Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was bustling; the chill of London rain on the Muggle side was expressed in the puffs of breath- that, in turn, added to the busy atmosphere.
"Over eleven years," she murmured to Narcissa, at her side, "I haven't seen a crowd such as this. And I'm including Wizengamot hearings, in that estimate."
Narcissa shrugged, lightly. "What can I say? We Magicals love our children."
Caelia rolled her eyes. "When's Lucius coming?"
"He… isn't." She sighed, tilting a reproving look at a too-loud Draco- even in the depths of crowds, there were some proprieties to be observed- and sent her an apologetic one. "Lucius wanted to arrive via Floo, and I wanted to meet you, so…"
"Polarizing decisions even in send-offs," she mused aloud, wryly. "And he wonders why making you choose isn't helping his case."
Narcissa just shrugged.
Unobtrusively, they moved through the crowd, following their children. The blaring red of the Hogwarts Express was tasteless, on a good day. On a cloudy one like this…
It hurt to look at.
"If nothing else, get Lucius to repaint this train," she told Narcissa flatly. "I'd prefer not to be blinded every time I welcome my child back."
"You'll deal," she retorted, before her voice changed abruptly. "When are you meeting with Severus and Regulus?"
"Tonight." She frowned. "We're getting together for drinks, seeing as it's Sev's last night before the brats get their grubby hands into him-" cue a huff of amusement, "-and Regulus is aiming to stay with his nouveau-riche girlfriend for the next couple months, and with the Wizengamot hearings for those criminals from Surrey coming up… let's just say we're being pulled in three different directions. Why?"
Her mouth quirked into a light smile. "There were some things I wanted to talk to Regulus about. If I could just drop the papers off to you, could you give it to him? He's been…" her lips twisted into a grimace that flowed into a light smile, "avoiding me."
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" She muttered, as they finally reached their children. "Of course I can. It won't be a problem."
Cassia looked up at her with silver eyes as she approached- the exact shade they'd been when she was born. In the correct lighting, Caelia had mistaken them for coins.
"The next time you run off, I'll tag you with a multi-level blood ward," she warned her daughter. When Draco smiled, she turned her gimlet gaze over to him. "Don't think I won't teach Narcissa, Draco. You're heading off for… lands unknown. There are certain safety issues you will follow, Cassia. Or-"
"-or what, Caelia?"
Her heart stopped for a brief moment, and she indulged in a deluge of absolute fury for the same amount of time.
Sirius.
Before she could say something, though, Narcissa- bless her soul- stepped in.
"I'm not quite sure how this is any of your business, cousin," she said quietly- voice soft, certainly, but also unyielding, as a silken boxer's glove would feel. Narcissa, for all her proclivities, was a Black born and bred; it was not in her nature to accept the universe's karma. She got up, went on fighting, and killed if it suited her.
Sirius never stood a chance.
But that didn't mean he- Black that he, too, was- wouldn't fight back.
"She is speaking to my daughter," he said coldly. Clearly, she thought disparagingly, manners were optional to him. "I believe that makes it my concern. So. What would you do if Cassie didn't follow your… orders?"
Her lips thinned. "Sirius-"
But before she could continue, her daughter- bold, bright, and so very, very brave; so much her father's daughter and so little at the same time- stepped forward.
"Only my family calls me Cassie," she said, in a voice that was both clear and calm.
"I'm your dad, Cassie," Sirius told her with a small smile. The edge of kindness to his tone added credibility- she had to hand it to him. Sirius, for whatever reason, was willing to put in the effort to make Cassia his friend. Then he ruined that by sending her a dirty look. "I'd understand if that… woman didn't tell you, but-"
"I know who you are," Cassia retorted coolly, and she didn't look like him at all, in that moment. Right then, Caelia fancied they were mirrors. "I've seen your pictures in the Daily Prophet."
"Cassia," she murmured- a warning.
She instantly heeded it. "Thank you for your time… Lord Black. It has been… a pleasure, meeting you."
The smile on his face was like a frozen shard of ice. "Indeed. I hope to see you around."
