Extremely Long, Yet Important AN: Thanks sooooooooo- much to everyone who reviewed the first part! I was away for the weekend (which is why I was unable to post this before today) and when I got back I couldn't believe that I had gotten so many reviews! :) So tonight I'm sitting down to try and put all the pieces together mentally. I have a pretty good idea where this is headed and I thank you all for reviewing, because if you hadn't, I doubt that I would have had the patience to continue. I certainly hope my story can separate and stand out from all the cliches. And would you believe me if I said I'm not totally sure about if Sirius and Andromeda will end up together, because as you'll see in this part, Andromeda may have some new prospects on the horizon. Sirius certainly won't be winning any hearts until he cleans himself up a bit. One more thing, I realize that a few times in this bit Andromeda seems rather like a damsel in distress, while at other times she seems witty, and it can become confusing. The reason is that she is stronger on the outside than she feels on the inside, and she's very good at hiding her feelings. She is a lot stronger than feels, but she has to find it within herself, her self-esteem will need to grow as the story does. And like last time, I admit that the beginning is slower, this is because I need to describe the castel so that you know what its like, this will be important later, however it QUICKLY gets faster. And last but NOT least, please review, this is the same as last time, no reviews, no part 3, but if you review you will get part three! :)
Disclaimer: All of the characters belong to JKR excluding Gemini, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, and Hydra.
Part Two: Inquiring Minds
The wind blew through the Sagitta Estate, all one hundred and twenty-six acres of it. It was a cold day, and certainly not one for being outside. The rain cascaded down the stained glass windows of the mansion, and the slow pitter-patter was extremely calm.
There was nothing to do but stay inside. However, this didn't phase Gemini in the least, she found this house more amazing than anything she had ever seen. She could walk for hours through the halls, and get so lost that she would have to ask one of the moving gargoyle statues for directions. They were never very helpful though, seeing as how they liked to be left alone. Gemini seriously doubted that they were meant for asking directions, but hey, she was an American tourist, what else was she to do?
The halls were adorned with huge mirrors where you could actually get lost in your own reflection, and rugs that seemed to have seen better days, all worn and dirty, yet somehow still elegant. Yes, the theme of the house was definitely elegance, having just the right thing in just the right place, so that nothing seemed too grand or ostentatious. Yet, its simplicity made it all the more of a challenge to memorize. Because nothing stood out in your mind you were never quite sure if this was the same hall you had just been in, or if you were wandering into the Forbidden Eastern Wing.
She had no idea why it was forbidden, but one of the first things her grandmother had told her, upon arrival was that, under no circumstances was she allowed to enter East Wing, or she would upset the fates. Gemini had laughed, rather loudly, assuming that it was a joke, however her when her grandmother had not smiled back, her laughter had quickly abated. The fact that she had not been given a reason for it being forbidden made her think that perhaps it was totally empty, and simply said to create mystery.
In her spare time Gemini ruminated about what the contents of the Eastern Wing could be. After a while the idea had come to her that maybe it contained information about her father, which made her all the more determined to get in. She had thought about a summoning charm, to get whatever it was that was locked inside, but realizing that it could be thousands of boxes of stuff she had decided against it. Although her room was large it would certainly not go unnoticed if she filled it with a few thousand boxes.
Her next thought was to simply try sending a camera into the room, but then she realized that pictures would do her no good at all, because she still wouldn't be able to use it, whatever the hell it was.
She had then gotten so desperate that she had consulted one of those stupid muggle Oujia boards. Her result: some sirius stuff, DAMNED THING COUNLDNT EVEN SPELL SERIOUS CORRECTLY! So after much venting, a wide vocabulary of words that her Grandmother Cassiopeia would have cringed had she heard, and rather impromptu fire she had continued to think.
She was still pondering this problem, and she only had one week before school started.
Turning the corner she smacked straight into someone and screamed.
"My dear," said her grandmother with a smile, putting a hand over her ear, obviously hurt by the scream, " old I may be, but deaf, I am not."
"I'm so sorry!" Apologized Gemini, blushing bright red, her green eyes wide with shock.
Cassiopeia simply gave her a sympathetic smile and proceeded to ask, "May I join you?"
"Well actually, I was..." and noting the sad expression on her Grandmothers face she hurried on, "just about to ask you if you would like to come along," and she smiled sweetly.
They walked in silence for a few minutes and then Gemini got up the courage to ask her grandmother the one thing that had been on her mind all day. She fought down the food from earlier that morning, which she could feel rising, in her nervous state, "Grandma," she began and she paused, waiting, almost hoping that Cassiopeia could read minds so that she wouldn't have to continue with this difficult topic. When it became apparent that to Gemini's misfortune her Grandmother was not a psychic she continued, "Do you know who my father is?"
Cassiopeia shifted uncomfortably.
*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*
Up in her room Andromeda was staring out the window. It had been quite a few minutes since she had actually, really seen anything. At the moment she simply sat there, eyes on the horizon. The pain was a cut that just wouldn't heal, and everytime she thought of it, it felt as though someone was running over it with a knife.
She knew that Gemini was a resourceful girl and it wouldn't take her much longer to find her father. Andromeda wanted, just as all parents do, to shield her child from the pain of the world, and it pulled at her heart when she was forced to admit that she couldn't.
