I know a certain someone needs a pick me up after a long day of studying, so there you go ;)
I did not reread it. I have somewhere to go to now and I'm probably already a bit late so I'll check it at some later time I guess haha. I figured, it was finished enough for others to read.
Enjoy your read and don't forget to review!
CHAPTER 32
'I was really hoping you'd wear that pair of pear-green robes I got you for your birthday.' Mum said as she went through my closet. She pulled out the pair she was talking about. It was a pretty thing but I shook my head no with a smile. 'Because it's green?' I asked. 'I know that you're just trying to do one over on Nan by getting me to wear a Slytherin colour.' I told her. My grandmother on dad's side, Ruby Wiggleswade, had been in Ravenclaw like I had. She had married my grandfather Alford, the latest Hufflepuff in a long line of Hufflepuffs and they together had two children, my dad and my Aunt Odetta who both were in Hufflepuff too. No one was more thrilled than Nan was when I was sorted in Ravenclaw.
Even though I teased mum a bit on not wearing it, I did end up putting on mum's pick. It was nice and I was only being funny when I said I wouldn't wear it. When I came downstairs in the dress robes mum had a pleased smirk on her face. She didn't say anything about it though as she rounded us all up so we could floo to my grandparents' place.
Christmas at the Wiggleswade's was a jolly event. We usually spent Christmas Eve at my grandmother Ruby's and my grandfather Alford's (dad's parents) and we went to mum's side of the family on Christmas Day, my grandparents Jane and Malcolm Reekes and it would be the same this year.
Where the Wiggleswade get together was busy and informal, the Reekes Christmas was definitely more on the formal side and a bit lonely as it was always only mum, dad, Aidan and me and then aunt Tamora and the grandparents, although it was just Grandfather now that Grandmother had passed away a couple of years back. It was an opportunity for the patriarch of the all too traditional Reekes clan to scrutinize his daughters, ask me and Aidan about our studies or job and for him to smoke pipes with dad in the parlour facing the gardens.
But for now we were at my dad's parents' house. We stepped out of the fireplace and into the homey living room of my grandparents' house. We were the last ones in and everyone greeted us warmly. Aunt Odetta and Uncle Irving were sitting next to each other on the sofa and Stacy and Roderick were sitting on the floor around the coffee table as Stacy was apparently teaching Roderick how to play chess (although that was quite an ambitious feat considering the energetic nature of the nine year old). Nan was standing with a tray in her hands, crackers and cheese displayed on it, a bottle of mead hovering in the air beside her. Granddad was watching his grandkids play chess, commenting where he saw fit. Uncle Irving's sister Susan Toots-Khatri and her husband Aarav Khatri were unclasping their cloaks by the door, seemingly having also just arrived. Grandpa's best friend, quidditch betting buddy and forever bachelor Arnold Macmillan was pouring himself a shot of giggle water by the liquor cabinet. He was talking to Mr Toots, Uncle Irving's father (and Roderick and Stacy's grandfather on their dad's side). Mrs Toots had passed away of old age the previous year; apparently she had been almost fifteen years his senior. Lastly was Mathilda sitting on an arm chair and Mr Goodfellow standing close by Mr Macmillan and Mr Toots.
Mathilda and her dad often came to our family get-togethers. Mathilda was an only child, as was her dad. His parents had already passed away when Mathilda was young and her mum was out of the picture. Rather than having them spend Christmas by themselves, they often spent it with us.
Nan had cooked a big meal for us to enjoy. I sat next to Mathilda, who had Aidan on her other side and across from us Stacy and Roderick. The "adults" (excluding Aidan to much of my hilarity) sat further down the table. Roderick was playing with his food.
I listened to the conversations that were going around me. Stacy, I saw, was doing the same, thoughtfully putting the caramelized potatoes in her mouth whole as she watched Aidan talk about his job to a very interested Mathilda. I looked to my left, to see what the grownups in my life had to discuss. Nothing too important I concluded.
Nan was talking to Mr Toots about the Moly flowers she was trying to grow in her garden. Mr Toots, I knew, was a potioneer by trade (although now retired) which required a fairly intimate knowledge on herbology as well. 'I don't know what to tell you Ruby, Moly doesn't really grow around these parts. Even if you got a proper working climate charm in place, which is difficult, the earth is too moist in comparison to the earth in Greece.' He said.
'I've only ever seen Moly in the wild in Greece. I spent a whole summer picking it on one of the islands when I was a young man. 1939 I think? It grew off the side of a cliff so we had to fly off it on these old Firestarters to reach them. Horrible broom, even then.' Mr Toots was orating his adventures and not only Nan was listening. Also dad and Granddad were nodding along with fascinated smiles on their faces. 'It was the curve of the handle mostly.' Granddad commented. He had been a broom cutter for the Cleansweep Company for forty years. 'You think? I thought it was just a flawed hex.' Mr Toots responded. Dad chuckled before Granddad could reply. 'Oh believe him, my father's all about broom handles.' He said and Granddad laughed before going in a detailed explanation about how the shape of the Firestarter's broom handle kept it from functioning as it should. My eyes wandered further down the table.
Mum was talking to Uncle Irving's sister Susan and her husband Aarav. I couldn't hear her very well from where I was sitting but I could tell by her exasperated facial expressions that it was about the frustrations she was having about her job. 'I was just asking some questions!' She exclaimed. 'He didn't have to give me all these rubbish stories to punish me.'
My Aunt Odetta, who sat right next to me, caught my attention when she asked me how I was doing. 'Alright. It's nice to be home again.' I answered her. She eyed Stacy for a second, turning her gaze back to me after. 'I don't know how your parents have been doing it all these years.' She said. 'I've missed Stacy like I've never missed anyone before these past few months. It was an embarrassing reunion when she got off the Hogwarts Express. I was just so happy to see her.' Aunt Odetta said in a hushed tone. I laughed. 'I'm sure she'll appreciate it when she's a bit older.' I reassured her with a chuckle and Aunt Odetta joined my laughter. We got interrupted by Mathilda who pulled my sleeve.
