C. M. Black: Tears of a Phoenix
Chapter I: Of tea and toast
Either side of the fireplace and most of the back wall was obscured by rows and rows of books, many piled on top of one another haphazardly and others forcibly wedged into insufficient gaps in an effort to fit them all in; patterned cream paper lined the parts of the walls which were visible. Upon these walls were photographs of people Cassy did not recognise. There were a few of children and others of older adults, some with the Sun glaring behind them high in the sky and others where the occupants were bundled in thick woollen clothing. There was something unnerving about Muggle photographs. They never moved and the smile the camera captured remained frozen and unchanging, always staring.
Tucked in the corner of the room was a television and although Cassy did not know what it shown, she did recognise the distant planes of Africa flitting across the screen. There was a low mumbling of a male voice, but Tess had long since ridded them of that distraction and turned it to an almost inaudible volume.
She bustled past Cassy with two tea cups on a tray which she placed on the small table in front. Since Cassy had arrived at the door twenty-minutes before, the older woman had yet to stop smiling. She had grabbed her in a tight hug immediately and her enthusiasm had left Cassy's head swimming as she eagerly pointed out the name to match every face in the photographs that surrounded them. In her excitement, Tess had also demanded Cassy call her 'Nan', which is what her other grandchildren did and Cassy could only nod before she sat her down and hurried away to make tea.
Part of Cassy felt rather guilty. The enjoyment Tess seemed to take from simply having her present was unimaginable, but, she supposed, she was the last part of Jane. In the same way that Remus and her father adored Harry instantly, Tess would look at her and see the child she lost before she would take in anything about Cassy herself. Oddly, she found herself okay with that. Of all the expectations Cassy had had forced on her, being the vivacious daughter of Tess' equally spirited child was not the worst.
'Oh, don't mind that,' said Tess when she caught Cassy gazing at the television. 'I just had it on in the background while I was reading.'
'We do not have televisions,' said Cassy conversationally.
'At all?' asked Tess, eyebrows raised. 'What do you do with your time then? I can't get Alex away from it.'
'I socialise, read, play the piano,' she listed off.
'Socialise?' repeated Tess. 'Like banquets and balls and such?'
Even though the tone suggested she was joking, Cassy tilted her head away with half a smile on her lips.
'You do, don't you!' accused Tess playfully. Her brown-eyes were bright with laughter and an incredulous grin pulled at her mouth.
'I am from an old House,' defended Cassy simply.
'House,' mouthed Tess to herself, still obviously amused. She took a sip of her tea and gazed around at the bookshelves. 'See anything you've read before?'
Cassy hummed. 'Not particularly. Some Muggle books are popular, but many witches and wizards cannot get around the bizarre ways Muggles believe magic to work.'
Tess blinked slowly, as though Cassy had said something strange, and smirked to herself. Without sharing her thoughts, she turned to the table and picked up a book that had laid face down and open since she had arrived. Holding it up, she said, 'This is one of my favourite books.'
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, she read. Cassy had enough to deal with one Shandy, let alone a book about another.
'It's a hard read, but before I retired I used to be a lecturer at the Royal Holloway University where I taught English. I even made it to be a Professor a few years into my career. I used to throw these kinds of books out there into my seminars all the time. They don't always immediately make sense if you're not concentrating either, so it wasn't much good for a nine o'clock discussion, but I loved doing it all the same.'
Cassy listened with unrestrained interest. Her Nan was obviously well-educated then, particularly to be a professor. Distantly, she wondered if her grandfather was the same then and if the pair had met studying. She had already been introduced to the cause of pride within the household which was the photograph of her aunt Jessica in her square cap and gown on the wall of the hall.
'That's how I met your granddad, actually,' told Tess, as though reading her mind. 'He was a post-grad at the time studying Chemistry. I used to be able to see him climb trees across the courtyard from my office to impress the girls in the History block across the way. One day he fell out and cracked his head. I went to fix him a cup of tea and laughed at him. I don't know what I did, but after his graduation a month later, he appeared at my office with flowers and an offer of a date.'
