Welcome to my first story! I've been toying with this couple for a long time, but just never could get it quite right in my mind. Hopefully this time will be the charm and I'll finish the story, look back, and be proud of it. Please review and tell me what you think. I love reading positive reviews, and I am thankful for the not so positive ones, as long as you give me some tips on how to better myself as a writer. If you're just going to bash it, then I don't really care what you have to say. So, I hope you all enjoy the story, because I really am enjoying writing it. Let me know what you think.
"Love takes off masks we fear we cannot live without and we know we cannot live within."
Chapter 1 - Mr. Weasley
"There you are! Sep, I've been scouring this train for you for the last ten minutes!"
Septimus Weasley chuckled as his best friend, Everett Potter, lumbered into the compartment.
"Nice to see you to, Ev. My summer was great, thanks for asking. And this here is my new friend, Melanie Peverell. She's a fourth year Gryffindor."
Everett rolled his eyes and sat down across from the red head. "Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever. You won't believe what I overheard Mildred and Madeline talking about in the hallway."
Septimus smirked and said in with false excitement "Oh my gosh! Was is about Steph's new haircut, because I think it looks fantabulous!", eliciting a small giggle from the brunette beside him.
Everett frowned and glared at the younger girl before turning back to the ginger boy before him. "Shut up, you oaf. I didn't mean it like that."
"Then how did you mean it, Everett?" Melanie teased – a brave move for a girl two years behind one of the most popular boys in Hogwarts.
"I meant," the boy sighed, "that I thought you would find the news of Harfang Longbottom and Callidora Black's engagement interesting. That's all."
"They're getting married?" Septimus asked, rather surprised. The two had only been courting each other for a few months.
"Apparently. Callidora was showing of the ring to a group of her friends. He proposed over the summer. Sep, you need to take a look at the size of that thing. I swear, her finger is going to drop off one of these days, it's so huge."
"But aren't they a little young? I mean, they both only just became of age, didn't they?"
Melanie shrugged. "Not really. Pure-blood families tend to get married early on. That way they can have more children."
Septimus frowned. He wasn't very fond of the idea of an arranged marriage, even if it was one of the Black sisters. Callidora was the least annoying of the three sisters. She was flirtatious in her younger years and had a majority of the male and female population at Hogwarts wrapped around her dainty fingers, but after she and Harfang had become a couple, Callidora had devoted all her attention to him and had become much more tolerable. She was easily the prettiest of the three, with a gorgeous figure, long, honey colored hair, and warm green eyes.
Cedrella Black was a year younger. Where her sister was bright and jovial, Cedrella was icy and cold, hardly showing any emotion at all. Come to think of it, Septimus had never even seen the girl smile before, and he had known her for six years. She had a more refined beauty, and carried herself with all the dignity of a pure-blooded lady. Her dark black hair looked silky and smooth, and her dark lashes, framing her icy blue eyes, were a shocking contrast to her pale complexion.
Charis was the youngest of Lysandra Black's daughters. At thirteen years of age, she was already displaying her Slytherin colors extremely well. The youngest Black was charming, manipulative, witty, and resourceful. Where Callidora was daft, and Cedrella was indifferent – Charis was cunning and quite brilliant. She was the type of person who would make her mark on history someday, and wouldn't be forgotten for some time.
The idea of a pure-blood marriage right out of Hogwarts wasn't so farfetched, and Callidora and Harfang really seemed to get along well with each other. Still, Septimus found it hard to wrap his head around the idea of getting married at just 18 years old. Sure, they had vast fortunes that he could only dream of having, so they would be able to support themselves where he wouldn't be able to. But still, Septimus was sixteen years old, and he couldn't even begin to think about getting married anytime soon. He hadn't even had a real meaningful relationship with a girl yet.
"Makes sense," Everett was saying. "It's not like they need to secure any well-paying jobs for themselves before the ceremony. They could live off their family fortunes for generations and still be filthy rich."
Melanie frowned. "True, but that doesn't mean they won't get jobs. Harfang seems like the type of person that would want to provide for his family himself, not rely on his family's money. I personally think they make an adorable couple."
Everett scowled and stuck his tongue out at her. "Who invited you here anyway?"
"That would be me," Septimus volunteered. "She came in as soon as I sat down and asked if she could sit here. I couldn't think of a legitimate reason to say no."
Melanie laughed. "Oh, you know it was because of my rugged good looks."
Septimus smiled. In truth, the girl was quite pretty, with light brown hair and soft hazel eyes. Her smile was infectious and the way her nose crinkled when she laughed was just plain adorable. Septimus, while he didn't harbor any romantic feelings for her, had grown quite attached to her in the short amount of time he had been sitting with her while Everett had been at his prefect's meeting and wandering the corridors, searching for them.
"Please," Everett scoffed. "I think we all know that I am the most attractive person in this room, probably on this entire train."
Melanie rolled her eyes but remained silent. Septimus grinned at his best friend. "I don't know, mate, Mildred McGonagall could give you a run for your money."
Everett snorted. "That bookworm? What, do you fancy her or something?"
Melanie frowned. "That's not very nice Everett. Mildred is a really nice girl. You shouldn't make fun of her like that."
"Melanie's right, Ev. You should be nicer to people. After all, didn't the sorting hat almost place you in Hufflepuff?"
Septimus laughed as Everett launched himself at the Weasley boy. The two wrestled with each other for several minutes, careful to avoid the area where Melanie was seated, until Everett finally had Septimus pinned under his shoulder.
"Take it back!" he shouted triumphantly.
"Never!" Septimus responded, swinging his foot upward and into Everett's back. The slightly taller boy yelped in surprise and the two boys were rolling around again.