Why did Gemini care about who he was? Who was the one who worked her ass off to send her daughter to the best American School for witchcraft? Who was the person who stayed with Gemini when she was sick and needed love and attention? Who spent every minute of every waking day worrying about Gemini, and if she was okay? SHE WAS! So why did Gemini care so much about him?
She allowed her thoughts to drift back to the plans for her date next week. She had no idea if it was wise to go. She thought that it wasn't smart to go, meet someone that she had no idea about. However, if he was some sort of crazy mass murderer she couldn't help but think that it would be even stupider to stand him up so that he would have a reason to make earrings out of her eyes.
It had been so long since she had any dates. Maybe she was just trying to think of a reason to not go. Maybe this was the man she was meant to be with? She couldn't pass up the chance. She had too many things in her life that she regretted, she would not, could not add this to the pile. He had seemed so nice at Diagon Alley, it had been like chatting with an old friend, and extremely handsome old friend...
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*
In his cottage Sirius was running around the house trying to calm himself down. The house felt much too large without Harry. However, Harry was gone for the remainder of Summer Vacation, staying with the Weasley family.
His nerves were running a muck, and he was very aggravated with himself for letting them control him. He felt as jittery as a young boy did on his first date, which was slightly ironic considering that Sirius had never been nervous about dating, it had become a hobby of sorts. Something for amusement, something to keep him occupied, but not something to worry about. Yet, he couldn't help it. He hadn't had a date in sixteen years, let alone one with someone he liked so much.
The house was just the right size for two people. It was one story, with a charming kitchen, a quaint living room, an elegant dinning room, a spacious office, two medium-sized bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Right now he was in his office. He had no real idea why he had turned this area into an office; he usually just did his work in the kitchen, over a cup of coffee. Today was probably the first time he had used it since they had moved in, a month ago.
Yet, you could hardly say that he was using it in its proper way. Hermione would have laughed if she had seen him there, a deck of tarot cards before him. He was desperate. He wanted so badly to see this woman again, yet he couldn't shake the feeling from the pit of his stomach, the feeling that he shouldn't go, the odd feeling that he had met her before, yet he racked his brains, and well, he couldn't find anyone who stood out...
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Gemini stood there her eyes full of hope. She couldn't help but think that this moment might bring about the end of her suffering. She could recall a time in her life where she had thought that if she simply turned the corner she would find him standing there; a smile on his face, and an extremely understandable reason for leaving her all alone. Not that he she was ever actually all-alone, she did have Andromeda, and while Andromeda was a superb mother, she always seemed held back, as though she had experienced too much, at too young an age to ever be able to relax and let down her guard.
Cassiopeia looked back at Gemini, with a feeling of horrible sadness. She debated slowly in her head if she should tell Gemini everything she knew but quickly made up her mind, "Gemini, I have the feeling that if your mother didn't tell you she certainly wouldn't want me to, if I even could. You see my dear, I am as in the dark as you are," she lied with a straight face, "yet perhaps we can light a match."
"How?" Asked Gemini, fighting to control the shake in her voice.
"Your mother used to be best friends with a woman named Hydra, they told each other everything, perhaps she would take heart to your situation, perhaps not."
It was Gemini's turn to remain silent. As they walked down another hall, decorated with wizard portraits of all of her ancestors, who all smiled and waved from their frames, she contemplated the risk involved in roping in another person. She realized that there was very little, if nothing that she could lose from this, considering the fact that she already knew nothing.
She finally nodded her acceptance of this idea and approached her last question, hoping to be lucky enough to learn her second helpful piece of information. "Grandma," she began slowly, taking all of her ability to sound sweet and sincere, "what do you keep in the East Wing?" Gemini crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping against hope that Cassiopeia might enlighten her.
"Ah my dear, full of questions today, aren't we?" Cassiopeia paused to smile, "Yet, this is a matter, which doesn't concern you, and therefore I trust," she stressed this word, "that you will simply go by what I have told you," she paused to glance at a clock on the wall of the corridor. "Its nearly dinner time, I'll give you an hour to freshen up and relax, and dinner will be at seven."
Gemini watched with a slightly downcast feeling as her Grandmother, her greatest hope, walked down the corridor. She noticed before leaving, that Cassiopeia walked very quickly, as if she had somewhere to go, and something extremely important to do.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*
Some how she managed to find the way to her room, before the hour was over. Checking her watch she noted the fact that she still had forty minutes left. Plopping down upon her over stuffed mattress, Gemini reached under her pillow to find her good luck charm, a piece of her dad's old apartment, which her mom had sketched years ago, from memory.
Andromeda had insisted that it was simply a picture of her old flat, yet Gemini knew otherwise. Andromeda had been so enraged by the suggestion that it was of Gemini's father's house that she had ripped it up, and thrown it away. What Andromeda didn't know was that later Gemini had come along, taken the pieces and saved them. And what's more, she certainly had no idea that a few hours later Gemini had seen her, from a side room, as Andromeda searched through the garbage for nearly an hour, and finally collapsed into tears.