'You are older than him then?' questioned Cassy.
Tess shrugged and her expression became nonchalant. 'I might be. Not that he minded. It seemed to make him quite popular amongst his friends, apparently.'
Cassy laughed.
'Anyway, how are your GCSEs coming along? Do you have them sorts of things? Exams, I mean,' she asked.
Cassy took a moment to drink her tea, trying to work out what the acronym stood for before replying, 'We have exams we take at fifteen called OWLs.'
Tess giggled at the name. She then eagerly asked, 'Have you got your results then?'
'Not yet. Sometime towards the end of summer, I believe.'
'Expecting any As then?' asked Tess.
'I hope not!' replied Cassy, pleased she had learnt the Muggle grading system from Hermione in second year or she would have been horribly insulted. She explained the grading system and Tess listened eagerly, though she choked on her tea at the idea they used words such as 'dreadful' and 'troll' in their marking.
'Janie was always very clever. She got straight A's in all her exams. I did, however, get a fair few phone calls home about her not paying attention in class, or disturbing others. The teachers didn't know what to do with her. Too clever for her own good, they said. Too pre-occupied with making jokes and being a cocky sod to pay attention, if you ask me. She got into university, though, but it was a wonder with all the detentions she got at school… Well, from what I know, she and Sirius were two peas in a pod!'
Cassy smiled down at her drink. Her mother was clever then, lively too, and had an attitude to match.
'What about you then? Are you the same?' Tess fixed her with a look that seemingly was reserved only for the elderly, a beady-eyed stare that said a judgement had already been made and they were merely awaiting confirmation.
'No,' denied Cassy quickly.
Tess hummed at her.
'Really,' pushed Cassy.
Tess hummed again.
'I have had a few,' admitted Cassy with an unashamed smile.
Her Nan then nodded, satisfied with her interrogation.
'Favourite subject?' she quizzed.
'Potions,' said Cassy easily.
Tess' eyes lit up. Teasingly, she said, 'Do you use them to turn people into toads?'
Cassy waved her hand flippantly. 'We have a spell for that. I can show you next time I visit. I come of age in November.'
For a moment, a blank look settled on Tess' face, before her eyes widened comically and she gasped, 'Oh, yes. You said last time – it's a year earlier than normal… I'll have to ask Jessie to help… but oh, how will I send it to Wales?
'Scotland,' corrected Cassy, but she no longer thought her Nan was listening.
Grimmauld Place had become increasingly busy in the week since Cassy had returned from Hogwarts. There was always a familiar face in the kitchen and more often than not the day was punctuated with half a dozen knocks on the door of members reporting back or needing advice from one another. She was still ferried out of any meetings or conversations deemed too sensitive for her young ears, but Cassy had a better grip on the ongoing of the Order in a single week than she had all of last summer.
While the Weasleys were not staying over that summer, Cassy was accompanied in the kitchen by Fred and George, who had essentially inducted themselves the day the report on the Ministry battle was announced. They were collecting things that she suspected were at the request of Mundungus Fletcher, but nothing left the room without her strict permission.
'That might be my inheritance you are running off with,' she said as Fred whined.
'Oh, because you don't have enough of it already,' he said.
'I will just have to tell your mother what happens when she allows her sons to move out then. Common criminals, the pair of you,' she said, fluttering the newspaper out in front of her dramatically.
'Don't you dare,' they breathed together.
She smirked at turned at the faint pop that sounded to her left. Kitsy bowed lowly, one arm held out with her giant owl perched on his bony limb, who then held out a letter.
'Mistress,' he greeted.
