"Rise and shine cousin!" Dora's voice jolted Penny awake, her groan interrupted by a pillow landing heavily on her face.
"Get lost." Penny muttered darkly as she pulled both the new pillow and her own over her head and squeezed her eyes shut against the light.
"Now now" Dora replied brightly, yanking her pillow back off Penny before tossing it back on her bed. Opening her eyes a fraction to glare at her cousin Penny blinked a couple of times at Dora's resumption of her vivid hair colour. She snarled as Dora tugged her covers off, revealing Juno who reared and hissed angrily before sliding her body protectively over her Mistress. "Suit yourself but you'll miss out on Mum's pancakes" Dora went on, before climbing over the foot of the mattress, wincing slightly as she raised her arm to open the door. With a defeated sigh Penny sat up, grunting as her body protested.
"Are you ok Mistress?" Juno asked, her watchful eyes noting the ginger way Penny dressed.
"Yes Juno, I am ok. Tonk's is a worthy opponent." Penny acknowledged thoughtfully. Not Snape, Penny thought to herself, but definitely talented.
"Should I bite her?" Juno asked as Penny smiled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Nah, she's alright. Annoying as hell but fiercer than she looks." Penny replied before scoping Juno up with difficulty and letting the snake drape herself over her shoulders. The stairs creaked noisily as she descended, mumbling a greeting as she joined Dora and Andromeda in the kitchen.
"Morning Persephone" Andromeda said as she looked round at her, her wand twirling over a pan where a large pancake sizzled gently. A small smile appeared on the older witch's face as Penny slumped onto a stool, Juno sliding onto the counter.
"Penny." She mumbled as she flicked her wild hair out of her face irritably. Peering at her aunt she noticed the brunette had her own locks pushed neatly behind her ears with a large black hair band. Sensing her envious gaze her aunt opened a nearby draw and tossed Penny an identical one that the teenager took with a grunt of thanks. "Where is Ted?" Penny asked as she tamed the birds nest.
"He left for work an hour ago" Andromeda replied as she served a pancake onto Dora's plate. "He won't return until this eve." Her aunt continued as she poured another pancake onto the pan. "What would you like on your own pancake Penny? Chocolate spread? Syrup? Rhubarb and cream?" Dora snorted at the last suggestion, which earned her a look from her mother.
"Only you are weird enough to have rhubarb and cream on pancakes Mum" Dora said with a snigger.
"Watch your mouth Nymphadora" She said pointing her wand threateningly even as Dora smirked back at her "Or there will be no more pancakes for you!" She huffed dramatically as Dora continued to eat hers with a fair meeker air. Looking back at Penny her aunt answered her grin with a small one of her own.
"Syrup please." Penny said politely as her pancake was served up. Having eaten her filled Penny and Dora chatted about her school work and Dora's Auror training, Andromeda chipping in occasionally when she could get a word in edgeways. Their chatter was interrupted by a loud and rapid tapping on the kitchen window. Looking up Penny saw Artemis's orange eyes glaring at her through the window. Noticing her attention he rapped his talons even more vehemently, and although the glass muffled the sound, his open beak told Penny he was probably screeching his lungs out.
"Is that Aunt Snob's owl?" Dora asked curiously as Penny paled slightly.
"Don't call her that." Andromeda said stiffly, looking at Penny who had yet to move. Sensing her reluctance Andromeda stepped to the window to open it, ducking as Artemis swopped past her, clipping her with his large wing span. Flying over Penny's head he dropped a red envelope at her feet before settling on top of a cupboard, screeching scathingly down at the dark haired witch. Looking at her feet Penny swore, Andromeda tutting, as she recognised the smoking corners of the letter. Quickly she picked it up and tore it open, dropping it immediately and stuffing her fingers in her ears as Narcissa's voice made the walls shake.
"PERSEPHONE BLACK!
HOW DARE YOU ABSCOND LIKE THAT! HOW DARE YOU HUMILIATE ME AFTER ALL THIS FAMILY HAS DONE FOR YOU! IS THERE NO END TO THE SHAME YOU KEEP BRINGING TO ME AND OUR FAMILY! IF YOU ARE NOT HOME BY DUSK I WILL PERSONALLY COME AND DRAG YOU HOME MYSELF! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"
The letter ended abruptly and burst into flames as the kitchen sat in stunned silence, minus Juno's low mutterings. The first to recover was Andromeda who summoned a dust pan and began sweeping up the pile of ash on the floor.