Removing her wand, she tapped the parchment, which was slightly faded. Gemini had on several occasions considered using an anti-aging spell, to keep it in good shape, but resisted so that she could save it, looking just the way it naturally was. Upon being tapped in just the right spot, the parchment expanded into a journal, which Gemini had sealed inside of it. She flipped to a new page and began to jot down information about Hydra.
This had been where for the last three years she had written down all the information about her father. The pages were mostly blank though, she had never been very successful in her attempts to ascertain information. Her last entry dated over three months ago, and was related to a book, Creepy Coincidences when Constellations Connect, that she had seen her mother read dozens of times over the years. This was her first legitimate clue, yet she was filled with guilt. Guilt at resorting to such low levels to find out the one thing her mother wanted to hide from her so desperately.
"Dammit!" She thought, "Even when you're not here you always use the guilt factor!"
She took this opportunity to glance a look at the clock. "Crap!" She screamed out loud, realizing that she only had five minutes to get downstairs to be on time for dinner.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Downstairs Cassiopeia and Andromeda were engaged in a rather I-dunno-what-to-say-so-I'll-just-be-annoying conversation. The light of the candlesticks was casting a rather dim and gloomy feeling around the room. There was an uneasy tension as they both waited for Gemini, and they didn't even bother to hide their desperate looks at the clock.
"Where is that girl?" Andromeda wondered, "I can't take much more of this," and she tried to stifle a sigh.
"Like I was saying," Cassiopeia continued, "you could achieve so much more if you simply tried a little harder."
"Well in that case," began Andromeda in a tone of total loathing, "you must be right. Seeing as how you've never worked a day in your life, and you were married two months after you graduated Hogwarts, and you were wonderful at raising a horrible daughter. I mean why didn't I ask you for advice before? What was I thinking?" And she paused to watch the stream of emotions flash across her mother's face.
"Well with an attitude like that it's no wonder," Cassiopeia stated, in an even voice, leaving no doubt that she could play this game too.
They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. The only sounds in the room seemed to come from the clock, and then a few minutes later the sound of footsteps became audible as Gemini approached the room.
She slowly opened the door, seeming almost afraid of being hurt for being fifteen minutes late. Silently sliding into her chair she cleared her throat. Even though she had just arrived, the looks on the faces of the two other occupants clearly showed that they were at some sort of conversational roadblock.
"I'm so sorry for my tardiness," Gemini began, continuing to explain the plights of her long journey. Which involved falling through two trap doors, somehow ending up in her room again three times, and being chased by a gargoyle who was not in a very happy mood, after his girlfriend had left him for the demon in the East Wing. Gemini did not however relate the part of the story in which she had asked how his girlfriend had gotten into the East Wing, and the gargoyle had proceeded chase her for a good five minutes with one of the more expensive mirrors. "Ah well," she thought, "what's seven more years bad luck when added to a life sentence?"
Cassiopeia took this start in the conversation to wave her hands around signaling that she wanted their attention. Gemini had to fight with herself not to laugh, at how similar her grandmother looked to a chimpanzee.
After she was fairly satisfied that was in full control of the situation Cassiopeia continued by starting, "Andromeda, one of my old friends, has a daughter, who knows a wizard, who is approximately your age, and I arranged for the two of you to meet together on September the 2nd-"
Andromeda didn't even wait for Cassiopeia to finish before she intervened, "What in the golly-gee-think-I'm-gonna-kill-you-run-for-the-hills-you-get-a-five-second-headstart-beginning-now-hell where you thinking?" Andromeda said all of this very quickly, as her eyes lit on fire just like her personality.
"And anyway, you forgot to have a dentist in there, there always has to be a dentist," Gemini said trying to lighten the conversation as she slightly pushed back her chair, ready to leave if candlesticks started flying. She almost felt a pang of sympathy for her mother, being treated like a two-year-old.
"Well, Andromeda," Cassiopeia began in a pacifying tone, "you haven't had a date in sixteen years, and I was simply trying to help. Anyway, I hear he's quite a charmer, very popular with the ladies."
"If you wanna help why don't you just go shove a broomstick up your-"
"I will not be spoken to like that."
"Yea, add that to your list of things that disappoint you about me, if there's any room left," and having said that Andromeda turned on her heel and ran from the room.
Up in her room Gemini was sitting in the wicker chair infront of an antique desk from before the first goblin rebellion. She was chewing the end of her pen, a rather disgusting habit she had picked up at school, yet she was unable to stop.
Reading her letter once more she made sure that it all fit together.
Dear Hydra,
This is Gemini, Andromeda's daughter. I have heard a great deal about you and I was hoping that you could possibly help me with a situation that I have. I would like to know my father's name, I want to know who he is, I want to be a part of his life. My mother thinks that she holds all the power of the situation, but I am determined. I must know who he is. This has haunted me for years, and I will never be at peace until I have a chance. You are my last option, please give me some aid.
~Gemini
Short, and sweet, and to the point she thought as she crossed the room to her owl's cage. Handing the beautiful gray owl her letter she opened the window and with a feeling of hope, a feeling of possibility, she watched the owl fly away until she was a speck in the sky.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
September 1st came faster than Gemini could have even anticipated, and before she knew it she was tucked into a small Limousine, watching England fly by, as she thought about the letter that she had sent to Hydra a week ago. She had had no reply as of yet.
