"Eve I'm so glad to see you," Alexis hugged her cousin once they were inside her rooms, before she lightly smacked her cousin AGAIN and commented,

"I don't think hitting on my professor was such a bright idea though!"

"Hey," Eve smirked, "I couldn't help it. He was kinda hot."

"Oi. Anyway what are you doing here?"

"Your Headmaster gave me permission to stay with you and to accompany you to the reading of the will." Eve responded, sitting down next to her younger cousin on the edge of the bed and brushing her hair back lightly.

"Thank you," Alexis whispered again before leaning into her cousins embrace, letting the other girl comfort her until she drifted off into a restless sleep.

The next evening after all classes had ended for the Easter break, Alexis sat quietly at the Slytherin table picking at her food, her cousin at her side encouraging her to eat. Draco sat at her other side just watching his best friend worriedly, every so often exchanging concerned glances with Eve, whom he had met earlier that day. The three ignored the quiet gossip concerning Alexis that circled the Great Hall. Early that morning when the paper had been delivered, the headlining sentence was that of the news of the Cullen's death. Since then the whole school had been buzzing, casting glances and turning their heads her way. From his seat at the Head table, Severus Snape gazed at Alexis in sympathy, yet admired her for her strong way of dealing with her pain. He expected nothing less from a Slytherin.

--

Stating lowly in a heartbroken voice,

"I can't take anymore, come on Eve. I just want to go." Alexis rose from the dinner table and hurried from the great hall, Eve and Draco close on her heels.

As soon as they reached her rooms, Alexis blotted away tears that had leaked out and said quietly,

"Eve, I'm ready to go."

Walking over to her, Draco wrapped his arms around Alexis. Leaning into his embrace, Alexis relaxed for a moment before whispering,

"Thank you Draco. I'll be alright."

"No problem." He smiled pushing her hair back before giving her a peck on the cheek and an extra tight squeeze. "I know you will be."

And without further ado, Eve and Alexis gathered their bags and walked over to the fireplace. Picking up their floo powder they smiled their farewells before being swallowed by the bright green flames.

---

As soon as they shot out of the fireplace at Eve's father's manor, the two brushed themselves off before Eve commented,

"I like Draco. I would so date him if he wasn't gay."

Alexis let out a snort. "Yeah, he's like the brother I never had." Eve rolled her eyes before focusing on someone behind Alexis.

"Hello Father, are you ready to go?" Alexis turned to see her Uncle Nicolas standing behind her. Eve looked almost like an exact copy of her father, except for the eye color.

"Yes, Eve, I'm ready. Shall we go to Gringotts?" Uncle Nicolas said in his deep timbre, laying his arm around Alexis' shoulders in comfort. In his other hand he held out the jar of floo powder and the girls each took out handful.

"Leaky Cauldron," Eve called out after she threw her handful in the fireplace, vanishing in the flames as she stepped forward.

--

After Alexis and her Uncle arrived right after Eve, the small group headed silently through the bustling streets of Diagon Alley, making a beeline for Gringotts. As soon as the trio stepped inside, a small goblin appeared in front of them, ready to make himself useful.

"Good afternoon Sir, ladies," he nodded genially, "may I be of some assistance?"

"Yes, we have an appointment with Mr. Henry Bartholomew, for the reading of a will?" Eve's father replied, looking down at the small creature.

"Of course sir, right this way."

--

After being lead to a small conference room, the three waited, turning when the door opened. A man in about his early forties walked in with a briefcase, a stern expression upon his face.

"Mr. Cullen?"

"Yes," Nicolas replied, "and this is my daughter Eve and my niece Alexis."

Looking Alexis in the eye, Mr. Bartholomew murmured,

"Miss Cullen I'm very sorry for your loss."

After Alexis just nodded, they all sat and waited for him to pull the documents from his case, and after he had them in front of him, Mr. Bartholomew began.

"This being the first will and testament of Jonathan Alan Cullen and Nicolle Audrey Summers-Cullen…"

Alexis felt Eve grab her hand in comfort, and glanced up to smile at her cousin in thanks.

"To our niece, Eve," Eve looked at Mr. Bartholomew in surprise. "Even though you are getting an inheritance from your mother, we wanted to give you something in our untimely demise. From me, Nicolle Summers-Cullen, I leave you the Dragon gold necklace I once wore." The shock on Eve's face was almost comical, and Alexis was tempted to throw a wadded up tissue in her mouth.

"You were so drawn to it when you were just a babe, and I knew that you'd take care of it." Eve's mouth snapped shut and she closed her eyes in memory. "From me, Jonathan Cullen, I give you, Eve, my complete works of Transfiguration Theory by Aldabert Waffling. You can do so much better things with these than I could, my dear. Use them well."

Alexis watched as Eve looked so surprised that she might faint. Thinking back, Alexis could remember that Waffling wrote one of the required books in her first year, although she remembered her father saying that he was a brilliant man that dabbled in every facet of magic.

"Damn," Eve whispered, using her other hand to wipe at tears that threatened to fall. The three watched as Mr. Bartholomew picked up a thick envelope and handed it to Nicolas, who opened it up immediately, his face changing into a stony mask. Eve shrugged at Alexis when she glanced at her in question.

"To my beloved brother Nicolas," Mr. Bartholomew continued, "I have written something that entails all that I have left you. Prosperitas , cruor , quod prosapia, Nic, don't forget." Alexis furrowed her face in confusion when Mr. Bartholomew turned to her. Her uncle was supposed to get the family ring, since he was the now eldest living male in the family.

"To our daughter Alexis," Mr. Bartholomew began. Alexis couldn't see the dark look her uncle's face morphed into, but Eve saw her father's reaction and narrowed her eyes at him. "We leave you as the Head of the Cullen family."

"Motherfu-" Eve whispered, but the words tapered off as Mr. Bartholomew continued.

"We have entrusted your Uncle to guide you, and we have no doubt that you will cause the Cullen name to flourish in the future generations. However there is a stipend. You must marry within a year of our deaths. If you are already wed you automatically receive the distinction. The full regulations will be given to you, and the properties included. Your mother and I love you so much, Alexis, and it is our sadness that we are lost to you." Mr. Bartholomew sat silent for a moment before setting the papers he read from on the table and looking at Uncle Nicolas expectantly. Alexis sat in shock, unable to move until she heard her cousin whisper to her.

"You know this means you have to have a shit load of balls. Courting Ball, Engagement Ball, the wedding itself. Plus the letters you're to receive."

Alexis shot a scared look at her cousin. "What? Oh great," she hissed. While Eve was laughing Nicolas was signing a document, and the paper was then passed to both girls. They were prompted to sign as proof of their attendance to the reading of the will.

"Like this could get any crazier," Alexis muttered to herself.