Persephone started coming over more for dinner and spent more and more evenings at the house 'going over paperwork' with Rupert. Charity, being the clueless happy child that she was, took a huge liking to Persephone. Every time she came over, Charity would rush downstairs and give her a hug, showing her the newest painting that she made. Constance, trying to be civil, would say a quick hello, then retreat to her room to read. "Constance," it was Persephone at the door, "can I come in?"

"Sure."

"Well, your father told me you were really interested in potions so I brought along one of my old college potion books. It's a little advanced, but I'm sure you'll be able to understand it easily." Constance did love potions, because of her mother, and the sight of a new book to read was unbearable. "Thank you," she said smoothly, "but you can't win me over like Charity. A book isn't going to make me like you."

Persephone sighed. "Fine Constance, I've tried but it seems that you are just to stubborn. You don't have to like me, but believe me, there will be a time that you wish you had been a little nicer to me." She left the book on the bed and walked out, slamming the door. Constance decided right then that she needed to keep Persephone away from her father. She was still contemplating ideas when she went down to dinner.

"Well girls, I have an announcement to make," her father said briskly after they had started eating their pasta, "I've asked Persephone to marry me and she said yes so you girls are going to have a new mother."

"A new mother," Charity exclaimed, "oh wow, now we can paint together all the time, and bake cookies, and..."

"No," Constance stood up and threw her napkin down, "She's not our mother. Our mother is dead and dad has no right to marry another woman." "But Constance," her father started. "No dad, how can you forget about mom, how can you marry this evil woman." "Constance I never will forget about your mother, but I need to move on and so do you. I love Persephone and I thought it was time for both of you to have a mother again." "Well I hate her, and if you marry her I refuse to be a part of this family." And with that she stomped off to her room and slammed the door.

Her father got up to go talk to her, but Persephone interrupted, "Dear let me talk to her, I feel that I am the problem, let me reason with her." Rupert smiled and wearily sat down at the table.

Persephone didn't even knock. She opened the door and closed it tightly. "Listen you little brat, I have tried to be nice to you but I can see there is no reasoning with you. If you aren't happy with this marriage then we can send you off to a boarding school instead of living here." Constance jumped up in surprise. "But, but you can't do that." "Oh no?" Persephone interjected, "I think I can, in fact by the time I'm done you father will not only love it, he will think that it's his idea. Look, my husband cheated on me and took all of my money. I finally found a man who I know won't hurt me and is rich enough to support me so if you don't like it, then too bad." She left the room and slammed the door. Constance didn't know what to say at first and then she ran downstairs and announced to the table, "I'm sorry, I was just upset over mother, really. I accept this marriage, I really do." There, that would ensure she wouldn't get sent off to school. "Oh Constance I'm so glad you feel that way," her father said beaming at Persephone. He didn't notice the smug grin she was shooting at Constance.

They were married as quickly as possible and seeing as how Persephone had little family left, it was a small wedding. Life was different with Persephone around and in Constance's opinion, a lot worse. She was wonderful when her father was home, but when he wasn't, she was horrible to Constance. She spent all of her time and attention on Charity telling Constance she could fend for herself. Constance now began to look forward to school, where she could sit and think in peace. Home was a place that was painful, that was dark and cruel. She knew that she couldn't do anything big, but she spent her spare time thinking of ways to get her stepmother back for her cruelty. At first it was little things like hiding her favorite pair of earrings or putting itching potion in her shampoo, but gradually she moved on to riskier things like putting a purple spotting potion in her stepmother's face lotion. Persephone broke out into purple spots on her face and even the doctor had no clue what caused it. "It's alright doctor, I'm sure it will go away in a few days," she said glaring at Constance.

The next day she heard Persephone shouting to Rupert, "My diamond ring is gone, my engagement ring is gone," "Well dear, when did you last have it, I'm sure you just misplaced it." "Well I took it off to do the dishes, so it wouldn't fall down the sink, and I did go to answer the door when it rang, but I was only away from the kitchen for a few minutes." Constance didn't remember the doorbell ringing, she wondered what her stepmother was up to. "Well maybe it fell while you were away, let's check the sink." Constance heard some scrapping noises. "You know, Rupert, I don't mean to be funny, but what if one of the kids took it or something." "Well I don't think either one would take it but...." "Well Constance was the only other one home today, I don't know maybe she took it...." "Hmm well we could at least ask her," she heard her father say. She heard movement on the stairs towards her room. She knew what was happening; her stepmother was trying to blame her, well this time she hadn't touched her ring.

"Constance can I ask you something," her father said, coming into the room. "Sure dad." "Persephone's engagement ring is missing and we were wondering if you knew where it was." "Nope sorry, don't have it," and Constance returned to the book she was reading.

"Then you won't mind if we search your room," her stepmother said. "What...that's not fair," Constance jumped up from the bed. "Look, if you don't have it, then it's not a big deal ok," her father said. So she consented and almost as soon as Persephone started looking through Constance's bookbag she found an envelope with the ring and a note in it. "Dad, I swear it wasn't there before, she must have put it there." Her father looked seriously doubtful. He read the letter and looked shocked. "Constance, what is the meaning of this, exchanging the ring to your friend for her ticket to London. Why would you want to leave, and why would you lie?" He looked crushed. "But dad, I didn't write that letter, I don't want to leave, I want to stay here with you." "Look kid, it's your handwriting." She looked and it was, that stupid woman must have bewitched the letter to look like Constance's handwriting.

"Fine, Constance, if you want to leave then we can send you to boarding school. We had been talking about it, but I thought that I had brought you up in the right way and...."

"Oh no dear," Persephone interjected, "it should be up to Constance, why I don't blame the girl for stealing the ring, the poor thing she just wanted get away from me I understand." And she started crying; the best fake crying Constance had ever seen in fact. "No, Persephone, I've made up my mind, Constance look at how much your mother cares for you and you still..."

"Stepmother, she will never be my mother!" In the background, Persephone gave off some hurt cries. "This was all a set up, but I see that I can't win here so fine, I'll go off to school as long as it gets me away from her."

Constance flopped down on her bed and put her face in the pillow, she heard her father leave and her stepmother came over and whispered, "Now nothing can ruin my happy life". When she left, Constance started to cry. What had happened to her life, why was she so miserable? A person shouldn't be so miserable. Constance made up her mind right then and there to make her life better, maybe being away from this house would help. She would become a potions teacher like her mother. "Please help me mom, please help me." She sent up a silent prayer to her mother, the only joy that had ever been in her life.