Chapter 13

A month had passed since the wedding of the year had occurred for the wizarding world, some were still discussing it but the conversations had almost disappeared now that lives were returning to a state of normalcy. The Banks family had been gifted a home in the Hamptons by his parents. Cassandra tried to fight them on it. She had no interest in leaving the city, it reminded her of London slightly with the hustle and bustle. London is where she developed her sense of true freedom with Periwinkle before relocating with the girls to America. Richard though managed to convince her, along with Remus convinced her that the city was not a safe place for children. Remus reminded her that even Sirius' daughter, Cressida, was being raised in the French countryside for her safety from the city. It also provided him plenty of room to escape for a few days whenever there had been a full moon.

Their days continued per usual till one day Cassandra woke up and was feeling quite unwell that morning. She did not call attention to it thinking it was probably just a cold. She and Richard went to work after dropping the girls off at the Magical Congress' daycare.

Once the girls were dropped, the two went to their separate departments. She sat in her office unable to get through any of her work. She ignored all messages that entered her office. She was unable to shake the feeling of this cold. As the morning continued she began to notice that for some reason the smells of work were affecting today. Before today she had never noticed all these smells. The simple smell of parchment was making her feel sick to her stomach like the morning breakfast had earlier that morning. She paused from her writing placing her quill back in the ink dispenser taking small deep breaths slowly closing her eyes as she let her head hang down.

As she was trying to regain a sense of wellness, just as there was a gentle knock upon her door and the door opened. He stepped inside seeing her in her current state, he approached her desk, "Darling?" he asked concerned kneeling at her side and placing a hand upon hers.

She looked up from her paper opening her eyes. Her eyes gave a simple side glance in his direction, "I think I need to go see a healer."

He fully examined her face more closely at this point, "I will escort you then," he stood up moved to her coatrack, and grabbed her purse. She nodded standing slowly taking the purse from him and then taking the hand he was now offering to her; they went to the healer located within the Magical Congress.

The Welcome Healer sat behind a desk in a small room cold room that smelled greatly like a muggle doctor's office, she looked up from her charting, "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Banks," she greeted with a sickly sweet tone of voice, "How can I assist you?"

The smells of the clinic made Cassandra feel more nauseous, Richard looked at her then the healer gave her hand a small squeeze, "My wife is feeling unwell today. Is there a healer who can take a look at her, please?"

The Welcome Healer nodded, "Certainly…here are some forms," she slid a clipboard with some papers attached across the desk and handed him a quill. The couple took a seat in the waiting area which was deserted of people.

They did not wait long before being called back, "What seems to be the problem, Mrs. Banks?" The Head Healer asked examining the paperwork that Richard had filled out for her

"I have been feeling nauseous all morning."

The Healer nodded taking the basic vitals, "Your vitals appear perfect, especially for a twenty-two-year-old woman. Are you sleeping?"

"Um…I have three young children. Sleep does not really exist."

The Head Healer gave a slight chuckle, "Perhaps it is something you ate…" she said examining the forms once more, "When was your last cycle? It is not listed."

She went paler, if that were possible, "Oh my god…" she was stunned.

Richard was confused then it occurred to him just a moment later, "Oh…oh! Can we find out?"

The Head Healer nodded, "Yes. Let's run a pregnancy test," she stepped over to a cabinet and took out a small plastic cup. She handed it to Cassandra, "Take this to the bathroom down the hall then leave it in the small box on the table in there. One of my Assistant Healers will collect it and will run the test."

Cassandra took the cup slowly got off the table she sat upon then exited the room with the Head Healer. She did what she was told before returning to her exam room. "We cannot be pregnant."

"Darling, we agreed to not try and prevent it. It happens it happens."

"I was not expecting a month into marriage…what will people think?"

He was confused, "Cassie, this is not like your pregnancy with Peri. You are married into a good family, who love and support the girls."

She eyed him, "Love and support the girls?"

"Well…they accept them. They did give us the house to provide a better living environment for them. They love having a yard to play in instead of a park."

"Our children will be favored though…how will the girls feel then?"

He sighed, "I will speak to my parents. Let us just be happy though…or even find out first."

She nodded just as the door reopened, "Congratulations! A Baby Banks is on the way."