"Incredible. She sounds just like our mother." She commented tartly as Artemis screeched angrily on the top shelf. Penny sat in silence for a moment before Dora spoke.
"Soooo I take it she is a bit mad?" She said as Penny nodded wordlessly. Looking up at Artemis Penny heard him clicking his beak irritably, ruffling his feathers and leaning over the edge as if to launch himself at the youngest witch. Beside Penny Juno hissed warningly making the owl stumble gracelessly backwards before screeching in indignation.
"What?" Penny called up the large owl. "If you are waiting for a reply you might as well go" Penny snapped as she glared down the owl whose head swivelled round to eye Juno warily before he launched to the side of Penny, cuffing her face with his wing as he flew out of the window and into the sunny sky. Before Andromeda could close the window another owl shot through it, its tiny framed dwarfed compared to Artemis' bulk. Landing on the kitchen worktop it elegantly dropped a newspaper before extending his leg and looking expectantly at Andromeda. Her aunt hastily dropped five Knuts into the pouch on his leg before the small owl took back off with a polite hoot and exited the window. Andromeda closed the window whilst Dora unfolded the newspaper and began flicking through it. Barely ten seconds had passed before Dora bristled, making a weird sound that sounded like a suppressed gasp. Looking round at the purple haired witch Penny raised an eyebrow as her cousin gave an unconvincing dismissive wave of the hand. Pulling the paper from her daughter's hand Andromeda groaned with a scowl as her eyes scanned the page Dora had been reading.
"She shall see it sooner or later regardless." Andromeda sighed as she flopped the paper in front of Penny. Leaning over it Penny felt her jaw tighten as she read.
"BLACK ATTACKS!
Daily Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter can elusively reveal that on April 3rd, Persephone Black, 13, daughter of the infamous Dark Wizard You-Know-Who and murderer Bellatrix Lestrange, launched a telepathic attack on her fellow Hogwarts students during what can only be described as a psychotic fit.
It would appear that the doomed romance between The Boy Who Lived and the Daughter of Darkness had come to an abrupt end as soon as it began, which may have possibly been the cause for the outburst, in which Black tore into minds of those surrounding her, including her former love interest whom she was seen arguing with beforehand. Hogwarts Head Master, Albus Dumbledore has declined to comment, but it appears that no action has been taken against the young dark Sorceress.
This is not the first occasion Miss Black has been known to use her abilities as a Legilimens to wreak havoc upon others. As reporter Rita Skeeter has previously been able to reveal, last year at age 12, Black mentally crippled Howard Jones, a 52 year old Muggle, leading to his permanent incarnation in St Mungo's. Black does not appear to have developed any greater compassion or restraint since her previous victim and as she ages, her dangerous abilities are only set to increase. What will it take for Dumbledore to intervene or stand aside whilst the Ministry takes action? Will we have a modern day Morgan Le Fay before the once great wizard stops being deluded about the young witch's inevitable descent into the Dark Arts? Rita Skeeter will continue to report as this story unfolds."
Penny stared at the article, her jaw clenching as she read. Looking up she saw that her aunt and cousin were watching her very closely, Dora's hand stuffed in her pocket. A sizzle and a puff of smoke from the saucepan beside Andromeda made the older woman flinch away from it, though her face remained passive. Feeling her magic bubbling rapidly beneath the surface Penny uncurled her fingers from the paper, before turning on her heel and storming out the back door, slamming into it with such force it swung pathetically off its hinges behind her.
Storming across the garden Penny felt her hands twitching, longing to reach for her wand, to unleash the fury coiling in her gut. Spotting an abandoned hoe leaning against the shed Penny grabbed it, and aiming at nothing in particular, swung it violently over her head. With a noise of rage she brought it down with a loud thud, embedding it in the earth. Tugging at it Penny cursed as it remained lodged firmly in the ground, restraining the magic ready to release it from the ground at her command. Instead she thrust her energy into a frustrated stomp and a heave, freeing it and with less force brought it into the earth again and again as hot tears poured down her cheek. Eventually, panting Penny threw the hoe aside and stomped over to the pond, flinging herself down dramatically at the water's edge, wrapping her arms around her legs.
She didn't know how long she sat like that, staring into the distance, her blue eyes shining before she heard movement behind her. The familiar slow paced walk told her without looking that her aunt had come to check on her. With one movement Penny removed the hairband from her hair, letting her locks fall messily across her face as she dried her face hastily on her sleeve. Out the corner of her eye Penny saw Andromeda lower herself elegantly to the floor, her knees folded neatly under her long skirt. Neither of them said a word as Penny stared defiantly ahead, refusing to look in her aunt's direction, sure of the woman's intention to scold her. Minutes past in silence as Penny became more uncomfortable, aware of her aunt's soft gaze upon her, even though her mind remained silent.
