A trip to Germany

[Isabella Rothschild]

"I love you," she whispered, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. She took a deep breath, then said, "OK, I'm going in." She pushed open the door and walked inside, leaving the door ajar.

She approached her father's bed slowly. He appeared to be sleeping and she almost turned back around, but then he called out, "Bitsy? Is that you?"

"It's not Bitsy," Isabella said softly. "It's me, Daddy."

His eyes popped open and he looked at her through bleary eyes. "Bella? Is that you? You came to see me?"

"Yes, Daddy, I'm here," Isabella said. She walked over and sat in a chair next to the bed. "I didn't even know you were sick... what is it?"

"Damn Muggle disease. Cancer. There's no magical cure. Can you believe it? Hmmmph. I have to go to Muggle doctors." He looked at her appraisingly. "There's something different about you, Bella. You've changed. You've gone soft, haven't you?"

Isabella cursed silently. For a brief, shining second there, she'd almost thought... I'll never learn, she thought. "And what if I have?" she said. "Maybe it's time I start being myself instead of who you made me to be."

"Bella, I did what i did--"

"Save it," she said, her voice still calm and mild. "Mother told me why you both raised me to be just like you. I don't buy it. I may have gone 'soft,' as you call it, but I honestly feel stronger than I ever have in my life. I know what I want from my life and I'm not afraid to stand up and defend it if necessary. I'm ready to be my own person, and you no longer have any power over me."

"Then you're a fool," he said. "We taught you how to survive. Letting yourself go soft, in these times, is not a good idea. Bella, we trained you so well..."

"Yeah, that's right, trained. Not taught. Not nurtured. And certainly not loved. I found someone to love, Daddy, and he loves me. I brought him to meet you."

"So that's why you've gone soft. No doubt he's some foolish rogue who'll steal your heart and break it in half. You're foolish to trust someone that much. Love is only going to ruin you, Bella."

She shook her head. "He loves me and I love him. We're getting married, whether you like it or not!"

[Voltaire Rothschild]

Voltaire stood in the break in the door way, and nearly felt pity for the man. A wasting demise like cancer was terrible for anyone, But then he opened his mouth again and contemplated laughing at him. One well placed dagger would make that "strong man" as dead as dust. Upon hearing Isa's Declaration of love for him, Voltaire smiled and pushed the door open and stood by Isa, still not saying anything. After all, his Isa was doing a fantastic job.

[Isabella Rothschild]

Isabella heard him enter the room, and she turned slightly toward him, reaching out her hand and slipping into his. "Daddy, this is the man I love. This is Voltaire SkipIt. And I don't care if you approve of him, I'm marrying him anyway."

The old man leaned up to get a better look and coughed heavily. "So you're the one who's stolen my little girl's heart?" he said. "I demand to speak with you alone."

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"Well your a vast improvment over your wife! You speak to me!" Voltaire raised his brows and kept his face serious, such grim people would make anyone feel terrible. he was already in a foul mood. "Isa, I think you should let me talk to Daddums on my own." he added the sicking pet name only because he found it strange that even though there was no love between these three people, they felt the need for sweet names that sounded empty.

[Isabella Rothschild]

Isabella nodded numbly. She wasn't quite sure how to react to her father's behavior. She wasn't sure if she should hate him or pity him. But she couldn't love him. Not after the things he'd done. She gave Voltaire a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll wait outside," she said softly. She left the room and closed the door almost all the way, then leaned against the way nervously.

Phillip Rothschild struggled to get into a sitting position and stared up at Voltaire. "Once, I believed in love," he said in a raspy voice. "I loved Isabella's mother and believed that I could break through her cold exterior. I never could and it left me hard and cold, too. I wasn't always like this. But I took a lot of it out on Isabella, because I had expected everything to be better when she was born and instead, it got worse. I taught her not to believe in love. I taught her to be tough and strong and to hate, because I believed it was easier for her that way. I did things... things I regret. I never let myself love my own daughter, or even get to know her, and instead I let her become her mother." He sighed heavily. "Do you truly love her? I can see that she loves you.... she's become a different person. But I don't want her hurt the way I was. If you hurt her, I swear, you will pay!" He coughed heavily. "So, tell me about yourself. Prove to me that you deserve my daughter!"

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"Well, you just didn't try hard enough, that or your wifey never loved you." He said as he stepped closer to the bed, he saw a chair in the corner of the room and went over and picked it up and set it down closer to the bed. Feeling sorry for the old man, He helped him sit up comfortably. He transfigured a ball of lint into a firmer pillow so he could sit up, then he sat down himself. Back straight and he crossed his ankle over his knee and began to talk

" My name is Voltaire Skipit, Mother was fond of French Philosophy. Anyway, the Long and short of me is that at the tender age of 17 when I graduated from Hogwarts, I got involved in a few armature duels. I won my first five, and as a new comer that was rare, so that began my Dueling career."

Voltaire noted the look on the man's face

"Yes i became a professional duelist. Up until earlier this year. I came home, weary of the world, I re-discovered the love i had for my family. I realized how much i had missed my younger cousins, they later both became orphans...I'm adopting them, Isa will be their mother as well, she has that much love in her. When i first saw your daughter, i thought i had never seen a woman that would capture me so entirely. She of coursed didn't realize i had a spot on the face of the planet. Don't ask me how, or even why. All i know is that i pursued her and she paid me attention...before i knew it, The love of my life and I were talking of marriage. Did i leave anything out love?"

he asked behind him,but not turning his face away from her father. Then for the first time in that house did he smile. This man had a hint of regret.