She thanked him and he vanished. Opening it, she saw it was a letter from Astoria, a rather irritated one at that, demanding she not call her 'Aster' as Stephen had begun to do. It was a boy's name, she stated, and she would not stand for it. It was exactly talk such as that which spurred Stephen to call her it all the more though and he had already written to her in any regard, pleading she join in on the teasing for 'Astoria' was too long and she required a nickname that made her sound less pretentious; Merlin knew her head was inflated enough already. Cassy had yet to decide what side she was on, though she quite enjoyed the unfolding squabble.
Crin was on the counter, hissing at Sirius as he tried to cook, Fred and George stuffed something unknown into one of the cupboards and ran from the room smothering giggles; all that was left for Cassy to do was to shuffle several seats up to the centre of the table, as far as she could be from either impending mess as she ate her toast leisurely. The newspaper was the same as it had been all week. The title was always some variation of 'Harry Potter: The Chosen One?' with differing speculations and criticisms written beneath it. Some of them were dangerously close to the truth, but none reached a solid conclusion enough to be of any threat.
On today's paper was a photograph of a grim-faced, lion-maned man. Rufus Scrimgeour, she read, was the new Minister of Magic. She had heard of him, of course. He was one of Fudge's main critics throughout his reign, although that did not give Cassy any faith her would be any better. He was a little too easy to anger to seem much use in a wartime government.
'There is a bit in here about you,' she said. 'You made the front page.'
'Really?' asked Sirius as he flicked a bit of a sausage at Crin.
'He attacks you because you feed him, you know,' remarked Cassy, eying him from the corner of her eye.
'He attacks me because he's a bloody nightmare,' grunted Sirius. 'Please let me just buy you a new owl.'
'No,' said Cassy shortly. Instead, she read out, 'Twelve Years in Azkaban: Sirius Black's Tragic Tale.'
'Oh, good. Maybe I can sell my story and finally become as famous as I have always deserved,' he said cheerfully.
'You are already famous,' she teased and he shook his head.
'I'm infamous, it's not the same thing,' he protested.
The door above creaked and they both turned idly to see Mr Weasley descend into the kitchen with a wave and a smile. Cassy turned back to read the paper as he took a seat opposite her. Removing his hat and depositing his umbrella on the next chair, he stood to make himself a drink, having become far too at home to need to ask.
'Are you all set for your hearing tomorrow?' he asked.
'It will be nice to finally have a trial,' grinned Sirius.
'It'll hardly be a trial,' snorted Mr Weasley. 'It'll be a meeting of how much compensation to give you for a list of wrong doings as long as your arm.'
Sirius just grinned wider.
Mr Weasley returned to his seat at the table. 'You're still coming to the meal tonight? Molly insists.'
'What meal?' grumbled Cassy, but Sirius nodded, ignoring her.
'Of course, any excuse not to cook,' he said. 'Will Moony and Tonks be there?'
Mr Weasley nodded and Sirius sat beside Cassy at the table, smiling mischievously. 'Good. Tell Molly they must be seated together.'
Cassy eyed him with amusement.
'Anything interesting in the Prophet today then? It's been nothing but rubbish for the last week,' said Mr Weasley, changing the subject.
Cassy hummed. 'Nothing much, apart from the tragic loss of youth by Fudge's cruel judgement, that is a line that has been thrown around four times already.'
'They are certainly keen to tell my story,' snorted Sirius. 'Who's the journalist?'
'Hold off on selling it just yet,' chuckled Mr Weasley.
'Oh, I am. I intend to work out the angle first and then embellish my dramatic tale. After tomorrow, the papers should be interesting. The Daily Prophet will be all over it to discredit Fudge.'
'When is the trial tomorrow then? Has it been moved from the afternoon like you thought it would?' asked Cassy.
'Yes, it's now at Eight. It's the first one of the day now, but they expect it to do on for hours. Apparently, Dumbledore reckons they will want to know all about the last two years, but he's adamant they have no business to ask,' he said simply.