'Tell Aidan that I am a studio assistant at the WWN!' She called out and Aidan put a hand over her mouth to smother the end of her sentence. 'A studio what?' I asked teasingly and Aidan held his thumb up approvingly but cursed when Mathilda bit his hand. 'No fighting at the dinner table!' Nan shouted and they quieted down, although they stayed giggling, Aidan meanwhile wiping his hand on the tablecloth. It annoyed me on most days how much Mathilda was always gushing over my brother but it was nice to see them having fun. Aidan didn't mind the gushing. Mathilda was in the end just his little sister's friend and he enjoyed being admired by the adoring teenager.
'It's good to see you and Mathilda together. You two have always been good for each other.' Aunt Odetta said to me softly, a kind smile on her face. I smiled back at her. 'I don't know, she's a right pain.' I joked and my aunt guffawed. She reached forward, across the table, to take the knife that Roderick had taken from his sister's plate. 'Be good and finish your plate, Roddy.' She scolded him. He didn't pay her much mind. Aunt Odetta turned back to me.
'You never know with school friends. You change so much from when you're a child to when you're an adult. As a teenager you might get along as if you're practically the same person but then going in your twenties you might suddenly fancy yourself going in a different direction.' She told me and I nodded. 'Sure.' I agreed. Aunt Odetta sat back a bit in her chair. 'I don't think that's going to happen to you and Mathilda though, you're more siblings than friends really.' She argued and I took a bite of my potato. 'You two get along because of your differences, not despite of them.' She added. I looked sideways at Mathilda as she was enthusiastically still telling Aidan about her holiday job at the WWN while he rolled his eyes and mock-yawned.
'I used to have a friend with me in Hufflepuff, this girl called Emma, and we were thick as thieves from day one. Then, years later and already long done with Hogwarts, she suddenly stopped talking to me. These things just happen sometimes. You grow apart for no reason.' Aunt Odetta said. She laughed right after. 'I'm boring you aren't I?' She said and I shook my head quickly, potato still in mouth. 'Mnot addall!' I sputtered around my bite. She laughed again but it was wiped off her face when she spotted Roderick with another knife in hand.
'Where did you even get this from!' She exclaimed as she once again took the knife from the giggling kid. 'Irving, will you tell him!' She yelled down the table to her husband. Uncle Irving momentarily looked up from his conversation with Mr Macmillan. 'Listen to your mother, Rickster!'
'He's going through a stealing phase.' Aunt Odetta explained to me tiredly as she kept an eye on her son. 'He's just trying to take everything he sees. Irving calls him Sticky Ricky. Which is not helping because he thinks the nickname is a compliment.' I smiled as I looked at my cousin. 'It's weird to think he's going to be in Hogwarts in only a couple of years, right?' I asked and she nodded. 'Yeah, definitely strange. He was only a baby yesterday, it feels like.' We were silent for a moment but then Aunt Odetta shook her head, her brown curls shaking about with her. 'What about you though? In two years you're going to be out of Hogwarts already. Done!' She said and I chuckled nervously. 'That's even stranger.' I said. 'Do you still want to work at the Ministry? I know your internship this summer wasn't all you wanted it to be.' She prodded and I shrugged. 'It wasn't so bad.' I disagreed. Before my aunt could respond Roderick had found another knife and she stood up hastily from her chair. 'Roddy, drop that!' She shouted, walking around the table and pulling the boy from his chair. 'We talked about this, you're going to miss dessert this way.' She threatened. He didn't stop grinning as she dragged him out of the room.
Roderick was not denied dessert after he got a stern talking to by his mum and had to spend fifteen minutes alone in my grandparents' bathroom (although we could hear him knocking about and singing loudly). We enjoyed Nan's cranberry pudding quietly, everyone too busy digging in to talk. Even Roderick didn't speak, gorging the sweet dish back with little effort. Only the rattling of cutlery on plates was heard in the dining room.
After dessert we moved from the dining room back to the living room, Aidan sitting on the floor with Roderick to once again play with the chess pieces (Roderick was setting them up on the board, orchestrating a fictional war between all the pawns and the rest of them), and while we were all recovering from full stomach syndrome Uncle Irving sat next to me. 'Cecil, how are you?' He greeted me jovially.
I smiled back at him while shyly leaning back against the couch. 'I'm alright Uncle Irving, and you?' I asked and he pursed his lips. 'I'm good, good, yes. I was just wondering, or thinking of a favour if you will..' He muttered, momentarily looking serious before laughing lightly. 'Cecil, dear, can't you keep an eye on your cousin?' Uncle Irving prodded at me jokingly.
'Stacy's up to her ears in detentions.' He added as I frowned. I looked back at Stacy, who ducked her head looking embarrassed. She must've overheard her dad. She had gotten more detentions? I remembered her telling me that professor Snape would owl her parents if she'd get into any more trouble. Evidently she did.
'You're making a joke of it, Irving, don't be so kind.' Aunt Odetta scolded her husband. I realized that Stacy wasn't the only one who had listened in. She turned to the rest of the room who were all looking interested (with the exception of Mr Macmillan who had fallen asleep in the armchair by the fire after chugging back his eighth glass of giggle water). 'I was mortified when I received the owl from her Head of House. He wrote that she pushed one of her housemates into the Black Lake.' She told them and although Grandpa Alford snickered, leaning forward on the couch to yank one of Stacy's braids teasingly, Grandma Ruby was less amused. 'Stacy, that's not how you treat others. I don't think we need to tell you that.' She said sternly. 'It's not fitted for a Wiggleswade!' The painting of my great-great-great-grandfather Harold Wiggleswade that hung over the fireplace called out. 'Well, she's a Toots.' Uncle Irving quietly corrected nextto me. Stacy said nothing, only nodded quietly but kept her eyes to the floor.