Richard was thrilled, but Cassandra was a little less thrilled. She was terrified to have this many young children. She had not expected to become pregnant this early into their marriage, she knew of course they could have done other versions of birth control without potions, pills, or condoms. Regardless this was very unexpected. She must have conceived on their honeymoon. She wanted to wait though to announce it to everyone, but with her being awfully sick this pregnancy unlike her pregnancy with Periwinkle. They decided to announce it early, they invited his family to dinner that Friday.

"Are you enjoying married life?" Richard's mother asked as they sat in the dining room for dinner.

The couple nodded, "Oh…yes. It has been such a lovely month. We just keep getting new joys each and every day," Cassandra commented taking a sip of her drink, she had disguised her water to look like wine to not call attention to the fact she was not drinking.

Her mother-in-law looked at the girls who were eating quietly together close to Richard, "Richard was never allowed to eat meals with us as a child. Children never know how to behave until they are more mature."

"Our children are quite mature…" she glanced at Hallie who had mashed potatoes in her hair, "Most of the time." With that, she looked down the table at her husband wanting to get this announcement over with.

"Mother. Father." Richard started, "We have some news to share."

"You are moving to England?" his mother asked.

He shook his head, "No. We have no desire to move to England…we may visit but once the girls are older. Right now no…right now we have some changes about to occur."

"The girls are going back to England to live with their other families?"

He let out an exasperated sigh, "No…"

"I am pregnant!" Cassandra announced with frustration, "My children will remain here. We are not moving to England or anywhere. We are going to remain here in this house till our children go to Ilvermorny then we will downsize to a place back in the city leaving this as our summer house. This is what Richard and I have discussed. Please respect our children as if they are actually Richard's flesh and blood. They may not share his blood or name but they are legally his. We have papers and everything stating he is their legal guardian."

His parents sat speechless, before his mother broke the silence, "We are pleased to hear this. It will be wonderful to be able to see the children more often…we have considered visiting our Hampton house more often to be closer to the girls…children now."

"Thank you, mother. We would love to have you and father here more often."

They finished dinner and went into the drawing-room while the girls went to bed with their occasional nanny. They only used her when they were having a company which was rare for them, "I would like to apologize," Cassandra spoke softly to her mother-in-law, "The girls are my everything. I never want anything to happen to them. And I do not want the only grandparents they will ever know to think less of them because they do not share the same blood or name as their father."

Her mother-in-law took a sip of her drink, "Seeing as you will remain in this family now for the long term with you being with child. Our heir to the Banks Family inheritance. I will treat your children as if they were my own. I do not approve of them though, especially Periwinkle. She is a half-blood and from an unknown person, so you claim. Although a certain guest at the wedding resembled her greatly."

Cassandra remained poker-faced, "You do not need to know anything about our girls except they will be raised in how we see fit that including this child and any others we will share. The inheritance might be going to Richard once his father passes but he has already stated he will be dividing it equally between all the children."

Her mother-in-law laughed, "My husband has already thought of that and has a lock placed on it. The money can only go to those with Banks' blood in their veins. Any money your children inherit will not be from my husband's family's wealth…" she finished her drink then looked at the clock on the mantle, "It is time for us to call it a night."

The in-laws left leaving Cassandra relieved. She was overjoyed to see them leave, she never interacted much with her father-in-law but she knew he disapproved of her. The words his wife shared that evening confirmed her beliefs further. The following morning the announcement of the pregnancy was made worldwide with cards and gifts being showered upon them for months.

On February 2, 1983, at two-forty in the morning, Cassandra and Richard welcomed a beautiful baby girl. She weighed eight pounds nine ounces. They decided on the name Mallory Elise Banks. Despite all her worries, once her baby was placed in her arms all worries were gone. They were able to return home the same day when the girls met their younger sister, "She is so cute!" Periwinkle cooed touching her hand gently.

Cassandra smiled at her almost four-year-old, "Yes she is. She is a little blondie, it looks like," she looked at Holly, "Just like you."

Holly smiled happily, "She is big for a baby."

Richard and Cassandra laughed, "Yes. Yes, she is. But we still love her. She is perfect the way she is."