The trial was to be a full one where every member of Wizengamot was to be seated for the final judgement. It was to be larger than even Harry's trial, as testimonies of old witnesses and character references from old acquaintances were to be given. Those who worked on Sirius' case both times were to be under scrutiny as well in an effort to have the case sorted once and for all in all regards within the same hearing. Cassy hoped that it could be sorted within a single day, for some of the cases were already partially seen to, but the determination of what went wrong fifteen-years ago had yet to be fully made clear. It was thought to be the largest trial since the trials of the Death Eaters that included Barty Crouch Jr so many years ago.
The newspaper was passed to Mr Weasley when Sirius rose to answer the door as the bell chimed through the house. His eyes flicked down the first page disinterestedly. Like Cassy, he knew that anything of relevance was hidden in the side columns in small boxes and short, vague sentences. There was nothing of interest that day, though, she had checked twice.
'Ginny's looking forward to seeing you tonight. I think she's looking forward to some support against Ron. Now that Fred and George have moved out the pair are driving each other mad,' said Mr Weasley, sipping his tea.
'I can deal with Ron,' she assured flippantly. 'He seems to have a healthy fear of me.'
Mr Weasley chuckled. 'From what I heard about what happened at the Ministry, Ron has a right to be a little wary. You went head to head with Bellatrix LeStrange.' He gazed at her from over the rim of the mug and Cassy smiled slightly at the praise. He then leant forward and Cassy tensed. 'What happened between yourself, Harry, and Voldemort before Dumbledore arrived?'
'Why?' she asked. Her grin melted off her face.
'Just curious,' he said casually. 'It's the only part I've not heard about yet. Even Luna's been around telling stories.'
Slowly, Cassy opened her mouth. Surely, she thought, it would not be so bad to confide in Mr Weasley that Voldemort had offered her a place in his ranks, of all people he would be the most likely to pat her shoulder and offer her a biscuit with no further thought. It almost left her incredulous that Voldemort thought she would change sides so suddenly, but part of her felt embarrassed and repulsed that he would even offer. It was the only part of her tale that she had not told a soul and when she missed it out in her retelling to Professor Dumbledore and the Minister, Harry had skipped it too.
Before she could say anything, the door opened again and voices filled the air. Cassy stood quickly and took her plate to the sink. She could feel Mr Weasley's eyes on her back; her hesitancy had let him know that something of interest had happened, something she did not necessarily want anyone to know. Thuds echoed behind her as her father and Remus trudged down the rickety stairs. She turned to see Remus' greeting was an uneasy smile, though she could not fathom why. Her eyes narrowed a fraction.
It was not long afterwards that she excused herself, so she never did find the reason for Remus' wariness. A chair on the second story landing was of more interest to her right then, for it allowed access to the attic which had been filled with so many things that Cassy had barely been able to create pathways to navigate the collection. Whether Kreature had a part to play in the mess, she did not know, for he was nowhere to be seen. Sirius had wasted no time pretending when she had asked after the elf, having quickly observed the lack of aggressive mutters; Kreature had been telling Order secrets to Narcissa since Sirius had ordered him 'out' at Christmas. He had found a way around the secrecy he was ordered to upheld and instead worked around telling her self-deemed 'non-important' information instead. She did not ask what happened to him, but some night she could hear his curses pass her door.
Cassy remained in the attic until it was time to depart for the Weasleys' Burrow. She cleaned her hands and changed to a dress instead of dusty jeans before gripping Sirius' arm tightly. They swirled away and reappeared not a second later outside of the crooked structure that was the family's home. As always, they had far too many chimney stacks, the windows did not seem to match up equally in height to one another and shingles were slipping from the roof. The addition of a porch was new though and it looked hand-built by Mr Weasley, if the two dozen protruding nails were a sign of attempted Muggle construction skills.
Immediately, Tonks was visible through the Dutch door. Her hair was spiked and vibrant and she was speaking enthusiastically to Remus, who again appeared less certain of himself than normal. As the door opened, Bill and Fleur became visible to their right.