'You are all too hard on the girl. It's just harmless pranks between her and her fellow students.' Mum argued on Stacy's behalf. 'Slytherin's not easy; no one hands you anything for free. Not like Hufflepuff.' Mum stated snootily and Stacy shot her a grateful smile. Mr Goodfellow was quick to agree, having also been in Slytherin. 'You have to prove your worth in Slytherin.' He said knowingly. Mr Goodfellow had been in Slytherin like mum although he was a couple of years older than she was and they didn't have much to do with each other in school.
'Horace Slughorn was our Head of House back then-' I remembered mum mentioning her old professor once or twice '-and he ruled Slyhterin with an iron fist, despite his jolly appearance. But he'd been a Slytherin too of course so he was understanding.' Mr Goodfellow told us. Mum laughed. 'I remember cursing Fabian Prewett once, an overly strong Conjunctivitis Curse, and Slughorn had given me a month worth of detention after personally brewing him an Oculus Potion. But in detention he asked me about my motive and I had told him that Prewett had jinxed my boyfriend at the time and he got rid of the rest of my detentions and said that in that case the little pain in the neck pretty much deserved it.' Mum orated with a chuckle.
For a moment everyone sunk away in thoughts of their school days (Roderick still smashing away at the chess pieces in the meantime) but then Aunt Odetta shook her head. 'I don't care what's supposedly normal in Slytherin, I will not tolerate my daughter bullying other kids.' She said but Stacy had gotten annoyed herself as well. 'I'm not bullying anyone!' She shouted out. 'Stacy, it's alright.' Dad tried to say but Stacy jumped up and ran out of the room. Both Grandma Ruby and my Uncle Irving were about to get up but mum urged them to give Stacy a couple of moments.
'I don't know Wendy, Severus Snape was very strict in his letter. He wrote, and I quote, that "this behaviour reflects poorly on Slytherin House and will not be tolerated" – I have never felt more embarrassed than when reading that letter. This is not what we taught her.' Aunt Odetta said. Dad was sitting next to her and put his arm around her, squeezing his younger sister's shoulder. Mum leaned forward. 'Slytherin must've changed since we went. I graduated when the war had only just started but I know that especially the ending of the war was a massive blow to the reputation of the house. I can understand her Head of House being more strict about these things. More than a quarter of Slytherin House were revealed to be Death Eaters! The image of Slytherin is important to us.' Mum said. Aidan huffed from where he was sitting on the floor, next to Roderick.
'Snape's a massive hypocrite. He's the biggest bully in Slytherin. Actively favouring Slytherin students and taking points and giving detentions to students of other houses without reason.' He said, handing Roderick a pawn that had jumped off the coffee table and onto the floor and was trying to crawl underneath the sofa. 'I'm willing to bet my job that all the detentions that Stacy got she got from other teachers and that the only purpose of Snape making a big deal out of it is to punish her for getting caught by someone who's from the outside.' He argued.
Mr Goodfellow answered him but I quietly stood up and went through the door into the hallway. I climbed the stairs, expecting Stacy to have gone up to one of the guest rooms. I had first gone to the one Mr Macmillan would be staying in tonight, I could already smell his cologne in the room, as it was the first one I came across in the hallway but further down the hall there was another, smaller guestroom and when I went to open the door I saw that she was sitting on the bed, her back facing the door.
'Stacy, are you okay?' I asked. She shrugged apathetically. 'Are you still upset?' I asked once more. She turned around and I saw her eyes were red. 'They just don't get it, you know?' She sighed exasperated. I walked around the bed and sat down next to her stiffly. 'What don't they get?' I questioned. She let her body fall forward dramatically, her fingertips grazing the carpeted floor. 'It's just that they're all different and Hufflepuffs and..-' she stopped talking suddenly, taking a deep breath. 'They all have family.' She finished after a few seconds.
I frowned at that, almost immediately regretting coming after her. This didn't seem to be the kind of thing that I'd be very apt to help with. 'Do you want me to get your mum?' I asked but she turned to me sharply, shaking her head with such violence that her braids swung into her own face. She spluttered, spitting hair out of her mouth.
'Don't get mum!' She pleaded. I was a bit astonished by the desperation. 'Are you okay Stace?' I asked again and this time she did answer. 'It's just that, well, Slytherin is just very different to Huffelpuff I think, that's all. In Slytherin it's all about family and where you come from and what your connections are but I don't have any of that.' She confessed and I was at a loss for words. Is that how she felt?
'Stacy, you have family and connections and..-' I started but she interrupted. 'It's not the same. Because I'm adopted it's not real. I don't know anything about my background.' She said. I swallowed uncomfortably. Was she, in a roundabout way, talking about blood purity? Slytherin was still known to be a haven for Pure-blood supremacy although it was always kept hidden away below surface. Was Stacy, someone who was of questionable blood as she didn't know her biological parents, a victim of this mentality?
'I'm sorry, I know I was mean to those other kids, but I just wanted to make sure that people knew not to mess with me. That I could fend for myself. To get people on my side.' Stacy interrupted my thoughts. I nodded slowly. I felt very tired all of a sudden. 'It's alright. Just try to be kinder.' I said softly. I was at a loss for what else to say.
Christmas Eve ended nicely still. Stacy came down, everyone hugged her and told her she was a good girl, Mr Macmillan made some rude jokes when he woke up again, that were explained to Roderick as "they're for grownups", and Uncle Irving's brother in law did a dramatic reading of a letter owled in to the Daily Prophet of a reader who was concerned about gnomes hiding his underwear, which had everyone in stitches. When at the end of the evening we got home mum didn't even complain about us having to go to her own father's house the next morning. We had a cup of tea to calm our senses but then headed straight to bed.