While the family enjoyed their newest arrival, across the pond though Severus sat in his suite at Hogwarts. He had woken that morning and received his morning paper from the delivery owl, he paid the owl for the paper before crossing to the small table he had in his kitchenette. He had poured himself a cup of tea before he would join the rest of the staff in The Great Hall for breakfast, he liked to read his morning paper in peace before having the loudness of children. Although typically mornings in The Great Hall were quiet occasionally there would be some loud chatter from some of the girls, the boys got a little louder on Quidditch days. Everyone was loud though on days they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade. He opened his paper and took a sip of his tea just to see splashed across the front page was Cassandra with her new family standing on the steps with the newest arrival of their local wizarding hospital in the Hamptons. In bold letters, the headline read American Royalty Welcome Baby. He swallowed the tea as he continued reading the article, unsure why knowing this was just going to leave him bitter the rest of the day. He looked at the smiling family, his attention went from Cassandra to his precious Periwinkle. He adored his child despite not ever knowing her and figured he never would know her. He still adored her. He took the small picture of her and cut it from the larger group photo. He then tossed the remainder of the paper in the fire before moving to the small box of pictures he kept of Periwinkle.

Back with the Banks Family, they developed a new sense of normal until three months later Cassandra discovered her expecting once more, "We will be preventing any more children after this understood."

Richard held Mallory with a nod, "She is such an easy baby though, maybe this one will be too."

"I do not care if this one is easy too. We currently have four under five years old and once this one is born we will have five under five. I would love to not have any more at least not for a very very very long time."

He nodded, "Alright. If that is what you want."

"Believe me it is."

Just like before the world was thrilled. Perhaps a little less thrilled, but everyone was not rooting for a son. As were they. They loved their girls but wanted to experience a son.

At last, a son was not in their cards. On April 9, 1984, at seven-twenty at night they welcomed their youngest daughter. They decided on the name Alicia Elizabeth Banks, she weighed eight pounds like her older sister Mallory, but she weighed a single ounce more than her. She appeared to have soft auburn-colored hair. Her eyes were a dark shade of blue, but over time they turned to match her father and Mallory's hazel eyes. To them their family was complete, they had five perfect girls.

Ten Years Later

When the 1993-1994 school year concluded at Ilvermorny, The Banks Family was requested to transfer from the Magical Congress to the Ministry of Magic that summer. They were given top secret information that the Tri-Wizard Tournament would be returning to Hogwarts. This information Richard and Cassandra did not share with their daughters, but with her connection to Dumbledore, she was able to get Periwinkle, Hallie, and Holly in as rare transfer students. This was a very uncommon scenario to occur, but Dumbledore gave them a pass. Alicia was also offered the chance to study alongside the first years, that way no one would have to homeschool her since both parents would be working. Cassandra was to work alongside Mr. Barty Crouch Sr. and she would remain a permanent resident at Hogwarts while the games took place that year to help assist the international students that would be there. Richard would be one of the Aurors there to guard the games taking place, not that they were expecting any danger to occur with the downfall of Voldemort being thirteen years ago.

They began their journey on August 8, 1994, they began the journey to their new chapter. Mallory and Alicia were indifferent about their move, despite being in a program for working wizarding parents they were already learning magic without an actual school or wands. They had their friends, but simply just accepted it. While the older three girls were not pleased to be leaving Ilvermorny, their friends and everything they loved were there. The only thing keeping Hallie pleased about the move is that she was now going to be attending and living near the Weasley family. For as long as anyone in their family knew she had been in love with Fred Weasley, even before she knew what love was. She only would see a single picture of him from the yearly Christmas card the Weasley Family would send them. Little did she know he had those same feelings from the exact Christmas cards his family received each year.

They arrived in London on August 15th, they remained at The Leaky Cauldron overnight with the press thrilled to see them. Hallie could not get enough of the attention. It was short-lived once the press got the photos they wanted. The following morning they used the floo network and flooed into their new home located just up the road a bit from the Burrow. They would meet everyone at The Burrow the following day for dinner.

Note: Thank you for reading! If you want more about these characters please read Wildest Dreams if you want a Draco Malfoy love story, Make You Mine if you want a Fred Weasley love story or Half-Blood Princess to follow the story of Peri.