Andromeda sat across from her, Andromeda's eyes wide with shock that this day had come so fast. She looked paler than normal, and Gemini couldn't understand why.
As the Limousine pulled into the entrance of King's cross they unloaded the bags with the aid of the handsome driver. Gemini and Andromeda made their good-byes and as the last whistle hooted Andromeda hung out the window of her compartment to wave to her tear-strewn mother as the train pulled away, leading her to new adventures, friends, and experiences.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
That night Andromeda couldn't sleep, she kept thinking of that man from Diagon Alley, and the fact that she would be seeing him some time in the next few hours. She tossed and turned and when she finally fell asleep her dreams were anything but sweet.
She awoke an hour after she had fallen asleep to find herself on the floor, amidst a bunch of tangled sheets and pillows. Picking herself up, and mentally shunning herself for being so stupid as to fall off a bed, she walked down the stairs to the kitchen.
Upon arrival she made herself a cup of herbal tea, the kind that she had made ever since she was young, and she sat down to think at the counter. It seemed like only yesterday when she was a little girl with the whole world ahead of her, and now here she was, in the same old kitchen over thirty years later and it seemed like the whole world was behind her. She certainly didn't miss the irony.
Picking up the cup and returning it to the sink she made the journey to her room, and upon arrival immediately fell asleep, before she even made it to the bed.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
The next morning went by very quickly. Andromeda's alarm was set for 8 am because they were meeting at twelve-noon. Peeling herself off the floor she didn't even bother to mentally reprimand herself this time, as she headed for the bathroom.
Lifting her eyes to the sink she noted with much anger that she had huge bags under her eyes from her semi-sleepless night, and her back was aching from an unexpected slumber on the floor. She crossed the room and turned on the taps in the shower, sticking her hand in to test the water.
Inside the shower she could feel the water cascading down her body, and she had to fight to stay awake in the relaxing scene. Only the thoughts of her approaching meeting could keep her going, and she could feel the knots in her stomach as if someone was twisting it into a balloon animal. Her hair washed, and her resolution to go on the date done, she stepped from the shower. She only had three hours to eat breakfast, and get ready, and knowing her, she would spend atleast one more half an hour debating if she should really go before she would finally apparate.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*
Sirius smacked the buzzing alarm, chucking it across the room, and smiling satisfactorily as he heard the noise that could only be taken for what it was, the destruction of yet another clock. It was nine-o clock, why was his alarm set for so early? "Hmmm, I must have made a mistake and set it by accident he thought," turning over on his side, closing his eyes, and falling instantly asleep.
An hour-and-a-half later Sirius shot up in bed. It was as though his sleeping mind had been pondering the reason for setting an alarm, and finally found the answer. Jumping out of bed he cursed himself out loud for nearly forgetting something he had been looking forward to for weeks.
He pulled on jeans and a blue shirt as he walked down the hall towards the kitchen. For about a half an hour he sat there, his food untouched the same thoughts in his head, doubt, worry, and annoyance with himself for feeling these things. And the ironic thing was that he might not have felt this way if he had realized that at this moment Andromeda was feeling the same things.
When the clock showed that it was five minutes to twelve he stood up, smoothing his shirt, and running a hand over his mouth to make sure that there was no food on it, then closing his eyes he said, Diagon Alley and the tiny kitchen faded away. It was slowly replaced with the familiar settings of Diagon Alley, and he stood there looking around for a few minutes as he made the last debate in his head.
The shops looked so inviting, he saw some potion materials that he needed, and a new broom that he was dying to have priced. Maybe he should just forget about the date and go into that Quidditch Shop? NO! He had waited too long to have another chance to meet this interesting woman, if he didn't like her he would never have to see her again, so what harm was there in going?
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Andromeda was waiting before the bookstore where she had first met that man a few weeks ago. She checked her watch and then held it to her ear to make sure it was still working. He only had one minute to get there before he was late. Was he going to stand her up?
She was preparing to leave when she saw the familiar face coming into focus. She was now extremely nervous. She could still apparate away, she didn't have to stay, there was still time to leave.
But all thoughts of leaving were quickly wiped from her mind when he flashed her a smile that made her doubt the very ground she was standing on. She wanted to say, "hello" she wanted to smile back, but all she could manage was what must have come out looking like a very dazed look.
He offered her a hand, and thank goodness her arms were working even if her mouth wasn't, for she graciously took it and placed her own palm in it. They walked down the hall for a few seconds before he looked at her and said, "So where would you like to eat?"
This time words did not fail her. She looked at him for a minute while thinking and then said, "Anywhere will be fine."
"How very helpful," he said sarcastically with a smile.
"What can I say, I try," and she looked back at him with a slight grin.
"So I suppose that Chinese food will be fine?"
"I suppose so," and she stopped to think, she couldn't be witty and charming until she knew the thing that was bothering her so much. But before she even had a chance to ask him, he had already done it.
"Last time we met you never told me your name, and it was bothering me quite a bit."
"I was just about to say that!" Andromeda exclaimed. "My name is Andromeda, and it has been bugging the hell out of me not knowing what your name is."
"Well that's funny," He said looking highly amused.
