The rest of the time before break was normal. Classes, homework, quidditch, homework, the project, homework. The professors had decided that we needed more homework than we had ever before. Plus, Stella was punishing me, and the rest of our team with extra practices. Brook was often heard muttering about how her grandfather, Oliver Wood, held less practices. I thought it was fine until she started holding 5 am practices. Then I got mad.

My vacation plans had cleared up. I had apologized to my dad, and I was going to stay with my family. We still had a Weasley Christmas dinner, though now we had it at the Potter Mansion.

On the day before break, we had a project period. We were on my grandparent's generation, and it was going to take forever. Harry Potter's closest friends were the Weasleys, and we had a lot of work to do. Today we were working on Fred Weasley, and I was dreading it.

"Hey, Dee, can you pass me the book? We really need to start working on Fred."

"Finn, Fred is a very, very, sore topic for my family, so I'll tell you about him, Fred Weasley was the 4th Weasley brother, he was 2 minutes older than his brother George. He and George loved to cause chaos. When they were little they liked to prank their brothers, and when they got to Hogwarts, they held the record of most detentions, closing on the Marauders in the generation before them. They went on to form Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. During the war, they both supported Harry Potter, and Fred Gideon Weasley died on May 2nd 1998, protecting Hogwarts from Voldemort."

Bryson was looking at me in awe.

"Okay then, Dee what are you doing over break, I thought we could get some of our interviews done…"

"Yeah, Oh my god, you and Sean should come to the Weasley's Christmas Eve party, we can do our interviewing."

"Some of it, I still want a day away from this place."

"So you'll come?"

"Sure."

"I have to go to DADA. Bye Finn,"

"Bye Dee,"

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"Cassandra, Cassie, CASS? I don't think she's alive."

I slowly opened my eyes.

"Hey Miri, how are you."

"Fine, and thanks for asking my permission before inviting two boys to our holiday party."

"It's not like they're staying at your house, chill."

"Wait Cass, they ARE staying at my house!" Miri was screaming at this point.

My face must have shown my shock.

"Yeah, so anyways, I"

I rudely interrupted her.

"Miri, I'm so sorry, they can stay, stay at my house." I said trying to make sure my pain wasn't clear across my face.

"Great that fixes that. In other news we have to get on the train now."

"Cool."

Miri and I ran towards the train, we were a bit behind schedule. The boys had saved us seats so that we could work on our project, but Bryson and I couldn't focus, which might have been the cause of Miri and Sean, who were laughing and whispering.

"So, we're going to leave, I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun."

"Cool,"

"Sean, meet us on the platform."

"I will."

We quietly closed the compartment door behind us, and Bryson burst out laughing, I even cracked a smile.

"Come on Dee, let's go find a new compartment."

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We walked the whole train; obviously there were a lot of people. Bryson was looking in ever compartment on the left, and I did the same on the right. Once in a while a scream would come from the compartment Bryson just opened. We finally found an empty compartment and sat down. Bryson burst out laughing.

"7 girls screamed when I poked my head inside."

"Hilarious, I asked a bunch of 6th year boys, and one took off his shirt, hey who did you stay with over the summer?"

"My Grandfather."

"Oh, why aren't you staying with him now?"

"Jack is staying with Ali Weasley and Abbey's going to stay at a muggle friend's house."

"Why?"

"My grandfather died in October."

I just gave him a look. My mother was as good as dead, and whenever I told someone my story, they would say "I'm so sorry". It drove me crazy.

"What do I say?"

"Nothing,"

Slowly and impossibly he slowly reached in and his lips touched mine. I closed my eyes and felt his hands on my back. I ran my hands through his hair. It was amazing, it was…

BANG

"What the fuck was that?" Bryson was mad.

"Holly?"

My devil sister had made reappearance.

"Looks like I interrupted something. I just wanted to meet the boy that was staying at our house. Nice to meet you Brice,"

"It's Bryson."

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Holly and her latest sat down, he was a 7th year Ravenclaw with golden hair and green eyes. She could not have done any better, but he could have.

"Cassandra," I visibly flinched at the use of my full name, "You finally got a boyfriend!"

"We're not…"

"I have a girlfriend…"

"Oh, I get this, it's a forbidden relationship."