"Hey, guys!" Melanie yelled over top of their shouts. Slowly, they disentangled themselves and turned to face her. "You need to leave for a bit so I can change into my robes. We don't have much time left before we arrive."
Septimus nodded and, pushing Everett hard enough to make him fall over, he rushed out the door and down the hall into the next train car before the Potter boy could see which direction he went.
The red haired boy was running so fast that he didn't see the girl sitting in the middle of the hallway until he had already tripped over her and was sent sprawling to the floor.
Still laughing to himself, Septimus picked himself up and, still seated on the floor, turned to apologize to whomever he had inconvenienced. When he saw who it was, his breath stuck in his throat and his stomach clenched in nervous anticipation.
"S-Sorry, Cedrella," he stuttered, then quickly recovering himself, he continued. "I didn't mean to trip over you. I wasn't watching where I was going. Did I hurt you in any way?"
The raven haired beauty hardly glanced his way. She was already dressed in her uniform and was seated with her back against the wall by the door to one of the compartments. "No. I'm perfectly fine."
Septimus frowned. Surely his feet must have hurt her in some way. Or at least startled her. "Are you sure? I was running pretty fast."
"I am uninjured. There is no need for you to worry." Her voice was so controlled. It unnerved Septimus. He wasn't used to being around someone that was so…cold.
Wondering just how it might affect her, Septimus decided to lay on the charm. "Right," he pointed out, flashing his famous grin at her, "you must be used to it by now. Anyone as beautiful as you would have men falling all over her all the time."
Still nothing. The Slytherin girl sat unmoving, her blue eyes fixed at a solitary spot on the opposite wall. There was no embarrassed or flattered blush creeping up those pale cheeks, no glimmer of amusement in her eyes. She didn't look at him like he was insane, nor did she seem surprised at his sudden flirtation with her. She hardly seemed to even acknowledge he made an attempt to get her attention.
Except, she had heard him, because she responded in a very detached manner. "I have to disagree, Mr. Weasley. You are the first male who has ever literally fallen over me. And I have to say, I hope it does not happen again."
Septimus recoiled inwardly. Her tone was not harsh in the least. But the way she addressed him, as Mr. Weasley, and the formal, distant tone she spoke with unnerved him. Was she always like this? Or was she treating him in this manner because of what his father had done many years ago?
At the turn of the century, before Septimus had even been born, Cadmus Weasley, a former officer in the department of magical law enforcement, had complained to some of the higher ups in the Ministry about their inability to crack down on lawbreakers, especially in cases dealing with muggles. It seemed as if his administration was turning a blind eye, letting criminals get away with their actions and choosing, instead, to just obliviate the muggle in question. Mr. Weasley had been outraged and, when no one would give him any straight answers on the subject, he had quit his job, labeling him as a muggle loving blood-traitor.
Since that incident, the Weasley family had been isolated by all the other pure-blood families. Septimus' father had found another, lesser paying job as a janitor at St. Mungo's, where those in charge weren't so prejudiced. His family had been living off the Weasley fortune and lived quite comfortably until Septimus had been born. His mother grew very sick after giving birth to her first child, and most of the money they had in Gringotts had been spent on her hospital bills. They still weren't considered poor, yet, but it was only a matter of time until their savings ran out. Cadmus couldn't get a well-paying job until the wizarding community became more open to muggles and muggle sympathizers, and the remaining gold in their vault was slowly running out as the family of five, Septimus' father and mother and his two younger twin sisters, continued to depend on it.
"I'll try my hardest," Septimus joked, ignoring the way his stomach clenched unpleasantly in her presence. "You know, it would be easier not to fall over you if you weren't sitting in the middle of the hallway."
"It would also be easier," she pointed out, still as passive as ever, "if you would just consent to not run down the hallway without looking where you are going."
Septimus nodded, smiling at her once more. "Point taken. Next time I run into you, I'll make sure to keep my eyes focused on your beautiful face."
This time, Septimus was sure that he finally got a reaction from her. She turned to him and her blue eyes locked with his green ones. "You'd better go find your friends. Once the train stops, you won't be able to locate them in the crowds."
Septimus frowned but said nothing. He got to his feet and held out his hand to Cedrella, just as the train rolled to a stop. She slipped her dainty hand into his and he pulled her up gently, marveling at just how soft her skin felt.
"I suggest you go, before the hallway becomes too crowded with students."
With that statement, Cedrella Black turned and walked towards the door, black hair swishing from side to side. Septimus stared transfixed at the spot where, only a moment ago she had stood, before brusquely turning around and walking back towards his compartment.
He caught up to Everett and Melanie just as the rest of the students began to exit their compartments. Both of the Gryffindors had changed into their robes, but Septimus, due to his run in with the middle Black sister, had completely forgotten. He was still wearing his muggle clothes.
"Shit," he groaned. There was nothing he could do about it now. He would just have to deal with the consequences.
"What?" Everett asked, a teasing glint in his eyes, "did you get lost?"
"Bugger off," Septimus growled playfully. He was having trouble getting the raven haired girl out of his mind. The way she had interacted with him was disconcerting. He had never experienced anyone who was so calm and collected. It made him wonder, was she even capable of showing her emotions? He wouldn't be all that surprised if she wasn't, with the way he assumed she had been raised.
In that instant, as the Hogwarts gameskeeper called for all the first years and the rest of the students made their way to the horseless carriages, Septimus Weasley made a silent vow to himself. Before his last two years of Hogwarts were completed, he would uncover the girl hiding behind the mask he was sure was in place. Before he graduated and took his place in the real world, Septimus would see the real Cedrella Black.
A/N: I'm going to remind all you lovely readers again, because I really do live for feedback...PLEASE REVIEW! I'll update sooner if you do. Thank you! :D