" What is?" She asked, a puzzled look spreading over her features.
"The fact that you're Andromeda," he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Why?" She questioned; she didn't like the look on his face.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
AN: Ok, I know, I left you with a BIG cliffhanger. What does Sirius say? How does Andromeda react? Who is Andromeda's blind date for that evening with? One hint, it's not Sirius. Does Gemini get a reply from Hydra? Will we ever learn the contents of the East Wing? For answers to those questions and more you will have to review, to let me know that people are enjoying this series, so that I have a reason to write it. :) :) :) Oh and when you review feel free to guess the name of Andromeda's date for that evening, we'll see if anyone can figure it out! :)
Disclaimer: All of the characters belong to JKR excluding Gemini, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, and Hydra.
Part Two: Inquiring Minds
The wind blew through the Sagitta Estate, all one hundred and twenty-six acres of it. It was a cold day, and certainly not one for being outside. The rain cascaded down the stained glass windows of the mansion, and the slow pitter-patter was extremely calm.
There was nothing to do but stay inside. However, this didn't phase Gemini in the least, she found this house more amazing than anything she had ever seen. She could walk for hours through the halls, and get so lost that she would have to ask one of the moving gargoyle statues for directions. They were never very helpful though, seeing as how they liked to be left alone. Gemini seriously doubted that they were meant for asking directions, but hey, she was an American tourist, what else was she to do?
The halls were adorned with huge mirrors where you could actually get lost in your own reflection, and rugs that seemed to have seen better days, all worn and dirty, yet somehow still elegant. Yes, the theme of the house was definitely elegance, having just the right thing in just the right place, so that nothing seemed too grand or ostentatious. Yet, its simplicity made it all the more of a challenge to memorize. Because nothing stood out in your mind you were never quite sure if this was the same hall you had just been in, or if you were wandering into the Forbidden Eastern Wing.
She had no idea why it was forbidden, but one of the first things her grandmother had told her, upon arrival was that, under no circumstances was she allowed to enter East Wing, or she would upset the fates. Gemini had laughed, rather loudly, assuming that it was a joke, however her when her grandmother had not smiled back, her laughter had quickly abated. The fact that she had not been given a reason for it being forbidden made her think that perhaps it was totally empty, and simply said to create mystery.
In her spare time Gemini ruminated about what the contents of the Eastern Wing could be. After a while the idea had come to her that maybe it contained information about her father, which made her all the more determined to get in. She had thought about a summoning charm, to get whatever it was that was locked inside, but realizing that it could be thousands of boxes of stuff she had decided against it. Although her room was large it would certainly not go unnoticed if she filled it with a few thousand boxes.
Her next thought was to simply try sending a camera into the room, but then she realized that pictures would do her no good at all, because she still wouldn't be able to use it, whatever the hell it was.
She had then gotten so desperate that she had consulted one of those stupid muggle Oujia boards. Her result: some sirius stuff, DAMNED THING COUNLDNT EVEN SPELL SERIOUS CORRECTLY! So after much venting, a wide vocabulary of words that her Grandmother Cassiopeia would have cringed had she heard, and rather impromptu fire she had continued to think.
She was still pondering this problem, and she only had one week before school started.
Turning the corner she smacked straight into someone and screamed.
"My dear," said her grandmother with a smile, putting a hand over her ear, obviously hurt by the scream, " old I may be, but deaf, I am not."
"I'm so sorry!" Apologized Gemini, blushing bright red, her green eyes wide with shock.
Cassiopeia simply gave her a sympathetic smile and proceeded to ask, "May I join you?"
"Well actually, I was..." and noting the sad expression on her Grandmothers face she hurried on, "just about to ask you if you would like to come along," and she smiled sweetly.
They walked in silence for a few minutes and then Gemini got up the courage to ask her grandmother the one thing that had been on her mind all day. She fought down the food from earlier that morning, which she could feel rising, in her nervous state, "Grandma," she began and she paused, waiting, almost hoping that Cassiopeia could read minds so that she wouldn't have to continue with this difficult topic. When it became apparent that to Gemini's misfortune her Grandmother was not a psychic she continued, "Do you know who my father is?"
Cassiopeia shifted uncomfortably.
*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*
Up in her room Andromeda was staring out the window. It had been quite a few minutes since she had actually, really seen anything. At the moment she simply sat there, eyes on the horizon. The pain was a cut that just wouldn't heal, and everytime she thought of it, it felt as though someone was running over it with a knife.
She knew that Gemini was a resourceful girl and it wouldn't take her much longer to find her father. Andromeda wanted, just as all parents do, to shield her child from the pain of the world, and it pulled at her heart when she was forced to admit that she couldn't.
Why did Gemini care about who he was? Who was the one who worked her ass off to send her daughter to the best American School for witchcraft? Who was the person who stayed with Gemini when she was sick and needed love and attention? Who spent every minute of every waking day worrying about Gemini, and if she was okay? SHE WAS! So why did Gemini care so much about him?
She allowed her thoughts to drift back to the plans for her date next week. She had no idea if it was wise to go. She thought that it wasn't smart to go, meet someone that she had no idea about. However, if he was some sort of crazy mass murderer she couldn't help but think that it would be even stupider to stand him up so that he would have a reason to make earrings out of her eyes.