"Holly, bug off, leave us alone, but your friend can stay."

"Come on Leo, let's go."

My sister finally listened.

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On the platform my dad was waiting.

"Cassandra, where are these boys?"

"They ARE coming, Bryson just had to go get Sean, here they come now."

My father was glaring in their direction.

"Dad, they both have girlfriends."

"Okay Cassandra."

"Hey Finn, Sean, over here."

"Hello Mr. Weasley, I'm Bryson Finnegan,"

"And I'm Sean Daniels."

My dad was mildly impressed with their manners.

"Nice to meet you boys, I'm sure you know my other daughters, Holly and Ava."

"We've been acquainted," Bryson said with a fake smile toward Holly.

"Very well then, we must be heading home."

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"So boys, this is the guest wing. You guys will be down that hallway, and I wouldn't leave it a night unless you want to be killed"

"Cool, where are you going?"

"I have to talk with my dad."

"Cass, stay, I want to hang out."

"I have to go, trust me."

"Bye Dee, see you later."

And I left. Walking toward my dad's study, I was worrying about what was I going to say? I mean he was really mad, I was the bad girl in the house and still I was the most like him. He confused me.

"Hey Dad, you wanted to talk?"

"Yes, Cassandra, I wanted to apologize, you were right I was being on fair. From now on I will be a little less tough with you. You deserve better."

"Dad one question, can't you call me Cass?"

"No I can't."

I will never get my father.

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Dinner was awkward.

And that was an understatement.

Bryson and Sean sat on either side of me and across from my sisters. I was looking right into Holly's eyes.

"So, Bryson you play, quidditch right?"

"Yes, I'm center chaser."

"And what do you want to do after you leave Hogwarts?"

"I want to play quidditch."

"So, Sean you're a good looking boy, do you have a girlfriend?"

"In fact Mr. Weasley, I do."

"And who may that be?"

"Miri Wood."

My dad almost choked on his food.

"WHO?"

"Miri Wood, do you know her, I mean I'm sure you do she's Cass's best friend."

"Yes, she's also my niece."

Sean's eyes got huge.

"What?"

"We're cousins." I said helpfully.

"Gee, thanks Cassie, you couldn't have told me earlier?"

"I was going to tell you on the train but you guys were going to make me vomit with all that kissing."

"And you and Bryson didn't make you vomit, because it almost made me." Holly said into her potatoes.

"What was that Holly?" My dad said.

"Nothing Daddy." Holly said with a sickening sweet smile.

Sean and Bryson were having a silent conversation. They had talked about our kiss.

"So, Ava, Cass here tells me you are a genius."

"I am considered on, why?"

"Oh, no reason."

I could feel my anger sizzling over and exploding. Accidental magic was allowed, but I had never done any after my first year at Hogwarts, but I was on the brink. My sisters were making me want to murder them. Purposely they were embarrassing me in front of my friends. They were trying to make my life a living hell. I was going to explode. Then they would have to clean my intestines off the wall. My spirit would enjoy it.

"Sean what classes do take?"

Thank you dear father of mine!

"I take all the regular classes plus Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Divinations."

"And what's your favorite?"

"Transfigurations, I'm very good at it, I want to be a healer when I leave Hogwarts so I also like potions and charms."

"A healer is a respected profession, good choice."

My dad went somewhere anyone who knew Bryson wouldn't go. He had insulted him AND quidditch. My dad was going to pay.

"Well , if I'm not wrong you were a quidditch player yourself, why don't you like it?" Bryson said in a questioning manor that only meant he was attacking.

" , may I remind you that only a select few make it into professional quidditch. You have no chance."

"That's it. I've lost it. Dad, stop you've welcomed my friends into our house only to ridicule them in front of me and my sisters. What's your problem? You said it was fine, you can't run my life by scaring them. I'm going to Miri's"

I stood up and left the table. I heard a chair squeal in the background.

"Dee, wait."

"Finn, I'm going you can't help me right now, I need Miri."

"Do you?"

"Brice, not right now," I said turning on my heels to face him. "Let me go."

"Cassie, I'm here if you need me," he said taking a brave step forward and wrapping me in a hug. "And I always will be."

That's the way my dad found us, hugging with me sobbing into his chest.