"I'm sorry about your garden." Penny muttered eventually.
"Oh not to worry" Andromeda said lightly. "Nymphadora has caused far worse damage, though your method was certainly unorthodox" She noted gently, the smallest hint of amusement in her voice causing Penny to look up at her. "Passionate tempers run in the family I'm afraid. Your mother preferred to be outdoors when angry too" Andromeda noted "She always said she felt less claustrophobic outdoors, more room to vent." She said as Penny felt a bittersweet stab to her gut. A sad smile formed on her aunt's face, widening Penny fixed her with a haughty stare before looking
away again.
"You have your mother's eyes." Andromeda said suddenly as Penny frowned, bewildered by the inaccuracy of the statement.
"I have my father's eyes." She corrected stiffly.
"Oh not the colour" Andromeda clarified as she ran her long fingers through the reeds in front of her softly. "No, in colour you could not be further from your mother." She went on as she looked intently at her niece. "Just the look. It's hard to look into your eyes and not see my sister staring back at me."
"Lucky me." Penny said tartly as Andromeda smiled her sad smile, a custom when talking about her family it seemed.
"I know how you feel you know" Andromeda said, receiving a snort in response. "I do." She insisted. "I know what it is to love someone that society is telling you is wrong to do anything but hate." She went on as Penny began ripping up the reeds in front of her. "Bella was my big sister long before she was anything to anybody else. Fierce as the Chimera, strong, smart and protective." Andromeda said a note of pride in her voice, looking across the pond with a distance expression. "She was father's favourite. Or at least, the daughter he hated least for not being a male heir. She was always determined to prove herself to be a worthy heir, to beat the boys" Andromeda went on, talking fast. Penny got the impression she had not spoken of her sister in a very long time.
"She adopted his fierce Pureblood pride, boasting to everyone she knew of our bloodline, showing nothing short of hatred to anyone who wasn't Pureblood or did not belief in Pureblood supremacy." Andromeda said scoffing slightly. "I always thought it was such nonsense." She said in an exasperated tone. "But she was my big sister. My first and only friend until Cissy came along. Even after really, as Cissy was always mother's miniature, her perfect little lady. Bella and I looked too much like our father for our mother's taste. I idolised Bella. She was prettier, stronger, smarter and far braver than I will ever be. She was my protector, from father's temper, from those at school she deemed unworthy. If I had been locked in my room for saying anything Pro-Muggle she would often smuggle me chocolates through a tiny hole in the wall between our bedrooms" Andromeda said with another smile, the skin around her eyes wrinkling slightly. "I was so scared going to Hogwarts, but I knew my big sister would be there to protect me. Bella was never afraid of anything. Just like you." She added suddenly looking up at Penny who had been staring at her aunt in fascination. At that last comment however she looked away, her cheeks burning. "I haven't seen Bella in over twenty years." Andromeda said quietly. "I had not seen her for many years before she was sent to Azkaban. Whatever she may have become, I can't help but remember my brave big sister who would smuggle me chocolates." Andromeda finished before adding. "She loved you." Penny flinched away from her aunt's words. "I really believe that. Bella would never have given you to a Muggle willingly. To do so goes against everything she ever believed." Andromeda clarified. "It means when it comes down to it, she will do anything to keep you safe, blood purity be damned." Andromeda finished, making Penny smirk slightly at the mild profanity. Penny sat quietly after her aunt fell silent, absorbing what she had said. Her aunt remained silent for a time, clearly lost in her own memories. After a moment Andromeda stood, gesturing Penny to follow.
"Come." She said offering her hand to help the young witch to her feet. As Penny stood her aunt looked down at her, their eyes meeting in a blend of chocolate and bluey green, the latter wary even as understanding passed between the two of them. As they looked into one another's faces Andromeda opened her mouth once more. "So you see Penny, when I say I see so much of her in you, I mean the sister the rest of the world never got to see." She said before she turned and led Penny back inside.
….
Hey guys, sorry it took so long to update. Have been working on it gradually for weeks but had a lot going on personally.
Hope it was worth the wait. Keep those reviews coming, I am always happy to see a review notification, even if I sometimes sulk if its bad (what can I say, the story is my baby and I have so many plans for it.). Anyway, hopefully will update again a lot sooner!