EDITED - 31/03/2015
Dear Giselle,
I have no other words to say except these; FINALLY! YOU'RE COMING HOME TO HOGWARTS!
Honestly, you have no idea how loud my screams were when I read your letter; my mother says her ears haven't been the same since. I cannot believe you finally convinced your father to transfer you back!
Once again the summer here in Cokeworth has reached an all-time low since Petunia continues to make no effort whatsoever to talk to me unless it's a one word sentence. I haven't seen her that much though, she has a new boyfriend and by the sounds of it, I'm glad she hasn't brought him home yet! The only upside to this six week summer is being able to help Mum out with the plants with the rejuvenation charm. Although, this made Petunia even more bitter, oops.
Please, please, please reply because I know we (we!) return to Hogwarts today and I want to know when and where I get to see you.
Lots of love,
Lily
Giselle Crouch-Prewett smiled at her friend's letter as her father briskly walked into the study where she sat waiting for him. She felt her heartbeat quicken when she saw the pot of floo powder in his hands because it was the final confirmation she needed – she was officially going back to Hogwarts. She was going home. She could smell the delicious feasts, the laughter in the corridors, the bloody English language! As beautiful as it sounded to some, Giselle was revolted by french and anyone who spoke it. Bad experiences at Beauxbatons were one of the things she couldn't wait to get rid of.
"Professor Dumbledore is expecting you and your mother to arrive in his office in precisely," Bartemius Crouch checked the clock on his desk, "ten minutes meaning my talk will be efficiently short."
Giselle resisted the temptation to roll her eyes but her tongue voiced the derision she thought. "Father, you don't need to remind me how to behave at Hogwarts. I've been there before, remember?"
Her father narrowed his eyes; he never cherished Giselle's sarcasm as much as she did. He thought it was more of a nuisance than something to be proud of. Crouch sat down in his leather chair and stared at her from across his desk, his chin resting upon his fingers. Giselle gritted her teeth as she watched her father from behind his shield – she hated the desk. She hated the whole manor. It was a constant reminder of her father's stupid pride. She hated it so much that it made her feel physically sick.
She was never a fan of the Crouch name and to make matters tense between herself and her father; she decided to legally adopt her mother's maiden name beside her birth right. As predicted, Bartemius Crouch didn't take it very well. He felt insulted for his oldest child's decision but strange enough, the youngest child admired her change of heart.
Giselle would never admit to herself that she and Bartemius Crouch Jr were alike, not only in appearance, but in personality though their dominant traits forced them to clash. Their mother had grown to turn her cheek to everything Barty would do but Giselle knew her brother was the devil in disguise
"He's still a boy, darling," Adelaide Crouch would say, excusing everything her precious baby boy would do. "Barty would never get involved with the dark arts. Why would you even dare say something like that?" Giselle had given up with persuading her parents of the truth – stubbornness ran in the family.
"Your mother and I have finally come to terms with your plea concerning your transfer back to Hogwarts to finish your final year and I remind you that our permission is not to be abused. You are to follow all of the rules for once-,"
"For your information I followed the rules at Beauxbatons," interjected Giselle hotly but Crouch narrowed his eyes.
"When I tell you to follow the rules, it means you have to follow all of them. Finding loopholes in the school's system is not the same as following the rules, Giselle." Giselle didn't fight back but she scowled up at her father.
"As I was saying, you will follow the rules because if receive one owl this year, you will be in big trouble-,"
"I'm of age, Father. I'm not a little girl anymore. The sooner you realise that, the more sense you'll make," She added. Crouch faltered for a second and Giselle noted the purple hue to his already angry face.
"We are amidst a war here, young lady. It's high time you realise how dangerous it is out there and it would do no good for your mother to hear how her daughter has been running amok, creating trouble and putting herself in danger! For all I know, you could be planning to rebel the second you enter those castle walls. I'm trying to protect you," exclaimed Crouch, slamming his fists down against the desk and Giselle stared at him, never wavering under his intent glare. Growing up with a father like Bartemius Crouch made her rather vigilant and cautious.
"You know that I won't put myself in danger like that, Father. I know you might not be able to get this through your thick skull but I'm not purposely going to throw myself into the middle of this god forsaken War. Your protection is something I do not need because how else am I supposed to learn to defend for myself?" Giselle felt her eyes narrow and she sank back into the armchair, staring at her father in a state of astonishment. It all made sense to her.
