"Hey hon, you want to go running?"
Dierna squinted against the morning light into the way too cheerful for this early in the morning face of her twin, "I suppose..."
"Good, get ready, 'cause I'm leaving in 5 minutes whether you're ready or not."
"Alright, alright, I'm up," Dierna hauled herself out of bed. She changed quickly and sat back down on the bed to pull on her running shoes, "I don't understand how you can be happy this early in the morning..."
"It's just my natural sunshiny personality," Serena replied cheekily.
"Well, I'm ready to go."
Serena gave her sister a worried look, normally she would have gotten a sarcastic remark worthy of their father over the 'natural sunshiny' description. It was like something in her sister had died along with Stefan... "well then, lets get going," Serena's voice was slightly strained.
They started out on their normal route, down behind the school to the lake then up to the Quidditch pitch where they ran several laps, then along the edge of the Forbidden Forest back to the front of the school. However, Dierna barely made it one through one lap of the Quidditch pitch when she stopped. "Go ahead," she told her sister, "I think I'm just still a little tired, I'll just walk up on my own and probably go to bed for a couple more hours."
Serena tried to protest, but Dierna was unmovable. Finally, shrugging, she continued on with her run.
Dierna made it most of the way back to Gryffindor Tower before the second wave of dizziness hit her. She put her hand against the wall for support, but still fell to her knees. She barely noticed the sharp pain in her knee caps from hitting the hard stone floor her head was spinning so fast. She knelt there for awhile until she finally found the strength to stand back up and continue on. She never knew that someone had been watching her the whole time.
Olivia wanted to run around and look at all the shop windows, but she held by the hand on either side, and had been told that if she ran off just once the trip was over and she could spend the rest of the day in her room, even if it was her birthday.
"Where do you want to go first?" Morgan asked.
Olivia looked around Diagon Alley, trying to decide, "I don't know."
"Might I suggest Madame Malkin's?" Severus inserted, "child, your robes are getting deplorably short."
"Can I get red robes?" Olivia asked.
Severus frowned and muttered something about children and Gryffindor tendencies that wasn't quite loud enough for his daughter to hear, "no."
"Please..."&
"Do you not understand the meaning of 'no' child?"
"No," Olivia giggled at the exasperated look she got.
"Stop it you two," Morgan rolled her eyes at them, "we will worry about color once we find something that fits her," she gave her husband a pointed look as he held the door to the robe shop open for them, "it is her birthday Sev..."
After being given permission Olivia scampered over to the racks of children's robes and started looking through them. She quickly located a red robe and held it up for inspection.
"No," Severus said, holding up a black robe.
Olivia shook her head, "I don't want black, I want red."
"Black is more appropriate, it is what the students wear."
"But I'm not a student, and I want red."
Severus crossed his arms over his chest, "child, you are not getting red robes, I live with more than enough Gryffindors as it is, I don't need you heading down that path too."
"How about a compromise," Morgan said holding a set of blue robes up in between them.
"I like blue," Olivia said.
"Severus?" Morgan raised an eyebrow, silently daring him to say anything negative.
"It's better than red."
"I might go crazy if you two act like this the rest of the day," Morgan said with a shake of her head, "it's like I have two children to keep an eye on."
"Daddy, can we get ice cream next?" Olivia asked, tugging on Severus' sleeve.
"Before lunch?"
Olivia rolled her eyes, "no silly, for lunch."
"I think not."
Olivia pouted, "Please Daddy..."
"Child, the sooner you learn that act won't work, the better off you will be," Severus snapped a bit more harshly than he had intended.
Olivia sighed, "'k, I'm sorry." She concentrated on being as good as she could manage while Morgan paid for the two sets of robes she had picked out, one blue and one green.
"Severus, how delightful to see you out and about, although I never pinned you as the sort of chap to enjoy shopping, it's one of those arts best left to those of us with good taste."
Severus wondered if the day could get any worse, "Lockhart... a pleasure," he sneered.
"No need for formalities, you did return my mind after all, not that I wouldn't have figured it out on my own, I was almost there! Please, make it Gilderoy, between friends such as us we should be on a first name basis, what?"
Morgan's eyes widened dramatically as she joined her husband and daughter, "Lockhart..." she practically hissed the name.
"Ahhh... Morgan, one of my favorite students, how very nice to see you," Lockhart grabbed her hand and tried to bring it to his lips, but Morgan wrenched it out of his grasp.
