Chapter 8

The evening of the Ministry of Magic's party to celebrate the ending of the Wizarding War Cassandra was getting ready in her room at the Three Broomsticks, she had hired a babysitter for the evening to allow her and Richard to attend the party. She was finishing her hair while the girls played on the floor nearby, "Knock. Knock," Richard said from the other side.

"Come in," she said softly looking over her shoulder at the door opening, "Almost ready."

"Wow…you look amazing," he stood in the doorway looking at her.

She looked at her dress, "It isn't much. I chose this shade of green because apparently it represents new beginnings and that is what this party is all about new beginnings for the wizarding world and myself."

He smiled softly at her, "The sitter just arrived so whenever you are ready, we can go."

She nodded then went to the girls, "Girls, I want you to listen to the sitter. Behave and do whatever she says, do you understand?"

"Yes, mummy," Periwinkle said.

"Yes," Holly answered.

Hallie looked at the other two then Cassandra, "No."

Cassandra giggled, "I love you three so much," she kissed their heads then took them to meet the sitter. Once they were settled, she apparated with Richard to the Ministry of Magic, similar to the courtroom she could feel all the eyes on them with the whispers around them. She knew she would have no friends here except Richard since this was a party for the Ministry of Magic workers and upper wizarding classes, a very exclusive party. Molly and Arthur chose to stay home until the party that would be at Hogwarts the following night since that one would be more welcoming to them and more kid-friendly. Some people greeted Richard, "Mr. Banks," they would simply say he would give them a small nod of his head; he did not know any of them but they knew him simply from his family. Cassandra held onto his arm as they made their way through the crowd, "We do not have to stay long just enough to prove to them that you do not need their rules, you are better without them."

She nodded as an older man approached them, "Cassandra," her attention was brought to the man in front of them.

She grew pale seeing her father stand before her, "Father…how are you?"

"Well…and who is your friend?"

She looked at Richard then back at her father, "This is Richard Banks, I met him while living in New York."

He seemed pleased with this, "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Banks."

Richard shook his hand, "Pleasure," he said although he did not trust him and eyed him like he was some dangerous predator.

"Is mother around?" Cassandra asked a bit more hopeful to see her mother.

"She is talking with Victoria about your niece, Pansy."

"Peri is doing well…she is two now," she tried to see if he would accept her.

He groaned slightly, "Yes…your child. Wonderful, but Pansy is such a lovely granddaughter. Very smart and beautiful."

Cassandra was confused because from what she remembered from a brief photo she saw in the papers her niece was quite unfortunate looking for a baby, she had a pug-like face, "I think we will finish making our rounds…excuse us."

She pulled Richard away, "That was not so bad."

"He still will not acknowledge the fact he has two perfectly good granddaughters…one far more pretty than the other. Peri is prettier not that beauty matters, but she is by far prettier than her cousin. I think my sister copied me though by naming her daughter after a flower. Peri is named because of a special bond I shared with her father over the flower."

"You do not speak of her father."

She sighed, "We ended on bad terms I suppose. He does not even know I was pregnant or if he did, he ignored me. I originally was not going to tell him but changed my mind and sent many letters after she was born never heard anything and stopped after a year of writing. It was pointless, he knew she existed if he read the letters but never once answered of attempted any contact. He loved another though we just had a one-night fling, I think I loved him but I no longer have those feelings for him. He chose himself over our child."

"I am sorry he abandoned Peri like this and hurt you, but perhaps you will meet someone else. Someone far better who will love the girls like they are his own."

She smiled at him, "I might have already, but I am not fully sure yet."

He seemed to catch where she was heading with this, "Perhaps you have," he told her as they approached the dance floor, "Cassie, can I ask for your hand in this dance?"

She nodded as he led her onto the dance floor eyes were really on them but she did not care she was starting to feel like herself again. Felt as if she was back at Hogwarts being happy. Some cameras for the Daily Prophet flashed as they danced together to some song from their world, although while living at Hogwarts she got to enjoy muggle music more, she could thank Lily and Severus a little for introducing her to the music of the muggle world. He spun her around as she laughed and smiled. He held her close to him their eyes locking together and their bodies so close together there was barely space left between them. She wanted to kiss him, but the song finished making the room fill with small claps as she stepped away from him, "Thank you…I needed that so much. I forgot what it felt like to be happy with another adult. Thank you."

