See Chapter one for disclaimers.
Nicole was confused. Just before running into Abby, Robbie had told her that his mum was a Slayer. That was the beginning of her confusion, how could Robbie's mum be a slayer? Slayers were supposed to be girls around her age or at least that's what Nicole learned as a Third Year in DADA. But the conversation she just had with Robbie seemed to throw that knowledge in doubt.
"Nic!" he exclaimed. "I didn't see you at the Church."
"We were there, but in the back. I didn't think you could see us through your Aunt. Plus, you were in kind of a daze."
Robbie nodded in understanding.
Nicole continued "I didn't expect to see all those people, especially all of the young girls and women. Who were they?"
Robbie looked pensive for a moment and then answered "They all worked for Mum."
Natalie blinked in disbelief "Robbie, how can they all have worked for your mother? Some of those girls are younger than me!"
Robbie looked around and not seeing anyone whispered to her "Look, Nic, I'm going to tell you something about my mother and all those girls, but you have to keep a secret."
Nicole put her hands on her hips and glared back at him "Robbie Potter, of course I can keep a secret."
He looked her over, sighed and took her hands, "I'm serious here, Nic, life and death serious."
Nicole fidgeted a bit "You're scaring me Robbie."
"I don't mean to, it's just, well," Robbie paused and looked around again, "Mum was a Slayer. The girls you saw at the funeral, they're also slayers. My Grandma N'issa is a slayer."
Nicole laughed. "You're taking the mickey out of me. I know perfectly well that there is only Slayer. Learned that one in Third Year."
Robbie shook his head "The textbook is wrong. Father made sure of that. The rules changed because of Mum and my Aunt Willow almost twenty years ago. Dad says the best way to keep'em all safe is to keep the Wizarding World in the dark about the true amount of slayers." Robbie laughed then. "Not a very good secret since the Watchers actively recruit at Hogwarts, but a secret nonetheless."
Nicole considered him for a bit "You're telling the truth aren't you. Or at least the truth as you believe it to be."
Robbie snarled at her "Of course it's the truth! Do you think I would lie about that? My Mum gave her life to protect this world and if you can't handle that, then you best be off. I'll make sure Father knows so he can get you back to Hogwarts."
He turned and stormed off, leaving her alone in the hall. Nicole slapped her head with her palm. She certainly knew how to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. She started up after him. "Robbie, wait!" It was too late, he was already gone.
So now she wandered through the house looking for him, to apologize and set things right. It was a lot to take in about Robbie's mum. When she visited during Christmas, she seemed so normal, a bit skittish around magic and had a rather strange accent. Robbie explained at the time that she was American. Like that accounted for everything.
She went into the room that she saw him enter, but found it empty. He seemed to have disappeared. She stood for a moment and looked around when she heard crying. Following the sound, she found herself in a room that looked like a gym. In the corner was a girl crying was Robbie's younger sister Abby. But what drew her attention was the room itself. It was incredible. Muggle exercise equipment in one area, a large matted area in the center for exercising or dueling. But what caught her eye were the various weapons in the cases along the wall. Swords, knives, daggers and axes and to judge by some of the nicks in the blades, they weren't all for show. She couldn't help but blurt out "What is this place?"
"It's an exercise room." Abby snorted in response and then added quietly, "It was her room."
Nicole watched as the girl broke down again. It would be very Slytherin of her to comfort her, to get back on Robbie's good side, but she didn't. She just stood there, letting her mind wander, thinking about Robbie, his life and his family.
Her mum warned her about getting involved with Potter's son, as she referred to Robbie. She remembered the conversation she had at the beginning of the year like it was yesterday.
"You really should stay away from that Potter boy. To be Potter's son is bad enough, but also to be the spawn of that, that Muggle!" Her mum spat out.
"But Mum, Robbie's the cutest boy in the whole school! Why wouldn't I want to go out with him? And what's wrong with his mum? I thought she was a witch?" She replied, confused.
"Ha! You'll have a hard time proving that by me. She just swooped in here with that bastard child of hers and stole him. I doubt she can even levitate a feather." Her mum responded.
Nicole was even more confused now. She had never heard her mother speak like this, so angry. It didn't seem like her at all. "How do you know Professor Potter? I mean other than the news, of course."
Her mum snorted "I went to Hogwarts, same year as his. And now that muggle sister of hers has got her claws on poor Draco."
Still confused, she asked her mum, "What does Professor Malfoy have to do with anything?"
Her mum sighed "We went to the Yule Ball together during our Fourth Year. We were the King and Queen of Slytherin."
"So what happened? How did you end up with Daddy instead?" Nicole inquired.
Her mum shrugged "My parents thought it best we separated." And that was all she would say on the matter. Nicole tried to question Father on it, but he refused to speak on it. Something about it being better to let sleeping dogs lay.
He always said "It is better to dwell on the present and the future rather than the past."
Besides, he didn't see a problem with her dating Robbie. He felt that his star at the Ministry just might shine a bit brighter because of it. So she took her father's advice and pursued Robbie, though he was pursuing her just as hard. Things were going rather well until his mum died.
Her attention returned to Abby. This strange young girl could actually be quite pretty, if she tamed her hair a bit and perhaps wore contacts, maybe even a touch of make up. She shook her head, this is madness. Here this poor girl is drowning in grief and all she can think about is giving her a make-over. Finally she found her voice again.
"Where's Robbie?" she asked the younger girl. "I thought I saw him enter this room."
Abby sniffed, looked up at her and gave her a small laugh. "Silly boy, now he's upset enough to change the house. Great, that makes three of them now. Four, if you include Grandfather, but only cause it was his house to begin with."
Nicole gave her a strange look. "Change the house? I didn't even think that was possible."
Abby explained "The way Grandfather tells it, the house is keyed to the emotions of the owners, it changes its configuration. Daddy and Sarah can both do it, if they get upset enough. Once Mum got so chagrinned at the two of them because they got at it so badly, she couldn't find her bedroom for a whole week." Abby sniffed. "Of course if she wanted to get back at Daddy, she put on this ditzy blond act. Used to drive Daddy crazy."
Nicole looked at her with a shock. "That's exactly how she appeared during Christmas holiday."
"She always knew what was what." Abby explained. She gave Nicole a watery smile, "Although I could always break her down with tears."
Nicole laughed and offered her hand "Let's see if we can find your brother. I owe him a bit of an apology."
Abby shook her head. "It's no use. He probably got Sarah to tell him where her tree house is located and is now hiding there. Only Sarah, Daddy and David know where it is, some sort of weird charm hides it."
"Fidelius Charm?" Nicole added.
"Yeah, that's it. So there is no finding him until Daddy fetches him." Abby explained.
Nicole fumed "But can't I get your sister to tell me where it is?
Abby wiped her eyes and laughed "You must be joking. The only reason she gave him access today is for Mum's funeral. She certainly won't give you access. I don't think she even likes you."
"But you know where it is?" Nicole pleaded.
The young girl glared at her. "Weren't you listening? I can't tell you because I Don't Know!"
"Okay, sorry" Nicole said, putting up her hands. She started to quickly exit the room, where she ran straight into Professor Potter.