1.
Tall like her father and long-haired like her mother, Cecily Macmillan looked at her reflection. Her uniform tie was draped around her neck, and she frowned. In the mirror she could see her bed, the yellow and black curtains open and she frowned. Professor Sprout had told her that it was her mother's first-year bed.
The Fat Friar had called her by name, seeing her father's twinkle in her hazel eyes, and he'd patted her head, his cool essence passing through her.
Was there nothing about her that was simply hers? she wondered, turning away from her own sad face.
2.
"Professor Sprout sent me to see you." Cecily handed the parchment to the blue-haired boy.
Second-year Teddy Lupin read the message with a frown. "What exactly is it you need tutoring with?"
"I don't need tutoring. Is that what that says?"
"Yes. Transfiguration tutoring."
"I don't. My Transfiguration is fine." She huffed and sat down in a heap next to him, her skirts billowing; her dimple deepening.
"Mum or Dad?" he asked.
"Mum or Dad what?"
"Which one was good at Transfiguration?"
"My Dad. He was good at everything."
"Do you still see him?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Only my Mum."
"Oh."
3.
Thirteen-year old Cecily threw back her head in fits of giggles. She had her hair bound with her tie and a long piece hung down to her neck. Victoire was trying not to laugh as Teddy changed his hair from ginger to messy black. He didn't need the glasses to know that he was Harry Potter. Cecily's eyes were watering when she caught sight of –
"Mum. What are you doing in Hogsmeade?"
Susan brushed a stray hair away from Cecily's reddened face. "I came to see my beautiful girl. Lunch?"
Cecily's mouth opened in horror. "Mum, I'm with my friends."
4.
"How'd ye manage these memorials with a straight face? Everyone patting you on the head, poor little orphan?"
"You get it too?" Teddy asked.
"Not as much. I still have my mum. Does it bother you?"
"Nah. Gran and Uncle Harry don't do that. And the straight face, I'm a Metamorphmagus."
Cecily giggled. "You're a barrel of laughs."
"Better than a barrel of-"
She giggled again, stopping when she saw Neville Smith approach them. Cecily tossed the pile of grass she'd been pulling. "You're not welcome, Smith," she said, a bit too harshly. "You've got both your parents." Teddy laughed.
5.
"When did that start?"
"I don't know."
Cecily barely heard the side conversation. She had just walked into Madame Puddifoot's and saw Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley snogging. It was disgusting. She turned away and stepped into the path of Neville Smith.
"Sorry," he stammered.
"You should be," she countered, pulling away from his steadying hand.
"Wait a minute. There's no need for that." He held her arm tighter so she couldn't move.
She knew that she was about to cry and brought up her hand.
Neville pulled her into a hug and walked her away from the tea shop.