'I know you!' announced Fleur as Cassy finished waving at Tonks. She strode towards them, flicking her white-blonde hair over her shoulder as she did. 'You are friends with 'Arry Potter. 'Ow iz 'e?'
'Fine, I believe,' said Cassy, privately scrutinising the woman in front of her.
'I never got your name,' said Fleur.
'Cassy Black.' The friendliness was still unusual. Fleur had been distant and self-assured during the tournament and while still very confident, she seemed much more open and amicable than Cassy had ever seen her before.
'Cassy,' she repeated, testing the name.
'Cassy!' called another voice and before she had a chance to turn, Ginny had attached herself to her side in a hug while her feet were still in motion. She steered the two away from Fleur quickly before finally releasing Cassy at the other end of the room. Loudly and with no attempt to conceal it, Ginny sighed. 'I don't know why she had to come to dinner. No one likes her, not even Mum. In fact, I think Mum hates her.'
Cassy turned to watch Fleur try to help Mrs Weasley set the table. The older witch was smiling, but it was tense and thin as she waved her away and back to Bill, who smiled at Fleur sweetly, appearing to thank her for the offer to help his mother.
Ron dropped down into a chair beside them.
'Ignore anything Ginny's said about Fleur,' he said briskly, having anticipated the conversation topic. 'She just hates her.'
'She's air-headed and annoying. She thinks she's above everyone too like a posh ponce,' snapped Ginny.
Glancing back, Cassy watched Fleur toy with Bill's long hair.
'How long have they been dating now?' she asked.
'About six months, apparently,' sighed Ginny. 'It's revolting, really.'
With amusement, she eyed Ginny pointedly. For someone who was liberal with her public displays of affection, Ginny suddenly sounded very hypocritical. She said nothing about it though and the conversation quickly moved on to Fred and George's joke shop when the pair apparated into the house simultaneously. How they could apparate separately but into spots exactly beside each other was a wonder and the focus of the room quickly switched from Fleur to them as they paraded through a list of new merchandise that had Ron bubbling with excitement.
Ginny turned to Cassy suddenly and very quietly, she announced, 'Dean and Seamus came around to see Ron yesterday. Dean asked me out!'
'What did you say?' whispered Cassy.
'Yes, of course! You don't seem very surprised about it, though,' muttered Ginny with narrowed eyes.
'I'm not,' admitted Cassy. 'I have known he fancied you for ages now.'
'You're supposed to tell me these things!' reprimanded Ginny, slapping her arm.
'Dean is a friend too though,' protested Cassy without much effort.
There was a loud 'pop' and a cheer as Mr Weasley uncorked the champagne. It bubbled over the table and floor, yet not even Mrs Weasley seemed to mind. Instead, she stared fondly at Sirius for a moment before rushing to the kitchen to fetch more glasses.
Catching Cassy's watching eye, Sirius said, 'You're almost seventeen, you can wait!'
She batted away the playful jibe with a mere shake of her head. She said, 'I have no interest in alcohol. It only makes you stupid.'
Sirius screwed up his nose, as though she had said something particularly offensive.
'It certainly made Sirius do a few stupid things,' remarked Remus snidely.
Sirius did not look remotely abashed and instead seemed to inflate with pride as the teenagers all turned to him with interest. He puffed out his chest, ready to begin what would most likely be a tale full of embarrassment for himself and Remus, although Cassy was unsure if her father could feel that emotion most of the time, so it was sure to be a story that would leave Remus cringing at his younger self through the night when the Weasley's latched onto the joke. He was cut off, however, by Mrs Weasley's return. She fixed him with a critical stare though he appeared as though he was internally debating if he continued or not anyway.
'Relax, Molly, how much drinking can they really do when they have to be back from Hogsmeade at six?' said Remus, smiling.
The look on Tonks' face said that very much drinking could take place and Cassy tried not to smile as she winked over at her.
'In my school, we were allowed wine with our evening meals if we weeshed once seventeen,' commented Fleur, but Mrs Weasley did not acknowledge it.