"Sorry, but we were just leaving," Morgan said coldly.
As soon as the trio was outside the store Morgan announced that they were going home for the day. How she hated Lockhart! She would like nothing better than too... By the time they got home she had calmed enough to speak calmly to Olivia when she told the girl to go put her new clothes away.
"Guess I'm just bad luck Tristan," Olivia told her stuffed rabbit, "nothing ever seems to go right when I'm around." She hugged him close, "but you shouldn't be sad Tristan, I'll give you something so that you won't be sad since you have to stay with me." She got up and pulled a ribbon off of her new blue robes and tied it around the rabbit's neck, "there, now you'll all pretty."
Her lower lip started to tremble, "I miss Mama and Papa... this is the first birthday they haven't been here Tristan." The tears really started to flow.
"Hey kid, what's the sad face for?"
"Nothing..."
"Doesn't look like nothing to me," Kamen said as he joined Olivia on her bed, "I have enough sisters to know that usually you girls don't cry over nothing."
Olivia ran the back of her hand over her eyes, "just not a very good day."
"Not a good day when it's your birthday! That doesn't seem very fair," Kamen said sympathetically, he had heard his mother ranting about Lockhart and knew what she was like when she got into that state, "can I try and make it better?"
"Sure."
"How about we start with a birthday present," Kamen made a dramatic presentation of a small wrapped gift.
"What is it?"
"Open it and see."
Olivia tore open the paper, "Oh, I love it..." she held up the necklace with the rabbit charm on it. "Help me put it on?"
"Of course," Kamen worked the small clasp with a practiced hand as he fastened the necklace around her neck, "it reminded me of your rabbit there, if figured since you like him so much you'd like another rabbit."
"You know, you're a lot nice than I thought you were."
Kamen leaned down close to his youngest little sister, "just don't tell the other girls that, I have every intention of treating them just as bad as I always have and I don't want to make them jealous. Now," he sat up, "how about we raid the kitchens for some ice cream?"
"My lord, if you don't need anything else I should return to the school before my presence is missed."
"Of course, you are dismissed girl. Malfoy!" Voldemort called the man, "see that she is escorted safely off the property."
"Of course my lord."
Malfoy took the girl by the arm gently, there was no need to upset his lord, "remember your duties," he hissed in her ear as he led her to the edge of the property, "as indispensable as our dark lord may think you are, it doesn't mean he won't hesitate to dispose of you should you lose your usefulness. Do you understand?"
"Ja, ich verstehe, I understand."
"Good," Draco glared at her, it infuriated him to no end that he wasn't allowed to touch this girl, "you'll be summoned again soon, Eva." He spoke her name softly, almost as a caress. And his eyes lingered on the spot where she had stood for a long time after she had disapparated.
Kamen carried a half-asleep Olivia back to his parents' chambers. She was so limp that he was having troubles keeping a good hold on her.
"What did you do to her?" Severus asked as his son deposited her droopy form on the sofa.
"Three bowls of ice cream and a trip to see the unicorn Professor Weasley has for his classes."
"Thank you for taking her, we ran into Lockhart this morning and your mother..."
"Yeah, I know, that's why I took her. Thought she deserved a better birthday than that, especially after what I heard her telling that stuffed rabbit of hers..."
Severus frowned, "what are you talking about?"
Kamen matched his father's glare, "her parents died just over 4 months ago, think about it. I've got to get going, William and I have something to do."
Severus was left sitting there, still trying to reconcile the immature, full-of-himself, image that he had of his son, with the steely look of determination that was now in his eyes. Could the boy have finally grown up?
Kamen and William met at the entrance to Professor McGonagall's office and went up together. Sirius had arranged for them to have some time alone up there so that they could question Dumbledore's portrait about the Grigorian Brotherhood. They had both agreed that they needed to hear some answers before things went any further, there would be no more blind leaps.
The portrait of Dumbledore was waiting for them, but there was something odd about the room... none of the other portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses were present.
"I had to insure that we could have this conversation in private," Dumbledore answered their unasked question as to the presence of the other paintings. "Technically I probably shouldn't even be entertaining this session with you boys, but I believe you deserve to know the truth about the Brotherhood."
"What do you know about it?" William asked.
Dumbledore steepled his fingers under his chin, "a great deal actually. Until the time of my death I was at the head of the Brotherhood."
"So, how much longer are you going to put this off?"
"It's not that simple Remus..." Kalliope began.