"Anything for you, Cassie. I want you to be happy."

A camera flashed near them, this pulled her further away then took him off the dance floor grabbing a drink, "I cannot do this to you. I knew you had money, but not the wealthiest heirs in America."

"Canada too," he added.

"Canada too," she downed her drink, "I am going to ruin you and your family."

He took her hands in his, "Cassie, I could give a damn about my reputation. I keep telling you that we make our own choices, I am proud of you for the choices you have made to better your life and children. Let me do the same."

She nodded slowly, "Yes…sorry. I just do not want you to end up like me."

"I am my father's only son and child. He can get angry, but he cannot let me go otherwise no one will inherit his company."

She tried to process his words as her mother approached them, "My darling," she spoke softly.

"Mother," she greeted, "Lovely to see you…this is my friend, Richard."

She shook his hand, "Nice to meet you…could I have a word alone with my daughter, please?"

He nodded, "Certainly ma'am," he parted from them and disappeared into the crowd.

"How are you, my darling?"

"I am well…as well as I can be. I had no intentions of returning to London let alone this soon after I left."

Her mother nodded, "How is Periwinkle?"

"Peri is doing well. She will be three in March. I cannot believe it, I am going to enroll her into a preschool program they have in New York to go ahead and introduce her to more magic early…I might get my goddaughter, Holly, tested for it as well she is very smart for being just a year old."

Her mother sighed, "I heard from Narcissa at our ladies' lunch the other day that you would be here. I brought some things for the children," she opened her small bag taking out three delicately wrapped packages, "It is not much just three hats and mittens. I hear it gets very cold in New York, figured the girls could use these for the winter months ahead."

She accepted the gifts putting them into her own bag, "Thank you…I appreciate this so much. I am able to provide for them but it means more knowing you support me even if you cannot fully show it because of father."

"You are my child. I love you even if I do not approve of your actions."

She nodded, "I understand…I wish you could meet them, but father would never allow it. Perhaps you can have this," she took a small picture of the girls from one weekend when they went to the statue of liberty, the girls were sitting on a bench smiling at the camera hugging each other.

Her mother took the picture looking at them, "Oh…I see Peri looks a lot like you."

"I think she resembles her father more, but if you see me in her then I like that more."

She quickly put the picture in her bag as her husband and Richard returned to them, "It is getting late, why don't we get back to the hotel," Richard suggested.

"Yes…the children will be up early. Mother. Father. Lovely seeing you again…goodbye," she said taking Richard's arm like before and they apparated to their hotel room. They paid the sitter and checked on the girls, "I think I will enjoy the party tomorrow more. The girls will be with us and I can show you my old school and Hogsmeade."

He smiled, "Can I have another dance?"

She pretended to think about it, "Yes. You may, but now go to your room and get some sleep."

He laughed, "Alright. Goodnight," he crossed the room to the door that connected his room to hers.

"Goodnight," she said as he went through the door to his.

The next morning, they were sitting at breakfast down in the Leaky Cauldron when their morning paper was delivered, splashed across the front page was Cassandra and Richard with the headline, American Heir Finds Love with Scandalous London Heiress. She just stared at the headline watching the picture of them dancing together, "Oh my…"

"Look, Mummy! You and Richard are on the paper!" Periwinkle said seeing the front page.

Richard looked at the paper, "It is fine," he assured Cassandra as he skimmed the reading, "None of this is even true. You had a baby and adopted two children, where is the scandal there."

"Because I am unmarried and have dirtied my parents' name and sister a little for being related to me."

He brushed that topic away folding the paper and putting it on the table, "As I keep telling you who cares. They abandoned you when you needed them. You had a baby and she is smart, healthy, and a bit feisty sometimes but she is still sweet," he looked at Periwinkle who had returned to her pancakes.

"I do not deserve a man as kind as you."

"Perhaps some might agree with that, but I disagree. I think you are a wonderful woman and a fantastic mother."

She nodded, "I am just so concerned with image because of my parents."

"My parents care but not enough to stop me from being around you."

"What will other people think though?"

He took a sip of his coffee before placing it back on the table, "They will either think you are dating an upper-class American man with pureblood lineage to try and regain some alliance in the pureblood community or others may think you found love with someone."