'It made you popular, being one of the oldest sixth years,' added Bill, grinning. He shrunk back when Mrs Weasley turned to him, brown eyes blazing.
When she vanished back into the kitchen, Sirius passed Cassy a glass of champagne anyway.
'Hermione is older than me. She's the oldest in our year,' said Cassy, passing her glass to Ron to try.
Ron snorted loudly and passed it over to Ginny. 'Yeah, because Hermione will smuggle alcohol back for us.'
'What makes you think I will?'
'Because,' he said simply, reclining without another word.
A shadow loomed over them. They turned to see the willowy form of Fleur perched on the arm of the sofa closest to Ginny, glass in hand. She did not look at Ginny or Ron, but at Cassy expectantly, though Cassy said nothing. She did briefly wonder where Bill had vanished to so that Fleur could no longer coddle him and feed him grapes as she had been doing moments earlier.
''Ow are you, Cassy?' she asked suddenly.
'Fine, thank-you,' said Cassy, masking her surprise. 'Yourself?'
'Very well, Merci,' she replied.
There was an awkward silence. Cassy was wracking her brain to figure out why Fleur was being conversational. Perhaps it was the setting, after all, she had never seen Fleur outside of the tournament unless it was when she was being harassed by various boys. It was entirely possible she was actually friendly, although the effort seemed somewhat forced because Fleur had nothing to follow up the question with.
After a moment, Cassy decided the reason was of no importance to her and said, 'Your top, it is designed by Adele Beaumont, isn't it? She designed my Yule Ball dress.'
Instantly, Fleur's eyes lit up. She nodded vigorously and stopped swilling her drink within the glass. Beside her, Ginny made a small huff and stood, dragging Ron away with her. Fleur slipped into the seat beside Cassy.
'I thought as much,' she said. 'She often works weeth lace. It was a very beautiful dress. Your shoes are also French, yes?'
Having found some common ground, the pair talked until Bill called her away and into the conversation he was having with Tonks. Behind his head, Mrs Weasley scowled and clutched a tea towel as though trying to squeeze the life out of it.
When Cassy moved over to where Ginny and Ron were now sitting with Fred and George at the table, Ginny eyed her flatly and Cassy only blinked slowly in response.
'Can I not be civil?' she asked, eyebrows raised.
'You shouldn't be so surprised, Gin,' said Fred. 'Cassy and Fleur aren't really so different.'
Sharply, Ginny turned to her brother, seemingly offended on her friend's behalf, but Cassy did not really find fault with the comparison.
'They were both raised with money,' listed George.
'High expectations,' added Fred.
'And both like a bit of the good life,' finished George.
'Yeah, it's not surprising they both wear the same designer clothing, is it?' said Fred.
Ginny pressed her lips into a thin line that made her look unquestioningly like her mother. Snorting, she said, 'Yeah, but at least Cassy isn't insufferable about it.'
Cassy did not know how to tell her that it was probably something Ginny had grown used to, not that Cassy was subtle in her standing.
Dinner was soon underway with an assortment of odd chairs and knocking elbows as the twelve occupants squashed around the table. It was not long before Mrs Weasley had offered to cut Sirius' hair for the trial, insisting it was far too long and Bill was silently shaking his head in warning to decline her offer, motioning Sirius would have nothing left otherwise. The drink continued to flow steadily and the wide array of dishes Mrs Weasley had prepared were scattered across the long table and constantly shared around. Delicious smells mingled in the air and the conversation remained lively and upbeat all through the meal, even when the dishes were rounded up and taken away. In their place, a large, chocolate cake was in the centre of the table. Dozens of chocolate decorations smothered the thick icing and everyone let out a collective gasp and an applause for Mrs Weasley's hard work.
She flushed and waved away their praise, trying to hide her smile.