It had been so long since she had any dates. Maybe she was just trying to think of a reason to not go. Maybe this was the man she was meant to be with? She couldn't pass up the chance. She had too many things in her life that she regretted, she would not, could not add this to the pile. He had seemed so nice at Diagon Alley, it had been like chatting with an old friend, and extremely handsome old friend...
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*
In his cottage Sirius was running around the house trying to calm himself down. The house felt much too large without Harry. However, Harry was gone for the remainder of Summer Vacation, staying with the Weasley family.
His nerves were running a muck, and he was very aggravated with himself for letting them control him. He felt as jittery as a young boy did on his first date, which was slightly ironic considering that Sirius had never been nervous about dating, it had become a hobby of sorts. Something for amusement, something to keep him occupied, but not something to worry about. Yet, he couldn't help it. He hadn't had a date in sixteen years, let alone one with someone he liked so much.
The house was just the right size for two people. It was one story, with a charming kitchen, a quaint living room, an elegant dinning room, a spacious office, two medium-sized bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Right now he was in his office. He had no real idea why he had turned this area into an office; he usually just did his work in the kitchen, over a cup of coffee. Today was probably the first time he had used it since they had moved in, a month ago.
Yet, you could hardly say that he was using it in its proper way. Hermione would have laughed if she had seen him there, a deck of tarot cards before him. He was desperate. He wanted so badly to see this woman again, yet he couldn't shake the feeling from the pit of his stomach, the feeling that he shouldn't go, the odd feeling that he had met her before, yet he racked his brains, and well, he couldn't find anyone who stood out...
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Gemini stood there her eyes full of hope. She couldn't help but think that this moment might bring about the end of her suffering. She could recall a time in her life where she had thought that if she simply turned the corner she would find him standing there; a smile on his face, and an extremely understandable reason for leaving her all alone. Not that he she was ever actually all-alone, she did have Andromeda, and while Andromeda was a superb mother, she always seemed held back, as though she had experienced too much, at too young an age to ever be able to relax and let down her guard.
Cassiopeia looked back at Gemini, with a feeling of horrible sadness. She debated slowly in her head if she should tell Gemini everything she knew but quickly made up her mind, "Gemini, I have the feeling that if your mother didn't tell you she certainly wouldn't want me to, if I even could. You see my dear, I am as in the dark as you are," she lied with a straight face, "yet perhaps we can light a match."
"How?" Asked Gemini, fighting to control the shake in her voice.
"Your mother used to be best friends with a woman named Hydra, they told each other everything, perhaps she would take heart to your situation, perhaps not."
It was Gemini's turn to remain silent. As they walked down another hall, decorated with wizard portraits of all of her ancestors, who all smiled and waved from their frames, she contemplated the risk involved in roping in another person. She realized that there was very little, if nothing that she could lose from this, considering the fact that she already knew nothing.
She finally nodded her acceptance of this idea and approached her last question, hoping to be lucky enough to learn her second helpful piece of information. "Grandma," she began slowly, taking all of her ability to sound sweet and sincere, "what do you keep in the East Wing?" Gemini crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping against hope that Cassiopeia might enlighten her.
"Ah my dear, full of questions today, aren't we?" Cassiopeia paused to smile, "Yet, this is a matter, which doesn't concern you, and therefore I trust," she stressed this word, "that you will simply go by what I have told you," she paused to glance at a clock on the wall of the corridor. "Its nearly dinner time, I'll give you an hour to freshen up and relax, and dinner will be at seven."
Gemini watched with a slightly downcast feeling as her Grandmother, her greatest hope, walked down the corridor. She noticed before leaving, that Cassiopeia walked very quickly, as if she had somewhere to go, and something extremely important to do.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*
Some how she managed to find the way to her room, before the hour was over. Checking her watch she noted the fact that she still had forty minutes left. Plopping down upon her over stuffed mattress, Gemini reached under her pillow to find her good luck charm, a piece of her dad's old apartment, which her mom had sketched years ago, from memory.
Andromeda had insisted that it was simply a picture of her old flat, yet Gemini knew otherwise. Andromeda had been so enraged by the suggestion that it was of Gemini's father's house that she had ripped it up, and thrown it away. What Andromeda didn't know was that later Gemini had come along, taken the pieces and saved them. And what's more, she certainly had no idea that a few hours later Gemini had seen her, from a side room, as Andromeda searched through the garbage for nearly an hour, and finally collapsed into tears.
Removing her wand, she tapped the parchment, which was slightly faded. Gemini had on several occasions considered using an anti-aging spell, to keep it in good shape, but resisted so that she could save it, looking just the way it naturally was. Upon being tapped in just the right spot, the parchment expanded into a journal, which Gemini had sealed inside of it. She flipped to a new page and began to jot down information about Hydra.
This had been where for the last three years she had written down all the information about her father. The pages were mostly blank though, she had never been very successful in her attempts to ascertain information. Her last entry dated over three months ago, and was related to a book, Creepy Coincidences when Constellations Connect, that she had seen her mother read dozens of times over the years. This was her first legitimate clue, yet she was filled with guilt. Guilt at resorting to such low levels to find out the one thing her mother wanted to hide from her so desperately.