He strode away, and Caelia stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Cassia's shoulders and pulling her into a hug. Improper though it was, to show that amount of affection, she'd be damned if she allowed propriety to dictate how she loved her kids.
"You will be happy there," she told her firmly. "This is a dream come true for you- I know it is, don't you dare deny it- and I want you to be happy. Nothing else."
"And if I'm in Gryffindor?" She asked quietly.
Caelia heard the undertone, though: And if I'm like my father, inside, where it matters most?
"Do you really think I'll care?" She drawled, tipping her head to the side. "Don't be ridiculous. You are my daughter."
Of all her children- though, to be fair, Vivian and Orpheus were too young to have such opinions- Cassia was the most self-conscious about her appearance. Black and Derwent families were rather similar in looks, but the fey delicacy of Cassia's face and frame was almost completely from the Black side of the family. And, even more-so, she was the Heir to both Black and Derwent family fortunes- Caelia had managed to build up some reserves of money from her potions business, and though Severus had left years ago, the rapport she had built up was serving her well so far. The Black coffers had always been tipping over into the realm of the ridiculous; she had first-hand knowledge from a fuming Andromeda that there were animated complete-gold statues.
As Heir, Cassia had a lot to live up to. And though she presented a good front, Caelia knew very well that her daughter was staggering under the weight.
It was a possible sign of impending lunacy that she was as like-as-not happy about Cassia's stoicism.
It isn't like I don't have other things to be proud of.
Still. For all of Cassia's worries, she knew exactly where her daughter would land. The innocent look in her eyes- that promised bunnies and rainbows and unicorns- when she utterly destroyed a three-hundred year old glass curio cabinet had convinced Caelia of that, even if it hadn't stopped her from sending her to her room, grounded.
"You," she said, quietly and with all the fierce-won pride of her actions and their consequences, "are mine. Not for anything would I let myself lose that."
Cassia almost flinched back, but at the last minute she only tilted her head. "Thank you."
She retreated, letting the intensity of the moment fade, as heat would, under the cooling twilight. There was only so much emotion and excitement a person could take in a day- and they were both private enough to enjoy this moment later, alone.
But she would never let her children doubt her love.
Not for all the gold in Gringotts- or all the love of Gryffindors.
They met up in a small cottage in Liverpool, one that was hidden under a wash of protective spells and carefully bought from the Muggle side of things so nothing could be suspected.
Inside, it was small enough; two bedrooms and a scant living room was not what she was accustomed to. Nevertheless, the house had clean clothes, medical supplies in case of an emergency, magical portkeys and others, and was well-stocked with good food and clean water.
The calm surroundings were only a bonus.
Caelia was the first to walk in, a full two hours early. The familiar buzz of magic across her skin let her relax, for the first time in a long one; the twins had taken Cassia's departure as permission to destroy the manor, and the house elves had finally just put them to sleep with none of their usual cheerfulness-the Wizengamot was also not the least stressful place to work.
And then Regulus and Severus walked in, either angrily debating or calmly dueling, and she felt her hand tighten on the stem of the wineglass as Severus stalked furiously over to the liquor cabinet and pour himself a shot of the good whiskey.
Her eyes narrowed, and she drawled, "Should I be worried?"
Severus was recovering from a deep bout of depression a few years ago- and even worse, his coping mechanism had been to drink.
Regulus had been strongly tempted to start an AA for wizards, until she had told him in no uncertain terms exactly why that was a bad idea.
"About what?" Regulus retorted.
She arched an eyebrow. "You drove Severus to drink." Without rising, she waved her hand- and the wineglass hung in the air. "Tell me I have nothing to worry about."
Glass slammed down onto the wooden countertop, hard enough that it shattered.
Severus snarled low in his throat, and raised a reproachful finger at Regulus. "You don't tell a person the night that you start that you're working with them! It violates personal integrit-"
He broke off at her curtly raised hand.
Oh, she hissed mentally, he is mine, Severus.
