Disclaimer: Harry Potter related characters, names, and other associated indicia are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.©
Gwyneth sat in the perfectly green, perfectly kept grass of her backyard, distractedly watching her brothers play some kind of sport containing broomsticks. She wasn't too interested in sports, but it was still amazing that she didn't know the name of the only major sport in the wizarding world.
"Did ya' see that Gwyn!" Caden exclaimed to her, floating at least thirty feet in the air on his broomstick. Apparently, he had just done something astonishing.
"Astounding, Caden, really." Gwyneth said just loud enough for him to hear, and she also gave him thumbs up. Need to encourage those guys, she thought, standing up. "I'm going inside, you guys! Have fun!" She brushed the stray grass of her robes, and rushed into the house. She ran through the kitchen—not without grabbing an apple, of course—then passed through the sitting room, into the hallway, and stopped at her bedroom door. She took a large bite of the shiny red apple, and then entered the room.
She froze on the spot, but held her apple tightly (she was pretty hungry). Cassandra was sitting on her bed, a piece of parchment in hand. The red haired woman seemed to be reading it.
"Put that down!" Gwyneth blurted out before she could stop herself.
Cassandra looked up and met her eyes. She stood, and handed Gwyneth the parchment.
Gwyneth raised an eyebrow and looked down at the parchment. She soon realized what it was. That morning she had replied to Mr. Rosewood's letter, and began listing her worries. She began to read:
Dear
Gwyneth,
I can
understand what is bothering you. It is rather awkward that your father would
just bring a woman into your home, without giving you and your brothers a
chance to get to know her. I suggest that you just try to get to know her, and
if that doesn't work, ignore her! I know you can do that; you have three very
restless brothers, and a lot people who aren't very fond of you. But,
seriously, you should try to get along with this Cassandra.
You say
she looks a bit shifty, huh? Well, there are a lot of people who look shady who
really aren't. And, really Gwyneth, who cares if she's perky? I know that you
don't do perky, but you should really try to live with it. She sounds like a
perfectly nice person to me, at least.
Well, if
there are any more things bothering you, don't hesitate to write.
Yours,
Jarod Rosewood
"So you don't like me." Cassandra whispered.
Gwyneth bit her lip, looked to the ground, and shook her head.
"Well, that's okay for right now. This Jarod Rosewood is giving you some pretty good advice. Who is he?" Cassandra asked, trying to hide the hurt and anger in her voice.
"Just—just someone." Gwyneth murmured.
"A school friend?"
"Just some guy." Gwyneth responded.
"Your boyfriend?"
Gwyneth flushed. "No, no, don't—don't be foolish. He's just someone I know."
"Hmm…" Cassandra narrowed her eyes, and left, thinking hard.
Gwyneth let out a relieved sigh and took another chomp out of her apple. She sat on her bed, and gazed out her window. Ignore her, huh? Yeah, I guess that would work. She shrugged and threw the core of her apple across the room into the trash pail.
That night at dinner, conversation went pretty slow.
"How was work today, father?" Caden asked. Cassandra had taken his seat, so now he sat between Basil and Liam.
"Oh, same as always. Long and tiring, with Lucius Malfoy bragging about his son." Abraham sighed.
"That Malfoy fellow seems a bit on the rude side to me." Cassandra commented.
"He's a decent guy, but his talking about his son is what gets me angry. But, if his son is really that smart, the school he goes to must be pretty good." Abraham stated.
"He goes to Hogwarts, doesn't he?" Basil questioned.
"Yeah, I'm thinking it might have been a mistake to send you four to another school." Abraham retorted.
"Well, I think your children are quite smart, Abraham. Of course, its not too late to send them to this Hogwarts." Cassandra butted in.
"Yes, I understand, but I'd hate to separate them from they're friends." Abraham sighed.
"Oh, I know that, Abraham dear. But what I understand is that Gwyneth here doesn't have many friends at school. Perhaps you could transfer her to Hogwarts." Cassandra said sweetly.
Gwyneth quickly looked up, eyes a bit wide.
"I'll have to think about that. Wonderful idea." Abraham smiled, leaned over, and kissed Cassandra gently, causing his children to look away disgusted.
"Hey Gwyneth, do you want to go to Diagon Alley with us? Father wants us to pick up a few things." Basil asked, peeking into his sister's room the next day.
Gwyneth shut the book she was reading, and got to her feet. "Sure." She replied, entering the hallway with him, closing the door behind her.
"What does father want us to get?" Gwyneth asked.
"He wants us to pick him up a new cauldron, some more treats for his owl, and he wants me to get him some—thing—from Knockturn Alley." Basil replied.
"Knockturn Alley? Isn't that where they sell, like—dark stuff?" Gwyneth questioned.
"Yeah, that's right." Basil smirked. "Father wants something called a—" He paused to think. "Oh, I don't know what it's called right off the top of my head. I don't know what it does either. Can't imagine father wanting something that involves dark magic though."
"Well, if he needs it, he needs it. So lets go."
Basil and Gwyneth, along with Caden and Liam, soon arrived in Diagon Alley and immediately went to the ice cream shop, for the reason that Caden kept on whining, "I'm hungry!"
Basil was stuck with the bill, which he groaned about, and then the four left, to wander the streets.