"But we aren't dating."

He shrugged, "They do not know that. Let them believe what they want we know the truth." She just nodded still feeling unsure about the news in the paper.

Throughout the day they both received multiple letters of congratulations for their relationship, she tossed most in the trash or fireplace. "I should write the paper and tell the truth."

"If you want, but we return home in a couple of days and all this will be blown over."

She sighed, "Yes…you are right," she stood in the center of the hotel room, "I need to get ready for tonight," she said looking at the grandfather clock.

"I got the children."

She went into her bedroom and changed while he got the girls into their dresses for the celebration at Hogwarts. She exited her room wearing a red and black houndstooth sweater dress paired with a small black clutch and booties, "How do I look?"

"Very fashion ward."

She laughed, "You got the girls in their appropriate colors I see and you did their hair."

"Hallie was a challenge so particular, but she looks beautiful," he kissed Hallie's cheek.

They apparated to Hogwarts with the girls, they appeared in the courtyard she looked up at the clocktower closing her eyes as the wind blew around them, and for a brief moment, she felt she could hear her friends' laughter in the wind. She felt at peace and finally back at home, "Home," she spoke softly, "Let's go in…I think the main party will be in the Great Hall."

He nodded following her lead while holding two of the children, they entered the Great Hall, some glanced in their direction just to see who it was but then returned to their conversations. Music was playing from a band that was placed where the professor tables usually sat, they were playing songs from the wizarding world as well as songs from the muggle world. She placed Hallie on the ground with Richard following her lead, "Go on. Go play," she told them they looked at her then ran off to play immediately pairing up with the Weasley children, Molly was not in attendance but Arthur she had chosen to stay home with their two-month-old daughter, "Arthur," she said approaching him.

"Cassie. Richard. Glad all of you could make it, Molly wanted to come but she felt this would be too much for Ginny. I would have left Ron, but I knew you would have the twins and figured they could play together," he looked over at the toddlers playing together as Fred and George were picking on Hallie by pulling her hair, "Fred. George. Stop pulling Hallie's hair. I am sorry about them…"

"It is fine, Hallie is whiny anyway," she turned away from the children to see who all was there. It was very odd for her slightly not to see Ann, Patrick, Lily, James, Sirius, or Remus it reminded her that things were different now. The war may be over, but things will be different. She spotted Severus across the room standing by himself close to the door, she is not sure how she did not spot him when they entered the room. "Excuse me…I need to go powder my nose."

Richard nodded, "I got the children."

She left exiting the room walking right past Severus but did not acknowledge him. She just proceeded down a corridor to get away from the party briefly, she felt at home for a brief moment but all the memories were returning making her upset. Memories and the reminder her friends were gone. Severus was no longer the man she once loved. She went down a set of stairs hearing footsteps behind her, she reached the floor below and stopped to lean against a window to look at the moonlight, "I would like to be alone," she told the person who had followed her.

"You came back," the voice said she turned around to see Severus standing there in full black robes and his long black hair.

"I came to pay my respects to Lily and James…which I still have not done. I have attended a trial and now two parties instead of doing what I intended to do."

He stepped closer to her, "I never expected to see you again after you left for America."

"I had very little intentions of ever returning…I made a home there."

He continued slowly approaching her, "But this is your home."

"No…this no longer a home to me. I have lost everyone close to me. Lily, James, Ann, and Patrick are all dead. Sirius is in jail for a crime he did not commit. And you…"

"Me?"

She sighed, "You are not the person I knew all these years. You are someone I no longer recognize."

"Cassie…" he was so close to her at this point that their bodies were almost touching she could feel his warm breath on her skin, "I have feelings for you," he spoke softly into her ear as he placed a hand on her waist.

She closed her eyes leaning into his touch, "Sev…I can't" she started, but was cut off by him kissing her. She tried to fight it, but gave in wrapping her hands in his hair for just a moment before realizing what she was doing, "No!" she pushed him off her, "No! I met someone else."

He looked at her angrily, "You gave into your parents!"

"No! I met him on my own, I love Richard!" she paused that was the first time she admitted it aloud that she loved Richard, "I loved you but you could never love me. You only ever truly loved Lily. She is gone and now you want me, I am not going to be used as a second option in your love life."

"What about Peri? Your child…our child."