"I know, I know..." Remus cut her off, "your temple won't recognize the marriage. To them I will be your consort, nothing more. But I still want to be married to you, and you did say yes to my proposal if I remember correctly."
Kalliope studied him for a minute, "and I guess I did say that I would stay here with you, and the marriage would be important in your world..."
"I'm not trying to pressure you into anything right now, if you need to think about it Kalliope I understand. I know this is very different from the world you grew up in."
Kalliope shook her head, "no, I've made my decision Remus. Let's do it now."
"What? You mean get married, right now?"
"Yes."
Remus stared, rather blankly, at the priestess for awhile. He truly did love this woman more than anything, but he hadn't been planning on an impromptu wedding...
"Has that Gryffindor bravery kicked in yet, or are you going to leave me sitting here all night waiting for a response?"
"You were the head of the Grigorian Brotherhood?!" Kamen practically shouted, "This is ridiculous, why weren't we told this? It probably would have saved us a lot of agonizing over whether or not we were doing the right thing."
"It is a secret society, so I don't suppose there would have been any reason for you boys to know about my role of leadership. Now, as to whether or not you're doing the right thing," Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth, "I believe the Brotherhood's cause is just."
"But..." William prompted.
"But, Armand is still trying to get his footing. He has only been the head of the Brotherhood for about a year. He is incredibly young to hold that position, and he is learning as he goes. His methods are a bit on the rough side, but he's getting there," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "I remember a few rough spots of my own that I had to get over. But never you fear, the other former leaders, along with myself, are there to give him advice."
William considered that, "so you have another portrait in the Brotherhood headquarters..."
"Who are some of the other former leaders?" Kamen cut in.
Dumbledore made a show of looking around the room instead of directly at the two boys, "ohhh... lots of famous wizards. Let me see... Merlin was one, Flavius Belby, Glover Hipworth, Nicolas Flamel, I believe there was a Snape at one time who was the head, let's see who else might you have heard of... oh yes, Salazar Slytherin."
"Slytherin was head of the Brotherhood?" William frowned, Kamen had mentioned that Armand had told him Slytherin was a member, but had neglected to add the fact that he was a leader "but after all you've said, about just causes, and you were leader of the same society... but Slytherin, he was..."
"Evil? Mr. Darcy, yes, I suppose to your way of thinking he would be. But remember things are not always as they appear. Salazar Slytherin was a great man, and a great asset to the Brotherhood, and the wizarding community."
"How do you know that? I had to write a report on the founding of Hogwarts and there was almost no information on any of the founders, not even in the restricted section."
Kamen looked up at Dumbledore as the answer dawned on him, "there's a portrait. The Brotherhood has portraits of the former leaders, that means there's a portrait of Slytherin."
"Yes there is, full of fascinating stories that one is," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"I think its bedtime."
"But it's still my birthday! Can't I stay up for the rest of it?" Olivia looked at Morgan with pleading eyes.
"How about we compromise and have two stories tonight instead of one?"
Olivia looked down at the new story books she had gotten for her birthday, "but I'm seven! That's a lot older than I was yesterday. I want to stay up."
"That is a lot older," Morgan agreed.
"A whole year!" Olivia inserted.
"But I think bedtime still stands. Why don't you go get ready and then we'll read a few stories together."
Olivia, although she pouted the whole time, did as she was told. She returned to the living room, clutching Tristan, and crawled up on the couch between Morgan and Severus.
"How about that story now?" Morgan asked.
Olivia shook her head, "no story, I don't want one."
Morgan brushed black curls out of the way of large blue eyes, "sweetie, I know you miss your parents, and I don't ever want you to forget them. But you have us now, and I love you just as much as if you had always been mine. I'm so thankful I have you here as my little girl."
Olivia looked down at Tristan, "does it make them sad that I love you and I'm glad I'm here?"
"Oh sweetie, no it doesn't. I have a feeling they are happy that you're starting to really happy again and have a new family. They don't want you to be sad all the time."
Olivia nodded, "I miss them, but I want to be happy too," she cuddled Tristan, "I think I do want a story now."
"I think you guys are corrupting me," Nimue muttered.
"You like it," Ophelia told her with a grin.
"Yeah, life wouldn't be half as interesting if you didn't have us," Angie added.
"Well, if we get caught out here I'll make sure you don't forget I was the one who said this was a bad idea."