"Dammit!" She thought, "Even when you're not here you always use the guilt factor!"
She took this opportunity to glance a look at the clock. "Crap!" She screamed out loud, realizing that she only had five minutes to get downstairs to be on time for dinner.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Downstairs Cassiopeia and Andromeda were engaged in a rather I-dunno-what-to-say-so-I'll-just-be-annoying conversation. The light of the candlesticks was casting a rather dim and gloomy feeling around the room. There was an uneasy tension as they both waited for Gemini, and they didn't even bother to hide their desperate looks at the clock.
"Where is that girl?" Andromeda wondered, "I can't take much more of this," and she tried to stifle a sigh.
"Like I was saying," Cassiopeia continued, "you could achieve so much more if you simply tried a little harder."
"Well in that case," began Andromeda in a tone of total loathing, "you must be right. Seeing as how you've never worked a day in your life, and you were married two months after you graduated Hogwarts, and you were wonderful at raising a horrible daughter. I mean why didn't I ask you for advice before? What was I thinking?" And she paused to watch the stream of emotions flash across her mother's face.
"Well with an attitude like that it's no wonder," Cassiopeia stated, in an even voice, leaving no doubt that she could play this game too.
They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. The only sounds in the room seemed to come from the clock, and then a few minutes later the sound of footsteps became audible as Gemini approached the room.
She slowly opened the door, seeming almost afraid of being hurt for being fifteen minutes late. Silently sliding into her chair she cleared her throat. Even though she had just arrived, the looks on the faces of the two other occupants clearly showed that they were at some sort of conversational roadblock.
"I'm so sorry for my tardiness," Gemini began, continuing to explain the plights of her long journey. Which involved falling through two trap doors, somehow ending up in her room again three times, and being chased by a gargoyle who was not in a very happy mood, after his girlfriend had left him for the demon in the East Wing. Gemini did not however relate the part of the story in which she had asked how his girlfriend had gotten into the East Wing, and the gargoyle had proceeded chase her for a good five minutes with one of the more expensive mirrors. "Ah well," she thought, "what's seven more years bad luck when added to a life sentence?"
Cassiopeia took this start in the conversation to wave her hands around signaling that she wanted their attention. Gemini had to fight with herself not to laugh, at how similar her grandmother looked to a chimpanzee.
After she was fairly satisfied that was in full control of the situation Cassiopeia continued by starting, "Andromeda, one of my old friends, has a daughter, who knows a wizard, who is approximately your age, and I arranged for the two of you to meet together on September the 2nd-"
Andromeda didn't even wait for Cassiopeia to finish before she intervened, "What in the golly-gee-think-I'm-gonna-kill-you-run-for-the-hills-you-get-a-five-second-headstart-beginning-now-hell where you thinking?" Andromeda said all of this very quickly, as her eyes lit on fire just like her personality.
"And anyway, you forgot to have a dentist in there, there always has to be a dentist," Gemini said trying to lighten the conversation as she slightly pushed back her chair, ready to leave if candlesticks started flying. She almost felt a pang of sympathy for her mother, being treated like a two-year-old.
"Well, Andromeda," Cassiopeia began in a pacifying tone, "you haven't had a date in sixteen years, and I was simply trying to help. Anyway, I hear he's quite a charmer, very popular with the ladies."
"If you wanna help why don't you just go shove a broomstick up your-"
"I will not be spoken to like that."
"Yea, add that to your list of things that disappoint you about me, if there's any room left," and having said that Andromeda turned on her heel and ran from the room.
Up in her room Gemini was sitting in the wicker chair infront of an antique desk from before the first goblin rebellion. She was chewing the end of her pen, a rather disgusting habit she had picked up at school, yet she was unable to stop.
Reading her letter once more she made sure that it all fit together.
Dear Hydra,
This is Gemini, Andromeda's daughter. I have heard a great deal about you and I was hoping that you could possibly help me with a situation that I have. I would like to know my father's name, I want to know who he is, I want to be a part of his life. My mother thinks that she holds all the power of the situation, but I am determined. I must know who he is. This has haunted me for years, and I will never be at peace until I have a chance. You are my last option, please give me some aid.
~Gemini
Short, and sweet, and to the point she thought as she crossed the room to her owl's cage. Handing the beautiful gray owl her letter she opened the window and with a feeling of hope, a feeling of possibility, she watched the owl fly away until she was a speck in the sky.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
September 1st came faster than Gemini could have even anticipated, and before she knew it she was tucked into a small Limousine, watching England fly by, as she thought about the letter that she had sent to Hydra a week ago. She had had no reply as of yet.
Andromeda sat across from her, Andromeda's eyes wide with shock that this day had come so fast. She looked paler than normal, and Gemini couldn't understand why.
As the Limousine pulled into the entrance of King's cross they unloaded the bags with the aid of the handsome driver. Gemini and Andromeda made their good-byes and as the last whistle hooted Andromeda hung out the window of her compartment to wave to her tear-strewn mother as the train pulled away, leading her to new adventures, friends, and experiences.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
That night Andromeda couldn't sleep, she kept thinking of that man from Diagon Alley, and the fact that she would be seeing him some time in the next few hours. She tossed and turned and when she finally fell asleep her dreams were anything but sweet.