When I woke up on Christmas morning I stayed in bed, just staring at the ceiling, feeling contend. Light shone through my curtains and I could smell the scent of food drifting up from downstairs. There was no noise but the creaking of my bed as I shifted slightly. Moments like these could last forever.
Unfortunately I caught sight of my alarm clock and noticed that it was nearly ten in the morning. If I didn't go down myself, mum or dad would come up to get me. I quickly washed my face in the bathroom, brushed my hair while scrutinizing a spot by my nose in the mirror and then changed into my Grandfather-approved Christmas dinner outfit. Grandfather Malcolm Reekes was a traditional kind of wizard so he didn't appreciate you trying to look cute or fun; he wanted formal dress robes only, to be worn at family functions.
I hurdled down the narrow and steep stairs and when I got downstairs I saw that mum was sitting with a steaming cup of tea in front her at the dinner table. She was wearing her dress robes already as well as a grouchy look on her face. 'Merry Christmas darling.' She said, her mood not changing. I chuckled but walked into the kitchen to find dad cooking a full English for breakfast. 'A fry up?' I asked. 'We're going to Grandfather's in a bit, aren't we?' Dad looked up smiling. 'Merry Christmas!' He exclaimed. 'I just felt like it!' He explained, cracking an egg over the frying pan. 'You want some too, right?' He asked and I quickly nodded. 'Well, yeah, obviously.' I replied.
Aidan flooed over to ours after we finished our breakfast. Mum had been quiet, probably mentally preparing for having to go back to her childhood home. She only took a few bites and stared ahead of her with an annoyed expression. When Aidan came in we moved to the couch to open gifts. I had sent out mine the morning before, including Felix' owl. I had gone to the post office and had made use of the owlery over there. They had special arrangements for owling over live animals and, after asking nicely, dad agreed to pay the charge for me. I hadn't the money for it anymore. I had felt giddy as the post clerk took the bird to the back. Felix would love it, I knew he would, and I couldn't wait for him to get it. The owl had looked a bit ruffled that I would part with it, frowning at me as the stranger carried it away.
It was a good Christmas haul I decided as I sat amidst a mountain of torn wrapping paper. I had gotten a couple of new robes and a few good books from family (a first print of "Sonnets of a Sorcerer" from dad!), as well as the customary gift card from Mr Goodfellow. There was also a scarf and a dark green velvet floppy hat that mum said I could pin up at the front. Aidan thought he was funny and got me a pair of socks with an owl motif.
Aurora had gotten me a French children's novel called "Les aventures de la petite sorcière aux robes violettes" to practise reading with. Marietta had gotten me a new study planner and Mathilda had picked out a brand new inkwell with ink that would switch colours every few seconds. I didn't know when I'd use that but the thought was nice and I looked forward to playing around with it. Cho hadn't gotten me anything but I didn't take it personally. I didn't think she'd be in the state of mind to think of presents anyway.
Felix had gotten me a fluffy pair of gloves of a soft pink and yellow wool, and I almost laughed out loud knowing how much better my present was. I inwardly giggled at the conversation I knew we would have, where he'd feel bad for not getting me an owl too. He shouldn't feel bad, that's what I'd tell him, I wanted to give him the owl after all, but I also looked forward to the teasing banter we'd have.
'Okay, it's time to face the music.' Dad announced to the room after the last gift was unwrapped. Mum groaned. 'August, can't we cancel? Call in sick? Claim an accident?' Mum suggested but dad kissed her with a laugh. 'It's your father we have to visit, love.' He reminded her. 'Don't rub it in.' She groaned out once again. There was nothing to do about it though, however much mum whined about it; we put on our shoes and left our flat behind through the downstairs front door that was shared with dad's shop.
We had to take the Knight Bus to Reekes Castle. There were charms on the place that protected it from outside penetration and Grandfather pretended that those were traditional and necessary to protect the family and their possessions, but I knew it was really just because he didn't know how to lift the enchantments by himself and there was no money left in the family gold chest to hire someone to do it. Whatever the case, we couldn't floo or take a portkey. And we obviously couldn't apparate to Grandfather's because I was underage and side-along apparition was illegal outside of emergencies (due to the risk of it).
It was a bit of a trip up to Scotland. There were many people in the Knight Bus who needed to get to their distant families on Christmas Day but had their own reasons for not using the floo, portkey or apparition, so with lots of hurls and swings it made its way through the country, stopping in every little town and village, to finally arrive in front of the creaky front gates of my mother's childhood home. The four of us stood in a row, looking up at the slopes leading up to the castle as the Knight Bus disappeared behind us again.
It was not nearly as big as Hogwarts and didn't have quite so many spires and towers. But it was old and bulky, almost like a fort. Hogwarts was never intended to wage war with but Reekes Castle could withstand many of them. The family had been in so many wars over the centuries that they were left bankrupt by them. They never seemed to be on the right side of a battle.
The front gate was closed but mum only needed to touch it and it swung open. I wondered if it would work for me and Aidan too as we both had Reekes blood. We just lacked the name. I could tell Grandfather didn't leave his home much; even though the cast iron gates had opened, the snowed under ivy still was blocking our way, weaving between the two sides of the entrance. Dad shot a gentle Diffindo to cut the plants and they snapped apart. We walked through and I felt the gentle touch of what felt like bath bubbles popping against my skin as we passed through the wards.
I studied the Castle as we walked up the pathway. I hadn't been here in two years as last Christmas I had spent at Hogwarts to attend the Yule Ball. The murky moat surrounding the high ashlar walls was frozen over. The curtain walls between bastions were frosty and the slits high up the corner towers that in olden times were used to fire curses from, looked dark and unlived. I briefly wondered if anyone was even home.