This made Cassandra furious, "No! You take her name out of your mouth. You will never know her! She is not yours. She is mine and mine alone. I have been there at her side for the past two and half years. I care for her. I contacted you for a year about her and myself you ignored every letter. You will never know her! I will not be returning to London, you had your chance and you lost it," she left him and returned to the party.

Richard looked at her, "What is wrong," he could tell she was tense.

She looked at him, "Peri's father."

He gave a small nod, "Want to leave?"

She shook her head, "No. I will not let him have that power over me plus I still owe you a dance."

Richard smiled at her, "Yes you do…I will be back," he left her with Arthur and made his way to the band he magically made some sheet music appear and handed it to them. She grabbed a drink to calm her down and finished it as he returned to her side, "My lady, can I have this dance?"

"You may," she took his hand.

"Ladies and gentleman, by request from Mr. Richard Banks," a spotlight hit him and Cassandra as they entered the dancefloor, "we will be playing a song from the muggle world at his request. This song is called Can't Help Falling in Love originally created by an American muggle named Elvis Presley," the song started.

She looked at him, "Wait you love me?"

"Only fools rush, but I can't help falling in love with you," he sang the lyrics to her as they danced.

"I love you too," she said dancing around the room with him with all eyes on them. This was her fairytale moment, she had found her prince charming, He was perfect for her, but her heart was slightly attached still to Severus.

When the song ended Richard looked at her and grabbed the microphone from the band, "Cassie, I want to ask you something," she just stared at him with everyone looking in their direction, "I met you only recently when you arrived in New York with the three sweetest little girls, who I have grown to love as if they were my own children. I knew instantly I loved you and I may be a fool to think I could love someone this quickly. I know though that there is not a single person I rather spend the rest of my life with," he dropped to one knee taking a ring box out of his pocket and opening it to a large diamond ring. The room filled with gasps of excitement seeing Richard on his knee proposing to Cassandra, "Cassandra Elizabeth Rice will you marry me?"

She was in complete shock from this, her eyes quickly darting towards Severus who stood next to Dumbledore and McGonagall, then back at Richard, "Yes…I will marry you."

He sighed in relief standing up and putting the ring on her finger, "You make me very happy, Cassie."

"And you make me very happy."

Severus was not pleased with this at all, "He does not deserve her."

"I am confused I thought you loved Lily," Dumbledore said to him, "You cannot love both."

"Lily chose James who was not right for her now Cassie chooses a man who she barely knows from America. He is exactly who her parents would have picked for her."

Dumbledore shrugged, "Perhaps she actually loves him. You will find someone one day Severus, one day the right girl will come and marry you."

They looked at the newly engaged couple as Cassandra was showing her ring off to all the ladies, "I do not agree with that. I should have told Cassie how I felt before she left. If I had just answered her letters, she would not be marrying a stranger and Peri would not be raised by a stranger."

"Why do you care so much about the child?" Severus gave Dumbledore a knowing look, "Ah…I see well you could always pursue custody of the child if you truly wanted."

He shook his head, "I do not want him raising her. I do not trust him, but I teach here now I have no time for a toddler. Perhaps when she is older." Dumbledore nodded and Severus said goodnight and left.

Cassandra, Richard, and the girls returned to their room. They struggled to get the girls to bed since they were excited from the engagement and full of sugar from all the sweets they ate. "Will you look like Princess Diana?" Periwinkle asked in her bed, she did not remember much but did remember watching the wedding with her mom on the television the year prior.

"No one can look like Princess Diana her dress was gorgeous, but it will definitely be a beautiful wedding."

"Are we going back to New York?"

Cassandra looked at Richard tucking the twins in, "That is our home," she told her daughter.

"You will move out of the apartment once I marry your mama though and live with me in my penthouse."

The girls looked at them confused, "What is a penthouse?"

"It is a very large apartment, kind of like a house in the sky. It overlooks a majority of the city."

They were amazed, "Wow! It is like a palace then?" Hallie said hopefully.

"Sort of," they told her.

"Now sleep," they kissed their heads and then left the room closing the door behind them.

He pulled her close to him right after the door was shut, "I cannot believe I am going to marry you," he kissed her, "You are amazing. I love you so much," he kissed her again.

She kissed back wrapping her arms around his neck, "I love you too." She pulled away from the kiss taking him to her room.