"Father," she began before Crouch could scream his response, "it sounds like you are accusing me of joining Lord Voldemort and becoming a Death Eater-,"
"Don't you dare say his name!" hissed Crouch, inattentively leaning across the desk in his rage.
"-but if you took some time in your busy Ministerial schedule and actually tried speaking to your son, maybe getting to know him, you can clearly see that he is the one who is heading in Voldemort's direction-,"
"I said don't say his name!" Her father roared with his face mere inches from hers and Giselle could see the stress vein pulsing across his forehead. She clenched her jaw and glanced down to see her nails piercing the leather chair arms so she let out a deep breath and rose to her feet.
"I'm disgusted that you haven't worked it out sooner. I would never mount to the pressure and join him but if you keep pushing Barty out, he certainly will. When will you and Mother realise that he's not your angelic little boy anymore? He's the devil and it's your entire fault!"
Bartemius Crouch Sr stared at his daughter and fought the itching in his left hand that threatened to slap her. The footsteps of his approaching wife brought him to his senses so he took a step backwards and inhaled deeply, letting his fingers ball up into his hand instead of against Giselle's cheek. Adelaide looked up from her small handbag to see her husband and daughter scowling at each other like feral animals.
"Giselle, honey – How many times have I told you to stop arguing with your father? His stress levels are very high at the moment and I won't have you making him ill. He's been having a tough time at the Ministry at the moment." The enthusiasm in Adelaide's voice had faded along with the joy of longing her husband's presence. She had gotten too used to Bartemius' long office hours, so much so that even having him close for this long was draining.
"Everyone is having a tough time at the moment. Stop using that for an excuse for everything he does wrong. What is wrong with you?!" Giselle blurted out, flicking her gaze from her father to her mother. She was a beautiful woman with hair the shade of autumn leaves and a smile that would once bring light to her hazel eyes but that happiness had disappeared years ago. She was growing hollow and weak.
"Giselle-," warned Adelaide, scolding her daughter but Giselle shook her head and snatched her possessions up from the floor. She marched into the fireplace and readied herself for her departure. She couldn't wait to get away from the ghastly manor.
"Mother, you really have to listen to me. I am begging you – both of you. You don't have to look out for me anymore, I'm not the one who is tearing this family apart at the seams while you two watch and blissfully ignore it. Barty needs you both, you need to help him before it's too late and don't you dare say that he's fine because he's not. He will join Voldemort," Bartemius' eye twitched, "and we will lose him forever. I'm not the one who's going to give this family a bad name and I refuse to play a part in it anymore. There was more than one reason I took mother's maiden name, Father."
Bartemius and Adelaide stood still for a few beats, absorbing their daughter's words in silence and Giselle almost smiled when she saw how they were listening. She almost got through to them.
Almost.
"That's preposterous, honey. Don't be over-dramatic, you're over-thinking this," sighed Adelaide as she slipped on her jade gloves and Bartemius shook his head. He knew Giselle was headstrong and too proud to see eye-to-eye with anyone. "Say goodbye to your father, its time." Adelaide's bottom lip was wobbling.
Giselle felt limp as she stared at her parents. They were kidding, they must be. Dropping her trunks handle, she solemnly walked out of the fireplace and stopped in front of her father with an arm extended out. She knew he didn't deserve anything more but she knew he wouldn't expect affection from her so the handshake was enough. Of course, Giselle was going to miss her father, no matter how much she loathed him, but his head was too big to digest anything other than his job.
Adelaide nodded approvingly at the farewell, pecked her husband's cheek and followed her daughter into the fireplace before grabbing a delicate handful of fine powder. She threw it and cried, "Headmaster's office, Hogwarts." The familiar ash threatened to choke them but they were well practiced. Giselle opened her eyes to see the headmaster's face stare at her through the black soot.
The instant she saw his face, she felt the warmth crawl down her spine in a nostalgic shudder and it sent her back in to time to her old self, the self she loved being. She felt more at home in the dirty fireplace than she had at both Beauxbatons and Crouch Manor combined. Dumbledore smiled and helped them both out of the fireplace with a strong hand. He always smelt of sherbet, Giselle noted.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts, Miss Crouch," He announced and Giselle couldn't stop herself from smiling.