The drawbridge was down when we approached so we tentatively crossed it, mum in front. She had a confident stride but I could tell by her tense shoulders that she was all but comfortable. The arched wooden doors were massive but there was a small wicket gate in the corner of one of them that we approached. It was closed like its bigger counterparts but once again a touch of mum's fingers was enough to have it swing open.
On the other side of the door there was a short tunnel that led underneath the thick walls and past the gatehouse into a courtyard. The courtyard was spacious and bare. The ground was snowed under mostly but there was a walkway cleared out that showed dead grass peeking through the stone cracks. There were stone stairs leading up to the walk-way on top the walls, the battlements upon the parapets hiding the view from sight. There were wooden stables in one corner of the courtyard but I knew that there were no animals kept, not since long before my mum's birth even. The courtyard wrapped around a stone building in the centre.
The building was much more house-like than the rest of the castle. Although still stone and seemingly impenetrable, this had tall windows (although I still saw no lights shining from behind any of them) and I saw smoke coming from the chimney. I knew that it had been renovated in the early 1700's in an attempt to make it more inviting. Although not visible from where we were standing, the back wall of the castle was demolished to make way for the gardens and you'd walk straight into them if you moved around the house and followed the cobblestone path of the courtyard.
We didn't though. Instead we walked up to the large building and knocked on the heavy iron-bound oak doors. We only had to wait a beat before it swung open. For a moment it appeared like it had on its own but then we looked down and saw that Grandfather's house elf Krinkly was bowing deeply to us. 'Never mind that, where's the old bag? Drawing room?' Mum said, disregarding the creature as she stalked into the house. She took off her cloak and dumped it on the small figure of the family house elf.
'Yes, Mistress Wendela, the Master has been waiting for you. Your sister arrived an hour ago.' Krinkly said, an accusatory tone to his voice. Mum smirked. 'So Tamora is here already? Good, that means he's gotten a lot of his whining out of his system already.' She said to dad. He chuckled, jokingly pushing her in her back and towards the drawing room.
The entrance hall we had arrived in was large and stone. It was fairly bare, a singular rich blue carpet leading up the broad stairs, but the structure of the room was impressive enough to distract from the lack of furnishing. We followed mum past the stairs into a hallway where at the end of it mum paused momentarily in front of the last door, taking a deep breath. She looked back at the three of us and we nodded at her encouragingly. She smiled thinly and then reached out to give a short knock on the door before opening it.
The drawing room was much more dressed up than the entrance hall and hallway. Lush silk wallpaper, sleeping portraits of Reekes ancestors and old-fashioned furniture filling up the room. Large windows looked over the garden. It was snowed under, white as far as the eye could see, although the shapes of the dividing walls, plants and bushes could be distinguished if you looked closer.
Turned away from the window, sitting in a high-backed armchair, Grandfather had his elbows on the armrests and his fingertips pressed together before his chest. He was expressionless as he looked at his oldest daughter walking in. I saw Aunt Tamora sitting on the end of the sofa across from him (the furthest end away from him), looking sulky, her back rigid and straight but her shoulders hunched over.
'Happy Christmas Father.' Mum said coolly as she walked up to him. She leaned over him and kissed him stiffly on both cheeks. 'Wendela.' He acknowledged her. After mum it was dad's turn and after him Aidan, the oldest grandchild, would go and I was patiently awaiting my turn as mum walked past me and plonked herself down on the sofa next to Aunt Tamora. 'I thought we agreed on eleven!' I heard Aunt Tamora hiss to mum. 'Shove off, Moira.' Mum replied tiredly. 'No, because of you I had to sit her alone with Father for over an hour!' She argued.
It was my turn to step forward and kiss Grandfather on the cheeks. 'How is my granddaughter doing?' He enquired from his chair as I respectfully stood in front of him. 'I'm doing well Grandfather.' I answered him. 'And your schooling?' He questioned. 'Also well.' I said. He nodded approvingly. After that I was dismissed for the moment and I sat at the end of the sofa next to Aidan, squashed between him and the armrest.
For a moment it was silent as Grandfather looked at us appraisingly. 'How is that Billywig breeding business you invested in over the summer, Malcom?' Dad asked, cutting through the tension. Mum was glaring straight ahead, her eyes squinting as looked out in the garden and the light reflected off the snow. Aunt Tamora, back still straight, was staring at her hands. Aidan elbowed me and when I looked up at him he made a face. I suppressed a nervous giggle.
Grandfather proceeded to detail the business he had put money in (apparently Billywig breeding is not the goldmine it was expected to be – they were so fast that they were hard to keep track of and kept escaping) and after a while of it Aunt Tamora stood up tentatively and asked me to take a turn about the room with. Grandfather paid it no mind but mum narrowed her eyes at her sister.
Aunt Tamora grabbed my arm tightly, cutting off circulation to my lower arm. When we had walked a decent distance away, from where Grandfather couldn't overhear us, Aunt Tamora spoke to me in a low voice. 'Well Ceciliy-' Aunt Tamora was the only one who called me Cecily '-how did you like the scarf I got you?' She asked me. I thought back to the powder blue cashmere scarf that I had received that morning. 'It's very pretty Aunt Tamora.' I told her. 'And so very soft!' She gushed. 'I absolutely adore it.'
We had circled around the room completely but we kept walking for another round. 'Where's your husband?' I asked, noting that even though she was married, he was nowhere to be seen. Aunt Tamora shrugged her shoulders lightly but by the way her fingers gripped into my arm even tighter I could tell that she was making light of the subject. 'Oh, like I'm taking him here. Lyle would not do well in this kind of environment. He works in a pet shop, you know!' She argued to me. I didn't answer her, quite stunned.
'Cecilia, why don't you come sit next to me!' Mum called out to me from the sofa and in order to not have to reply my aunt, I quickly hurried over, perching down next to her. 'What did she want?' Mum asked almost immediately in a whisper. 'Nothing mum.' I said. Mum frowned. 'What do you mean "nothing"? She always wants something.' She said. I shook my head. 'She just asked me if I liked her gift and I asked her about her husband.' I told her. She rolled her eyes.