"We know!" Ophelia and Angie said together, which sent them into a fit of giggles.
The trio continued on a bit more quietly, they crept past the great hall and down towards the kitchen. "You know I'm right about this one," Angie said in a hushed voice, "a late night study session is not complete without midnight snacks."
"Wait," Nimue suddenly stopped and pulled the other girls with her into a dark alcove, signaling to them to be silent. They watched, unnoticed, as Eva walked by them. "Probably patrolling the halls," Nimue whispered once the coast was clear, "we need to be more careful."
"Why three?"
Remus smiled, "I don't remember."
"Then why should I do it?"
"Mrs. Lupin, just do as you're told and throw them in."
Kalliope narrowed her eyes, "you keep speaking to me that way wizard and it's you I'll throw in," but she smiled at him as she tossed the three coins over her shoulder, "happy?"
"Yes," Remus pulled her into his arms, "and you better not throw me in, I can smell all the bleach in there, it wouldn't be pleasant."
"But it is very beautiful," Kalliope rested her head on Remus' shoulder as she gazed at the Trevi fountain. She grinned up at him devilishly, "I should have known you'd take me to Rome to get married..."
"I'm just glad that I had the right connections and that Minerva told me I don't have to be back until Monday morning. So, love of my life, what do we do now?"
Kalliope glanced around; the Roman night life was in full swing. Tourists were running around snapping pictures while illegal vendors pressed them with silk scarves and roses until chased off by the police. The city was lit up, new buildings mixed with ancient. It was a beautiful city, ready to be explored, "let's find a place to stay for the night, I just want to be with you."
Severus was very watchful the next week. Dierna was looking worse and worse. And Morgan was worried, so he not only had to worry about his daughter, but he also had to worry about his wife worrying about their daughter.
As another week came to an end he debated if something should be done. He would have told her she couldn't play in the quidditch match, which was about to start, if he hadn't thought it would only push her closer to the edge. She had lost weight, it looked like it wouldn't take much more than a steady breeze to knock her off her broom, a bludger would probably snap her in half.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he paid little attention to whom he spoke or passed as he made his way towards the quidditch pitch for the game. With his usual school year mask in place it was easy to operate without giving it too much thought.
"I think you made that girl cry." Olivia informed him, breaking into his thoughts.
"What girl?" he asked, frowning.
"The one that nearly ran into you, you were mean and I think it made her cry."
"Is there a point to you informing me of this?"
Olivia shook her head, "no, it just didn't seem very nice."
He was thankful when Olivia dropped the subject; he had a headache coming on and was not in the mood to contribute to the child's need for conversation. As they reached the teachers' stands he barely glanced around to see who was in attendance. He felt just the slightest bit guilty as he noticed Morgan's red and gold ensemble. It was the last game of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin; due to his status as Head of Slytherin it would not be outwardly acceptable for him to support Gryffindor, even if his children were on that team.
"Kamen's last game here..." Morgan sighed, "Just over a month and he'll be graduating, another one out of the house." She cast about for something a bit happier to think about, "you two," her gaze fell on Remus and Kalliope, "I haven't seen much of you around this week. Enjoying being newlyweds?"
Remus shook his head, "don't you even start with me Morgan, I know where you're going with this..."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Morgan said sweetly.
Remus pulled his best teaching face, "don't make me ask your husband to keep you in line."
Morgan glanced over at her husband and managed a weak smile, "I'm not sure he'd even notice right now..."
Remus turned serious, "come to any decisions about what you're going to do with Dierna yet?"
"No, and I'm getting more and more worried. Severus is worried she might try to do something to herself, but we're both at a loss as to what to do. I personally think she would be much better off if she had a good cry, she's holding so much pain inside..."
Remus nodded, but didn't have a chance to respond as the game started.
Morgan watched, her gaze following her three children intently. She had loved quidditch until she had children on a team. It was then that she seemed to realize exactly how dangerous the game could be. She watched all of their games practically paralyzed with fear that something would happen, but maintained a cheery façade as she cheered for them.
She tried to keep one eye on Dierna and the other on the rest of the action of the game. She was nearly beside herself with joy and pride when Nick's little sister caught the snitch and Gryffindor won not only the game, but the quidditch cup. She gave Remus a sympathetic glance, knowing that he would probably spend most of the night breaking up Gryffindor celebration parties. But a collective gasp from the crowd made her spin back around in time to see Dierna land her broom just before she crumpled to the ground.