'Before we dig into the fantastic dessert Molly has made,' said Mr Weasley, enticing another cheer from some of the occupants, 'I would like to propose a toast.' He stood and raised his glass whilst everyone scrambled to make sure their glasses were full. 'Patience is not an easy virtue to have. It is about time that we all saw a good man go free to live the life he wants, if not the one he truly deserves. We'll be awaiting your call tomorrow, Sirius.'
Everyone held up their glasses with a loud shout of 'Cheers!'.
The cake was served and Cassy listened to Sirius intently telling Tonks about his and Remus' school days. Her giggles were barely contained and Remus looked torn somewhere between amusement, annoyance, and endearment as Tonks' cheeks turned red with exertion.
'You know, the more I learn about you two and James at school, the more I have realised you were… massive dorks,' said Cassy plainly.
Remus snorted into his drink. Spluttering, he said, 'Now wait a minute. That's unfair.'
'You had secret nicknames,' stressed Cassy. 'You gallivanted around at night in a secret club you made up.'
Tonks chortled and Sirius slammed down his glass.
'I need a replacement child, this one has gone horribly wrong,' he announced and those who had been listening laughed loudly.
Eventually, the evening came to a close. The plates were cleared away and Mrs Weasley's wonderful cooking had left no room for complaints of hunger. Time had escaped them and it was already late when the last drop of alcohol was drained from the bottle. The moon was high in the sky and the grass in the fields out the window blew gently with a summer breeze.
It was truly the best way to celebrate the occasion in the company of friends, thought Cassy. The only thing that would have made it better was if Harry had been present for his Godfather too. Though they had had their issues, Sirius and the Weasleys had come to an understanding that left them as friends, although ones ready to quarrel as much as raise wands together in battle. In a twisted sense, it was very fortunate that Mr Weasley had been injured last Christmas, because without the opportunity to show the hospitality and understanding her father was truly capable of, Mrs Weasley might never have rethought her opinion and such an evening would have been lost.
Sirius nodded to Cassy and the pair stood to leave. They needed to be up early tomorrow, earlier still to ensure they looked the part in front of the critical overseers and those who held onto old prejudices of purity. Just as they stood, Bill cleared his throat.
'Sorry, Sirius, do you mind if I say a little something before you all leave?' he asked and Sirius shook his head. Bill grinned. 'I know it's not the best timing, but seeing as everyone's here and we're already celebrating such a momentous occasion, I thought I would add one of my own. Fleur and I are getting married.'
Fleur beamed in her seat. It was not a polite smile like the one she wore so often, but a genuine grin.
There was a great crash as Mrs Weasley dropped the plate she was drying; Ginny seemed not to notice as she stared, aghast. After a pause, Fred and George began whooping and clapping in their seats and Mr Weasley rose to embrace his son tightly.
Cassy turned to Fleur. 'Congratulations.'
'Thank-you,' said Fleur warmly.
'Wow,' said Ron for the third time.
Bill turned to his mother, who seemed to be gathering her wits for a moment. She breathed in deeply and then smiled.
'I'm shocked,' she stuttered out. 'How wonderful. Excellent, really.'
'An excellent night for everyone!' announced Sirius, not at all bothered by the infringement on his evening. 'You should have told me. I would have brought the nice wine.'
Surprise, it's earlier than I expected. I had some great news (I got a job I was certain I had no chance of getting), so it's up earlier that I thought it would be.
Welcome to year six!
Thank-you for sticking with me this far. The response I had for the last year was brilliant and it really keeps me going when my motivation is down.
Little bit of characterisation building, introducing Cassy to Fleur once again. See, I understand why Ginny dislikes her, but for Cassy none of that would be an issue. She was raised in the most superficial of societies and the grace, elegance, and poise that makes Fleur so repulsive to Ginny is so normal to Cassy that she does not think twice about it to allow it to bother her.
This was just to show some life, really. I reveal some long awaited information in the next chapter though, so I hope it all makes sense and you enjoy it. I should have it up later tonight.
(Thank-you, Jesus (Guest), for letting me know about the formatting!)
Thanks!