'Oh yes, her husband, that's a bloody freak show, if I ever saw one.' Mum muttered. 'She probably didn't mention that she filed for divorce again, did she?' She asked and I answered no, she hadn't. 'Well, she did. A couple of months ago actually, although I didn't find out till the week before you got back from Hogwarts. She's thirty years old and twice divorced.' Mum said.
She looked at where Aunt Tamora had sat down again, next to Aidan. 'Just remember, Cecil, all the stories I've told you and your brother about my childhood. I don't want you getting close to my family. Seeing them now and again with Christmas and a birthday here and there is one thing, but I don't want them to work their influence on either of you.' She murmured to me.
It was a familiar speech; I heard it nearly every time mum saw her family, Grandfather in particular. Her younger sister was different because they had a certain air of shared suffering between them but even with her mum was hesitant to let her into our lives. 'Don't worry mum.' I just replied.
'What are you talking about?' Grandfather demanded from his armchair and the both of us looked up. 'I must have my share of this conversation!' He said and I could see mum roll her eyes from my peripheral vision. 'Nothing Father. Just Cecilia's Arithmancy homework.' She lied smoothly. 'Arithmancy! A dignified subject.' He replied. 'Never was there such an avid dilettante as me and if I ever had learned, I would've proven to be a true proficient.' He said. 'Of course Father.' Mum said. I could hear the annoyance in her voice.
Grandfather droned on about his various interests and we all listened as he rarely required a response. I zoned out, staring out the window. It was hard to look into the garden without having my eyes tear up. The thin light mirrored off the snow and it was a bright picture to look at. I looked forward at slipping out of the room and having a look around the castle. It had been a few years since I had visited.
I was shaken out of my bored trance by my mother's voice almost right next to my left ear. 'Father, that's delusional! We have not made a single Knut since at the very least last century!' She called out. I didn't know what Grandfather had said to spark mum's sudden outburst, although I could guess it was something related to the long depleted "family business".
'Wendy, remember the family motto.' Grandfather said and mum rolled her eyes. 'Yes, yes, reviresco.' She repeated for, what she told me, the millionth time in her life. It was Latin for "We will flourish again" referring to all the instances at which the family and land had been bankrupted by the constant war they seemed to be in back in the day.
'And if you got your head out of the clouds for once, you could work for one of my business partners. You could easily build a career in a lucrative sector.' Grandfather told mum. 'I already have a career!' I heard mum huff in expiration and I quickly stood up and slipped out of the room, hoping to get a bit of air as well as my look around.
I wandered down the corridor, walking up the stairs to the upper levels of the small castle. Where the drawing room was lavishly decorated (as well some of the other public rooms I knew), as soon as you got to the private quarters the decay was evident.
No rugs were left on the floor, all of the paintings had gone, no furniture or suits of armour or even a lousy vase with flowers. The Reekes family glory had long past. Long before Grandfather had even been born.
I walked into a room I knew had once been the library. When Grandmother was still alive she had told me that there had been bookcases zigzagging across the room, but now the only ones left were built into the wall, although there were no books left in them. It was just a big dusty old room.
I walked through the room to stand by the window, looking out to see the snow covered slope. I knew that in the summer the hillside would be lush and green, a moss covered stone wall hiding a small wilderness from sight, the mountains rising up on the side of the castle. But now everything was all ice and snow.
It had been years since I had been here in summer, not since Grandmother had died, the year before I went to Hogwarts. Mum had a strenuous relationship with her parents and although Grandfather seemed mean and cold and very much self-involved, Grandmother had been much worse; snide and contemptuous with every word she uttered. Grandmother came from a family called MacCaluim who had lived a village over in a manor house that I had only visited once, although I didn't remember much from the visit. Curiously enough, Grandmother had had a difficult relation with her parents as well.
The poverty stricken furnishing of the castle didn't deter Grandfather from presenting himself as the wealthy heir he was brought up to be. Mum didn't enjoy talking about growing up in this house much but often after these visits or when she had drunk a bit too much at a party, she'd rant about it at home; how she was pushed into all these galas and balls, wearing expensive robes, but that at home another tapestry would be sold off and that they'd never have meat at dinner or presents at her and Aunt Tamora's birthday. 'We were poor people pretending to be rich.' She would grumble to dad, although Aidan and I would hear her too as we sat with them most of the time.
'Can Krinkly help the Youngest Mistress?' A voice crackled through the silence. I spun around, feeling startled, and saw Grandfather's house elf standing in the door opening of the library. 'No, that's alright Krinkly, I was just taking a turn about the house.' I told the weird looking thing. Although house elves usually had fairly big ears, Krinkly's ears were large enough that if he'd pull them down, they'd almost reach his knees, big tufts of white hair sticking out of them. His nose was short and stout and his skin was wrinkly and hanging off his skinny frame like dry slaps of leather. I didn't know how old the elf was but I didn't remember him ever not looking ancient.
'It's Krinkly's pleasure to once again serve the Master's precious grandchildren.' Krinkly said. 'Yes, well, it's much appreciated.' I replied awkwardly as the house elf bowed so low that I could see the back of his head as it was staring back up at me.
'The Master has spoken to Krinkly about the potential of the Youngest Mistress, as well as your brother Young Master Aidan.' Krinkly croaked. 'Has he?' I said uncomfortably. 'The Master has told Krinkly himself!' Krinkly exclaimed. 'After the disappointment of his children, the grandchildren might still prove to be valuable, is what he said.' The house elf entrusted onto me. 'Aha.' I replied awkwardly.
