curious sarcasm. He put his hands on his hips and smiled.

Ryder walked over to the doors. "I just remembered. There is something else I want to show you."

Simone grinned evily. Oh she would tell him why she couldnt believe it. She had no problem with that. "Well, your an egotistical, sarcastic, jerk most of the time. I dont know how something this beautiful could come out of someone so...you." She gave him a small smile, and blushed. Hopefully he wouldnt get mad.


Something else? What else could there be??? "Alright." She said, walking towards him.