[Isabella Rothschild]

The old man coughed again and his eyes grew slightly misty. "I'm getting soft, due to my illness. I see what is important, and what I did wrong. My wife... I loved her, but she had no love in her heart. She married me for my money and my connections. I did everything wrong with Isabella and I treated her badly. I don't know what she's told you, but it's all true. You seem a good man. I'm happy you can give my daughter what I never could." He coughed. "I envy your happiness. Both of you." He frowned, looking bitter. "Tell Isabella she can come back in now."

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"Your defintion of weakness, needs to redefined, sir." he said still smiling "Do you think, if i was weak, that i would be able to be as i am? I left my career nearly undefeated, and i have the strength to take on the task of starting a family. No, in my eyes you are weak, You are alone, sir. Does your Position seem to you, as one with power?" he said standing still giving the man on the bed a look of compassion "What is your name?" he asked and it seemed the Man hadn't even thought to give it to him.

[Isabella Rothschild]

"Phillip," he said. "It seems as I get sicker, I start to see things differently. Perhaps you are right," he said. He looked at Isabella, who had come in behind Voltaire, and held out a hand to her. "My daughter, I do regret the things I did to you, and the way I treated you. Your mother... I let her influence me and make me more like her. The only good thing I ever did for you was have you stay with my mother the year before she died. She was a good woman, and she'd be proud to know you've found love. I'm glad of it, too. You were my biggest regret, Isabella, and now I can rest easily knowing you're happy, in spite of me and your mother."

Isabella looked at him, taking in every word. She felt an ache in her heart as she heard him say things she'd always hoped he would say. She'd not been able to get it from her mother, but her father, at least, had some affection for her. Tears fell from her eyes. "Daddy..." she whispered, clutching his hand and holding Voltaire's with her other hand. "Thank you. Mother was so... angry and cold, and... I wasn't sure what to expect from you."

He nodded weakly. "I know, Bella. Your mother has been worse since I've been sick. She barely even visits me... just sends in the doctors and the house elves." Leaning back, he said, "I'm feeling a bit tired at the moment, you should probably go. But I want you to know... you have my blessings."

[Voltaire Rothschild]

Voltaire smiled and kissed Isabella on the cheek "We came with no intention of seeking your approval, But i'm happy for Isa, that you gave it anyway" He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it and said "Phillip, Should you ever need us, or me for that matter, I will return. Don't worry about contacting me, I have a knack for knowing when i'm needed" and he gave him a small smile.

[Isabella Rothschild]

"Thank you," Phillip said. "I am glad you found my daughter. And I am glad you are happy, Isabella."

Isa leaned her head against Voltaire. "I am happy, Daddy. More than I ever thought possible." She managed a slight smile. Though he hadn't asked for it, she found that she was able to forgive him for what he had done. Her mother, on the other hand... she would never forgive her. "I'll write to you," she said. "I hope you get well..." she trailed off, knowing he probably wouldn't. She took a deep breath and added, "Daddy, there's one more thing. Don't tell Mother... I don't think she'll even care.... but I'm having a baby. Your grandchild."

He nodded. "I know. Somehow I knew it when I saw you. There's a glow about you..." He sighed. "I hope you are better parents than your mother and I were. Since you have love, I feel certain you will be."

Isabella leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodbye, Daddy." She wanted to say more, but found it was still hard to speak to him. The memories still hung in the air like stale perfume. "We'll be in touch."

She helped him to lay back down and made sure he was comfortable before she put her arm around Voltaire and left the room with him. She didn't say a word to him until they were out of the house. She didn't want to see her mother or speak to her or say goodbye to her. She simply walked out of the house and over to the Portkey. Then she looked up at Voltaire, her eyes filled with tears. "That was... weird..." she said.

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"that was like talking to the devil, it's akward and you have the feeling he already knows" he said taking her by the arm and leading her out of the house.

[Isabella Rothschild]

Isabella didn't say anything for a minute; she was still processing what had happened. As much as she wanted to be happy about her father's change of heart, she felt like something was missing. There were still things they hadn't said; things she needed to hear and to say. She looked at Voltaire for a minute, then threw her arms around him. "Let's just go back," she said softly. "We'll talk about it more when we get there."

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"Right love, I guess we would have to talk about this." they walked out of the house and proceeded towards the tin can and went home.

[Isabella Rothschild]

When the Portkey dropped them back in front of the castle, Isabella stood up and wrapped her arms around him. "I apologize for my mother. She was completely hateful. The funny thing is, that's the most emotion I've ever seen from her..."

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"You don't have to apologize for her, you don't control her or her actions **HA!** he said seriously and held her "If that is the most animated you've seen her, then I feel more pitty than anything for her, i'm glad you aren't carbon copy of her" he said shuddering if his fate would of been the same as her fathers.

[Isabella Rothschild]

Isabella started to cry and buried her face in his chest. "She was worse than I ever imagined she'd be. I honestly thought I was like her, but... now I see I'm not and I never could be. I hate her..." she whispered. "And Daddy... he may have been genuinely sorry for what he did, but did you notice what he didn't say? He still couldn't tell me that he loved me..."

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"It doesn't matter honey, I love you, and that's what matters. They are both fools, I see you and i see the world, You have the world in your eyes love, and that's why i love you." he said holding her tightly and kissing her hair. "At least he regrets love, that's better than hate, you mother i still think deserves to die Old and alone, I think we probably should of kidnapped bitsy, just to make her blood boil." he said truely hoping that awful woman tripped down stairs.

[Isabella Rothschild]

She kissed him almost desperately. "I love you so much," she said softly. "If not for you, I could have become like them completely. You rescued me from that by teaching me to love." Kissing him again, she said, "I still have to tell you what they did to me... but I think maybe we should wait for another time. I'm already drained, and I just want to lay down and hold you and let it all disappear..."

[Voltaire Rothschild]

"Your wish, darling." and he scooped her up and went inside Hogwarts, and to her chambers.