'Can Krinkly get the Young Mistress anything? Anything at all?' Krinkly asked and I quickly shook my head. 'No, that's okay. Thank you.' I said hurriedly and the elf bowed once more before disappearing with a popping sound. I let out a sigh. I wondered if I should tell mum about what Krinkly had said.
I stayed in the library a little longer but then walked out again.
One room over was an empty room that I didn't know the original purpose of, although it probably was another salon or study of some kind. It was as empty as the library, the walls stripped of their wallpaper (the silk wall covering having been sold off over the years) and I realized that even the door had been sold. I could still see the hinges on the doorframe.
I walked towards the windows and took another look out. I had a better view of the wild woods behind the messy stone wall from this angle. I remembered playing there with Aidan in the summer before either of us entered Hogwarts. It was when Grandmother still forced mum to come by much more often. I didn't mind that mum stopped visiting as much as we did before Grandmother passed away, but I did smile thinking of the games Aidan and I used to play in the gardens.
'All of this is part of your history too, Cecilia.' A voice said behind me. I jumped and looked behind me to see Grandfather stand in the door opening. I felt silly getting startled for the second time in such a short time. 'Hello Grandfather.' I greeted him a bit anxiously. I didn't ask him if I could have a look around. He walked up to me and stood next to me, looking out on the gardens himself as well. 'Krinkly came to tell me that you were in the library and I decided to seek you out.' He said, his voice strong and booming. I shrunk back into my dress robes nervously.
'It has been quite some years since you have come down to the estate.' Grandfather commented as we stood side by side. I nodded uncomfortably, not sure what to answer to that. It was hardly my fault that the relationship between him and mum had become somewhat restrained. Mum didn't want me to get close to him. "'He'll corrupt you, like he tried to do to me and your aunt.'" That's what she had said to me all this time. 'You must visit here in the spring.' Grandfather demanded. I briefly looked up to him. I wondered why he was so set on getting to know me all of a sudden. First he had shown up at my birthday and now he wanted me to visit. Krinkly's words came back to me. '"The grandchildren might still prove to be valuable!"' Had Krinkly squeaked.
'I'm not sure if I'll have the time.' I muttered uncertainly. Grandfather huffed. 'Nonsense. During your Easter holidays you should come back here and see Reekes Park. You must remember how beautiful it is when the weather is kinder?' He reminded me and I couldn't disagree with him. The surrounding gardens were beautiful. 'I'll think about it.' I said. That seemed to satisfy Grandfather for now.
We returned to the drawing room soon after and mum's eyes snapped up to us as we entered. She stood up and came to my side as Grandfather returned to his armchair. 'Were you together? Did he say anything?' She asked. I shook my head. 'No.' I lied. 'We just met outside in the corridor as we both came back.'
Mum looked at me for a few moments and I refrained from swallowing noticeably but then mum let out a giggle. 'While you were gone Father told Tamora that he expected her to stay here in the castle for the rest of the winter!' Mum told me. I raised my eyebrows. 'What! Why?' I asked and she shrugged, smiling maliciously. 'He doesn't think it's proper that she's alone in her London flat while also going through a divorce.' She explained.
The rest of the day was spent much the same. Grandfather orated from his chair, he smoked pipes with dad and Aidan in the retiring room (which traditionally only men were allowed to enter) and we had Christmas dinner in the dining room. He even demanded that I had a glass of Tokay wine with my dinner like the grownups did and although mum's face soured and dad looked thoughtful, neither of them spoke up against it.
That evening it was finally time to go and I could see that mum was relieved to put on her cloak when Krinkly came to hand it to her. 'I will owl you the address of my London partner and I expect you to contact him.' Grandfather said. 'Yes Father.' Mum sighed. I knew they both knew that mum would definitely do nothing to do with it. But it was a routine they went through so it was no use to remind them. Aunt Tamora looked at us miserably as we put on our scarfs and hats to combat the cold outside. She made one last effort.
'Father, I still would much rather stay in London again this winter. The parties in town are just to die for.' Aunt Tamora said but Grandfather gave her a disapproving glance. 'Moira, you spend all too little time in busying yourself in a more productive and dignified manner. Parties are not places to be seen at every other day. Maybe you'd be able to keep a husband for longer if you applied yourself for once.' He said and my aunt shut up immediately, pouting.
'Look at your sister; for all her faults, at least she's been married to the same fine man for the past twenty years, despite his unfortunately lacking financial background.' He added and my mum rolled her eyes once again, her jaw tense. 'They're going to get stuck like that.' I whispered to her and she gave me a soft elbow in the ribs. Luckily dad was not someone to take things personally so even though Grandfather had been quite disparaging, he clapped his hands with a chuckle and said 'It's time to go!' and Grandfather had no choice but to agree with that. 'Krinkly will fetch your things from your home in London tonight Tamora, don't scowl; it's not becoming of a lady.' He said to Aunt Tamora last.
Grandfather and Aunt Tamora stood in the door opening of the entrance hall to wave us off, Grandfather with his hands in his pockets and Aunt Tamora pulling her robes around her while shivering. The sun had set so it had gotten even colder than it had been in the afternoon. We waved back shortly as we moved out of side, past the castle walls and across the drawbridge. 'How about we take the Knight Bus to Glasgow instead? We can take a portkey or the floo from thereon.' Dad suggested to mum. 'It'll probably be quicker as it's Christmas Day. Loads of people will want to take the Knight Bus.' He added. She shrugged. 'You're probably right. The ride up here from London took ages as well.'
We ended up doing as dad said. A jolly Glaswegian wizard at the George Square floo hub wished us a happy Christmas as we walked in and although we returned his merry words, we were all a bit too tired to get sucked in by his cheery conversation. When we got home dad went to make tea as mum sat at the dinner table, leaning her face in the palm of her hand. Aidan and I let ourselves fall down on the couch next to each other.