She awoke an hour after she had fallen asleep to find herself on the floor, amidst a bunch of tangled sheets and pillows. Picking herself up, and mentally shunning herself for being so stupid as to fall off a bed, she walked down the stairs to the kitchen.
Upon arrival she made herself a cup of herbal tea, the kind that she had made ever since she was young, and she sat down to think at the counter. It seemed like only yesterday when she was a little girl with the whole world ahead of her, and now here she was, in the same old kitchen over thirty years later and it seemed like the whole world was behind her. She certainly didn't miss the irony.
Picking up the cup and returning it to the sink she made the journey to her room, and upon arrival immediately fell asleep, before she even made it to the bed.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
The next morning went by very quickly. Andromeda's alarm was set for 8 am because they were meeting at twelve-noon. Peeling herself off the floor she didn't even bother to mentally reprimand herself this time, as she headed for the bathroom.
Lifting her eyes to the sink she noted with much anger that she had huge bags under her eyes from her semi-sleepless night, and her back was aching from an unexpected slumber on the floor. She crossed the room and turned on the taps in the shower, sticking her hand in to test the water.
Inside the shower she could feel the water cascading down her body, and she had to fight to stay awake in the relaxing scene. Only the thoughts of her approaching meeting could keep her going, and she could feel the knots in her stomach as if someone was twisting it into a balloon animal. Her hair washed, and her resolution to go on the date done, she stepped from the shower. She only had three hours to eat breakfast, and get ready, and knowing her, she would spend atleast one more half an hour debating if she should really go before she would finally apparate.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*
Sirius smacked the buzzing alarm, chucking it across the room, and smiling satisfactorily as he heard the noise that could only be taken for what it was, the destruction of yet another clock. It was nine-o clock, why was his alarm set for so early? "Hmmm, I must have made a mistake and set it by accident he thought," turning over on his side, closing his eyes, and falling instantly asleep.
An hour-and-a-half later Sirius shot up in bed. It was as though his sleeping mind had been pondering the reason for setting an alarm, and finally found the answer. Jumping out of bed he cursed himself out loud for nearly forgetting something he had been looking forward to for weeks.
He pulled on jeans and a blue shirt as he walked down the hall towards the kitchen. For about a half an hour he sat there, his food untouched the same thoughts in his head, doubt, worry, and annoyance with himself for feeling these things. And the ironic thing was that he might not have felt this way if he had realized that at this moment Andromeda was feeling the same things.
When the clock showed that it was five minutes to twelve he stood up, smoothing his shirt, and running a hand over his mouth to make sure that there was no food on it, then closing his eyes he said, Diagon Alley and the tiny kitchen faded away. It was slowly replaced with the familiar settings of Diagon Alley, and he stood there looking around for a few minutes as he made the last debate in his head.
The shops looked so inviting, he saw some potion materials that he needed, and a new broom that he was dying to have priced. Maybe he should just forget about the date and go into that Quidditch Shop? NO! He had waited too long to have another chance to meet this interesting woman, if he didn't like her he would never have to see her again, so what harm was there in going?
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Andromeda was waiting before the bookstore where she had first met that man a few weeks ago. She checked her watch and then held it to her ear to make sure it was still working. He only had one minute to get there before he was late. Was he going to stand her up?
She was preparing to leave when she saw the familiar face coming into focus. She was now extremely nervous. She could still apparate away, she didn't have to stay, there was still time to leave.
But all thoughts of leaving were quickly wiped from her mind when he flashed her a smile that made her doubt the very ground she was standing on. She wanted to say, "hello" she wanted to smile back, but all she could manage was what must have come out looking like a very dazed look.
He offered her a hand, and thank goodness her arms were working even if her mouth wasn't, for she graciously took it and placed her own palm in it. They walked down the hall for a few seconds before he looked at her and said, "So where would you like to eat?"
This time words did not fail her. She looked at him for a minute while thinking and then said, "Anywhere will be fine."
"How very helpful," he said sarcastically with a smile.
"What can I say, I try," and she looked back at him with a slight grin.
"So I suppose that Chinese food will be fine?"
"I suppose so," and she stopped to think, she couldn't be witty and charming until she knew the thing that was bothering her so much. But before she even had a chance to ask him, he had already done it.
"Last time we met you never told me your name, and it was bothering me quite a bit."
"I was just about to say that!" Andromeda exclaimed. "My name is Andromeda, and it has been bugging the hell out of me not knowing what your name is."
"Well that's funny," He said looking highly amused.
" What is?" She asked, a puzzled look spreading over her features.
"The fact that you're Andromeda," he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Why?" She questioned; she didn't like the look on his face.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
AN: Ok, I know, I left you with a BIG cliffhanger. What does Sirius say? How does Andromeda react? Who is Andromeda's blind date for that evening with? One hint, it's not Sirius. Does Gemini get a reply from Hydra? Will we ever learn the contents of the East Wing? For answers to those questions and more you will have to review, to let me know that people are enjoying this series, so that I have a reason to write it. :) :) :) Oh and when you review feel free to guess the name of Andromeda's date for that evening, we'll see if anyone can figure it out! :)