"What did you say?" Severus inquired.
"My siren powers," Tobi repeated. "I told you I was Bulgarian, didn't I?"
"Sirens aren't real," he blurted. "And what does that have to do with Bulgaria?"
"Veela," Catherine clarified. "Veela come from Bulgaria."
"Oh," Severus muttered. "I still don't believe it."
"My hair is whitish blonde like a Veela," Tobi pointed out.
"But you're a metamorphmagus," he protested.
Tobi huffed and rolled her eyes. "Do I have to prove it?" she demanded.
"Yes," Severus answered. "Show us. Right now."
Tobi frowned, looking oddly uncomfortable. "I can't."
"Of course you can't," he triumphantly responded.
She rolled her eyes again. "No, I mean I could, but I'm not going to," she responded. "Most of the time, I don't use my powers, and they don't really work on girls or demons." She gestured to Catherine and Sebastian.
"Well, show me," Severus demanded.
"I… don't want to," Tobi uneasily replied. "I don't want you to think any differently about me."
"Because you're lying?" he insisted. He instantly regretted it.
"Oh, that's it," she snapped. "I'll make James fall in love with me. That would prove it." She stormed off across the platform, forcing her way through the crowd to where James was standing. Severus craned his neck to see…
… Julian dragging the disgruntled Tobi back. "You know mum doesn't like it when you use your powers," he reprimanded. "It's a rule, remember?"
"I will not use my Veela powers at school," Tobi bitterly recited.
"Good," Julian responded.
"Except to prove to Sevvy that I have them?" Tobi weakly amended.
Julian smiled. "He doesn't believe you?" he inquired.
Severus shook his head in surprise.
"Well, our grandmother on our father's side was a Veela," Julian informed. "That's why everyone in the family has such pale hair. Since dad wasn't a girl, it seems the Veela heritage skipped a generation. They think that's part of why we're the only metamorphmagi in the entire family."
"So, she's telling the truth?" Severus squeaked.
"Yeah…" Tobi retorted.
"I don't know why she had to flash Potter instead of just showing you, though," Julian remarked.
"I didn't want to have him see me as anything but me," Tobi replied. "It would make our friendship very… awkward for a while." Julian laughed, and some sort of brotherly understanding passed through his eyes. "Oh, shut up, or I'll tell Mum how you tricked that girl-"
"Wait, he has the ability, too?" Catherine curiously inquired. "I thought it was a girl thing."
Julian glanced around to make sure no one was looking at them more than usual. "I guess I could show you if it made Severus believe," he slowly offered.
"You really don't-" Catherine started, but Tobi easily drowned her out.
"Yay! You're now my third favorite brother!"
Julian sighed and shook his head without bothering to comment.
Severus tilted his head. "I guess I would believe it," he responded.
Julian grinned.
Immediately, Catherine made a very un-Catherine-like sound reminiscent of a dying puppy. She jerked backward, knocking into her trunks and smacking her head into the bench. She crumpled limply to the ground with her books shielding her face.
Julian's face went slack in surprise, and Tobi cried out, "CATHERINE!" Avery and Krystal rushed over with shocked expressions.
Catherine moaned and stirred a little. "You made me lose my bookmark," she quietly mumbled.
All six of the onlookers relaxed (even Sebastian, albeit much less noticeably). "Well, she's okay," Avery declared.
"I'm sorry," Julian apologized.
"I'm fine," Catherine answered. She still clutched her books over her face so tightly that her knuckles were white. He apologetically offered her a hand, but she got up herself. "I'm fine." Her entire face was bright scarlet as she straightened her robs and replaced the fallen bookmark.
"Well, I've never gotten that reaction before," Julian lightly responded.
"Catherine is peculiar that way," Tobi quipped. Avery and Krystal burst out laughing.
Catherine looked like she was ready to die.
"So, that was real?" Severus dubiously inquired.
Catherine shamefully met his eyes. "Yeah," she shakily replied. "That just… happened."
"You're cut," Sebastian bluntly declared.
Catherine glanced down at the huge slit in her sleeve. "The corner of the bench," she stated. "I'll fix it later."
"No, you're bleeding," Krystal realized. "You're-"
"It doesn't hurt, and I am definitely not in shock," Catherine assured. She was regaining her faint irritation. "It's not like you turned into a Dementor or something."
"Your face looked like it," Avery supplied. "And you did jump." Catherine glared at her.
"Oo, maybe Julian's your Boggart!" Tobi offered. It was Julian's turn to groan. "NO. I've got it! You're scared of romantic relationships! That explains EVERYTHING!"
"Wow…" Catherine moaned.
"YES," Krystal agreed. Avery grinned and nodded.
"That's it. I'm finding you a boyfriend!" Tobi declared.
"NO."
"And we're helping!" Krystal mischievously added. Avery nodded again.
"What?! Guys! NO! Just… Ugh. I'm getting on the train."
This happens right at the start of 7th year, while they are on the platform waiting for the train. Julian has graduated at this point, he's just giving his younger siblings a lift. This sets off the lighter subplots of a rather grim year. They try to get Ember a boyfriend (or girlfriend. at the end, they get a little desperate). Avery plays all sorts of matchmaker for other characters, too. Tobi has a rough year learning to let Severus go (she doesn't want to force him to like her, but she also doesn't want to abandon her friend to becoming a Death Eater. Unfortunately, she has to come to peace with knowing she did everything she could to stop it without sacrificing her moral compass).