Dad came back through the beaded curtain that hung in the kitchen doorway and two tea cups floated over to where Aidan and I were sitting. Without looking I knew mum and dad were sitting at their usual spots across from each other at the dinner table, both grasping their own tea cup.
'That was familiarly tedious.' Aidan commented to me. I chuckled. 'Quite.' I fell in with him. Behind me I could hear mum and dad whisper to each other.
'I'm glad that's over.' I heard mum's voice murmur. 'It wasn't so bad this time.' Dad commented and mum sighed. 'It was a bit weird; as if he was holding himself back. It's like he wants something.' Mum muttered and I heard dad chuckle. 'I'm sure that's not the case. Maybe he's just getting old and lonely in that empty old castle up in Scotland.' Dad said. Mum snorted and I heard her slurp from her tea. 'Trust me, August, that's not likely at all.' I thought back to Grandfather's words earlier. Asking me to stay at Reekes Castle for the spring holidays. Krinkly's words when he mentioned that Grandfather still had hope for his grandchildren.
'Father's still full of it though.' Mum whispered. '"despite his unfortunately lacking financial background."' Dad quoted Grandfather with a snooty voice and mum laughed, her voice pitching above the whisper tone they were talking in before. 'So, will you still take me, even though I'm just a lowly bookshop owner?' He asked her and mum stayed quiet for a moment. 'I'd like to see some convincing.' She said and dad laughed.
'Come on, let's go to your room.' Aidan said to me, standing up and pulling me off the couch with him. 'Bye mum, dad.' Aidan said. Now I was standing I could look behind us and see that mum and dad were indeed sitting across from each other as I had predicted but they were both leaning over the table, arms outstretched and holding each other's hands. They looked up with smiling faces when we stood up.
'You're going up?' Mum asked. 'Yeah, sibling time.' Aidan said jokily. 'Happy Christmas.' I said and I stepped forward to kiss them both on the cheeks, Aidan following suit behind me. 'Thanks for the presents as well.' I added. As Aidan and I walked out the room I looked over my shoulder to see them reach forward to kiss each other.
Upstairs Aidan flopped down on my bed, taking my pillow and propping it up behind his back. 'Make yourself at home.' I responded drily. 'This used to be my room, you know. I'm letting you borrow it.' He said and I raised my eyebrows as I sat down at my desk. 'Before I was born, Aidan. When I got born you got the bigger room next door, remember?' I said and Aidan pretended to think. He was about to answer when an owl tapped on the window.
We both looked up and I saw that it was not just any owl. It was the owl that I had taken care of for the last few months. It was Felix' owl. I jumped up immediately, reaching over the desk to open the window hastily and the owl hopped in, spreading its wings to flap onto the desk lamp. When I went to pet its head, it shook me off, just sticking out one paw. There was a letter attached. 'Alright, straight to business then.' I said, untying the letter.
'Whose is that? Isn't that the 20 Galleon owl?' Aidan asked from his spot on the bed. He stood up to have a closer look and I spun around, letter pressed to my chest. 'Isn't it about time for you to get home? Isn't Nina waiting?' I asked and Aidan frowned. 'Nina is spending Christmas with her family.' He said. 'Well, maybe you should wait for her then.' I suggested, putting the letter in my robe pocket and pushing at his shoulder.
Aidan started laughing. 'What's in that letter?' He said with a snort, not budging as much as I'd like him to. 'I don't know, I haven't read it.' I replied smartly and he started reaching for my pocket but I gave him another shove. 'I'll see you later!' I pressed and although he kept laughing, he relented and left my room. 'Merlin, you're weird.' I heard him call out to me through the door.
I quickly sat back down on my chair and opened up the letter impatiently.
Dear Cecilia,
To start I would like to wish you a merry Christmas and thank you for the owl. I haven't decided on its name yet but I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to send you a letter, just like that. It took me a whole day to work up the courage to send you this letter because I was frightened that I'd send the owl in your direction and it would get lost on the way, never to return. I will soon see if it comes back to me, because this letter is the first I send it out for. I have good hopes but there's an undeniable lump of anxiety at the pit of my stomach. I'm really happy with the gift, is what I'm trying to say.
It would be exactly a year ago that we spent time together for the first time, at the Yule Ball, remember? I acted like a twat and I can't bear to think back to it. However, in the end we did have a good time, didn't we? It was after the Yule Ball after all that we first decided to be friends.
There's nothing much to report on from my end. Spending Christmas with my parents was pleasant although I didn't much enjoy being right about mass at midnight being as boring as it always is. However my parents, my mother in particular, always insist on attending. I didn't have a choice but to succumb myself to the Christmas sermon that our pastor had prepared this year.
I laid down the letter with a frown. Mass? Sermon? Pastor? Whatever could Felix be on about? I saw that his owl had taken off through the open window again. A gust of icy cold wind came in and I shut the window with a shiver. I kept reading.
I better round it off. I just really want to once more, very seriously, tell you how much your present means to me. It might possibly even be the very best gift I've ever received. Or it would've been, but my parents once took me to Reading to see Nirvana play at the festival (-wasn't that the muggle band he liked?-) so your gift is delegated to second place.
But honestly, I very much appreciate it Cecilia. I love the owl. It's making me all flustered.
Lots of love and happy Christmas,
Felix
I felt red in the face and hot around the collar as a toothy smile lit up my face. I was never so pleased with a gift I had gotten for anyone as I did right now. I felt my tummy warm at his grateful words and even as I laid in bed the grin wouldn't leave me and I fell asleep still grinning.
I have to admit, I took the liberty of loosely quoting Lady Catherine from Pride and Prejudice. You'll know why if you've ever read it haha! Aristocratic mumbo-jumbo.
Review it when you've read it, I appreciate all feedback!
PS: I was originally planning to make this chapter fit in the rest of the Christmas holidays, New Years and the train ride back to school, but I decided to split that up. This is good as it is I think.