Slowly, she pinned Reg with a reproving glare. There was only one way to end this, and while she was no pushover, Regulus wasn't either. The conversation would go downhill very fast if she didn't go on the attack quickly.
"You're working at Hogwarts?" Short, sharp questions, with no room for maneuvering. Best way to catch a slippery Slytherin.
He nodded cautiously.
"And when did you apply?"
"Three weeks ago."
She grimaced at that, and knew that Severus was doing the same a few feet behind her. Three weeks ago, the Aurors had just found a group of rampant smugglers in Surrey that were using Dark magic on hapless muggles- and she had needed to be a sponsor so the smugglers could be caught in time. They'd been caught, after a number of long nights, and she was just about ready to fall over at the end of it.
Severus had been caught up with restocking the potion store for her shop over those weeks. More likely than not, he'd not registered night and day, much less seen his mail.
And Severus was expecting her to be angry; Regulus thought she would scold him.
It really wasn't healthy for them to think they could anticipate her actions.
"Then," she said, quirking a sunny smile at both of them, "let us celebrate this momentous news!"
"You're not angry," Severus said dubiously.
She rolled her eyes again, and smirked. "I do believe that having two of you watching over Cassia and Draco is a good thing. Heaven knows she'll need the attention."
"And you can always come to visit us, because the world knows you're friends with both of us, and that's permitted within the Hogwarts Charter," Reg pointed out innocently.
Severus choked on his glass.
Reg continued. "And if you just happen to slip down to the dungeons, well… it has been a long time since your student days, hasn't it? You just had to see your daughter, then, and it isn't like anyone would complain- they just all want the same excuses…"
She smiled devilishly. "Look not too deep for conspiracy, Regulus, lest your deepest dreams turn real."
"I know exactly what I want," he replied wryly.
Severus raised a hand, as if ready to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You're okay with him not telling us because it gave you an excuse?"
Caelia leaned back, and knew that her lips were twitching wildly. "Misdirection is the Slytherin way," she agreed.
He glared.
She smiled.
Regulus laughed.
It was almost like having a family.
Regulus' face shifted, from a sort-of-exhaustion to awkward uncertainty when she handed him the papers Narcissa had given her.
In fact, Severus thought, he looks downright terrified.
Caelia just arched an eyebrow impatiently and tilted her head to the side; a silent gesture that she would give him privacy if he asked for it. Just as silently, he folded his arms- a movement designed to make him taller, broader, and generally more intimidating.
"Two hours and the Express arrives," he said snappishly. "Minerva's probably already having kittens."
Message: don't be late.
Caelia shrugged, easily. "Delay her. And… you'll tell me how it went with Cassia, right?"
Right. Get caught up in the domestic scene he'd fought so hard against; Severus had refused to be a part of Caelia's family since the moment she'd begun it. From the first moment to the last, he'd wanted independence. With these two's friendship, he got best of both worlds- no true reliance while there was all the love.
"Of course I will, Caelia."
"If you tell me she made Hufflepuff, Severus, god help me I will-"
"What," he smirked. "Scream at me? Wouldn't that wreck your precious pureblood upbringing's values?"
Not to mention her more radical ideas of Hufflepuff's not being idiots.
"Not if I'm avenging my honor," she retorted grimly.
He grimaced back. "I'll see you at ten."
She nodded, and they both turned to Regulus, only to see him frowning at the paper.
"It's a list of names," he said blankly, holding up the sheet. "Random ones, as far as I can tell, and…"
"Let me see." Severus snatched it out of his hands, going over it-
-and felt all the blood drain from his face.
"Caelia," he whispered hoarsely, dragging horror-struck eyes up to meet her blissfully innocent ones, "there's something I need to tell you about Hogwarts this year."
Well. I am so sorry! It took me some time for inspiration to hit as to how to write this chapter, and I was moving, and I had my Master's, and I got sucked into the Transformers 'verse, and a bunch of other stuff, but now I'm back! And I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter! I love all of you and hope you enjoyed this one.
Thank you to everybody who alerted me and/or reviewed. You guys are seriously my inspiration.
See you guys soon! (hopefully...)
